Thought for the day

Through the many attachments that we create with husband, wife, children, parents, we suffer in this world and are born again and again

From the book
Highlights of the Avataric Task

Develop intimacy with a personal God

This world is a great training center for all. We are born here to train ourselves in this way. If we have victory in our practice, we will not be born again. Maya will not touch us and then all becomes God. This is new Creation. Everywhere is Sathya Sai Mayam. As I saw all maya, as Mayava, the entire creation now becomes Mayava. In Swami's and my Nadi, all call Swami 'Mayava'. God creates maya tricks and makes everyone in the world fall in. Now enough! Awake and come out from maya! We must grab hold of God, who is the source of the maya and not let go

Thought for the day

It is only through sandhana and transformation that God can be attained.



From the book
Highlights of the Avataric Task

Read spiritual books



Spiritual books are our guides on the path. Epics like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavatham, the Bhagavad Gita are examples of spiritual guidebooks. Worldly life is only garbage. It is drain water! People roamin the ditches birth after birth for how many yugas? How many millions of births are taken? Is it now only you will change? Why other spiritual books? It is enough to read Swami's books. It is enough to read Swami's discourses. The essence of all religions is contained in His books. God, as the greatest Avatar SathyaSai Baba descended here and wrote with His own hand. He Himself spoke in discourses. The Avatars who came before never lived among the people as Swami has. They did not talk or write as He has done.

Thought for the day

Through the path of sadhana the sadhaka rises higher and higher in spirituality

From the book 

Highlights of the Avataric Task

Exclusive devotion to one form

Exclusive devotion to one form is very important. One must have one-pointed devotion and focus on the form of God, which they desire. His name must be chanted continuously. It is this one pointed devotion alone that melts the heart of God. Anything is possible through one-pointed devotion. Yet, there is no benefit if you change the form you like from one day to the next.

An example. Rain that pours on a hill is channelized to flow to one place, where it becomes a waterfall. If not channelized, the rain water flows in many different directions and eventually evaporates. In the same way, when we center the mind on one form of God alone, the mind focuses and comes to rest at that point. It is through this one pointed focus that power comes. I have one pointedly focused on Swami for 72 years. Due to this one pointed focus, the world‟s orbit changes and world liberation comes. This is the reason we show devotion exclusively to one form.

Thought for the day

Sathya can be attained only through love.

From the book 
Feelings Take Form

I never feel hungry. This feeling is not in me. Atthe time of the Garbha Kottam construction, I did not eat for one year. Swami then compelled me to eat.At breakfast time, I eat one idli or dosa, for lunch I have a small measure of rice. In the evening, I take one small banana or half an apple with a glass of milk. I also drinkmilk at 10 am and 2.30 pm.I have no Annamaya Kosha. I have not grown through food; I have only grownthrough God’s feelings. These feelings came out as the Stupi’s first prakaram.

Thought for the day

The measure of Sathya revealed is dependant on the individuals capacity to grasp it.


From the book
Highlights of the Avataric Task

Swami is always with me, speaking to me in meditation. It is there He reveals His feelings. I write higher wisdom; the others are involved in book work. Thus, this is the place of Creation. It is Swami‟s place. It for this reason Swami gave the separate bag. All other things are the creation and are connected to Creation. It is Mukthi Nilayam alone, which is connected to the Creator. Swami and I came here to demonstrate the Oneness of Creator and Creation. All those here in Mukthi Nilayam are not connected to birth and death; Mukthi Nilayam has come for God‟s task. When Swami and I leave  the world, they will also disappear. They do not have Karmic birth, but Karana birth. They are born for a specific reason. It is only now, after all these years, Swami is telling the importance of Mukthi Nilayam.

Thought for the day

The primal inseparable energy in every soul is the omniscient power of God.

From the book "Living Gita - My father's Diary"

He who has not controlled his mind and senses can have no determinate intellect; nor can such an undisciplined man have the sense of duty. The man without the sense of duty can have no peace; and how can there be happiness for one lacking peace.

