Tuesday, 7 June 2011

God's Quotes

I have come to light the lamp of love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added luster.


I shall be with you, wherever you are, guarding you and guiding you. March on, have no fear.

Duty is God; Work is worship. Even the tiniest work is a flower placed at the Feet of God.

Start the Day with Love;
Spend the Day with Love;
Fill the Day with Love;
End the Day with Love;
This is the way to God.


Cultivate nearness with Me in the heart and it will be rewarded. Then you too will acquire a fraction of that Supreme Love.


Love as Thought is Truth. 
Love as Action is Right Conduct. 
Love as Understanding is Peace. 
Love as Feeling is Non-violence.


Duty without love is deplorable. 
Duty with love is desirable. 
Love without duty is Divine.

Your heart must be transparent, like glass, with spiritual light within illuminating the whole world.


Peace can only be won the hard way, by eliminating violence and greed from the hearts of individual.


The secret of happiness is not doing what one likes to do but in liking what one has to do.


The end of wisdom is freedom; The end of culture is perfection;

The end of knowledge is love; The end of education is character.


First you must grapple with the fact that duty is God and start doing your duty.


I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith - so that Christian becomes a better Christian, the Muslim, a better Muslim, and the Hindu, a better Hindu.


Transmuting "man" into "God" and experiencing that Ananda or Bliss is the one and only achievement for which life is to be devoted.


The minimum qualifications for Grace are surrender of ego.


The treasure that is precious is the quality of even mindedness in all situations.


The joy of being the master of senses is far greater than being their slave.


Your progress is reflected back as Grace, your decline is reflected back as its absence. The mirror just reflects. It has no partiality or prejudice.


Sathya is what I teach; 

Dharma is the way I live; 

Shanthi is the mark of My personality; 

Prema is my very Nature.


Peace is shore less ocean - it is the light that illuminates the world.


Virtue is the sign of the educated person. This is what makes education worthwhile.


God can be felt and experienced only in the deepest depths of silence.


Education must remove hatred between the pilgrims on the various roads to God. There is only one God, one Goal, one Law, one Truth, one Religion and one Reason.


To help the helpless is the only way to please, follow and reach Him.


Mind, word and act; all three must be filled with the belief that all is His play; that is the genuine path.


You are in the Light, then the Light is in you, You are the Light.


Desire is storm, greed is whirlpool, pride is precipice, attachment is avalanche, ego is volcano. Discard desire and you are liberated.


Devotion has to be unintermittent, uninterrupted, like the flow of oil from one vessel to another.


Human society minus God is equal to a forest of brutes.


Bear all and do nothing; 

Hear all and say nothing; 

Give all and take nothing; 

Serve all and be nothing.


Man minus immorality is Immortality.


God is for those, who are not for themselves.


So long as the sugar is on the tongue, you feel the sweetness in taste. Similarly, so long as the heart has love,
peace and devotion, you feel the bliss.


If you will not rise above the things of the world, they will rise above you.


Praying is your task; what happens to the prayer is dependent on the Grace of God.


Seek out your faults and others' merits. Seeking others' faults is dire sin.


Your duty is to pray for the welfare of the world and to work for it as far as it lies in your power.


Earning money cannot be the purpose of education. Acquiring good qualities can be the only purpose of education.


True devotion must not get dispirited; nor elated or satisfied with lesser gains; it must fight against failure, loss, calumny, calamity, ridicule and against egoism and pride, impatience and cowardice.


Follow the Master; 
Face the devil; 
Fight to the end; 
Finish the goal.


If animal feelings are washed out, Divine feelings begin to overflow instead.


A man who has no love in him is as barren as a cloud with no moisture, a tree with no fruits or a cow yielding no milk; he is ever far from God and can never earn His Grace.


Life is a bridge over the sea of changes. Do not build a house on it.


In the innermost recess of your heart there is a reservoir of peace where you must take refuge.


Employ yourself usefully. Be like a trustee, holding on trust, on behalf of God, for the purpose, which He likes and approves.


Hear good things, see good, do good, think good, then you get the Grace of God, as all the evil tendencies will be uprooted.


All are expressions of the same God, as bulbs lit by the same current through manifold colors and wattage.


Have faith in His Grace and lead a virtuous life, a life devoted to the service of the weak; a life spent in the thought about the might and glory of God.


The refinement of an individual is measured by the yardstick of sense control.


Prayer must emanate from the heart, where God resides, and not from the head where doctrines and doubts clash.


You have come from God, you are a spark of His Glory; you are a wave of that Ocean of Bliss; you will get peace only when you again merge in Him.


See God in every one you meet; see God in every thing you handle. Live together, revere each other, let not the seeds of envy and hate grow and choke the clear stream of Love.


Make your life a rose that speaks silently in the language of fragrance.


Be in the world, but let not the world be in you.


Be like the lions in the spiritual field, rule over the forest of the senses and roam fearlessly with full faith in victory.


The heart with compassion is the temple of God.


Start early, Drive slowly, Reach safely.


Watch your Words, Action, Thoughts, Character and Heart.


Education softens the heart. If the heart is hard, one cannot claim to be educated.


Faith in ourselves and faith in God: this is the secret of Greatness, for God is Love.


Good ideas, good conduct and adherence to Truth should result from our education. Only those who acquire these qualities can be called truly educated.


Devotion to the Divine will give you Bliss, Prosperity and Peace. It cannot inflict pain, perturbation or personal anxiety. It fosters love and brings all together as one band of brothers.


Every action of yours at the present time is bound to have a reaction, resound and reflection in the future.


Reach the point where churches, temples, mosques do not matter, where all roads end, from where all roads run.


Doing one's duty, however small, in an unattached manner gives rise to the awakening of self-awareness.


Bend the body, mend the senses and end the mind - this is the way to Immortality.


Why fear when I am here? Put all your faith in Me. I shall guide you and guard you.


Try within your means to satisfy the needs of the poor.


If you place complete faith in the Lord at all times, you will receive His Grace. Grace takes away the pain of Karma. The Lord can save man completely from Karma.


God has no preferences and prejudices; His is but reaction, reflection and resound.


Where there is Faith, there is Love; 
Where there is Love, there is Peace; 
Where there is Peace, there is Truth; 
Where there is Truth, there is God; 
Where there is God, there is Bliss.


Life is Love, enjoy it; 
Life is Challenge, meet it; 
Life is a Song, sing it; 
Life is a Dream, realize it; 
Life is a Game, play it; 
Life is a Goal. achieve it.


Ego lives by getting and forgetting; 
Love lives by giving and forgiving; 
Love is expansion; Self is contraction; 
Self is lovelessness; Love is selflessness.


There is only one religion, the religion of Love; 
There is only one language, the language of the Heart; 
There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity; 
There is only one law, the law of Karma; 
There is only one God, He is Omnipresent.


Haste makes waste; 
Waste makes worry; 
So do not be in a hurry.


You are not one person, but three: 
The one you think you are; 
The one others think you are; 
The one you really are.


Money comes and goes; morality comes and grows.


Nations are many, but Earth is one; 
Beings are many, but Breath is one; 
Stars are many, but Sky is one; 
Oceans are many, but Water is one; 
Religions are many, but God is one; 
Jewels are many, but Gold is one; 
Appearances are many, but Reality is One.


Come just one step forward, I shall take a hundred towards you. Shed one tear, I shall wipe a hundred from your eyes.


The proof of rain is in the wetness of the ground; the proof of devotion is in the peace the aspirant has attained.


Every experience is a lesson, every loss is a gain.


You should completely forget the help rendered by you to others and the harm done to you by others.


If wealth is lost, nothing is lost. 
If health is lost, something is lost. 
If character is lost, all is lost.


The body has to be utilized for service to others. More bliss can be got from serving others than from merely serving oneself.


You should consider every individual as God. This is true worship.


You are not doing service for others. You are doing it always for yourselves, to the God in you, the God who is equally present in others.


If it is good and will harm no one, go ahead. If it is not good, put it aside. If not sure, do nothing until sure.


What is needed today is that we should lead a life of good quality. The fostering of sterling character and good conduct is the need of the world. Once we have greater numbers of such people of good quality, the country and the world will become prosperous and peaceful.


You must act ever in the consciousness of your divinity and recognize in each being, a brother, a child of God. The whole world is one family.


The only permanent change is slow, steady change.


God, if you think, God you are
Dust if you think, dust you are
As you think, so you become
Think God, be God.


Those who seek to acquire steadiness of faith must first acquire the strength to bear grief and pain, insult and injury. The succession of joy and grief must help confirm the faith and make it immovable. That alone can evidence true devotion.


Individual spiritual practice is the negative pole and service is the positive pole. The conjunction of both poles can alone bring success. The mind carries the divine principle (the light of love) and conveys it to all who contact it.


We can be successful leaders only if we are disciplined followers, who do not issue commands to others but rather set an example of service in our actions.


If you have the inclination to do good work, God will give you the time to do good things.


Man falsely imagines "I am doing this", "I am planning this". It is the supreme, all pervasive consciousness that motivates, unfolds the skills and operates the intellect.


Let God work through you and there will be no more duty. Let God shine forth. Let God show Himself. Live God, Eat God. Drink God. Breathe God. Realize the Truth and the other things will take care of themselves.


Treat all as your own self. Do not have a double standard.


What you would desire others to do for you, you should do for others. You should respect others, as you want to be respected by them.


Love all men without distinction; Know that mankind is a single community.


Is the intention pure, selfless, and born out of love? Is it based on truth? Does it result in peace? If so, it is a right action.


True humanness consists of a continuous series of tiny acts executed with absolute sincerity and largeness of heart.


The quality of one's feelings determines one's future.


Think before speaking; Think before acting; Then go ahead, If you feel good about it.


See good - Hear good  - Speak good - Do good - Be good


If you strive to find your Self by using your mind, you will strive and strive in vain, because the mind cannot give you the Truth. You are that Self. All else is illusion of the mind's creation.


Every being in the universe has the potentiality of transcending the senses. Even the little worm will one day transcend the senses and reach God. No life will be a failure. There is no such thing as failure in the universe.


More than listening to a hundred lectures or delivering them to others, offering one act as genuine service attracts the Grace of God.


We should not aspire for acclaim and praise from those around us, but do service only to secure the Grace of God and not for any other reward from any one.


Bury bad thoughts under good ones. Then the bad ones will just fade away and be forgotten.


Living is not enough; it has no value by itself. It is the motives, the feelings, the thoughts, the attitudes that prompt the day to day life that matters.


Secure spiritual bliss first and then try to convey it to those who thirst. When the tank is dry, how can the taps give water?


