Tag: Persevere

Ia Perseverance develops in the face of challenge; ability to stick with a task, despite inexperience and difficulty

  • Last thought, man has at death-hour, determines his future

    Last thought, man has at death-hour, determines his future

    The last wish or thought that a man has at the hour of death, determines his future course.

    Shri Krishna has said in Gita (VIII-5-6) that “he who remembers Me in his last moments, comes verily to Me, and he who meditates otherwise at that time, goes to what he looks for.”

    We cannot be certain that we can entertain a particular good thought at our last moment, for, more often than not, we are more likely to be frightened and terrif ied by death.

    Hence constant practice is necessary, for enabling us to fix our mind on any desired good thought at any moment.

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

    The devotees on their part surrender themselves completely to the Saints, fully believing that the all-knowing Saints (Sai Baba) would guide and help them in their last moments.

  • Time is Divine

    Time is Divine

    Give up the notions of one’s own doership, man must regard God alone as the doer.

    He is the giver, He is the recipient and He is also the object that is given.

    Time is the very form of God. Birth and death are encompassed by Time. Everyone, therefore, should regard Time as Divine and utilise it for performing sacred actions.

    You should not waste a single moment. Time wasted is life wasted.

    The fruits of your actions are determined by Time. All your experiences are the results of your actions, whether it is happiness or sorrow, affluence or poverty. Hence, good and bad depend on what you do. As are your actions, so are the fruits thereof.

    The way you utilise your time determines the outcome.

    Hence, this new year, which is a form of the Divine, should be put to right use.

    – Puttaparti Satya Sai Baba in the Divine Discourse on Jan 01, 1991

  • Joy and sorrow are mere delusion.

    Joy and sorrow are mere delusion.

    Mere appearance of worldly joy is not true happiness. The worldly man is forcibly drawn to it, as he believes it to be true happiness.

    According to the Prarabdha (accumulated karma) of each, one gets delicacies (Panchamrita): one, stale crumbs, and one, mere bran-gruel; The latter fancy themselves unhappy at that, and the former fancies he lacks nothing. But the result of eating any of these is merely the satisfaction of hunger.

    Some cover themselves with laced shawls, others with barks. Both serve only one purpose, covering the body.

    This joy and this sorrow is due to opinion, which is mere illusion and is ruinous.

    Whenever any idea of joy or sorrow arises in your mind, resist it. Do not give room to it. It is pure delusion.

    The ‘Shadripus’ -six enemies (Lust, Anger, Covetousness, Delusion, Pride and Jealousy) are all misleading Illusion; they make the unreal appear as real.

    If a rich man wears a gold ornament, the poor man gets jealous, and thinks he must have one. This is Lobha.
    All are like this. So one must conquer the six enemies. If they are conquered, waves of passion will not arise. Else they will enslave you.

    If they are subordinated and reason made the commandant, then the delusive pressures and pains will no longer hold sway over you.

  • Classification of disciples

    Classification of disciples

    • There are of three kinds of disciples of a Guru:
      • (1) First or Best
      • (2) Second or Average and
      • (3) Third or Ordinary.
    • The best kind of disciples are those who
      • guess what their Gurus want and
      • immediately carry it out and
      • serve them
      • without waiting for an order from them.
    • The average disciples are those who
      • carry out the orders of their Masters to a letter,
      • without any delay, and
    • the third kind of disciples are those, who
      • go on postponing the carrying out of their orders and
      • making mistakes at every step.
    • The disciples should have
      • firm faith,
      • backed up by intelligence
      • and if they add patience to these,
        • their spiritual goal will not be distant.
    • Control of
      • breath (ingoing and outgoing), or
      • Hath-Yoga (Balancing Sun and Moon force of Human Body) or
      • other difficult practices
        • are not at all necessary.
    • When
      • the disciples get the above mentioned qualities,
      • they become ready for further instructions and
      • Masters then appear and
      • lead them on, in their spiritual path to perfection.
  • Various teachings and practices, prescribed by Baba

