Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

Understand that God will never tolerate anger and ego. Why are we egoistic? Is it for physical beauty or strength of the senses or intellectual acumen or wealth? None of these is permanent. God has gifted every human being with Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Non-violence. Develop these qualities. On this special day, I bless you all to cultivate a good nature, lead a virtuous life and journey from goodness to ‘Godliness’ (Madhavathwa).

The story of the festival Onam is that of Emperor Bali, who was an embodiment of sacrifice (Thyaga), but who suffered from traces of ego (Ahamkara). Due to the predominance of other virtues and Lord Vishnu’s Grace, Emperor Bali overcame the ill-effects of ahamkara and attained mergence with Lord Vishnu, who appeared as Vamana. Bali personified the principles of sacrifice, charity and righteousness till his very end.

If you shed your ego and experience Divinity, you will get rid of your pain and enjoy lasting bliss. The Upanishads teach through stories the subtlest truths. You should understand their inner significance and taste the nectarine sweetness. This is possible only when there is inner purity (Bhava-shuddhi). Purity of heart leads to Self-realisation (Siddhi).

A clear mirror reflects the rays of the sun. We can see the sun’s image reflected by the calm surface of clear water. Likewise, the sacred vision of the Supreme Self (Paramatma) is revealed to an unperturbed and tranquil mind in which all thought waves have been calmed. A pure and holy heart will mirror the Divine glory of Paramatma.

Both inner and outer purity are essential for man's physical and mental health. Most people are concerned about external physical cleanliness. People tend to ignore inner cleanliness in the belief that the heart and mind are not visible to others. But they should realise that the physical body is made up of five elements and will return to the dust sometime or other. It is the state of the spirit that is important. Even the body should be regarded as the abode of the Spirit and cared for as such.

Young age is very important and sacred. In fact, it is the golden age. It should be free from the rust and dust of evil qualities. Students should have good qualities. All that they see, speak, hear, and do should be sacred. It is, therefore, necessary that first of all they fill their heart with love for God.

Every student should undertake good actions (Satkarmas) which lead to purity of mind (Chitta shuddhi). Where there is purity, there will be dawn of wisdom (Jnana siddhi). These are all within yourself only. You need not search for them anywhere outside.

Today, there is pollution in everything, such as the air we breathe, the water we drink, the sounds that are jarring to the ears and the food we consume. Because of this all-round pollution, man’s health is affected. Apart from this, man’s mind is also polluted, making him susceptible to diseases. Man should make an earnest endeavour to lead a serene and pure life. He should realise the truth that troubles and turmoil are temporary, like passing clouds. There is no scope for agitations to arise if one realises this truth.

You also have to cleanse the senses, the instruments of action and knowledge and remove all the blemishes of bad habits, bad tendencies, feelings and thoughts. Render yourselves pure, steady and unselfish. Then only can you deserve the chance of worshipping the God within.

Man's destiny is determined by his actions. Through righteous actions, the mind is purified and a pure mind results in an awakening of spiritual wisdom (Jnana). When you offer worship to God in the morning, you must offer your obeisance to whatever work you propose to do. You must pray to the presiding deity of action (Karma): "Let me do today only pure, purposeful and helpful actions."

Serve society to your utmost capacity. Sanctify the time given to you by serving society. Through service alone can one get rid of worries, ego, pomp and show and other evil qualities.

Young people should consider the true purpose of life. They should get rid of all the impurities in their hearts. With pure hearts they should embark on service at all times and everywhere. “Hands in society, head in the forest”. From today develop an unwavering mind and a steady vision. That is the way to divinise the world.

The world has to be brought back to the rails. Only Love and Peace can achieve this. Fill your thoughts, speech and actions with Love, Truth and Peace and engage yourselves in service actions.

Love all beings-that is enough. Love with no expectation of return. Love for the sake of love. Love because your very nature is Love. Love because that is the form of Worship you know and like. When others are happy, be happy likewise. When others are in misery, try to alleviate their lot to the best of your ability. Practice Love through selfless service (Seva). By this means, you will realize Unity and get rid of the ego that harms.

Establish unity among yourselves first; do not seek faults in others or excellences in your own selves. The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man---have full faith in this and fill every act of yours with that reverence and love.

Service must be the outer expression of inner goodness. And, as one undertakes selfless service more and more, one’s consciousness expands and deepens and one’s spiritual (Atmic) reality is more clearly known.

