divine discourse 1-125

8/14/2019 Divine Discourse 1-125

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Strive - that is your duty.Strive - that is your duty.Yearn, that is your task. Struggle,Yearn, that is your task. Struggle,that is your assignment. If only youthat is your assignment. If only you

do these, sincerely and steadily, Goddo these, sincerely and steadily, Godcannot keep back for long the rewardcannot keep back for long the rewardof realization. The river strives,of realization. The river strives,yearns and struggles to merge withyearns and struggles to merge withthe sea from which it came. It hasthe sea from which it came. It hasthat consummation ever alert in itsthat consummation ever alert in its

consciousness. It attempts to makeconsciousness. It attempts to makeitself pure and pellucid so that it mayitself pure and pellucid so that it maybe welcomed by its source. Itbe welcomed by its source. Itovercomes every obstacle of terrainovercomes every obstacle of terrainin order to journey successfullyin order to journey successfullytowards it goal. Similarly, you tootowards it goal. Similarly, you toomust utilize all the physical, mental,must utilize all the physical, mental,

intellectual, moral and materialintellectual, moral and materialendowments that God has grantedendowments that God has grantedyou so that you may journey to theyou so that you may journey to thegoal of Realizationgoal of Realization

- Divine Discourse, Feb 16 1977- Divine Discourse, Feb 16 1977


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Take an ordinary postalenvelope. Upon it, in golden ink,write the address of a person inartistic calligraphy. Insert a

beautiful worded letter full oamazing sentiments, and drop iinto a postbox. What happens toit? It will not move even a yardaway! Now take a simple poscard, scribble unimpressive thingswith no special care, affix a stamp,an address and drop it into the

box. What happens? Theartistically ornamental envelope isinert, while the inartistic cheapdocument travels a thousandmiles towards the personindicated. Therefore, whatevemay be the uniqueness oimportance, the furore o

attractiveness, the service that youdo can yield no fruit if it is donewithout a pure chiththa (thought ointention).

-Divine Discourse, Mar 6, 1977.


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By saturating work with love, it canbe transformed into worship. When suchwork is offered to God, it gets sanctifiedinto puja (sacramental worship). Thismakes it free from ego. It is also freed fromthe earthly desire for success and theearthly fear of failure. When you can feethat when you have done the work as bestas you can, your puja is complete. It is thenfor Him who has accepted the puja toconfer on you what He considers best. Thisattitude will make the work unattached.Regular practice of this discipline wilrender the consciousness clear and pure.Without this practice, however prospectiveyour career might be, however much youmay accumulate the wherewithal of acomfortable life, to whatever heights oauthority you may have climbed throughthe exercise of intelligence, your gainsshall be nothing, unless your every activitis suffused with the Divine purity, that isinherent in consciousness.

- Divine Discourse, Mar 6, 1977.


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Seeing one's own reality is the

opening of the doors of liberation.For this, the mirror of the heart has tobe prepared by coating the back othe heart with Truth and Righteous Action. Otherwise the image will notappear. In every act of yours, if youobserve truth and justice, then youcan see your own reality revealed.You may say that the burden of pastacts and their inevitableconsequences have to be borne; butthe Grace of the Lord can burn thatburden in a flash; the revelation oreality, will, in a flash, save you fromthat burden.

-Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1976.


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The Lord is devoid ofattachment and hatred. Hecomes on a Mission and isbent only on that task. Hisnature is to support the rightand admonish the wrong. Histask is to restore vision to

man, to turn his footstepsalong the path of morality andself-control, so that he mayachieve self-knowledge.

- Divine Discourse, 25 Dec, 1976 .


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Let me call upon you togive up two evils from your mind

on this Holy Day: Self-praise andtalking scandal. Adopt one habit:The habit of loving service to thedistressed. If you spend all youtime and energy in worldlycomfort and sensual delight, youare disgracing the humanexistence. Consider this body as

a temple of God where He resides.Keep it clean, fresh and fragranthrough developing Compassionand Love. Use the Temple of God,only for holy thoughts, words anddeeds. Do not demean it by usingit for low, trivial and unholy tasks.Wherever you are, whatever youdo, have this resolution steadyand strong.

- Divine Discourse, 25 Dec, 1976


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You must realize that thedivine current that flows andfunctions in every living being isthe One Universal Entity. Whenyou desire to enter the Mansionof God, you are confronted bytwo closed doors: The desire topraise yourself and the desire todefame others. The doors are

bolted by envy and there is alsothe huge lock of egoism preventing entry. So if you areearnest, you have to resort tothe key of love and open thelock. Then remove the bolt andthe doors are wide open. Theeducation you receive must train

you to be successful in thisdifficult operation.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1976


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From the narrow vision of the

individual need, one must voyage outinto the broad vision of the Universal.When a drop of water falls into theocean, it loses its narrowindividualities, its name and form andassumes the form, name and taste ofthe ocean itself. If it seeks to liveseparately as a drop, it will soonevaporate and be reduced to non-existence. Each one must becomeaware that he/she is part of the OneTruth that encompasses everything inthe Universe. Make the heart big andthe mind pure, only then can peaceand prosperity be established onearth.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1976.


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Dharma' or Right Action

promotes peace and happiness,contentment and joy. Today, we are inneed of persons who have attained purity in all levels of consciousness.One can reach perfect bliss only whenhis/her heart becomes free from envy,egoism, greed and other evil traits.We need persons who can recognizeand relish the kinship and the identitythat exists between man and man, aswell as between one society andanother. Dharma, Righteous Actionalone provides peace, contentmentand joy.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25 1976.


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Those who sing bhajans ge

what can be called "DoublePromotion", for they derive joy anddistribute joy. Life today is filled withsorrow, it is beset with fear anddespair. The only time you can forgethese thoughts and strengthenyourself to meet the hard times iswhen you contact the Source of all

strength, God. You cannot get tha peace and joy while you bend undethe burden of daily life. You arecarrying a huge load of worry all day.Keep that aside for an hour everyevening and spend that time with God,who can make your shoulders strongand your burden light. You eat twice a

day for the upkeep of the body,should you not do bhajan at leasonce for the upkeep of the mind?

- Divine Discourse, , Dec 12, 1976.


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When you intend to harmanother, the evil recoils on you. Thegrief which you suffer is only an echoof the grief you inflict in another'sheart. So when you have injuredanother, pray for pardon. Repent andresolve never to do it again. Throughgenuine prayer, mountains of evil can

be pulverized and destroyed. Fromnow on, decide that your words shallbe soft and sweet, your acts beneficialto others and your thoughts alwaysabout how to serve others who areweaker and less prosperous.



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The supreme secret is that manmust live in the world where he isborn like the lotus leaf, which thoughborn in water floats upon it withoubeing affected or wetted by it. Ocourse, it is good to love and adoreGod with a view to gain some valuablefruit either here or hereafter. But sincethere is no fruit or object morevaluable than God or more worthwhilethan God, the Vedas advise us to loveGod, with no touch of desire in ouminds. Love, since you must love foloves sake; Love God, since whateveHe can give is less than He Himself.Love Him alone, with no other wish odemand.