 

 

Kanna, give me controlled mind, give me intellect, give me a sense of duty, give me peace, give me amrathwa (eternal life). Devadideva, Deenrakshaka, Dayala, O Supreme Lord, O protector of devotees, You are my refuge. Sharnam, sharnam.

 

Thought for the day
Truth shines forth from a pure heart

From the book Liberation Here Itself Right Now Pt3

Goddess Kanyakumari performed severe penance to marry Lord Shiva. The Lord finally accepted her and said He would come at sunrise to marry her. Kanyakumari made arrangements for the marriage. Meanwhile sage Narada wanted her help to kill the asuras and this could happen only if she remained unmarried. So the sage devised a novel plan to prevent the marriage; he made the rooster crow before sunrise! On hearing the rooster, Lord Shiva who was on His way to wed Kanyakumari stopped at a place called Suseenthram. As He failed to arrive at the appointed hour, in a fit of anger Kanyakumari threw the food and wedding ornaments into the sea and started doing penance as a sanyasi. 
14 January 2001 
I went to Kanyakumari, (the place at the southern most tip of India where the temple of the goddess is situated) to have the darshan of the goddess. During meditation at the temple: 

Vasantha : Swami! Why did you ask me to come to Kanyakumari? 
Swami : Come, I will show you. 

AT THAT TIME, A YOUNG GIRL about twelve came to me. She was wearing a red silk skirtbordered with big blue lace and a yellow half-sari. I realized she was goddess Kanyakumari herself. She said, “I will give my shakthi to you” and took me out to sea. I thought to myself, she is taking me to the sea... how will she give me shakthi? She sat on a rock and I sat with her. She gave me three small balls of milk rice, which I ate. She then disappeared. I cried out, “What mercy!” The vision of the goddess as a child was beautiful. In what way can I show my gratitude for this grace? After this our group went to the seashore and watched the sunset. The sun appeared as a beautiful golden ball in the sky. In a few moments it glowed brightly with an orange hue. Above the orange ball, I saw Bhagavan Baba. Slowly the orange sun touched the horizon and disappeared. 

Swami has already told us that after some years we will see Him as an orange dot. I told the 
others, “This sunset is a reminder of that statement.” On the morning of the 15th during meditation, I asked Swami about the vision at Kanyakumari. He said, “Find out for yourself.” I could not and asked Swami to give me a clue. Swami said, “There is a connection between renunciation and the darshan of goddess Kanyakumari.” Still I did not know. On the 16th I went to my son Aravindan’s house. Swami 
came in the afternoon meditation and I asked again about the milk rice given by the goddess. Swami said, “When one takes up sanyasa, the mother gives three balls of milk rice. Your mother is goddess Kanyakumari. She did penance to destroy evil. Likewise you have taken up sanyasa to destroy evil nature in the world. Lord Shiva had told that He would marry Kanyakumari. Sage Narada prevented the marriage, so she had the power to destroy the evil asuras as a young virgin; she then renounced the world and began her penance. Similarly, your refusal of the mangalya will destroy the evil in the world.” I have thought on many occasions, why I refused the mangalya that I had wanted so much. 
Now I had the answer. For years I have been in penance, crying for God, expressing my feelings 
in songs and poems. When the time came to enjoy the fruits of my penance, I sacrificed it all! 

Thought for the day

The subtle world is the journey towards Truth. 

From the book Ananda Sutra

                                                    Ananda

After completing the book, ‘Prema sutra’, I could not do anything. I had no interest to read or write. We watched a video of Swami, I had no interest seeing this either.

11^th July 2008 Evening Meditation

Vasantha: Swami, I have no interest in anything, nothing is touching my mind. All

ask me to write about ‘Ananda’. I have no ananda, how can I write about it?

Swami:     All in the world experience bliss, but it is not real. Real bliss is only within. Without God, there is no ananda in anything. You desire ananda directly from My physical form. This is for New creation. You want ananda physically from Me, so the Creation will come physically.

End of meditation

We think that ananda comes from outside. We think that it comes from husband, wife, children, family, money, house, car, status etc. We run after them. However this bliss only lasts for a few days, it is not permanent.

