The Sai Teachings

                                           2014

Do not waste time speculating over what would happen in this New Year. If your actions are good, your future is bound to be good. The future of the nation depends on your actions.

Each one is responsible for their pleasure or pain. In this New Year, develop new and sacred feelings and make everybody happy. Do not struggle for money; strive for love. Once you develop love, there will be no scope for evil qualities like anger, jealousy, etc. If your thoughts and actions are good, your future will be good. Then the whole country, nay, the whole world will prosper. Pray for the peace and prosperity of the entire world. Peace can be attained only through practice of human values like Truth, Love, Righteousness, Compassion and Tolerance.

 

The Sai Teachings

Goal of Education

The key objective of education is the culture of the mind and the spirit. This is very much like agriculture, which provides food and clothing for man. We require grains to sustain the body; we require meditation to sustain the spirit.

In agriculture, you prepare the soil, plant seeds, feed the plants with fertilisers, and reap the harvest. In ‘heart-culture’, we have to plough the field of the heart, remove the weeds and wild growth, and plant the seeds. The weeds are pernicious tendencies, attitudes and habits; the fertilisers are devotion and dedication. Water to help the plant grow is the quality of love. The seeds are the names of God, which are deposited within the purified heart. The harvest which is the reward of all this spiritual discipline is Wisdom.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                            Foundations of Culture

Imitation is a sign of cowardice, not a quality that can ensure progress. How can you draw inspiration for uplifting yourself, if you are engaged in hating yourself and devaluing your achievements? You should feel no sense of shame when you bring back to memory your forefathers and the teachers of the past who built the culture that nurtured you. Instead, you ought to feel proud of them.

Like them, manifest the power that lies in self-exertion! Do not resort to the weak stratagem of imitating others. Instead absorb the good qualities that others may possess. We plant a seed in the soil. Then we supply it with the ingredients it needs—water, air, and manure. The seed sprouts. It grows into a sapling. It becomes at last a huge tree. You will notice that it does not become either soil or manure, or air or water.  These it makes use of, but adheres to its own nature and grows into a tree.  May you too live like that!

The Sai Teachings

                                                  Enjoy Peace and Joy

The tree of life can yield the fruit of bliss only when it is watered with virtue and fed on faith. Provision of food, clothing, and shelter will not ensure peace and joy; they can come only through virtue and faith. Virtue alone can endow love and sympathy.

We are now putting the cart (the body) before the horse (mind) and providing for the safety and strength of the cart alone. The horse (mind) is allowed to grow wild or is starved. Harmony at home and in society can be brought about only through the recognition of the Oneness of All. Virtues alone can endow love and sympathy, peace and joy for one and all.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                                     Duties of the Youth

Young people should share with society the means and measures for its progress and security. In this stage one should start earning his income and learn to spend it wisely. The youth has to, by example, guide younger ones in the right direction and at the same time learn from elders, lessons for ones' own progress.

He must do good deeds simply for the elation they confer. Understand that practice advances wisdom, just as reading enhances knowledge. The young person must cultivate humility, reverence, devotion to God and steadfast faith. Along with earning money and serving society, attention has to be paid to virtues and morality through righteous behaviour and spiritual practices. One’s whole being must be purified and then directed along the path of sacred work.

The Sai Teachings

                                                       Develop Faith

Develop faith in God, all names are His. Every person is the embodiment of the Divine. True human relations can grow only when this truth is understood.

The first stage to Realisation is when you accept, "I am in the Light." Next you perceive and declare, "The Light is in me" and finally you realize, "I am the Light”.

“I” represents Love and “light” represent Supreme Wisdom. When love and light become one, there is Realisation. Love should come from within and not be enforced from outside.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                                   Develop Character

The happiness that one derives from virtues is far superior to the happiness that you get from the possession of wealth. Unfortunately, many educated youth today are striving for wealth, physical strength and friendship. But all these have little value without the wealth of character.
For men or women, character is the foundation. If you lack character, you become feeble in all other respects. Know that one’s strength lies in character and not in the wealth one earns. Materialistic wealth is not what we need today and can never confer true happiness. Hence, earn the wealth of virtues by developing good character. Without good character, all learning will prove futile, sooner or later. With good character and purity of heart, perform all your actions. Know that even if a small act is done with a pure heart, it becomes fruitful.

 

Live up to the Teachings....