- Sathya Sai Vahini.


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Life has the nobler goal of self-illumination, of lighting the lamp olove inside oneself and sharing thalamp with all around us. Kama (desire)and Krodha (anger) are the enemiesthat will not allow that flame to beburning bright. Kama (Desire) is thelust for physical pleasure, for power,fame, wealth and scholarship. Krodha(Anger) is the result of foiled lust. Iyou long for peace of mind, you mustake the spiritual practice that willconfer peace on you. If you choosethe wrong path, you cannot complainthat you are lost. Salt and campholook alike, but you have to exerciseyour intelligence to discriminate

between them. Brass makes morenoise than gold, but you should nobe deceived by that and choose brassinstead of gold.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1976.


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Once the person is drawn to theDivine, the process of culturing o

"Samskara" begins. Without this, theindividual is fallow and feeble. He hasno dignity or personality. A worthlesssteel lump is transformed by skilfulmanipulation and reconstruction intoa watch that is worth several units omoney. This is the result of theSamskara, which turned a steel lump

into an useful tool for indicating time.In a similar manner, one can betransformed into a noble, efficient,happy and disciplined member of thesociety by implanting in him/her goodthoughts, good feelings, good deedsand good emotions. Such transformed persons will spontaneously engage

themselves in the task of promotinghuman welfare. They will be promoters of the ideals of thebrotherhood of the man and thefatherhood of God.



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Let us consider the act of"Chamatkara," the acts that attractand cause you to wonder. You see aflower. You long to hold it in yourhand only when its colour orfragrance is attractive. You enter themarket and see heaps of fruits. If the

fruits are not attractive, you have nourge to eat them and benefit bythem. Attraction is the nature of theDivine. When one renounces one'sselfish desires, his/her love expandsunto the farthest regions of theUniverse until that person becomesaware of the Cosmic Love that feeds

all.



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The Lord incarnates as humanbeing to help humans comprehendthat which apparently cannot beunderstood and to enable them to

attain that which is seeminglyunattainable. By this action, the Lord,who is infinite, immutable andimmanent, does not suffer anydiminution. Neither is He, thoughembodied in a human frame,influenced by the taints andblemishes that normally affect a

human being. To grasp thesignificance of the Divine Incarnation,it is imperative that one should riseabove the rajasic (passionate) andthamasic (dull) gunas (atrributes).Pious (sathwic) habits alone can leadhim through the path of true devotionto the Lotus Feet of the Divine. For

this, a favorable environment andcompany of good people areessential.



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There is a burning coal. Asome distance, there is a cold pieceof coal. When they contact eachother, the heat spreads to the cold piece of coal and the part that is incontact with the burning coal isrendered hot and red. If youvigorously sway a fan over the

contact area, soon the entire coabecomes a burning ember. "Near"alone is not enough for realization.One has to make it "Dear" by usingthe fan of spiritual practice. The power of spiritual practices is suchthat it can make human transforminto Divine. Spiritual Practice is thecultivation of Divine Love. Be full o

Divine love, taste the exhilaration thalove can confer on you.



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Iron turns into rust if it seeksthe company of soil. It glows, softensand takes on useful shapes, if it

enjoys the company of fire. Dust canfly if it chooses the wind as its friend.It has to end as slime in a pit, if it prefers water. It has neither wing norfoot, yet it can either fly or walk, riseor fall, according to the friend itselects. Knowing this truth, a greatsaint, Kabir once said. "Here are my

prostrations to the good, Here are myprostrations to the bad." When askedwhy he offered prostrations to thebad, he said, "My prostrations to thebad, so that they may leave me alone.I do the same before good, so thatthey might remain near me always."You are shaped by the company you

keep.



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No one eats to appease

another's hunger nor takes drugs toalleviate another's illness. You eat toappease your own hunger, you drinkto quench your own thirst. So do noseek approval, appreciation oadmiration from others or refrain fromyour spiritual practices. Be self-relianand self-confident. See through you

own eyes. Hear through your ownears. Most people today believe theiears and deny their eyes. Or they usethe eyes, ears and the brains of othersand that leads to fear or misjudgment.The Lord is moved and showersGrace on every genuine appealemanating from the heart. Let His

Name dance on your tongue forever,conferring on you the sweetness oHis Majesty.

- Divine Discourse, 14 Nov 1976 .


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When God is invoked by prayer that emanates from the heart,let it be even once, He responds

immediately. It must not emanate onlyfrom the lips; it does not have the ringof sincerity and faith. From the lips, imust roll back on the tongue; from thetongue, it must reach down into theheart. Continuous purification alonecan grant success in this effort. Jusas the mother who is attending to hechores on the first floor of the house,will quickly rush to the infant lying onthe ground floor when the infant wails,God will rush to your aid. The mothewill not stay away because the wail

was not musical or melodious.Similarly, God always responds toprayer that emanates from your heart.

- Divine Discourse, 28 Apr 1975 .


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Every thought leaves animpression on the mind, so be evealert that contact with evil is avoided.Ideas which are opposed to spiritualtendencies, that narrow the limits olove, that provoke anger or greed, othat cause disgust, have to be shuout. For the aspirant, this is the mosessential discipline. One mussublimate such thoughts before theycause an impact on the mind, andshould concentrate on the verysource of the thinking process. Thiscan be achieved by the practice oequanimity, unaffectedness obalance. The path of devotion anddedication is the easiest for most. It is

attainable by love, for love leads youquickly to the Goal.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1976


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The Divine Call is not to deceiveor mislead. It is to transform,reconstruct, and reform. It is to makethe person useful and serviceable forthe society; to affirm in the individualthe unity of all beings in God. The person who has undergone thissamskara (refinement) becomes ahumble servant of those in need ofhelp. This is the stage of Paropakara(selfless service). Service done withthis kind of reverence andselflessness prepares man to realizethe One that pervades the Many.

- Divine Discourse, 23 Nov 1976


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The devotional songs you sing,

saturates the atmosphere withthoughts of God, and of the peace and joy that He showers. The songsaffects not only the particular areayou are and the environment, but theentire atmosphere. Continue theattitude of devotion and humility, oservice and tolerance, and the

atmosphere will not be polluted byhatred. Do not contaminate the air byvoices of acrimony, scandal, insult oslander. Keep silent when you feel likeexpressing such ideas, that itself is aservice to yourself and to others.



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Samkirtan is singing the Gloryof God. It is the process of singingthat originates in the heart... not fromthe lips or the tongue. It is theexpression of the joyous thrill thatwells up from the heart when theGlory of God is remembered. It is thespontaneous manifestation of the

inner ecstasy. No attention is paid tothe blame or praise that others maygive. It does not seek the admirationor the appreciation of the listeners. Itis sung for one's own joy, one's ownsatisfaction, for one's own delight.That type of singing alone is supreme.