Always try to put yourself in the position of the other and judge your action against the background. Then you will not be wrong.


Make the mind, the voice and the actions agree in harmony. That is the right way of life.


Impurity is a mere superimposition under which the real nature of man has been hidden.


Where divinity is sought after, one ought always to behave in the spirit of Love, devoid of the slightest trace of hate, envy and anger. When one cultivates the inner look, one attains the conviction of the basic equality of all.


What is heard has to be pondered over. What is pondered over has to be put into practice. It is only when all three are accomplished that the realization of Bliss can be attained.


The secret of perfect health lies in keeping the mind always cheerful - never worried, never hurried, never borne down by any fear, thought or anxiety.


The pure heart is the best mirror for the reflection of Truth. So all these disciplines are for the purification of the heart. As soon as it is pure, all truths flash upon it in a minute.


O Lord, take my love and let it flow in fullness of devotion to Thee. 
O Lord, take my hands and let them work incessantly for Thee. 
O Lord, take my soul and let it be merged in oneness with Thee. 
O Lord, take my mind and thoughts and let them be in tune with Thee. 
O Lord, take my everything and let me be an instrument for thy work.


Religion is three-fourths character. Only those who preserve character can be pronounced truly religious.


Desire destroys devotion, anger destroys wisdom, greed destroys work - hence these bad qualities must be sacrificed. With good and sweet words, keeping desires under check and control (for ultimate removal), one should start on the path of sacrifice.


Man derives all the joy and peace that he needs from within himself and not from sources outside himself. So the best spiritual discipline is: strengthen the inward vision.


Anything that helps you maintain unruffled equanimity is right action.


True love expands the self; attachment contracts it.


Moderation in temper is virtue; Moderation in principle is a vice.


The harder the circumstances, the more trying the environment, the stronger are those who come out of those circumstances.


That which happens physically on the outside in terms of actions is not of major importance. What is important is that which comes from inside.


This body is the residence of God. The food you take is the offering you make to him. Your act of bathing is the ceremonial bathing of Him who is in You. The ground you walk on is His domain. The joy you gain is His gift. The grief you experience is His lesson. Remember Him ever, in sun and rain, day and night, asleep and awake.


Offer service and receive love. This is the recipe for experiencing Divinity. Our love should not be confined to our kith and kin. It must extend beyond the family to society as a whole, then to the nation at large and finally embrace the whole world.


Whatever books you may read, you cannot realize the Divine merely by intellectual effort. One must put it into practice. That sense of oneness can only be promoted by the practice of love and not by any other means.


It is not what you have achieved that is important. It is the broadness of heart that has motivated you to do work that counts. Being broad minded with a selfless attitude, humility and obedience, you should try to share the difficulties of others around you. It is the purity of heart that is more important than the magnitude of the work itself.


Our relationships are heart to heart relationships. Ours is a business of love, not a business of money or materials.


For the progress of humanity, work alone is not adequate, but the work should be associated with love, compassion, right conduct, truthfulness and sympathy. Without the above qualities, selfless service cannot be performed.


God will not ask you when and where you did service? He will ask, with what motive did you do it? What was the intention that prompted you? You may weigh the service and boast of its quantity. But God seeks quality - the quality of heart, the purity of mind, the holiness of motive.


Living with God is education 
Living for God is Service 
Living in God is Realization


Reform the body, reconstruct the mind, regulate the way of living, then, the country will become automatically strong and prosperous.


Before you speak, think -Is it necessary? Is it true? Is it kind? Will it hurt anyone? 

Will it improve on the silence?


The first step in the Sadhana is the cleansing of the speech. Talk sweet without anger. Do not boast of your scholarship or attainments. Be humble, eager to serve; conserve your speech. Practice silence. That will save you from squabbles, frittering thoughts and faction.


Spend a few minutes every morning and evening in the Silence of your own shrine or home; spend them with the highest of all the Powers that you know of. Be in His elevating and Inspiring company; worship Him mentally; offer unto Him all the work you do; you will come out of the silence nobler and more heroic than when you went in.


Forget the harm that anyone has done to you, and forget the good that you have done to others.


There is only one royal road for the spiritual journey...Love


Be Silent yourself, that will induce Silence in others. Do not fall into the habit of shouting, talking long and loud. Reduce contacts to the minimum. Carry with you an atmosphere of quiet contemplation, wherever you happen to be. The less you talk, the more will become your mental power. With the increase in your mental capacity, there will be increase in your power of discrimination too. Consequently, you will give up "individual discrimination". Because of this, you will begin to consider the good of the world at large rather than your own individual welfare. You must cultivate such broad feelings from this young age itself.


Learn the value of Silence, of Namasmarana, of Bhajan, of Japa, of Dhyana, of single-minded remembrance of the Lord, of the association with spiritually kin. These will stand you in good stead, when distress assails you.


The voice of God can be heard in the region of your heart when the tongue is stilled and the storm is tilled and the waves are calm. There will be no temptations for others to shout when you talk to them in whispers.

Set the level of the tone yourself; as low as possible, as high as necessary to reach the outermost boundary of the circle you are addressing. Conserve sound, since it is the treasure of the element akasa, an emanation from God Himself. Reason can prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up of sound.


Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker. Soft sweet speech is the expression of genuine love. Hate screeches, fear squeals, conceit trumpets. But love sings lullabies. It soothes. It applies balm. Practice the vocabulary of love; unlearn the language of hate and contempt.


Silence is the only language of the realized. Practice moderation in speech. That will help you in many ways. It will develop Prema, for most misunderstandings and factions arise out of carelessly spoken words. When the foot slips, the wound can be healed; but when the tongue slips, the wound it causes in the heart of another will fester for life. The tongue is liable to four big errors: uttering falsehood, scandalizing, finding fault with others, and excessive speech. All these have to be avoided if there is to be Shanthi for the individual as well as for society.


Good works never languish for want of funds; the Lord will come to their rescue. Only it may take some time; do not lose heart... You should not collect money in devious ways. Help should come from pious hearts, from well-earned money, from persons who know and appreciate the purpose for which they give.

That is why I oppose all benefit shows, where you tempt people with a dance or a drama or a film and collect money for your pet plan.


In all effort, if you trust in a Higher Power, which is ready to come to your help, work is made easy. This comes out of Bhakti, reliance on the Lord, the source of all Power. When you travel by train, you have only to purchase the ticket, enter the proper train and take a seat, leaving the rest to the engine. Why should you carry the bed and trunk on your head? So too put your trust in the Lord and carry on to the best of your ability.


You have been born because you did not pass in certain subjects; there is some balance of experience, which you must acquire to complete the course. If you get convinced that your true nature is the Atma, then you have finished the course and 'passed'.


You should see that no dirt settles upon the mind; that is to say, you should move about in such company that dirt is avoided. Falsehood, injustice, indiscipline, cruelty, hate -- these form the dirt; Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema -- these form the clean elements. If you inhale the pure air of these latter, your mind will be free from evil bacilli and you will be mentally sturdy and physically strong.


The year becomes new, the day becomes holy, when you sanctify it by spiritual discipline, not otherwise.


Do not crave for recognition and respect from others; crave rather for winning grace from the Lord.


God is love, live in love.


The Lord will be watching with a thousand eyes the least activity of man to discover any slight trace of selfless love sweetening it.


A sound mind ensures a sound body; a sound body ensures a sound mind.


The body will shine if the character is fine; service of man and worship of God will preserve its charm.


The peace that pervades the heart can never be shaken for any reason; only peace of this kind is worthy of the name.


Love all beings; that is enough.


The grace of God is like insurance. It will help you in your time of need without any limit.


The service of man is the only means by which you can serve God.


God is in you 
God is in every word of yours, 
Every deed and thought. 

Speak, do and think as befits Him.


Do not seek to discover or discuss the evil in others, for the attempt will tarnish your own minds.


Life is: Loving - Listening - Lifting - Learning - Living


Thinking, discriminating and practice - all three constitute the basic human characteristics.


Education should build character.


Its is Truth and Truth alone, that is one's real friend, relative.


Faith is like our life breath. It is impossible to live even for a minute in this world without faith.


Resolve to carry on the quest of your own Reality.


When hatred sprouts, Envy raises its hood. 

When Love sprouts, Peace descends like dew.


Life is the car, your heart is the key and God is the chauffeur.


Expand yourselves; do not contract into your own tiny individuality.


Foster Love 
Live in Love 
Spread Love
Have the name and form of God as your companion, guide and guardian throughout the toils of the waking hours.


When you retire for the night offer grateful homage to God for being with you all day long.


The present is a product of the past, but it is also the seed for the future.


Experience that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.


The mind sees separateness, Love sees unity.


Head in the forest; Hands in society


Today's man is pursuing unrestrained sense cravings. These pursuits drag man's mind into the gutter.


A man's well-being depends upon his degree of contentment.


Every living being in this world is knowingly or unknowingly on a spiritual pilgrimage.


Every one is the embodiment of God.


Character is the most precious gift of education.


Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game, play it! Life is Love, enjoy it!


You are all members of the same family, bound by the Religion of Love.


True education is not for a mere living, but for a fuller and meaningful life.


Devotion is not a uniform to be worn on certain days and then to be put aside.


If the mind of man is not reformed and purified then all the plans to reform the world will be futile.


What God gives is never exhausted
What man gives never lasts.


Love must express itself as Service.


Meaning of WATCH
W [your] Words
A  [your] Action
T [your] Thoughts
C [your] Character
H [your] Heart


You must make the mind the servant of God, not the slave of the senses.


Good company is important; it helps to cultivate good qualities.


As close as you are to God, so close is God to you.


The synthesis of pure, calming food is breathing pure air, listening to good sounds, looking at good sights, and touching pure objects.


We must control our desires. 

Don't waste money 
Don't waste time 
Don't waste food 
Don't waste energy


I - Want - Peace 
"I" is ego. 
"Want" is desire. 

Remove ego and desire and you have peace.


The gift of food to the hungry is the noblest of all gifts.


When we sit for the meal, we feel light and effortless. When we are done, we should rise with the same feeling of lightness and effortlessness.


Love...doesn't allow any room for pettiness or narrow outlook.


We should realize that man has not only a mind, which conceives thoughts, but also a heart, which can put them into practice.


The teachers of tomorrow are the students of today.


Renunciation is the power of battling against evil forces and holding the mind in check.


The heart of man, which is now allowed to lie fallow, has to be plowed by spiritual exercises like repetition of God's name.


Teachers must be examples of Love and Truth.


Being example is the best form of Service.


Desire makes man forget his real nature and reduces him to be status of a beast.