Today we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught that you should seek the Kingdom of Heaven and to enter that Kingdom, you must cultivate loving hearts. Then your hearts would become the Kingdom of Heaven.
When Jesus was born in the manger, three kings were led by a star to His place of birth. One of them, seeing the infant Jesus observed: "This Child will be a lover of God." The second said: "No, God will love Him." The third one said: "Verily He is God Himself."
The significance of these three statements is - "To love God is to be His Messenger." To be loved by God is to be a son of God and finally, as Jesus Himself said: "I and My Father are one."
Be aware that all of you are messengers of God. All of you are Children of God. So be free from selfishness and manifest the qualities of the Divine Father from today.

Sathya Sai Baba - Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1994.

The Sai Teachings

                                                         Detachment

 A Headmaster joyfully gives up the furniture and laboratory appliances of the school when he is transferred to another school. Why? Because the headmaster knows and believes that he is only the caretaker, and is not the owner. He is not attached to these articles, for he knows that these belong to the Government.

So too, each one of us must feel that our family, our house, our car and all other possessions are all the Lord’s property. You are just a trustee and must be ready to give them up without murmur, at a moment’s notice.

Sacrifice does not mean that you should not attach value to things. You must indeed care for everything. But remember, that all of them are transient and the joy they give is very trivial and temporary. Know their real worth, do not over-estimate them and develop attachment to them.

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Greetings

                                            Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all

May you enjoy a Christmas blessed in the true spirit of happiness, tolerance and compassion; Let 2014 be a year of “new beginnings”, of good health and the achievement of personal success.

The Sai Teachings

                                                         Delusion

It is the mind that weaves a pattern called “I” - the process by which it establishes the ego and elaborates it into a multitude of shackles called delusion. The mind prompts the senses to project into the outer world of objects, for it builds up notions of pleasure and pain, of joy and grief and constructs a whole array of urges and impulses.

It protests when the individual is eager to become conscious of one’s identity. But when it finds that the individual is determined to oppose its tactics, it surrenders and disappears without a trace! Diminish your desires – you will be free from delusion.

        Desire comes from attachment – deliverance comes from detachment!

 

The Sai Teachings

Cure for Ignorance

In the garden of the Heart, you must plant and foster:
the Rose of Divinity, the Jasmine of Humility and the Lily of Generosity.
In your medicine chest, you must keep in readiness, the tablets of Discrimination, drops of Self-control and three key powders of Faith, Devotion and Patience.
Through the use of these drugs, you can escape the serious illness called Ignorance.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                                     Cultivate Love

Cultivate love towards all; it will destroy envy, anger and hatred. Trust begets trust, love begets love. If you talk to another with much love, they cannot develop any hatred towards you. Love makes the whole world kin. It is the greatest instrument of concord.

The farmer plants the seedling and watches over it with great care. He removes the weeds, he destroys the pests, waters it as and when necessary and spreads manure and awaits the day when he can reap the harvest and fill his granary. So too, you must carefully nourish love and pluck out the weeds of hatred and envy within you. Wear the glasses of love and everyone will appear loveable and good. You will get what you search for; you will see what your eyes crave for. Develop a holy vision; you will then see holiness everywhere.

The Sai Teachings

                                            Control the Tongue

When the tongue craves for some delicacy, assert that you will not cater to its whims. If you persist in eating simple food that is not savoury or pungent but amply healthy, the tongue may squirm for a few days, but will soon welcome it. That is the way to subdue it and overcome the evil consequences of it being your master.

Since the tongue is equally insistent on scandal and lascivious talk, you have to curb that tendency also. Talk little; talk sweetly; talk only when there is pressing need; talk only to those to whom you must; do not shout or raise the voice, in anger or excitement. Such control will improve health and mental peace, induce better relationships with people and minimize conflicts with others. You may be initially laughed at, but there are other compensations for you. It will conserve your time and energy; and you can put your inner energy to better use.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                                  Control the Mind

This is an ancient observation true even today – that most people spend their childhood in pranks and play, their youth in sports, pleasure and pastime, middle age in plans and schemes to pile up a fortune, and old age in hospitals trying to bolster failing health through failing wealth.

