May 1st Divine Discourse - Sai Ramesh Hall, Brindavan

Extracts of Swami's Divine Discourse on May 1, 2008 at Sai Ramesh Hall, Brindavan.

Swami started with the wonderful poem

"Khanda khandaantara khyaatinaarjinchina mahaneeyulanu ganna maatru bhoomi"

Swami then continued :

The Vedas taught one to revere ones parents- "Maatrudevobhav, Pitrudevobhava, Achaarya devobhava." But today all these are not to be seen or practiced by any one any where. Every one is running behind money and the desires are becoming limitless. Today even as all the foreigners themselves are speaking of control of senses and ceiling on desires, we Indians are not doing this. There is nothing wrong in having desires but they must be in limit. Everything is getting polluted- the 5 elements themselves are being polluted. When the basic 5 elements responsible for man's sustenance are polluted how can we expect man to be good?

Nowadays people look good outwardly, while inwardly they have fully poisoned minds. This is not good. Who is man? He is nothing but the embodiment of divinity. When he is traversing in wickedness how can you call him a man? Nowadays people are proud of their children getting high degrees. What is the use of degrees? They are only leading to money-mindedness devoid of love and truth. Every one is learning to put a smile on the face where as inside they are fully poisoned. When you practice truth and learn to love every one, then alone peace will descend. If you want peace develop love. People resort to untruth for even small things. They get angry over silly matters. All this leads to violence. True humanness is nothing but desirelessness.

In today's generation we do not love our parents who gave us birth and toiled their lives to make us what we are. But we readily love some outsider who comes in to our life more than our parents. Is this true love? No... no... people are searching for peace out side whereas it is present within us. Rituals do not confer peace. First we should see to it that there is no conflict or turbulence in our heart. All the conflicts that we are seeing today are because of wickedness in the human heart. We do not find a true friend today. Even best friends fight with each other. People are behind money and amassing wealth. What is all this finally for? You have come empty handed into this world and you will go back the same way. Money comes and goes where as morality comes and grows.

Devoid of morality man is nothing but a demon. Everyone is seen in terms of money while the Values like gratitude and respect are dying day by day. For all these problems there is only one remedy. That is Gods name. When you think of him all miseries will melt away. God is the one who punishes, he is the one who praises, protects, loves...he is every thing. Difficulties, pleasures, pain, everything is God's gift. If you think of god constantly all the miseries will turn into happiness. Pleasure is nothing but an interval between two pains. The cause of all is the mind. Mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts. Do not hurt anyone. Try to love every one. Because "Vishvam Vishnu swaroopam." (The world is but a form of God).

Results of hurting or helping some will come only later. As you eat so is the belch. If you eat a cucumber will you get a belch that of a mango. No! In the same way, because of desires alone, all the suffering comes. The results of your actions will depend on what you do. The whole creation works on cause and effect. As you sow so you reap. If you ask any one who are you? They will say I am so and so. But if you ask God who are you? He will say I am I - Aham brahmasmi. Whomever you ridicule it reaches God. If we control our thoughts, every thing will be in place. Either good or bad - all depends on our thoughts. If you believe everything is God then can love criticize love? No, it cannot. Even as animals love each other, cannot men love one another.

Keep love and truth as the two main principles of your life. God is the only saviour and true love can be obtained only from him. That is why he is called as Apathbhandava. (A friend in times of distress). Look at a young married couple. When they are newly married and walking on the road, if husband happens to see a thorn he will quickly go and remove it. After some more time the same husband will say,"Look and walk. There is a thorn." After some more time he will say, "Are you blind? Cant you see the thorn there?"

This is what worldly love is all about - temporary in nature. Love of the heart is what is important, not of body. Here so many people are assembled and were participating in bhajans. Will everybody's prayer reach God? No.. no.. only some one or two prayers would reach him. And that one or two prayers are enough to protect every one. This is what gurunanak said when he was asked about the efficacy of bhajans. The arrival of politics are creating divisions every where. Every home has 4 parties. Participate in bhajans with whole heartedness.

Swami started to sing Hari bhajana bina sukha shanti nahin. Then after he repeated japa dhyana bina samyoga nahin. He asked, "What is true meditation? Merging your heart with god ..that is true meditation. Bodies are many but there is only one atma .God is like the sun who provides light every one. Peace is nothing but the union of love and truth. Don't run after passing thoughts. Hold onto the eternal God kill the I, the ego within you. This what is symbolized by the cross."

Then Swami sang the melodious Rama Rama Rama Sita.

Om Sai Ram

Courtesy: KM - 03.05.2008