Let the different faiths exist; let them flourish and the glory of God be sung in all the languages and in a variety of tunes.


Dedicate all your thoughts, words, and deeds to Him.


Man will realize his mission on earth when he knows himself as Divine and reveres others as Divine.


God gave you the time, space, cause, material, idea, skill, chance, and fortune. Why should you feel as if your are the doer?


If you give up and surrender to the lord, He will guide you and guard you.


Ignorance is the most important cause of sorrow.


Once we surrender our mind to God completely, He will take care of us in every way.


Learn to speak what you feel, and act what you speak.


Small minds select narrow roads; expand your mental vision and take to the broad road of helpfulness, compassion and service.


Politics without principles, 
Education without character, 
Science without humanity, and 
Commerce without morality 
Are not only useless, but also positively dangerous.


Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others.


A nation that has no bridle on its sensuality can never thrive or survive.


God is all Names and all Forms


Have constructive thoughts; consoling words; compassionate acts.


The first thing you have to do, to impress upon your mind the reality, is to recite the name of God and dwell on His Glory in the mind.


Character is to be sought more than intellect.


The attitude today is the root on which the future grows.


If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. 

If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. 

When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. 

When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.


Friendship is the expression of unshakable Love. Love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism.


Meditation is nothing else but rising above desires.


When you take one step towards God, God takes ten towards you.


Service should not be exhibitionistic; you must seek no reward, not even gratitude or thanks from the recipient.


You cannot see Me, but I am the Light you see by. 

You cannot hear Me, but I am the Sound you hear by. 

You cannot know Me, but I am the Truth by which you live.


The food we consume should be tasty, sustaining and pleasant; It should not be too hot or too salty; there must be a balance and an equilibrium maintained.


Example, not precept, is the best teaching aid.


Base all educational efforts on building up of the character of the students, and then you can confidently think of rising on in the super-structure of curricula.


The mother is the pillar of the home, of society, of the nation, and so of humanity itself.


You are all separate beads strung together on that one thread, God.


Nourish your aged parents; revere them.


Your thoughts, words and deeds will shape others and theirs will shape you.


Love of the country is the basis on which you can build love for world community.


Always respect other's opinion and other's point of view.


Spirituality is an activity. It is an activity of the Divinity within.


If you honor your mother, the Mother of the universe will guard you against harm.


If you honor your father, the Father of all Beings will guard you.


Love expands; it does not limit itself to boundaries.


If you honor your parents, your children will honor you.


A language is as sweet as the tongues of the speakers.


The whole world is One Single Tree; 

The different countries are it's branches; 
Its root is God; 
Human beings are the flowers; 
Happiness is the fruit; 

Self-realization is the sweet juice therein.


The beauty of life depends upon our good habits.


To reform: First weed out the evil thoughts and bad habits. Second cultivate good habits.


When the road ends, and the goal is gained, the pilgrim finds that he has traveled from himself to himself.


Do not preach; practice.


Man loves because he is Love. 

He seeks Joy, for he is Joy. 

He thirsts for God; for he is composed of 
God and he cannot exist without Him.


By peace, western countries mean the interval between two wars. That is no peace! When man thinks, speaks, and does good - peace will ensue.


Where there is Love, there God is evident; God is the Life-breath of every soul.


One single act of service offered to God whom you visualize in another is worth all the years of yearning for God.


Wealth has to be earned through Righteousness. Desire has to be for Liberation.


Your duty is to serve, not search for faults.


There is no living being without the spark of love; even a mad man loves something or somebody.


Make the home a seat of harmony.


The greatest fear man can have, is the fear of losing God's Love.


God is the mother and father of the world. Our parents are the mother and father of this body.


God is one; there are not many Gods, one for each tribe among men.


Love is one; it transcends caste, color and creed, if it has to be genuine.


Truth is one; there cannot be two. For, two can only be One, occurring twice.


The goal is one; for all roads must lead to the One God.


God is to be recognized in all that exists, all that is charming, suffering, blooming or drooping.


When heart speaks to heart, it is love that is transmitted.


A limit should be placed on the food that we take.


If you know the road and the goal, then you can discover whether you are progressing or not


Make the fullest of your talents and march as long as you can, and pitch the tent nearer the goal, when darkness falls.


Truth is the basis of Righteousness.


Be ever watchful to see that you strive to take in more and more of God into you.


Implant in your Heart: 1. Do not forget God. 2. Do not put faith in the world you see around you.   3. Do not be afraid.


The wise are those who know the self.


Truth has no fear; Untruth shivers at every shadow.


Sensory pleasures are trinkets, trivialities.


God is the doer; you are but the instrument.


Cultivate that attitude of Oneness between men of all creeds, all countries and all continents.


Not through wealth can Immortality be won; it can be won only through renunciation.


Give up; do not grasp in clenched fists. 

Release; do not bind and get bound.


Do not waste a single moment, in idling or loose living.


Love of the country is the basis on which you can build love for the world community.


If you safeguard Righteousness, it will, in its turn, safeguard us.


Do not get attached to worldly things and pursuits. Be in the world, but do not let the world be in you.


Have no desire to place before God. Whatever He does with you, however He treats you, is the gift that He likes best, to give you!


Work disinterestedly. Content to do one's duty as best as one can.


Aspire now 
Adore now 
Achieve now.


Blood has to circulate from head to foot; 

Love has to circulate from high to low.


Campaign against the temptations of the senses; Conquer inner foes; Triumph over your ego.


Practice alone makes man perfect.


Have the Love of God filling and thrilling your heart; then, you cannot hate anyone.


God is not to be spoken of as coming down or going up, since He is everywhere.


The fulfillment of human life consists in the service that man renders, without any thought of return, in an attitude of selflessness.


Spiritual discipline grows only in a field fertilized by Love.


Be steady, have faith, and reach the Goal safe.


To rectify the world and put it on the proper path, we have to first rectify our conduct and ourselves.


Teachers are reservoirs from which, through the process of education, students draw the water of life.


Knowledge that is not put into practice is like food that is not digested.


Man can realize his mission on the earth only when he knows himself as Divine and when he reveres all others as Divine.


Real Peace of mind has no ups and downs; it cannot be partial in adversity and whole in prosperity.


Instead of making the senses, which are at best very poor guides and informants, his servants, man has made them his masters.


There may be differences among men, in physical strength, financial status, and intellectual acumen - but all are equal in the eye of God.


Discipline trains you to put up with disappointments, every rose has a thorn.


You say, "enjoy"; but it is when you "end joy", that you can really enjoy.


The day when passion is accepted as a mark of womanhood, it will mark the beginning of the end of femininity.


If you feel you are a hundred percent dependent on God, He will look after you and save you from harm and injury.


Love with no expectation of return.


Activity must be dedicated to God, the Highest Good. Then, it will provide health to body and mind.
God is omnipotent.  All powerful
God is Omnipresent.  Present everywhere.
God is Omniscient.  All knowing.
God, first; the world next; myself last!


Live on your own earnings, your own resources.


Man seeks to change the foods available in nature to suit his tastes, thereby putting an end to the very essence of life contained in them.


Each man carries his own destiny in his own hands.


Dreams relating to God are real.


The easiest way to control sensuous desires is to practice altruistic love.


Our good conduct is our true wealth.


If some people say there is no God, it only means that they are at too great a distance to be aware of Him.


Men are born with a helpless lamenting cry; they should die with a smile of happy joy.


Do not belittle any religion or give predominance to any religion.


Love knows no fear and so love needs no falsehood to support it.


Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for, words wound more fatally than even arrows.


You must be a lotus unfolding its petals when the sun rises in the sky, unaffected by the slush where it is born or even the water, which sustains it!


The root is education and the fruit is virtue.


Of all the insanities that harass man, God-madness is the least harmful, and the most beneficial.


You may be able to pay back any debt; but the debt you owe your mother, you never can repay.


Love is the light that guides the feet of man in the wilderness.


Every experience that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.


Mine, not thine, this sense of greed is the root of all evil. This distinction is applied even to God! -- my God, not yours! Your God, not mine!


Discipline is the mark of intelligent living.


No one can judge another, for, when another is judged you are yourself condemned.


Love seeks no reward; Love is its own reward.


One without power does not mean lack of physical or mental strength.


Speak soft and sweet; sympathize with suffering and loss and ignorance: try your best to apply the salve of soothing words and timely succor.


The Lord is but a witness; He is above all hate and anger, of attachment derived from "mine" and "thine".


Nothing is to be used as itself, for itself.


"Seeing is believing: I will believe in God only if I see Him;" but are all things seen or heard or touched or tasted, as real as they seem?


Either the Government must have the capacity to educate and reform the people or the people must have the capacity to educate the Government.


Peace - It can come only from the Fountain of Peace within.


It is best to live with honor for just a day than with dishonor for many decades; better a short lived celestial swan than a century-lived crow.


Every sense is an outlet for the energy of man in a direction that binds him to the objective world.


Spiritual progress is right living, good conduct, moral behavior.


Do all acts as offerings to God; do not classify some as `my work' and some as `His work'.


The reasoning faculty must be employed to distinguish between the limited and the unlimited, the Temporary and the Eternal.


Life is a mirage; It comes from no visible rain; It falls into no recognizable sea.


When the magnet does not attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that covers up the needle.


Food should not be too salty, too hot, too bitter, too sweet, too sour.


There should not be any trace of dislike or distrust on the score of nationality, language, caste, economic status, scholarship, age or sex.


The end of knowledge is love; The end of education is character.


Each country is but a room in the mansion of God.


The very joy derived from service reacts on the body and makes you free from disease.


The age period 16 - 30 is a crucial stage, when man achieves best and struggles hardest to achieve.


All things in creation are subject to the law of change and man too is subject to this law.


Service is spiritual discipline, not a pastime of the rich and well placed.


God alone is the giver of life, the guardian of life, and the goal of life.


All spiritual practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel.


The same current activates all.


Man is now able to soar into outer space and reach up to the moon; but he is not moral enough to live at peace with his neighbor!


The food that one eats has to be pure, free from the subtle evils radiated by the persons who collect the materials, who cook the dishes, and who serve them.


Whatever is to our advantage will appear right to us; we do not usually look upon a matter from the other fellow's standpoint.


However high a bird may soar, it has sooner or later to perch on a treetop, to enjoy quiet.


The purpose of living is to achieve the `living in God'


When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil.


Condemn the wrong and extol the right as soon as you notice either in your children; that will settle them on the straight path.


Awake, Arise and Stop not until the goal is reached.


Limiting birth by artificial means is an absurdly wrong step. The consequences of this act are irresponsible fatherhood or frustrated motherhood.


