THUS SPAKE SAI

Compiled by Raja Krishna Moorthy

Published by Sri Sai Baba Bhaktha Samajam (Regd.)

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir Shenay Nagar, Chennai - 600 030.

ELEVEN SAYINGS OF SHRI SHIRDI SAI BABA

I Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi Soil, his sufferings would come to an end.

The wretched and miserable would rise into plenty of joy and happiness, as soon as they climb the steps of my Samadhi.

I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.

My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.

I shall be active and vigorous even from the tomb.

My mortal remains would speak from the tomb.

I am ever living to help and guide all who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.

If you look to me, I look to you.

If you cast your burden on me I shall surely bear it.

If you seek my advice and help, It shall be given to you at once.

There shall be no want in the house of my devotees.

THUS SPAKE SAI

"Fakiri (Mendicancy) was the real Lordship (riches) was transient".

"Who so ever devoutly offers to me a leaf, a flower, or fruit or water, of that pure hearted man, I accept that pious offering.

"Believe Me, though I pass away, My bones in My tomb would be speaking, moving and communicating with those, who would surrender themselves wholeheartedly to Me. Do not be anxious that I would be absent from you. You will hear My bones speaking and discussing your welfare. But remember Me always, believe in Me heart and soul, and then you will be most benefitted".

"Eating that lovely bread 1 am heartily contended and I am still belching. The dog which you saw before meals and to which you gave the piece of bread is, one with me, so also other creatures (cats, pigs, flies, cows etc.) are one with me. I am roaming in their forms.

"He who sees Me in all these creatures, is My beloved. So abandon the sense of duality and distinction, and serve Me, as you did today".

"Poverty is better than kingship, far better than lordship. The! lord is always brother (befriender) of the poor". I

Four paths, viz., of karma, Jnana, Yoga and Bhakti lead us separately to God. Of these, the path of Bhakti is thorny and full of pits and ditches, and thus difficult to traverse, but if your, relying on your sadguru, avoid the pits and thorns and walk straight it will take you to the destination (God).

"There will never be any dearth or scarcity, regarding food and clothes, in may devotees homes. It is my special characteristic, that I always look to, and provide for, the welfare of those devotees, who worship me whole-heatedly with their minds ever fixed on Me.

"If you want anything, beg of the Lord, leave worldly honours, try to get Lord's grace and blessings, and honoured in His court. Do not be deluded by wordily honour.

"Fix the mind in remembering Me always, so that it will not wander elsewhere, towards body, wealth and home. Then it will be calm, peaceful and carefree. This is the sign of the mind, being well engaged in good company. If the mind is vagrant, it cannot be called well-merged".

"What (whether good or bad) is ours, is with us, and what is another's is with him".

"There are innumerable saints in this world but "our father' (Guru) is the Father (Real Guru). Others might say many good things but we should never forget our Guru's words.

"I do not need any paraphernalia of worship either eight-fold or sixteen-fold. I rest there, where there is full devotion".

"Those who take refuge in the Lord will be freed from her (Maya) clutches with His grace".

"For seeing Brahma one has to give five things, i.e., surrender five things viz., (i) Five pranas (Vital forces) (ii) Five senses (Five of action & Five of perception (iii) Mind (iv) Intellect (v) Ego.

"Look at the Mango tree in blossom. If all the flowers brought fruit, what a splendid crop it would be. But do they ? Most fall of (either as flowers or as unripe fruits) by wind etc., very few remain".

"Come what may, leave not, but stick to your bolster (Guru) and ever remain steady, always at-one-ment (in union) with Him".

“My words are always pregnant with meaning and never hollow".

"Let His man (Devotee) be at any distance, a thousand koss away from Him, he will be drawn to Shirdi like a sparrow, with a thread tied to its feet.

"He, who steps here, will soon get health and happiness, and his suffering will come to an end". He who casts aside his egoism and thanks Him and he who trusts Him entirely will have his shackles removed and will obtain liberation.

"God has created this beautiful world, and it is our duty to appreciate its beauty. The mind will get steady and calm slowly and gradually. When the front door was open, why go by the back one ? When the heart is pure, there is no difficulty, what so ever. Why should one be afraid of any one, if there be no evil thought in us.

