Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

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Editorial

Sadhana Chatushtaya
Four-fold Qualifications for a Spiritual Seeker, Part 2

The Brahma Sutras composed by Sage Vyasa stand as one of the three foundational texts of Vedanta philosophy, alongside the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. These are called the Prasthana Trayam (Three Canonical texts of Vedanta). These texts systematically present the path to Self-realization. The Brahma Sutras present a great and invaluable roadmap for the spiritual seeker in the quest to realize the ultimate goal through the famous four-fold qualifications and spiritual practices known as Sadhana Chatushtaya.

Of these four qualifications, we covered the first two qualifications–viveka (discrimination), and vairagya (dispassion or detachment) in the first part of the editorial (July 2025 issue). In the second part of the editorial, we will cover the next two essential qualifications and spiritual practices: Shad Sampatti (the six noble virtues) and Mumukshatwam (intense desire for liberation).

Discrimination between the real and the unreal, between the temporary and the permanent, between the good and the pleasant, is necessary to develop intense dispassion. The best way to cultivate this detachment is through attachment to God. Once we develop this detachment from the world through ‘deep attachment’ to God, we are ready to cultivate the six noble virtues. With this Shad Sampatti, we will have a strong desire for spiritual practices (Mumukshatwam), the fourth qualification, to attain the ultimate goal of Self-realization. This is how all four qualifications are interconnected. 

We will explore the deeper meanings of these in light of the teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and other great masters. 

Shad Sampatti

Shad Sampatti, meaning “six-fold wealth” or “six virtues,” help stabilize the mind, discipline the senses, and prepare the seeker to absorb and realize the subtle truths of the Self. The six virtues are:

1. Shama (Control of the Mind)

The mind is the key to unlocking the heart, as Swami explains. Turning it ‘right’ toward God liberates us. Turning it the other way gets us ‘left’ behind in bondage. Therefore, controlling the mind becomes a critical ‘wealth’ to acquire for attaining liberation. As the scriptures say, “Mana eva manushyanaam karanam bandha mokshayoho” (The mind alone is responsible for bondage and liberation). 

In the 6th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Atma Samyama Yoga, Lord Krishna reveals significant pointers for meditation. Arjuna, who is a sincere spiritual seeker, asks Lord Krishna (BG 6.34)

(The mind is very restless, turbulent, strong, and obstinate, O Krishna. It appears to me that it is more difficult to control than the wind.)

The Lord, in His compassion, answers (BG 6.35)

(O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.)

Swami explains that the mind is merely a bundle of thoughts. If we have good thoughts, we will be happy. If we have bad thoughts, we will have grief and misery. However, when we have no thoughts, we will be enlightened! That is the state called Manonasha (destruction of the mind) where there is no mind. Swami further elaborates on this with a simple analogy. A cloth is made of threads. When we go on removing the threads, then, ultimately, there is no more cloth! Similarly, once one gets rid of these thoughts by constant practice, then there is no mind! In that case, we are in touch with our real nature, that is Atman or Brahman. But this is not easy to do because Swami says that the mind is like a monkey, a mad monkey. Nay, it is a mad monkey which is inebriated and which has been stung by a scorpion! You can only imagine how it will jump all over! 

During an interview with Swami, I observed a young girl, about 10 years old, asking Swami what should be done when bad thoughts come and disturb. Swami gave an easy-to-understand and practical example. He said, “Watch the mind. Don’t catch the mind.” Elaborating on it, He said that when a little baby is going all over, there is no use going after it. It will keep running away, even more. But if you just watch the baby, then, after a while, it gets tired and comes back! In the same way, be a witness to your mind. 

Another analogy Swami gave that day was that of a truck full of beautiful jasmine flowers passing by the house. Then, you get a nice fragrance. But at a different time, another truck may be carrying garbage, and it smells foul! Just as you witness both the trucks passing by, witness your thoughts which are also passing, without jumping in to get involved and doing action. Swami emphasized the importance of practice, which Lord Krishna also emphasizes. He gave yet another example to that young girl. “When you are learning to ride a bicycle, you fall and get minor injuries. But once you learn how to ride through constant practice, a stage will come when you can ride the bicycle even without holding the handlebars!”

Sage Patanjali, the great teacher of yoga, in his Yoga Sutras, says that the fundamental yoga is ‘chitta vritti nirodha’ (controlling the tendencies of the outgoing mind). Whether one does raja yoga, bhakti yoga, karma yoga, or jnana yoga, the control of the mind is the underlying principle for all these spiritual practices. 

