Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 1st, 2009
The Bhagavad Gita does not intend that you should pluck a leaf or a flower or a fruit from some plant or tree and place it before God. Nor does it ask you to bring water from a well or a river or a roadside tap. The Leaf that you have to offer is your own body, which like the leaf, sprouts green, fades, and finally falls off from the branch. The Flower is the heart freed from the pests of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, hate, etc. The Fruit is the mind, the consequence of its yearnings, which have to be dedicated to God. The Water is the stream of tears that flow from the eyes when one is in ecstatic bliss at the contemplation of God's glory. Offering these four is the real act of Sharanaagathi (total surrender).
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 2nd, 2009
Bhakti (devotion) does not consist of wearing ochre robes, observing rituals, etc. A pure heart, uninterrupted contemplation of God, feeling that everything is the Lord's creation and therefore One, detachment from sense objects, embracing all in equal love, practicing truth in speech - these are the characteristics of Bhakti.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 3rd, 2009
What is the reason for the misery of people all over the world? They have forgotten the Divine basis of creation. They have ignored the One Absolute Principle underlying the whole creation. All lives lived without faith and devotion to the One Supreme Lord are useless. Lives spent without tasting the nectar of the Divine Principle are wasted opportunities. The Lord has given man the instruments for developing the intellect and discrimination. If he uses them well and tries to realize the divinity in himself, the Lord will add unto him fresh talent and the sources of power, for He is ever full of grace towards aspirants.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 4th, 2009
Health is the essential prerequisite for success in all aspects of life, and for realizing the four ideals that guide human life - moral living, prosperity, fulfilling beneficial desires and liberation from grief. Man seeks to live happily and peacefully, but happiness and peace are not won from worldly activities. The body that yearns to be healthy and secure is subject to disease, decay and death. However, the Indweller, the Self, within the body is not born nor does it die. The body is the temple of God. Hence, it is the duty of man to keep the temple in good condition.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 5th, 2009
Only trees grown in fertile soil can yield good fruits. Those which are grown in saline soil will bear only poor quality of fruits. So also, only in the hearts which are pure and unsullied can such holy feelings and virtues like truth, compassion, forbearance, selflessness grow and shine. Like a farmer who toils to cultivate his field, a Bhakta (devotee) must put in efforts to cultivate the Name of the Lord in his heart in order to reap the harvest - the Lord Himself.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 6th, 2009
Dharma and Jnana (right conduct and spiritual wisdom) are two eyes given to man to discover his Divinity. Dharma indicates the right path which every individual, group or society should follow. Dharma destroys the one who violates it, and protects the one who protects it. The scriptures have declared, "Where there is Dharma, there is Victory". There is no Dharma greater than Truth. The edifice of Dharma is erected on the foundation of Truth. Nyaya (justice) is an essential attribute of Dharma. An individual, society or nation shines with glory only when justice is adhered to. Just as one acquires wealth by the pursuit of one's profession, one must acquire merit and Divine Grace by adhering to Neethi (morality) and Dharma.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 7th, 2009
Every person is likely to commit mistakes without being aware of it. However bright the fire, black smoke is bound to emanate from it. So also, whatever good deeds a man may perform, there will be mixed with it, a trace of evil. Efforts should be made to minimise the evil so that the good is progressively more.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 8th, 2009
We generally consider Pratyaksha Pramaana (proof of direct perception) as the most important type of evidence. We are able to see our body. Thus we know that it exists. Anumaana or inference is another form of proof. We see smoke on the top of a distant hill. We infer from the smoke that there must be a fire on that hill. Although we see only the smoke, we infer that there is fire. To infer the existence of the 'unseen' from the presence of what is 'seen' is Anumaana Pramaana (inferential proof). But, these methods of determining facts are applicable only to the external universe. For determining the Divine Principle, we must depend only on the Shabdha Pramaana (proof of the words) of the Vedas.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 9th, 2009
We are unable to comprehend the Atma (spirit) directly. We believe in the existence of the Atma on the strength of the statements made by the great sages who have had the experience of it and who have conveyed it through their teachings. When the Divine is described as One without attributes, eternal, pure, free and self-effulgent, this description will not make the Brahman (God) visible to us. It is only when the state of Brahman is realised by us that its existence is validated to us.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 10th, 2009
Every man should so lead his life that no pain is caused by him to any living being. You must carefully consider the consequences of your speech and action. In whichever way you want others to love and respect you, in the same way you should first love and respect them. Only then will others reciprocate your love and respect. If instead, without loving and respecting others you complain that others are not treating you well, it is a wrong conclusion.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 11th, 2009
The real criterion of moral conduct is harmony between one's thoughts, words and deeds. Morality consists in acting up to the rules of right conduct prescribed by society at a particular time and place for an individual or group. Of all human values, three are most important. The foremost is love of God. Where there is love, there is sacrifice. There arises purity of heart. There should be a fusion of love, sacrifice and purity. They are not mere human qualities. They constitute vital organs of a human being. They are as essential for a human being as the head, hands and legs for the body. Without these attributes, no one is a complete human being.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 12th, 2009