"These feet are old and holy, you are care free now, place entire faith in Me and you will soon get your object.

"I draw to Me, My man from far off, or even across the seven seas, like a sparrow with a string fastened to its feet".

"Do not entertain the sense of doership in doing good, as well as for bad deeds, be entirely prideless and egoless in all things and thus your spiritual progress will be rapid.

"To keep My words, I would sacrifice My life, I would never be untrue to My words".

"I am sitting here ready to give you the whole golden broidered sheila (valuable cloth), then why go to others to steal rags and why should you get into the habit of stealing".

"I always think of him, who remembers Me. I require no conveyance, carriage, tonga, train or aeroplane. I run and manifest Myself to him, who calls Me".

"Let us do our prescribed duty and surrender our body, mind and five prana (life) to the Guru's feet. Guru is God, all pervading. To get this conviction, strong unbounded faith is necessary".

"He who does anything (spiritual endeavour) will reap its fruit and he who remembers these words of Mine, will get invaluable happiness."

"To get the knowledge (realization) of the self, Dhyana (Meditation) is necessary."

My treasury is full, and I can give anyone, what he wants, wants but I have to see whether he is qualified to receive My gift".

"He who loves Me most, always sees Me, he who tells n< stories but Mine; who ceaselessly meditates upon Me ant always chants My name" I feel indebted to him.

"I feel indebted to him who surrenders himself completely to Me, and ever remembers Me. I shall repay his debt by giving him salvation (self-realization).

"I am dependent on him, who thinks and hungers after Mel and who does not eat anything without first offering it to Me. He, who thus comes to Me, becomes one with Me, just as a river gets to the sea and becomes merged with it".

"So leaving out pride and egoism and with no trace of them, you should surrender yourself to Me, who is seated in your heart".

"Know for certain, that he who feeds the hungry, really serves Me with food. Regard this as an axiomatic Truth".

"You need not go far or any where in search of Me. Barring your name and form, there exists in you, as well as in all beings, a sense of being or consciousness of existence. Thai is Myself (knowing this, you see Me inside your self, as well as in all beings). If you practice this, you will realize all pervasiveness and thus attain oneness with Me.

"He who carps and cavils at others, pierces me in the heart and injures me, but he that suffers and endures, pleases me most."

"Blessed is he who knows the greatness of this Guru and thinks Him to be Hari, Hara and Brahma (Trinity) Incarnate"...

"Meditate always on knowledge incarnate, consciousness and Bliss".

"No sandhanas, nor proficiency in the six shastras, are necessary. Have faith and confidence in your Guru. Believe fully, that Guru is the sole Actor and Doer".

"My Guru never expected anything from me. He never neglected Me, but protected Me at all times".

"God lives in all beings and creatures, whether they be serpents or scorpions. He is the great wirepuller of the world, and all beings, serpents, scorpion etc, obey His commands. Unless He wills, nobody can do any harm to others".

Believe Me, that if anybody sings. My leelas, I will give him infinite joy and everlasting contentment.

'”It is My special characteristic, to free any person who surrenders completely to Me and who does worship Me faithfully, and who remembers Me, and meditates on Me constantly.

“How can they be conscious of worldly objects and sensations,; who utter My name, who worship Me, who think of My stories and My life and who thus always remember Me ?

“I shall draw out My devotees from the jaws of Death.

"Do not be afraid, hold fast to the handle of knowledge of this mill, as I do, and do not wander far away from the same but turn inward to the centre and you are sure to be saved".

"If a man utters my name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes, increase his devotion and if he sings earnestly my life and my deeds, him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides. "Those devotees, who are attached to me, heart and soul, will naturally fee! happiness when they hear these stories”.

Remember Him (Sai Baba) always with love, for He was engrossed in doing good to all, and always abided in His self.

“Baba never prescribed any aasan, regulation of breathing or any rites to His Bhaktas, nor did He blow any mantra into their ears. He told them to leave off all cleverness and always remember "Sai" "Sai".

“If we hold on steadily to Baba, with full faith and continue our endeavours, our efforts will be ultimately crowned with success”.

