When your thoughts emanate from a mind purified by love, they will result in right action, which is dharma. When love becomes part of your experience, thoughts and actions, you get shanti (Peace). When we comprehend love clearly, ahimsa or non-violence will result automatically. So, love is the unseen undercurrent binding all four values. It can be summarised thus: love plus thoughts is satya. Love plus feelings is shanti; love plus action is dharma and love plus understanding is ahimsa. Love is the common denominator for all these values. It is the form of God, for God is love. One who gives love is a man, and one who fails to nourish this love is a beast. Love, or the absence of love, makes one an animal, man, or God. Nurturing love is possible only in a tender heart. Because of attachment to worldly objects, that tenderness is lost. When the mind is directed towards the sensual world, life becomes artificial. – Divine Discourse, Jan 25, 1985

Note that everyone, from the beggar to the billionaire, is prompted by the urge to achieve ananda (supreme bliss), which is based on inner peace, and unaffected by ups and downs. Every activity, however elementary or earth-shaking, is subservient to this ideal. This Bliss Divine is not manufactured by any company, nor available in any shop. It is not something that can be earned from outside and added to the sum of one’s possessions. It has to sprout and grow from within, and fostered and treasured within. Take the case of the contentment and pleasure that food imparts. A hungry man may hold bundles of currency notes in his grasp, or even plenty of eatables, but unless he consumes the eatables or converts the currency into consumable food and eats them, and they become part of him, no sense of satisfaction can arise. Similarly, bliss too is an inner experience, an elevating, exhilarating inner calm. It cannot be gained by the accumulation of impediments like cars and houses, land and gold, stocks and shares. How can a cash-box appease hunger or a passbook give peace? – Divine Discourse, Feb 03, 1972

God is everywhere. You are God. It is the agglomeration of body, mind, and senses which is preventing you from recognising your inherent divinity. You are covering yourself in this manner. You are the cause of your bondage through the body and mind. When you understand the nature of the body-mind complex, you will realise your true essence. It is enough if you develop the conviction that you and the Divine are one, Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman). Cultivate steadfast faith in this Divine oneness through love. That love will lead you to Self-realisation. Wherever you may be and whatever you do, regard yourselves as instruments of the Divine and act on that basis. You need not wait for a whole year to observe Guru Poornima. Treat every moment of your life as being intended for dedication to the Lord. This is the way to experience the Divine all the time, at all places. This is true Sakshatkara (Vision of the Divine). Serve all and love all. Firmly believe that the Divine is in everyone and constantly act on this belief. Only by continual practice can you develop this sacred attitude. – Divine Discourse, Jul 7, 1990

Do not go in search of gurus. Strengthen your faith in the Atma. Seek to enjoy Atmic bliss. Strive to develop the conviction: “I am Atma”. That is the true message. When you have grasped this Truth, all other things will be unnecessary. For experiencing this Guru, there are no restrictions on time, place, or circumstances. Only for the man steeped in the mind, changes in time exist, and he is bound by them. But to the man who transcended the limitations of time, everything remains immutable. This spiritual state can be reached only through confidence in the Atma. Guru Poornima is observed as a day for honouring the Guru. Some types of gurus welcome this day as the day which brings them income. They are an inferior breed. The real Guru is only one. He is the One, God of gods, who is hailed as father, mother, teacher, knowledge, wealth and all else. He is the Supreme whom you must seek through your sadhana. God alone can transform your spiritual efforts into a transcendental experience. – Divine Discourse, Jul 7, 1990

A happy atmosphere should prevail in the home at all times for children to grow healthy and intelligently. Long drawn faces are not conducive to healthy growth. Why should you have a sorrowful demeanour? Difficulties do come often, be it anybody. But, you should know that they are like passing clouds. Why should you lose cheer at each and every incident? It is only a state of mind. There is nothing that remains permanent in this life. Let us think only of joyful moments of the past. Never brood over sorrowful events. Be cheerful in the present, filling the mind always with noble thoughts. Start the day with love, spend the day with love, fill the day with love, and end the day with love. You should never forget this most important aspect of love. Right from dawn to dusk, you must maintain a cheerful disposition. Take your fill of happiness and make others happy with a virtuous demeanour. – Divine Discourse, Jan 21, 1988

What do you think of the purpose for which this body is gifted to you by God? It is only to make you realise your own Self. But you forget this purpose and concentrate your mind on the physical body. After all, what is there in the physical body? The body is like a water bubble. The mind is like a mad monkey. Don’t follow the body. Don’t follow the mind. Follow the conscience. If only you learn this simple principle, your life will be sanctified. You need not pay heed to whatever people may say. The purity of consciousness (Chitta) is the fruition of knowledge. It is only when your consciousness is pure that you will attain wisdom. The purity of the mind is of utmost importance. Keep your mind pure, free from all kinds of pollution. Whenever evil thoughts enter your mind, remind yourself, “This is not good; this is not mine; not mine,” and drive away those evil thoughts. Tell yourself, “These are all not my property; my property is good thoughts and good ideas only.” Constantly remember the truth that love is God. Live in love. If you can cultivate such positive and noble thoughts, everything will turn out to be good for you. – Divine Discourse, Jul 28, 2007.

Dedication or Prapatti means total surrender. There is a formidable force that stands between man and God like a limiting wall. This power that is separating the devotee from God is the ‘ego’. Only when we succeed in destroying the ego can we merge into Divinity. First, we must be able to surrender this ego to God. Prapatti means surrendering of body, mind, intellect, awareness, and senses, they being dependent on the ego. Money, might, caste, education, beauty, kingdom, penance, and arrogance are all related to ego. Together or individually, they are comprised of ego. Among them, pride in wealth and education are much worse. There are medicines for all kinds of diseases. But the disease of ego cannot be cured by any kind of medicine. There is only one medicine that is capable of subduing this disease of ego; that is Divinity. No other medicine except Divinity is capable of curing this formidable disease. – Divine Discourse, Jan 21, 1988.

God is present in all human beings. All heads of all human beings in this world are God’s own heads, verily. Hence, God is described as Viratasvarupa (embodiment of cosmic Divinity). His is the cosmic form. Each one in that cosmic form has a different form. However, God is immanent in every form. Krishna declared in the Bhagavad Gita, Mamaivamsho Jivaloke Jivabhutah Sanatanah (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My Being). I alone am present in each one of you. You are not different from Me. Do not entertain any doubts or differences of opinion in this regard. Strengthen your love, that is the proper Sadhana. If only the fruit of love in your heart is ripened, the juice of that fruit can be shared with one and all. Hence, let that fruit of love ripen in your heart first. If only you fill your heart with pure love, that love can be shared with all. All people then will become embodiments of love. Then, there will be no scope at all for hatred and violence in the world. – Divine Discourse, Jul 28, 2007.

As soon as we wake up in the morning, we should cleanse our mouth. The inner and outer sides of the teeth should be brushed well. The surface of the tongue should be cleaned thoroughly. For the mouth is the entrance for all diseases. While talking to each other, we should be cautious of unpleasant odours. Health should thus be protected through hygiene. Not only this, each working part of the body should be fit and robust. We should always be aware of the truth that Divinity is inherent in each limb and organ of the body. That is why the Vedas extol God as Angirasa, the essence in the limbs. Each part of the body has its intrinsic characteristic goodness. You should learn from the Mahabharata about the strength of the Indians, who protected their health in this manner. At the time of the great war, Bhishma’s age was 115 years, and he was the commander-in-chief. Similarly, Krishna was 86 and Arjuna was 84. Such were the mighty warriors of those days who lived with health and happiness. Thus, by preserving health, the men and women of those times were able to be exemplars of many ideals to the nation. They ate and slept on time. Ate lightly; never partook of anything out of schedule. – Divine Discourse, May 27, 2002

All people in this world love someone or the other. However, there are differences in such love. The students love their fellow students. The bodies love other bodies. God is present in this body as well as the other body. Both are embodiments of divinity. The one God is present in all bodies. We must love every human being. Love all, Serve all, since God is present in all human beings. There is no place in this universe where God is not present. God is present in the sky, in the water, in the sound and in the light. Thus, everything in this universe is the embodiment of divinity. We forsake such omnipresent divinity and worship God in the form of some idol in a temple. No doubt, you can worship those idols. Nothing wrong in that. But, you must realise the truth that the same God in that idol is present in every human being, nay, in every living being. I don’t say it is wrong to worship those idols. But you are yourself God. Consider yourself as God first, and then begin to see the same God in every living being. – Divine Discourse, Jul 28, 2007.

The sun shines brilliantly when there is no obstruction, but when we build a house and fit it with doors and windows and close all of them, there is only darkness, but no light inside that house. When we want the Sun’s light to penetrate into the house, either of two things must be done by us. We must remove the top, that is, we must get rid of deha bhranti (the illusion that one is the body). We demolish the top, which is made of ahamkara or ego and mamakara or attachment. Alternatively, we can fit a mirror and see that the Sun is reflected into the house. It is then possible to spread light in the dark interior of the house by moving the mirror. But, does light come from the Sun or the mirror? The mirror is inert and not luminous by nature. The moon is also like a mirror, it has no brightness of its own. The light of the sun is reflected on the surface of the moon, and therefore, the light of the moon is also cool and pleasant. Our Vedas teach that the moon is like the mind, which reflects the glory of the soul! If the light of Atma is reflected in the mirror of intelligence, then the entire dark mind may shine with light! – The Path of Devotion, Summer Showers 1972

Vedas assert that acquiring Jnana (wisdom) alone confers the eternally blissful freedom or liberation (moksha), which is the panacea for all ills, troubles and travails. To acquire this Jnana, there are many paths, and the chiefest of them is the path of Bhakti (love directed towards God). That is the reason why even great and noble men such as Vashishtha, Narada, Vyasa, Jayadeva, Gouranga adopted the path of Bhakti. As the oil is the basis to the flame in the lamp, devotion towards God is the basis to the flame of Jnana (wisdom). The heavenly tree of the joy of Jnana thrives on the refreshing waters of Bhakti. Understand this well! It is for this reason that Lord Krishna, who is the personification of love and who is saturated with the quality of mercy, declared in the Gita: Bhaktya mam abhijnanati (I am known by the means of Bhakti). Why was this declaration made? Because, in the path of Bhakti, there are no dangers. Young and old, high and low, man and woman, all are entitled to tread it. – Ch 6, Jnana Vahini.

Embodiments of Love! Lord Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita: Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati Bharata, Abhyutthanam adharmasya Tadatmanam Srijamyaham. (O Arjuna! Whenever there is a decline in Dharma and a rise in Adharma, I incarnate on earth.) God incarnates to teach Dharma (righteousness) to man and to raise him to the divine level. Dharma itself, therefore, takes human form. Devotion is most important in the life of man. Unflinching love for God is true Bhakti (devotion). But people waste their lives by their love for external worldly objects. Worldly love is not true love. This is sheer attachment, not love. Only love for God is true love. Intense love for God is real devotion. The outpouring of Prema (love) is Dharma. One who understands Dharma will foster Prema. A person who develops love for God can follow Dharma easily. Dharma and Prema are twins. But man today has lost both these qualities. Life without Dharma and Prema is barren like a wasteland. – Divine Discourse, Apr 24, 1996.