To escape from the clutches of desire, which gives birth to the brood of anger, hatred, malice, greed, envy, faction and falsehood, one has to cleanse one’s consciousness by prayer and good, selfless, desireless activity (Sat-karma). Selfless service (Seva) is the best spiritual discipline (Sadhana) for eliminating the nefarious pull of the mind towards desires.

Live in society and serve it selflessly, thinking that you are serving God. … When you develop divine vision, you will see God in everything. … Just as cotton is the fundamental basis of cloth, God is the fundamental basis of this world. … Wherever you look, He is there.

By regulating your diet and avoiding certain bad habits, you can preserve health. Moderate food and food of the pure (Sathwic) type, will promote mental poise and also physical happiness. Moderation in food (Mitha-ahaara) is always to be welcomed. Many people consume more than the necessary quantity of rich food, and such have to practise moderation. So too, if you do not smoke, you escape a number of illnesses that follow that passionate (Rajasic) practice.

Illness is the inevitable result of idleness and indulgence; health is the inevitable consequence of a tough hard life. Keeping the mind fixed on God and good ideas and things also helps health. Keep the eye, ear, tongue, hands and feet under restraint. Don't read enervating or exciting stuff; don't attend film shows which exhaust or inflame the mind. Contentment is the best tonic; why inflict on yourself the disease of greed and consume tonics to get strength, and to hanker further?

Health does not depend on medicine. Good words, good manners, good sight, good thoughts - these are essential. What can even powerful or costly medicines do if one is ill with bad thoughts and bad feelings? On the other hand, virtuous living, beneficial thoughts, elevating ideals and righteous conduct can confer not only health, but what is even more precious, the Ecstatic Awareness of the Reality itself (Atmananda).

Equal-mindedness and a sense of oneness with all is the mark of a true human being. All of you have social responsibility. The world indeed is one human family and you should experience this oneness.

Man suffers from two types of ills, physical and mental; the one caused by the disequilibrium of the three tempers of Vatha, Pitha and Sleshma and the other caused by the disequilibrium of the three Gunas: serenity (Sathwa), passion (Rajas) and inertia (Thamas). One peculiar fact about these two types of illnesses is that the cultivation of virtue cures both. Physical health is a prerequisite for mental health and mental health ensures physical health!

God, first; the world, next; myself last! That is the legitimate sequence for the spiritual seeker (Saadhaka); and, who is not a spiritual seeker? You have to be one, now or later, so that you can be liberated from this cycle of birth-death! Now, man, in his callousness towards his own welfare, has turned it topsy-turvy! It is 'myself first, the world next and God is last.' So, God is lost, too! Hold fast to God; then, you will be safe.

This word “surrender” conveys that there is someone who gives and someone who accepts and that you are surrendering to someone. There is a feeling of duality implied in this word surrender. A man with a dual mind is half blind. In this manner, while he remains with this dual thought, how can he recognize the non-dual aspect? The true meaning of surrender is the recognition of the fact that in everyone and everywhere God is present. The recognition of the presence of God in all Jivas (individual souls) is the true meaning of the word surrender.

This aspect of Brahman is always with you and is constantly present in you. Without recognizing and understanding this basic truth that Brahman is always with you, you spend a great deal of time and energy thinking that God is somewhere and that you should find Him elsewhere and outside of your heart. In the Bhagavad Gita, this is the reason why God has been described as being present wherever you go. When you walk, God is walking along the same footsteps; and in fact, we hear His footsteps often.

God is the hero, while the world is a zero. So, you should make friendship with that hero. It is only the eternal nature of Divine Love, which is blemishless, selfless and pure, which can stand the test of true friendship. When you enjoy the proximity of such a friend, you will be free from fear even in the face of insurmountable difficulties.

Supreme light (Param Jyothi), in the form of light of the soul (Atma Jyothi) is within you. That is the light of non-duality and eternity, of immortality; that is the light of the Self. Since you possess that light within yourselves, why should you be afraid of anything else? Why should you worry? Be happy. Where is happiness? How to experience it? Union with God is happiness.

The spirit of service should be coupled with readiness for sacrifice. Only then it can be called selfless service free from any taint of self-interest. Such service lends savour to life.

The more you develop love, the sooner you can see God. Body attachment is the cause of all of all differences. You will understand and experience unity in diversity only when you give up body attachment. Once you are free from body attachment, you can experience God in a moment. Whatever you see is a manifestation of God.