By His mere darshan, He does away with our fear of this 'bhava' and destroys their calamities.

“He was first Nirgun (formless), but on account of the devotion of His Bhaktas, He was obliged to take a form.

“To give liberation-self-realization to the Bhaktas is the mission of the saints, and for Sai-the -chief of them, that mission is inevitable.

“We, who are weak and without any merits, do not know what Bhakti is; but we know this much, that though all other may leave us, Sai will not forsake us”.

“Sai knows fully the desire of His devotees and fulfills the same”.

“He, who being overcome with calamities remembers and Prays Sai thus, will get his mind calmed and pacified, through his grace”.

“Unless the Sai wills it, no one is able to go and see Him ? Even the leaf of the tree won't move, without His bidding”.

“The more anxious a Bhakta is for the visit to the Sai more devout and faithful he is, the more speedily and effectively is his wish satisfied to his heart's content”.

“When any creatures bow down their heads at Sai's feet and meet death, they are saved; and unless they have got a good store of merit on their account, how could they get such a happy end?”

“If anyone prostrates before Sai and surrenders heart and soul to Him, then unsolicited, all the chief objects of life viz., Dharma (righteousness) Artha (wealth), Kama (Desire) and^! Moksha (Deliverance), are easily and unsolicitedly attained. If there be any store of merits on our account, we get a desire or interest in listening to the stories and Leelas of Sai_i otherwise not.”

“The only way to cross the ocean of Maya is to remember ever the feet of Baba in the heart.”

“By worshipping Sai Baba, we attain both the objects wordily and spiritual, and are fixed in our true Nature, and get peace and happiness”.

“When before enjoyment of the objects, you think that Baba is close by or present, the question, whether the object is fit to be enjoyed or not, will at once arise.”

“Sai Baba is always full of mercy. What is wanted, on our part, is whole hearted devotion in to Him”.

“When Baba's form is fixed before our mental vision, we forget hunger, thirst, and this sansar (world); the consciousness of worldly pleasures will disappear and our mind shall attain peace and happiness”.

Company of Sai increases our non-attachment to sense-objects, and makes us quite indifferent to pleasure and pain, and leads us onward on the spiritual path.

You may do or attend to your worldly duties, but give your mind to Sai and His stories, and then, He is sure to bless you.

It is on account of the store of merit in past births that we have attained the feet of Sai Baba.

It you daily hear the Leelas of Sai, you will always see Him day and night, you will remember Him in your mind. When you assimilate Sai in this way, your mind will lose its sickliness and if you go on in this manner, it will finally be merged in Pure consciousness.

Whenever, a devotee had complete and wholehearted devotion to Sai Baba, all his calamities and dangers were warded off, and his welfare attended to by Baba.

Those who are fortunate enough to get Baba's Udi should, after bath, apply it on the forehead and take some little of it, mixed with water in the mouth as holy tirth.

Seeing Baba's picture earnestly is equivalent to seeing Him in person.

The liquid essence of pure self was poured into the mould of Brahma and out of this has come out the crest jewel of the Saints-Sai.

Baba regarded money as a danger or bar to spiritual progress; and did not allow his Bhaktas to fall into its clutches.

If you go on meditating on Sai's Form, it will in course of time disappear and lead you into self-realization.

If you wish to get rid of the cycle of births and deaths, read Sai's stories and remember Him always; and get your set attached (devoted) to His Feet.

If you dive into the sea of Sai's stories, and then give them out to others, you will get an ever -new flavour of them and save the hearers from future misery.

"Though this ocean is so fierce and terrible, Sadguru Sai is its Agasti (Destroyer) and the devotees of Sai have not the least to fear of it. Our sadguru is the boat, which will safely take us across this ocean".

Baba liked very much those persons, who took real interest in spiritual matters and He removed all their difficulties and made them happy.

Sai who, when He places His hand on their (Devotees) heads, transfers His powers to them, and thus destroying the sense of differentiation, makes them attain the Unattainable thing.

Baba taught by His Udi that all the visible phenomena in the universe are as transient as the ash.