Krishna wanted to test the faith of Arjuna before the Mahabharata war. One day, while going to the forest, Krishna pointed towards a bird perched on a tree and asked, “Arjuna, on that tree, what bird is that? Is it a peacock?” “Yes, Krishna, it is a peacock”, said Arjuna. “No, no! It is a crow,” said Krishna. Then Arjuna said, “Yes Swami, it is a crow”. Krishna then said, “Oh mad man, you say ‘yes, yes’ to whatever I say. Don’t you have discrimination?” “Swami, what’s the use of my discrimination in front of You? If I say, it is not a peacock, you may transform it into a peacock. Whatever You say, is the truth.” Then Krishna said, “Now you have become deserving!” Only then Krishna imparted the knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. Therefore, God’s teaching begins with faith. What did Arjuna ultimately say? He said, “I obey Your command”. You should have strong vishvasa. It is not vishvasa (faith), but your svasa (breath). With every breath, repeat So’ham, So’ham (That I am). Have this firm faith that you are God. – Divine Discourse, Apr 26, 1993

It is necessary for man to perform good actions constantly in his daily life. As the proverb goes, “If you go on singing, you can sing well; if you go on chewing neem leaves, even they will taste sweet; if you go on rubbing stone, it will become smaller”. The value of a diamond increases after grinding and cutting. Similarly, Divinity shines forth in a person, after passing through trials and tribulations and upon constant practice. Fire is produced when two logs of wood are rubbed against each other. Soft butter comes out by churning of curd. Similarly, man can attain Divinity by constantly thinking of God. It is said, the more you rub the sandal log on stone, the more the fragrance it gives. When you crush the sugarcane hard, it gives only sweet juice. When gold is put on fire, it sheds all its dirt and shines brilliantly. Similarly, a spiritual aspirant should face all problems and difficulties, develop the spirit of renunciation and sacrifice and experience divinity! – Divine Discourse, Apr 26, 1993

Many of you might have read the story of Abraham Lincoln, who lived in penury during his student days. While other boys went to school in costly clothes, Lincoln could not afford even a proper dress when he went to school. One day, his friends made fun of him and humiliated him. He came home crying and told his mother how he was being insulted and humiliated. His mother consoled him, saying, “My dear son, do not get affected by praise or blame. Develop self-confidence. Have firm faith in God. Then everything will become good for you.” These words made a lasting impression on the tender heart of Lincoln. He acquired self-confidence with the encouragement of his mother. Ultimately, he rose to the position of the President of America. Nothing is impossible in this world for one with self-confidence and courage. He can accomplish anything and everything. Therefore, strengthen self-confidence. Don’t bother about what others say. Don’t be afraid, even if they make fun of you. Why should you have any fear when God is with you? He is the resident of your heart. – Divine Discourse, Feb 14, 2009.

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You draw a creeper with many flowers on a piece of paper. When the wind blows, the paper will flutter, but not the creeper drawn on the paper. Likewise, your mind may waver due to the influence of bad company, but your heart will remain steady when you are endowed with true love. Nobody can change the true love that is present in your heart. Love should find place not just in your mind, but in your heart. The mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts. The love that is sustained in your mind by thoughts will be driven away by another current of thoughts. Therefore, you should preserve love and sacred feelings in your heart. True love has three qualities. First, it knows no fear. Second, it does not beg anything from anyone. Third, it is love for love’s sake and not for any material gain. These three qualities are the very core of love. This type of sacred love is actually true love. – Divine Discourse, Jun 20, 1996.

It is really surprising that anyone should train people in concentration, for without concentration, no task can be accomplished by man. To drive a car, shape a pot on a wheel, weave a design, and weed a plot of land – all these jobs require single-minded attention. To walk along life’s highway, which is full of hollows and mounds, to talk to one’s fellowmen, who are of manifold temperaments – all these require concentration. The senses have to be reined in, so that they may not distract or disturb; the brain must not go wool-gathering; the emotions must not colour or discolour the objectives one seeks. That is the way to succeed in concentration. Yoga is chitta vritti nirodha – the cutting off all agitations on the lake of one’s inner consciousness. Nothing should cause a wave of emotion or passion on the calm surface or in the quiet depths of one’s awareness. This state of equanimity is the hallmark of Jnana (spiritual wisdom). Sadhana (spiritual discipline) is the drug, and Vichara (enquiry) is the regimen that will cure man of all waywardness and agitation. – Divine Discourse, Jan 22, 1967.

You know the greatness of Hanuman, who was the symbol of selfless service. He was endowed with mighty power, valour, and strength, and was hailed as a great scholar of impeccable character. Yet, when the demons in Lanka questioned who he was, he never hesitated to reply that he was the servant of Sri Ramachandra. You should feel honoured to call yourself a servant of God and humanity. If you start serving with the attitude that service to man is service to God, you will find God there. You cannot experience the same in japa or dhyana. You must “shut your mind and open your heart,” which happens while doing seva. Some may ask, “While you are God, why worship God?” Even to realise you are divine, you must do certain things as part of your duty. According to the tradition of Bharat, you must do things to please God or in other words, transform work into worship. When you practise this, it becomes easier to realise God. – Divine Discourse, July 19, 1997.

What is required today is transformation, which can be effected by questioning oneself, ‘Who am I?’ Once you know the answer to this and reach the state of transformation, you need no further spiritual practices. This is possible only when you control your mind. Sage Patanjali has enunciated the same: “Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha” (controlling thoughts and aberrations of the mind is true Yoga). Yoga does not mean physical exercise. Yoga means ‘to unite with’ the Atma. There is no greater happiness than being one with the Atma. But today, no one is making any effort to attain the Atma, the final goal of life. The senses are above the body; the mind is above the senses; the intellect is above the mind; and Atma is above the intellect. Man does not travel even up to the level of the intellect. He travels only up to the level of the mind. As man is unable to control his mind and senses, he is subjected to confusion and depression. As a result, he forgets the Principle of the Atma. – Divine Discourse, Nov 24, 1998.

Sacrifice is the goal of love. Love does not desire anything. It does not criticise or harm anybody. It is selfless and pure. Unable to understand this principle of love, man craves for love in many ways. You should have faith that selflessness and the spirit of sacrifice are the hallmarks of true love. There is some element of selfishness and self-interest even in the love between a mother and child, a husband and wife, between brothers and friends. Only God’s love is without any trace of selfishness and self-interest. True love can bring close to you those who are distant or separated from you. It can transform man with animal tendencies into a divine being. It can gradually change worldly and physical love into divine love. People who wish to understand the principle of love should give up selfishness and self-interest. They should develop purity, steadfastness, and other divine qualities to understand divine love. They should try to lead their life keeping their focus on the love of God without paying heed to their difficulties and sufferings. – Divine Discourse, Jun 20, 1996.

Do not consider God to be someone above you. Treat Him as your own. It is possible only when you develop love. Embodiments of Love! Make every effort to repay the debt to God, for He pervades your entire being and safeguards you. Who is responsible for the blood circulation in your body? How is it that the blood does not ooze out as it moves in the body? You think you are sustained by food. But neither food nor blood can sustain you. God alone is responsible for your sustenance. However, you owe every drop of your blood to your parents. Their food takes the form of your blood. Hence, it is your foremost duty to respect and revere your parents. If you do not respect your parents today, your children will not respect you in the future. What is the use of lamenting then? Respect your parents and set a good ideal for your children. One who does not respect his parents is verily a rakshasa (demon). Do not lead the life of a rakshasa, live like a manava (human being). – Divine Discourse, Apr 12, 2003.

People suffer because they have all kinds of unreasonable desires, they pine to fulfil them, and they fail. They attach too much value to the objective world. It is only when attachment increases that you suffer pain and grief. If you look upon nature and all created objects with the insight derived from the inner vision, then attachment will slide away; you will also see everything much clearer and with a glow suffused with Divinity and splendour. Close these eyes and open those inner eyes, and what a grand picture of essential unity you get! Attachment to nature has limits, but the attachment to the Lord that you develop when the inner eye opens has no limit. Enjoy that reality, not this false picture. The Lord is the immanent power in everything; those who refuse to believe that the image in the mirror is a picture of themselves, how can they believe in the Lord, when He is reflected in every object around them? The moon is reflected in a pot, provided it has water; so too, the Lord can be clearly seen in your heart, provided you have the water of prema (love) in it. When the Lord is not reflected in your heart, you cannot say that there is no Lord; it only means that there is no love in you! – Divine Discourse, Feb 02, 1958.

The cultivation of viveka (discrimination) is the chief aim of education; the promotion of virtuous habits, the strengthening of dharma – these are to be attended to, not the acquisition of polish or gentlemanliness, or the collection of general information and the practice of common skills. Be fixed in the consciousness that yourself is the immortal atma, which is indestructible, which is holy, pure, and divine. That will give you unshakable courage and strength. Then, you must develop mutual love and respect. Tolerate all kinds of persons and opinions, all attitudes and peculiarities. The schools, home, and society are all training grounds for tolerance. At school, teachers and pupils must be aware of their duties and rights. The relationship must be based on love, not fear. Only the atmosphere of love can guarantee happy cooperation and concord. Above all, be good, honest, and well-behaved. That will make the university degrees more desirable and valuable. Do not attach undue value to the passing of examinations, for if you do so, you are apt to get terribly depressed when you fail! – Divine Discourse, Feb 02, 1958

Reading is not enough; you may master all the commentaries and you may be able to argue and discuss with great scholars about these texts, but without attempting to practice what they teach, it is a waste of time. I never approve of book-learning; practice is what I evaluate. When you come out of the examination hall, you know whether you will pass or not, is it not? For, you can yourself judge whether you have answered well or not. So, in sadhana, in conduct, or in practice, each of you can judge and ascertain the success or failure that is in store. Just as you tend the body with food and drink regularly, you must also tend to the needs of inner atmic body, by regular japam, dhyanam (recitations, meditation) and cultivation of virtues. Sat-sanga, sat-pravartana, sat-chintana (holy company, good attitude, and sacred thoughts) are essential for the growth and health of inner personality. The body is bhavanam (mansion) of Bhuvaneshvara (Lord of the world), His bhuvanam (world)! In so far as you are particular about coffee or tea at regular intervals, be also particular about dhyanam and japam at fixed times, for the health and liveliness of the spirit! – Divine Discourse, Feb 02, 1958

Even today’s scientific achievements are nothing compared to the feats of Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha in the Krita-yuga. Hiranyakashipu brought the five elements under his control and investigated the realms of earth, sky, and water. He gloated over his supremacy over the physical world. This pride blinded him to such an extent that he tortured his own son! What was the fruit of all his investigations? Only ego, which made him forget himself, which blurred even ordinary human feelings. Such a man is ready to destroy anyone who stands in the way of his ambitions, even his own family! Finally, only his son could teach him the truth. Prahlada, Hiranyakashipu’s son, was dear to Lord Hari. Hiranyakashipu hated Hari. They could not co-exist. In the same way, it appears that science and spirituality cannot co-exist today! But sooner or later, spirituality is bound to open the eyes of science. – Summer Showers, Jun 02, 1991.

