LIVE NOW FROM PRASANTHI NILAYAM: The Concluding Session of the Shivaratri Akhanda Bhajan
Sai Inspires Feb 23, 2020
What is the path of real surrender? Bhagawan lovingly explains to us today with a beautiful example.
The path of surrender is like that of a kitten (marjala kishora nyaya), that simply mews in one place, placing all its burdens on the mother cat. Similarly, the devotee places complete trust on God. The mother cat holds the kitten in its mouth and transports it safely through even very narrow passages. When the devotee places all burdens on the Lord, without fear or worry, and surrenders fully to His will, He will certainly provide everything. Lakshmana is the witness of this path. To serve Rama, Lakshmana renounced all obstacles in his path - wealth, wife, mother, home and even sleep and food for fourteen full years. He felt that Rama was his all, his happiness and joy, and would grant him everything that he needed. His life’s purpose was only to follow Him, serve Him, and surrender his will to Him. This is the characteristic of complete self-surrender. This discipline of surrender (prapatti) is much superior to that of devotion (bhakti).
- Prema Vahini, Ch 51
When all burdens are placed on the Lord and His teachings are followed ceaselessly and sincerely, He provides for all needs. - BABA
What is the path of real surrender? Bhagawan lovingly explains to us today with a beautiful example.
The path of surrender is like that of a kitten (marjala kishora nyaya), that simply mews in one place, placing all its burdens on the mother cat. Similarly, the devotee places complete trust on God. The mother cat holds the kitten in its mouth and transports it safely through even very narrow passages. When the devotee places all burdens on the Lord, without fear or worry, and surrenders fully to His will, He will certainly provide everything. Lakshmana is the witness of this path. To serve Rama, Lakshmana renounced all obstacles in his path - wealth, wife, mother, home and even sleep and food for fourteen full years. He felt that Rama was his all, his happiness and joy, and would grant him everything that he needed. His life’s purpose was only to follow Him, serve Him, and surrender his will to Him. This is the characteristic of complete self-surrender. This discipline of surrender (prapatti) is much superior to that of devotion (bhakti).
- Prema Vahini, Ch 51
When all burdens are placed on the Lord and His teachings are followed ceaselessly and sincerely, He provides for all needs. - BABA
LIVE NOW FROM PRASANTHI NILAYAM
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Gratitude program by the students of Muddenahalli Campus, SSSIHL - 23 Feb 2020
Sai Inspires Feb 24, 2020
What are the different forms of realisation the scriptures speak about? Bhagawan simplifies it for us and explains the journey of a sincere seeker.
When you worship with fixity of consciousness and purity of feeling, free of all extraneous thought, that itself becomes mental union with the Divine (bhava-samadhi). As a result of this union, the Lord appears before the inner eye of the devotee in the form that the devotee has chosen for worship. The vision is not merely a matter of imagination; it is a ‘face-to-face’ experience. Without changing location, the devotee can abide in the presence of the Lord in the self-same place. This is called, ‘being always with God - salokya-mukti’. Besides being always with the Lord, devotees realise all that they see as the glory of the Lord. The experience of ‘seeing always the glory of the Lord’ is samipya-mukti. Existing ever with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord, and becoming suffused with God-consciousness is merger in the divine form - sarupya-mukti. This is the final fruit of devotional scriptures.
- Prema Vahini, Ch 54
When the mind is pure, unselfish and unwavering, the Divine appears in all His purity and fullness.- BABA
What are the different forms of realisation the scriptures speak about? Bhagawan simplifies it for us and explains the journey of a sincere seeker.
When you worship with fixity of consciousness and purity of feeling, free of all extraneous thought, that itself becomes mental union with the Divine (bhava-samadhi). As a result of this union, the Lord appears before the inner eye of the devotee in the form that the devotee has chosen for worship. The vision is not merely a matter of imagination; it is a ‘face-to-face’ experience. Without changing location, the devotee can abide in the presence of the Lord in the self-same place. This is called, ‘being always with God - salokya-mukti’. Besides being always with the Lord, devotees realise all that they see as the glory of the Lord. The experience of ‘seeing always the glory of the Lord’ is samipya-mukti. Existing ever with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord, and becoming suffused with God-consciousness is merger in the divine form - sarupya-mukti. This is the final fruit of devotional scriptures.
- Prema Vahini, Ch 54
When the mind is pure, unselfish and unwavering, the Divine appears in all His purity and fullness.- BABA
Sai Inspires Feb 25, 2020
What is the union-with-God every seeker must strive for? Let us listen to Bhagawan’s loving guidance today.
Simply because a devotee appears like the Lord (sarupya-mukti), we cannot assume that the devotee has the powers of creation, preservation and destruction that the Lord has. Only when all traces of differences disappear and unity is attained, the highest stage is reached. This is called union (sayujya). This comes only by divine grace. The devotee aspires for this mergence (aikya). One wishes to serve the Lord as one pleases and to experience the joy of the form that one has attributed to the Lord. But the Lord, out of His grace, gives the devotee not only existence with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord, and being suffused with God-consciousness but also union (sayujya)! The path of devotion (bhakti marga) results also in attainment of knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-jnana). Even if the devotee does not crave it, the Lord Himself vouchsafes it to the devotee. Union-with-God liberation (sayujya-mukti) is also referred to as absolute liberation (ekanta-mukti).