Earning and spending, one fills their time with work and worry. People are busy with a number of attempts to earn happiness, but success is little and short-lived. The only panacea for all ills, the effort that will result in total victory is the control of the mind, which is the master of the senses. Every sense organ is an outlet for energy that binds one to the objective world. The senses are induced by the mind to move out and attach themselves to objects. You must make the mind submit to wisdom, which discriminates between right and wrong. Then the mind, instead of harming, will help you.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                                         Goal of Education

The key objective of education is the culture of the mind and the spirit. This is very much like agriculture, which provides food and clothing for man. We require grains to sustain the body; we require meditation to sustain the spirit.

In agriculture, you prepare the soil, plant seeds, feed the plants with fertilisers, and reap the harvest. In ‘heart-culture’, we have to plough the field of the heart, remove the weeds and wild growth, and plant the seeds. The weeds are pernicious tendencies, attitudes and habits; the fertilisers are devotion and dedication. Water to help the plant grow is the quality of love. The seeds are the names of God, which are deposited within the purified heart. The harvest which is the reward of all this spiritual discipline is Wisdom.

The Sai Teachings

                                                             Self-Belief
Unless a belief is held unshaken throughout night and day, it cannot be used to achieve victory. When a person asserts that he/she is low in knowledge or talent, and knows but little, he/she becomes so; his knowledge eventually decreases. We become what we believe we are. We are the children of Almighty God, endowed with supreme power, glory and wisdom. We are children of immortality. We must understand this fundamental truth and hold fast to it always. When we dwell on this thought, how can we ever be low and ignorant? Culture teaches us to believe that the real nature of man is divine and that one should ever be conscious of this truth.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                                         Be Vigilant

You must exercise constant watchfulness over your feelings and reactions, and endeavour to keep out selfishness, envy, anger, greed and other such evil tendencies from entering your minds. These are nets which entrap you; these vices overwhelm and subdue your holiness. Then you forget yourself and behave like any other uncivilised individual, a person caught in frenzy. You blabber as your tongue dictates, without regard to the effect—good or evil, and engage your hands in work that it favours. Be aware and keep them in control! If you carefully discriminate, you can be recognised by the good company you keep, the noble works you delight in and the pleasant words you utter.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                          Be in Control

The most important reason for bondage is giving too much freedom to the mind. When an animal is tethered to a post, it will not be able to go elsewhere. It cannot show anger or violence or do harm to any person. But if it is let loose, it can roam around, destroy crops and cause loss and harm to others. In the process it may get beaten for the mischief done. Similarly, the mind must be bound by certain regulations and limits. As long as Man lives within certain rules and disciplines, he will be able to maintain a good name and lead a happy and useful life. Once he crosses these limits he will go astray.

 

The Sai Teachings

                                                      Add Value to your Life

An empty iron box gets value when it contains jewels. So too the body will be honoured when it contains the jewel of Divine consciousness and the gems called Virtues. Life has to be lived through for the opportunities it provides to unfold human values. Otherwise one becomes a burden upon earth, a mere consumer of food.
Life is a steady march towards the goal; it is not a meaningless term of imprisonment or a casual picnic. Even if you have no steady faith in God or in any particular Name or Form of that Immanent Power, start by controlling the vagaries of the mind, the pulls of the ego, and the attractions of sense-attachments. Be helpful to others; then your conscience itself will appreciate you and keep you happy and content, though others may not thank you.

The Sai Teachings

The 5 Elements

Godhead expressed itself initially as the five elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. All creation is but a combination of two or more of these in varying proportions. The characteristic natures of these five elements are: sound, touch, form, taste and smell, cognized by the ears, the skin, the eyes, the tongue and the nose. Now, since these are saturated with the divine, one has to use them reverentially, with humility and gratitude. Use them intelligently to promote the welfare of others and yourself; use them with moderation and in loving service of society.

The Sai Teachings

The 4 Resolutions               Make four resolutions about your life hereafter and live in joy. 1. Practise Purity - Desist from wicked thoughts, bad habits and mean activities that weaken your self-respect. 2. Do Service – Serve others, for they are the reflections of the same entity of which you yourself are another reflection. No one of you has any authenticity on your own, except with reference to your Creator, the Lord. 3. See Mutuality – Feel always the kinship with all creation. See the same current flowing through all objects in the Universe. 4. Live in Truth – Do not deceive yourself or others by distorting your experience. - Divine Discourse, Feb 25, 1964.

