Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

Today is called Sankranthi, the day when the Sun starts on its northward journey by entering the Makara sign of the Zodiac. Samyak Kranthi ithi Sankranthi ("change for the good is Sankranthi"). We must transform ourselves completely. Sankranthi reveals not only the beauty of Nature but the resplendent beauty of the Divine. The Divine will not consider your status or position, your pomp, and your show. It is beyond the reach of knowledge and intelligence. It can be secured only by Prema (pure love).

Human birth is very sacred, holy, and divine. The word ‘Manava ’ (human being) means very sacred. The festival of Makara Sankranthi reminds you of this truth and awakens you to this reality. The festival of Sankranthi is meant to remind one about the sanctity of human life. It is said God is the indweller of all beings (Easwara sarva bhutanam). Hence, every human being, nay, every living being, is part of God!

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

We are the embodiments of infinity. We should always remind ourselves that we are the embodiments of truth, the embodiments of love, the embodiments of bliss, etc. Human beings have an infinite capacity for spiritual thoughts and spiritual quests.

I will be happy with any kind of service you render. Spend your money to help the needy. Assist in providing water. Meet the educational needs of the people and provide medical relief. Do everything for the good of society. Have the nation's welfare in your mind.

The service activities and the bhajans that you perform alone are not enough. You should give up the feeling that you are serving others. That is very important. You are serving your own self when you serve others. You should consider all as yourself. In fact, others are not others but are the very forms of God. Hence, service rendered to humanity is service rendered to God.

The Chaitanya that is present in the human body is called "conscience.” The all-pervasive Chaitanya is called "consciousness.” When the individual understands the principle of unity in diversity, the "conscience" gets transformed into "consciousness.” Despite being endowed with such a sacred power, humankind gets deluded by the vagaries of the world. Human beings give importance to the New Year, which is fleeting. In fact, human beings should give importance to the changeless "Time" and sanctify it by proper use.

On this New Year's Day, you should make a resolve that you will start every day with love, spend the day with love, fill the day with love, and end the day with love. There should be no difference in caste, creed, color, religion, or nationality. Love knows no distinction of any kind. You must wish everyone to be happy. Fill the heart with love. The country will prosper, and the world will prosper, and everyone will be happy.

Purity of mind is essential for enjoying divine bliss as purity of body is essential for bodily health. Higher than all the knowledge that can be acquired in the world is the knowledge of the Self (Atmajnana). There is nothing equal to the bliss that comes from Self-realization. It is attained only when the ego-sense is destroyed and there is prayerful submission to the divine. Prayers must arise not from the lips but from the heart.

One who constantly remembers God, with love and devotion, will ever be happy whether living in a village or a city, flying in the sky, or doing sadhana in a forest because God dances in their heart and confers delight.

After Joseph's passing, Jesus sought His mother's permission to embark on His divine mission. He got baptized by John the Baptist and spent forty days in penance in a forest. During the penance, He prayed to God for three things: 1) He should be blessed with the quality of loving everyone equally, 2) He should have the strength and forbearance to patiently suffer any indignity or persecution that He might be subjected to by anyone, and 3) He should be enabled to use His God-given body fully in the service of God.

Jesus resolved on three tasks: one, to be filled with divine love and to share it with others as the main purpose of His life; two, He should not succumb to praise or censure in carrying out His mission; three, to inspire in others the conviction that the divinity within is omnipresent. Jesus considered spreading the gospel of love as His foremost task. He encountered many ordeals in carrying out His mission, but He regarded them all as challenges to be overcome. He was determined to treat pleasure and pain, sickness, and failure with equanimity. He could not bear to see anyone suffer.

The ideals taught by Jesus should be put into practice. That is the right way to celebrate His birthday. Whomsoever you adore, you must try to live up to their teachings. What kind of devotion is it when the devotee does not practice what he or she professes? It is pseudo-devotion. Remember the Lord with love. Worship God with love. Sanctify your life with love.

Christ taught people to love all beings and serve all with compassion. It is only by practicing these ideals that one can truly celebrate His birthday. The divinity within should be reflected in every action.