The Quran has salat and zakat as the two eyes. Salat means prayer; zakat means charity. Those who consider charity a high duty and elevate their consciousness through prayers and continuous meditation on God are Muslims. Islam is a word which denotes not a particular religion but a state of mind, the state of total surrender to the Will of God. Islam means dedication, surrender, peace, and tranquillity. Islam denotes the social community whose members have achieved supreme peace through surrender to the All-Merciful, All-Powerful God and who have vowed to live in peace with their fellowmen. Later, it came to be applied to communities that considered themselves separate and different, and so hostile to the rest. Islam taught something higher. It directed attention to the One in the Many, the Unity in Diversity and led people to the Reality named God. – Divine Discourse, Jul 12, 1983

Many people complain that their troubles have not ended, and God has shown no compassion towards them. They would do well to learn a lesson from an episode in the Ramayana. After Vibhishana had become friendly with Hanuman, he once asked the latter, “Hanuman! Although you are a monkey, you have been the recipient of the Lord’s grace. Although I have been ceaselessly engaged in the contemplation of Rama, how is it I have not secured His grace?” Hanuman replied: “Vibhishana! It is true that you are ceaselessly chanting the name of Rama. But to what extent are you engaged in the service of Rama? By merely contemplating the name of Rama, you cannot get Rama’s grace. When your brother Ravana brought away Sitadevi, what help did you render to her? Did you do anything to relieve even partially Rama’s distress?” Devotees should realise that by merely uttering “Rama! Rama!” you cannot ensure the Lord’s grace. To what extent are you carrying out the injunctions of Rama, Krishna or Baba? How far are you practising the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita? Without practising the precepts, no amount of repetition of the name of the Lord is of any use. It is merely like playing a gramophone record. The Lord’s name must get implanted in your heart. – Divine Discourse, Feb 08, 1990

Without yielding to the conditions of place, time, and situation, Indian culture has always sought the underlying unity in the apparent diversity by renouncing the narrow feelings of “I” and “mine”. Duryodhana had great physical strength, intellect, valour, power, and wealth — all forms of prosperity. What is the significance in Vyasa treating Duryodhana and Dushasana with scorn and giving the highest value to Dharmaja? Because our sages considered dharma (righteousness) above everything. They recognised that the cosmos exists only on the power of dharma, that all beneficial acts emerge from dharma! Ramayana, teaching lofty ideals of morality to the whole world, is dearer than life to every home in India. How must brothers behave with each other? How must children conduct themselves with parents and obey their wishes? What tolerance and self-control must exist in a husband-wife relationship? All such questions are beautifully answered in the Ramayana. It demonstrates the fame and prosperity of a family in which brothers are united, where love pervades! – Summer Showers, Jun 2, 1991.

When students listen to inspiring accounts of pure souls (from texts such as Bhagavatam), their tender hearts can be transformed. There are many changes in the world today. Human life itself is a series of changes — from infancy to adolescence, then to middle age and senility. An egg becomes a bird. A seed grows into a tree. These are all effects of change. Change is necessary not just in Nature but in humans also, especially in youth. What kind of change? Ideal transformation. To pride yourself on changing from a boy into an educated man is not an ideal change. Ego is not a sign of true transformation. Education must result in the blossoming of humility and obedience. Humility is the jewel of students. Unfortunately, it cannot be found nowadays. In the days of the Bhagavatam, students developed human values, contemplated Divinity, and earned the Vision of God. – Summer Showers, May 23, 1995

Never give room to the thought that you are the body. You are neither the body nor the mind. The body is transitory like a bubble, and the mind is crazy like a mad monkey. Hence, never set faith on the mind and the body, but pin your faith on the conscience within you. The human body, though decked with the finest of ornaments and dressed elegantly, carries no value, once the breath of life ceases. For man, faith is his life breath. Vishwasa (Faith) is his Swasa (breath). All attainments achieved by the body carry no value if he lacks faith. The key is the life of the lock, similarly, the Self is the key to our life! It is Atmic Consciousness which promotes the functions of the body. The Atmic Consciousness manifests as ‘Soham’ in man. ‘Soham’ means “I am God”; ‘So’ is ‘That’ (God) and ‘Ham’ means ‘I’. ‘Soham’ is known as ‘Hamsa Gayatri’. ‘Hamsa’ signifies the power of discrimination, which enables man to be established in the faith that he is different from the body. The word ‘Gayatri’ signifies the mastery over ‘senses’. – Summer Showers, May 20, 1993.

There is a divine power that is inherent in every human being. You must strive to manifest it. Recognise that all the knowledge you have been able to acquire is because of this divine power within you. You must cherish and foster that power. Most people make use of this power for selfish purposes to promote the well-being of themselves and their families. It should really be utilised for the good of the whole world. You should live up to the Gita ideal: “Sarvaloka hite ratah” (Rejoicing in the well-being of all). Recognise the divinity in you and share that experience with all. Use the divine power in you to cultivate virtues, which constitute the essence of education. Lead a life which will earn for you the love of the people more than their respect. – Divine Discourse, Jun 24, 1989.

You must also realise that the source of true joy is within yourself and not in the objects of the external world. When Sita was a prisoner in Ravana’s Ashoka Vana, none of the beautiful things in the garden could give her any joy. But the sight of Hanuman, as a messenger from her Lord Rama, gave her great joy because all her thoughts were centred on Rama, and Hanuman sang the glories of Rama and described how he came to adore Rama. This shows that man cannot derive joy merely from things that are beautiful or from individuals who are beautiful. Man derives joy from the objects he loves and not from other things. It is love that lends beauty to the object. Hence, joy is equated with beauty and the sweetness of honey. Anyone who seeks joy should not go after things of beauty. The fountain-source of joy is within himself. To bring forth that joy, man should cultivate the inward vision. – Divine Discourse, Jun 24, 1989.

Firm faith is essential for realising the Self. Faith is the basis of self-confidence, without which nothing can be achieved. The word Manava (man) itself means one who has faith. When he acts up to his faith, he experiences peace and contentment. Love is the means through which faith is strengthened. People offer prayers to God. Prayers should not mean petitioning God for favours. The object of prayer should be to establish God firmly in one’s heart. Aim at linking yourself to God and not at seeking favours. Aspire for earning the love of God. That is real penance. That is why it is said: Looking ahead is Tapas (penance); looking backward is Tamas (ignorance). Tapas does not mean giving up hearth and home and retiring to a forest. It means giving up all bad qualities and striving to live ceaselessly for God’s grace. – Divine Discourse, Mar 06, 1989

Body is a combination of five elements, and the mind is merely a bundle of thoughts. One should neither be attached to the body nor follow the vagaries of the mind. Drive away the evil qualities of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya (desire, anger, greed, infatuation, pride and jealousy) and manifest your inner peace and bliss. Instead of developing peace and bliss, man is destroying them. He is giving scope to unrest even in trivial matters. Neither ashanti (unrest) nor prashanti (supreme peace) are acquired from outside. People say, “I want peace.” Where is peace? Is it present outside? If peace were to be found outside, people would have bought it by spending any amount of money. But outside, we find only pieces! The real peace is within! Whether you boil it hard or dilute it with water, milk remains white. White symbolises purity. Like the consistency in milk, your heart should always remain pure, bright and peaceful in spite of trials and tribulations! – Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 2005

You go to a temple and break a coconut before the idol. Now, if you try to break the nut as it has fallen from the tree, will it break? No; the fibrous cover has to be removed, and the shell exposed. The fibre protects the shell and prevents the blow from affecting the shell. Moksha (liberation) results from the breaking of the mind with all its vagaries and wishes. You have to break your mind, but how can you do it, when the fibrous armour of sensual desires encompasses it? Remove them and dedicate the mind to God and smash it in His presence. That moment, you are free. The toughest fibre is anger, it is the stickiest dirt. When you get angry, you forget your mother, father and teacher; you descend to the lowest depths. You lose all discrimination in the excitement; even Hanumanta set fire to the whole of Lanka when he was incensed by the demons who set fire to the tip of his tail; he lost sight of the fact that Sita was in the Ashokavanam. It was only when he had exulted in achievement for a little while that he remembered it and then he started condemning himself for his anger. – Divine Discourse, Oct 10, 1964

The Vedanta declares that he who knows himself, knows all. You should make the right endeavour to know yourself. You can know yourself by developing inner vision rather than outward vision. All sensory activities like sound, smell, touch and taste are only external activities. We delude ourselves into thinking that these activities are real and ruin ourselves ultimately. It is by harnessing the mind that we will be able to realise the Divinity within. Mind is the cause for man’s life, sorrow, joy and liberation as well. It is the mind that makes us oblivious to Divinity and lures us to the enchantments of ‘Jagat’ (world). The very meaning of the word ‘Jagat’ signifies the transient nature of the world, for ‘Ja’ means going, and ‘Gat’ means coming. While the world changes, man remains changeless. The very word ‘Nara’ (man) means the ‘one who is imperishable’ for, ‘Na’ means ‘not’ and ‘Ra’ means perishable. It is the self in man which is imperishable, for man is the Self. – Summer Showers, May 20, 1993

Man is bound by action. Everyone has the responsibility to perform his duty. Therefore, man should put the body to proper use and perform righteous actions. But man indulges in mundane pleasures and wastes his life. Instead, he should realise the effulgent Divinity that is within him. This world is bound to decay; it is temporary and untrue. Therefore, man should develop devotion to God who is eternal and true. This only can lead him to the path of Self-realisation. The first requisite for Self-realisation is self-confidence. For all troubles in this world, the main reason is the absence of self-confidence. So, a man should have self-confidence first. Self-confidence confers self-satisfaction, and self-satisfaction leads to self-sacrifice. It is only through self-sacrifice that man attains Self-realisation. For this mansion of life, self-confidence is the foundation and self-satisfaction are the walls. On the walls only can we lay the roof of self-sacrifice. When there is a roof on the walls, we can live inside happily. That is Self-realisation. These are steps to liberation: self-confidence, self-satisfaction, self-sacrifice and Self-realisation. – Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1993.