Like a loving mother forcing bitter, but wholesome medicines down the throats of her children for the sake of their health, Sai Baba imparted spiritual instructions to His devotees.

Baba is ever-living and helping His devotees.

Those who lovingly sing Baba's fame and those, who hear the same with devotion, both become one with Sai.

His physical or finite form has, no doubt, disappeared from] our view , but the infinite or spiritual form of Baba ever Iives₁

God is the sole proprietor, nobody else is our Protector.

As a devotee is resolute and determined, so is Baba's immediate response. Some times Baba puts the devotees to severe test; and then gives them 'Updesh" (instructions).

If the teachings of Sai Baba, which are as interesting and instructive as the Vedic Lore, are listened to and meditated upon, the devotees will get, what they long for, viz., union with Brahma, mastery in eight-fold Yoga, Bliss of meditation etc.

His movements and simple talks give us 'silent' advice. The virtues of forgiveness, calmness, disinterestedness, charity, benevolence, control of mind and body, egolessness etc. are observed by the disciples, as they are being practiced in such pure and holy company.

To remember Him only is to solve the riddle of life and death. This is the best and easiest of sadhanas as it involves no expenditure.

All other Gods are illusory; Guru is the only God.

If we believe in Sadguru's holy feet, He can change our fortune for the better. If we serve Him nicely, we get rid of our samsar.

If we make Him our helmsman, we can easily cross over the sea of all our pains and sorrows.

The Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and devotion of His devotees, endows them with knowledge and eternal bliss.

The function of the mind is to think, It cannot remain for a minute without thinking. If you give it a sense object, it will think about it. If you give it Guru, it will think about Guru.

Doubts and difficulties surround us just to move us and confirm our faith.

Those, whom He favours, get enormous strength, discrimination between the unreal and the real and knowledge.

All saints recommend us to remember God and chant His name always, so that we may not be puzzled, when the time for departure comes.

The Lord runs and helps him, who remembers and meditates on Him, with love and affection.

The form of the Deity should be firmly fixed in the mind. Let all the senses and mind be ever devoted to the worship of the Lord. Let there be no attraction for any other thing.

The most effective and speedy way to gain our object is to approach a worthy Saint or Sadguru, who has Himself attained God-vision.

Just as the sun only gives light, which all the stars put together cannot do, so the sadguru alone imparts spiritual wisdom, which all the sacred books and sermons cannot do.

The only way of deliverance is the loving devotion toward; the Guru's feet.

The best kind of disciples are those, who guess what thei Guru wants and immediately carry it out and serve therr without waiting for an order from them.

Unless, we surrender our ego to the feet of our sadguru, w will not succeed in our undertaking, if we become egoless then our success is assured.

The average disciples are those who carry out the orders of their Masters to the letter, without any delay and the third kind of disciples are those, who go on postponing in carrying out of their orders and make mistakes at every step.

The disciples should have firm faith, backed up by intelligence, and if they add patience to these, their spiritual goal will not be distant.

There is no difference between Guru and God. He who sees any difference in them, sees God nowhere.

Before the senses, mind and intellect enjoy their objects, He should first be remembered and if this be done, it is in a way of making an offering to him.

If any object is first offered to the Guru, the attachment for them will naturally vanish.

When a devotee has got firm faith and devotion, his wishes are soon fulfilled.

We should not enjoy any object with our senses etc. without first remembering our Guru. When the mind is trained in this way, we will always be reminded of Baba and our meditation on Baba will grow apace.

When we begin to practice discrimination, we come to know, that the world is transient and unreal and our passion for worldly things becomes less, and ultimately we gel dispassion or non-attachment for them.

Instead of depending upon others, we should have full fail in our selves.

When we know that the Brahman, which is no other than ou( Guru, is the sole reality, and as it transcends and besets thi seeming universe, we begin to worship it, in all creatures.

"In short, love your Guru whole-heatedly, surrender to Him completely and prostrate yourselves before Him reverentially^ and then you will see that there is no sea of the mundane existence, before you to cross, as there is no darkness froi the sun.

If we cast a glance at Him for a moment., He destroys the sorrow of many past births and confers great Bliss on us and if He looks at us with grace, our bondage of Karma ii immediately snapped away and we are led to happiness.