God is unseen. But, we can see the Creation. Therefore, we think that the bliss comes from what is seen outside. This is not so. We can only obtain bliss from inside, God is inside. This bliss is reflected outside and so we think the external objects give bliss. Therefore we suffer in the cycle of birth and death. Truly bliss is within. It is Atma Ananda, the bliss of the Self. Atma is verily God, the Indweller. God is imperishable and immortal. Worldly objects are perishable. Therefore, you should search for God inside. Only then, you will find the real Ananda that is within.

I desire God’s physical nearness. I am not satisfied with any other bliss. I think that I will only get ananda in God’s physical presence. Why do I have these different feelings? It is because I want to create a new world. The desire for God’s nearness is giving New creation.

12^th July 2008 Morning meditation

Vasantha:     Swami, please tell something about ananda.

Swami:          Man always searches for ananda outside. After he realises that he cannot get it from outside, he searches within.  Knowing about God, wisdom comes.  This wisdom is Ananda. You desire My physical nearness. You want to experience ananda, in God’s physical nearness only. This is why you are able to show God in all creation. Real ananda is when we see the unseen God within. You received ananda from the Avatar. You then showed that God is in everything that is seen.

Vasantha:     Very good Swami. Now I will write.

Man searches for bliss in the outside world. In time, he grows weary realising the bliss that he experienced outside is not real. He then begins to search within. After great effort and sadhana, he attains wisdom.  He searches and searches for wisdom and finally wisdom dawns. This wisdom is bliss, ananda. Our efforts to search for Truth are penance. It is through this penance that we acquire wisdom and it is through this wisdom that we experience bliss. We must search for bliss inside. There is no use searching outside.

From my birth, I have only searched for God not wanting anything outside. Due to this, I attained God. He began to speak with me inside, in meditation.  I acquired much wisdom, which He asked me to write as books. I poured this wisdom into some forty books. Yet, what is the use? I still have no ananda.  Anyone who writes such wisdom would leave their body and merge with God in a state of bliss.  Why do I alone remain here? I desire the Avatar’s nearness. This wisdom must become Anubhava jnana, wisdom born through experience. Only If I attain Swami’s darshan, sparshan and sambhashan will the New creation dawn. Only when I receive bliss from the physical Swami, will the creation become complete.

Time after time, age after age, we have been taught that one acquires ananda from the unseen God and that the creation is perishable.

The creation we see with our physical eyes has also come from God.  Why do we think that it is different from God? Why do we not get the same ananda from creation that we get from God? This has been my life’s research. I proved through my life that God is in every atom of creation. The unseen God and the creation that is seen are one and the same. Both are God.  We must derive the same bliss from creation as from God. Husband, wife, child, parents, relationships, why do we push it all away as Maya? They are also God. There is no Maya in this world. Creation is not Maya, everything is God mayam.  Everywhere is God, everyone is God and whatever we see is God. We must derive bliss from all. This is Sathya yuga. The Prema Avatar’s family life proves this.

The wisdom and Truth that I acquire through sadhana will take the form of experience. If I have Swami’s darshan, sparshan and sambhashan all will be well. The ananda this one Vasantha enjoys, the Vasanthamayam creation will also.

I am now changing that which has been taught time after time, age after age. I see God in all creation and so am very happy. Due to this I have learnt many lessons. I now become the Creation to show to all the Omnipresent God that I see. I saw God in Creation and was blissful. Now, at the time when the task is ending, I am yearning for Swami’s nearness. Where is the ananda that I experienced before? It lies hidden, awaiting the final stage.

In my young age, I wrote one poem to Kanha.

Kanha, inside or outside?

Where to look?

In eyes? In heart?

Or in the song I sing?

Is the bliss outside or within the heart?

In feelings or life breath?

Or in merging thoughts?

Is love in the heart or in a melting world?

Is it in mind? Is it the sweetness?

Or is He Time and Space?

I wrote thousands of songs on Krishna and Swami. I wrote thinking of Krishna before I knew Swami. Is Kanha inside or outside in a world we see with our eyes?  Where is He? Is He in our eyes? Or is He in our heart? Is He in my songs? Where is Kanha? He is everywhere, inside and outside. Is this bliss outside or is it in my heart? Is it in my feelings? Or is it in my life breath? Is this bliss in the thoughts that have merged in Him?