The ability to quiet mental chatter and focus the mind inward, especially during meditation and reflection is critical for our spiritual progress. If we turn the mind toward God, it gives us joy, bliss, peace, and freedom. If we turn toward the world, its pleasures and attachments, it gives us bondage, resulting in grief and sorrow. The choice is left to us. In this context, it is highly recommended to everyone to read this beautiful series of discourses that Swami gave in 1976 during the Dasara festival. It is published in Telugu as Manasu Marmam and in English as ‘Mind and Its Mysteries.’ Swami goes into great detail about the mind and how, if properly directed, it will take us toward liberation.

2. Dama (Control of the Senses)

Dama is restraining the sense organs (eyes, ears, tongue, nose, skin) from running outward toward distractions. In the modern sense, it involves mindfully limiting indulgence in sensory pleasures like overeating, gossip, or over-stimulation by the media.

Swami’s advice beautifully sums it up: “Bend the body, mend the senses, and end the mind.” Bending the body does not mean one should become a hunchback! It means that one should strive to serve. It also means that one should be humble. When we serve, humility will develop automatically. This humility is an important quality for spiritual seekers. 

It is commonly said, “Pride comes before a fall.” Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Swami says that God’s grace descends like rain on those who are humble. Humility also helps in withstanding life’s challenges and vicissitudes. Swami gives the example of a time when there is a strong, terrible wind blowing. The grass, which is low-lying and ready to bend, remains unaffected. On the other hand, the rigid and firm tree gets broken and uprooted by the wind.

Mending the senses refers to having sense control. The senses are always outward-going. The eyes want to see that which offers instant pleasure and gratification. The ears turn toward gossip and rumors. The tongue enjoys indulging in slander and sensationalism. Mending the senses involves using the senses in the right direction–seeing godly things, listening to satsangs, and seeking anything that arouses divine feelings and experiences. 

We are blessed to have more than a thousand discourses given by our dear Swami in SSSIO’s Sathya Sai Speaks website. These documents also contain audio recordings of the divine voice. Reading and listening to them is a sure way to sanctify and purify our senses and practice dama. If we want to talk, let us talk about God; if we want to go to some place, let us visit a place of worship–a temple, mosque, synagogue, or bhajan center. Let us avoid going to places of ill repute, be careful, and utilize our senses and hands to serve others or worship God. 

Baba says that dama should not be misunderstood as torturing the senses. It is not suppression of senses but their sublimation! It is directing the senses to sacred and holy paths.

3. Uparathi (Withdrawal)

Uparathi means withdrawal from worldly duties and distractions not aligned with the spiritual path. Letting go of excessive involvement in rituals, social obligations, and pursuits that distract from Self-realization allows the seeker to turn fully inward, resting in the Self without outward pulls. Adi Shankaracharya says in his Viveka Chudamani that Uparathi is the total giving up of all activities which are not in line with one’s duty or dharma. So, it fosters inner contentment and allows time for contemplation and meditation. But this withdrawal from the outside world is not physical renunciation. It is mental detachment. This is well summarized in Swami’s words, “Hands in the society; head in the forest.” Sri Ramakrishna also said, “Live in the world, but do not let the world live in you.”

There is a vivid analogy for this in the Bhagavad Gita (BG 2.58):

A tortoise does not constantly engage with the world. It extends its limbs when needed, such as walking or eating, but quickly retracts them when there’s danger or when movement is unnecessary. This withdrawal is natural, effortless, and protective.

Similarly, a spiritual seeker with uparathi does not suppress the senses but mindfully disengages them from unnecessary external entanglements. Such people interact with the world when required, with awareness. But they can pull back at will, resting in stillness, unaffected by external noise.

Swami provides us with a key insight about this quality in His discourse of June 23, 1988, “Uparathi is the process of turning the mind inward and purifying one’s thoughts and feelings. By these means of self-control and self-regulation, one should try to get self-satisfaction. This comes when one lives up to the dictates of one’s conscience. Make your conscience your master.”

4. Titiksha (Forbearance)

The capacity to endure life’s adversities– such as heat, cold, pain, insult–without complaint or mental disturbance is called Titiksha. 

It implies remaining unaffected by dualities. One should go beyond the dual buffetings of the world, like pain and pleasure, honor and dishonor, loss and profit, heat and cold, success and failure, and praise and blame. While such dualities are an integral part of life, one’s focus should firmly rest on God alone. 