The mind fixed in the awareness of the One is like a rock, unaffected by doubt, stable, secure.


Instead of making the senses, which are at best very poor guides and informants, his servants, man has made them his masters.


Jesus said:
First  - He is a messenger of God.
Second - He is the Son of God.
Third  - He and His Father are one.


Women have equal chances and equal rights to attain Godhead


Let the wave of memory, the storm of desire, the fire of emotion pass through without affecting your equanimity.


Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker


All men are cells in the same divine organism, in the divine body. That should be your faith, your fortune, your fort, your fullness.


Hate screeches - Fear squeals - Conceit trumpets - But love sings lullabies.


Food cooked in water should not be used the next day; it becomes harmful.


No society can find its fulfillment, no social ideal can fructify, without the blossoming of the spirit of man.


Patience is all the strength that man needs.


The earlier years of life are the most crucial, and so the mother and the father have to share the responsibility for the upbringing.


Through the media of films, books, music and the behavior of elders, young minds are excited and aroused into indulgences.


The God of death does not give notice of His arrival to take hold of you. He is not like the photographer who says, "I am clicking, are you ready?"


Whenever you get a little leisure, do not spend it in talking about sundries, but utilize it in meditating on God or in doing service to others.


Greed yields only sorrow; contentment is best.


Whatever acts a good or bad man may do, the fruits thereof follow him and will never stop pursuing him.


It is not the standard of living that is important, but the manner of living.


You must render service out of spontaneous urge from within, with a heart filled with love.


A chance conglomeration of humans does not become a society.


A society has to be welded into a unit by the consciousness of kinship in God.


Unity is divinity; Purity us enlightenment.


Reform the body, reconstruct the mind, regulate the way of living, then, the country will become automatically strong and prosperous.


Forget the harm that anyone has done to you, and forget the good that you have done to others.


There is only one royal road for the spiritual journey...Love.


If one student is bad, only that student is affected. But if one teacher is bad, hundreds of students get spoiled.


Your thoughts play a vital role in shaping your life.


Religion is three-fourths character.


The present is a product of the past, but it is also the seed for the future.


Open the gates of wisdom, tear the veil of ignorance, enter the abode of Divine Bliss. Rest in peace forever.


Form a Satsang, where you meet and exchange truths and virtuous talk; where you study holy books and discourses on the glory of God.


All works are God's. He inspires, He helps, He executes, He enjoys, He is pleased, He reaps and He sowed.


Have faith in yourself. When you have no faith in the wave, how can you get faith in the ocean?


Do not contemplate on death; it is just an incident in life; contemplate on God, who is the master of all life.


You must welcome tests because it gives you confidence and it ensures promotion.


So long as you say 'I am' there is bound to be fear, but once you say and feel 'I am God' you get unconquerable strength.


By eating flesh one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases.


Do not get swelled up when people praise you and do not feel dejected when people blame you.


Serve man until you see God in all men.


Knowledge without devotion to God produces hatred.


What is the unmistakable mark of a wise man? It is love, love for all humanity.


Service springs out of love and it scatters love in profusion.


Soft sweet speech is the expression of genuine love.


Mankind can find happiness only in unity, not in diversity.


Philosophy that cannot be understood, scriptures that are not practiced - it is a waste of time to talk of them.


Anger is the harvest of the bewitching mind; it enslaves man and fogs his understanding.


People are born for different tasks, but in order to survive every one requires the same nourishment; inner peace.


Whatever the trouble, however great the sorrow, persist and win by recollecting the Lord.


Those who have gone through pain and suffering can understand and sympathize with those who are in pain


The basic Truth in all religions, irrespective of country or race is one and the same.


Whenever and wherever you put yourself in touch with God that is the state of meditation.


The mind is a bundle of desires - remove the threads of attachment one by one; at the end the 'cloth' disappears and the mind is clear and pure.


Practice silence - for the voice of God can be heard in the region of your heart only when the tongue is stilled and storm is stilled and the waves are calm.


Practice the vocabulary of love - unlearn the language of hate and contempt.


God is in you, around you, behind you, above you, beside you.


Of all the righteous acts, help rendered to those needing it, is the most righteous.


Surrendering the fruit of action to the Lord is real sacrifice.


My birthday is the date when divinity blossoms in your heart.


God is neither distant nor distinct from you.


What is offered to God is totally free from all defects and imperfections.


The joy that we cause in the heart of God is the only worthwhile achievement.


The acid test by which an activity can be confirmed as holy or sacred is to examine whether it promotes attachment or avoids bondage.


Body is like a flashlight, Eye is like the bulb 

Mind is the battery cell, Intelligence is the switch 

Only when the four work together do you get the light.


Any happiness that you can give to others will result in happiness for yourself in the end. Man must realize
that he cannot get anything without sharing it with humanity around him. So, you must believe that happiness of the people around you will lead to your own happiness in due course.


Illnesses are caused more by malnutrition of the mind than of the body. I will recommend the repetition of the Name of God. That is Vitamin G. That is the medicine; regulated life and habits are 2/3 of the treatment, while the medicine is just 1/3 only.


It is only when you have both divine grace and human endeavor that you can experience bliss, just as you can enjoy the breeze of a fan only when you have both a fan and the electrical energy to operate it.


Do not think that only those who worship a picture or image with pompous paraphernalia are devotees. Whoever walks straight along the moral path, whoever acts as he speaks and speaks as he has seen, whoever melts at another's woe and exults at another's joy.... is a devotee, perhaps a greater devotee.


This is bad; this is good - can such judgments be ever made about anything in God's creation when all are manifestations of His will?


Love is one without a second. When this love is directed towards the world, it is called attachment (anuraga), and when directed towards God, it is called Prema (devotional love).

The play is His, The role is His gift, The lines are written by Him 

He directs, He decides the dress and decoration, 

The gesture and the tone, The entrance and the exit. 

You have to act well to receive His approbation When the curtain falls 

Earn by your efficiency and enthusiasm, The right to play higher and higher roles 

That is the meaning and purpose of life


Living with God is the true education.

108 Quotes of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The greatest fear man can have is the fear of losing GOD's Love.


Too much food results in dullness of mind.


A language is as sweet as the tongues of the speakers.


Every experience that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.


Love all beings; that is enough.


Discipline is the mark of intelligent living


When calamity approaches, discrimination departs.


A man's well-being depends upon his degree of contentment.



God is all Names and all forms.


Follow the Master, face the devil, fight to the end, finish the game.



Real happiness lies within you.


All things in creation are subject to the law of change, and man, too, is subject to this law.


Renunciation is the power of battling against evil forces and holding the mind in check.


The teachers of tomorrow are the students of today.


God is not to be spoken of as coming down or going up, since HE is everywhere.


Learn to speak what you feel, and act what you speak.


What is the unmistakable mark of a wise man?  It is Love, Love for all humanity.


Each man carries his destiny in his own hands.


Whenever and wherever you put yourself in touch with GOD, that is the state of meditation.


Small minds select narrow roads; expand your mental vision and take to the broad road of helpfulness, compassion and service.


Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker.


Service springs out of LOVE and it scatters LOVE in profusion.


Ignorance is the most important cause of sorrow.


Once we surrender our mind to GOD completely, HE will take care of us in every way.


Have constructive thoughts, consoling words, compassionate acts.


Where there is FAITH, there is LOVE; Where there is LOVE; there is PEACE; Where there is PEACE; there is GOD; Where there is GOD; there is BLISS.


The end of knowledge is LOVE.  The end of education is character.


LOVE is the scarcest article today.


Mine, not thine; this sense of greed is the root of all evil.  This distinction is applied even to GOD! -- my GOD, not yours! Your GOD, not mine!


All spiritual practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel.


The mind fixed in the awareness of the ONE is line a rock; unaffected by doubt, stable, secure.


LOVE lives by giving and forgiving.  Self lives by getting and forgetting.


GOD is the doer; you are but the instrument.


The heart of man, which is now allowed to lie fallow, has to be ploughed by spiritual exercises like repetition of GOD's name.


GOD is neither distant, nor distinct from you.


What is meant by the phrase "to know GOD"? It means "to love GOD".


When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation.  When there is order in the nation, there will be PEACE in the world.


The beauty of life depends upon our good habits.


Good company is important, it helps to cultivate good qualities.


You cannot see ME, but I am the light you see by.  You cannot hear ME, but I am the sound you hear by. 


You cannot know ME, but I am the truth by which you live.


Be ever watchful to see that you strive to take in more and more of GOD into you.


If you honour your mother, the Mother of the Universe will guard you against harm.


The same current activates all.


GOD gave you the time, space, cause, material, idea, skill, chance and fortune.  Why should you feel as if you are the doer?


Make the home a seal of harmony.


Have no desires to place before GOD, whatever HE does with you, however HE treats you, is the gift that HE likes best to give you!


Unity is divinity; purity is enlightenment.


Always respect another's opinion and another's point of view.


Food should not be too salty, too hot, too bitter, too sweet, too sour.


Reason can prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up of sound.


Take failure and victory cooly.


There should not be any trace of dislike or distrust on the score of nationality, language, caste, economic status, scholarship, age or sex.


Your thoughts, words, and deeds will shape others and theirs will shape you.
GOD is ONE without a second.


The service of man is the only means by which you can serve GOD.


By eating flesh one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases.


The PEACE that pervades the heart can never be shaken for any reason; only PEACE of this kind is worthy of the name.


As close as you are to GOD, so close is GOD to you.


Immortality is the fruit of sacrifice.


The grace of GOD is like insurance.  It will help you in your time of need without any limit.


When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil.


LOVE seeks no reward; LOVE is its own reward.


The joy that we cause in the heart of GOD is the only worthwhile achievement.


Do not get attached to worldly things and pursuits.  Be in the world, but do not let the world be in you.


Truth has no fear; Untruth shivers at every shadow.


Be simple and sincere.


The mind sees separateness, LOVE sees unity.


God is the life-breath of every soul.


The only ache people have nowadays is ache in the stomach due to over eating and lack of exercise!


Being a good example is the best form of service.


Friendship is the expression of unshakable LOVE, LOVE that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism.


Money comes and goes; morality comes and grows.


GOD first; the world next; myself last.


Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others.


Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for words wound more fatally than even arrows.


Patience is all the strength that man needs.


With effort and prayer destiny can be attained.  Start the effort.


You must welcome tests because it gives you confidence and it ensures promotion.


What is offered to GOD is totally free from all defects and imperfections.


Spiritual progress is right living, good conduct, moral behavior.


A nation that has no bridle on its sensuality, can never thrive our survive.