God does not like big subscriptions and donations, collections against the wishes of the donors, but He likes even trifling amounts given with love, devotion and appreciation.

One has to reap what one sows, and there is no escape unless one suffers and squares up one's old debts and leanings with others, and that greed for money drags the greedy man to the lowest level and ultimately brings destruction for him and for others.

God runs to His devotees for help in times of danger

He, who by His discourse creates in us, a distaste for the enjoyments of this world and the next, and gives us a taste of sefl-realization, who is well-versed in both the theoretical and practical knowledge (self-realization) deserves to be called a sadguru.

He (sadguru) does not think that he is great and the disciple small. Not only He loves him as His son but regards him as equal to Himself or as Brahma.

The main characteristic of a Sadguru is that He is the abode of peace.

Saduguru is never restless nor ruffled. He has no pride of His learning. The poor and the rich, the small and the great, are the same to Him.

Mere knowledge, without love, is dry. Nobody wants such knowledge. Without love there is no contentment; so we should have unbroken and unbounded love.

Without love our reading, hearing and the study are of no avail. In the wake of love follow devotion, dispassion, peace and liberation with all their treasures.

If you have no other Sadhana, such as uttering God's name, worship or devotion etc, but if you take refuge in saints whole I heatedly, they will carry you off safely across the ocean of worldly existence.

Hearing the stories of the Saints is, in a way, keeping the company. The importance of the company of the Saints if very great. It removes our body consciousness and egoism] destroys completely the chain of our birth and death, cut? asunder all the knots of the heart and takes us to God, who is pure consciousness.

Lord Krishna has said that the Saint is My soul, My livining image, I am He or is My pure form (Being).

If a person believing in Him, listens to His leelas, their quest for milk (darshana) will be, to a great extent, satisfied by th butter-milk (Leelas)

Image, altar, fire, light, sun, water, Brahma are the seven objects, of worship. But Sadguru is better than all of these.

We get human body as a result of merits in past births, and if it is worth-while, then with its aid, we should attain devotion and liberation in this life. So we should never be lazy, but always be on the alert to gain our end and aim of life.

Unless a man feels disgusted with the things, emoluments and honours, which his actions would bring in this world and the next, he has no right to enter into the spiritual realm.

He who wants self realization and immortal life, must turn his gaze in wards, and look to his inner self.

He, who thinks that he is bound and that he should get free from bondage and works earnestly and resolutely to that end; and who does not care for any other things is qualified for the spiritual life.

it is only the Sadguru that opens the eyes of our understanding and enable us to see things in their true light, and not as they appear.

Neither son, nor wife nor friend, will be of any use in the end-is only, He, who will give us salvation and happiness.

You must enjoy the fruit, good or bad of your past actions; if the enjoyment be incomplete, suicide won't help you. You have to take another birth and suffer again; so instead of killing yourself, why not suffer for sometime, and finish up your store of the fruit of your past deeds, and be done with it once and for all?

All the things, that we see in the universe are nothing but a play of Maya, the creative power of the Lord. These things do not really exist. What really exists is the real absolute.

Let us use hot water in the form of tears of joy to wash the Saduguru's feet. Let us besmear His body with sandle-paste of pure love. Let us cover His body with the cloth of true faith,, let us offer eight lotuses in the form of our eight satwik emotions and fruit in the form of our concentrated mind; let us apply to His head bukka in the form of devotion, and tie the waistband of Bhakti, and place our head on His toes.

The efficacy of God's Name is well-known. It saves us from all sins and frees us from the cycle of births and deaths. There is no easier Sadhana than this. It is the best purifier of ou mind. It requires no paraphernalia and no restrictions.

The disciple placing his head on the Guru's feet is a gross o out ward vision; really and internally they are both one and the same. Those, who see any difference between them, are yet unripe and not perfect.

When a man takes refuge at the feet of the Sadguru, he gets the merit of bowing to the Trinity, i.e., Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and also Para-Brahma.

The Vedas cannot take you across the ocean of Maya, it is only the Sadguru, who can do so and make you, see the Lord in all creatures.

