Blissful Evening with enlightening Divine Discourse - 29th April 2009

with reverence, gratitude and love!

For His Vision! For His Mission!

The Elixir Divine!

Humbly Yours!

Sunny...Blissful...Divine! Kodai Darshan!

Divine Safari!

Proud Father! Bhagawan with students!

The Divine Discourse

Divine Felicitation!

Burra Katha artistes being felicitated by Bhagawan!

The Bangaroos!

Mother Sai - Proud of Her children!

...and Yet another Ode with Love for the Divine!

Posing with the Divine! a rare privilege!

Burra Katha artistes offering Aarathi to Bhagawan!

Bhagawan came to the scenic Sai Shruti Darshan grounds at 10.00 a.m. In all His compassion, Bhagawan went round the grounds and even down the slopes to bless the devotees. At the end, Bhagawan was offered flower and Aarati and the devotees received Prasadam blessed by Swami.

 In the evening, Bhajans began at 6.00 p.m in the Bhajan hall. Swami came soon afterwards and went down the aisle receiving letters and blessing devotees. At 6.25, Sri Ajit Popat was asked by Bhagawan to give a talk. His focus was on a Sai formula for day-to-day spiritualised living. He began his talk by saying that we have to pay rent for the body given to us by expressing love to the creator. We should be physically healthy and mentally alert and spiritually evolved. Paropakaram (serving others) is important and one should always be busy and immersed in bliss in constant awareness of the Lord. Switch off being “busy” otherwise and connect to Sai by regular prayers. We should go back to the source with the right resources. Keep the body healthy, neat and tidy. The mind has to be filled with pure thoughts and should be always happy. Sri Popat ended his short talk at 6.35.p.m.

After Sri Popat’s talk, Bhagawan blessed the devotees with His Divine Discourse at 6.35.p.m.

Excerpts of Divine Discourse:

Everything emerges from Truth and merges back into Truth. There is no place where you cannot feel the power of Truth. Popat said that everyone is an embodiment of God. There is only one, and no second entity. It is not truth, but illusion, if you see duality, multiplicity. Whether it be a mosquito, an ant, an elephant or mountain, everything is God. Ekam Sath Viprah Bahudha Vadanti (truth is one, but the wise refer to it by various names)

Truth is one, but scholars explain it in different ways. It is like a scene being reflected in all sources of water. It is reflected in flowing water and stagnant water too. In the former the reflection would be wavering while steady in the latter. Even in dirty water the reflection can be seen to a certain extent but if it is murky, it turns opaque and does not reflect anything. The heart has to be kept pure to see God. Clear you heart, then you would realise that God is in everyone. Hiranyakasipu asked where is Narayana? Man is Narayana. He is in everyone.

Today, we look with different feelings and develop relationship depending on the form. If a person realises that all others are his form, then there is no father, no sister, etc. These relationships are related only to the body. The same Atma is in everyone. It is the illusion that creates difficulties. The artist Ravi Varma drew pictures of Rama, Krishna, etc., from his imagination. Who has seen Rama, Krishna? All are forms of one God. Depending on your imagination, God takes that form. They are all reflections emerging from yourself.
You ask why God gives me so much misery. When you are happy you think you are fortunate. Good and bad do not come from outside. Good thoughts bring good results. Everything comes from within you. It is all reaction, reflection and resound. God does not give you joy or sorrow. He has no qualities, no anger, hatred or jealousy. Desires make you see many reflections. Reduce your desires and then there will be less luggage and more comfort and happiness. Mind is the cause of liberation and bondage.

Think of God in whatever form you love and then He appears in that form. Swami never says to give up any particular form of God you worship. You can chant “Om Namo Narayana” or “Om” which has everything in it since it is the Primordial Sound. Sai, Rama, Krishna are all names given to the respective bodies of Avatars. RAMA is said to be the son of Dasaratha. Who is Dasaratha? The name Dasaratha means chariot with ten senses.  These senses lure you to do many things, control the senses. Realise that there is only one Truth, one God . Make an effort to realise this Truth.

If you develop unity, there will be steady devotion which issues forth from steady faith. Real faith will never waver. You should have true, steady , pure and selfless devotion for God. Man has come to exhibit the qualities like Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa (truth, righteousness, peace, love and non-violence).  Look at all women as mothers and sisters. There is nothing sweeter than the feeling that one has towards one’s mother.

There is only one Purusha and that Purusha is God. Do not create differences. Remember that all are divine. Any work should be done as Nishkama Karma (work done without the feeling of selfishness). Reduce selfishness and try to help others, seeing God in everyone. There is no duality. God is one. From today, get rid of the feeling of duality. Bhagawan also dwelt on Adi Sankara's philosophy of Advaita substantiating it with many examples. Bhagawan concluded His Discourse at 7.30 p.m.

Sri V. Srinivasan, All India President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations then introduced the Burra Katha (folk art form with dialogues and music) artistes - students of Sri Sathya Sai University. Bhagawan honoured them with shawls.

These students had taken everyone to sublime heights by presenting vividly the lives of Bhagawan, Shirdi Sai Baba and Mother Easwaramma. Bhagawan showered His motherly affection on the three of them calling them His children and went amidst them to be photographed. Sri Srinivasan opined that Sai students excel in every field and exhibit multiple skills. The three of them then sang a song on Bhagawan which described Bhagawan as the mother, father, preceptor, friend, philosopher and guide, all rolled into one. While Bhagawan was being offered Aarati, He asked the three of them also to offer Aarati to Him. There ended the evening of 29th April 2009 immersing everyone in the ocean of Ananda (bliss).