Sathya or Truth is realized by the Sadhana (spiritual discipline) of the tongue. Dharma (righteous living) is realized by the Sadhana of the individual through right conduct in relation to the society. Man can attain Shanti (peace and equanimity) by discipline of the mind. Prema (love) is beyond thought, word and deed. To consider it as a manner of speech, an attitude of mind or as physical trait is to demean it. Love is God. God is Love. The Divine Love is not easily comprehensible. Love has no trace of selfishness; it is not led by ulterior motives.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 13th, 2009
Never rejoice when you are praised or get dejected when you are blamed; be a spiritual lion unaffected by both. Be cheerful and smiling under all circumstances. Depression, doubt and conceit are harmful to spiritual aspirants. But when one's devotion is well established, even if these appear, they can be easily discarded.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 14th, 2009
The Upanishads declare: "Raso vai Sah" (God is the essence). This means that God is present in subtle form everywhere, like sugar in sugarcane and butter in milk. Although it is difficult to have a direct perception of God, His presence can be experienced in many ways. The sweetness in sugar, the sourness in lime fruit, the bitterness of the margosa leaf, all testify to the presence of the Divine.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 15th, 2009
When you see a mountain, waterfall or forest, you feel happy. All these proclaim the presence of the Divine. Light shines, the stars twinkle, the sun blazes, the planets revolve in their orbits. All these phenomena are manifestations of the Divine. By understanding the nature of flame, you can understand the nature of fire. By examining a drop of water, you come to know the nature of the Ganges. Likewise by understanding Maanavathvam (the true nature of humanness), you can understand Daivathvam (Divinity).
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 16th, 2009
Character is the true ornament of man. The loss of this ornament is the source of all his suffering and misery. Man does not realize the purpose for which he has been created by God. God’s creation is pregnant with profound truths, mysteries and ideals. But man has forgotten these ideals. He is unable to appreciate the significance of his legacy. Of all the powers in the world, human power is the greatest. Man assigns value to everything in this world, but he is unable to recognize his own value.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 17th, 2009
You must realize that Bhajans (devotional singing), Namasmarana (chanting God's name) and Pooja (ritualistic worship) are not for pleasing or propitiating God, but for our own spiritual progress. Frequently people flatter the rich and the powerful - especially when they are in their employment or are beholden to them for some precious help - in order to induce them to shower gifts on them. But God does not shower grace on people because they sing His praises. Nor does He come down upon them because they do not deify Him. Contemplating on the Divine attributes enables us to dwell on elevating ideals and brings us nearer to the Divinity that is our nature.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 18th, 2009
The remembrance of God and repetition of His Name is the only means of liberation that is easily accessible to all. People tend to treat the Name of the Lord casually, not realizing its potency. The power of the entire cosmos is contained in it. You must understand the significance of the Name properly and use it in the right way. Bhajan is an effective activity by which Kama (desire) and Krodha (anger) can be kept away.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 19th, 2009
It is the duty of every man to realise the purpose of life and utilise his time in the performance of his duties to sanctify his existence. Given the will, there is nothing that man cannot achieve in this world. But before embarking on any enterprise, man should recognise his abilities and endowments. Mankind has acquired the ability to explore the stars or walk on the moon, but has been unable to understand its true nature; man has become ignorant of his unity with the integral consciousness. This consciousness is not related to knowledge of the external world. It can be experienced only by turning one's vision inward. Only when he has Samagratha Bhavam (integral awareness) will he have the right perception. Such integral vision alone can confer bliss.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 20th, 2009
The true dwelling place of God is the heart of man. You don’t need to go in search of God. Not being able to recognize your innate divinity is Ajnana (ignorance). You have to enquire into the reason for this ignorance. This is mainly because you follow the Pravritthi Marga (outward path) all your life under the influence of the sense organs, which are drawn towards external objects. You are not making any effort to follow the Nivritthi Marga (inward path). Thus, you are fully engrossed in the outward activities and are completely neglecting the inward path. You see everything from a worldly point of view and do not recognize the Divinity that pervades it. You have to make an effort to change your vision from outward to inward to perceive this Divinity.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 21st, 2009
You are all the indestructible Atma, nothing need discourage you. In your dream, you suffer so much due to fire, floods, insult, loss of money, etc. But once you wake up, you are not affected at all. When these events happen during the waking state, you feel afflicted. But let me tell you that from the state of Realization, even the waking state is equally without validity. It is not the real 'you' that suffers all that. Give up the delusion that you are this physical entity and you become really free.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 22nd, 2009
