ARCHIVE 2006

January
 

1st January 2006 New Year's Day
The year becomes new, and the day become holy only when you sanctify it by Sadhana (spiritual practices). Sadhana can grow blossom only in a field fertilized by love. Prema (love) is the sine qua non of Bhakthi (devotion). The love you now have toward material objects, name, fame, wife, children, etc. should be sanctified by being subsumed by the more overpowering Love of God. Let the tiny drops of your love for things material merge with the stream of love for God and be elevated. Have the love of God filling and thrilling your heart; then you will not hate anyone or indulge in unhealthy rivalries and find fault with anyone. Life becomes a sweet and fulfilling experience.
- BABA

2nd January 2006
Where there is Love, there is Peace. Where there is Peace, there is Truth. Where there is Truth, there is Bliss. Where there is Bliss, there is God. To promote love, the first requisite is faith. It is only when you believe that one is your mother that you develop love towards her. If you do not regard her as your mother, you will not have that love for her. First of all, strengthen your faith. Without faith all kinds of worship and all spiritual disciplines are of no use; they are a waste of time. To begin with, cultivate love. Everything grows out of love. That love will reveal to you your true self. That love will confer bliss on you. Therefore, eschew hatred; develop love.
- BABA

3rd January 2006
All religions have taught only what is good for humanity. Religion should be practised with this awareness. If the minds are pure, how can religion be bad? It is a mark of ignorance to consider one religion as superior and another as inferior and develop religious differences on this basis. The teachings of all religions are sacred. The basic doctrines are founded on truth. Atma-tathva (the truth of the Spirit) is the essence of religions, the message of all the scriptures and the basis of all metaphysics.
- BABA

4th January 2006
When work is undertaken with an egotistic attitude, impelled by selfish motives and inspired by hopes of self-advancement, it feeds greed and pride, envy and hatred. Then, it fastens the bond and fosters the feeling of attachment to more and more profitable works. It promotes ingratitude to those who lent their hands and brains and to God Himself who endowed the person with the urge and the skill. "I did it", one says when the work succeeds; or "Others spoiled it" one says when it fails. Resentment, depression and despair follow when the work results in failure. The more deeply one is attached to the fruits, the more intense and painful is one's grief when one is disappointed. The only means, therefore, to escape from both pride and pain is to leave the result to the Will of God, while one is happy in the thought that one has done one's duty with all the dedication and care that one is capable of.
- BABA

5th January 2006
The Atma (Divine Self) is Eternal. The Self is Truth. However, since it is enclosed in flesh, bone and skin, man deludes himself into believing that the outer covering and not the inner core is the source of bliss. The foremost duty of man to himself is, therefore, to penetrate through these sheaths and imbibe the higher bliss which his Atmic core alone can confer. Everyone must, in his own best interests, strive to attain that unifying principle that is his inner treasure. Sadhana means the endeavour and the effort to gain the desired object. Of all Sadhanas (spiritual exercises) this is the most significant - the process of achieving this proximity.
- BABA



6th January 2006
It is only when attachment to the fruits of one's actions is discarded that the action becomes yoga (a means to achieve Divine communion). Those who undertake service activities should overcome the sense of 'mine' and 'thine'; they should regard it as a privilege to serve others and look upon it as a form of worship of the Divine. They should consider service to society as the means of finding self-fulfilment in life. They should face whatever problems may arise, with faith and courage and carry on their service activities without fanfare, in a spirit of humility and dedication.
- BABA

7th January 2006
God resides in the heart, beyond the reach of external objects. Man today sheds copious tears for achieving wealth, health, position and fame. Does he shed a single tear for getting the grace of God or winning His love? Saint Purandaradasa sang, "Of what use are eyes that cannot see God?" You use your eyes all your life to see the external world. What do you achieve thereby? No one attempts to see the Unseen. The daily chores, eating and sleeping are repeated endlessly. But there is no yearning to see the Unseen Divine. It is only when you develop that desire will your life become meaningful. That alone confers peace.
- BABA

8th January 2006
Man thinks that the more he has of worldly goods the happier he will be. But, as desires grow, disappointments and troubles also increase. There should be a limit to our desires, attachments and ambitions. The world is suffering from numerous troubles because people do not keep their desires under check. Nature has prescribed limits for everything - for the temperature of the body, the capacity of the eye to tolerate light or for the ear to listen to sound. When these limits are crossed, harm is caused to the organs concerned. All actions in life should be governed by the limits applicable to each of them. When desires are controlled, genuine happiness is experienced.
- BABA