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When kama (desire) andkrodha (anger) are rising in hot

flames from the heart, how can thecool rays of Shanthi (peace),Sathya (truth), Ahimsa (non-violence) and Prema (love)emanate therefrom? This humanbirth is a rare chance. Use it fospreading joy, not grief. Of courseit is natural for man to resent, to

grow angry. You should not allowanger free and furious scope. Theraging floods have to be restrainedby bunds and dams so that thewater may reach the sea withoutscouring the fields on either bank.You must set limits to your ownanger and hatred, and honou

those limits.

- Divine Discourse, 28 Aug 1976 .


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To remove the evil ofegoism, service is the mostefficient instrument. Service willalso impress on the person doingthe service the Unity of allmankind. One who dedicateshis/her time, skill and strength toservice can never meet defeat,distress or disappointment, forservice is its own reward. Hiswords will be ever sweet and soft,his gestures ever revered andhumble. He will have no foe,fatigue, or fear.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 28, 1976.


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Give the body theattention it deserves, but notmore. Some people advise thatyou should cultivate disgusttowards it; but that is notbeneficial. Tend it as aninstrument, use it as a boat, a

raft. Disgust is not a desirableattitude towards anything inGod's creation. Everything isGod's handiwork, an example ofHis Glory, His Majesty.



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Carry on your highest dutyto yourselves, following the four 'F's- Follow the Master, Face the Devil,Fight to the End and Finish thegame....Love can make you gathethe affection of mankind. Love willnot tolerate any selfish aim oapproach. Love is God, Live in

Love. Then all is right; all can bewell. Do not narrow it down into aninstrument of restricted love.Expand your heart, so that iencompasses all.



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Recognize this truth. God

is in all. When you hate another,you are hating the Lord. When youhate the Lord, you are hatingyourself. When you inflict pain onanother name, remember that theother is yourself, in another formwith another name....Envy causes pain on those who are envied.

When another's fortune is green,why should your eyes be red?Why get wild when another eatshis fill?... Give up this vice of envy.Be happy when another is happy.That is more pleasing to the Lordthan all the prayers you recite, allthe flowers you heap on His

picture or image, or even thehours you spend in silentmeditation.



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The bumble bee can borea hole in the hardest of the wood.

But, when dusk intervenes while iis sipping the nectar from thelotus flower and as a result whenthe open petals close in on thebee, it finds itself imprisoned withno hope of escape. It does noknow how to deal with softness.So too, the mind can play itstricks and jump about on anyarena. When placed on the LotusFeet of the Lord, it becomesinactive and harmless. To offethe mind entirely to the Lord,deep detachment from worldlydesires is needed. Superficialdevotion or shallow steadfastnesscannot succeed.



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Do not pray to God fowealth, fame, positions of power oeven for the fruits of your actions.The genuine seeker will pray fonothing else than God. This longingwill fill all the acts he does in a day.

Every wave of emotion, every tune osong and every beat of pulse willrespond only to that wish. God is thebasis on which this creation rests.The deepest yearning should be toexperience that One, the basis, theBeing, that has become. Be aware o

the One, which manifests as many.

- Divine Discourse, 24 Apr 1980 .


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You must be ever engaged inthe process of purifying the mindand clarifying the intellect. You haveto free yourself from all prejudicesand misunderstandings. You mustspeak softly and sweetly and giveeveryone the respect and attentiondue to them sincerely. Humility and

tolerance must characterize yourbehaviour as a devotee. When thewind agitates the serene waters of alake, wavelets dance all over its faceand a thousand Suns sparkle. Whencalm descends and the waters arestill, the shadow of the Sun withinthe lake is one full image.

- Divine Discourse, 29 March 1976


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Patience, Tolerance, fortitude,equanimity, fraternity...these will proveinvaluable equipments in the pilgrimageto God. Do not distinguish between onefellow pilgrim and another on the basisof caste, creed or color. Do not dividethem into friends and foes. Recognizethe common traits, uniting efforts, andthe basic divinity amongst all. Rich and

poor, scholar and illiterate - thesedistinctions do not hold good for long,they are just outer frills. A flowerradiates fragrance and charm, whetherheld in the right hand or the left. It doesnot limit that gift to some and deny it toothers. Everyone who comes near,receives the fragrance.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1975


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The task before each of one ous is to plant the seeds of Truth,Righteousness, Peace and Love in

each heart. Foster these saplingsand watch over them with love andcare until they grow into treesyielding a rich harvest of sweefruits. Sages who had succeeded inthis beneficial culture have laiddown the means and methods, thesteps and slips, the helps and

hindrances, that one has toconsider. The swimmer has to pushthe water behind him so that hemight proceed forward. So too,while attempting to march forward,one has to push back from him theevil thoughts, habits, deeds andimpulses that crowd in. Believe in

this conviction, instill faith in youheart and you will be assured osuccess.

-Divine Discourse, Vol 13 Ch 19,Nov 23, 1975.


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Today you must resolve to practice My advice, to follow Mydirectives, to translate My messageinto acts of service and to engage inSadhana. Adore your fellow being,the adoration reaches Me. Neglechim/her, you neglect Me. Of whaavail is it to worship the Lord and tosuppress your fellow-being? Love

for God must be manifested as Lovefor fellow-beings and Love musexpress itself as Service. ThroughLove alone, Love that is acquiredthrough spiritual practices, andshared with all can peace be attainedby the individual as well as thenation.

-Divine Discourse, Vol 13 Ch 19, Nov23, 1975.


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What you judge as joy orsorrow is only like a passing cloud,

which cannot affect the splendor of

the Sun or Moon. Know that such

emotions follow one another when

the wheel of life turns round from

moment to moment. The sea haswater that cannot quench thirst, but

it has also pearl and coral. You have

to get toughened by the hammer

strokes of joy and sorrow until you

are unaffected by the vicissitudes of

fortune. The Atman (Self) alone iseternal and unchanging.



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God is sweet Love. You toomust reveal the same sweet love, andthereby announce the Reality of God asLove. Do not exhibit equanimitymomentarily. You must not startgetting angry at all and sundry, after awhile. Some are Yogis (spiritual) in themorning, Bhogis (epicureans) at noon

and Rogis (Sick) at night. You must noact three roles in one day. Youdeepest yearning must be toexperience the One, the Being that is present in You. Be aware of the Onethat manifests as many. That is theDivine Life.

-Divine Discourse, Vol 13, 23 Nov1975.


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The mansion called lifemust be built on a strongfoundation. The pursuit of Artha and Kama, of wealthand welfare, of all desirableobjects must be regulated by

the standard of Dharma.Dharma (righteousness)fosters those who foster it.The strongest foundation isever-present faith in theAlmighty.

- Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol.VIII.,P.74 .


