To obtain the knowledge of Brahman (Divine), the first requisite is Sadhana (spiritual practice). The first step is service to the Sadguru (preceptor) with full faith and submission. When the word “horse” is heard, the form of the horse, presents itself before the mind. Similarly, to an aspirant, when the word "Brahman" is uttered, the nature of "Brahman" should come into his/her consciousness. To be stabilized in this practice, the aspirant should cultivate control of senses and passions, and possess the attitude of acting without any desire for the fruits of his/her actions.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Joy in times of good fortune and sorrow in times of bad, mistaking the pain of the body and the senses as one's own - such dual attitude and feeling must be overcome! Gradually the identification with the body and the senses has to be given up. This is the sign of one acquiring the very foundation of Jnana Yoga (spiritual wisdom). If you attain this stage, then eternal joy and bliss will be yours, forever!

-SAI BABA

    

 

You must have steady love for God at all times and under all circumstances. God is the embodiment of sweetness (Raso Vai Sah). It is only when such steadfast love is won towards the Absolute that your heart will brim with joy. A pure heart, enquiry in to the Divine Principle and surrender to the Divine Self will be natural outcomes at this stage. This stage called ‘Niyama’ is characterized by purity, constant joyfulness, and incessant remembrance of the Name of the Lord or performing spiritual practices.

-SAI BABA

    

 

God is Sweetness. He is Bliss Incarnate. For even the little sweetness that material objects give, He is the cause. Without His Sweetness, even the temporary sweetness and joy derived from worldly objects and materialistic pursuits will taste bitter. The wise understand this and associate themselves with the great ones who have tasted the Divine Sweetness, in a spirit of humility and reverence. Develop unwavering love for God and do not be affected by derision or praise, by wind or sun or rain, by honor or dishonor. This one-pointed journey to the goal will set you free.

-SAI BABA

    

 

When someone whose ways you do not appreciate comes near you, there is no need to find fault with him or her. There is no need either to laugh at them or show them your contempt. It is enough if you continue to do your work unaffected by their arrival. Let them follow their path, leave them alone. This is the attitude of ‘Udaseenabhava’, the attitude of unaffectedness. When you practice and attain this state of mind, you will have unchanging love for God. This attitude will bestow on you everlasting peace, self-control and purity of mind.

-SAI BABA

    

 

If at the point of death, you yearn to cater to the tongue, it is proof that the tongue has been the master of your life. If at the point of death, a woman remembers to fondle the child, the Samskara (propensities and actions) of child love is predominant in her. The net result of life is that which comes to your memory during the last moments of your life. Death is inevitable for all. Direct your life towards acquisition of that Samskara which you feel is best for the last moment. Fix your attention upon it day and night. Engage yourself in the journey of life with good wishes for all, seeking the company of the good and godly. Keep your mind ever fixed on the Lord.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Disciplined effort throughout your life is needed to ensure spiritual consummation. The mind has to be turned over to good actions. Everyone must examine themselves rigorously, spot out their own defects and struggle to correct them. When one realizes one’s defects and uncovers them, it is like being reborn. This is the genuine moment of Awakening. Therefore, live a life avoiding evil deeds and hateful, harmful thoughts and do not get attached to the world. If you live thus, your last moments will be pure, sweet and blessed.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Samadhi (self realization) is the ocean to which all Sadhana (spiritual practice) flows. Every trace of name and form disappears in that Ocean. He who serves and he who receives the service, the one who meditates and the one who is meditated upon - all such manifestations of duality is dispelled and destroyed. One will not experience even the experience. This is to say, one will not be aware that he is experiencing! This is the fruit of the highest meditation, the dearest moment of all those who yearn for God. It is the sign that the grace of the Lord is fully upon that individual.  

-SAI BABA

    

 

If a tree has to be destroyed, there is no use trying to kill it by plucking its leaves one by one. It takes too long a time and, besides, it may not work. The ancient seers realized that this was true even with respect to eliminating bad qualities within us and hence focused their spiritual practices and energies to transform themselves completely. They also won the grace of the Lord. If intelligence alone is sharpened without the cultivation and practice of virtues and the brain becomes a mere storehouse of information, the world cannot progress; its welfare will be in jeopardy. That education alone is beneficial which gives full scope for the blossoming of all virtues that distinguish a human from an animal.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Clay alone is real. How can a pot exist without clay? How can an effect exist separate from its cause? To the wise, it is the Divine Self that permeates everything and everyone. When such wisdom dawns, the darks shadows of the three types of Karma namely: Agama Karma (the consequences of our actions which are yet to come), Prarabdha Karma (the consequences of our current actions) and Sanchitha Karma (consequences of cumulative actions from the past) will flee away from you, making you pure and free! For, the will of God has no limits or exceptions. Resolve through your spiritual practices that you must win the Grace of the Lord. Do not be discouraged on any score.