The Sai Teachings

THE 4 GOALS

The Vedas (Hindu Scriptures) lay down four goals before man: Righteousness, Wealth, Desire and Liberation. But they have to be pursued in pairs, Righteousness and Wealth together and Desire and Liberation combined. That is to say, Wealth has to be earned through Righteousness, and our Desire should be for Liberation.  But man takes these four separately and ends up losing everything. He puts them into separate compartments and adopts distinct plans to achieve them. He gives up Righteousness and Liberation as beyond him and wastes his life pursuing only Wealth and Desire. This leads him to ruin. - Sanathana Sarathi, June 2001.

The Sai Teachings

Picture this inward journey as walking through a four storied building to get to the top – the ground floor being the union with God through Action, and the other floors being Devotion, Wisdom and Detachment. When it is just a nascent fruit, it is Action. That is, all are capable of the activity, and so it is the first step in spirituality as well. When it matures and is rendered free from egoism and greed, it becomes worship, and so, it leads one onto the second floor, Devotion. When it is ripe and sweet, that is to say, when the devotee achieves complete self-surrender, then it is the acquisition of Wisdom. When the fruit drops from the tree, it marks full Detachment; the fourth floor of God's mansion is then reached. - Divine Discourse, Oct 9, 1964.

The Sai Teachings

Your very form is love. Have more faith in love and develop loving relationships with others. Cultivate the feeling that you belong to all and all belong to you. All are one; be alike to everyone. All are the children of the same Divine Mother. Being the children of the same Mother, all should live like brothers and sisters. The very foundation of this country is based on truth and right action; this must be propagated. Everyone should consider adherence to truth as the greatest deed they can perform. Truth and right conduct are most important in the life of every human being. Youth, in particular, should strictly adhere to these virtues. What is truth? It means harmony of thought, word and deed. Wherever these three are in harmony, there you find Truth. You should not say one thing on the platform, but have something else in your mind, and finally act in a totally different manner from what you spoke and thought. This is the worst sin possible! – Divine Discourse, May 30, 2006.

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Peace has to be attained through spiritual efforts, that is to say, through spiritualising every thought , word and deed.

Avatars come to the world to teach Humanity the way of Love

Love gives and gives, Self gets and forgets

The Sai Teachings

You are all caskets of Divine Love; share it, spread it, express that Love in acts of service, words of sympathy and acts of compassion.

All are One - be alike to everyone

Water flows from a high level to the lower levels. God's Grace too is like that. It flows down to those who are bent with humility. 

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There is only One God and He is omnipresent

Be good, Do good, See good - this is the way to God

Every life is a journey across time: from "I" to "We" to "He"

Make your emotions pure and your mind strong to resist the force of ignorance and the wiles of the senses, then you are assured of peace and joy

 

The Sai Teachings

Reigning in your senses is the sign of growing in Wisdom

Divert the boat of your Life to the lighthouse of Divine Love. You are then bound to gain the shore of Bliss

The one who discriminates well before engaging in any activity, will naturally be righteous in conduct and behaviour

Semonettes of Swami Sivananda

Let the Mind be on God

Do all your duties, but keep your mind on God. Know in your heart of hearts, nobody or nothing belongs to you – not your family, friends nor possessions.

A maid servant in the house of a rich man performs all the household duties, but her thoughts are fixed on her own home in her native village. She brings up her master’s children as if they were her own, but ultimately, knows that they do not belong to her at all.

So, do all your duties in the world lovingly, but keep your mind on God.

Double-Edged Sword

The tongue is a double-edged sword and use it with utmost caution. It eats, it speaks and can become a vicious enemy if not kept in check by the teeth. Be vigilant. The moment there is an impulse to use abusive words or to utter falsehood, fetter the tongue with the teeth and allow it not to wag. When the tongue craves for eating delicacies , shut your mouth and thus gain will-power.

You can make this arch enemy your great friend also – by making the tongue to repeat His Names constantly and earnestly sing His glories. You can gain control over speech. Keep your meditation room away from the kitchen. Then only, will you know how to drink the “Rama Rasam” and the tongue will not crave for “Rasam and Payasam”.

Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Delusion

While the insects jump into the blazing fire and the fish seizes the bait attached to the hook through sheer ignorance, man who is supposed to have discrimination and knowledge of right and wrong, man does not abandon sensual pleasures that are attended with various defects! How inscrutable is the power of Delusion!

Life is to Give

Know and realise that your faculty is intended for the good of others. Learn lessons from Nature. The various and innumerable products, like fruit, vegetables, gold, coal to name a few – all lay themselves bare for the use of Man. Man always takes but never gives. Let all learn and emulate from Nature and resolve that Life is to give and not to take.