This bliss is inside and outside. It is in feelings, life breath and thoughts of merging.  All is bliss.

Is our Prema in my heart? Or is it in this melting world?

The love is not only in the heart, but also in the world where we melt and merge. It is in our mind and sweetness. It is in the Time and Space.

Kanha is everywhere. Bliss or joy is everywhere. Love is everywhere.  God, Prema and Ananda are the same. It is inside and outside. It is in Time. My life is showing this. 

How did this simple village girl write this poem? It was due to the experience of seeing God, love and bliss as one.

I am showing this as New creation.  God, love and bliss are everywhere, all pervading. It is inside and outside of man. Whenever you see God, you derive bliss and love. You will get the same bliss and love when you see the Creation. Do not push anything away saying it is Maya. Whatever happens, accept and experience as it is.

Thought for the day

The omniscient power of God pervades the whole Universe.

From the book Bliss, Bliss, Bliss

 

I have always had the thought that the body is unclean. Even though I had a terrible madness of devotion for Krishna from a young age, wanting to marry Him, I often thought how can I dedicate a body that is impure? I have cried to Bhagavan many times about it and asked Him repeatedly to make it pure. The spiritual marriage with Swami has taken place without going near Him, without touching Him and without talking to Him, and I had a very strong feeling that the body also should be dedicated to Him.

When the soul departs from the body, the body falls on earth. It, being a combination of the five elements: ether, earth, fire, water, and air, will therefore disintegrate into its individual components. I don’t want this to happen to this body.

In my case, as Swami said, if I do not have hunger or thirst; I will not need food and water. So there will not be any metabolic wastes. Thereafter, the body will become a form of Pure Consciousness. It will be a body made only of Prema and not of the five elements.

Thought for the day

When you start loving everyone and everything, the pranic energy in them will flow into you...the inherent divine power comes to us. 

From the book: How the Sathya Yuga is coming

 

As Swami has said, I have refused to enjoy bliss as it is like enjoying stolen property. When the world experiences bliss, then I will too. Further, I prayed and lamented for redemption of spirits and for self-realization of Nilgiri people. When I visited Sri Lanka and Australia, I cried and pleaded the cause of the people of those countries. I prayed to Bhagavan to take my powers in return for His helping them to remove their karmas. I cry for the whole world, I pray for every person.

The essence of Radha’s life is sacrifice and Prema. Prema begets sacrifice and sacrifice begets Prema. A mother is ready to sacrifice anything, even her life for the sake of her child. The people of the world are all my children. I am willing to give anything for their wellbeing. These are my natural feelings, the feelings of a mother. Swami says Prema Sai Avatar will be an embodiment of such motherly feelings. If the untainted Prema of the gopis could create a Krishna for each of them, then why can’t the totality of motherliness create a form of shakthi? Sathya Sai Baba is a form taken to experience my Prema. Prema Sai will be the form that expresses my infinite motherly feelings. My motherly love and compassion will bring the Prema Sai Avatar.

To illustrate this let us look at the following example. When I was in Nagercoil, a small boy was brought to me. The boy had witnessed an incident while returning from school. He saw a police jeep with two black figures going into it; he was scared and ran home. He cried to his mother saying that a police jeep has come to take them and it has taken his sister. The boy’s mother thought he was playing some prank and was just imagining the scenes. Still, she inquired in the neighborhood if any police jeep had come, but all said no. However, the boy repeatedly said the same thing. He yelled, cried, and would not leave the house. He continued to recall the incident for about nine months and was given medical treatment.

How did the boy see a police jeep on an empty road? His thoughts and deep impressions created the forms out of fear.

Similarly, the deep love of the gopis created the form of Krishna during the Brindavan leela. This shows us that thoughts have tremendous power. Due to the deep faith of Prahlada, the Lord came as Narasimha Avatar.

