© Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust SATHYA SAI SPEAKS Prasanthi Nilayam (INDIA). VOLUME - 37 All Rights Reserved The Copyright and the rights of translation in any language are reserved by the Publisher. No part, para, passage, text or photograph or artwork of this book should be reproduced, transmitted or utilised, in original language or by translation, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo copying, recording or by any informa- tion, storage or retrieval system, except with the express and prior Discourses of permission, in writing from the Convener, Sri Sathya Sai Books & BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam (Andhra Pradesh) India, except for brief passages quoted in book review. This book can be exported delivered during 2004 from India only by the Publishers - Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications (except 5 Dasara Discourses in 10/2004) Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam (India). International Standard Book No. 81 - 7208 - 428 - 5 81 - 7208 - 118 - 9 (Set) First Edition : Published by The Convener, Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust Prasanthi Nilayam, India - Pin Code 515 134 PRASANTHI NILAYAM STD : 08555 ISD : 91- 8555. Phone : 287375 Fax : 287236 email : [email protected] SRI SATHYA SAI BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS TRUST Prasanthi Nilayam - 515 134 Printed at Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India STD : 08555 ISD : 91 - 8555 Phone: 287375 Fax: 287236 email: [email protected] CONTENTS 16. God Protects Those Who Protect Sathya And Dharma ...... 213 17. Teachings of Noble Souls Essential For The Young .... 227 1. Service To Man Is Service To God ...... 1 18. Obtain Divine Grace By Obeying Your Parents ...... 233 2. Respect For Parents - The Greatest Virtue ...... 17 19. Your Reality Is In your Own Self, Not Elsewhere ...... 247 3. Character Is The Goal Of Education ...... 35 20. Experience Divinity Within In Total Silence ...... 261 4. Love Is The Royal Path To Realise God ...... 51 21. Dedicate Your Life To Serve Society ...... 273 5. Concentration Of Mind On The Divine Is Real Sadhana ...... 69 22. My Power Is The Power Of Love ...... 291 6. Realise The God Immanent In You ...... 87 7. Manifestation Of The Vedas In Human Form ...... 97 8. Uphold Truth Under All Circumstances ...... 105 9. Develop Love To Experience Divinity ...... 121 10. Mother Is Your First God ...... 133 11. The Form Of God Is Love ...... 151 12. My Students Are My Wealth ...... 161 13. Do Constant Namasmarana For Mental Peace ...... 171 14. Divine Love Alone Can Save Us From Sorrows ...... 185 15. The Lord Accepts Only A Pure Heart ...... 199 1 Service To Man Is Service To God People can say that this is Brahman, None can say, however, that this is not Brahman, God only exists always, The world is illusory, look! (Telugu poem) Embodiments of Love! ODAY, everybody is entHusiastic about New T Year’s day. Signi cantly, this New Year Day has started on a Thursday. It is one’s foolishness to single out a particular day in a year and celebrate that day with great joy. For a true devotee, every day is a festival day. Therefore, it is essential that we have to consider every minute, every day as new and celebrate it with joy. In fact, every day is a New Year Day. 2 Sathya Sai Speaks Volume - 37 Sathya Sai Speaks Volume - 37 3 This Body Is For Serving Others to others. God has given us this body for that purpose only. THis body is not meant to be engaged in mere eating EverytHing in tHis objective world is impermanent and drinking and thus wasting our valuable time. We and unreal. Hence, we Have to contemplate on tHe must realise the truth that God has given us this body eternal truth and reality. We should not waste our time for serving others and thus help others. There is nothing brooding over the past or anticipating the future. It is greater than service to humanity. great foolishness to worry about the future or the past, forgetting the present. The present is only real. Past is Service To Man Is Service To God past, you cannot get it back however much you may All great men have sancti ed their lives only by pray for it. The future is hidden in the womb of time. It serving Humanity. THerefore, you start serving Humanity is not possible to visualise it. THerefore, only tHe present at least from now onwards. Service is more important is important. Unable to realise tHis trutH, people are than bhajan and all other sadhanas. worried about the past and future. Embodiments of Love! THe foremost activity man sHould engage in is service to fellow Human beings. Instead, people are Service Alone Brings Eternal Joy wasting their precious time worrying about either the What, according to you is service? You consider past or tHe future. THerefore, embodiments