If one word could sum up the essence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s life and teachings, that word would be “love”. Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s life, His message, His ideals and His humanitarian works can all be enshrined in one word—Love. His life is His message and His message is love. He is truly the incarnation of love—Love walking on two legs. He says, “God is love; live in love,” and exhorts us to “Start the day with love; fill the day with love; spend the day with love; end the day with love—this is the way to God.” Just as the moon can be seen only by moonlight and not with the help of a candle, God who is the embodiment of love, can be experienced only through love. “But this love,” Baba says, “is unconditional, pure, selfless love which is directed towards God with one-pointedness.”

Lord Jesus Christ, when asked what is the greatest commandment, said, “The greatest and the first commandment is love thy God with all thy heart, mind, soul and strength; and love thy neighbour as thyself.” The great apostle St. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians says, “Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.” Swami says, “Love is the source; love is the path; and love is the goal.” So, when we live our lives saturated with love, our lives get sanctified. Sri Sathya Sai Baba says, “The greatest examples of pure, pristine love are the gopis (cowherd girls of Brindavan) of yore.” There are some other examples of pure, unconditional, Divine Love in this compendium. If one could master this single Divine Principle, the other four human values—Truth, Peace, Righteousness and Non-violence—would also, automatically be mastered. Perfect mastery of love amounts to nothing less than Self-realisation.

This study guide is a compendium of quotes from the following works of Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vahinis, Summer Showers. The editors have attempted to remain faithful to the presentation of the quotes as they occur in the online editions of the works from which they come, with the following exceptions: 1) correction of typos; 2) correction of grammar and syntax; 3) changes that incorporate gender-inclusive language; 4) standardisation of the transliteration of Sanskrit; and 5) minor changes to facilitate readability and coherence in the context of the study guide.

Download: StudyGuide-Love.pdf