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Dharma is not the giving oalms, feeding and providing lodgingto pilgrims or the adherence to one'straditional profession or craft. In allworldly activities, you should becareful not to offend propriety, or thecanons of good nature. You shouldnot play false to the promptings othe Inner Voice. You should be prepared at all times to respect theappropriate dictates of conscience;you should watch your steps to seewhether you are in someone else'sway; you must be ever vigilant todiscover the Truth behind all this

scintillating variety. This is the entireduty, it is your Dharma.

- Dharma Vahini .


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Peace is a shoreless ocean. Iis the Light that illumines the world.It confers knowledge of this worldand that. Pure love can emanate onlyfrom a heart immersed in peace, foit is an atmosphere that pervadesand purifies. Peace is not aconviction arrived at by means ologic. It is the discipline of all

disciplined lives. Iron has to bebeaten flat by iron alone. So too, theinferior, lower mind, has to beshaped better by the superior minditself. One has to make his mindsuperior and stronger for the task o personal upliftment. Drink deep thewaters of discipline. Immerse

yourself in it and become cleansed.May its coolness refresh yousorrows and pains, and quench thefires of sin.

- Prasanthi Vahini.


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Absence of mere ange

cannot be taken as peace. Thewinning of a desired object andthe satisfaction derived thenshould not be confused with peace. The peace that has pervaded the heart must not beshaken subsequently for anyreason. Peace must be everlastingand have no ups and downs; icannot be partial in adversity andcomplete in prosperity. It cannotbe one thing today and anothetomorrow. Only that kind o permanent peace alone deservesto be called Prasanthi.Maintaining the same even flow opeace, bliss, and joy is Prasanthi.

- Prasanthi Vahini.


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Through selfless serviceyou realise that all beings are wavesof the Ocean of Divinity. No othe

sadhana (spiritual practice) canbring you into the incessancontemplation of the Oneness of allliving beings. You feel another's painas your own; you share another'ssuccess as your own. To see everyone else as yourself and yourself inevery one, that is the core of the

sadhana of seva. Again, seva makesthe ego languish for want of food. Imakes you humble before thesuffering of others, and when yourush to render help, you do nocalculate how high or low his socialor economic status is. The hardesheart is slowly softened into the

softness of butter by theopportunities that the seva offers.

-Divine Discourse, November 14, 1975.


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A devotee is like a needlewhich is always drawn towards themagnet. But the needle has to benear enough and must be clean. Iyou stay far away and complain thatGrace has not come, what can bedone? You must scrape off the mudand rust by the process o

repentance. Sometimes, you comenear for some time and stray way. Ido not mean the physical distance. Ido not measure distance in miles ometers. Realize that I am always withyou, in you, beside you, ever. Onlyyou have to be aware of Me andmake use of My presence.



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When the rain drop falls intothe sea, it gets the name, form andnature of sea. So too, when theindividual merges with the vasconcourse of humanity and feels onewith all, it is endowed with the name,form and nature of the Divine.Whatever you do as service, towhomsoever you offer the act,believe that it reaches the God inthat person. This is the meaning oIshwara sarva bhutaanaam (God is present in everyone). Dedicate allyour actions to God. Do your actionsas Ishwararpanam (Offering to God).

- Divine Discourse, July 27, 1980.


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You must demonstrate thaLove, Peace, Righteousness, Truthand acts of Loving Service, renderedin a spirit of humility and reverence,is what makes people happy. Weneed not concentrate on productionof more food or building of morehouses or manufacturing more cloth.

What is most needed today is a totaleffort to make human beingsmanifest more tolerance, morehumility, more brotherliness, morecompassion and deeper awarenessof the springs of joy and peace thalie within the heart of each one. Be inthe forefront of this spiritual

adventure.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 14, 1975 .


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Through service you realize thaall beings are waves of the Ocean oDivinity. No other spiritual practicecan bring you into the incessancontemplation of the Oneness of allliving beings. You feel another's painas your own; you share another'ssuccess as your own. To see

everyone else as yourself andyourself in every one is the core ospiritual practice. This spirit makesyou humble before the suffering oothers. When you rush to rendehelp, you do not calculate how highor low one's social or economicstatus is. Thus, the hardest heart is

slowly softened into sweetness bythe opportunities of service.



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Doing something because it isbeing done elsewhere is a sign oignorance. The service programsmust satisfy a need, solve a localdifficulty and must be adapted tolocal conditions. Do not think of thesatisfaction of doing something

concrete or about the name, fame opraise you will win. Do not crave fo publicity...crave for the joy thashines in the face of the peoplewhom you help. Selfless servicebrings you nearer to Me. The flowethat is your heart gets the fragranceby means of your selfless service

and becomes more acceptable tome.



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Expansion is the key note oeducation. The first step for thisexpansion is the home, where youmust revere and please you parents who gave you this chanceto live and learn. If you ill-treat themor inflict grief on their minds, hocan you ever gladden others byservice and understanding? Youknow that when a balloon is blown,it bursts and the air inside it mergeswith the vast limitless expanse

outside. So too your love must fillyour home and your society, andfinally burst even those bonds andbecome worldwide. A drop of wateheld in the palm evaporates soon; iis very alone. But drop it into thesea - it survives! It assumes thename, the majesty and the might o

a sea! Cultivate the seeds of love inall hearts!

- Divine Discourse, July 25,1975.


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Treat mercifully those whostruggle to survive. Help themas much as you can. Realizeyour responsibilities. Movereverentially with others. Win theblessings of God and earn goodfame amongst your fellowbrothers and sisters. Examineyour daily activities on thetouchstone of righteousness.May you become individualsshining in virtue.

- Divine Discourse, Sep 21, 1980


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To presume that peacecomes either fromwealth, or from kith orkin is a great error.Peace comes only fromGod. In fact, there is nostrength superior toLove. Where Love is,there everything is. Youmust Love God and livein love. Everything shallbe alright. You mustmake others also live inlove.

- Divine Discourse, Sep21, 1980.


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Liberation is giving up of the unreal.Let us suppose you want a cup of fruit

juice. Unless you throw away the watealready in the cup, you cannot pour the juice in the cup. Similarly, unless yougive up materialism, Atma bhava(spiritual attitude) cannot come to you.Moksha (Liberation) is not a distinct anddifferent spiritual discipline. It is onlygiving up unnecessary desires.

Ignorance is the cause of jealousy, andjealousy is the cause of disharmony. Anddisharmony is the cause of anger.Through anger, wisdom is lost. The realspiritual wisdom is seeing "One in All" atall times. If there is duality or differences,wisdom declines.

- Divine Discourse, Sep 21, 1980.


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Just as you prescribe minimumqualifications for every profession,the minimum qualification for Grace is

surrender of egoism, control ovesenses, and regulated food andrecreation. The body is the boat onwhich we voyage across the ocean oour worldly lives. It has to be kept trimand sea-worthy. The atmosphere webreathe in, the water we take in, theground we live in, the animals and

plants that surround us - all have tobe maintained clean. Exercise,bathing, washing and cleaningactivities are prescribed for this purpose. So also, the voyager too,must be strong, confident andcourageous.