God is the basis of everything. He is omnipotent, omniscient and pervades all creation. Who can say that only this is Brahman (God) and that is not. The only eternal, existent entity is Brahman. The rest is all evanescent. Just as without cotton, there can be no cloth, similarly, there can be no world without God. Do not mistake this Deha (physical body) as real. It is the Dehi (indwelling Divinity) that is the true reality. This Divinity is beyond birth and death, the one without any beginning or end, and is the eternal witness. Recognise this truth.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 23rd, 2009
Service to God has been described as Bhakti (devotion). The heart of the devotee overflows with love for the Lord through constant remembrance and recitation of His name. Out of this stream of love, devotion emerges. One who is nourished by the nectar of Bhakti will not desire anything. To be unaffected by joy or sorrow, gain or loss, praise or blame, to remain steadfast and unwavering in faith is the hallmark of true devotion. Affection, attachment, desire are natural to man. However, when these qualities are directed towards God and when one is continuously engaged in good deeds, these qualities acquire purity and sacredness. Then one becomes not just a great soul but God Himself.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 24th, 2009
Neethi means morality or right conduct. It is the path that leads one to the Divine. Good character, purity of thought, performance of meritorious deeds and selfless sacrifice are all subsumed in the term 'Neethi'. The ancients regarded Neethi as fundamental, without which the society will be maimed. Morality is not something that you must force upon yourself; it is your natural quality. Therefore, first and foremost, cultivate morality. Only then will divinity blossom in you. The entire world will prosper when man adheres to morality. Wherever you are, whatever you do, consider morality as the basis of your life. Morality alone grants true and lasting reputation. You can earn divine grace and happiness only when you cultivate morality.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 25th, 2009
What is the goal of human life? Is it eating, drinking, sleeping, tasting a little joy and grief, and finally dying like any other bird or beast? No, the goal is to realise Brahman (Divinity). Without that, no man can attain Shanti (peace). He must win that peace and bliss by merging in the consciousness of the Absolute by Divine Grace. An aspirant has to first practise the Sadhana (spiritual exercise) related to the Saguna (with form) aspect of God. This will endow him with concentration. He can then merge his mind in the Nirguna (formless) Brahman.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 26th, 2009
Develop faith in God. All names are His - be it Rama, Krishna, Christ, Allah or any other name. Every man is the embodiment of the Divine. True human relations can grow only when this truth is recognised. The first stage of realization is when you recognise "I am in the Light." Next, you realize, "The Light is in me," and finally you realize, "I am the Light." "I" represents love, and light represents Jnana (Supreme Wisdom). When love and light become one, there is Realization.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 27th, 2009
Happiness and sorrow have to be experienced in the worldly life as they are inevitable like the sunset and sunrise. You think the new year will give better experiences. It is not correct. It is the mind that is responsible for pleasure and pain. If your mind is good, you will find everything good. Without God's Grace, living itself will be impossible for mankind. Even the troubles you may experience are the gifts of the Divine. You are embodiments of the Divine which is nothing but bliss. While being so, is it not a folly on your part to say that you are suffering from pain and grieve over this?
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 28th, 2009
In the quest for mental peace, you should not be concerned only about your own needs. Apart from such a quest being an index of intense selfishness, it is also a futile one. Is it possible for an individual alone to achieve peace? If there is chaos and unrest all around you, how can you alone have peace? Your peace is dependent on peace in the family, in society and in the world. You have to cultivate the feeling that your individual peace is intimately related to the peace of the world. The ancients perceived this profound truth and hence prescribed the universal prayer - "Samastha Lokaha Sukhino Bhavanthu" (May all the beings in all the worlds be happy).
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 29th, 2009
Live in absolute conviction that you are the Atma (spirit). The Atma sees through the eyes, hears through the ears, handles through the fingers and moves through the feet. That is the basic ‘You’. That ‘You’ is not elated by praise or deflated by blame. As long as you are overcome with fear and anxiety, you will not be able to accomplish anything. Be courageous! Know that you are the Atma, not this body; then you will be without fear. God, can help you achieve great things, but only if you base your actions on true knowledge and remain fearless.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 30th, 2009
Bhagavath Gita mentions 'Udhaseenah' (being unruffled by anything) as one of the qualities of the devotee who is dear to the Lord. This means that one should be totally free from selfishness. One must consider the performance of one's duties as the sole purpose of one's existence. One should perform one's duties indifferent to fame or blame, not seeking power or position. One must act according to the dictates of one's conscience, without any other concern. All actions must be performed in a spirit of selfless service. This is the true import of being 'Udhaseenah'.
-SAI BABA



Thought for the day as written at Prasanthi Nilayam - March 31st, 2009
Good Sankalpas (thought impulses) can elicit the best out of man and help him to use all his mental strength for his uplift. Ships at sea are guided by the compass along the desired direction; without it, they risk being wrecked on rocks or icebergs. Man has to sail safe across the ocean of Samsara (worldly existence). So he needs a one-pointed, unruffled mind to guide him and guard him. Man has to recognise bad Sankalpas as soon as they arise and render them ineffective by the systematic cultivation of beneficial Sankalpas. The latter alone can save a person from disaster and confer Prasanthi (supreme peace).
-SAI BABA