It is always the experience of the Bhaktas that God always helps them in their search for Sadguru and other spiritual endeavours.

Both the Guru and the disciple should love and serve each other. Both are one and one cannot live without the other.

All saints are one, and they work in unison.

The observance of the vow of silence is the best way of praising the Sadguru.

Though we try hundreds of means or Sadhanas, we do not attain the spiritual goal of life unless a Sadguru blesses us with His grace.

Let a man go to a true saint with a pure mind, even otherwise (fraudulently) and hold His feet. Ultimately he is sure to be saved.

There is a principle well established, that when Guru Himself gives anything as prasad, the disciple, who thinks and doubts whether it is acceptable or otherwise, goes to perdition (future misery).

The Sadguru is Nirgun, Sat-Chit-Ananda. He has indeed taken human form to elevate mankind and raise the world.

The Guru has to root out offshoots of ignorance and has to give updesh or instruction to the disciple.

Really no Saint or Guru will ever force His orthodox disciple, to eat forbidden food, and defile (Pollute) himself thereby.

When the devotees surrender themselves completely to their sadguru. He sees that the religious functions in their houses are duly executed, and complied with all the necessary formalities.

He who sings the Leelas of God's Bhaktas, is equally or more dear to Him, than one who sings the Leelas of God only.

However learned a man may be, or however deep his study of Vedas may be, he cannot go to his destination safely. If the guide (Guru) be there to help him, and show him the right way, He would avoid the pitfalls and the wild beasts on the journey, and everything will be smooth-sailing.

Unless God wills it no one meets us on the way.

God is not attained on a empty stomach; first the soul has to be appeased.

The Guru alone knows how the topsy-turvy suspension with head down and feet up' can give happiness!

The objects of our life such as Dharma, Artha and Kama are attainable with our effort, but the fourth object, Mokasha (Liberation), can only be had with the help of the Guru.

The Lord, who fulfills the desires of His devotees, comes to our aid, removes our troubles and sufferings, and makes us happy. This progress or development is entirely due to the help of the Sadguru, who is regarded as the Lord Himself.

The Sadguru is like a monsoon cloud. He pours down profusely i.e., scatters widely His nectar-like teachings.

The 'Sadguru' looks first to the qualifications of His disciples, and then gives them suitable instructions, without unsettling their minds in the least and leads them on towards the goal of self-realization.

The teachings of a Guru are of no use to a man, who is full of egoism, and who always thinks about the sense-objects.

The light of Guru's grace removes our fear of the mundane existence, opens the path of salvation and turns our misery into happiness.

If we always remember the feet of the Sadguru, our troubles come to an end. Death loses its sting and the misery of this | mundane existence is obliterated.

Saints embody themselves and come into this world with a definite mission and after that is fulfilled, they pass away as I quietly and easily as they came.

The love, that a chaste woman bears to her husband, is sometimes compared to that which a disciple bears to hi! Master (Guru)

Unfortunate fellows do not get this contact of the Saints. It is only the fortunate ones that get it.

The Brahman is the only Reality, and the universe is ephemeral, and no one in this world, be he a son, father or wife, is really ours. We come into this world alone and we have to go out from here alone.

"God is the sole Dispenser and protector, think of Him always. He will take care of you. Surrender to His feet with body, mind wealth and speech, i.e., completely, and then see what He does".

Keep your faith at any one place (point) you like stick quietly to one place.

The result of past actions has to be suffered and got over. Our Karma is the cause of our happiness and sorrow; therefore, put up with what ever comes to you.

The giving, of Dakshina, advances Vairagya (non attachment) and thereby Bhakti and Jnana. Give one and receive tenfold. Debt, enmity and murder have to be atoned for, as there is no escape from them. The donor gives i.e., sows seeds, only to ^reap a rich harvest in future.

Wealth should be the means to work out Dharma. If it is used for personal enjoyment, it is wasted.

He is the abode of the perfect divine Bliss. After having attained Himself all objects of life, He made, His devotees desire less and free.

Let us ever serve Him, with whole-hearted devotion to His feet. Let us see Him (God) in all beings, and let us ever love His name.

