Sai Darshan Home <darshan.html>
Date:14 Mar 1999 Occasion:Mumbai Visit Place:Mumbai

Put Ceiling On Your Desires

Forbearance is the real beauty in this sacred land of Bharat. Of all the
sacred virtues, adherence to truth is true penance. The nectarine
feeling in this country is the feeling towards ones mother. Character is
valued far more superior to the very life itself. People have forgotten
the basic principles of the culture of Bharat and are following and
adopting Western culture today. Bharatiyas are not aware of the
greatness of their own cultural heritage just as the mighty elephant is
not aware of its own strength.

(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love !

Today man has taken to many paths to acquire wisdom. All the knowledge
that he has acquired is not true knowledge in the strict sense of the
term. Knowledge of the spirit, Atmic knowledge, is the true knowledge.
That is Brahma Jnana. Atma, Brahman and Jnana are synonyms. On this
basis, the Vedas declare: Sathyam Jnanarn Anantham Brahma (Brahman is
truth, wisdom and eternity).

Work, Worship, Wisdom

Since ancient times, the culture of Bharat has laid emphasis on these
three aspects -- work, worship and wisdom.

Work, worship and wisdom all begin with service. No matter what service
it is, if it is done with love and divine feelings, it becomes Upasana
(worship).

What is wisdom? All that is related to our senses, the fleeting objects
of the material world and our actions, speak of our ignorance. Wisdom
dawns the moment the mind is withdrawn. The thoughtless state between
two consecutive thoughts is Brahma Jnana. Man is not able to experience
this thoughtless state of Brahman and is carried away by fleeting,
ephemeral and momentary things. True wisdom dawns when all thoughts are
decimated. Sai's philosophy speaks of the unity of work, worship and wisdom.

Light the Lamp of Love within

The culture of Bharat believes in unity in diversity, which is true
wisdom. There are many intellectuals who observe multiplicity or
plurality in unity, but there are very few men of wisdom who observe
unity in diversity. Since ancient days, the inhabitants of this holy
land have been practicing these principles and have been sharing them
with the rest of the world. This country has always prayed for the
advancement and welfare of the whole world. That is the meaning of the
Vedic dictum, Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu (May the whole world be
happy!) Our prayer is not limited to Bharat only. We pray for the
welfare of the whole world. But, the modern Bharatiyas are not able to
know the culture of Bharat, which is endowed with noble virtues of
broadmindedness.

Embodiments of Love!

You have to understand the sanctity of the culture of Bharat. You may go
through any number of books, you may visit noble souls, you may listen
to sacred teachings, but the reality is one. People read hundreds of
books, but very few translate them into action. It is enough if you put
into practice at least one principle.

Man is making every attempt today to be happy, blissful. Where do you
get bliss? Is it in the material things, in the world, in individuals,
in books? No, not at all. Bliss is within one's own Self. You have
forgotten your true Self, the source of bliss. You are struggling hard
for artificial happiness outside. You are not aware of the reality that
lies in the heart. In fact, all the bliss is there. The principle of
love originates from the heart, not from the world. Everyone should
develop love more and more. But, today, there is hatred and anger
everywhere. Wherever you see, there is desire, enmity and fear. How do
you expect to be in peace? How do you expect to be blissful? Light the
lamp of love within. Then fear and illusion can be removed and you can
have the vision of the Self. Otherwise you are bound to suffer.

Less Luggage Makes Travel a Pleasure

You have to exercise a ceiling on your desires. There are rules for
ceiling with regard to land and property. But, you have no ceiling on
your desires. Ceiling on desires means exercising control over them. You
can be happy once the desires are controlled.

Your life is a long journey. You should have less luggage (desires) in
this long journey of life. Therefore, it is said less luggage more
comfort makes travel a pleasure. So, ceiling on desires is what you have
to adopt today. You have to cut short your desires day by day. You are
under the mistaken notion that happiness lies in the fulfillment of
desires. But, in fact happiness begins to dawn when the desires are
totally eradicated. When you reduce your desires, you advance towards
the state of renunciation.

You have many desires. What do you get out of them? You are bound to
face the consequences when you claim something as yours. When you claim
a piece of land as yours, then you will have to reap the harvest. This
instinct of ego and attachment will put you to suffering. You will be
blissful the moment you give up ego and attachment.