What the students need today are three things: The spirit of sacrifice, devotion to God, and love of the Motherland. Because people are filled with pride, selfishness and self-interest, they are ceasing to be human. It is supremely important that the qualities of devotion to God, patriotism and self-sacrifice should be developed among the people. For this, the first requisite is the elimination of “my” and “mine”. The readiness to sacrifice one’s pleasure and comforts for the sake of the nation should be promoted among the students. When there are many high-minded, spiritually-oriented students, the nation will achieve peace and security. Education should be for acquiring knowledge and for facing the challenges of life, not merely for getting a job. Students should not become servile seekers of posts in the Government. They should have faith in God and bow their heads only to the Divine. They must always be prepared to make any sacrifice for God and country. – Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1988

Why is it necessary to train the mind to focus on the conscience and the life principle within? Bhagawan gives us a clear explanation with a simple example.

The nature of the mind is very peculiar. It has no qualities of its own. Here is a newspaper. A newspaper has no special qualities, no smell of its own. When you wrap jasmine flowers in it, it will get the fragrance of jasmine flowers. The newspaper, without any smell before, will acquire the smell of pakodas (a fried snack), if you wrap pakodas in it. Similarly, if you pack dry fish in it, the paper will also have the smell of dry fish. The paper has no separate smell of its own; it acquires the smell of items associated with it. Likewise, the human mind, which is pure and sacred by nature, becomes impure and unsacred due to body consciousness and material attachments. When you think of a material object, it will assume the form of that object. If you turn the mind towards the world, it binds you to the world. But if you turn the mind towards the life principle (prana), it will make your life sacred. When the same mind is diverted towards prajna (conscience), which is Brahman, you become Brahman! It is the mind of man which is responsible for his bondage as well as liberation.

– Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1993



Keep the Name of the Lord always radiant on your tongue and mind. That will keep the antics of the mind under control. – BABA

One who earns God’s grace will be happy in all circumstances. But man today struggles for worldly happiness, worldly comforts and worldly possessions. He works continuously, makes all kinds of efforts to possess all that he does not deserve. But when he cannot fulfil all his desires, he gets disillusioned and disappointed. In this ocean of life, God is the only lighthouse of hope for man. This lighthouse is eternal and will never fail. It will always be there with great brilliance to illumine your path. So, you should engage yourself in godly activities. God is omnipresent. Therefore, you need not search for God. Sarvatah Panipadam Tat Sarvatokshi Shiromukham, Sarvatah Shrutimalloke Sarvamavritya Tishthati (with hands, feet, eyes, head, mouth and ears pervading everything, He permeates the entire universe). Why should you search for God? If He is present only at one place, you need to search. But He has His feet all over, He has got ears everywhere, He installs Himself everywhere. – Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1993

No one can know the origin of anything. For example, there is a green gram seed. Who can trace its genealogy? But one can recognise its future. The moment it is placed in the mouth and munched, that will be its end. Its origin is not known, but its end is in our hands. This is the reason why man is enjoined to concern himself about his end. Do not worry about rebirth because that is not in your power. Strive only to ensure that your end is pure and sacred. That calls for sadhana (spiritual practice). Many imagine that the quest for God is sadhana. There is no need to search for God. When God is all-pervading, inside and outside, where is the need to search for Him? The only sadhana one has to practice is to get rid of the Anatma bhava (identification of the self with the body). Anatma is that which is impermanent. When you give up the impermanent, you realise what is permanent and eternal. – Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1993

What can the evil effects of Kali Age do to a man whose heart is full of compassion, whose speech is suffused with truth and whose body is dedicated to the service of others? Embodiments of Love! However much you may grind sandalwood, it will give only fragrance, nothing else. Similarly, you may crush sugarcane as hard as you can, it will give only sweet juice. When the gold is put on fire, it shines with added brilliance. Similarly, a true devotee may face all problems, difficulties, blames and troubles, yet he will never leave God. He will follow God with total surrender. God will test His devotees in several ways. All these tests are the steps which lead him to a higher level. A true devotee leads a sacred life, demonstrating the sanctity of his conduct and depth of his faith. He will march ahead unmindful of all the troubles, difficulties and problems, and achieve the objective of his life. – Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1993

When asked, “Who are you?” Each one of you gives out the name someone gave you years ago, or which you gave yourself! You don’t give the name associated with your life after life, that survived many deaths and births, the Atma you really are! That name you forgot; it’s enveloped by three thick veils—mala, vikshepa and avarana. Mala is the dirt of vice, wickedness, and passion! Vikshepa is the veil of ignorance which hides truth and makes falsehood attractive and desirable. Avarana is the superimposition on the eternal of the transitory, on the Universal, of the boundaries of individuality. Now, how is man to wash off or remove these three layers of dirt? By soap and water, certainly. The soap of penitence and water of conscious action will remove all taint of mala. The wavering mind that causes a frantic search for happiness from sense objects and external appurtenances will be transformed by upasana (steady worship). The Avarana veil can be torn off by acquisition of jnana which reveals Atmic essence of man, Atmic Unity of all creation. Mala is therefore removable by karma (action), vikshepa by bhakti (devotion), and avarana by jnana (knowledge). That is why Indian sages have laid down these three paths for aspirants. – Divine Discourse, Sep 30, 1968

There is the flow of water underneath the ground. But, how can we benefit from it unless efforts are made to dig down into that source? A good deal of ‘desire-for-sense-satisfaction’ must be removed before that inner spring of peace and joy can be tapped. Your lives are essentially of the nature of Peace; your Nature is essentially Love; your hearts are saturated with Truth. Rid yourselves of the impediments that prevent their manifestation; you do not make any attempt towards this, and so, there is no peace or love or truth in the home, community, nation and the world. The husband and the wife do not live in concord; the father and his sons are involved in factions; even friends do not see eye to eye! Twins take different paths. For they live in a competitive, warring world of passions and emotions. It is only when God is the Goal and Guide that there can be real peace, love and truth. The Divine must be revered at all times; what pleases the Divine must be understood and followed! – Divine Discourse, Feb 21, 1974

There are four modes of writing, dependent on the material on which the text is inscribed. The first is writing on the water; it is washed out even while the finger moves. The next is writing on sand. It is legible until the wind blows it into mere flatness. The third is the inscription on rocks; it lasts for centuries, but it too is corroded by the claws of Time. The inscription on steel can withstand the wasting touch of Time. Have this so inscribed on your heart – the axiom that ‘serving others is meritorious, that harming others or remaining unaffected and idle while others suffer, is a sin.’ God is Love and can be won only through the cultivation and exercise of Love. He cannot be trapped by any trick; He yields grace only when His commands are followed – commands to love all, to serve all. When you love all and serve all, you are serving yourself most, yourself whom you love most! For God’s grace envelops you then, and you are strengthened beyond all previous experience. – Divine Discourse, Jun 26, 1969

Life is a four-storied mansion. For any edifice to be strong, the foundation has to be strong. The mansion is visible to the beholders. Its architecture is attractive and pleasing. But the foundation has no such attractions. Nevertheless, the safety of the mansion depends on the strength of the foundation. Every part of the mansion may have its own attractive feature. But the foundation has no feeling of pride about being the base on which the mansion stands, nor does it desire that anyone should take notice of it. The foundation is unaffected by praise or blame. The first floor of the mansion (of life) is brahmacharya (celibacy). The second floor is the grihastha (householder) stage. The third is vanaprastha (recluse). The fourth is the stage of sannyasa (renunciant). Many persons pass through all four stages. Some go through only three of them, and some others only two. But irrespective of the number of stages, the foundation is the base. The first stage (or floor) is that of brahmacharya. Students who are in the first floor of the mansion of life have to ensure the firmness of the foundation. This foundation consists of humility, reverence, morality, and integrity. The strength of the foundation depends on these four constituents. – Divine Discourse, Feb 20, 1992.

Nowadays, there is an inevitable pair of accessories in almost all vanity bags of ladies and even in gents’ pockets: a mirror and a comb. You dread that your charm is endangered when your hair is in slight disarray, or when your face reveals patches of powder; so you try to correct the impression immediately. While so concerned about this fast-deteriorating personal charm, how much more concerned should you really be about the dust of envy and hate, the patches of conceit and malice that desecrate your mind and hearts? Have a mirror and a comb for this purpose, too! Have the mirror of Bhakti (devotion), to judge whether they are clean and bright and winsome; have the comb of Jnanam or wisdom, for wisdom earned by discrimination straightens problems, resolves knots, and smoothens the tangle to control and channelise the feelings and emotions that are scattered wildly in all directions. – Divine Discourse, Jun 26, 1969

Man today must understand how he can develop courage like Prahlada. Though they are quite capable of developing courage, yet youth and adults are full of fear today. It is necessary for man to develop courage and fortitude to overcome fear! He can get courage only from God. For this, he must develop faith in and devotion to God. You must face the world with courage. In the present situation of the world, our true strength is in courage and fortitude. When you cultivate devotion to God, you can face challenges of the world with confidence and courage. Life is a Challenge, Meet it. Life is a Game, Play it. You become a victim of fear because of lack of courage. So, develop the courage to face all the challenges of the world. Education does not mean merely the ability to read and write. What is vidya (education)? Sa vidya ya vimuktaye (True education is that which liberates). True education develops courage and fortitude in the learner. It is the need of the hour that we should lead our lives with courage, without faltering at any step to achieve success in all walks of life! – Divine Discourse, Jun 2, 2003

Buddha taught that Nirvana could be attained only by cultivating Samyak Drishti (sacred vision), Samyak Vak (sacred speech), Samyak Shravanam (sacred listening), Samyak Bhavam (sacred feeling) and Samyak Kriya (sacred action). Today man is polluting his mind because of his evil vision. Once the mind is polluted, how can he expect to attain Nirvana? So, first of all he should develop sacred vision. See no evil, see what is good. Man is subjected to hardships because of his unsacred vision. Evil vision is sure to lead to sinful acts. In fact, it destroys his humanness itself. Buddha undertook various types of spiritual practices, but ultimately left all of them. He could realise the truth only by renouncing everything and by recognising unity in the plurality of the world. He could know the ultimate truth by sacrifice. This is what the Vedas say: Immortality is not attained through action, progeny or wealth. It is attained only by sacrifice. This immortality is true Nirvana. Samyak Drishti is the first step towards Nirvana. Consider all that you see as Divine. Let your vision be suffused with love. Vision filled with love is the hallmark of a true human being. – Divine Discourse, May 7, 2001