That is our abode and place of rest, where the mind is most pleased and charmed.

We do not get love for anything, unless, we feel earnestly about it. So where there is real yearning and feeling, God manifests Himself. It includes love and it is the means of liberation.

The one namskar offered with love and humility is enough. If the devotee completely surrenders himself to Him, He will lose his individuality and be merged in Him and be one with Him, as the river becomes merged with the sea. If you thus become merged with Him in any of the three states, viz., waking, dream and sleep, you get rid of the bond of sansara.

"This ocean of mundane existence is very hard to cross. Waves of infatuation beat high there against the bank of bad thoughts and break down trees of fortitude. The breeze of egoism blows forcibly and makes the ocean rough and agitated. Crocodiles in the form of anger and hatred move fearlessly..."

The perpetual delusion under which the disciple is laboring that he is the body, that he is a creature (jiva) or ego, that God and the world are different from him, is an error inherited from innumerable past births.

Of all the charities, giving food is the best one.

Food is Brahma; from food all the creatures are born and having been born, by food they live, and having departed, into food again they enter.

Other kinds of charities are imperfect without this Annadana (donation of food).

He becomes one with the Bhaktas, as the sea with the rivers, and gives them His power and position.

A guide is always necessary to show us the right way in small or great matters.

After cutting this Ashvattha tree (Samsara) of strong roots with the sharp weapon of non-attachment, one should seek the path, beyond treading which, there is no return.

He who loves others disinterestedly, is really enlightend. "I willl show you what you want; but he alone, who believes in what I say, will be successful".

No quest can be successfully carried out on an empty stomach. Do not discard offers of food, served dish should not be thrust away. Offers of bread and food should be regarded as an auspicious sign of success.

The mind of the faster is never at ease, then how could he attain his paramartha (goal of life) ?

If there be no moisture of food in the stomach and nutrition, with what eyes should we describe His greatness, and with what ears should we hear the same?

When all our organs get their proper nutrition and are sound, we can practise devotion and other sadhanas to attain God. Where there is greed, there is no room for thought or meditation of the Brahman.

For a greedy man there is no peace, neither contentment, nor certainty (Steadiness). If there be even a little trace of greed in mind, all the sadhanas are of no avail.

Unless a man discharges satisfactorily and disinterestedly the duties of his station in life, his mind will not be purified and unless his mind is purified, he cannot get self-realization. The self cannot be gained by the study of Vedas, nor by intellect nor by much learning, He, whom the self chooses, gains it. To him the self reveals its nature, (Katha Upanishad).

The body is the chariot and the self is it's master, intellect is the charioteer and the mind is the reins; the senses are the horses and sense objects their paths. He who has no understanding and whose mind is charioteer, does not reach his destination (get realization) but goes through the round of births and deaths.

He, who has understanding and whose mind is restrained, has his senses being under control, like the good horses of a charioteer, reaches that place, i.e., the state of self-realization; where he is not born again.

Unless man has turned away from wickedness and stopped from doing wrong, and has entirely composed himself, and unless his mind is at rest, he cannot gain self-realization even by means of knowledge.

The wise man prefers the good to the pleasant; but the unwise, through greed and attachment, chooses the pleasant.

Purification of mind is absolutely necessary; without it, all our spiritual endeavors are nothing, but useless-show and pomp.

If a thing like wo^rship or meditation is to be done, it ought to be done with all our mind and soul.

We have to chalk out, and traverse the path of self-realization ourselves.

Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere.

"He always protected Me by His glance, just as the tortoise feeds his young ones, whether they are near her or far away from her on the other side of the river bank, by her loving looks,”

The world is all dependent on Him, and no one is independent. So we should take pity and love all creatures, leave off adventurous fights and killings and be patient. The Lord (God) is the protector of all.

There are nine types of Bhakti, if any of them is faithfully followed Lord Hari will be pleased, and manifest to Himself in the home of the devotee.

"Consider yourself as the merchant or seeker after the truth and be anxious and eager like him to collect or cultivate the nine types of devotion. Then, you will attain stability and peace of mind".

He who attains the supreme goal of life, is immortal and happy; all others merely exist, i.e., live so long as they breathe.