Attain Final Emancipation

Truth is the seed; Celibacy is the root; Meditation is the rain; Shanti or Peace is the flower; Emancipation or Liberation is the fruit. Therefore, speak the truth, practise celibacy, cultivate peace and meditate regularly. You will surely attain final emancipation.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Message of Hope

Never despair, be always hopeful and you will succeed. Hope is the mother of Success. Hope gives you happiness and pushes you to sublime heights of splendour and glory. Hope inspires and encourages. Each one in this world rests on hope. In the end, the heart is the last organ that ceases to function. Hope is the last thing that dies in man. You live not on what you have, but on what you hope for.

Turn Your Gaze Within

Look into your own heart and find that Love. Cultivate it consciously and deliberately. Cast out the thorns and weeds. They have no place in this beautiful garden of your heart where the Lord dwells. You make great and expansive preparations for the reception of important guests. How much more preparation is necessary when receiving in the temple of your heart, the Lord of the universe.  

Banish Worry

Worry is uneasiness in Mind; the worry of business, of politics, of a householder. Worry kills a man and destroys his hopes of Life. It is like a cancer and eventually wears you out. Do not worry, it only harms you. The surest antidote for worry is to keep busy doing something useful. Do the best and leave the rest to God.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Yoga of Synthesis

Yoga is the attainment of the highest Divine knowledge through Conscious Communion with the Lord by controlling the senses and the mind.

A bird cannot fly without two wings. Though the bird may have two wings, yet it cannot fly without the tail. The tail balances and directs the bird to fly in the right direction and saves it from falling. The tail is Bhakti (Devotion) which balances the two wings, represented by Karma (Action) and Jnana (Wisdom). Karma, Bhakti and Jnana are necessary to make you perfect; and to develop the head (Wisdom), hand (Karma) and heart (Devotion), and help you in reaching the goal. May you all tread the path of Truth; attain perfection and integral development through the practice of the Yoga of Synthesis.

As You Think, so You Become

You sow an action and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow a character and reap your destiny. Hence, destiny is of your own making. You have built it but you can also undo it. Entertain noble thoughts by changing your mode of thinking and do virtuous actions. Now you think you are the body; then start the anti-current of thought. Think that you are the all-pervading Brahman (God). Immortal Brahman will you become. This is an immutable law.

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Semonettes of Swami Sivananda

Electric Bulb and Man

The electric current in the wires is the same throughout an installation. The bulbs take the current from the wires according to their capacity and give brighter or dimmer light. Similarly, human beings are illumined by the Grace and Love of God according to the stage of evolution they have attained through the intensity of their devotion and meditation. At the highest level you will attain greatness and immortality.

Be Up and Doing

Let your determination manifest in action. Ideas get transformed into character by being lived. Therefore, be up and doing. Never accept defeat. Once you walk towards the Light, keep going forward. Go onward till the ideal of a perfect character is achieved. Be up and doing in the path of perfection.

Cogitate: Realise

Do not be discouraged by impediments and obstacles in life. Have steadfast faith in the Cosmic Order. Develop belief in the eternal and universal Justice. It is the prelude to success in life.

Sufferings are only experiences and lessons for self-correction. Faith foretells the shaping of the character and life. Never succumb to evil; your mind is the cause for your success or failure. Forbearance and self-surrender are your true guides. Plant faith deep in your hearts; synchronise your head and heart. Always be sincere in your thought, word and deed and thus Realise. 

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Semonettes of Swami Sivananda

God-Temptation

If you wish to wean the mind away from worldly temptations, place before it God-temptation. If tempted, let it be by God. If sight tempts you, then see Him everywhere. If ear tempts you, hear His name in all speech. If touch tempts you, feel you are touching His lotus-feet everywhere. If taste tempts you, know that He is the essence in all tastes. Give your whole mind to Him, without leaving any part of it for other temptations. Then the senses will die a natural death and ultimately, you will attain That eternal Bliss.

Sadhana or Spiritual Practice

The Divine Name

No one obtains liberation without the name of the Lord. Your highest duty is to repeat His Name always. The greatest of sinners can obtain God-realisation through the blessings of the Name. Meditate on God’s Name with the belief that the Name and the Named (God) are identical. The Name of God is the most potent, unfailing tonic and a sure panacea for all ills.