Thought for the day

One's feelings should be entirely centered on God

Whatever one speaks
Whatever one eats 
Whatever one thinks
Wherever one goes
If his sight is centered on God, he will not be touched by the world

From the book 10 Avatars in 1
 

In Gokulam Krishna asked the Gopas, “Why are you performing pooja to Indra? Who has seen Indra? Do pooja to Govaradhana giri. In this mountain our cows are grazing.” Then they began to perform pooja and so Indra got very angry. He showered so much rain it was as if it was a pralaya. For seven days there was hail.  All were afraid and did not know anyway to escape. Then Krishna immediately lifted the Govardhanagiri with His little finger. For all seven days the Gopals, cows and cave were safe under the mountain. The Gorvadhanagiri protected them from lightening, rain, thunder etc…

In the same way, the entire world is suffering from the karmas of Kali. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has descended as avatar to rescue the people from the Kali. Under one Govardhana mountain, one Gokulam could stay. Yet, how can the entire world escape from this karma pralaya? One mountain is not enough. Before Swami said, “I will carry a mountain range.” That mountain range is the Stupi. The entire world will benefit from their karma and safely live under the Stupi. This is Sathya Yuga. They will benefit and karmas will be removed.

What has Krishna taught through this story of the Govardhana mountain? It is to not to perform pooja to the God who cannot seen by the eyes but to shower love on the creation that can be seen by you. Show love, perform service and worship.

Thought for the day

When in continuous thoughts of God, there is no body consciousness. Prema becomes our body. 

From the book Wisdom's Mine

 

Q. God as avatar has shown ideal roles for man. The perfect brother, father, etc... In the Treta yuga, as Sri Rama  He came to establish dharma and so killed all the demons. Why then when He came as Sri Krishna did He have to kill demons again?

 

A. Rama came to destroy the demons but did not kill all of them. He left Vibhishana ruling in Sri Lanka. So in the Dwapara Yuga he came to kill demons and also to kill those who had become demonic like Kamsa, Jarasanda and Sisupala. This shows that though the bodies had perished the demonic feelings were still roaming in space. These feelings are now entering those who are born in kali yuga. Swami has said that now in this present age there are evil qualities in everyone. Therefore the task of this avatar is not destruction but transformation through prema.

wisdom's mine

Thought for the day

When in continuous thoughts of God, there is no body consciousness. Prema becomes our body. 

From the book Wisdom's Mine

 

Q. God as avatar has shown ideal roles for man. The perfect brother, father, etc... In the Treta yuga, as Sri Rama  He came to establish dharma and so killed all the demons. Why then when He came as Sri Krishna did He have to kill demons again?

 

A. Rama came to destroy the demons but did not kill all of them. He left Vibhishana ruling in Sri Lanka. So in the Dwapara Yuga he came to kill demons and also to kill those who had become demonic like Kamsa, Jarasanda and Sisupala. This shows that though the bodies had perished the demonic feelings were still roaming in space. These feelings are now entering those who are born in kali yuga. Swami has said that now in this present age there are evil qualities in everyone. Therefore the task of this avatar is not destruction but transformation through prema.

Thought for the day

Intense sadhana must be done to turn the mind and senses towards God.

From the book Vedic Principles for Meditation

Feelings – Bondage

“Desire to attain God sets you free. Desire for worldly things creates bondage.”

Å What is birth? It is only the continuation of the previous birth.

 Å  It is feelings that continue age to age, birth to birth. Name and form may change, but feelings remain the same.

Å Unfulfilled aspirations, desires, attachments continue in the next birth.

 Å Attachment towards husband, wife, children, money post, etc is the cause for birth.

  Å Our present life is due to the feelings, impressions that we have accumulated in the previous births.

 Å Feelings bind us to worldly relationships; they are the cause for rebirth. If feelings are tied to God, then it becomes Atma bandha, the bondage with the Self; this paves way for liberation.

Å All our relationships are false, Maya. They are perishable. If we attach ourselves to perishable relationships, we are pushed into the ocean of worldly life.

Å  Feelings alone are responsible for bondage or freedom.

Å The highest dharma of man is to attain God. Only actions that are performed with this goal can be said to be dharmic. All else is adharma, unrighteousness.