I am you; you are ME.  You are the waves; I am the ocean.  Know this and be free, be divine.


Teachers must be examples of LOVE and TRUTH.


Each country is but a room in the mansion of GOD.


We should realize that man has not only a mind which conceives thoughts, but also a heart which can put them into practice.


LOVE must express itself as SERVICE.


The wise are those who know the Self.


Whatever the trouble, however great the sorrow, persist and win by recollecting the LORD.


Man will realize his mission on earth when he knows himself as divine and reveres others as divine.


Devotion is not a uniform to be worn on certain days and then to be put aside.


When the road ends, and the goal is gained, the pilgrim finds that he has traveled only from himself to himself.


So long as you say "I am". there is bound to be fear, but once you say and feel "I am GOD", you get unconquerable strength.


Duty without LOVE is deplorable, duty with LOVE is desirable, LOVE without duty is divine.


When you kill an animal, you give him suffering, pain, harm.  GOD is in every creature, so how can you give such pain?


When the magnet does not attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that covers up the needle.


When the people become good, the world will become good.


Practice the vocabulary of love - unlearn the language of hate and contempt.



God is in you, around you, behind you, above you, beside you.



Of all the righteous acts, help rendered to those needing it, is the most righteous.



Surrendering the fruit of action to the Lord is real sacrifice.



My birthday is the date when divinity blossoms in your heart.



God is neither distant nor distinct from you.



What is offered to God is totally free from all defects and imperfections.



The joy that we cause in the heart of God is the only worthwhile achievement.



The acid test by which an activity can be confirmed as holy or sacred is to examine whether it promotes attachment or avoids bondage.



Education should build character.



Its is Truth and Truth alone, that is one's real friend, relative.



Faith is like our life breath. It is impossible to live even for a minute in this world without faith.

The pundit and the milk-maid

There was a pundit who led a disciplined life, sticking to a prearranged time table. He woke up from sleep in the early hours of the morning, recited pranava and later, after ablutions, drank a cup of milk at 7 a.m. exactly. Sometimes the milk-maid arrived late, for she lived on the other side of a river that flowed between the area in which she lived and the area in which the pundit lived. She had to catch a ferry to cross over the river with the milk. The ferry boat either started a little earlier or a little later. So, sometimes by the time she reached the Pundit's house it used to be very late.
One day the Pundit scolded her and said "You are upsetting my disciplined life. Don't you know that I must have my cup of milk at 7 a.m.? Why do you depend on that boat to take you across? Just repeat the name of Rama. You will be able to walk across the river. Rama will see that you do not get drowned."
The maid being very simple and unsophisticated had faith in the words of the Pundit. Next day, the maid repeated the name of Rama and she just walked across the river. The Pundit questioned her: "How could you come on time?" The milk-maid replied: "Sir, I repeated the name of Rama as you instructed yesterday, and I could just walk across." The Pundit was flabbergasted. He did not believe. He just drank the milk and said: "Let's now go to the bank of the river. Let me see you walk across the river." The maid stepped into the river repeating the name of Rama; she could just walk across. The maid requested the Pundit to follow her. But the Pundit knew that he would not be able to walk across the river, because he did not have faith in what he himself had said - the power of the Name.

The Lord has no Fixed Form

There was an artist who had traveled far and wide and had built up for himself an extensive reputation. But so far he had not achieved access to Krishna! As much he was anxious to seek approbation from Lord Krishna as well. With his view, one day he got an appointment with Krishna, met Him and requested him to stay still, so that he could paint his picture. He prepared the outline and told Krishna that he would get ready the final painting in a week's time. Krishna knew the ego of the painter. After a week, the painter brought a finished portrait, covered with a white cloth. In Krishna's presence, when he uncovered the painting, the painter himself was shocked at the lack of similarity between Krishna and the painting. The painter was completely surprised and asked for a week's time to get the job done. The painter tried several times but every time the result was equally disappointing. In complete frustration and total dejection, he wanted to leave the city and go away. When he was going away, sage Narada met him. Narada told him that it was silly to attempt to paint the picture of Lord Krishna. The Lord has no fixed form and He can change His face every second. Narada advised, "If you do want to paint Him, I will tell you a method which will enable you to do so." Narada whispered something into the ear of the artist. Following the advice given by Narada, the painter came back, with a white cloth covering something and again approached Krishna and told him that this time, he is welcome to change in any manner but the painting will look exactly like him. When the cloth was removed, Krishna saw only a mirror and this mirror reproduced an exact replica of Krishna. If therefore, you are imaging that God is like this or like that, it is not correct. You cannot describe God and your attempts will fail. Make your mind clear and clean; fill it with love and devotion; that will enable you to have the true vision of God.

The lesson of a saint

There was a saint by name Thiruvalluvar. Initially he was a weaver. He used to weave just one sari per day, sell it in the bazaar and earn money for his family. Good and bad would exist together. It would be impossible to separate them. In the same village there was the son of a rich man who was wasting his time wandering aimlessly. Where there is money there is ego. Ego gives rise to many bad qualities. Once the money is lost all bad qualities too disappear. One day the rich man's son came to Thiruvalluvar and asked for the price of the sari. Thiruvalluvar said it cost four rupees. The boy was known for his arrogance and pride. He picked up the sari, tore it into two pieces and asked for the price of one piece. Thiruvalluvar replied, it cost two rupees as he had made the sari into two halves. The boy tore it again into another piece and asked for the price. Thiruvalluvar replied that the price was one rupee. This brought about a transformation in the mind of the boy. He wondered how the businessman was calm and composed even after he tore the sari into pieces. Then the boy fell at Thiruvalluvar's feet and repented for his behavior. The boy said due to his pride and arrogance he made this mistake. Then he went to his father, got the required money, kept it at the feet of Thiruvalluvar. Many such great saints lived in Tamil Nadu who set an ideal to the society. Their statues are installed and adored. It is not their statues that are important, but their teachings. The best way to propagate their teachings is to practice them.

The greatest sacrifice

Buddha used to keep with him always a rattle-drum. His disciples once asked him: "Master!
Why are you always keeping this rattle-drum by your side?" Buddha replied: "I shall play on this
drum the day a person who has made the greatest sacrifice approaches me." Everyone was eager
to know who this person would be. Wishing to attain this distinction, a Maharaja loaded his elephants with considerable treasure and went to Buddha. He hoped to offer the treasure to Buddha and earn his praise.
On the way, an old woman greeted the Maharaja and pleaded: "I am hungry. Will you give me some food?" The Maharaja took out a pomegranate fruit from his palanquin and gave it to the old woman. The old woman came to Buddha with the fruit.
By then, the Maharaja had also come to Buddha and was eagerly waiting to see when Buddha would sound the rattle-drum. For a long time Buddha did not use it. The Maharaja stayed on.
The old woman approached Buddha staggering on her legs, and offered him the pomegranate fruit. Buddha took it immediately and sounded the little drum.
The Maharaja asked Buddha: "I offered so much wealth to you. You did not sound the drum. But
you rattled it after receiving a small fruit. Is this a great sacrifice. Buddha replied: "Maharaja! In sacrifice, it is not quantity that counts. It is the quality of sacrifice that matters. It is natural for a Maharaja to offer gold. But what great sacrifice is made when a hungry old women offers the pomegranate fruit to the Guru despite her hunger. She did not care even for her life and gave the fruit. What greater sacrifice can there be? It is not sacrifice to offer what is superfluous for you. True sacrifice means giving up that which is most dear to you, that which you value most."

Story of Three "Jewels" Given by a Noble Son

Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar of India was the epitome of compassion. He along with his aged mother lived in a village near Calcutta. They lived in such abject poverty that they had hardly anything for food other than gruel. As Vidyasagar had sincerity and earnestness, he used to study even under street lights. One with sincerity can accomplish any task. Vidyasagar passed the law examination and obtained a good job. Neither happiness nor sorrow is permanent. One follows the other with the passage of time. Likewise, Vidyasagar's days of poverty were over as he was drawing a handsome salary.
One day, he told his mother that he wanted to buy some good Saris (Indian dresses) and jewels for her as he was earning sufficient money. He asked his mother to express her wish. The mother said that she did not need anything at that time and would express her wish at the appropriate time. Being an obedient son, he would never force his mother on any matter. As months passed by, his salary increased substantially. On a particular Sunday, he sat by his mother's side and said, "Mother, I have a lot of money with me, I pray you express your wish at least now". The mother said, "Son, I want three jewels. As there is no school in our village, the children are forced to walk long distances to attend school. The parents are concerned about their safety and spend anxious moments till they return from school in the evening. So, please construct a small school in our village. This is the first 'jewel' I desire from you". Accordingly, Vidyasagar got a school constructed in his village. After some time, his mother expressed her second wish. She said, "Our villagers are suffering from lack of medical facilities. When the children are afflicted with any disease, the mothers have to carry them to the town for treatment. So, I want you to construct a small hospital in our village. This is the second 'jewel' I expect from you." Vidyasagar built a hospital too. As days rolled by, Vidyasagar's name and fame spread far and wide. People were all praise for his social activities. After some time, his mother expressed her third wish. She said, "Son! The water in all the wells in our village has been reduced to a trickle. The villagers are suffering due to lack of drinking water. So, I want you to make arrangements for water supply in our village."
As per his mother's wish, Vidyasagar provided drinking water to the villagers. His mother was overjoyed. She blessed her son saying, "I wish every mother had a noble son like you who dedicates his life to the welfare of the society."

Who is carrying the bag ?

Once Iswarachandra Vidya Sagar was proceeding to a neighbouring village to deliver an address. People used to gather in large numbers to listen to his lectures. A young officer, who wanted to listen to Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar's lecture, got down from a train with a bag to go to the Lecture-hall.
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar also got down from the same train. The young officer was calling for a porter to carry his bag. Iswar Chandra went to him and said: "Why do you need a coolly to carry this small bag? Can't you carry it yourself and save the money?" He replied: "It is not in keeping with my dignity to carry my bag. I am an educated person." Iswar Chandra told him: "The hallmark of education is humility, not pride. If you cannot carry your own bag, how are you carrying your body? If, however, you cannot carry your own bag, I shall do so." And Iswar Chandra carried the officer's bag. He acted on the motto: "Plain living and high thinking." The young man wanted to offer money to his 'porter'. Iswar Chandra told him: "To serve you is my reward".
The young officer left and was later proceeding to the venue of the meeting. There people were offering garlands to Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar to welcome him to the meeting. The young officer realised that the man who had offered to carry his bag at the station was none other than the respected speaker of the evening, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. He felt ashamed that he had made such a great man carry his bag. He reflected: "What is his education and what is mine? I am like a glow worm before the Sun."