Put not the Cart before the Horse

Selfless service is the greatest purifying force on Earth. It is through such service that you can experience a wider consciousness and a higher life. All endeavour, contrary to this ideal, will only prove futile. Earnest and whole-hearted service forms the melting process to the base core of the egoistic self in man. To fancy one’s self fit for meditation and seclusion from the start is to put the cart before the horse.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananada

Life’s Elements

The salt of Life is selfless service; the bread of Life is universal love; the water of Life is purity; the sweetness of Life is devotion; the fragrance of Life is generosity; the pivot of Life is meditation; the goal of Life is Self-realisation.

Therefore, serve, love, be pure and generous, mediate and realise.

Be Good and Do Good

The fruits of Karma are hidden. When you do an evil action you do not feel anything. You think it is nothing. When you suffer and in acute agony, or overwhelmed by a serious catastrophe, you repent. You are actually seeing the fruits of a bad Karma, which were invisible till now. So, be always good and do good things.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

 Ethics

To Love: Desire for Liberation; company of the wise; selfless service

To shun: Miserliness; cruelty; petty-mindedness

To hate: Lust; anger; pride

To control: Tongue; temper; wandering mind

To renounce: Evil company; desires; fruit of action

To cultivate: Cosmic love; forgiveness; patience

To avoid: Falsehood; crookedness; back-biting

To admire: Honesty; frankness; charity

To adhere: Faith; unity; sacrifice

To synthesise: Yoga of Service, Devotion and Knowledge

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Pleasure and Pain

Pleasure and pain are the effects of virtue and vice. They are two kinds of emotions that pertain to the mind alone. Freedom from the body and mind is the real nature of the Self or Atman, being a silent witness to these emotions. Mind enjoys and mind suffers; the Atman has nothing to do with these; It is all Bliss.

The Path of the Pleasant

The senses have been created with a natural tendency to flow towards the objective Universe. This externalisation dissipates the rays of the Mind, weakens the Intellect and blinds the eye of intuitive Perception. Unity is falsely represented as Diversity. The untrue appears to be true – pain appears to be pleasure; and the shadow holds out greater charms than the Substance itself. This is the path the ignorant man pursues.

Who is Free?

The association with family members is like a chance meeting of travellers on a journey. They depart with the fall of each body. Just as a person casts of objects of his dream when he rises from sleep, so also he should be prepared to detach himself from them at any time. One, who reflecting thus lives at home without attachment and egoism is not bound by the home and is Free.   

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Earthly Life

Sensual Enjoyment

Sensual enjoyment is attended with various defects; pains, weaknesses, attachments, slave mentality, bad habits, cravings and mental restlessness among others. Therefore,  shun all sorts of sensual enjoyments. Enjoy and experience the unchanging, infinite and supreme happiness which must come from a Being in whom there is no change.

Obstacles to Self-Surrender

The strength and devotion depends upon the completeness of the self-surrender and sacrifice. The vast majority of us keep certain subtle desires for secret gratification, we do not grow in devotion. The two obstacles to self-surrender are desires and egoism.

Be Brave

Every difficulty is an opportunity to develop your will and grow strong – welcome it. Difficulties strengthen your will, augment your power of endurance and turn your mind towards God. This is the beginning of a new life, a life of expansion, glory and Divine splendour. Tread the spiritual path and realise: “I am the Immortal Self”.
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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

The State of “Samadhi”

The experience of fullness is called Samadhi. That blessed state in which the mystery of life is revealed, that serene and blessed state in which the meditator enters into a deep sleep, is “Nirvikalpa Samadhi”. Samadhi is an intense awareness of the Reality, the highest intuition which reveals to the meditator things as they are, in which eternal peace is experienced. It transcends duality of all kinds and is undisturbed by the ego, free from worry and enjoys complete satisfaction.

The Highest Experience

Spiritual experience cannot be described in words as language is imperfect and ambiguous. They are to be felt and raised by the aspirants. Experiences in the beginning vary, dependent upon the aspirant’s developmental stage. The highest experience is one and invariable; is that in which you become identical with the Absolute.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

The Pilgrimage

Life is a journey from impurity to purity, from hatred to cosmic love, from death to immortality, from slavery to freedom, from pain to eternal bliss, from diversity to unity, from ignorance to eternal wisdom, and from weakness to strength. Let every thought take you nearer to the Lord, every act further your evolution.