Buddha taught that Nirvana could be attained only by cultivating Samyak Drishti (sacred vision), Samyak Vak (sacred speech), Samyak Shravanam (sacred listening), Samyak Bhavam (sacred feeling) and Samyak Kriya (sacred action). Today man is polluting his mind because of his evil vision. Once the mind is polluted, how can he expect to attain Nirvana? So, first of all he should develop sacred vision. See no evil, see what is good. Man is subjected to hardships because of his unsacred vision. Evil vision is sure to lead to sinful acts. In fact, it destroys his humanness itself. Buddha undertook various types of spiritual practices, but ultimately left all of them. He could realise the truth only by renouncing everything and by recognising unity in the plurality of the world. He could know the ultimate truth by sacrifice. This is what the Vedas say: Immortality is not attained through action, progeny or wealth. It is attained only by sacrifice. This immortality is true Nirvana. Samyak Drishti is the first step towards Nirvana. Consider all that you see as Divine. Let your vision be suffused with love. Vision filled with love is the hallmark of a true human being. – Divine Discourse, May 7, 2001

Always pray to God for His grace. In spite of all deficiencies and debilities, it is enough when God’s grace is there. You can achieve everything by God’s grace. Firm faith in God is essential for one and all. Remember that peace and happiness are available only with God. No one else can give peace and happiness other than God. Some people say that they don’t have faith in God. Then do they have faith in the devil? If you repose faith in the devil, you will have demonic qualities only. Forgetting God, who is the abode of supreme peace and bliss, many people are always immersed in trivial worldly affairs. How can such people attain peace and happiness? Only God can bestow peace; He is the embodiment of supreme peace and love. A mother may become angry at times. But God’s love is immutable. However, you should have gratitude for your mother who has given you birth because of which you are able to know God. But there is nothing greater than God’s Name. Divine Discourse, May 6, 1997

Your blood, food, head and money are gifts of your mother and father only. You should therefore offer due respect to them and be ever grateful to them. This is how you should love them. Give due respect to your parents; be grateful to them. But reserve your heart only for God. All worldly relations are transient like water bubbles. When you focus your mind on God, you should lovingly explain this to your mother. Then she will surely understand your mind and heart. The mother always wishes the welfare of her children. She always prays that her children should be good; should attain higher positions in life and receive God’s grace. When her child prostrates, she blesses saying, “Dear! Live for a hundred years; may you live happily with good health, prosperity and reputation!” Even though mother blesses, it is God who grants her prayer saying, Tathastu (so be it)! Without God’s grace, even mother’s prayers and blessings become futile! You may have a good number of bulbs all around you, but they are useless in the absence of the current. And there is no use of the current when there are no bulbs. Similarly, both mother’s blessings and God’s grace are what you should attain. – Divine Discourse, May 6, 1997

The Chaitanyam (Atmic consciousness) that is present in the Divine is also present in living beings. If this is the case, a doubt may arise. What is the need for giving a unique place to God? When you look at an array of electric bulbs, they may all look alike. But there are differences in wattage amongst them according to the filament in them. The wattage may vary from 40 to 5000 watts. Likewise, in all human beings, the five elements, the five organs of action, the five organs of perception, and other organs are common. But in their thoughts and fancies, there are differences. The sacred and remarkable Divine potency in each of them is also different. It is because this Divine potency is present in God in infinite measure that the uniqueness of God is recognised. – Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1992

One need not have any formal education to impart sacred teachings. Many are highly educated, but what is the use? They do not put their knowledge into proper use. Having received many sacred teachings, you should practise at least one of them. You perform worship and sing Bhajans with devotion. It is enough if you practise and experience at least one word of the Bhajans you sing. For example, you extol God as Prema-swarupa (embodiment of love). Accordingly, you should develop love and share it with others. Only then can you understand and experience divinity. Mother Easwaramma used to impart many noble teachings to the devotees when they gathered around her. I had given her a small room in Prasanthi Nilayam. Many ladies would go there and plead with her, “Mother, we have been here for a long time. Please tell Swami to grant us an interview.” She would tell them, “My dear, Swami may look small to our eyes, but He does not listen to anyone. He will not act on recommendations. He will give you what you deserve. You should try to understand the Divine principle of Swami.” In this manner, she would give proper guidance to the devotees. – Divine Discourse, May 6, 2003

When we look at the Narasimha Avatar, we get a feeling of terror. Reflecting on the story of Prahlada and Narasimha, we will realise that when Narasimha was giving darshan  to Prahlada, he showed great kindness. But it looked as if Prahlada was standing in a corner full of fear. At that time, Narasimha looked at Prahlada and asked him if he was afraid of the fearsome figure which had come to punish his father; Prahlada explained he was not afraid of the Lord, as it was the sweetest form one can comprehend! He said he was indeed happy to see the Lord. Narasimha then asked why Prahlada was afraid. To this, Prahlada replied that he was afraid because the divine vision which he was then seeing was likely to disappear in a few moments, and he would soon be left alone! The fear which troubled Prahlada was that God would leave him in this world and disappear. Prahlada wanted to ask God not to leave him. God’s divine vision and divine beauty are such that only his devotees can appreciate them! – Divine Discourse, May 22, 1976

The mind is agitated, and so, you too are led into passions and emotions. When the plank on which you sit moves, you too move; when the train runs fast with you sitting in the compartment, you feel that the trees too move with you. On the other hand, the mind makes you feel stationary on the earth, though the earth revolves fast on its own axis and also around the Sun. These are all tricks of the mind, hiding the truth and imposing its own illusions on your experience. The real truth is different from the picture of truth that the mind presents. To ascribe joy and grief that one passes through in life to the nature of the Individual Soul is an act of ignorance. One must dissociate one from the other. Elation and depression, pleasure and pain, joy and grief are modifications of the mind, not of the jivi (individual soul). It is the mind that reacts to external objects and events and pronounces them as desirable and undesirable, good and bad. This explains why the control of the waywardness of the mind is to be achieved! – Divine Discourse, Jan 04, 1974.

Do not think that the education which you should get is available only at colleges or schools. Education should be obtained from all the world over. It can be got from a workshop. It can be got from a farm. It can be got from a profession or trade. Even moving in the market can give you education. All aspects of life can impart education. You must regard the world itself as a big university. From the time you get up from your bed till the time you go to sleep again, you are using your education for earning the pittance of a livelihood. If you cannot use your education to be near the feet of the Lord, what is the purpose of all this knowledge? You must have God in your heart and recognise all living beings as equal. You must make every effort to overcome the four obstacles, namely lust, anger, attachment, and greed. So long as these thieves are in your home, there is no certainty that you will get the treasure of wisdom. But after driving away these thieves, you will get a bigger thief into your home and that thief is God Himself. That is why He has been called “Chitta-chora” or the One who steals your heart. – Summer Showers, Jun 09, 1973

Kama, the God of lust, is responsible for our birth; and Kala, the God of time, is responsible for our death. Rama is responsible for our life and all the good therein. If by our conduct, we can deserve the grace of Rama, kama and kala (desire and time) are not going to trouble us very much. Like fire covered by ash, like water covered by a precipitate, like the eye covered by a cataract, our wisdom lies dormant, covered by kama. It is necessary for us to enquire into the source and nature of kama. Till we are able to do so, we will not be able to distinguish between what is lasting and what is only temporary, what is right and what is wrong. Kama increases our attachments and thereby weakens our memory and intelligence. Once the intelligence becomes weak, we will become inhuman. Thus, kama has the capacity to ruin our life. If we understand the nature of kama well, it will go away from us in one moment. If we give a high place to it without understanding, then that will get the upper hand and will begin to dance on our heads. – Summer Showers, Jun 09, 1973

Revere knowledge as you revere your father, adore love as you adore your mother, move fondly with dharma, as your own brother; confide in compassion as your dearest friend; have calmness as your better half; and treat fortitude, as your own beloved son. These are your genuine kith and kin. Move with them, live with them, do not forsake or neglect them. Arjuna asked Krishna how the ever-restless mind could be controlled. Living with these kinsmen is the best recipe. That is the best atmosphere to ensure discipline and detachment needed for mind control. Mere prayer will not do. You must swallow and digest the morsel that’s put into the mouth; repetition of the name of the dish is of no use! Hearing discourses and nodding approval or clapping in appreciation are not enough. The mother feeds lovingly, but the child must take it in with avidity and relish. When this earthly mother has so much love, who can estimate the love of the Mother of all beings, the Jagat-janani? – Divine Discourse, Oct 9, 1964

You toiled hard, earned money, and deposited it in a bank for safety and security. No doubt that money belongs to you, but the Bank Manager will not give it to you on your mere asking for it. There are certain rules and regulations for the withdrawal of money from the bank. You can withdraw the money only when you sign the cheque and surrender it to the Bank Manager. Likewise, you have deposited the ‘money’ of meritorious deeds with God, the Divine Bank Manager. Though God is the embodiment of sacrifice, and the money belongs to you, there is a proper procedure to get it. God is the Manager of the Bank of Love. You have deposited your money in His bank. In order to withdraw money from this bank, you have to submit the cheque of sacrifice with the signature of love. Anything may happen, but your love for God should not change. Only through such love can you follow the path of sacrifice and withdraw ‘money’ from the Divine Bank. Here ‘money’ does not mean currency notes. It is the ‘money’ of grace, wisdom, and righteousness. – Divine Discourse, May 07, 2001.

When you are driving a car, the car is your God. When you are doing business in market, the market is your God. According to the culture of Bharat, we first make obeisance to the work we have to do. Before undertaking any work, we should regard that work as God. Tasmai Namah Karmane – Upanishads teach us this: “The work I have to do, I regard as God and make obeisance to God in that form”. Let us see the person who plays on tabla. Before he begins to play on it, he pays obeisance to tabla. The harmonium player will make obeisance to the harmonium before he starts. A dancer, before she begins her dance, will make obeisance to her ghunghru (musical anklets). Even a driver who is going to drive a lifeless car, before he holds the steering wheel, makes namaskaram (salutations) to the steering wheel! You do not have to go so far. While driving, if the car hits another person, immediately we make namaskaram to that person. The significance of all this is the faith and belief that God is present in all things. Thus, to regard the entire creation as the form of God and to perform your duty in that spirit is meditation. – Divine Discourse, May 12, 1981.

There are no limitations of time or space for the establishment of oneself in the contemplation of the Omnipresent Lord. There is nothing like holy place or special time for this. Wherever the mind revels in contemplation of the Divine, that is the holy place! Whenever it does so, that is the auspicious moment! Then and there, one must meditate on the Lord. That is why it has been announced already before, ‘For meditation on God, there is no fixed time or place. When and where the mind so desires, then and there is the time and place – Na kala niyamo yatra, na deshasya sthalasya cha Yatrasya ramate chittam, tatra dhyanena kevalam’. The world can achieve prosperity through disciplined souls whose hearts are pure and who represent the salt of the earth. In an attempt to promote the welfare of the world, from this very minute, everyone should pray for the advent of such great souls, should try to deserve the blessings of the great, and should try to forget the sufferings of the day! – Ch 73, Prema Vahini.