- Prema Vahini, Ch 54
Live, avoiding evil deeds, hateful and harmful thoughts, and don’t get attached to the world. - BABA
What is the union-with-God every seeker must strive for? Let us listen to Bhagawan’s loving guidance today.
Simply because a devotee appears like the Lord (sarupya-mukti), we cannot assume that the devotee has the powers of creation, preservation and destruction that the Lord has. Only when all traces of differences disappear and unity is attained, the highest stage is reached. This is called union (sayujya). This comes only by divine grace. The devotee aspires for this mergence (aikya). One wishes to serve the Lord as one pleases and to experience the joy of the form that one has attributed to the Lord. But the Lord, out of His grace, gives the devotee not only existence with the Lord, witnessing always the glory of the Lord, and being suffused with God-consciousness but also union (sayujya)! The path of devotion (bhakti marga) results also in attainment of knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-jnana). Even if the devotee does not crave it, the Lord Himself vouchsafes it to the devotee. Union-with-God liberation (sayujya-mukti) is also referred to as absolute liberation (ekanta-mukti).
- Prema Vahini, Ch 54
Live, avoiding evil deeds, hateful and harmful thoughts, and don’t get attached to the world. - BABA
Sai Inspires Feb 26, 2020
Why should we not abhor difficult situations in life? Bhagawan explains so we may lead responsible and mature lives.
Welcome sorrow just as you welcome happiness. In fact the happiness that you derive out of pleasure is negligible compared to the happiness that results from difficulties. History is replete with examples of people who stand testimony to this fact. All noble and ideal people had to undergo ordeals before they experienced happiness. Na sukhath labbyathe sukham (happiness is not derived from happiness). It is derived from pain and suffering, but people want only happiness, not difficulties. This is quite contradictory to the principles of spirituality. People should understand this truth. People desire the fruits of meritorious deeds but do not perform any. Nobody wants the fruits of sinful actions, yet they indulge in them! Whatever you want to achieve, you can do so by proceeding along the right path. Do not go on the wrong path if you are not prepared to face the consequences of it.
- Divine Discourse, Nov 24, 1998
Love All, Serve All. Help Ever, Hurt Never! - BABA
Why should we not abhor difficult situations in life? Bhagawan explains so we may lead responsible and mature lives.
Welcome sorrow just as you welcome happiness. In fact the happiness that you derive out of pleasure is negligible compared to the happiness that results from difficulties. History is replete with examples of people who stand testimony to this fact. All noble and ideal people had to undergo ordeals before they experienced happiness. Na sukhath labbyathe sukham (happiness is not derived from happiness). It is derived from pain and suffering, but people want only happiness, not difficulties. This is quite contradictory to the principles of spirituality. People should understand this truth. People desire the fruits of meritorious deeds but do not perform any. Nobody wants the fruits of sinful actions, yet they indulge in them! Whatever you want to achieve, you can do so by proceeding along the right path. Do not go on the wrong path if you are not prepared to face the consequences of it.
- Divine Discourse, Nov 24, 1998
Love All, Serve All. Help Ever, Hurt Never! - BABA
Sai Inspires Feb 27, 2020
What should we do to refine our prayer and spiritual practices? Bhagawan lovingly reminds us today.
Some meditate but get easily distracted by the smell from the kitchen. How can this be termed as a prayer to the Lord? All your spiritual practices are done with a wavering mind. Pray sincerely with a steady mind. You are bound to reap the fruits. Undertake any type of spiritual pursuit, but love wholeheartedly. Love eradicates all types of diseases and acts as a panacea for all afflictions. Hence first cultivate love. This is possible only if you believe that God is the embodiment of Love. Love is the best medicine. If you were to put a plant in a tin pot and water it, the plant will die in due course of time; but if you were to plant the same in the soil and water it, the plant would grow into a fine tree. To yield good fruits, God’s name and form should be implanted in the soil of your heart and nurtured with water of love.
- Divine Discourse, Nov 24, 1998
Practice the vocabulary of love – unlearn the language of hate and contempt. - BABA
What should we do to refine our prayer and spiritual practices? Bhagawan lovingly reminds us today.
Some meditate but get easily distracted by the smell from the kitchen. How can this be termed as a prayer to the Lord? All your spiritual practices are done with a wavering mind. Pray sincerely with a steady mind. You are bound to reap the fruits. Undertake any type of spiritual pursuit, but love wholeheartedly. Love eradicates all types of diseases and acts as a panacea for all afflictions. Hence first cultivate love. This is possible only if you believe that God is the embodiment of Love. Love is the best medicine. If you were to put a plant in a tin pot and water it, the plant will die in due course of time; but if you were to plant the same in the soil and water it, the plant would grow into a fine tree. To yield good fruits, God’s name and form should be implanted in the soil of your heart and nurtured with water of love.
- Divine Discourse, Nov 24, 1998
Practice the vocabulary of love – unlearn the language of hate and contempt. - BABA