Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

To God, all objects in the universe are alike because they are manifestations of the divine. The scriptures declare – “All this verily is Brahman (Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma).” Hence, whosoever worships the supreme Lord should also worship nature (prakriti). One should love and adore nature because nature is not different from the supreme Self. Nature is the effect; God is the cause. 

When individuals change, society will change. And when societies change, the whole world will change. Unity is the secret of social progress, and service to society is the means to promote it. Therefore, one should devote oneself to such service in a spirit of dedication.

What is spirituality (adhyatmika)? It is not just contemplating on the primordial spirit (Adi Atma). Spirituality lies in destroying the bestial nature and rising to the level of the divine. One should have total faith that one is not just a human being because there is God within. Only then will animal nature be subdued.

Since you claim to be a Sai devotee, you should strictly adhere to the Sai path and make everyone happy. When you follow in My footsteps, you will certainly achieve sacred results and attain a good reputation. Being Sai devotees, you should give up selfishness and dedicate your lives to the welfare of society. Fill your lives with love. Stop criticizing others. Offer your respects to even those who hate you.

It is only when people understand themselves that they will be able to know the truth about the external world. One’s inner reality cannot be known by exploring the world outside. When one turns one’s vision inward and realizes one’s essential divinity, one will acquire equal-mindedness toward all beings. Out of that feeling of oneness, one will experience the bliss that passes understanding.

Though one has a bliss sheath inside, one is unable to experience it. There is no trace of bliss in humanity. The happiness derived from worldly comforts is limited. It is utter foolishness to think that worldly properties, possessions, comforts, and conveniences bestow lasting joy. None of these can give true happiness. True happiness has no limits. How can it be attained? It cannot be attained from the outside. It originates from our hearts. The heart is the dwelling place of God. To experience true happiness, mankind should develop firm faith.

Whatever you see in this world is the manifestation of truth. When divinity is all-pervasive, how can there be untruth? But you are unable to realize the all-pervasiveness of divinity. Turn your vision inward and observe absolute silence. Only then can you realize the all-pervasive divinity. Mere intellectual exercise will not help you in this regard. Whatever you see, hear, and experience is the manifestation of divinity. Only God exists everywhere.

The moon is the presiding deity of the mind. “Out of the mind of the Godhead, the moon was born (Chandrama Manaso Jathah).” There is a close affinity between the mind and the moon; both are subject to decline and progress. The waning of the moon is the symbol of the waning of the mind, for the mind must be controlled, reduced, and finally destroyed. All spiritual exercises are directed toward this end. The mind must be eliminated so that illusion may be rent asunder and the reality revealed.

You can get real urge and inspiration to serve others only when you get rid of the identification with the body. When one suffers from acute stomach pain, the eyes water. Why? Because the various organs like the eyes, stomach, etc. are all in the same body. So too, when anyone suffers, your eyes must shed tears, and you must be urged to alleviate their suffering. This will happen if you know that you and the other person are limbs of the self-same divine body.

No evil thought can penetrate the mind of a person wholly given to love and compassion. The thoughts we indulge in shape our nature; along with others, they affect us. For example, when a flash is used to photograph someone, their face is lit; but so too, to a certain extent, is the face of the photographer.

There are three types of devotion. (1) The bird (vihanga) method where, like a bird swooping down upon the ripe fruit on the tree, the devotee is too impatient and, by that very impatience, loses the fruit, which falls from his hold. (2) The monkey (markata) method where, like a monkey that pulls toward it one fruit after another and by sheer indecisiveness is not able to decide which fruit it wants, the devotee hesitates, and changes aim much too often and thus loses all chances of success. (3) The ant (pipilika) method, where like the ant that slowly but steadily proceeds toward the sweetness, the devotee moves directly, with undivided attention, toward the Lord and wins His grace!

Only the person who has conquered the eleven rudras can expect to realize the Supreme. What are the eleven rudras? They are the five organs of action (karmendriyas), the five organs of perception (jnanendriyas), and the intellect (buddhi). Mankind must seek to control these eleven organs as much as possible.

The Lord is as anxious to assuage your pain just as you are anxious to secure His grace to get rid of it. You may not know this, but I know, for I feel it.

Every day during the dark half of the month, the moon, and symbolically its counterpart in the individual, the mind, wanes, and a fraction is diminished, its power declines. Finally, on the fourteenth night, there is just a wee bit left, that is all. If a little extra effort is made that day by the spiritual aspirant, even that bit can be wiped off and mastery of the mind completed.