What nonsense is this?

One uneducated and simple minded person joined a military recruiting centre. He was undergoing a few months' training course which would make him eligible to join the army. Unfortunately, just after completing a week of this training, news reached that there would be a visit of an army officer who would interview the candidates and inspect the type of training being given by the centre.
The person in charge of training these candidates was very much worried about the newly recruited simple minded man. However, since he happened to be an experienced army officer, he knew well the type of questions that would be put to the new recruits. So, he coached this man thoroughly to answer correctly most plausible questions. He asked him to first of all remember the sequence of the questions. The first question would be 'What is your age?' You are to say "22 years". The second question would be 'How long have you been in this centre?' You are to answer "two years". And the third may be, 'Are you happy in this centre or do you feel homesick?' You have to say "I am at home both here and in my place."
The Cadet learnt these answers by rote. On the day of inspection, he was asked to come to the interview room. The inspecting officer asked him, "How long have you been here"? The cadet just remembering the sequence of the questions said, "22 years". The officer was rather surprised. Then he asked, "What is your age"? The cadet said, "Two years". "What nonsense is this? Are you mad or am I mad", roared the officer. The cadet calmly answered, "Both" as he could only remember just that word because he had by then got scared.
It is dangerous to remember things by rote.

A precious gem

A shepherd boy was driving his herd to a nearby wood. On his way, he caught sight of a small shining piece of stone very beautiful in shape too. He picked it up and thought: "How beautiful is this stone, how nice it would be if I tie it round the neck of my little lamb." He managed to tie it around the little lamb's neck. He loved to watch his pet lamb frisking about with the bright stone shining in the sun.
One day as usual he was resting under a big tree, keeping a watchful eye on the lamb grazing along with the flock. Just then, a person, on horseback came to rest under the same tree. He observed the lad often looking again and again at the pet lamb and shining stone too. That man being a dealer in precious gems could at once make out that it was a rare piece of gem. He decided to possess it. He entered into an informal conversation with the boy. The boy being simple-minded told him how he had chanced to find that shining piece of stone. The dealer said: "My dear boy! I shall give you fifty rupees, will you give me that stone?" The boy thought: "Oh, fifty rupees! I can buy many colourful beads and stones like this for my lamb. Why can't I give the stone to this man?" He took fifty rupees and gave away the stone to the man.
The dealer in precious gems at once left that place on his horse. He wanted to examine the gem closely and assess its value. So, he halted at a place and sat under a tree. He took the piece of stone and held it in his palm and thought: "Oh, it is really a fortune! It would sell for one lakh of rupees and I got it only for fifty." Just then the gem split itself into several pieces which scattered in the dust. The dealer was puzzled, shocked and disappointed. He heard these words from somewhere. "Oh man! You being a dealer in precious gems and knowing its high value, have cheated the boy and got it from him at the price of a glass bead. You are mean and greedy. So you are not worthy of possessing that gem. That simple-minded shepherd boy loved the gem though he did not know its value. He considered it as a good ornament for his dear lamb." The guilty merchant frightened by what he heard got on the horseback and fled away.
Deceit and trickery may bring a fortune, but never true happiness in our life. Only honest dealings ensure a life of self-satisfaction, peace and joy.

Remember Him

The Pandavas during the time of their exile once walked into the forest of Romarishi. Romarishi was a sage whose body was covered with hair and his beard was so long that it spread like a carpet into the entire area of the forest.
There was a sacred tree in that forest yielding a very special type of fruit which, once tasted by a person, would relieve him of hunger and thirst for years and years. But the fruit was not to be plucked, it was to be eaten only when it fell down on its own.
One day Dharmaraja and Draupadi chanced to come near the tree. Draupadi was very much tempted to taste that luscious big fruit hanging from the tree. She said: "Can we not take that fruit? We can all share it." Dharmaraja shot an arrow and the fruit fell on the ground. He went to take the fruit with his hand. It was so heavy that he could not move it. Dharmaraja tried to lift it with all his strength using both his hands but he could not lift it. Draupadi also tried but in vain. In the meantime, Arjuna arrived at that place. He tried to lift the fruit but could not succeed. All the three tried to lift the fruit but it would not move. The two younger brothers came and tried to lift the fruit but they too could not succeed.
Finally came the mighty hero, Bhima. He asked the others to keep away and said: "I will lift it. But even Bhima failed."
Meanwhile the hair of Romarishi which had spread all over the area, began to stir because when these six people were trampling about to lift the fruit, the strands of hair were being trodden and pulled. He realised that some one must be trying to steal the fruit. He had become furious. His long hairs started coming together and coiling round the Pandavas to tie them up.
Draupadi realised the danger and immediately prayed to Lord Krishna. Krishna appeared before them. Draupadi fell at his feet and prayed to Him for help. Krishna said: "Sister, I am helpless. Romarishi is a great sage. I reside in his heart. How can I do anything against the wishes of my devotees?" Draupadi once again pleaded: "You alone can save us, you can do anything if you wish to." Krishna said: "I will help you, but all of you should be totally silent whatever may be the situation and do exactly as I tell you." Draupadi and Pandavas promised to obey his orders. Krishna went towards Romarishi's ashram and instructed them to follow him after sometime.
In the meantime, Romarishi was so much enraged that he had actually started to walk towards the tree to curse the poachers. Just then Krishna entered the ashram. Romarishi fell at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. He was overjoyed to see Him. He said, "How fortunate am I to have you as my guest. Oh Lord! What can I do for you?" Krishna engaged him in discussing certain spiritual matters till the Pandavas arrived.
As soon as the Pandavas along with Draupadi reached the ashram, Krishna hurried towards them and fell at their feet. The Pandavas were feeling embarrassed but remembering the Lord's command, kept quiet. Seeing Krishna fall at the feet of the Pandavas, Romarishi also fell at the feet of those visitors. Then Krishna asked them to come into the ashram. He introduced them to Romarishi. He praised the virtuous Dharmaraja, valiant Arjuna and Bhima and the intelligent Nakul and Sahadeva, and above all, the devout Draupadi. Romarishi by that time totally forgot about the fruit and the poachers. Krishna informed Romarishi that the Pandavas were the people who were tempted to taste the fruit being unaware of the unique nature of the fruit. Romarishi desired to please those who could please the Lord Himself. He said: "Let them take the fruit. I would like them to have it." By eating the fruit the Pandavas were able to live without hunger for a long time.
It is difficult to understand the ways of the Divine. All that we can do is to always remember Him with love and pray with faith for His matchless grace.

Practice of Dharma

Prahlad was not only a devotee of Lord Narayana but also a very righteous king. He was the most bountiful of kings. He would never say 'no' to anyone who approached him for a favour, gift or help.
Once Indra intending to test Prahlad, came to him in the guise of a Brahmin. Prahlad offered his respects to him and asked: "What do you seek of me. How can I make you happy? The Brahmin replied: "Oh king! I want you to gift me your Sheela (character). Prahlad said: "So be it. Your wish is fulfilled. I am gifting away my Sheela to you." The Brahmin left the court. No sooner did the Brahmin leave, then a charming young man was seen walking away from the royal court. Prahlad questioned him: "Sir! Who are you. The young man replied: "I am fame. I cannot stay with you any longer since Sheela has left you." Prahlad permitted him to leave.
A few seconds later, yet another handsome man was seen walking away from the court. Prahlad asked, "May I know who you are?" The man replied: I am valour. How can I be with you without Sheela and fame? I am therefore leaving." Prahlad permitted him to leave.
Soon, a charming lady was leaving the court in hurried steps. Prahlad asked her: "Mother, may I know who you are?" "I am Rajyalakshmi, the presiding deity of this kingdom." She replied and added: "I can't live here without Sheela, fame and valour. Then a lady was seen moving away with tears in her eyes. Prahlad ran towards her and asked: "Mother, who are you?" She said: "Son! I am Dharma Devatha (righteousness). I don't have a place where there is no Sheela, fame and valour. Even Rajyalakshmi has left you."
Prahlad fell at her feet and said: "Mother, I can live without Sheela, fame, valour and Rajyalakshmi but I cannot live without you. How can I send you anywhere. It is the duty of the king to protect Dharma. Dharma alone is the basis of the entire world. Please stay with me. Do not forsake me."
Dharma Devatha agreed to stay. When Dharma Devatha agreed to stay, all the others also returned to the court and said: "We cannot exist without Dharma Devatha. Let us please be with you."
Lord Indra tested Prahlad only to illustrate to the world the greatness of Prahlad, which was founded only on his practice of Dharma.

It shone like a mirror

Once a great painter was by a king to execute a huge fresco on the wall of his Durbar Hall, a scene from the Mahabharatha battle.
Another painter came and asked for permission to execute a fresco on the opposite wall. He said he would within the same period prepare on his wall an equally grand fresco, in fact an exact replica of the other, inspite of a curtain being hung in between the walls.
On the date fixed for the opening of the frescoes to be seen by the king the curtain was removed. The king was amazed to find an exact copy of the same scene from the Mahabharatha battle down to the minutest detail of lines and curves, tints and tilts, light and shade. The king questioned the painter as to how he could do it. The artist said that he had not used any brush or paint. What he did was thoroughly polish the wall assigned to him. He polished the wall in such a way that it shone like a mirror. So the duplicate fresco was only a reflection of the original.
Similarly we have to cleanse our mind and make it pure so that God's sublime grandeur and beauty may be reflected in our heart.

Why should I worry

There was once a miser who lived in a leaky house; the rainwater poured into the house through the roof but the miser sat through it all. Neighbours laughed at him and warned him to get the roof repaired. But in the rainy season, he replied: "Let the rains subside, how can I repair it now?" And when the rains stopped, he replied, "Why should I worry about leaks now? The rains have stopped."