Independence without Unity is Meaningless

The Prime Minister, Ministers, Chief Justice of India and other high
officers assembled in the capital, Delhi. All of them mentioned that we
underwent tremendous sufferings and hardships, and lost many lives to
achieve independence. But, we have not achieved unity in this country.
What is the use of achieving independence without unity? We find that
murders, kidnappings, hijacks have increased after attaining
independence. Is this the type of independence we wanted? No.
Independence is meant to confer peace, and it should develop the culture
of the nation. We should not be dependent on others. We should be
independent in every way.

Bharat is a sacred land. Noble souls were born here. Bharat was ruled by
Sri Rama Himself. This is the land of the song celestial, the Bhagavad
Gita. This is the birthplace of the first composer, Valmiki. This is the
birthplace of Veda Vyasa, who classified the Vedas. This is the land
traversed by Lord Buddha. This is a land of merit and sacrifice. This is
the birthplace of spiritual aspirants, seers and sages. But, the modern
man does not have even an iota of sacrifice.

Na Karmana Na Prajaya Dhanena Thyagenaike Arnritatvamanusu (immortality
can be attained only through sacrifice; neither wealth nor progeny nor
good deeds can confer it). So, cultivate the spirit of sacrifice. It is
possible only when you develop love within.

Develop Love, Practice Sacrifice

There are many rich people in this country. There are many
intellectuals. We have also men of valor. All are here, but what is the
use? There is hatred between person and person. There is hatred and
enmity between people of the same profession. It is a very bad quality.
All are one; be alike to everyone. You have to love everybody. But,
today people are not broadminded. There should be expansion love. Today,
there is only contraction love.

The man who goes by the mind will ruin himself. He is worse than an
animal. The one who goes by the intellect (Buddhi) is the one of wisdom.
(Telugu Poem) So, you have to grow in intellect. So long as the mind
persists, you are bound in illusion, you are bound to suffer.

It is the mind that causes misery. It is the mind that is full of
desires. It is the mind that makes heaven or hell. Mano Moolam Idam
Jagat (this world is the creation of the mind). As you are caught up
with the whims and vagaries of the mind, you have forgotten the eternal
path.

Embodiments of Love!

Love everybody, but do not trust anybody. You have to repose your trust
only in God. What is the reason? Why should you not trust man? Man is
not permanent. The Gita says the world is transitory, fleeting and
impermanent.

Human body is not permanent. It is furl of dirt and diseases. It cannot
cross this ocean of life. Oh man, never think that this life is eternal.
(Telugu Poem) People go by this body and forget the divinity within. You
should have strong faith in God. Do not have faith in this body, which
is temporary. Body is like a water bubble, mind is like a mad monkey.
Don't follow the body, don't follow the mind. Follow the conscience.
That is the principle of the Atma. You will experience divinity only
when you follow your conscience.

You may worship God in any name and form. God does not take into
consideration your caste or community. He expects only love. You don't
need to do any penance or undertake any rigorous spiritual practice. You
can cultivate love easily. Love is within you. Love which is already
existing should be developed. You have to share this love with
everybody. You should love even the one who hates you. To harm a person
who harmed you is nothing great. Real greatness lies in loving the
person who harmed you.

Know Your True Identity

Embodiments of Love!

Human life is full of love. What is the purpose of life? It is love and
love alone. Love is God. Live in love. Divinity manifests only when you
develop love. There is no need to search for Him anywhere. The Bible
said so. Today, man is in search of God. Why should you search for God
when He is everywhere? You are God. All Sadhana will go in vain if you
do not know your true identity. Instead of asking others 'who are you,
who are you', better ask yourself 'who am I, who am I'. This is my book.
This is my tumbler. Then who am I? This feeling of 'my' is Maya
(illusion). First know who you are.

All this is matter. All this is negative. You are the master of this
material world. Master the mind and be a mastermind. You should make an
effort to know your true identity. To know this, you should first give
up body attachment. This is my handkerchief. When I say this is 'my
handkerchief,' I am separate from the handkerchief. Similarly, when I
say this is 'my body', I am separate from the body. My mind means I am
separate from my mind. Then who am I? Constant enquiry on these lines
would lead you to self realization. People are heroes in doing
experiments in the laboratory, but zeros in experience. You should be
heroes in the practical field. It is useless to be a hero in reading
books or in giving lectures. There is only one hero, and He is God. Ekam
Sath Vipra Bahudha Vadanti is the teaching of the Vedas. God is the only
truth. All the rest is falsehood. Everything becomes truth in the
company of God. Zero preceded by one becomes ten. As the number of zeros
increases the value also increases. If the number one is erased, nothing
remains. Therefore, hero becomes zero if he forgets God. You may be an
intellectual with great erudition and exalted position. But, you cannot
call yourself intelligent if you forget God.

