Teachings of noble souls essential for the young

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Divine Discourse
(Sant Asaram Bapu visit), Prasanthi Nilayam, 15 September 2004

Neither by penance nor by pilgrimage nor by study of scriptures nor by Japa can one cross the ocean of life. One can achieve it only by serving the pious. (Sanskrit verse)

Several noble souls have worshipped God in different ways some by doing penance, some by charity, some even by sacrificing their lives. Some others dedicated their lives for teaching and propagating the sacred scriptures by touring the entire world. Nevertheless, they could not win God’s grace and love. Why? samsara sagaroththara sajjana sevanam vina (one cannot cross the formidable ocean of samsara, except by serving the noble souls). It is only by serving noble souls and great men that one can attain the power of penance. No sadhana other than selfless service will enable one to attain Divinity.

Love is the royal path for man’s liberation

The punya (merit) of our students is indeed great. They have been able to have the darshan, sparshan and sambashan of several noble souls and obtain their grace. In fact, many people in Bharat sanctified their lives by such darshan, sparshan and sambhashan.

(Referring to Sant Asaram Bapu, Swami said) He has taken a lot of trouble to come here all the way from Gujarat to address our students. It is their good fortune. He has a kind and loving heart. His teachings are very essential for our students. When faith and devotion have eroded and atheism has become the order of the day due to the effect of Kali Age, such teachings are very much necessary, especially for the students to keep them on the right track.

Cultivate universal love

Dear Students!

You cannot get fulfilment in life if you have only darshan or sparshan or sambhashan of noble souls. You will attain peace and bliss only when you have all the three. In order to sanctify human life, Navavidha Bhakti (nine forms of devotion) are very essential. They are Sravanam (listening), Kirtanam (singing), Vishnusmaranam (contemplating on Vishnu), Padasevanam (serving His Lotus Feet), Vandanam (salutation), Archanam (worship), Dasyam (servitude), Sneham (friendship) and Atmanivedanam (self-surrender). Man can sanctify his life by sravanam, mananam and nidhidhyasanam (listening, recapitulation and contemplation). The modern generation of students is very intelligent. But it is only when they put their intelligence to proper use can they redeem their lives. And, spirituality is the only path that can make one’s life sanctified! Today’s students are, however, putting their intelligence to wrong use and are wasting their time engaging themselves in vain argumentation. God’s grace can be obtained only through love and by no other means. It is the only Raja Marga (royal path). Students should develop the faith that their lives will be sanctified by treading that royal path.

Dear Students!

Education is not mere reading of books. By reading books, we can only acquire bookish knowledge. Whatever knowledge has been acquired must be put into practice. If you want to earn God’s grace, love is the royal path. Man has been able to acquire several powers by love. It is by love alone can one win the minds of others. He can even gain control over nature. Spiritual sadhana can also become fruitful by love alone. The mind can never be controlled by bad qualities, bad thoughts and bad company. Human nature can be sanctified only by divine and selfless love. The only property and power that will never diminish in any human being is love. You may share it with any number of people, yet it does not diminish, but will continue to grow. The reference in this context is not to worldly love, but to transcendental love. We must love God in the same way as we love our own father and mother. It should be so natural and spontaneous. You cannot find a parallel to such love. Therefore, every individual, from the time he gets up from bed till he goes back to bed, must strive to make his life sanctified by love. You must love your fellow human beings, treating them as your friends. By cultivating such universal love, the whole world can be united as a single family. It is not possible by any other means. Therefore, develop such universal love.

Dear Students!

You are struggling a lot to acquire education. By this education, you may perhaps read some textbooks, appear for examinations, pass them and secure a degree. But, all this education is negative in character. You must acquire positive education which would bring out the latent qualities in you like divine love, peace, compassion, forbearance, etc. You must cultivate those qualities assiduously by constant practice. Several people of the older generation sanctified their lives by fostering such noble qualities. If human mind is to be transformed, it could be done only by love, nothing else. Mind…mind…mind. You know how it works. It is always changing and very powerful. It cannot be controlled by any power, except love.

God can be attained only through love

Dear Students!

Dedicate your love only to God. There are people in the world who dedicated their love for different purposes, for example, for acquiring education, for acquiring proficiency in various arts, sports and games, for the sake of certain individuals, etc. Could they attain divinity? No, No. You must realise the truth that it is only by constant contemplation of God with singleminded devotion that one can attain divinity. Therefore, dear students! You realise the truth that God cannot be attained by any other science, except the science of love. God gives Himself to love easily. Hence, attain divinity through love. There is no force greater than love in this world.

Everything in this world is a worry

To be born is a worry, to be on the earth is a worry; world is a cause of worry and death too; entire childhood is a worry and so is the old age; life is a worry, failure is a worry; all actions and difficulties cause worry; even happiness too is a mysterious worry. (Telugu poem)

If you are able to win the grace of God, all your worries will be removed. You may pursue worldly education; nothing wrong in that. But, you must be prepared to sacrifice your life even, for attaining Divine love, which is permanent, changeless and eternal. Several great and noble souls have travelled throughout the world and strove to uplift the world by their sacred teachings. What would have been the fate of the country of Bharat, if such great souls were not born! Every individual should, therefore, strive to emulate the ideals of such great souls and elders. Whatever they say, must be taken as an authority of the scriptures. You may perhaps think that you are able to speak eloquently in English and therefore feel proud that you know everything. Pride and arrogance are most reprehensible qualities. They land you in abysmal depths. It is only by the quality of love does a human being become great.

Dear Students!

You should therefore, cultivate love and strive to attain the grace of God and sanctify your lives by humility, devotion and faith in God. Love is the sole refuge for a human being, which will take him to God. Several elders have reached their goal only through love. You follow their example. Never lose your wealth of love. Make love as your primary objective in your life. Love may appear to be very simple thing to you. But there is no force greater than love. Love is God, God is Love and therefore live in Love. That is what you have to learn.

Bhagawan concluded His Divine Discourse by singing the bhajan, “Prema muditha manase kaho”.