I strongly recommend studying Bhagawan’s divine discourse given on May 25, 2000. Titled ‘Kshama, the Greatest Virtue’ the entire discourse is about forbearance. It is difficult to translate the Sanskrit word Kshama. The closest translation is forbearance, but it also includes patience and forgiveness. Challenges in life are inevitable. Titiksha ensures that they don’t derail the spiritual aspirant’s inner journey to Self-realization. 

Swami’s life itself is His message. We see many instances of His forbearance, even when He was a mere child. Such divine forbearance is what made Lord Jesus on the cross say, “Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Instead of cursing and condemning the wrongdoers, Jesus sought to forgive them. Another example from the Bible involves Peter the Apostle, who asks, “Lord, how many times should we forgive?” The Lord says, “Seven times seventy,” which means that we should forgive any number of times those who wrong us. 

Such forgiveness is possible only with immense patience, which is the greatest strength one can have. When we have these two qualities, we acquire forbearance automatically. Swami says that we develop this forbearance via challenges, adversities, problems, and difficulties in life. That is why Swami says that we should welcome them. The more we face them, the more we become spiritually strong. Swami gives us the greatest example of Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. She went through many difficulties, personal and those of her children. But after the triumph in the war, when Lord Krishna asks her what she seeks, she prays, “Lord, give me more and more difficulties!” 

When everyone is wondering why she is praying like this, she says that during difficulties and challenges, she thinks more of the Lord! Swami says adversities are like tests in life that help us in our spiritual progress.

Swami also adds that when we have forbearance, we develop the noble quality of anasuya. That means one would not have any jealousy or envy. And anasuya has three good children–pure heart, pure mind, and pure speech. But if we don’t have forbearance, we will have asuya–jealousy and envy. Asuya has three bad children–pride, greed, and anger. So, there are many benefits of having forbearance. According to Swami, the true hero is the one who conquers these inner enemies–desire (kama), anger (krodha), greed (lobha), attachment (moha), pride (mada), and jealousy (matsarya)–and this is possible by developing Titiksha. 

5. Shraddha (Faith)

Faith in God, the Guru, the scriptures, and the Self is called Shraddha. It is very important for spiritual seekers who tread the path of Self-realization.

Shirdi Sai Baba always emphasized that for a spiritual aspirant, the two most important attributes are Shraddha (steady faith) and Saburi (patience). Swami’s analogy in this regard is enlightening. Spiritual life is like crossing a river where one shore is, “Samshayatma vinashyate” (the one with doubt will perish (BG 4.40) and the other shore is, “Shraddhavan labhate jnanam” (the one with faith will be enlightened) (BG 4.39).  So, as spiritual seekers, we should travel from doubt to doubtlessness or complete faith in the Guru, in God, in the scriptures, and in oneself. 

Having come to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, having experienced His love and His works, having been blessed in so many ways, we should have absolute faith in His divinity and hold on to Him. We should not be confused and distracted by anything and anyone else, especially false gurus and prophets. Our minds should constantly dwell on His lotus feet, as He taught us through the first-ever bhajan He composed and sang:

Complete faith in the Guru and God also means complete faith in divine teachings. This means complete faith in the scriptures–Bhagavad Gita, Bible, Quran, Zend Avesta, Granth Sahib, etc. But for us, we have Swami’s teachings. Apart from the treasure trove of discourses mentioned already, Swami has also written the Vahinis, where He covers everything there is to be known to attain Self-realization. Swami’s teachings contain the essence of all the scriptures, and we should practice them with complete faith.

We should also have faith in the divine mission, the organization that Swami Himself founded, nurtured, and guided, and continues to guide. It is among the greatest blessings for all of us to be part of this divine organization (SSSIO) and mission. This is the ultimate sign of His divine grace. We should never lose this opportunity. We should be grateful and continue to do more and more work for the organization.

Swami assures us that those who serve Him in the organization, selflessly, also serve humanity. They will be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. This has been recorded by a longtime devotee from Mysore, Mrs. Karunamba Ramamurthy, in her book “Sri Sathya Sai Anandadayi.” During Dasara 1961, Swami made this important announcement:

“I am starting a Seva Samithi. The persons who become members of this samithi and perform selfless service will be liberated from the cycle of birth and death; not only they, but also their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. But the test will be severe. I will see how many will withstand this trial and emerge victorious in the end.”

Finally, all of this should translate into faith in ourselves, or Self-confidence. This is not faith in the little self, the ego, but faith in our divine Atma (Atma Vishwas). Swami says that the mansion of Self-realization is built on the foundation of Self-confidence.