Fill your hearts with love and let love be the guiding principle in all your activities. When you have love in your heart, you need not worry about anything. God will always be with you, in you, around you and will look after you in all respects. When you say, “Krishna, I will follow You,” it means that Krishna is separate from you. It is possible that you will lose your way. Hence, you should pray, “Krishna, please be with me always.” In fact, He is always in you. When you enquire deeply, you will experience this truth. It is impossible to be away from Him. Many devotees proclaim, “Oh God, I am in you, I am with you and I am for you.” They repeat these words like parrots, but do not say from the depths of their heart. Actually, God is never separate from you. Pray to Him wholeheartedly with the conviction that He is always in you, with you, above you, below you, and around you. When you offer such a prayer to God, He will certainly redeem your life! – Divine Discourse, Apr 13, 2005.

I called on all those suffering in the endless round of birth and death to worship the feet of the Guru (spiritual preceptor)! The Guru that was announcing Himself, had come again for taking upon Himself the burden of those who find refuge in Him! That was My very first message to humanity. “Manasa bhajare.” “Worship in the mind!” I do not need your flowers, garlands, fruits – things that you get for an ana or two; they are not genuinely yours! Give Me something that is yours, something which is clean and fragrant with the perfume of virtue and innocence, and washed in the tears of repentance! You bring garlands and fruits as items in the show, as an exhibition of your devotion; poorer devotees, who cannot afford to bring them, are humiliated and they feel sorry that they are helpless; they cannot demonstrate their devotion in the grand way, in which you are doing it. Install the Lord in your heart and offer Him the fruits of your actions and the flowers of your inner thoughts and feelings. That is the worship I like most, the devotion I appreciate most! – Divine Discourse, Vijayadashami, 1953

God never asks anything from anyone. But when people give to Him with a full heart, He returns a thousand-fold. You know the story of Kuchela. For the gift of a fistful of dry rice, Krishna granted him lifelong prosperity. Rukmini Devi was able to win Krishna for herself by offering Him just a single Tulasi leaf. So, whenever God accepts anything from anyone, He grants unending bounty in return. That is why it is said, Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam – a leaf, a flower, a fruit or some water. At least these must be offered to God. Why? Only when we offer, we become eligible to receive. If you go to a bank and simply ask for your money, they will not give it to you although you have every right over it. You need to fill a withdrawal slip and sign it. Only then can you claim your money. So, you must give something first, in order to receive. This is Divine Law. Even if it is tiny or insignificant, it must be offered to God. – Summer Showers, May 28, 1995.

It is the destiny of man to journey from humanity to Divinity. In this pilgrimage, he is bound to encounter various obstacles and trials. To illumine the path and help him overcome these troubles, sages, seers, realised souls, divine personalities, and Incarnations of God take birth in human form. They move among the afflicted and the seekers who have lost their way or strayed into the desert and lead them into confidence and courage. Certain personalities are born and live out their days for this very purpose. They can be called karana-janmas, for they take on the janma (birth) for a karana (cause, purpose). Of course, there are many aspirants who by their devotion, dedication and disciplined lives, attain the vision of the Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient One. They are content with the bliss they have won for themselves. There are others who go out to share this bliss with those beyond the pale; they guide and lead and are blessed thereby. They teach that multiplicity is a delusion and that unity is the reality. Jesus was a karana-janma, a Master born with a purpose, the mission of restoring love, charity, and compassion in the heart of man. – Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1978.

Once a wealthy man decided to go on a pilgrimage of sacred places. To escape the trouble of carrying too much luggage, he tied only very essential items in a bedroll and embarked on his journey. As the saying goes, ‘less luggage, more comfort makes travel a pleasure’, he could conveniently see all the sacred places of pilgrimage such as Kashi, Mathura, Brindavan, etc. During the day, he saw many temples, worshipped beautiful idols of various deities in them, took bath in sacred rivers and performed various acts of merit. After spending the whole day thus, he became tired at night and lay down on his bed to sleep. But he did not get even a wink of sleep. Though he performed noble deeds at physical level, he did not attain mental peace. What was the reason? The reason was that there were numerous bedbugs in the bed he brought with him. Due to the biting of these bedbugs, he could not get any sleep at night. The same is the condition of man today. At physical level, he has amassed many comforts and conveniences and appears to be quite happy. But he harbours within himself the bedbugs of bad qualities, evil thoughts and wicked motives which destroy his peace. As long as he gives room to negative feelings and thoughts, he cannot attain peace. – Divine Discourse, Jun 24, 1996.

When the nails were being driven into Jesus to fix him on the cross, Jesus heard the voice of the Father saying, “All life is one, My dear Son. Be alike to everyone,” and he pleaded that those who were crucifying him may be pardoned for they knew not what they did. Jesus sacrificed himself for the sake of mankind. Carols and candles, readings from the Bible and acting out the incidents that surrounded His Birth, are not enough to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus said that the bread taken in the ‘last supper’ was his flesh, and the wine, his blood. He meant that all beings alive with flesh and blood are to be treated as he himself and that no distinction should be made of friend or foe, we or they. Everybody is his body, sustained by the bread; every drop of blood flowing in the veins of every living being is his, animated by the activity that the wine imparted to it. That is to say, every man is Divine and has to be revered as such! – Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1978.

Bhakti and shraddha (devotion and faith) are the two oars, with which you can take the boat across the sea of worldly life (samsara). A child told its mother, when it went to bed at night, “Mother! Wake me up, when I get hungry.” The mother answered, “There is no need. Your hunger will itself wake you.” So too, when the hunger for God comes, it will itself activate you and make you seek the food you need. God has endowed you with hunger and He supplies the food; He has endowed you with illness and He grows the specifics you need. Your duty is to see that you get the proper hunger and the right illness and use the appropriate food or drug! Man must be yoked to samsara (worldly life) and broken; that is the training, which will teach that the world is unreal; no amount of lectures will make you believe it is a snake unless you actually experience it. Touch fire and get the sensation of burning; there is nothing like it to teach you that fire is to be avoided. Unless you touch it, you will be aware only of its light. It is light and heat both; just as this world is both true and false, that is to say, unreal. – Divine Discourse, Mahashivaratri, 1955.

The world today has achieved great progress in the fields of science and worldly knowledge. But it is regressing in the fields of morality and humanness. What is the reason? The reason is selfishness and self-interest of modern man. Whatever work man performs today, he does it with a selfish motive. All his thoughts and actions are motivated by self-interest. In fact, he has become a puppet of selfishness. He looks at everything with an eye of selfishness. He is, in fact, bound in the fetters of selfishness. The moment he changes his motive of life from selfishness to social welfare, he will experience the essence of true education. It is therefore necessary that man should get rid of his selfishness and self-interest and fill his heart with noble thoughts of welfare and progress of society. In this way, he should make his heart pure with sacred feelings and curb the unsteadiness of his mind. Whatever work you do with a pure heart, steady mind and selfless attitude, it will take you towards the path of victory in your spiritual journey. – Divine Discourse, Jun 24, 1996.

You proceed from ‘death’ to ‘life’ and from ‘illness’ to ‘health’ by the experience of the buffetings of the world. The world is a very essential part of the curriculum of man; through the agony of search is born the infant (wisdom). The pains are worthwhile; they indicate the birth of new life. From ashanti (restlessness), you get prashanti (absolute peace), from prashanti to prakanti (bright spiritual illumination), and from prakanti, Paramjyoti (supreme divine radiance). It is like the alternating of night and day, this recurrence of joy and grief. Night and day are twin sisters, both are necessary to increase the fertility of the soil, to activate and refresh life. They are like summer and winter. There are some who ask Me, “Baba! Make this summer less hot!” But, in the heat of summer, the Earth takes in the needed energy from the Sun, so that when the rains come, she may yield a plentiful harvest. ‘Cold’ and ‘heat’ are both in the plan of God and yours is only to know this and treat both as valuable. – Divine Discourse, Vijayadashami, 1953.

God is not an external contrivance or convenience like the air cooler. He is the Antaryamin, the Inner Director, the Inner Reality, the Unseen Basis on which all this seeable world is built. He is like the fire-principle that is latent in wood, which can be made manifest when one piece is rubbed vigorously against another. The heat that is produced consumes the wood in the fire! Satsang (Company of the good and the godly) makes you meet with other souls (individuals) of a like nature, and creates the contact that manifests the inner fire. Satsang means meeting the Sat, the Sat which is spoken of while extolling God as Sat-Chit-Ananda. Sat is the Existence Principle, the ‘IS’ that is the basic truth of the Universe. Align with the Truth, the Sat in you, the Satya (reality) on which the mitya (false) is imposed by minds that do not see light. By dwelling in that Sat, the flame is lit, light dawns, darkness flees and Jnana-bhaskara (the Sun of Realisation) rises. – Divine Discourse, May 10, 1969.

What is necessary to make our Sadhana successful? Bhagawan most lovingly guides us today so that we may be successful in our spiritual endeavours.

When there is hard rock below, you have to bore deeper for tapping the underground perennial pure water. The softer the subterranean soil, the quicker the success. Make your heart soft; then, success is quick in sadhana. Talk soft, talk sweet, talk only of God – that is the process of softening the subsoil. Develop compassion, sympathy; engage in service, understand the agony of poverty, disease, distress and despair; share both – tears and cheers with others. That is the way to soften the heart, and help sadhana to succeed. Satsang is like quaffing pure crystal water. Dussang – the company of the vicious, the ungodly, the impure – is like quaffing saltwater from the sea; no amount of sugar added to it can make it quaffable! It increases thirst.

– Divine Discourse, May 10, 1969.



If there is anything sweeter than all things sweet, more auspicious than all things auspicious, holier than all holy objects, verily, it is the name of the Lord — or the Lord Himself! – BABA

With determination, man can touch the sky and conquer the world. But today man is losing this strength. What is the reason for this? He is losing his mastery over the senses. The more sensual he is, the lesser is the lifespan. Today’s man is losing his physical strength and consequently destroying his inner strength completely. To remain immortal and retain youth, the power of the senses should be developed by controlling them. There should be no body-attachment. If on one hand, man loses control over the senses and on the other hand, he develops body-attachment, then what will be his plight?  These two can be compared to two holes in a pot filled with water. Water is filled in such a pot, which gets drained. Similarly, the pot of our heart is filled with nectarous grace of God. Man has to foster his heart. But without forbearance and sympathy, he has drilled holes into it. Consequently, his lifespan has decreased. In this limited life span, what good deeds can he do? How can he work for the welfare of the society? God-given strength should be utilized properly by Satsangam (Good Company), by Satpravartana (Good conduct) and by Seva (Service). Only then can your strength improve. – Divine Discourse, Oct 02, 2000.