His method of work is extra - ordinary, invaluable, and inscrutable. His will, will be done and He will show us the way, and satisfy our heart's desires.

It is on account of Rinanubandha (former relationship) that we have come together, let us love and serve each other and be HAPPY.

Pranams to Sadguru. Pranams to Sri Shirdi Sai Baba.

Pranams to Hemadpant. Pranams to Gunaji. Greatful thanks yo Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Samsthan.

AREYOU INTHE CORRECT PATH?

Think again and again on the following ideas

1. Why do you come to the temple of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba? Is it because-

a. You love Baba so much that at least without His symbolic presence, life seems meaningless to you?

b. You take some time out of your busy schedule and come to Baba's temple for generating a better state of mind by praying, singing aarti and doing puja etc?

c. You have too many problems around you in the practical world surrounding you and cannot fight it and therefore run to the temple for getting blessings of Baba?

d. You have problems and want to solve it through Baba's grace within the desired period and in the desired method?

2. Do you remember Baba having said that all the seeds planted need not necessarily become trees?. Are you prepared to believe that you may not get as much result as you wish by coming to the temple ?.

3. Whatever you offer to Baba, are they out of your honest income?

4. Do you think it is proper to make presents to Baba out of the dishonest income?

5 Don't you remember that Baba had refused to take gold and silver presents from a queen who had come in a palanquin but had accepted single roti with onion from an old lady?

6. Are you coming to the temple to satisfy your sentimental requirements at the cost of your family Members and other dependent ? Don't you remember Baba had forced Mhalaspati to go and stay with family because he was coming and staying at Dwarkamai?

7. Do you come to the temple to socialize because you have known people there and to gossiping about things Don't you think it is a useless wastage of time to talk, discuss topics pertaining to issues other than that of Baba?

8. Don't you think it is better to spend your time in meditating on Baba, participating in aarti or by reading books like etc?

9. Since no one is perfect, don't you think it is improper to think of the imperfections of others or gossip about them in the temple? Don't you remember that Baba had told one person in the temple that like a pig eating dirty food, some people find fault in others?

10. Do you think that your devotional level is higher than that of others and therefore criticise about others way of worshipping?

11. Don't you agree with Shri Sai saying that we meet people and face problems because of rinanubandh i.e. debt of the past life .If we believe in this saying of Baba, then isn't it required of us to accept our problems and not always cry and fret about the same ?.

12. Do you have the amount of patience (saburi) and faith (shradha) needed to come closer to Baba ?. Do you think that your shradha is constant or changes with problems and situations?

13. Baba always advised people to develop qualities of kindness, impartiality, sympathy, tolerance and sacrifice to others. How much sacrifice do you do for others at your own cost? Do you think that whatever little sacrifice you think you do is enough?

14. Do you remember Baba said that when two persons are fighting, the person that doesn't hurt the others or tolerates the negatives is dearer to me. Do you do so ?

15. Do you think that unbridled sentimentality which includes crying and shouting etc. are required in the spiritual path? Don't you know that by the demonstration such sentiments, you, at times, cause harm to others and contaminate good atmosphere. It not better to contain your emotionality within yourself and not make a public display of it to establish your devotional fervor ?

16. You want yourself to be sympathetically dealt by others and also to be understood. Don't you think that others would be expecting the same from you. Do you do so ?

17. Do you think by being jealous about others improvements even in the devotional field, you gain anything?

18. Whatever work you do for Baba. are you doing it honestly and with intensity i.e. purity of thought, or do you do it in a casual manner?

19. We want Shri Sai to take care of all our problems. But do we equally try to even do a fraction of his work perfectly for his cause ?

20. Do you think the blessings of God will come to you when you don't quality for it, breaking the Law of Karma i.e action and reaction syndrome?

21. Don't you think it is proper that you first work for His cause which qualifies for His blessings?

If you really want to have the blessings of Baba and live peacefully along with your fellow men, at first improve your own qualities on the lines indicated in the preceding paragraphs.

- C.B. Satpathy

Courtesy; Expressions by Anandi lyer, New Delhi, 2001.