9th January 2006
Realize that human happiness is not to be found in sensory objects or experiences. Whatever pleasure is derived from these is transient and momentary. Real and enduring bliss is to be derived from within oneself. The senses should be regarded as instruments for rendering service to others. The foolish idea that happiness lies only in indulging in sensual pleasures should be given up. Only animals are content to derive satisfaction from the senses alone. Hence, every man should firmly declare, "I am a man and not an animal." Only when he has this firm conviction will man shed his animal nature and assert his humanness. Therefore, it is only when the senses are brought under control that the nature of Divinity can be comprehended.
- BABA

10th January 2006
The one effective way to conquer all sources of physical and mental disease and debility is awareness of one's Atmic Reality. That will bring about an upsurge of Love and Light, for, when one recognises that one is the Atma, one cognises the same Atma in all. He shares the joy and grief of all and partakes of the strength and weakness of all. He sees God in everyone. Every act will be a pure, sincere and sacred offering to God. When one yearns for the happiness and prosperity of all mankind, one is blessed with the wisdom and strength to mark out the way and lead men towards it.
- BABA


11th January 2006 Annual Sports Meet
Man needs a healthy body in order to have a healthy mind filled with good thoughts. It must be recognised that the purpose of sports and music is to confer health and happiness on man. There are three benefits to be derived from sports and games: team spirit, mutual understanding and joy. Even if men speak different languages and differ in their habits and cultures, in the field of sports they have a common bond, a spirit of camaraderie. True education consists in the cultivation of good thoughts and acquisition of good qualities like truthfulness, devotion, discipline, and dedication. These are also the qualities that should be acquired through sports and games. These qualities serve to impart to the subtle body health and joy.
- BABA

12th January 2006
In the heart of man, God resides along with the individual self, just as light and shade co-exist. Shade is caused by Light; it declares the presence of Light. They are fundamentally inseparable. So too, are the Jivi (individual self) and the Brahman (Universal Self) related to each other as One Inseparable Entity. The Jivi as the shadow exists in and through Brahman and partakes of the same Divine splendour. Every individual has to become aware of this identity. When the One is reflected in the many, in the multitude of Jivis, it appears as the Self in each, which watches unaffected as the Witness.
- BABA


13th January 2006
In rendering seva (selfless service), one should not think that their services should be confined to the poor and the destitute. There is no need to make any artificial distinction between the rich and the poor in the sphere of service. What matters is the service done to a person who needs it. Your concern should only be with what kind of service is required, when and where, and not the status or position of the person concerned. The primary requisite is a genuine spirit of love and fellow-feeling. If there is no feeling of kindness and compassion, whatever service that is done becomes an artificial exercise, done for getting publicity or recognition. Ostentation in rendering service is harmful as it will only inflate the ego.
- BABA

14th January 2006 Makara Sankranthi
The Sankranthi festival should be regarded as the day on which man turns his vision toward God. Man's life may be compared to a stalk of sugar cane. Like the cane, which is hard and has many knots, life is full of difficulties. But these difficulties have to be overcome to enjoy the bliss of the Divine, just as the sugar cane has to be crushed and its juice converted into jaggery to enjoy the permanent sweetness of jaggery. Enduring bliss can be obtained only by overcoming trials and tribulations. Gold cannot be made into an attractive jewel without subjecting to the process of melting in a crucible and beating it into the required shape.
- BABA

15th January 2006
The awareness of Swaswaroopa (one's real nature) is true knowledge and devotion is the means to achieve this knowledge. Jnana implies freedom from all thoughts. The Jnana Marga (the path of Knowledge) calls for the control of thoughts by appropriate efforts. Whether one takes to the Jnana Marga (the path of Knowledge) or the Bhakti Marga (the path of Devotion), the resulting illumination is the same. For instance, the light of the sun is reflected by the moon. The light from the sun is warm and bright. When the same light is radiated by the moon, it is cool and soothing. The same light is present in the sun and the moon; the principle that illumines both the sun and the moon is the Spirit (Atma-tatwa). The sun's light has been compared to Jnana and the moon's light to Bhakti. Jnana is effulgent, while Bhakti (Devotion) is blissful. Thus Bhakti and Jnana are the means to the same end.
- BABA