Å God alone is Truth. Attaining Him is our only dharma.

Å  We can attain immortality only if we sacrifice. Through sacrifice alone liberation is attained!

Å Turn all feelings and thoughts towards God. This is the bond with Truth. It is the only eternal bond, the bond with wisdom.

Å  Purity becomes dharma. Due to purity, dharma enters all actions.

 Å How are we to live? It is in our hands, not Gods!

Thought for the day

How are we to live? It is in our hands, not God's!

 

From the book: "Vedic Principles for Meditation"

 

 

The Five Elements

“Feelings that are externalized for worldly things pollute the five elements…feelings for God purify them.”

Å The five elements are directly related to the five senses. If we are not pure, the five elements will lose their purity. Therefore, each one of us must purify the five senses and bring harmony to the five elements.

Space

Pure thoughts make man God; impure thoughts make him a beast.

Our feelings and thoughts become vibrations. Space is filled with vibrations. These vibrations are the cause for all that happens in the world; the good and bad.

Let us fill the space with good thoughts and purify the space.

Air

Negative thoughts and bad qualities  spoil the atmosphere and make the air poisonous.

Love purifies air and sanctifies the earth.

FIRE

Fire’s nature is to purify. It carries our prayers and acts as a messenger between man and God.

The mind follows where the eyes go, this gives rise to desire; desires pollute the element of  fire.

Sight is purified by seeing God everywhere. When our sight is pure, fire is purified.

The fire of wisdom burns illusion.

WATER

 Just as water cleanses the body, Truth cleanses the mind. Speaking truth gives inner purity.

If we speak truth, it purifies water. If we speak untruth, it will pollute water.

Truth is God. We can attain God by speaking truth.

Living in union with God is true gratitude.

 

EARTH

Our feelings and thoughts affect the earth. If we purify our feelings, the earth will be purified.

How to purify feelings? Do your duty in this world without attachment. Want God alone… He is pure selfless love. Sow the pure seeds of love within yourself.        

Thought for the day

When you connect everything to God, you become God.

From the book Vedic Principles for Meditation

My Prayer

God is infinite compassion. He has 

taken birth to transform man to God. This is a rare opportunity. Bhagavan

 Sri Sathya Sai Baba has given the

  essence of the four Vedas, scriptures 

and epics in four letters, LOVE. He 

says, “There is only one religion the 

religion of Love... show love to all. I 

will liberate you from the cycle of 

birth and death.”

Knowing Swami…

My mouth has spoken only truth, only His 

glories, nothing else.

My skin has not touched anyone other than 

Swami. My feelings have touched only God, 

nothing else.

My nose knows only the divine fragrance, 

nothing else.

My eyes have seen only Swami, nothing else.  

My ears have heard only about Swami, nothing 

else.

In the beginning of sadhana, seeing 

the world as Maya, one should turn 

within.  After attaining the vision of 

God, he should see the entire world as 

God.

 My entire life is filled with God; I have 

connected all with God. Though I lived 

a family life, I lived with the feeling 

that I was living with God. All the 

feelings that arise from me are for 

God. I have lived life as you have, like 

an ordinary person. I was born, grew 

up, studied, married, had children and 

a family; everything was the same, 

only feelings were different. Though 

we perform the same household 

duties, I have done mine with the 

feeling of doing all for God. I did 

everything as an offering to God and 

attained this state. I have not fallen 

from the sky. I am an ordinary village 

woman. I only turned all my feelings 

and thoughts to God. Due to the 

difference in feelings, this ordinary 

Vasantha has been transformed, like 

iron that is turned into pure gold. If 

you turn all you feelings to God, you 

can also become pure gold. This is the 

principle of becoming God.

My fervent prayer is that all live life immersed in God:

Let your mouth speak only Truth,

    only of the glory of God.

Let your skin only touch the Lord, skin means touch feeling.

Your feelings should touch God, nothing else.

Let your nose know only the fragrance of the divine, nothing else.

Let your eyes see only God, nothing else.

Let your ears hear only God and about God, nothing else.

Jai Sai Ram