- Divine Discourse, Sep 1980.


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Virtue can be cultivated through

voluntary, selfless service to theliving beings. A virtuous person canbe both healthy and happy. Virtuemust flow through the triplechannels of love, mercy anddetachment, if it has to feed theroots of Service. Human beings areendowed with the instinct o

gregariousness, in order to treadthe path of mutual sympathy,continuous compassion andconcrete service. Virtue is the panacea to lead a healthy andhappy life.

- Divine Discourse, Sep, 1980.


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A person is made ormarred by the company he/shekeeps. A bad man who falls intogood company is able to shedhis evil habits quickly and shineforth in virtue. A good person

falling into evil company isovercome by the subtleinfluence and slides down intodoing evil. The lesser isoverpowered by the greater,hence be watchful at all times.



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To have the vision of God, oneshould become the master, for the

Master alone can have access to thetreasure-chest. You have to master thesenses and all other faculties. Oneshould not be the servant of thesenses, and of the whims and fanciesof the emotions and passions. Theservant has access only to the cheapand perishable junk of the house-hold.

The treasure-chest of life, therefore,cannot be viewed by eyes blinded orbefogged by egoism, greed and envy.Therefore, engage yourselves insadhana (spiritual practice), withoutany delay. Cultivate virtues, freeyourself from evil habits, thoughts,words and deeds. Grow in love and

greet Nature with Love. This is the wayto Joy, Ananda.



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Divinity is deep in the core othe consciousness of everyone. We do

not keep gold, jewels and valuables inthe verandahs and the quadrangles oour homes; we keep only pots andbaskets there. We place our jewels inan iron safe or secure enclosure, in aninner room, away from public gaze.The body is liable to fall, rot and geburnt. When one ages, we say that one

is nearing their end faster and faster.In the box called 'body' is the treasure'Atma'. The sea keeps its valuablepearls deep down, close to the bed. Iscatters cheap shells on the shore,where people can pick them. So, to gethe treasure from the body, that is, to perceive the Atma, your inquiry mus

turn inward.

- Divine Discourse, 28 April 1975


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A sense of elation andexultation keeps the body free fromill-health. Evil habits that oneindulges in is the chief cause of themental and physical diseases. Greedaffects the mind, disappointmenmakes one depressed. Each one can justify their existence only bycultivation of the virtues. Once youhave virtues, you become a worthycandidate for Godhood. It is progressin virtue that announces the progressof a person towards Divinity. Virtuealso confers skill, freshness and longyears of youthfulness. Starcultivating and growing virtues thaare divine in you, today.



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Sorrow is caused by the humanbody, which is the home of countlessmicrobes and other parasitic beings.No one can be free from this diseaseinducing causes. But, one can easilyovercome this sorrow by developingfeelings of compassion towards allbeings, and developing thoughtswhich thrive on Love and spreadLove. Illness, both physical andmental, is a reaction caused by the poison in the mind. Vice breedsdiseases. Bad thoughts and habits,bad company and bad food, arefertile grounds where disease thrives. Arogya, good health and Ananda,bliss go hand in hand.



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Life is a game of football. Youare the ball and you are bound to bethrown and kicked about. How longhave you to bear this treatment? Until

the air is full in the ball. Deflate it, andno one will kick it again! The air thatinflates is the ego. When the ego isout, Bliss comes in. Remove the egoin you and make yourself useful toyour parents and society. Do notbelittle others or your parents asilliterate or ignorant. They are far more

knowledgeable than you are. Nevecause tears to fill the eyes of you parents. Love them, revere them andserve them. Be humble and loving,and in the company of good andGodly. Remember the Name of Godindicating His Glory, His Mercy, HisLove... All egoistic feelings will fleeaway from you.



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We have to treat otherssuffering as our own. We have totreat others difficulties as our own.We have to be amicable with one andall. We must develop faith in themaxim that we are Ekatmaswarupas(Embodiments of One Divine Self).We must develop a sense odiscrimination between good andbad, and take only the good presentin all human beings. The same principle has to be followed insociety too. We have to do goodeven to those who harm us.

-Divine Discourse, July 10, 1980.


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The game of life is worth

playing and becomes aninteresting tonic, only whenthere are bounds for field, andrules and restrictions for the players. Imagine a game offootball or cricket where thereare no rules or boundaries orumpires. The game will bechaotic, it will soon degenerateinto a riot, a free fight. Dharma(Right conduct) is what makesthe game of life interesting,decent and desirable.

- Divine Discourse, July 23, 1975


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Cultivate the attitude odetachment, of indifference, obypassing of the urges (of desire)through prayer and systematic practice.This will lead you to Truth andRighteous behavior. Thus, you can leada life prescribed by scriptures. Runningaway from home and company o

people, and escaping into solitude willnot help you. Home is certain to hauntyou, wherever you may take refuge.Recognize this and dedicate all youthoughts, words and deeds to theDivine. Then, you will achieve theDivine Vision, wherever you are.



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It is always preferable toapproach God for the fulfillment owants, rather than cringe beforemen, who themselves are but toolsin the hands of God. In His ownsilent way, God will transform themind and turn it towards sadhana(spiritual practice) and successfulspiritual pilgrimage. He cannot andwill not allow His children to losetheir way and suffer in the jungle.When you approach God and seekHis help and guidance, you havetaken the first step to saveyourself. You are then led toaccept His Will as your own. Thus,

you achieve shanthi (absolutepeace) .

- Divine Discourse, April 4, 1975.


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God is in the World, In andThrough everything. No item can bediscarded as not worthy of God. Thereare four stages in securing the Graceof God: (1) Attach your mind to theGod, (2) Love the Form of God towhich the mind has been attached, (3)Install the Form in your heart, (4)

Dedicate all that one has and does tothe Form Installed. God is fragrance,brilliance, sweetness, taste,intelligence, valor, austerity, fame,contentment. You can acquireunalloyed bliss by knowing thisuniversal and all-inclusive Glory of theLord.



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The scriptures (Upanishads

and Bhagavad Gita) declare, "AllNature is God" and "The Lord is in allbeings". When learning about thesublime secrets of the trees,appreciate the Creator and strive tounderstand the principles behindcreation. Life is a tree. The mutualrelationship we cultivate and cherish

are symbolized by the branches, twigsand leaves; the thoughts arising in themind are the flowers; Ananda (Joy) isin the fruit, Dharma is the sweet juiceit contains. The tree is held firm by thevery roots which fed it...roots thasymbolize faith and self-confidence.Nurture the roots well.

- Divine Discourse, February 18, 1980.


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Riches beyond reasonablelimits will result only in disaster. Unity

of minds, mutual love and co-operation- these are the qualities we mustdevelop continuously. One must notlearn to live like a drop of oil on a pond,spreading all over the surface andrefusing to merge with the water. Onemust join others in common tasks andcontribute one's strength and skill tothe common pool. A single thin stringcannot stop even an ant, but hundredsof them twisted into a rope can holdback an elephant. This is the effect ounited effort. It is a very desirable traitto work for a common cause withothers in co-operation; do not believein mere operation tasks.

