Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

The gratitude I expect from you is your own happiness. Always be cheerful and spread good cheer. Real gratitude is to take bliss from God and share it with others. It is not gratitude if you aim to please only God. God is happy if you make everyone else happy.

Easwaramma always used to give away whatever she had with her. She was the embodiment of sacrifice. She used to talk lovingly to all those who came to her. When devotees would feel sad that Swami was ignoring them, she would console them saying, “Whatever Swami does is for your own good.”

You can gain all things through love alone. Without love, you cannot obtain anything. Love can win over even the strongest enemy. True love is desireless and natural. It is based on Atmic relationship.

Associate with good people, earn a good name, and lead a good life. Fill your heart with pure and divine feelings. These are the qualities that Buddha was endowed with.

Good actions are very important. One who undertakes sacred actions excels everyone. That is why I often exhort you to undertake service activities. You are born and brought up in society. You owe your education, wealth and happiness to society. Then is it not your bounden duty to show gratitude to society? You can express your gratitude to society by serving others. Serve one and all because God is present in everybody.

Think of God with gratitude for the human life gifted to you, and the various material, moral, and intellectual talents you have been given. Do this before you commence any task or work. You will certainly experience great benefit, and you will have peace, joy, and success in your endeavors through divine grace.

Train the mind to turn toward the intellect for inspiration and guidance, not toward the senses for adventures and achievements. That will make it an instrument for reducing your vagaries and saving time and energy for more important matters.

Consider your own form as manifestation of the divine. Esteem yourself as divine. Respect others. Love yourself and love others. This is true worship.

God is the indweller of all beings. But unfortunately, people are unable to realize this truth. Have the firm conviction that every human body is the temple of God. Do not hate or hurt anybody. One who has realized the truth that God exists in all is a true devotee.

If your actions are good, your future is bound to be good. The future of the nation depends on your actions. God is a witness. He neither protects you nor punishes you. In fact, it is you who protect or punish yourself. Whatever you utter, be it good or bad, God always blesses you saying, “So shall it be.” God blesses everybody. All are responsible for their own pleasure or pain.

God is the embodiment of love. Such divine love is present in all. You should see to it that your love is always pure and share it with everyone. This is what God expects from you.

Leaders of people have to set an example, for men usually try to imitate and emulate. Example is more effective than precept. An ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of preaching. That is why I declare "My life is My message." You must transform your lives into examples of the ideals you preach.

One should have confidence in one’s own inner Self that is the Atma. If one has this Self-confidence, one will have Self-satisfaction, which will lead to self-sacrifice, which ultimately leads to liberation or Self-realization.

Look upon everyone as the embodiment of divinity and worship each, as such, by offering love and service. Only the blind will be indifferent to the dismal condition of others; only the deaf will be unaffected by the sobs of others. In fact, there are no 'others!' You are all 'living cells' in the body of God, each performing its individual function according to God’s will.