The body is the temple of God; He is resident in the heart; buddhi (intelligence) is the lamp lit in that altar; now, every gust of wind that blows through the windows of the senses affects the flame of the lamp and dulls its light, threatening even to put it out. So, close the windows; do not keep them open for dire attraction from objects. Keep buddhi sharp, so that it may cut the mind like a diamond and convert it into a blaze of light, instead of being a dull pebble. Discrimination (nityanitya vastu viveka or distinguishing between the eternal and temporary) is an important instrument of spiritual progress. The reasoning faculty must be employed to distinguish between the limited and the unlimited, the temporary and the Eternal. That is its legitimate use. Shankaracharya names his work on the principles of Advaita as “Viveka Chudamani”, for he wanted to emphasise the value of viveka for the realisation of the evanescence of life and the Oneness of the Universe. – Divine Discourse, Oct 02, 1965.

Cultivate pure love through these two methods: 1. Always consider the faults of others, however big, to be insignificant and negligible. Always consider your own faults, however insignificant and negligible, to be big, and feel sad and repentant. Thus, you avoid developing bigger faults and defects and acquire qualities of brotherliness and forbearance. 2. Whatever you do, with yourself or with others, do it remembering that God is omnipresent. He sees, hears and knows everything. Whatever you speak, remember that God hears every word; discriminate between true and false and speak only the truth. Whatever you do, discriminate between right and wrong and do only the right. Endeavour every moment to be aware of omnipotence of God. The body is temple of individual (jiva), so whatever happens in that temple is the concern of the individual. So too, world is the body of the Lord, and all that happens in it, good or bad, is His concern. – Ch 19 Prema Vahini

In the Kali Age, man has acquired great fame, riches and comforts, but he lacks peace and a sense of security. The reason for this sorrow is the lack of patience and sympathy amongst the members of the family living in a house. Why does man lack these two qualities? The rise in selfishness and the use of intelligence for one’s own self-interest has brought about this decline. These two values are not seen in any family today. Because of this, they remain steeped in worries from dawn to dusk. There is no unity or coordination amidst the sons of a family. Therefore, each goes his own way and, though born as a human being, leads a life worse than that of animals. In fact, animals are better as they have a reason and a season. Man has become selfish and he no more thinks of contributing to others’ happiness. Patience and sympathy are like life forces for a man. A man without these can be considered lifeless. Having acquired a number of degrees and having amassed wealth, what has man really achieved? What every man in a family should aspire to achieve are the two virtues of patience and sympathy. – Divine Discourse, Oct 02, 2000.

Some people may have some doubts related to prayer. Of what avail is prayer? Will the Lord gratify all that we ask for in our prayers? He gives us only what He feels we need or deserve, is it not? Will the Lord like to give us all that we ask for in our prayers to Him? Of course, all these doubts can be resolved. If the devotee has dedicated everything — body, mind, and existence — to the Lord, He will Himself look after everything, for He will always be with the devotee. Under such conditions, there is no need for prayer. But have you so dedicated yourself and surrendered everything to the Lord? No. When losses occur, calamities come, or plans go awry, the devotee blames the Lord. Some, on the other hand, pray to Him to save them. If you avoid both of these, as well as reliance on others by placing complete faith on the Lord at all times, why should He deny you His grace? Why should He desist from helping you? – Ch 7, Prasanthi Vahini.

The Ramayana is a guidebook on the ideal relations between mothers and children, between husband and wife, between brothers, between the ruler and the people, between the master and the servants and many other human relationships. Rama showed compassion to the dying eagle Jatayu, which had fought with Ravana when he was carrying Sita away to Lanka and Rama gave refuge to Vibhishana, even against the fears expressed by Lakshmana. These are examples of Rama’s supreme benevolence and magnanimity towards anyone who revered him or sought his protection. Rama declared to Lakshmana “Anyone who comes to Me in a spirit of surrender, whoever he might be, is Mine and I am his. I shall give him asylum. This is My vow.” Rama was a man pledged to one word, to one wife, and to a single arrow. Devotees should install Rama in their hearts and celebrate Rama-navami for achieving Atmic bliss. Going through the Ramayana epic they should reach the state of ‘Atma-rama’ (oneness with the Universal Spirit). In such a state, there is no Ahamkaram (ego-sense). – Divine Discourse, Apr 07, 1987

Whatever is done by the great, whichever company they choose, they will ever be on the path of righteousness, on the divine path. Their acts will promote welfare of the entire world! So, when Ramayana or narratives of the Divine are recited or read, attention must be fixed on the majesty and mystery of God, on the truth and straightforwardness that are inherent in them, and on practice of these qualities in daily life. No importance should be attached to extraneous matters; the manner of execution of one’s duty is the paramount lesson to be learned. God, when appearing with form for the sake of upholding dharma, behaves in a human way. He must! For, He holds forth the ideal life before people and confers the experience of joy and peace. His movements and playful activities (leelas) might appear ordinary and commonplace to some. But each will be an expression of beauty, truth, goodness, joy, and exaltation. Each will captivate the world with its charm and purify the heart that contemplates it! Each will overcome and overwhelm all the agitations of the mind, tear the veil of illusion (maya), and fill the consciousness with sweetness. – Ch 1, Rama Katha Rasavahini, Vol 1

It is often said that Rama followed dharma (righteousness) at all times. This is not the correct way of describing Him. He did not follow dharma; He was dharma. What He thought, spoke and did was dharma, is dharma forever. The recitation of Ramayana verses or listening to the exposition of those verses must transform the person into an embodiment of dharma. His every word, thought and deed must exemplify that ideal. Shraddha (steady faith) in Rama, Ramayana and oneself is essential for success. And for what end? To become good and help others to unfold their goodness. To be totally human with every human value expanded to the utmost and promote those traits in society to help others too. Purify the body by means of holy activity. Purify speech by adhering to truth, love and sympathy. Purify the mind, not yielding to the clamour of the senses and the desires they breed. – Divine Discourse, Apr 18, 1986.

When Rama is installed in the heart, everything will be added unto you – fame, fortune, freedom, fullness. Hanuman was a mere monkey leader until he met Rama; he was a minister in the court of his master; but, when Rama gave him the commission to seek Sita and sent him, that is to say, when Rama was installed in his heart as guide and guardian, Hanuman became immortal, as the Ideal devotee! Ramayana has a deep undercurrent of significant meaning. Dasharatha means, he who rides in a chariot of ten (senses), which is man. He is tied up with three gunas (qualities), or three wives, as in Ramayana. He has four sons, Purusharthas – Dharma (Rama), Artha (Lakshmana), Kama (Bharata), and moksha (Shatrughna). These four goals of man must be systematically attained, always with the last one, Moksha, clearly before the eye! Lakshmana represents Buddhi (intellect) and Sita is Truth. Hanuman is the Mind, and it is the repository, if controlled and trained, of courage. Sugreeva, the master of Hanuman, is Discrimination. With these to help him, Rama seeks Truth and succeeds. That is the lesson of the epic to every man! – Divine Discourse, Apr 20, 1975.

The eye ever seeks the vile and the vulgar. Notwithstanding the danger to his own life and body, the motorist will stare at obscene posters advertising a movie film. The eye must be held in check so that it may not ruin the mind as well as the body of man. The ear craves for scandal and salacious stuff. It does not persuade you to attend discourses that can really help in your spiritual development. Even if you chance to attend any, the ear dissuades you by giving you a headache. But when someone pours abuse on another, the two ears attain maximum concentration. The tongue is doubly dangerous unless held in check, for it speaks scandal and creates a craving for taste. It is well nigh impossible to lead the tongue towards the path of japa and dhyana (spiritual recitations and meditation), however sweet be the Name of the Lord. When the eye, ear and tongue are under control and capable of being used for self-improvement, the mind and the hand can also easily be held in check. Thus when man realises himself, there is no need to inquire where God dwells. He dwells in the pure heart of man, clearly shining in His innate splendour of Wisdom, Power and Love. – Divine Discourse, Mar 20, 1977.

The goal of life has to be the realisation of the unity of the self with the Supreme Self. Why else should the self take this human form? If mere ‘living’ or even ‘happy living’ was the goal, the self could have been encased in the form of birds or beasts. The very fact that man is equipped with memory, mind, intelligence, discrimination ability to anticipate the future, desire to detach himself from the senses, etc., is an indication that he is destined for some higher goal. Inspite of this if man craves for a lesser consummation, he is a papi (sinner). But he who persists, in spite of temptations and obstacles, on the path that leads to self-fulfilment and self-realisation, is a Gopi, for the Gopis (cowherd girls) of Brindavan were the most inspiring examples of such souls. The most effective discipline that man can adopt to attain this lofty goal, is the control and conquest of the five senses, avoid the errors and evils that the eye, the ear, the tongue, the mind and the hand are prone to commit. – Divine Discourse, Mar 20, 1977.

Embodiments of Love! Today is Ugadi, the beginning of the New Year. Since ancient times, people have celebrated many Ugadis, but they are yet to give up bad qualities. True Ugadi is the day when one gives up bad qualities, fills their heart with love, and takes to the path of sacrifice. Do not limit the celebration of Ugadi to merely putting on new clothes and partaking of delicious items. Today, you may wear a new shirt, but how long will it remain new? Tomorrow it becomes old. Nobody reads the same newspaper everyday. Today’s newspaper becomes a waste paper tomorrow. Our life is like a newspaper. Once you have finished reading a newspaper, you do not like to read it again and again. You have been given this birth, which is like a newspaper, and have gone through varied experiences of pleasure and pain. Enough is enough. Don’t ask for one more newspaper, i.e. another birth. You should pray, “Oh God! You have given me this ‘newspaper’ and I have gone through the experiences of this life. I don’t want to have another birth.” – Divine Discourse, Apr 13, 2002.

Today’s task for you is to discover the one column that supports all spiritual success. I shall tell you what that is: Love! Adore, serve the Sarveshwara (Almighty Lord) who is resident in all mankind; through that Love, adoration and service, realise Him. That is the highest sadhana. Serve man as God. Give food to the hungry, food that is the gift of Goddess Food (Anna-poorna); give it with love and humility. Give it, sweetened with the name of the Lord. Celestial spheres are revolving and disintegrating; time is fleeting; age follows age; era succeeds era; bodies that have taken birth, grow and end; but, the urge to sanctify life with good works and good thoughts is nowhere evident; the fragrance of sincere sadhana (spiritual practice) is not traceable anywhere. Through the process of ‘giving up’, great things can be achieved. Cultivate detachment, and the Lord will attach Himself to you. The past is beyond recovery; those days are gone. But, tomorrow is coming towards you. Resolve to sanctify it with Love, service and sadhana. – Divine Discourse, Mar 29, 1968.