-Divine Discourse, Vol 14 Ch 20, Feb 18,1980.


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Living becomes a gloriousexperience only when it is sweetened bytolerance and love. Willingness tocompromise with others' ways of living,and co-operation in common tasks -these make living happy and fruitful.Develop the Atmic awareness, theconsciousness of the Divine and the

acquisition of Divine attributes. Expandlove and understanding. When oneconsciously and steadily strives todevelop these distinct human qualities,one gains valuable experience and feelsequipped to transform the society. Whenthis happens, the nation and the entirehuman race benefits.

- Divine Discourse, February 17, 1980.


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The key discipline you mustcultivate is Ahimsa (Absence oViolence). It does not merely mean not

injuring a living being. You should notcause hurt even by a word, a look or agesture. Tolerance, fortitude,equanimity - these help you to besteady in Ahimsa. They will remove allchance of your causing pain to others.This is called Sahana (Forbearance) oKshama (Forgiveness). Assess the

worth of whatever others do to you osay about you, and cultivate fortitudeand the understanding to appreciatetheir behavior and pardon their faults.This capacity is as invaluable as truth,righteousness, renunciation andcompassion. This is all that one needto possess for spiritual advancement.

-Divine Discourse, February 17, 1980.


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Without an ever-present faithin an all-knowing God, life is dry anddrab, shadowed by despair and doom.Love for God and fear of sin are thetwo primary needs for a happy life.Without these two, one becomes amonster. You must be ever ready to

sacrifice your selfish needs for thesake of a larger community. Be honestand be proficient in detachment, andwith God installed in your hearts,march forward to offer your skills andduties steadfastly.

-Divine Discourse, March 29 , 1979


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Today, our lives are taintedby a desire for wealth. Wealthmakes a man intoxicated. Money isnecessary, but it must have a limit.

Excessive money can be harmful tothe mind. It is more difficult tospend money than to earn it. It iseven more difficult to take care omoney earned. This difficulty has anadvantage. Put the money to gooduse by spending it for the ruralfolks, and for the people in distress.Money is not the basis of thismundane world (It is not Dhanamoolam idham Jagath), but it is(Dharma moolam idham jagath).Righteousness is the foundation othis world. If money grows, unresalso grows, and money brings

sorrows with it. Give your money incharity and make it purposeful.

- Divine Discourse, March 28, 1979


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Whenever anperson is ill-treated oharmed, it is God whois the target of thasacrilege. Resorting

to falsehood is ademon tha possesses anoverpowers the weak.

Indulging inunnecessary talk, talkfor its own sake, is amorbid habit. It isalso a waste oenergy. It disperses


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The body iscleansed by soap anwater, but truecleanliness can beachieved only from

within. The cleansingof the body may keepphysical illness away,but the disease of the

mind requires innecleanliness. A perfume applied tothe body might pleasethe company around,but good thoughts


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Cultivate not riches,or comfort, oluxuries, but Divinevirtues. Speaksweetly, shed comfor

with every glance oyours. Do not beslaves to yousensual desires. You

should conquer lusand vanquish anger.Exile from your mingreed, hate an

jealousy. Dedicate

your hand to the


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God incarnates to inspirehuman beings to follow higher ideals inthe Universe. Human beings may havedifferent languages and life styles, buGod is One and He is presenteverywhere. All religions speak of Himas Love and as attainable through love.Forms of worshipping God differ, fothey are shaped by time and place, but

love is the basic content of all theforms. The language of love isunderstood and spoken by all hearts.There is only one race, the race omankind. One must not consider pettydistinctions of nationality, race, religionand language, and withhold love. Lovemust flow to everyone from the heart.

Nurture this love in your hearts andexperience the Divine.

- Divine Discourse, December 25, 1979.


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Develop knowledge about the

higher levels of consciousness andthe higher planes of existence.Knowledge leads to skill. From skillin using such knowledge, oneacquires balance. You mustrecognize that this life is a stage inthe long pilgrimage, and that we arenow at a hotel, a temporary resting place. There is a watchman to thehotel, which is your mind. Do not feel permanently attached to the mind orthe body. This "negative" body hasthe "positive" Divinity within it. Whenyou become all embracing infiniteLove, the Divine will manifest in andthrough you. Try to be like theDivine.

- Divine Discourse, December 25,1979.


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Every living being is on a

pilgrimage - whether he/she or it isaware or not. The Sun causes clouds inthe sky by raising water from the sea asvapour; the waters of the sea fall asrain, the rain water accumulates andflows as streams and rivers, until itmerges with the source, the sea. It isfaithful to its destiny; it confrontsbravely all the hurdles and obstacles onthe pilgrim path. Every human beinghas come into this world as aMessenger of God.

-Divine Discourse, December 25, 1979.


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Flowers scatter fragrance,trees offer fruits in plenty. No onebrings wealth when he is born ortakes it with him when he dies.Whatever riches one hasaccumulated have to be freelyshared with others. Instead oflearning the lessons they teach,

man pursues his own sense-cravings and his urge for fame andauthority over others. Contentmentis the most precious wealth. Greedbrings misery in return.Contentment alone can lead mantowards the goal of Divinity.

- Divine Discourse, ,December 25,1979.


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Protect your mother tongueand Motherland with all your energy.Make yourselves fit for this, bymaking the best use of theopportunities. Progress as much asyou can, without any hesitation.Develop character as well asintelligence and health. The mostreliable source of strength is in you,not in money, or kinsmen or physicalacumen, but in the Divinity within you.Know it, delve into it, and drawsustenance from it. See it in all, serveit in all.

-Divine Discourse, December 8, 1979.


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Have high ideals. Strive toelevate yourselves. Work to attainthe highest goal, God Himself.Whatever the obstacle or theopposition, do not be disheartened.Give up the animal in you, stabilizeyourselves in human virtues, and proceed boldly towards theachievement of Divinity. Do not

waver - having devotion today,tomorrow seeking sensualgratification, and then the day after,back to devotion again. Whensomething goes wrong, you arefilled with despair. When disciplineis enforced, you start holding back,and when love is showered, you

are first again. This dual attitudemust be given up.

-Divine Discourse, March 7, 1978 .


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We become what wecontemplate. By constant thought anideal gets imprinted on our hearts.When we fix our thoughts all thetime of the evil that others do, oumind gets polluted by evil. On thecontrary, if we fix our mind on thevirtues or well-being of the others,our mind is cleansed of wrong andentertains only good thoughts. Noevil thought can penetrate the mindof a person wholly given to love andcompassion.

-Divine Discourse, March 7, 1978.


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You must realize that bhajan,namasmaran and puja (chanting the

Name and worshipping God) are not fopleasing or making God happy, but foour own spiritual progress. Frequently,people flatter the rich and the powerful- especially when they are in theiemployment or are beholden to themfor some precious help - in order toinduce them to shower gifts on them.

