Once, in a remarkable teaching session on Indian Ethos in Management, BABA gave an enchanting exposition on the culture of Management.

Firstly, SWAMI stated that morality and integrity are fundamental values. Based on these, honest and sincere cooperation of labor, management, shareholders, and of government too is a prerequisite for a successful enterprise.

The Second principle is the elimination of inefficiency, waste, and duplication in matters of time, energy, and money at all levels.

The Third most important principle lies in safeguarding the social interest, particularly workers' welfare.

The Fourth aspect is heart-to-heart transparent communications at all levels, horizontal as well as vertical.

SWAMI explained the all pervasive character of pure, heart-felt thought, backed up by firm will and its clear expression in action. These three together constitute the foundation for creative power. Here, SWAMI distinguished between (1) ordinary creativity arising from human willpower and effort connected with the senses. He called this "consenses" - creative power and (2) conscience-related creativity which is the result of disciplined, spiritual effort but also aided by the Grace of the Divine and (3) creative power arising from Divine Consciousness. SWAMI said that there need be no reason or season for the manifestations of Divine Consciousness. Thus SWAMI's materializations or miracles are expressions of naturally radiating energy through vibrations from a pure love-filled heart based on the external truth principle.

SWAMI also said that with the operation of six-fold hand gestures (SHANMUDHRAS) based on the out-flow of Divine Energy, all creative powers can be manifested at the gross, subtle, and subtlest levels of consciousness, including the triadic principle of BRAHMA, VISHNU, and SHIVA.

SWAMI then stated that the science of the inner spirit or consciousness is the most powerful of all sciences. BABA then casually materialized, right in direct view of the small gathering, a palm-sized gold medallion studded with the most dazzling, multicolored stones arranged in the most beautiful pattern around a big diamond-like stone in the center. SWAMI lovingly passed the medallion around and BABA asked me also to have a close look at it. I held it in my own hand gazing intently at this splendorous materialization which had appeared with a wave of BABA's open empty palm. After it made its round, the medallion reached back to BABA's hand and disappeared in a trice!

This demonstrated the triumph of spirituality over matter, BABA said. But BABA then advised us not to be overly fascinated with nature's artifacts but experience through them the origin and source of creation namely, Divinity itself. Fix your attention and love on the Creator, not the created, as SWAMI told us. He also made the stunning declaration that similarly, constitutional changes including genetic or even gender changes can be effectuated in humans and living beings but the outcome is fraught with consequential responsibilities - which is not the case with materializations of inert objects - although even inert objects have feelings too!

(sourced http://www.eaisai.com/baba/docs/vision.html#7)

(An interesting story about inert objects having feelings too has been shared by an email sent by K. M )

Nothing ever happens in This World without a Proper Reason - Swami

It was the first night of Raama, Lakshmana and Seetha in the thick jungle into which they were exiled. Guha (the chieftain of the fisherman), who had rowed them across the Ganges was engaged in subdued conversation with Lakshmana, while Raama and Seetha were sleeping, on the river bed! Guha, was sunk in sorrow, that the inheritor of the empire should be cast on the sands under the sky; he cursed the queen Kaikeyi (step mother of Raama) and her wicked accomplices for contriving this heartbreaking tragedy.

But Lakshmana prayed that he halt his tirade. "I too emitted fiery fury at the perpetrators of this tragedy. For, I did not then know the inner purpose of this chapter of Raama's history. He has come in this human form to destroy the evil brood of demons, and so, He has himself contrived this exile, to be free from imperial responsibilities until that aim is accomplished! What do we know, dear Guha, of the mysteries of God or even of man, who is but God in human attire? Or of any living being or non-living matter, for they are all the inscrutable divine, appearing to our limited senses in the way they do. What their real nature is, how can we eve know, with these inefficient instruments of knowledge?"

Nothing ever happens without proper reason, however accidental or mysterious it might appear. The roots go deep and are out of sight. I was telling Hislop, in Bombay at Dharmakshethra, the same thing. The bridge towards Lanka was being built over the straits, so that Raama and His army could march across to the realm of the demon king, Raavana, where Seetha was interned. The valiant monkeys were plucking mountains and leaping vast distances in space with those peaks hoisted on their shoulders, so that they could be thrown into the sea to create a passage for Raama! The monkeys had formed a queue all the way from the Himaalaayas down to the southernmost point, where the bridge was fast coming up. When the causeway was completed, word went fast along the queue that no more hills are needed and each monkey placed on the ground, wherever it stood, the hill it had on its shoulder at the time.

One hill, however, did not sit quietly. It started bewailing its fate! "Why was I removed from where I was and why am I now refused?

Alas! I was elated that I was destined to serve a divine purpose; I was overjoyed that the armies of Raama and Raama Himself will walk over me. Now, I am neither there, nor where I was!" It shed profuse tears. News reached Raama, and His compassion was great. He sent word that in His next Avathaar, when He will come again upon His mission in human form, He will certainly bless the sorrowing hill. This was the Govardhana peak which Raama (as the boy Krishna) lifted on His finger and held aloft for full seven days, in order to save the cowherds of Gokul from the deluge of rain that Indhra dared inflict on them!

I related this story to Hislop, when he asked Me whether inanimate things too had emotions and feelings of disappointment and despair.

The occasion at Dharmakshethra was: I asked that about a hundred Saris be brought, so that I could select some, for distribution to the women workers at Ananthapur who are helping build the Sathya Sai College there! I selected 96 and asked them to return 4 to the shop.

I kept the 4 aside and the 96 were placed in My room. Later, when I passed the table on which the four discarded Saris were kept (Hislop was standing by the side of that table), it was noticed that the card board box which contained the four was dripping tears! The Saris were weeping (!) that they could not get appreciation from Me and were declared unfit. Yes! They had shed tears. You may ask whether this is ever possible. I answer, there is nothing in this world which has no heart, which is incapable of feeling joy or grief! Only, you must have the eye to see, the ear to listen, the heart to respond!

- From Bhagawan's Divine Discourse in Prashanthi Nilayam on 14th January 1971