Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

Both inner and outer purity are essential for man's physical and mental health. Most people are concerned about external physical cleanliness. People tend to ignore inner cleanliness in the belief that the heart and mind are not visible to others. But they should realise that the physical body is made up of five elements and will return to the dust sometime or other. It is the state of the spirit that is important. Even the body should be regarded as the abode of the Spirit and cared for as such.

A clear mirror reflects the rays of the sun. We can see the sun’s image reflected by the calm surface of clear water. Likewise, the sacred vision of the Supreme Self (Paramatma) is revealed to an unperturbed and tranquil mind in which all thought waves have been calmed. A pure and holy heart will mirror the Divine glory of Paramatma.

The story of the festival Onam is that of Emperor Bali, who was an embodiment of sacrifice (Thyaga), but who suffered from traces of ego (Ahamkara). Due to the predominance of other virtues and Lord Vishnu’s Grace, Emperor Bali overcame the ill-effects of ahamkara and attained mergence with Lord Vishnu, who appeared as Vamana. Bali personified the principles of sacrifice, charity and righteousness till his very end.

What is wisdom? Purity of thought, word and deed is true wisdom. Your body, mind and actions must be pure. On this basis it is said, “The proper study of mankind is man.” It means that the unity of thought, word and deed is true humanness.

One who aspires to realise the principle of the Self and teach the same to others should first of all develop purity of heart. One who lacks purity of heart is not eligible to realise the Self and teach the same to others. The principle of the Self cannot be attained merely by education, scholarship and intelligence. Purity of heart is of utmost importance for this.

You are the embodiment of Supreme Self (Brahman). Consider yourself as Brahman. Always live in the constant awareness, “I am Brahman, I am Brahman.” When you develop this awareness, you will become Brahman.

You perform various types of spiritual practices to attain Supreme Self (Brahman). In fact, Brahman cannot be attained through such practices. Only through enquiry can you understand the principle of Brahman. Use your sense of discrimination and enquire.

True spiritual practice lies in understanding one's true identity. One should enquire, "Who am I"? All the spiritual practices are meant to make you realise who you really are. Everyone uses the term 'I' while introducing themselves. It means that the principle of 'I' (Self) present in you is the same as the one in others.

Vinayaka is the Lord who removes all obstacles. The elephant is noted for its acute intelligence. Ganesha's elephant head symbolises sharpness of intellect and the highest power of discrimination. In a forest, when an elephant moves through the jungle, it clears all the obstacles, and leads the way for others to follow. Likewise, worship Ganesha at the start of any activity. His Grace is sufficient to clear all the obstacles in your path and grant success in your undertakings.

Lord Vinayaka is the leader of all, He has no leaders or master. Whenever a new task is undertaken, it is customary to invoke Lord Vinayaka’s blessings for the successful completion of the task. When you pray to Him and seek His blessings, all your efforts will meet with success.

Surrender implies that the individual will, should become one with the Divine will. Obey the Divine command implicitly without questioning. That is the sign of true devotion. Whatever God does, is for your good.

You must feel the pain of others as your own; you must be happy when others are happy. That is the way to realise the unity of all. Above all, be vigilant; for, the fruits of spiritual practice (Sadhana) may be destroyed by negligence. When the rains come, the earth is again green, for the seeds of grass are underground, though you thought the land was dry and fallow. Good company, good deeds, etc. (Satsang, satkarma) have to be kept up, all through life.

We speak often about prayer. Prayer does not mean petitioning to God. Prayer is an index of the experience of Atmic bliss. It is a means of sharing this bliss, spreading it all around, being immersed in that bliss. Prayer must come from the heart. Prayer that is not heartfelt is utterly useless. The Lord will accept a heart without words. But He will not accept words and prayers that do not come from the heart. This is why God is described as the Lord of the Heart (Hridayesa). It is only when you have faith in this that you will be able to manifest your divinity.

Krishna incarnated to establish Dharma. So, what He likes most is Dharma. Walk in the path of Dharma; that is the worship He is pleased with. The Flute is His favourite. So, like a flute, become hollow (devoid of desires) and straight (with no crookedness), and He will accept you.