But God does not shower Grace on people because they sing His praises.Nor does He come down upon thembecause they do not worship Him.Recitation of the Divine attributes onlyenable us to dwell on elevating idealsand approximate ourselves more andmore to the Divinity that is our truenature.

-Divine Discourse, March 7, 1978.


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Ignoring the unity of all mankindin the Divine Soul, one relishes inquarrels and factions. He classifiessome among his contemporaries asfriends and some as his foes. Duality isthe making of an individual. It is theiown likes and dislikes, prejudices and passions that is reflected, and thatcreates all these reactions of love andhatred - it is the resounding echo ofaction and friction. Friendship andenmity arise from your heart; they arelabels fixed by you, not marks whichother people are born with. The sameperson is the thickest friend of one andthe mortal enemy of another - bothbecause of his one act or word. Realize

this truth and live in unity.

- Divine Discourse, May 11, 1975.


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Illness is caused by themalnutrition of the mind than of body.Doctors speak of vitamin deficiency; Iwill call it the deficiency of 'Vitamin Gand I will recommend the repetition othe Name of God with accompanyingcontemplation of the glory and graceof God. That is the 'Vitamin G'. Thatis the medicine. Regulated life andhabits are two-thirds of the treatment,while the medicine is only one-third.

- Divine Discourse, April 28, 1975 .


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Cultivate unity andbrotherhood. A single fiber ofhemp cannot bind even an ant.Thousands rolled into a rope cantame a wild elephant into quiet

submission. In unity lies strength, joy and prosperity of the entiresociety.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 23, 2009.


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You have it in your power tomake your days on earth a path o

flowers, instead of a path of thorns.Recognize the Lord present in everyheart, and all will be smoothness,softness and sweetness for you. TheLord will be the fountain of Love in youheart, and in the hearts of all withwhom you come in contact. Know thathe Lord is Omnipresent in You, and in

every other being. Adore everyone asyou adore the Lord. Allow the others asmuch freedom as you like to enjoy, anddo unto him just as you would like to bedone to you. Don't do unto himanything you don't like to be done untoyou. This is the sum and substance oyour spiritual effort.

- Divine Discourse, May 11, 1975.


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The body that man bears isessentially the receptacle of God. It is atemple, where God is installed andwhere God is the Master. It does notdeserve all the attention you now pay tofulfill its urges, needs and whims. TheDivine is the core, the essence of youbeing. God is everywhere; when He isrecognized and adored as the Indwelleof your body, it becomes a Temple andit is no more a burden. God is shining,announcing Himself through you. He isexpressing Himself through everythought, word and deed that emanatesfrom you.



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Rig Veda teaches thelesson of serenity. Peace islike rose water scent; when iis sprinkled on you, smell ibut don't drink it - that is tosay, accept it and thrive on it.Blame is like a medicine.Examine yourselves whetheyou have the illness and if youhave, accept the blame andbenefit by it.

-Divine Discourse, April 20, 1975.


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Body is an assembly o

various organs. No single organcan constitute a body. When thevarious organs get separated, thehuman body gets weakened andeven loses its existence. Oneshould find God in every object.Bulbs of different colors andvoltages glow when the same

current passes through them.Similarly, we should develop thehabit of visualizing unity indiversity, and not diversity in theunity that is divine. God iseverywhere and in everyone. Thewhole universe is inhabited byHim.



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When you win the Love ofGod, His compassion will flowunto you. Love gives andforgives. Ego gets and forgets.Live without hating others,condemning others, or seekingfaults in others. Doing good toothers is the only meritoriousact. Doing evil is the mostheinous sin. When you feel youcannot do good, at least desistfrom doing evil; that itself is ameritorious service. Do not try todiscover the differences,discover unity.



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The culture of the country ismarked with guidelines for achievingeternal bliss, which is theconsummation of all sweetness, all joyand fulfillment of all desires. But today,each one is struggling to achieve pettythings, paltry joys and low desires.When you seek God, you must not be

misled into bypaths and mirages. Theseeker of the gold must cast awaybrass and other yellow metals that maydistract him. Like the river which leapsover precipices, creeps through bushand briar, flows round hills, seepsthrough sand, but keeps the goalalways in view, one should march

untiringly towards God.



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God cannot be identified

with one Name and one Form. Heis all Names and all Forms. YourName too are His, you are Hisforms. You appear as separateindividual bodies, because theeye that sees them seeks onlybodies, the outer encasement.When you clarify and sanctify

your vision, and look at themthrough the spiritual eye, thenyou will see others as parts of the Absolute Lord. Strive to win thatvision of the Lord and to saturateyourself with that bliss.

- Divine Discourse, October 2, 1965.

What is required is thef th i i th t


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awareness of the vicious game thatthe mind plays. It presents before theattention, one source after another otemporary pleasure; it does not allow

any interval for you to weigh the prosand cons. When hunger for food isappeased, it holds before the eye othe attraction of the film, it remindsthe ear of the charm of music, and itmakes the tongue water for the pleasant taste of something that itcraves for. The wish becomes very

soon the urge for action, the urgesoon gathers strength, and theyearning becomes uncontrollable. Theburden of desires gradually becomestoo heavy and man gets dispirited andsad. Train the mind to turn towardsthe intelligence for inspiration andguidance, not towards the senses fo

adventures and achievements. Thatwill make it an instrument for reducingyour vagaries, and saving your timeand energy for vital matters.



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Instead of saying ahundred things, it is better todo one thing properly.Sanctify your life by doingselfless work. For the personwho talks a lot, there is notime for work. For the personwho is engaged in work, thereis no time to talk. Instead ofwasting time in your words,use your time in service tomankind, which is service toGod, all the while repeating

the name of the Lord.

-Divine Discours, March 31, 1975.


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To cultivate devotion to God,always endeavor to mix with good

persons, engage yourselves inchanting the Names of the Lord, and bethrilled with the joy that wells up inyou. Why do you waste time or even pollute it by talking ill of others? Theeye, the hands, the nose, the head, thestomach, etc. each look different. Eachdoes one special task, and has adifferent name and function. But theysubserve the interest of one body towhich they belong; they do not work atcross-purposes, do they? So too, eachof you is a limb in the body calledsociety. Do your work without amurmur, work in co-operation with all.Then the society will be healthy andhappy. Love, Love alone can bind youto others and to God. God is the veryembodiment of Love.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 28, 1975.


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Life is like a train journey. In the journey of life, children and youngadults have a long way to go and the

elders have to alight from the train pretty soon. Whichever stage you arein your life, you must learn to makeyour journey comfortable and happy.Do not carry heavy unwanted luggagewith you; that will make your journeymiserable. Do not indulge in fault-finding and in picking quarrels with

others. Anger, hatred, envy, jealousy -these are the heavy luggage you shouldavoid taking with you on your journey.Don't desire to have the best thingsonly for yourselves. Share with othersaround the good things you are given.Be truthful, just and calm undeprovocation, and be full of love in youdealings with others. These will makeyour journey a pleasure.