16th January 2006
Prema (Love) has been described as beyond speech and mind. It is said to be Anirvachaneeyam (indescribable). This love cannot be got through scholarship, wealth or physical prowess. God, who is the embodiment of love, can be attained only through love, just as the effulgent sun can be seen only by its own light. There is nothing more precious in this world than Divine love. God is beyond all Gunas (attributes). Hence, His love too is beyond attributes. Since human love is governed by attributes, it results in either attachment or aversion. Love should not be based on expectations of reward or return. Love based on such expectations makes it a business deal. Love is not an article of commerce; it is not like lending a loan and getting it back. It is a spontaneous offering. Pure love of this kind can emanate only from a pure heart.
- BABA

17th January 2006
What man needs today is not Siddhantam (ideology). Instead, he needs sense-control. Without control of the senses, a man cannot become spiritual. This was proclaimed by Saint Thyagaraja in his song wherein he said that without peace of the Spirit there can be no happiness for any one, whether he is a scholar or an novice. Only through self-control can a man experience peace.
- BABA

18th January 2006
Without God, there is no universe. To ask for physical proof of the existence of bliss or love or the fragrance of a flower is impracticable. To deny the reality of love on the ground that it has no recognizable form is meaningless. Love may have no form, but the mother who exhibits love has a form. All beings are manifestations of the Cosmic Divine. The forms are different, but the spirit that animates them all is One, like the current that illumines bulbs of different colours and wattage. Cultivate this feeling of oneness and do not be critical of any faith or religion. Dedicate your lives to the service of your fellow beings. Thereby, you will be redeeming your lives.
- BABA

19th January 2006
Men should lead selfless lives. This may seem difficult. But, in reality, there is nothing easier than this. It is selfishness that creates all kinds of difficulties for man. Selfless love gives no room for any evil. Selfless love may meet with opposition from one's kith and kin and from worldly persons. But one should not be deterred by such opposition. Love should be cherished as one's life breath. Make love the basis for all your actions. The love of God should be free from any desire for favours. God judges the devotee's love by the intensity of the feeling and not by the number of ways in which worship is offered. Love of God does not mean giving up your duties. In the performance of these duties, every action should be done as an offering to God and for His pleasure - Sarva Karma Bhagavath Preethyartham (for the sake of pleasing God). Look upon the body as a moving temple, wherein God resides. Recognise that God is always with you and around you.
- BABA

20th January 2006
Where is righteousness? It is in your conduct, thoughts, words and deeds. Righteousness dwells in your heart. When the impulses arising from the heart are expressed in words, that is Sathya (Truth). To translate those words into action is Dharma (Righteousness). For all these, Love is the primary requisite. Love in action is righteousness. Love in speech is Truth. Love in thought is Peace. Love in understanding is Non-violence. When you realise that God is in everyone, you will practise non-violence. God is one, though He may be worshipped in different forms and by different names - Rama or Krishna, Allah or Jesus, Hari or Sai.
- BABA


21st January 2006
Brahman is the immovable Totality, the Eternal, the True, the Pure and the Attributeless. Just as the road, though itself stationary, enables the car to move over it, the Brahman principle is the basis for the existence and activities of Jivis (individual beings). In fact, there is only One that appears as two. Look outward, it is Jivi; look inward, it is God. The outer vision makes you forget; the inner makes you remember. When man seeks to rise to the divinity which is his reality, he struggles to recollect and experience his true nature. When he grovels in the lower levels of consciousness and is enmeshed in the world, he is caught in the coils of forgetfulness. Removing selfish desires and expanding one's urge to love and serve is the most effective way to merge in the Supreme Consciousness.
- BABA

22nd January 2006
The most important cause for bondage to the world is giving too much freedom to the mind. For example, when an animal is tethered to a post, it will not be able to roam over various fields, destroy the crops and cause loss and harm to others, and thereafter get beaten for the mischief done by it. Hence, the mind must be bound by certain regulations and limits. As long as man lives a disciplined life, bound by certain rules and regulations, he will be able to earn a good reputation and lead a happy and fruitful life. Once he crosses these limits he will go astray.
- BABA

23rd January 2006
By Dhyana (meditation), you develop Jnana (spiritual wisdom) and by Japam (recitation of God's Name) you develop Bhakthi (devotion) and by both, you cleanse your heart of the canker of ego. You can link yourselves with God, by a chain of love, through the recitation of the name, in silence and with full awareness of the meaning and its nuances. Each time you utter the Divine Name; the more the links the longer the chain, the firmer the bond. But, each link has to be well forged out of well tempered steel. One false link, that is to say, the Name once uttered in sloth or slight, indifference or anger, resentment or rancour, will constitute a weak link and the bond will not bind.
- BABA

