Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

The scientist examines the objective world of matter and tries to excel in external vision. The one who examines the soul and develops the internal vision is the saint; the scientist plans machines, the saint relies on mantra (sacred formula). The balance can be restored only by cultivating the inner vision. This process has to be done even in schools and colleges.

The mind jumps from one desire to another and entangles us in its coils. Reduce desire, evict the ego, eject anger, and the mind will be your slave, instead of being your master.

Precept and practice should go together like medicine and diet control, meditating on God one should engage oneself in godly activities. It is useless to study or listen to spiritual discourses without leading a spiritual life. Righteousness means living according to the dictates of one's conscience. Acting in violation of the conscience is wrong. To realize this there is no need to study books.

When you pray to God for a job, or a son, or a prize, you are devoted, not to God, but to the job, to the son and to the prize. Pray to God for God; love, because it is your nature to love, because you know nothing else, because you cannot act otherwise than love. Expand yourself, take in all! Grow in Love. That is the new dress you have to wear and shine in on this day (Ugadi festival day).

The tongue has been given to speak the truth, to expound on what is sacred and pure. The tongue has not been given to man to pamper the palate with delicious sweets. It is not given for talking as one likes. It is not to be used for causing displeasure to others, nor is it to be used for indulging in falsehood. The tongue has been given to man to speak the truth, to be sweet to others, to praise the divine, and to enjoy the bliss derived from such sacred speech.

Devotion and faith are the two oars with which you can take the boat across the sea of worldly life. A child told its mother when it went to bed at night, “Mother! Wake me up when I get hungry.” The mother answered, “There is no need, your hunger will itself wake you.” So too, when the hunger for God comes, it will itself awake you and make you seek the food you need.

When one's words are in accord with one's thoughts, they become truth. When the spoken word is translated into action, it becomes right action (Dharma).

The Lord is a mountain of love (Prema). Any number of ants carrying away particles of sweetness cannot exhaust God’s abundance. He is an ocean of mercy without a limiting shore. Devotion is the easiest way to win divine grace and to realize that God pervades everything. In fact, God is everything! Total surrender, leaving everything to God’s will, is the highest form of devotion.

God does not appreciate external pomp and exhibitionistic behavior. He does not calculate the number of hours you did devotional singing, or repetition of Lord's name, or the number of miles you walked singing devotional songs. He examines the purity of your heart, as evident from your words and deeds. Do not preach. Practice.

People do not take birth for the enjoyment of personal possessions and comforts. They have a higher goal to achieve, something more permanent and lasting. It is the realization of oneness with the divine, which alone can give lasting bliss. Even while being engaged in the activities of the secular world, we should strive to sanctify all actions by dedicating them to the divine.

Do not depend upon others to do your work. Do it yourself; that is real freedom. Again, never accept anything ‘free’ from others; pay it back, in service or work. That will make you self-respecting individuals. Receiving a favor means getting bound to the giver. Grow with self-respect and dignity. That is the best service you can do to yourself.

When we become conscious of the omnipresence of divinity, our thoughts, speech, and actions become pure. We will not use offensive language or think of causing harm to anyone.

I am giving you three maxims that you have to bear in mind: service, service, service. Never forget the duty to serve. For this, you have to develop love. To develop love, you have to promote the spirit of sacrifice.

To realize a state of divine consciousness, devotion is essential. Devotion aims to awaken the divine consciousness in man. All activity aimed at turning the mind toward God is a form of devotion. To think of God for attaining worldly desires and physical comforts is not devotion. To envisage and experience the divine Sat-Chit-Ananda within is the true mark of devotion.