© Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam SUMMER ROSES ON THE P.O. 515 134, Anantapur District, (A.P.) India BLUE MOUNTAINS, 1976 All Rights Reserved. The copyright and the rights of translation in any language are reserved by the Publishers. No part, para, passage, text or photograph or Discourses of Art work of this Book should be reproduced, transmitted or utilised, in original language or by translation, in any form or by any means, BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA electronic, mechanical, photo copying, recording or by any information, on storage and retrieval system, except with prior permission, in writing from the convener Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, Prasanthi Indian Culture and Spirituality Nilayam (Andhra Pradesh), India - Pin Code 515 134 except for brief during the summer course passages quoted in book review. This book can be exported from India held for college students only by the Publishers – Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam (India). at Ootacamund 81-7208-347-5 International Standard Book Number 81-7208-113-8 (set) Revised Enlarged Edition : May 2003 Published by: PRASANTHI NILAYAM The Convener, Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust Prasanthi Nilayam, India - Pin Code 515 134 STD: 08555 ISD: 91-8555 Grams: BOOKTRUST Phone: 287375 Fax: 287236 SRI SATHYA SAI BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS TRUST Prasanthi Nilayam - 515 134 Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Grams: BOOK TRUST STD: 08555 ISD: 91-8555 Phone: 287375 Fax: 287236 CONTENTS 1. Opening Address 1 2. Brotherhood Of Man And Fatherhood Of God 11 3. Dharma Never Declines. It Is The Practice Of Dharma That Declines 35 4. Two Great Human Qualities Of Humility And Obedience Characterised The Krishna Avatar 59 5. Krishna Was Always A Lover Of Peace And Never A Warmonger 79 6. Mahabharatha Contains Many Valuable Lessons For Us 101 7. A Good and Peaceful Death Is Coveted By All Saintly People 119 8. Man Should Promote Inner Vision For Himself 133 9. Be Good, Do Good, And See Good That Is The Way To God 151 10. Man Should Not, At Any Time, Behave Like An Animal 173 11. The Human Body Is Like A Water Bubble On The Surface Of Water 185 12. Man Becomes Blind By His Ego 201 13. Man’s Mind Is Like A Mad Monkey 217 14. The Path Of Love Is The Quickest To Reach God 233 15. Your Conscience Is Your Master And Guide 253 2 Summer Roses on the Blue Mountains, 1976 wider context of the community in which we live, after understanding one’s parents, one should make an attempt to understand the full significance and meaning of one’s mother country and mother civilisation. The history of our country and the history of our traditions and culture are our true parents. Although more than twenty-five years have lapsed since we have attained 1. OPENING ADDRESS the independence of our country, it is a great misfortune that in our entire period of independence, we have not been able to produce one single text or scripture which ithout getting rid of your is typical of the culture of our country. Although, we, Thamo Guna and your anger, in this country, have been listening to real history in how are you going to W many ways, yet we are truly not able to recognise the understand the spiritual background? essence of our civilisation. Such permanent truth, which Without getting rid of your Rajo Guna does not alter with time, such permanent truth which is and of your temper, how are you going to not affected or altered by revolutions, is the only truth take any interest in spiritual aspects? In which is the essence and true form of our culture. The fact, the best of the three gunas or qualities inner meaning and significance of such truth represents is the Sathwa and that itself promotes the history of our country. Forgetting this sacred history Bhakthi or devotion and that is the best of ours, we are taking two alternatives which are sadhana. What I am telling you is the temporary, transient, and artificial. Because of this simple and elemental truth. change, no student has been able to assert and say what Divyaatma swarupas, boys and girls, who are the the true picture of our country is. future citizens of this country: Unfortunately, today every student makes all The first thing man does soon after he is born, is attempts to pass an examination. They do not make any to try and understand his mother and father. In the attempt to understand the wisdom that lies behind true Summer Roses on the Blue Mountains, 1976 34 Summer Roses on the Blue Mountains, 1976 education. The students of today are spending their are the shortcuts that he wants to adopt for everything. lives in trying to acquire some cheap texts or notes and How is the breadth of vision of a man going to enlarge somehow or other, by hook or by crook, and by copying if he wants to lead a life like that? A man whose Atma from such cheap texts or even by terrorising the teachers, has not blossomed and a man whose spiritual they just want to pass the examination. From the time background has not blossomed will never understand he wakes up from sleep till the time he goes back to the whole purpose of his life. Today people think that bed, man spends all his time in such a trivial manner. acquaintance with a large number of books is education. Today, man’s way of living is such that he becomes Acquaintance with books can never be called education. dependent on others. Man is always in a hurry, he is For this enormous creation that we see in this simply spending his time in running from one thing to universe, that there is an invaluable strength behind it another. He runs for a seat in a bus, he runs for a seat all, is a truth that we should recognise. Although man’s in a cinema hall, he runs for a seat in a college, he runs birth and death look to us as common things, yet to all his life for acquiring one thing or another. Even understand the secret of birth and of death is a very while undertaking to do things in such a hurry and difficult matter. No one is making an attempt to running for everything, they have the misfortune of having to wait for everything. Our life appears like the understand the reason for human life and for human life of a bird or of an insect dependent on others for birth and death. No one is trying to understand the everything. We spend all the time today in reading basis for this. Man is not making an attempt to useless stories. One does not find time to read useful understand the duties and responsibilities of himself as history and useful aspects of one’s culture. Not only a human being. Why is there so much anarchy and this, man also wants to take a short cut for everything confusion in the world today? Why is there no peace? that he wants to achieve. Man does not want to make Is it because there are no educated people, and is it an effort in growing crops. He wants to go and steal the because there are no educational institutions? No, there harvest prepared by someone else. He does not want to are plenty of them, but the educated people do not have take the trouble for anything. He wants to earn his the necessary culture and breadth of vision along with money by picking the pocket of someone else and such their education. Our country has been known as the Summer Roses on the Blue Mountains, 1976 56 Summer Roses on the Blue Mountains, 1976 spiritual treasure house. Yet today we are forgetting the confuse your pure, unwavering, and sacred minds; and spiritual treasure and the real strength of our country. I am hoping that you will develop into ideal citizens of this country. Children are not understanding even the meaning of education. For the root word “Vid” if you add “Ya” We keep on talking about discipline. Simply to then you get Vidya. Here “Vid” stands for illumination keep on talking about discipline and not have the and “Ya” stands for that. Therefore, that which gives strength and faith to accept discipline is not going to do illumination and light is Vidya. That which gives you any good. To discipline and duty we should also add light and sheds your ignorance and that which gives devotion. It is only when these three D’s—Discipline, you wisdom and superior knowledge can alone be called Devotion, and Duty—are together and firmly implanted Vidya. What promotes ignorance and darkness cannot in your heart, that your heart will be able to develop be called Vidya. From time immemorial, our country into a sacred one. Today, unfortunately, even persons had been the leader of all the countries in the world. It who claim to be, and boast of being highly educated, had enjoyed the position of leadership in this world, appear as weaklings in practical life. Such people do and that is the kind of sacredness that we have enjoyed not understand the value of true education. As one in the past. Because there are no leaders today who can student has just mentioned, the entire education has set an example of such ideal life and who can hand on turned into one begging bowl.