-SAI BABA

    

 

If you try to bring back to your memory at bedtime, the events of the day, everything that happened, you will recall only those events, which are meaningful, those that are deeply embedded within you. The rest of the insignificant events turn hazy, recede and disappear from memory. Be comforted with the firm faith that the suffering and travails of this world are illusory and transitory. Fix your mind firmly on this great fact and set out bravely on the path of Sadhana (spiritual practice), on a continuous journey of devotion to the Lord.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Maha Shivaraathri
Every night is marked by darkness. But tonight it is Shivaraathri (the holy night of Lord Shiva). What is the difference between Raathri (night) and Shivaraathri? For the man who has recognized his divinity, every night is Shivaraathri. For the man immersed in worldly concerns, all nights are the same. That night is marked by darkness. This night is marked by light. Spirituality is the lighthouse that spreads light for the man who is full of despair, immersed in insatiable desires. The name of God is the lighthouse. By chanting the name, the bearer of the name can be realized. To recognize the omnipresence of the Divine is the purpose of observing Shivaraathri. This purpose is not served by fasting and keeping awake through the night. These are mere auxiliaries to what is considered the ultimate goal. But God-realization should not be put off to some distant future. It has to be taken up here and now. That is the purpose of Shivaraathri.
   

-SAI BABA

    

 

When you realise Shivoham (I am Shiva), then, you have all the happiness, all the auspiciousness that there is. Shiva is not to be sought on the peak of a distant range of mountains, or in some other special place. You must have heard that sin and merit are inherent in the acts that men do; so too, Shiva is inherent in every thought, word and deed, for He is the energy, the power, the intelligence that is behind each of them.

-SAI BABA

    

 

People have taught the eyes, the ears and the tongue the luxury of constant novelty. Now, you must teach them the opposite tendencies. The mind should be turned towards the good and the activities of every minute should be examined from that standpoint. Each deed is a chisel by which the rock of the human personality is being shaped. A wrong stroke may spoil and disfigure the rock. Therefore, do even the tiniest of the acts with great care and devotion.

-SAI BABA

    

 

For a drowning man, even a reed is of some support. So too, for a person struggling in the sea of Samsara (worldly existence), a few good words spoken by someone might be of great help. No good deed goes waste. Likewise, each bad deed has its consequence. So, strive to avoid the slightest trace of evil in all your activities. Keep your eyes pure, fill your ears with the words of God and do not allow them to listen to calumny. Use the tongue for uttering kind, good and true words. Always remember the Divine. Such a constant effort will certainly grant you victory.

-SAI BABA

    

 

When the rains pour on the mountain peaks and the water hurries down on all the sides, no river emerges. However, when the water flows in a single direction, first there is a brook, then a stream, then a torrent and finally a flooded river is formed and the river merges with the sea. So too, your mind and actions must flow full and steady along the fields of holy thoughts. The hands should be used to perform good deeds. Have the Lord's Name within and perform your prescribed duties. Worthy indeed is the one who marches in such a manner to the ultimate goal!

-SAI BABA

    

 

Twenty hammer-strokes might not succeed in breaking a rock; the twenty first stroke might break it. But does that mean that the twenty blows were of no avail? No, each of those twenty strokes contributed its share to the final success. The final result was the cumulative effect of all the twenty one strokes. Infuse every moment of your life with love for God. Then, evil tendencies will not hamper your path. The object of all spiritual practices is the annihilation of the mind and some day, some good deed will succeed in annihilating it completely. This triumph is the result of all the good deeds done in the past. So, never give up and, remember, no good deed will be a waste!

