Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

What is Jnana, the Supreme Knowledge or Wisdom? It is to know your own true self. That is true knowledge. Self-knowledge is Self-realisation. Constant contemplation on the Self is the means of experiencing the direct vision of God.

Every day you say, shanti (peace) three times! Say it with a pure heart and say it softly. When there is enmity in the heart, chanting Shanti Mantra will be of no use! Chanting it harshly also nullifies the effect of the chant! Words are not important, the feelings within your heart are important. Hence, perform all spiritual practices with purity of heart.

Every day is holy for those who utilise it for holy purposes; but there are some days set apart as specially significant and Makara Sankranti is one such. Sankranthi is so called because the day takes you from darkness to increasing light; the path of light is open from today. The Sun enters upon the journey towards North (Uttharaayanam) this day.

As long as you have the dualistic feeling of “you and I”, you cannot experience unity. Buddha recognised the principle of unity and based his life on this truth.

Keeping God as your guide and savior, whatever work you do, will yield sure success. God is your only true friend. Your friends may be with you only until you have wealth, but the moment you lose everything, they will desert you.

There should be unity in thought, word, and deed. To achieve this triple Unity, one has to understand the truth about the Atma (Spirit). This Atma is Time and Time is God. Therefore, you should not waste time. Fill your time with good actions. There is no greater spiritual practice than this.

Samam means Brahman, the Absolute Reality; Samadhrishti means, seeing only Brahman, the One, in all things at all times. This Oneness (Ekathwam) is the basic truth. All other experiences are partial, distorted, false. Dwell on that, in your meditation.

One should find fulfillment in life by making proper use of time. This is the primary duty of man.

Sanctify the new year by engaging yourselves in pure, selfless and ennobling activities. As far as possible, avoid causing harm or pain to others.

The year becomes new, the day becomes holy, when you sanctify it by spiritual practice (Sadhana), not otherwise. Spiritual practice (Sadhana) can grow only in a field fertilised by Love (Prema). Love (Prema) is the sine qua non of devotion to God (Bhakti). The love you have towards material objects, name, fame, wife and children, etc., should be sanctified by being subsumed by the more overpowering Love of God.

You are not one person but three---the one, you think you are, the one others think you are and the one you really are. You think of yourself as your body and its sense cravings, others think of you as a personality. You are truly infinite spirit Divine. You should constantly remind yourself, "I am God" "I am God." "I am God." The day you see yourself as God, you become God.

You are the farmer; the body is the field. Sow the seeds of goodness, you can get the harvest of happiness; sow the seeds of evil, you reap the harvest of grief. You are the cause of either of these. Do not blame others or impute partiality to God. Above all, do not rely on this impermanent objective world; it is full of sorrow and change; cultivate detachment, equanimity and self-control and love.

This day, Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Christ, resolve to lead the lives of loving service to the weak, the helpless, the distressed, the disconsolate. Cultivate tolerance and forbearance, charity and magnanimity. Hold dear the ideals He laid down and practise them, in your daily lives.

People talk of the sacrifice of Christ as evidence by His crucifixion. Let us pay attention to the sacrifice that Jesus made while free, out of his own volition. He sacrificed his happiness, prosperity, comfort, safety and position; he braved the enmity of the powerful. He refused to yield or compromise. He renounced the 'ego', which is the toughest thing to get rid of. Honor Him for these. He willingly sacrificed the desires with which the body torments man; this is sacrifice greater than the sacrifice of the body under duress. The celebration of His birthday has to be marked by your sacrificing at least a desire or two, and conquering at least the more disastrous urges of the ego.