of love! helping people in dif culties is service. No. It is not You sHould always engage yourselves in service to as simple as tHat. Your body sHould be constantly fellow Human beings. THere is no greater sadhana engaged in serving others. The human body consists of tHan sucH service. Considering tHe nine patHs of several limbs. All these limbs are meant to be engaged devotion, namely, sravanam (listening), kirtanam in serving your fellowmen and not for other activities. (singing), Vishnusmaranam (contemplating on VisHnu), Unfortunately, we are forgetting this basic fact. Every padasevanam (serving His Lotus Feet), vandanam limb in the human body has been granted by God for (salutation), archanam (worship), dasyam (servitude), karmopasana (worsHipping God tHrougH service). sneham (friendsHip), atmanivedanam (self-surrender) Karmopasana is tHe only means by wHicH tHe Human life as the only important means for salvation, people are can be sancti ed. We are building several temples. We are engrossed in tHese activities. THey totally forget tHe undertaking various sadhanas. But, all these sadhanas importance of service. Only the fruits of service will be can give us only temporary satisfaction, not eternal joy. eternal. We must constantly engage ourselves in service Our ancient Rishis have been able to achieve eternal joy 4 Sathya Sai Speaks Volume - 37 Sathya Sai Speaks Volume - 37 5 tHrougH a conscious effort. THerefore, you must develop interested only in love and service. If you can recognise rm faith in the truth that nothing can provide eternal tHe importance of tHese two and conduct yourself joy, except service to humanity. Undertake service to accordingly, there can be no greater sadhana. You need the suffering humanity. Service is not merely con ned not spend a lot of money in service. Sanctify your life to health services. Service encompasses every possible by undertaking loving service. Today, the old students help to fellow human beings. of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning brought a cheque for Rs. 48 lakhs for presenting to Swami as a THe ancient culture of BHarat is still preserved token of their love and service. This amount has been in tHe villages and not in towns and cities. In fact, saved by them from their salaries, by undergoing lot of our culture is de led in all possible ways in the cities. dif culties. But, to wHom sHould tHe amount belong Therefore, go to the villages, nd out their necessities really? This amount is meant to be utilised for service and undertake such types of services that will alleviate in the villages. It is for serving the poorest of the poor. tHeir sufferings. Today, several people sHift to tHe Therefore, I told them, “My dear ones! You deposit the towns and cities in pursuit of comfort and luxuries. In money in the bank and undertake service activities with tHe process, tHey end up in sorrows and dif culties. tHe interest accrued on tHe amount.” Money is of no Help This is their own making. Na sukhat labhyathe sukham in developing good qualities. Sacri ce alone can develop (happiness cannot be obtained out of happiness). It is noble qualities. It is only in sacri ce, there is real yoga. only through suffering, that happiness is achieved. THat is wHy it is said Thyagenaike amrutatthwamanasu You should undertake service. In fact, the hands (it is only by sacri ce that man can attain immortality). are given to you to serve Humanity. The hands that serve Today, However, people want bhoga (enjoy material are holier than the lips that pray. Therefore, undertake comforts). By such bhoga, only roga (disease) will be sel ess service and attain glory. When you undertake contracted. They cannot attain yoga. Hence, you try to good work, you enjoy peace in your life. Today, tHe boys attain yoga by thyaga. Only then can you attain eternal who sang bhajans are former students of the Institute. joy. THey Have undertaken several service activities to Embodiments of Love! please Swami. God is not interested in worsHip and other sadhanas. He is interested only in service. Hence, Human Beings Are Embodiment Of Divinity undertake service and more and more service. The best There is no use contemplating on God without way to love God is to Love all and Serve all. God is making sacri ce. By contemplating on God, you may 6 Sathya Sai Speaks Volume - 37 Sathya Sai Speaks Volume - 37 7 perhaps derive some mental satisfaction. But, that is attachment whatsoever and is the eternal witness. of no use. THerefore, you develop rm faitH in tHe Truly speaking, the Indweller who is in the form truth that every living being is permeated by God and of the atma is verily God Himself. act accordingly. God lives in every living being and (Telugu poem) experiences bliss. The Upanishads declare, Easwarah You must be able to recognise sucH a divine atma.