-Divine Discourse, Jan 6, 1975


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The supreme message of the lifeof the Avatars is the uniqueness of

the Love Principle. This message isall the world needs. Lord Krishna isan embodiment of love. It is strong,brilliant and unbreakable likediamond. It is extremely precious. This love can only beunderstood through love. If you wantto secure such divine love, your lovefor God must be equally strong. Youcan cut diamond only with diamond.Likewise, Love begets Love. Hatredbegets hatred, jealousy begets jealousy, Anger begets anger. If youwant to foster love, you must get ridof hatred, jealousy and anger.

-Divine Discourse, Jan 6, 1975.

In earlier times, several peopleused to live together under oneroof, with peace and happiness.


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, p ppToday, the fear complex is pervading everywhere. Where didthis fear complex come from? It isdue to lack of self-confidence, andlack of faith in their inner self.Where there is self-confidence,there will be self-satisfaction.Where there is self-satisfaction,there will be self-sacrifice. Andwhere there is self-sacrifice, therewill be self-realization. It iscommon knowledge that where thefoundation is strong, the walls willbe safe. Where the walls are safe,the roof will be secure. It is only insuch a house, can one live safely.Self-confidence is the foundationfor a human being. Self-satisfactionrepresents the walls, self-sacrifice

is the roof, and self-realization islife. Hence, there should beperfection amongst these four.

- Divine Discourse, 22nd Nov 2008 .


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Even if we don't have anyproperty, we can lead a happy life only

if the property of love is with us. Thislove should be supported with self-confidence. God is the only source andsustenance for the entire universe.Everything else is an illusion. Sorrowsand difficulties, loss and gain, diseasesand sickness - treat them all as DivineWill. Then everything will turn out to begood for you. You are God verily, jusget rid of "I", the ego, and "the 'myattachment". Rise above these. Let usall move together; Let us all growtogether; Let us all stay together andgrow in intelligence together. Let uslive together with friendship andharmony. Lead a contended life, youwill derive great happiness.



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The wave dances with thewind, basks in the Sun, and frisks inthe rain, imagining it is playing on thebreast of the sea. It does not know iis the sea itself. Until it realizes thistruth, it will be tossed up and down;when it knows it, it can be calm andcollected, and at peace with itself.Man has been sent into the world foa purpose: In order that he may usethe time and opportunity to realizethe truth that he is not man but God.

- Sathya Sai Speaks, vol. 9, Pg. 64

Install God in the altar oyour heart and meditate on Himconstantly. In spite of sorrow,difficulties and calamities that you


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difficulties and calamities that youmay encounter, hold on to himfirmly. They trouble your body, notyou - for, you are separate from

your body. We cultivate qualitieslike anger, jealousy, envy, pridedue to our contact with the outsideworld. Only when we get rid othese qualities, we enjoy peace.Therefore we have to start ouspiritual journey with truth andrighteousness. When truth and

righteousness go together, peacewill reign. Peace brings love.Where there is peace, there hatredcannot be. When we develop hatredagainst someone, it means thespring of love has dried up in ouheart. When there is love in ouheart, we do not get angry, even i

someone accuses us. Hencealways follow the motto, "Love All,Serve All.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 23, 2009


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Society can be set rightonly by those who have firm faith inGod. Sacred teachings should beimparted to the students and theyshould be encouraged in theservice of the society. Only thencan there be peace in the world. It

is not enough if you merely pray"May all the beings in all the worldsbe happy." You should serve theworld; you should serve all. Youshould develop the spirit of selflessservice.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 14, 2009.


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In order to deserve the sacredname, seva (service), the activitymust be freed from all attachmentto the self, and based on firm faithin the Divine resident in everybeing. Seva has to be consideredas worshipping the form that Godhas assumed to give the sevak(volunteer) the chance of worship.When a hungry nara (person) isserved a hearty meal, what is beingdone is Narayana Seva (service toGod) , for, nara (man) is only 'aform and a name' projected bymaya (human ignorance) onNarayana (God).



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He who aspires to be aLeader of people, must freehimself of selfish propensities, ohate and malice. His words musbe sweet to the ear and food to

the spirit. They must be valuedby all men as the panacea theyneed. When the swelling of thehead (ego) disappears, he/shedeserves the coveted honor.

- Divine Discourse, October 6,

1965.


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He who aspires to be aLeader of people, must freehimself of selfish propensities,of hate and malice. His wordsmust be sweet to the ear andfood to the spirit. They must bevalued by all men as the

panacea they need. When theswelling of the head (ego)disappears, he/she deservesthe coveted honor.

- Divine Discourse, October 6,1965.


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"Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshithah" -Dharma, the spirit, protects those who practices righteousness. Dharma(Righteousness) means certainobligations and duties, and regulationsover actions, words and behavior.Elders have certain obligations towardsyoung people as the young have

towards the elders. Similarly, neighborshave mutual duties and rights. Themighty should not grab the possessions of the weak; the pledgedword has to be honored.Righteousness alone will serve as aneffective armor against all foes.



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The body is the temple oGod, He is resident in the heart. Theintelligence is the lamp lit in thataltar. Any gust of wind that blowsthrough the windows of the sensesaffects the flame of the lamp anddulls it light, threatening even to putit out. So, close the windows, do notkeep them open for dire attraction

from objects. Discrimination is animportant instrument of spiritual progress. Keep the intelligencesharp, so that it may cut the mindlike a diamond and convert it into ablaze of light, instead of being a dullpebble. That is its legitimate use.

-Divine Discourse, Vol 5, Ch 45, Oct 3,1965.


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Love your religion, so that youmay practice it with greater faith. Wheneach one practices his religion withfaith, there can be no hatred in theworld, for all religions are based onuniversal love. Love your country, sothat it may become strong, happy and prosperous, and an arena for theexercise of all the higher faculties o

the human beings. Prayer has greatefficacy. Pray for even those whoinvade out of greed or hate; sympathizewith their ignorance and pray that theisteps may be directed towards truth,justice and love. Cultivate the universalvision of peace and happiness of allmankind, of all animate and inanimate

objects.



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Establish the status of themother in the home as theupholder of spiritual ideals, andtherefore, the Guru of thechildren. Every mother must

share in this effort - theexpansion and steadymanifestation of GodConsciousness, latent in everychild.

- Divine Discourse, September 30,

1965


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A person may think he isenjoying the pleasures; but really

speaking, it is the pleasures that areenjoying man, for they sap hisenergies, dry up his discrimination,eat up his allotted years and worminto his mind, infesting it withegoism, envy, malice, hate, greedand lust. You should not plunge intoaction spurred by momentary

impulse; ponder deeply over the pros and cons; weigh the expectedbenefits against the likely harm; thenact so that you escape pain and youdo not inflict pain. This is true inworldly matters as well as in thespiritual field.

-Divine Discourse, September 28, 1965.


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