Easy Way to Know God

Science has progressed to a great extent in Bharat. Man has undertaken
space travel also. But, what is the use? Man wants to know what is there
in space. He wants to know what is there at the moon. He wants to reach
even the sun. First recognize the divinity within yourself. Open the
doors of your heart. Develop Jove more and more. Understand the truth.
Experience God. There lies the bliss. It is very easy to know God, but
man does not understand this.

You have to make every effort to understand the immanent divinity. The
divinity within is covered by ego and anger. Therefore, it is said,
Moham Hithva Punar Vidya (real knowledge dawns when attachment is
destroyed). Where does this attachment come from? Excessive desires lead
to attachment.

Embodiments of Love!

All are embodiments of God. Sahasra Seersha Purusha Sahasraksha
Sahasrapad (God has thousands of heads, eyes and feet). You will
experience it once you enquire deep within.

You may attain peace by undertaking Japa, Dhyana and Yoga. But, this
peace is not permanent; it is temporary. To attain permanent peace, you
should develop love within. Love can turn earth into sky and sky into
earth. This sacred love is within you. But, you direct it in the wrong
direction and thereby it gets perverted. You are responsible for the
loss and suffering. You are responsible for the wicked actions and
agitations outside.

The previous speaker spoke about diseases and their cure. Why do
diseases arise? The number of doctors is increasing day by day. Today,
we have a doctor for every family. Each house has at least two patients.
Most of the diseases are psychological. You are bound to be sick if you
go on feeling you are sick. Never think you are sick. Always have the
feeling that you are happy and healthy. Develop sacred love and
experience your innate divinity. This is the culture of Bharat. Bharata
- Bha means effulgence. Effulgence is God, Rata means to love. One who
has love for God is a true Bharatiya.

Intelligence is gifted to mankind to know God, not to amass wealth. Why
do you study? You have to study to get rid of ignorance. True education
lies in giving up ignorance and recognizing divinity.

Embodiments of Love!

Repeated teachings do not help you to understand Divinity. You are not
able to understand Divinity due to the consequences of your actions done
in many past lives. Today human values are on the decline. Man
originated lakhs of years ago. But, he has not understood human values
till this day. It is said, "Proper study of mankind is man." What is
this proper study of mankind? It is the unity of thought, word and deed.
Man faces problems in life because he lacks unity.

Let there be perfect harmony in thought, word and deed right from this
day. You should say what you think and do what you say. You do not need
to search for God. You are God. God is in you, with you, above you,
below you and around you. Understand this truth and turn your vision
inward. Only then you can attain bliss.

I have been coming to Mumbai for many years. What is it that you have
achieved during this period? What spiritual practices have you
undertaken? What truths have you known? Today people crave for bookish
knowledge, superficial knowledge and general knowledge, but do not have
practical knowledge. The one who has practical knowledge will have
understanding of the divinity. But, today people are heroes at platform
and zeros in practice. You should be heroes in practice. You should put
into practice at least one sacred principle. At least speak the truth or
develop love. That is enough. There is no greater Sadhana than this.
Sathyannasti Paro Dharma (there is no greater Dharma than adhering to
Truth). What is Dharma? True Dharma lies in developing love. It is love
that unifies all. This love will help you to experience unity in diversity.

Embodiments of Divine Atma!

Whatever spiritual path you tread, it should help you to uproot
ignorance. What is ignorance? It is the belief in all that is outside,
the external scenario. You have to discriminate whether it is right or
wrong, good or bad. You should have Samyak Drishti - right vision. Then
you will attain deservedness.

I am always ready to tell you the easy path to Divinity. I will be happy
only when you are happy. Make every effort to put into practice what you
hear.

Bhajans are highly sacred. Bhajan singing makes the heart sacred. What
is important is that it should come out from the heart. Bhajan is not
just rhythm, tune and beat. You should sing God's name with love. You
will see the manifestation of Divinity with your physical eyes when you
sing His glory with all love.

Many noble souls merged in God through love. Don't you know Mira who
attained liberation by chanting Krishna's name? Prahlada, bitten by
serpents, trampled upon by elephants, given poison, yet chanted God's
name and attained liberation. He considered everything divine. Yad
Bhavam Tad Bhavati (as is the feeling, so is the experience). So, you
should think of God with love.

[Bhagavan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan, "Prema Mudhitha
Manase Kaho..."]

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