The meaning of the sloka

A learned Pundit was once giving discourses on the Geetha in the august presence of a Maharaja. One day the turn of this sloka came:
Ananyaaschinthayantho maam
Ye janaah paryupaasathe
Theshaam nithyaabhiyukthaanaam
Yogakshemam vahamyaham.
The Pundit was explaining enthusiastically the many-sided implications of this sloka, but the Maharaja shook his head and said: "This meaning is not correct." He continued to dispute the correctness of every one of the explanations the Pundit gave. The poor Pundit had won meritorious distinctions at the court of many a Maharaja and was honoured by them all with pompous titles. He felt as if he was stabbed when the Maharaja in the presence of the entire band of courtiers condemned his explanation of this sloka a 'wrong'. He smarted under the insult; but plucking up courage, he again set upon his task, and marshalling all his scholarship, he plunged into an eloquent discourse on the multiple meaning of the words, "Yoga" and "Kshema." The Maharaja did not approve of even this; he ordered: "Find out the meaning of this sloka and having understood it well, come to me again tomorrow." With this, the Maharaja rose from his throne and went into the inner apartments.
The Pundit lost even the few grains of courage left in him. He was weighed down by anxiety; he tottered under the insult; he reached home and, placing the copy of the Geetha aside, he dropped on his bed.
Surprised at this, the Pundit's wife asked, "Tell me why you came home from the palace today in such grief? What exactly did happen?" She rained one anxious question after another so that the Pundit was obliged to describe to her all hat had happened, the insults heaped on his head, the command with which the Maharaja sent him home, etc. The wife listened calmly to the account of what had happened and after pondering deeply over the incident, she said, "Yes; it is true. What the Maharaja said is right. The explanation you gave for the sloka is not the correct one. How could the Maharaja approve it? The fault is yours." At this, the Pundit rose in anger from the cot, like a cobra whose tail is trodden hard. "What do you know, you silly woman? Am I inferior in intelligence to you? Do you, who are engaged in the kitchen all the time, cooking and serving, claim to know more than I? Shut your mouth and quit my presence," he roared.
But the lady stood her ground. She replied, "Lord! Why do you fly into such a rage at a statement of mere truth? Repeat the sloka once again to yourself and ponder over its meaning. You will then arrive at the right answer yourself." Thus by her soft words the wife brought calm into the mind of her husband.
The Pundit started analysing the meaning of each individual word in the sloka. Ananyaaschinthayantho maam, be began, deliberately and slowly, repeating aloud the various meanings. The wife intervened and said, "What use is it to learn and expound the meanings of words? Tell me what your intention was when you approached this Maharaja. What was the purpose?" At this, the Pundit got wild. "Should I not run this family, this home? How am I to meet the cost of food and drink, of clothes and things, for you and all the rest? It is for the sake of these that I went to him, of course; or else, what business have I with him?" he shouted.
The wife then replied. "If you had only understood what lord Krishna has declared in this sloka, the urge to go to this Maharaja would not have arisen! If He is worshipped without any other thought, if one but surrenders to Him, if at all times the mind is fixed on him, then the Lord has declared in this sloka that He would provide everything for the devotee. You have not done these three; you approach the Maharaja, believing that he would provide everything! That is where you have gone against the meaning of the verse. That is the reason why he did not accept your explanation."
Hearing this, that reputed scholar sat awhile, ruminating on her remarks. He realised his mistake. He did not proceed to the palace the next day. Instead, he got immersed in the worship of Krishna at home. When the king inquired why the Pundit had not appeared, courtiers said that he was staying at home and had not started out. The king sent a messenger, but the Pundit declined to move out. He said, "There is no need for me to go to any one; my Krishna will provide me with everything; He will bear my Yogakshema Himself. I suffered insult because I did not realise this so long, being blinded by eagerness to know the manifold meanings of mere words. Surrendering to Him, if I am ceaselessly engaged in worshipping Him, He will Himself provide me with all I need."
When the messenger took this message to the palace, the Maharaja proceeded to the dwelling of the Pundit on foot; he fell at the feet of the Pundit, saying "I thank you sincerely for explaining to me this day, out of your own experience, the meaning of the sloka which you expounded yesterday." Thus, the king taught the Pundit that any propagation of spiritual matters which does not come out of the crucible of experience is mere glitter and show.
When the doctor said, apply this ointment at the place where the scorpion stung your son, the fond father asked the son, "Where did the scorpion sting?" The boy replied, "In that corner" and the father applied the ointment to that spot on the floor!

Give up attachment

Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful and charming princess in Greece. She was not only beautiful but also adept in shooting, hunting and running. In fact, she had earned the title of "the fleet-footed princess." Many handsome and heroic princes desired to win her heart and hand. So, the princess hit upon a clever plan. She announced that she would marry the young man who would beat her in a foot race. Hundreds of young warriors came to race with her but she always out-ran them.
At last one young hero was bent upon outrunning her. He sought the advice of a wise man. He explained to him about the fleet-footed princess and her challenge. He also expressed his regret over the fact that many young warriors were being put to shame by the princess.
The wise man said: "Don't worry, you take within your pocket several shining pieces of jewellery and gems. As you run, go on dropping one piece after another on the racing track at strategic points."
On the day fixed for the race, the young man equipped himself with fine pieces of jewellery. The young man and the princess started running. Both of them were good runners. Whenever the princess was on the point of outstripping him, the young man would softly drop a dazzling piece of jewellery. The princess spontaneously stopped to pick up the lovely piece of jewelllery that was after all on the racing track. She was confident that inspite of the halts she would be able to outrun her rival. These brief but frequent halts made him reach the goal ahead of her. Thus the young man won the race as well as the heart and the hand of the princess. Why did the fleet footed princess lose this time? It is all because of her love for jewellery. Love of lucre always makes man weak and prevents him from realising his real goal in life. If we want success in life, we have to give up attachment and be prepared to sacrifice what we have as the young man did.

Faith

During the second world war, a steamer carrying Indian Sepoys was bombed by the Japanese and was sunk. Many lost their lives. Five among them managed to row their lifeboat and hoped to have a chance of surviving in spite of the surging Ocean. They were tossed about for many hours.
One of them became desperate and cried: "The sea will swallow me. I will be a meal for the sharks". In that panic, he got drowned.
Another sepoy wept for his family: "Oh, I am dying without arranging for the future of my family." He too lost faith in his survival and breathed his last.
The third sepoy thought: "I have with me the Policy and documents of Insurance. What a pity!" I should have kept them at home. What will my wife do? I am sure to die." He also died.
The other two men reinforced each other's faith in God. They said: "We shall not yield to fear. We shall prove that however desperate the situation may be, God will certainly protect man if he has faith in Him." Even as they were talking like this, a helicopter sent from a coastal ship which had received signals for help, caught sight of these two men and hauled them up. When they were safe on land, they said, "It is only five minutes between victory and defeat. Faith earned the victory; lack of it brought about defeat and death."

A ray of hope and light

Once Wealth and Poverty approached a merchant and introduced themselves as Goddesses. The merchant offered his salutations to both of them and said: "May I know what brings you to my humble tenement?" The Goddess of Wealth said: "We want you to judge and tell us as to who is more beautiful between us two?"
The merchant was in a fix. He knew he was between the devil and the deep sea. If he were to declare wealth as more beautiful than poverty, poverty would curse him. If he were to declare poverty as more beautiful, than wealth, wealth would forsake him. However, he regained his composure and said: "I have great respect for you both. Would you please act according to my instructions? Then only I can judge properly." The Goddesses agreed. He said: "Mother wealth, would you please go to the entrance (gates) and walk into the house? Mother, poverty! Would you please walk from here towards the gates? I can have a good look at you both, from near and far." The two Goddesses did walk as the merchant wished them to. Then the merchant happily declared: "Mother wealth! You appear very beautiful when you enter the house. Mother poverty! You look very beautiful when you leave the house!" The Goddesses appreciated the wit and wisdom of the merchant. The Goddess of wealth happily stayed in his house while the Goddess of poverty cheerfully walked away.
When a serious problem confronts us, if we look within and think calmly, a ray of hope and light will beam forth and show us the way.

Why man is considered the acme of creation

One day a clever fox began wondering, "Why man is considered the acme of creation and in what way is he superior to animals? Both man and beast have emotions and passions. Both have their own good and bad qualities. Why then this superiority? Let me go to the king lion and seek his advice." Thinking thus, the fox hurried to the lion's den. "How nice to see you after so many days! Come tell me what is it that you want?" said the lion. The fox said in all humility, "Oh, King! Man is growing all-powerful and is claiming sovereignty over the entire creation! I cannot tolerate man's arrogance and his claim of superiority over all animals. In what way are we inferior? Can we not establish our superiority? We must do something about it." The lion nodded its head and said: "True dear, what shall we do?" The lion and the fox discussed the problem for a long time and decided finally to call for a conference of all animals in the forest. They would discuss thoroughly the relative merits and demerits of man versus animals. The lion then said to the fox: "Go and make all arrangements for the conference. Invite all animals, big and small without any exception. But, who will preside over the conference?" The fox replied: "There is a sage in our forest who has been doing penance since a long time. He is a friend of both man and animals. He will certainly have no preference or prejudices. Why not request him to be the Chairman?" "Do so", replied the lion.
In a week's time the fox executed the whole plan. A vast area in the forest was cleared to hold the conference. On the appointed day the animals began filling up towards the conference venue. Very soon, all the animals were seated in their respective places. The sage arrived in time and took his presidential seat. The lion and the elephant stood on either side of the sage, while the fox stood in front of the gathering.
The fox being the Secretary of the conference welcomed the gathering and said: "I welcome you all and thank you all for attending this conference". Referring to the Agenda of the conference, the fox said: "I am pleased to place before you four major points over which we have to deliberate. You have to think well and come forth with your opinions as these points have a vital bearing on our self-respect.
Man as well as the animals are born alike, of the womb of the mother. Then why should animals be called 'janthu' and man as 'manava'? They should be addressed alike.
There is a fantastic notion that man is wise and animals are foolish. We cannot accept this humiliation and baseless stigma.
It is claimed that man has the most blessed faculty of speech. But what is the reason for pride when man is only abusing this faculty? In what way do we suffer for want of this faculty? Though we are dumb, we are able to procure food, find shelter, rear our children and live happily. So, man cannot be considered as superior to us only because of this rare faculty of which he boasts.
Finally, they say that we are cruel and that man is kind and compassionate. In fact, we are more kind and considerate than man. So, we have to refute this allegation, as well.
Having read out the agenda, the fox went and sat in its place. The lion stepped forward and raising his head, said in a dignified manner: "I totally approve of all the points of the agenda. I cannot consider man superior to us in any way. Let us first of all take up the point of valour and strength. Is there one among men who can excel me in strength and valour? Even though I am the sole monarch of the forest, I do not indulge in any act of injustice and corruption. I don't kill any animal unless I am hungry. Such being the case, can man claim to be superior to us?" "Never, never", roared the whole assembly.
The lion then resumed its seat beside the sage. The elephant got up and trumpeted its own glory. "In form, stature, and strength, I am far superior to man. He is a pigmy beside me. As for intelligence, I am reputed for my subtle intellect. Since time immemorial, for every important and auspicious function in the temple or in the palace my presence is considered auspicious. In fact pious men offer me fruits and flowers with deep feelings of reverence. How can man call himself superior to us?" The whole assembly roared: "He can't, he can't". The elephant went back to its seat by the side of the sage.
Then came forward the dog and saluting one and all in the assembly said aloud: "I have sound reason to claim that the animals are certainly superior to mankind. Take for example, the quality of love, faithfulness and loyalty. Can any man boast of himself being superior to the dog in these qualities? Man himself keeps us and treats us as a member of his family because of these rare qualities. But, what about men? They have no sense of gratitude even. They keep us on cheap food or on the left over bits at their meal. Man, in his relation to his own master whom he serves is ungrateful to the core. Sir, I am sure, we animals are far superior in these characteristics to man." Having spoken thus, it went and sat in its place.
It was now the turn of the President to give out his decision on the mater under dispute. The sage got up and said: "My dear friends, what the dog has said is true. Man often says one thing and does another. This inconsistency is not to be found in animals". All the animals clapped for long with joy. The sage continued: "In the matter of food, sleep and allied habits of living, there is absolutely no difference between man and animals. But, there is one fundamental difference. The animals cannot transform themselves, while man can transform himself through education, company and emulation. The animals cannot even change their food habits". The fox at once got up and questioned, "Oh Master! What you have said is true. But do you think that all men transform themselves?" The sage said: "Why, without doubt, such men who do not, are worse than animals." At once all the animals clapped and cheered the President. The sage continued: "Men have got another virtue, discrimination". The fox said: "It is true that they have discrimination, but what is the use? They put even animals to shame in their bad conduct. Oh, what a pity! Man spends all his time, talents, strength and money to earn his bread, while we animals procure food without any labour." The sage could see that the fox was trying to exceed the limits and make much of their instinctive nature. So, he said: "Oh, dear animals! You must also be told about another important distinction. Man can conquer illusion. He can realise the self or atma and attain immortality. In fact the very word "man" indicates these attributes:
M - means Maya;
A - means the Atmic vision and
N - means Nirvana.
By getting rid of illusion and attaining Atmic vision, man can become God. Why don't you own and admit your limitations?" The animals asked him: "Oh Wise one! Do you mean to say that all men make use of these three attributes?" "No, not all of them," replied the sage. "Then those who do not attain nirvana by conquering illusion and having atmic vision must be treated as our comrades" asserted the animals, in one voice. "Oh, Dear ones!" replied the sage, "I have come to this forest only to be your friend and prove myself a true Man".