On the one side, man has achieved astonishing progress in science and technology, especially in the fields of electronics, synthetics, atomic power and exploration of space. On the other side we witness political and economic crises, caste and communal conflicts and students agitation. Today, moral values are steadily declining among men. In the moral, ethical and spiritual spheres, men’s attitudes are deteriorating alarmingly. Even well-versed scholars and eminent public figures are caught up in the coil of bitter controversies because of narrow-minded thinking. Unity among the people is being shattered by the ideological and sectarian differences among persons who are well educated and intellectually eminent. Intellectuals who promote discord are on the increase, but there are few who promote unity in diversity. At the root of all these tendencies is the fact that mankind has still not got out of the animal stage. Men have to realise that essentially they are divine in origin. The individual selves have come from the ocean of Sat-Chit-Ananda, like waves from the ocean. It is only when this truth is realised that men can experience true bliss. – Divine Discourse, Jul 22, 1994.

When asked where you have come from, you quickly reply, “From Delhi” or “From Calcutta” or “From Thiruvananthapuram”; but those are the places from where your bodies have come here. Within the body, as its source, sustenance and support, there is the Dehi (the embodied one) distinguishable from the deha (the body) where it has come from. That is beyond your ken. Investigate into that; discover the answer; that is the task of man. You will be released from this role only when you have overcome this colossal ignorance and realised the source, the sustenance and the support of, not only your seeming individuality, but of all the manifold million-faced sparks of that one Divine Force. Do not delay any further; the minutes are fleeing past; be inspired by the yearning to drink the nectar of the realisation of your true worth. – Divine Discourse, May 12, 1968.

Through the power of vak (speech) one can acquire a kingdom or great wealth. Friends and relations can be got through speech. Through speech, one gets bound and loses his freedom. Even death is brought about by speech. Speech is the life-force of human beings. Speech is the backbone of life. It is all-powerful. Saint Jayadeva addressed his tongue thus: “Oh tongue! You know all about the sweetness of speech! You enjoy truth and goodness. That is why chant the sweet and sacred names of the Lord – Govinda! Damodara! Madhava! Don’t indulge in reviling anyone. Speak sweetly and softly”. “Let your speech be truthful, pleasing, good and free from any resentment,” says Krishna in the Gita. Unfortunately, because such sacred and sweet speech has become scarce, society is riddled with bitterness and discord. The permissiveness of a crazy civilisation has destroyed discipline and morality and turned society into an inferno. – Divine Discourse, Jul 22, 1994.

A jasmine flower is placed on a table in a room. The flower, which is gross, is small in size. But its fragrance, which is subtle, pervades the whole room. Likewise, the steam generated from water, occupies a much larger space than the volume of water from which it is produced. The mind of man, because of its extreme subtlety, is capable of immense expansion. Because of the senses, the mind has attraction for a variety of objects and persons. When these objects fill the mind, its expansiveness gets reduced. It is only when attraction from these objects is reduced that the mind can achieve expansion. If today man is filled with worries and has no peace of mind, it is because his mind is filled with innumerable desires. The world cannot be blamed for man’s mental state. Nor can family life be held responsible for man’s bondage. You bind yourself to Nature and family by your attachments and desires. To withdraw yourselves from these attachments and to reduce your subjection to the external world, you must practice control over your eyes, ears and tongue! – Divine Discourse, Mar 13, 1988.

Love is essential for propitiating Divinity. People may argue that rituals performed meticulously are effective for the same purpose. But the scriptures themselves announce that ritual worship and rites can at best contribute only to the purification of one’s mind and heart. Or, as the promise reads, the rites might raise the person to Heaven. But, one can be there, only as long as his deposit of merit lasts. He has to come back to earth, as soon as the quantity is exhausted by use (ksine punye martya-lokam visanti). Love is the most direct means of attaining God. One must love all without distinction, for the Lord resides in every one and He is the very embodiment of Love. There are three obstacles which stand in the way of the full free flow of Love from man to God. They are man’s inveterate foes – desire, anger and greed. Fortunately ancients in India have devised three holy texts which, when assimilated, can equip man to confront and conquer these wily enemies. They are the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata. – Divine Discourse, Feb 26, 1987

During this Kaliyuga (age of moral decline), two Sadhanas (spiritual disciplines) are important Namam and Danam. Namam means the name of the Lord. It must activate every thought, word and deed and render them full of Love. It can certainly lead man to the vision of the bearer of the Name. The Name, the sound is the material which can reveal the non-material, the jada or inert which is the door to the Chaitanya or awareness enshrined in it. This is the purpose of the Sadhana – to recognise both the Kshetra (Field) and the Kshetrajna (the Master of the field) as the Lord. Danam, the second Sadhana, means gifting, caring and sharing. The gift of food to the hungry gives immediate contentment and relieves the pangs of hunger. Annam Brahma (Food is Divine) says the Upanishad. Gifts are to be given without inflating the ego of the giver or deflating that of the receiver. They should be offered with understanding, humility and love! – Divine Discourse, Feb 26, 1987.

When man is not trained to live a good and godly life, teaching him various skills and tricks, only makes him a danger to himself and to others. There is unending controversy about the language which should be the medium of instruction; but, no one seems interested in the language of the heart, which uses the vocabulary of Love and the expression of self-examination and self-sacrifice. Now, schools and colleges are engaged in stuffing facts and fancies into the heads of the pupils; they do not equip them to face the fortunes of life, to bring the best that is in them and place them at the service of the community. The habit of prayer will inculcate courage and confidence; it will provide the pupil with a vast new source of energy. No effort is made to introduce the pupil to the sweet experiences of meditation and Yoga, or to the joy of inquiry into one’s own reality! – Divine Discourse, May 13, 1970

The ananda or bliss we get when hunger is appeased by a meal is short-lived. Hunger afflicts us again before long. However sweet and tasty the food may be, it causes nausea when consumed in big quantities. The mythological bird Chakora is said to feed on moonlight only, but we can be sure an excess of even that will certainly be unwelcome to it. Even nectar will cloy when one continues to eat it endlessly. Brahmananda (Supreme Divine Bliss), however, is different. For, it is native to man, his very source and sustenance. The purpose of human striving, through stage after stage of spiritual progress, is to attain that. A fish placed in an artistic golden gem-studded bowl is miserable. It has no ananda, for it has no water. Water is its home, its real source and sustenance. Man too must reach his original home, however far he may wander. – Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1983.

The Lord announced time and again that He showers grace on inner purity, not outer pomp. When one has established himself in equal-mindedness, Krishna installs Himself in his heart: His voice becomes the conscience that guides him at every step. Through Yoga, fortitude must be acquired; through Japa, sense-control must be earned; through Sadhana, the mind should be filled with peace. But, these effects are not noticeable, though the actions are practised. People close themselves in their shrine rooms and perform worship, offer flowers and fruit, and later, emerge from the place, only to shout and swear, frighten and fight with all and sundry. Man must be a yogi always, under all circumstances (satatam yoginah), says the Gita. This means he should ever be in bliss. Faith in God can ensure equanimity and balance. Knowledge must develop into skill, which must be directed and regulated by a sense of balance. Or else, skill degenerates into ‘kill’. – Divine Discourse, Sep 07, 1985.

Prahladha, as the Bhagavata text declares, was rooted in the faith in Lord Narayana and His Universal, Absolute Reality. His father, Hiranyakashipu, however, was drawn by external forms and the limiting names. Therefore, Prahladha was rooted in ananda (bliss) wherever he was, in whatever set of circumstances. Hiranyakashipu was ever worried and anxious, caught up in the multiplicity of names and forms. Those who are in such bliss as Prahladha had will have an aura around them and an effulgence on their faces. People can derive joy watching their faces and yearn to have that experience again and again. The faces of the worried and the anxious will infect others too with similar feelings. Besides, delight endows one with great power too whereas anxiety robs one of the strength one has. True delight cannot be acquired by effort or produced artificially or maintained by design. No course of Sadhana (spiritual effort) can be prescribed to enable one to gain ananda. For, one is, in fact, the very embodiment of ananda! But since he has failed to identify his truth, he is seeking it from outside, from the objects around him. For those who have realised that they are the Eternal, the True and the Pure Atma, ananda is ever accessible. – Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1983.

Mahabharata offers four examples of bad men called Dushta Chatushtaya. The first one is Shakuni (Duryodhana’s maternal uncle). Shakuni was all the time filled with bad thoughts (Dhuralochana). He is a total stranger to good ideas. He was always plotting something bad for someone or other. Duryodhana had Shakuni as his advisor. Duryodhana was engaged in dhuscharya (bad deeds). They were comrades in evil. Then came Dusshasana (Duryodhana’s brother). In association with Shakuni and Duryodhana, Dhushasana became notorious for his Dush-pravartana (bad behaviour). When these three evil-minded men came together, “even stars fell during daytime,” they say. The whole cosmos rebels against such evil-minded men. Karna, out of a false sense of Durabhimanam (bad attachment), joined this trio. Gratitude is doubtless a good quality. Because Duryodhana came to his rescue on a critical occasion, Karna developed a wrongful attachment to him. Karna was a good-natured person, noble-minded. But because he was associated with evil-minded men, he also became bad. Despite his valour, physical prowess and intellectual abilities, Karna met with disaster, as he made himself remote from God. Evil thoughts, evil deeds, evil conduct, and attachment to the evil-minded – these are Dushta Chatushtaya (the four evil persons). – Divine Discourse, Mar 04, 1993.

(The five fields in which Samatvam is to be attained) (3) The field of knowledge with its ups and downs: Until the summit of knowledge, wherefrom one experiences the One which has become this vast make-believe, is attained there are many temptations and obstacles that lead the seeker astray. The student is inclined to give up the climb altogether when he feels exhausted or when he feels that he has reached the summit. The Gita defines a Pandit or learned man as a Samadarshi, he who has gained the awareness of the same One in all beings. The Jnani has gained Samatva when he is convinced of the One being the Truth of all and when his thoughts, words and deeds are guided by that conviction. (4) The field of devotion with its ups and downs: Here too there is a great deal of fanaticism, prejudice and persecution, which arise out of ignorance of the One, the sameness of the God whom all adore, through various rites and rituals, modes and methods. There is only One God, and He is Omnipresent! – Divine Discourse, Sep 07, 1985.

Those who don’t believe in Karma Siddhanta (the theory of karma) today speak about the oneness of mankind. But how do they explain the vast and immeasurable differences among men – differences in abilities, conditions, attitudes and impulses? One is continually sick. Another is hale and hearty. One is always cheerful. Another is continuously miserable. People do not realise that these differences are the results of past karma (action). Karma is the cause of everything that happens. The fruits of one’s actions may not be evident immediately, but sooner or later, they are bound to appear. “I shall do this, I shall do that – Vain is this boast, Oh man! As you sow, so shall you reap. As the seed, so will the fruit be (Telugu Poem).” Hence, it is only by doing good deeds can one achieve desirable results. It is for this purpose that the Vedas have laid down in the Karma Kanda (section of Vedas that emphasises on actions performed) the good deeds by which beneficial results can be got. – Divine Discourse, Mar 17, 1983.