Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

KUPPU Bairagi Shasthry and the Srouthi from Mysore gave you the pleasure of hearing both Vedantha (system of Hindu philosophy based on Vedas) and Veda, while Veerabhadhra Shasthry selected as his subject the Dolothsavam (swing festival) of Krishna, evidently because today; these devotees from Bangalore, mostly florists and decorators who have been attached to Me for more than twenty-two years, insisted on My sitting for some time in this jhoola (swing) they have constructed with such care and devotion. I shall speak only for some little time, for, there is a Harikatha (musical discourse) later and as I have often told you, you must learn to respectfully listen to whosoever addresses you here, for they speak only of things that elevate you and strengthen your spiritual discipline. What exactly is the aim and purpose of all the Shasthras (scriptures), the Bhagavatham (containing tales about Avatharas of Vishnu), the Puranas (mythological tales), these discourses and the Harikatha? Just try to answer that query. It is to tell man the truth about himself. There is no plot to mislead you. That is not the desire of the sages who wrote down these annals and their own experiences. You know only the present, what is happening before your eyes; you do not know that the Present is related to the Past and is preparing the course of the Future. It is like the headline and titles of a film on the screen; as the letters gleam one after the other, you read them and pass on to the next that comes to view. Each new letter or word wipes out the one already before your eye, just as each birth wipes out the memory of the one already experienced.

Man does not realise that the end of this cycle of birth and death is in his own hands. The tree came from the seed and the seed from the tree and so on, from the beginning of time. Yes; you may not know which came first, tree or seed; but, you can easily put an end to the cycle, by frying the seed. It won't sprout again. Being extraordinary, man is now descending to levels which are below ordinary. The marshy lake. Like the animals of the desert, he is running towards the mirage to slake his thirst. He claims to have mastered the senses and all low desires but they sprout at the first chance, like grass after the first shower after summer. Just as you seek the udder of the cow for the milk it gives, seek the Lord and His Glory only in nature. As a matter of fact, Nature is useful only when it adds to the wonder and awe that it is able to provoke and sustain. Everything is an image of the Lord. Krishna revelled in seeing His own images in the Mani Mantapa (pavilion set with precious stones) of His house, when He was a child. Just as the Lord is pleased when He sees Himself in His manifestation called Nature, there is such joy welling up in all when they hear the story of the Lord and how He calls all to Himself. It is the call of the b/tuba (object] for the prathibimba (image); to merge in it. So, all are entitled for merging; all finally have to attain it. Otherwise, there is no meaning for the yearning to become greater and greater. You might ask Me to speak about my own mystery. It is not easy to understand it. When you have the chance, gather all the joy you can. There is no use .of bolting the door after the thieves have robbed and fled. Seize the chance and do not repent later that you missed the opportunity. Remember, you have to come to Me, if not in this birth, at least within ten more births! Strive to acquire Grace; Grace is the reward for spiritual practice; the highest spiritual discipline is to follow the instructions of the Master. Years of rigorous training make the soldier, who can then stand all the rigours of warfare. The heroic fighter is not made in a day. So too, the practising spiritual aspirant (sadhaka) who can win victories, is not made in a day. Restrictions and regulations, drill and techniques have been laid down for him also. Follow them sincerely and steadily and victory is yours.