Om Sai Ram

During the 1970's, Sathya Sai Baba initiated a series of Summer Courses on Indian Culture and Spirituality at Brindavan, His ashram in Whitefield, outside Bangalore. These were open to students from all over India as well as to observers and guests from around the world. This series contains all of Swami's discourses from these courses. Some examples of the major topics covered are given below.

SUMMER SHOWERS IN BRINDAVAN 1972

In this summer course, Swami spoke primarily on the Vedas and the Upanishads, with discourses on the following: what the Upanishads teach us, the nature of truth, meditation, Vedic truths, the grace of God, desire and anger, control over sensory organs, lessons of the Gita, worship of the parents as God, Sankara (see Atmabodha), the path of devotion, and other subjects. (S)

SUMMER SHOWERS IN BRINDAVAN 1973

Swami's '73 discourses centered on the relationship between man and God. Topics covered include: the sanctity of the teacher-pupil relationship, avoiding the cycle of birth and death, detachment, service, the sacredness of human life, the company of good people, divine name and form, work/worship/wisdom, youth and silence, morality and truth, dharma (righteous action), self-realization, and God, your true guru. (S)

SUMMER SHOWERS IN BRINDAVAN 1974

Brahman (God) and Bharat (India and its spiritual heritage) were the subjects of this year's summer conference. Among the subjects discussed were: Sat chit ananda (being, awareness, bliss); all religions lead to the same goal; Brahman (God) is within; all creation merges with Brahman; the five senses; karma and dharma (right action); one who protects dharma will be protected by dharma; Tat Twam Asi (you are that; you are God); immortality and sacrifice; the inner meaning of the Puranas (ancient scriptures about the Gods, heroes and kings); the Lord can be contacted only through prema (love). (S)

SUMMER ROSES ON THE BLUE MOUNTAINS 1976

The hill station of Ooti as the location for the '76 summer course. In his discourses, Swami focused on Krishna as he appeared in the Mahabharata. Subjects include: 'Be good, do good and see good; that is the way to God'; dharma (right action) never declines; great human qualities; and man should not behave like an animal. (S)

SUMMER SHOWERS IN BRINDAVAN 1977

The Ramayana, the scripture relating to the Rama Avatar (incarnation of God), was the theme of this conference. Some of Swami's discourses in '77 included: the law of karma is invincible; Lakshmana, the devoted brother of Rama; the all-pervading Atma (one's innermost reality); all the Ramayana characters are ideal characters; sorrow is not natural to man; 'Be good, do good, see good; this is the way to God'; Ravana's proficiency in the Vedas was of no avail; true yoga (mind control); book learning is useless; clean food; and when wisdom dawns. (S)

SUMMER SHOWERS IN BRINDAVAN 1978

Here the subject was the Bhagavata Purana, the scripture that Swami refers to as "a textbook of divine love", examining "the close relationship that exists between a devotee and God" (SSB). Some of the discourses in '78 included: God comes in human form to help men change for the better; Bhagavata; Vyasa and Narada; there is no blemish in God; Narada was an immortal spirit; God's grace can burn away mountains of sins; Radha is an inseparable part of Krishna; love lives by giving and forgiving; Krishna was an infinite ocean; Brahman (God) is ananda (bliss); God is like a wish-fulfilling tree. (S)

SUMMER SHOWERS IN BRINDAVAN 1979

The focus in '79 was the teachings of the most sacred book of Indian spirituality, the Bhagavath Geetha (or Gita --the Song of the Lord). The Geetha is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna --a warrior about to enter battle with his cousins-- on right action, spirituality, and devotion to God. Swami spoke this year on:  action without desire for the fruits (nishkaama karma); the word of God; "I am Thine"; Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra; (food that promotes love and happiness (saathvik food); control of the mind with karma yoga, buddhi yoga,dhyana yoga, jnana yoga, and the qualities of a person of steady wisdom (stithaprajna). (S)

(After an 11-year absence, the Summer Courses were resumed once again at Brindavan.)

SUMMER SHOWERS 1990
Indian Culture and Spirituality

Specific instructions from Sathya Sai Baba on daily living and spiritual growth were the theme of this extremely practical summer session. Beginning with culture (samskriti), "the process of refinement", Swami unfolds the precise tools needed to help us purify ourselves and manifest our inherent divinity. The basic building blocks of the Vedas are his blueprint, and he lays them out in a progression: sanctify the body; master the senses; conquer the tongue; hold the reins on the mind and cleanse its impurities; cultivate the intelligence (buddhi), "the peaceful state of the intellect" (SSB); deal with ego and attachment: understand the the three human qualities (gunas); know thyself; attain true freedom. This is a landmark book of Baba's teachings, and it can be used as a handbook for spiritual growth. (S)