24th January 2006
Men are wasting their precious lives in the pursuit of fleeting and petty pleasures. Each bears the responsibility for one's condition because of the way one's mind works. Do your duty, recognise the truth of your being and you will be able to experience your Divinity. There is nothing equal to the bliss of experiencing the Divine. You have to purify your heart of all the other desires, aspirations and yearning for other means of happiness in order to experience the Divine.
- BABA

25th January 2006
Pure and selfless love towards all living beings, considering everyone as embodiments of the Divine, with no expectation of reward, is true Love. With this attitude, when one regards divinity as present in all beings, he experiences true love. Whatever be the vicissitudes one may face, whatever be the personal sorrows and privations one may undergo, true love will remain unaffected. Today, the moment a difficulty arises, love turns into hatred. True love is the sweet fruit that grows out of the fragrant flower of good deeds. Love rules without recourse to the sword. It binds without laws. Only one who has such true love can be described as human, for, divine love is the basic quality of a true human being.
- BABA

26th January 2006
The relationship between time and action should be recognized. Every action, whether good or bad, has its consequence. There is no action in the world which is devoid of consequence. This is the law of nature. For instance, when a finger is cut by a knife, immediately the finger starts bleeding. The result of the cut is instantaneous. However, when you sow a seed, it becomes a sapling after some days. But to bear fruit, it takes some years. Thus, every action has a consequence, but the time interval between action and result varies. One who is aware of this truth is unlikely to commit any wrong deeds because he knows that good deeds produce good results and bad deeds lead to bad consequences. Recognition of the law of Karma will make men lead proper lives. Man today takes to wrong paths because he has not realized this truth.
- BABA

27th January 2006
One may claim to have surrendered all his wealth, power and position to God. But, when one truly surrenders, one realizes one's relationship with God saying, "I am in You, You are in me." The sense of separation between God and the individual should vanish. Devotion does not consist merely in offering worship in various ways. It means offering oneself to the Lord with dedication and unsullied love. You have come from the Divine who is the embodiment of love. Hence, base your life on that love.
- BABA

28th January 2006
The world is today suffering from disorder and violence because people have lost Atma-Vishwasa (faith in the Self). They are fostering attachment to the body and ignoring the Spirit. Man should not follow the senses which are wayward, the body which is perishable, or the mind which is fickle. He must follow the conscience, which tells him what is right or wrong. Man has to rise above the animal nature. He has to express his divine potencies. For this, man has to acquire knowledge of the Divine Self. Atma is the all-pervading Universal Consciousness. It is immanent in everyone. Only as long as this consciousness is present in the human body, it is called Shivam (auspiciousness). Once the consciousness leaves the body, it becomes Shavam (a corpse).
- BABA

29th January 2006
The cosmos is the creation of the Divine. It is surcharged with energy. This energy is not localised at a particular point in space or time. Though this energy is all-pervading, man is unable to recognise its divine nature. As he cannot recognise it, he presumes that it does not exist. Electrical energy flows continuously in the wires. But, its presence is recognized only when a bulb is fitted and switched on. Likewise, though God is omnipresent. His divine effulgence will shine only in those who adore Him with a pure heart.
- BABA

30th January 2006
There are three stages of wisdom: Jnana, Sujnana and Vijnana. Knowledge that is gained by the analysis of the objective world is Jnana. When this knowledge is further studied and practised to serve the best interests of the individual society, it becomes Sujnana, or beneficial wisdom. The intentions and urges that arise from the purified consciousness saturated with Divine qualities is Vijnana, the Highest Wisdom. Intelligence, intellect, intuition - these three govern the thoughts and actions of man. One leads to another. This is the significance of the prayer with which Gandhi awakened the urge for liberation, liberation not only from alien rule but also from alien tendencies and trends of thought. He caused the entire land to reverberate with the prayer that emanated from a million throats, Sabko sanmathi de Bhagawan - "O Lord! Grant everyone nobility of mind." Once that is assured, progress is certain.
- BABA

31st January 2006
Oil is present within the sesame seed. Ghee is present in every drop of milk. Fragrance is latent in every flower. A fruit is imbued with sweet juice. In every piece of wood, fire is latent. In the same manner, the Divine is immanent in the entire cosmos in a subtle form as Chaitanya (Consciousness). The cosmos is the visible manifestation of the invisible Supreme Self. The Divine shines effulgently in every man as Sath-Chith-Ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss). While the Divine is in such close proximity to him, man in his ignorance goes about seeking God outside himself.
- BABA



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