    Various teachings and practices, prescribed by Baba

    • Baba lovingly urged many to remember His name and to surrender to Him,
    • Yet for those seeking to understand ‘who they truly were’ (the ‘Who am I’ enquiry), He gently recommended Shravanam (study) and Mananam (meditation).
    • To some, He lovingly guided
      • the remembrance of God’s name,
      • to others, the joy of hearing HIS Leelas /Plays,
      • to some, the sacred worship of His Feet,
      • and to others, the reading and studying of the Adhyatma Ramayan, Jnaneshwari, and more sacred scriptures.
    • Some He tenderly invited to sit near His Feet,
    • while others He lovingly sent to Khandoba’s temple,
    • He advised some
      • to repetition the thousands of names of Vishnu,
      • and others to engage in the study of the Chhandogya Upanishad and Geeta.
    • To some, He offered His guidance directly in person, and to others, through the precious visions in their dreams.
    • He lovingly explained certain Mantras, such as ‘Guru Brahma’, “Raja Ram’ in their dreams.
    • To one devotee,
      • who was earnestly practicing Hath-Yoga,
      • HE conveyed a gentle message to leave those practices aside,
      • to sit in quiet and embrace patience (Saburi).
    • Truly, it is an immense task to describe all of His ways and methods, each filled with love and compassion.
  • Sense of differentiation is the barrier to Happy or Union

    Sense of differentiation is the barrier to Happy or Union

    “If anybody wants any money from you, and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him, like a dog.

    Let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving any bitter reply. If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy.

    Let the world go topsy-turvy, you remain where you are. Standing or staying in your own place, look on calmly at the show of all things passing before you.

    Demolish the wall of difference that separates you from Me; and then the road for our meeting will be clear and open.

    The sense of differentiation, as I and thou, is the barrier that keeps away the disciple from his Master, and unless that is destroyed the state of union or atonement is not possible, “Allah Malik”

    Baba in SSSC-Ch 18 & 19

  • If any men or creatures come to you, do

    If any men or creatures come to you, do

    • “Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere.
    • If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away,
    • but receive them well and treat them, with due respect.
    • Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased, if you give
      • water to the thirsty,
      • bread to the hungry,
      • clothes to the naked, and
      • your verandah (Platform outside to House) to strangers for sitting and resting. “

    It is on account of Rinaubandh (former relationship) that we have come together, let us love and serve each other and be happy. He, who attain the supreme goal of life, is immortal and happy”

    Baba in SSSC-Ch 18 & 19

  • Wants to get rid of cycle of births and deaths?

    Wants to get rid of cycle of births and deaths?

    • Baba, as a God incarnated in this divine form,
    • “if any devotee
      • meditates on Him
      • day and night with
      • complete self-surrender,
      • they will joyfully experience
        • profound union (without any difference) with Him,
        • like the delight of sweetness and sugar, the harmony of waves and sea, the togetherness of eye and its sight.
    • He, who aspires to transcend the cycle of births and deaths,
      • should embrace a righteous life,
      • with a calm and composed mind.
      • Engaging in good actions is essential,
      • diligently fulfilling his duties and
      • surrendering himself, heart and soul, to Baba.
      • With this dedication, he need not fear anything at all.
    • Those who place their trust in Him completely, hear and share His Leelas/play, and focus solely on Him, are surely destined to attain the bliss of Self-realization.
  • Baba’s treasury is full

    Baba’s treasury is full

    “My treasury is full, and I can give anyone, what he wants,

    but I have to see whether he is qualified to receive My gift.

    If you listen to Me carefully, you will be certainly benefited.

    While sitting in this Masjid, I never speak any untruth”

    Baba in SSSC-Ch 16&17

  • Dearth of persons asking for spiritual matters

    “Oh, My dear friend, do not be anxious, I shall immediately show you the Brahman; all My dealings are in cash and never on credit.

    So many people come to Me, and ask for wealth, health, power, honour, position, cure of diseases and other temporal matters.

    Rare is the person, who comes here to Me and asks for Brahma-Jnana. There is no dearth of persons asking for wordly things, but as persons interested in spiritual matters are very rare”

    Baba to avaricious Man in SSSC -Ch21 When ask him to “surrender five things to get self-realization”