6. Samadhana
(Equanimity or One-pointedness)

Samadhana is the complete focus of the mind on the Self or the object of meditation. Adi Sankaracharya considers Samadhana as the fruit of discrimination and dispassion. Our Swami teaches that true Samadhana is the ‘harmony of thought, word, and deed’ when the heart is aligned with the goal of God-realization. Sri Ramakrishna says that one-pointed devotion or Samadhana is the ladder to God-realization. 

Lord Krishna gives a beautiful message (BG 2.41)

This sixth virtue is a calm, undisturbed, focused mind fixed on the goal of liberation (moksha). It is the culmination of the earlier five virtues. With Samadhana, the mind becomes a polished mirror, capable of reflecting the Truth. In this state, one maintains equanimity at all times, and in His May 25, 1947 letter to His brother, Swami defined devotion as this state of equanimity.

That means we are always connected to the Atma. Whatever we think, say, or do, we are always aware that we are the Atma. That is Samadhana, which is a very important spiritual practice. This means we no longer identify ourselves with the body, mind, and intellect, but identify with our real Selves, the Atma.

Thus, the Shad Sampatti, the six virtues, are the means to the next step to develop intense longing for the Lord, which leads to God-realization. 

Mumukshatwam

Mumukshatwam is the intense longing for God or the intense longing to realize the Self. This burning desire to attain moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) is the most important qualification and spiritual practice of Sadhana Chatushtaya, mentioned at the beginning.

Mumukshatwam is a burning aspiration for liberation. It is not a casual interest or a lukewarm devotion, but a fierce longing and an unwavering determination to realize the Brahman. Adi Shankaracharya, in his Viveka Chudamani, says that three things can only be obtained through God’s grace. Manushyatvam (human birth), Mumukshatvam (intense longing for Moksha), and Mahapurusha Samshraya (association with a realized master). 

As Sai devotees, we are blessed to have not just a Mahapurusha (Great Being) but the Parama Purusha (Supreme Being), the Adi Purusha (First Being), and the Supreme Godhead in Swami! He is there to ignite our fiery longing or intense craving for God. 

This boon is undoubtedly a sign of divine grace, as Lord Krishna says (BG 7.03)

There are billions of people on Earth, but very few seek liberation or knowledge of the ultimate truth. Even among them, only a handful realize that goal because the majority of the people have just lukewarm or mild devotion, and very few people long for God with great intensity. The more intense the effort, the faster we move toward the goal.

When there is such intense longing, no sacrifice seems too huge to make. One of the greatest examples of Mumukshatwam is Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the saint of Dakshineshwar in India. He used to cry for the Divine Mother Kali. He would shed torrential tears and rub his face on the ground till it bled, saying, “Oh Mother! Another day has gone by, and I still haven’t seen you yet… Please appear before me.” Such was his longing that he saw the Mother just as he saw anybody else. And thus, by his own example, he assures that anybody who cries for God intensely will surely have darshan of divinity within three days! This intensity is also exemplified by the life of Lord Buddha, who renounced his family, the royal palace, and worldly comforts, to find the end of suffering and attain nirvana. He had such an intense desire to know the truth that he renounced everything spontaneously without hesitation.

On one occasion, I was with Swami in the car when I asked Him, “Swami, how do I know I have love for God?” He replied, “When you have  intense longing or intense yearning for God, feeling that you cannot live without Him, that is devotion.” 

Sri Ramakrishna beautifully said that when the child asks the mother, “Mother, please wake me up when I am hungry,” the mother says, “Child! Hunger itself will wake you up! You don’t need to worry.” Similarly, when the hunger for God gnaws at us, everything will automatically fall into place. But to ignite and sustain such hunger, the great masters say that satsang, or association with holy people who have similar aspirations and spiritual practices, helps. This is like adding ghee (clarified butter) to fire, so that the fire continues to burn more intensely. The study of the lives of the great masters also intensifies this longing. 

Mumukshatwam is very important for a spiritual seeker because without it, all other qualifications are of secondary importance. There is a small story that Swami narrates to illustrate this yearning. A Guru wanted to show the disciple how the longing for God should be. He takes him to a nearby river and tells him to take a dip in it. When the disciple is taking the dip, he presses his head under, not allowing him to surface. As he struggles to get a breath of air, the Guru releases him and says, “If you long for God the way you longed for air, you will have God just as you got air.”

Swami assures us that such longing automatically moves us toward Self-realization.

The Brahma Sutras thus present the fourfold qualifications and spiritual practices that are essential prerequisites for attaining Brahman or Atmavidya (knowledge of the Self). I pray to Swami to bless all of us with His love, grace, and guidance so that we will develop these four qualifications and achieve Self-realization in this very lifetime. 

Jai Sai Ram.