-SAI BABA

    

 

While struggling in the spiritual path, you must take the Lord Himself as your protector. To instill courage in the child, the mother persuades the child to walk a few steps and turn about, but she will not allow it to fall. If it totters and is about to lose balance, she hurries from behind it and holds it before it falls. God too has his eyes fixed on you, His devotee. He has in His hand the string with which He holds you like a kite. The string is the bond of love and grace. He may give it a pull and sometimes, He may loosen the hold. Whatever He does, be confident and carefree, for it is He who holds you and gives you the strength.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Sound is the very core of the Vedas. Sound is associated with harmony and melody, and hence the Vedas have to be listened to. It is not to be analyzed, judged and commented upon; but when you listen to it, you will derive ecstasy. Hence the Vedas are called Sruthi (that which is to be heard). Therefore, mere listening to its recital creates the awareness of the Divine and confers bliss on the one who listens. The bliss thus earned manifests in one's words and deeds, and radiates bliss all around.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Vidya is the process of education which teaches one that the cosmos is the manifestation of the Lord's Sport. “Ishaavaasyam Idam Jagath” - the whole world is the residence of the Lord! Therefore, no one should entertain a sense of personal possession or even a trace of egoism. Renounce the feeling of attachment, feel the presence of the Lord everywhere. Welcome the bliss that the Lord confers on you and experience it with thankfulness, without being bound by desires. This is the message of the ancient sages and seers.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Give up the feelings "I" and "you". Only then can you understand the glory of that which is neither “I” nor “mine”. This does not mean you renounce everything. Deal with the world as duty demands, in a spirit of detachment. The acid test by which an activity can be confirmed as holy and sacred is to examine whether it promotes attachment or bondage. The activity is unholy or sinful if it arises from or promotes greed. With the intent of fulfilling your legitimate duties, pray to God to keep you alive for a hundred years. You will not incur blame. This is the lesson from true education.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Poison bearing insects will be at home only in dark, dirty places. Inside a room kept scrupulously clean no snake, no scorpion, no poison-bearing-insect can enter. So too, the sacred wisdom cannot enter hearts which are dark and dirty. Instead, poisonous breeds like anger will find these hearts as congenial resorts. The sublime significance of Vidya or Higher Learning can be grasped by one, when the mind is pure. It can be communicated to one only when the pure mind sheds its revealing light.

-SAI BABA

    

 

When one desires to rid coal of its black colour, what can soap and water do? Nor can washing it in milk help. The only means is to put it in a fire. That will turn it into a heap of white ash. In the same manner, when one is anxious to destroy the darkness of ignorance and the dirt of desire, the knowledge of the Self is required. Darkness can be ended only with the help of Light. We cannot overwhelm darkness by attacking it with more darkness. Knowledge of the Self is the illumination that one needs to destroy the inner darkness. Each one of you must win it for yourself through steady faith and ardent devotion.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Spiritual exercises such as Pooja (worship), Bhajans (singing the name of God), Dhyana (meditation) are activities prompted by devotion to take you to a higher plane. Controversy about their efficacy should not be indulged in by those who are unaware of the heights to which they can lead to. These can be gained and judged only through actual practice. The proof lies in one's personal experience alone.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Whenever you feel overwhelmed by the burden of worldly responsibilities and anxieties and are unable to pray to God, it is because you have condemned yourself as undeserving or you may not have faith in the Lord. But, do not give up! You must desire and adopt every means to attain joy, peace of mind and lead an exemplary life. With the gift of life as a human being, one should not disown one’s human nature. You must firmly resolve that you will not allow yourself to sink into depths of demonic beings or the level of beasts! The spiritual path can and will awaken, strengthen and sustain your desire and resolution!

-SAI BABA

    

 

Those who struggle to uphold truth are the real devotees of God. The essence of the Vedas lies in establishing this truth. Truth is the basis for all other human values such as love, peace, righteousness and non-violence. Love does not descend from somewhere above. Love emerges from the hearts of people. It is also the undercurrent in all human beings. Love is verily the source of all virtues and all virtues merge in love. In fact, God permeates all beings in the form of love. Live a life suffused with love.

-SAI BABA

    

 

The magnet does draw iron filings towards itself, but it cannot attract pieces of iron covered with dust and rust. The dust and the rust on the pieces of the iron must be washed away in order for the magnet to attract them. Of course, talks are good, alas, only their practice is paralyzed! Unless this illness is cured, the manifestation of education and scholarship cannot happen. When the mind is polished and pure, there will be harmony in thought, word and deed. This harmony in thought, word and deed is the best proof of the worth of any human being.

-SAI BABA

    

 

Food when left unconsumed for long becomes stale and emits foul smell. So too, when our faults are not corrected, they will have a negative impact on our own lives. We must persist in the internal cleansing process, either by our own efforts or by heeding to the advice of those sympathetic souls who have succeeded in cleansing themselves. If we do not do it, like the plate of cooked food left aside too long, our life will begin to degenerate.

-SAI BABA