The Underlying Essence

He who give breath - gives strength, gives vigour to the senses, light to the intellect and force to the Prana, He is the Inner Ruler. He who is hiding Himself in the chambers of your heart is God. Nothing lies outside God. He is pure intelligence and has no necessity to perceive anything as an object. The whole world is within God, just as all your organs are within you.

Fruits of Spiritual Practice

Spiritual Practices will give you inner life; introspective inner vision and an unruffled state of mind under all conditions of life. You will become a changed being. You will have a new heart and a new vision too. A new spiritual current will encompass your entire being and you will experience spiritual Bliss. Even when you get a glimpse of Truth or the Supreme Being, your whole life will be changed. 

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Be Courageous

The spiritual aspirant is never helpless. The entire existence is supporting him in his arduous struggle, for he is searching for something which is True to all. One may dislike a certain thing of the world, but Truth can be hated by none. None can defeat him for he is the Immortal Spirit, the ruler of all.

Supreme Wealth

Everything will end well for those who are truthful, sincere and who rely on God. Throw your burden on Him and rest peacefully for ever. Forget all about the past and do not bother about domestic affairs. He, who takes care of the frog within the strata of the rock, will surely take care of all His creation. This is your supreme wealth.      

Goal of Life

First things First

Any number of zeroes have no intrinsic value unless the number 1 is added before them. Likewise, the material wealth accumulated is nothing if you do not try to acquire spiritual wealth and strive for Self-realisation. Therefore live in the Soul or the Self, within. Add the Divine to the life here. Seek first the Lord within. He is the fountain – Source of Divine riches, power and beauty.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

All about Saintliness

The beginning of Saintliness is killing of egoism. The end of Saintliness is Eternal life. The light of Saintliness is universal love. The garb of Saintliness is virtue. The mark of Saintliness is equal vision. The foundation of Saintliness is right conduct. May you become a Saint.

Key to Evolution

Grow; Evolve; Expand; Reflect; Meditate; Develop Pure Love. Obtain Wisdom (knowledge of the Self). Unfold the hidden treasures of spiritual consciousness latent in your heart.

Build up your Personality

Mould your character. Behave properly. Develop affection, sympathy, benevolence, tolerance and humility. Come out of your small, narrow, egoistic circle and have a broad vision. Speak gently and sweetly in a courteous manner. Eradicate undesirable thoughts and desires.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

The Adverbial Guides

Eat sparingly; breathe deeply; talk kindly; Work energetically; think usefully; persevere resolutely; act rightly; behave properly; speak politely; pray wholeheartedly; mediate seriously; Realise quickly

The Wise Aspirant

Vigilant among the careless; awake among the sleepers; reflective among the thoughtless; restrained among the indulgent, the wise aspirant boldly marches forward, reaches the goal now and here and attains Immortality and Eternal Bliss. Meditate earnestly now. Aspire. Be vigilant.

Faith and Reason

Do not argue about matters that are transcendental. Reason is finite and frail, and has its own limitations. It cannot cross the borders of the transcendental world, unable to realise the presence of the Lord. What is wanted is Faith. Faith can take you to realms where reason cannot enter. Have unshakeable faith and meditate. You will soon attain God-realisation.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

                                                  Selfless Service

Karma Yoga prepares the mind for the reception of Light and Knowledge. It is also an effective instrument for the attainment of purity of the mind and the heart. It removes all obstacles in the way of oneness and unity. Therefore do selfless service constantly and lovingly.

Saintliness

Self-Examination

A man in his ego-centric attitude sits in judgement on others conduct and ways, while, in himself are innumerable defects and frailties which need to be scrutinised and eradicated. We have a habit of ignoring our own weaknesses but see the same in others magnified as through a microscope. Let that same criticism aimed at others be directed towards ourselves. Let the pride with which one is obsessed, be laid in the dust.

Non-violence

There is no penance like the practice of “Ahimsa” or Non-violence; there is no vow like the vow of speaking the Truth; there is no discipline like that of controlling the senses. Mental renunciation is the first and most essential condition for the practice of non-violence. He who renounced desire for wealth, name and fame can practise non-violence.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Be Vigilant

Even to the very last, one should be vigilant against egoism. It raises its head in various ways and forms. Man is often deceived and side-tracked. Every aspirant should welcome insults and injuries. Everyone should learn to adapt, be humble and learn to introspect himself constantly and thus evolve quickly.