The devotee was even greater

Once upon a time, sage Narada came into the presence of the Lord. The Lord asked him, "Narada, in all your travels through the world have you been able to discover the principal secret of the universe? Have you been able to understand the mystery behind this world? Everywhere you look you see the five great elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether. Which do you think occupies the first place? Of everything that is to be found in the universe what is the most important of all?"
Narada thought for awhile and then answered, "Lord, of the five elements the densest, biggest and most important is surely the earth element." The Lord answered, "How can the earth element be biggest when three-fourths of the earth is covered by water and only one-fourth is land? Such a big earth is being swallowed by the water. What is bigger, the thing that is being swallowed or that which is swallowing it?" Narada acknowledged that water must be bigger because it had swallowed the Earth.
The Lord continued his questioning. He said, "But Narada, we have the ancient tale that when the demons hid in the waters, then in order to find them, a great sage came and swallowed up the whole ocean in one gulp. Do you think the sage is greater or the ocean is greater?" Narada had to agree that without doubt the sage was certainly greater than the water he had swallowed. "But," continued the Lord, "it is said that when he left his earthly body, this same sage became a star in the heavens. Such a great sage is now appearing only as a small star in the vast expanse of the sky. Then what do you think is bigger; is it the sage or is it the sky that is bigger?" Narada answered, "Swami, the sky is surely bigger than the sage." Then the Lord asked, "Yet we know that one time when the Lord came as avatar and incarnated in a dwarf-body, he expanded himself so hugely that he was able to cover both the earth and the sky with his one foot. Do you think God's foot is bigger or the sky?" "O, God's foot is certainly bigger," Narada replied. But, the Lord asked, "If God's foot is so big, then what about his infinite form?"
Now, Narada felt that he had come to the final conclusion. "Yes," he said exultantly, "the Lord is the biggest of all. He is infinite beyond measure. In all the worlds there is nothing greater than he." But the Lord had still one more question. "What about the devotee who has been able to imprison this infinite Lord within his own heart? Now tell me, Narada, who is greater, the devotee who has the Lord locked up or the Lord who is locked up by the devotee?" Narada had to admit that the devotee was even greater than the Lord, and that, therefore, the devotee must rank first in importance over everything, surpassing even the Lord.

Wednesday, 1 June 2011

Fear of Death

There was once a Raja, who had transferred all responsibility of ruling to his Manthri, and who was spending his time in ease. He never worried about anything, be it big or small. He had a personal companion, whom he had always by his side, more or less as a bodyguard. This fellow was very wise, for he never did anything without deep deliberation, about the how and the why and the wherefore. The Raja took all this deliberation to be just foolishness and he nicknamed the companion, "Avivekasikhamani" or "The Crest-Jewel of Fools". He went to the length of actually engraving the title on a plate of gold and compelling him to wear it on his forehead for all to see! Many people were mislead by this and they took him to be an ignoramus at court; they did not heed his words.
Meanwhile, the Raja fell ill and took to bed. The kingdom was combed for physicians who could heal the king. Messengers went to the eight corners, seeking drugs and doctors. Hundred were busy round the royal patient, but, all efforts failed; the illness worsened day by day. The Raja was at the very door of Death.
The Raja suspected that his end was near; so he hurriedly made some dispositions, spoke to all those whom he wanted to meet, and was immersed in sorrow. He had no thought of God or any other auspicious Power. He was in terrible fear of Death and could not think of anything else.
One day, he called Avivekasikhamani to his bedside and whispered feebly in his ear, "Well; I am going soon, my friend!" Then, the Fool asked without any compunction, "What? You are weak and cannot walk a few steps; I shall order a palanquin, please wait till it is ready." "No palanquin can take me there," said the Raja. "Then, I shall order a chariot," entreated the Fool. "The chariot too is of no use," replied the Raja. "Of course, then, the horse is the only means of journey," wailed the companion, who seemed eager to come to the rescue of his master, and spare him the toils of travel. The Raja said that the horse too could not enter there. The Fool was at his wit's end. Then suddenly an idea struck him, he said, "Come on master! I shall carry you there." The Raja became sad; he said, "My dear friend, one has to go alone to that place, when one's time has come. No companion can be taken." The Fool was thrown in great doubt; he asked the Raja, "It is curious, is it not? You say that the palanquin won't reach there, that the chariot can't go there, nor the horse; you say that no second person can join you! Well can't you tell me at least where that place is?" The Raja replied, "I do not know."
Immediately, the Fool unwound the Golden Plate with the engraving of the title, 'Avivekasikhamani', and tied it round the brow of the Raja, saying "Raja! You know so much about the place, even, which things cannot go there, but, you do not know where it is, and still you are going there soon. O, you deserve this title much more." The Raja was overcome with shame. "Alas," he said to himself, "I wasted my years in eating and sleeping and pursuing pleasures, never caring to inquire who I am, whence I came, what I am doing, whither I am going, and why I came. The precious time allotted to me has come very near its end. There is no time for me any more for all that inquiry. Death is knocking at the door; children have started weeping; my subjects are in great anxiety. Can I, under such conditions immerse myself in inquiry? Can a thought that I never entertained throughout my life suddenly arise now, during my last moments? It is impossible. Yes, I deserve the title, Avivekasikhamani more than anyone else, for I wasted my life in useless pursuits; without any thought of the Reality." The Raja let it be proclaimed that Inquiry is the best means of knowing the Truth, that the inquiry must be directed to separating the true from the untrue, the eternal from the temporary, that people should arrive at the conclusion that, 'God is the only true and eternal Entity' and that by their own independent investigation, his subjects must not only grasp the entity intellectually but must also attain the Grace of God, by their pure lives. Announcing this lesson to his subjects, the Raja breathed his last.

Experience is the best teacher

One day, Brighu, the son of Varuna approached his father and asked him: "Father! Will you enlighten me about Brahman?" Sage Varuna replied endearingly: "Son, none can enlighten anyone on Brahman. One has to experience through meditation. Go and do meditation and carry on self-enquiry. I bless you."
Brighu went into a forest and sat for meditation. He used to carry on self-enquiry too. He used to contemplate on several questions related to the spiritual world. One day, he thought: 'What is the most essential thing that is necessary for the existence of all living beings in general and man in particular? It must be food', he decided. Man lives, grows and works only because of food, the most essential thing for life is food, so food is Brahman." He ran to his father and said: "Father, I know what is Brahman. Food is Brahman." Varuna replied with a smile: "No, my son, food is not Brahman. Go and meditate."
Brighu went to the forest and continued his tapas for some more time. One day he thought, 'food may be essential, but unless there is energy, how can the food be digested? What is that energy? It must be prana (vital air) so prana is Brahman.' So, he went to his father and said: "Father, I know what is Brahman, Prana is Brahman." Varuna replied: "No, my son, go and meditate for some more days."
Brighu obeyed his father's command. He continued his meditation. One day he thought, 'Food is essential, prana is essential, but what is more essential? Unless one has desire to live and to eat, of what avail is food and prana? The seat of desire is mind. So Manas is Brahman' he decided. Brighu reported about his discovery and said: "Father, Manas is Brahman." Varuna smiled and said: "Son, no, Manas is not Brahman. Go and do tapas for some more days."
Brighu continued his meditation. One day he thought 'Food is essential, prana is essential, manas is also essential, but what is still more essential? Unless one is able to distinguish and discriminate between good and evil, of what use is this life? What is the seat of this discriminating faculty? It is intellect, vijnan.' So vijnan is Brahman", he decided. Brighu went and told his father: "Father, vijnan is Brahman". Varuna once again said: "Son, no, vijnan is not Brahman. Go and do tapas for some more days."
Brighu once again continued to do tapas. One day he thought, 'Food gives strength, parna energises, manas causes desires, and vijnan endows man with discrimination (viveka). But, I must find out what is the ultimate goal of man's life. I have to experience it'. Having thus resolved, he went into deep meditation again.
One day, he experienced an ineffable joy and he sat utterly unconscious of the outside world. That day, Varuna came to the forest in search of his son. He was happy to see his son in samadhi. From the effulgence which shone on Brighu's face, he knew that his son had realised that 'Bliss is Brahman'.
In the upanishadic age, parents and preceptors used to encourage their pupils to ask questions, yet they would not give them immediate answers. They would advise them to carry on self enquiry and find out the answers for themselves.
Experience is the best teacher.