Sacrifice Pleasure to Secure Bliss

Spiritual pursuits and practices are really sweet but appear to be bitter. Sensual pursuits are really bitter though they appear to be sweet. This is due to perversion of the intellect caused by ignorance. Select some songs that you like from your scriptures and continue to sing and hum their tunes daily. In this way, you would have continuity of thoughts about God. May you always shine with Divine splendour and have inexhaustible wealth of the Lord, which is the common property of all mankind.

God-Vision is Thy Birth-right

Renunciation is the watchword. Self-realisation is the goal. Righteousness is the prop. The Bliss of Divinity is your birth-right. Knowledge of God is the only requisite for liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Knowledge should become a living experience and not a mere belief. May the Lord bless you; May you all become sages.

Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

Service

Serve; Serve; Serve

This must be your motto. Never miss an opportunity to serve selflessly as it benefits those in need. We should always be aware that the Divine Spark is in each one of us. Ultimately, you serve God. Worship God in the poor and the sick and serve with intense love. Give your hands to the work and the mind to God. You will attain supreme Peace, Bliss and Immortality.

Truth

There is no religion, virtue, or treasure higher than Truth. God is Truth. Truth is God. The Truth speaks inwardly without noise of words, the language of silence. It is the subtle voice of God. A clear conscience gives joy and peace.

No Faith, No Knowledge

The goal of life is God-realisation. Life is faith and illumination. No faith, no devotion and no knowledge of God. Bad company, lust, greed, infatuated love for family, money and unwholesome food are enemies of faith. Meditate. Realise intuitively now and enjoy bliss of God.
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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

                                                                  The Soul

Control the Tongue

The tongue is a double-edged sword and is the most turbulent and powerful of all the senses. Words possess tremendous power: by words you can encourage, cheer, displease or ruin others. So, use sweet words always and conquer the hearts of others. Be careful in its selection and never use harsh words to hurt the feelings of people. Speak the truth at any cost and practise austerity of speech if you really want quick progress in meditation.

Introspect

Watch your mind and thoughts and practise self-analysis. Be humble and simple and avoid evil company. Remove arrogance, self-conceit and laziness. Be sincere and serve all with love. Respect your parents and elders. Have perfect trust in God and Divine Grace will descend upon you.

Health

Wholesome food (vegetarian), pure air and water, physical exercise and outdoor activities contribute to the maintenance of good health, strength, vigour and vitality. Regular practise of Yogic exercises will give you abundant energy, nerve-power and longevity.  Brain, muscles, organs and tissues are toned and energised. Good health is a requisite for a balanced mind and sound body.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

                                                                   The Soul

Be Self-controlled

Spiritual life is actually living in God. It is a life of fullness and perfection; a transcendental experience of unalloyed Bliss. Be self-controlled, be just, noble and impartial. Cultivate peace in the garden of your heart by removing the weeds of lust, hatred, greed, selfishness and jealousy. Know that you are one with God.

Divine Awakeners

Trials and tribulations do not make a sincere devotee lose his faith in God. Love is imperishable and the ultimate Truth. Love is the greatest power in this planet and the basis of life. It is the essence of religion. Build your life on the great ideals of selfless service and all other ideals will manifest in life through these. Keep the mind fully occupied and aim at perfection. Fear not, grieve not, worry not – be cautious, vigilant, reflect and meditate. A sincere prayer gives tremendous strength and removes all evil thoughts.

Anger

Anger begets eight kinds of vices and all evil qualities proceed from anger. If you eradicate anger, all bad qualities will die by themselves. It is anger that brings destruction to a man. An aspirant should have perfect control over his temper. Watch the mind carefully; divert the mind immediately and keep it fully occupied whenever agitation sets in and your temper flares. You may fail several times, but gradually you will gain strength and anger will disappear.

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Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda

                                                                      The Soul

Have Confidence in Yourself

Understand clearly the aim of your life and do work that is congenial to your aim. Work hard to live up to and realise your ideal. Remove a careless and forgetful attitude – have confidence in your own powers and faculties. Keep up your mental poise amidst all changes that may affect you, without consideration of its results. Have the mind rooted in God throughout your daily activities and with intense concentration kindle the fire of devotion.

Be Self-controlled

Spiritual life is actually living in God. It is a life of fullness and perfection; a transcendental experience of unalloyed Bliss. Be self-controlled, be just, noble and impartial. Cultivate peace in the garden of your heart by removing the weeds of lust, hatred, greed, selfishness and jealousy. Know that you are one with God.

                                                                                       to be continued