Happy Baba's Day

Never Disheartened While Reaching Your Goal

The journey of life is nothing but striving to reach our life's goal. We get tired in this long sojourn. Several hurdles are encountered on the way. To overcome them, we need enormous strength of mind. Mind is the source of it. Fearing the advent of obstacles, some people would not start any work and remain where they are. Many of us belong to this category.

They have no desire to grow either materially or spiritually. Some people would start any work with much fan-fare. But one set-back would draw them away from work. They are the weak and the fallen ones. Very few people have the ability to withstand and remain firm in the face of tests or set-backs. They taste success. The difference between them is the resolute mind and endurance.

Body gets nourished by the intake of food. Mind gets strengthened only by practice. The Ever-Compassionate Baba, will grant the much-needed mental strength to His devotees through rigorous practice. Baba says, "Look to Me, Your burden is indeed Mine".

If such assurance of Baba is with us, we can climb any mountain of hardship. Just as the mountaineer takes the support of the rock, the devotee can reach the pinnacle of life with the mighty support of Baba's Grace.

One could face the challenges of life with a stout heart and resolute mind. With Baba's Grace, we can reach the Abode of Self-Liberation.

Better to be in Baba's Consciousness than in ours

It is but human nature to always worry about what others might think of them. We wish to see that people all around should think of us in a positive manner. It is justified to some extent. But, as long as our deeds are good and noble, it is absolutely not necessary to either worry about the views of others or get pained by their hurtful comments. The weeds in the crop spoil the very crop itself.

Likewise, the feelings of hatred and ego will spoil our very existence. The darkness of ego is more darker than natural darkness. To assume that we know everything is like staying in perpetual darkness. There is a nice way to get rid of that darkness and suffering. That is to stop thinking of our own self and start thinking on Baba again and again, through which medium it would become easier to come into light. Causes of fear like inhibitions and cowardice would just vanish, duly replaced by faith in Baba. Then, we can bring into light those who were caught in similar dark chambers.

If we offer all our thoughts to the Merciful Baba, we can surely be freed from turmoil and forgetting ourselves, we can attain a state of serene joy.

All troubles and tears arise only when we get attached to our physical body.

When we shed 'body-consciousness' and get into the Kingdom of 'Divine Consciousness', Baba is visible in every being.

Wishes of the Righteous Get Fulfilled by God

God, the All-Watchful, shall never abandon His children in the dark when firm faith is reposed in Him. If we are moving on the path of righteousness by seeking His shelter and serving humanity with a feeling of serving God, He will surely fulfill our desires. But, what kind of desires are fulfilled? Selfish desires meant to harm others will get successfully repulsed by the Omnipotent Baba. He will not even accept our own desires that may harm us. Is it not justified?Will the mother accept the infant's desire to play with fire? God too is like that.

A desire which is not harmful to others and devoid of evil thought will definitely get fulfilled. God cannot bear seeing His children getting hurt. Besides, not only things we justly desire for, but even things we rightly deserve are granted to us without being asked. Instead of seeking boons, if one seeks more devotion and liberation, our Merciful Baba will certainly shower His Divine Grace.

If we meditate on Him with a pure heart, He will grant us not just things asked for but grant us the good things unasked for. We must understand that if a particular desire is not fulfilled, it is because of the fact that it does no good to us and therefore He did not grant it.

When Baba, who grant boons even without asking for them, is with us, where is the need for asking Him specifically?

The Power of God's Name

To worship God, we need some articles of worship and a clean place. Nothing will bar one from chanting God's Name in one's mind. One need not loudly chant the name of "Sai". It is enough if we remember Him in the heart. The repetition of God's name is a very powerful practice. By repeating God's name, a humble cowherd girl could cross an over-flowing river. The soul-felt chanting of the divine name will make God dwell in the devotee's heart. One who constantly and fervently chant God's name will be turned into an ocean of virtues.

Name is like a seed. On sowing it in the soil of human heart, its roots would sink deep and wider and grow into a huge tree. Gradually, the tree absorbs the power of God and turns into a wish-fulfilling tree. A devotee who habitually chants the name of God will get absorbed in God's Love and experience the unalloyed bliss. Just as a father feels delighted to see his children grow up to his stature, so also God makes Himself a captive in the heart of a devotee whose mind always dwells in God.

Let us make the chanting of Sai Name, God who descended to Shirdi, to save mankind from the mire of sins in the Kaliyuga, the very life-breath of our lives.

Wherever and in whatever work we are engaged, in our mind we must constantly chant His Name and undertake works meant for universal welfare.

Trust Your Ability and Pray for God's Support

It would be a misconception to think that we are living by our own ability. Whatever work we do, it should be treated as a work entrusted to us by God. The task should be accomplished as commanded by our Master, Baba. We must remember that the capability of doing it is also gifted by Him. We have to seek Baba's blessings to accomplish the work successfully.

Then, by the grace of Sainath, our abilities will be put to effective use and the task gets performed.When a kid was attempting to lift a load beyond his capacity, his father asked, "Are you making full use of your strength?" The boy impatiently replied "Yes". Again, the father asked "why did you not seek my help?" It means that in times of need if the Heavenly Father Baba's assistance is not sought and utilized, we should realize that we did not tap our capacity to the maximum extent. Though it looks little, Baba's help would indeed be of great help to us.

Hence, we should get ready to receive such help from Baba. His blessings will make our every effort fruitful. The one who does not receive His help is nothing and only when our hearts are filled with Him, we become true devotees. Before undertaking any mighty task, our foremost duty should be to pray the Almighty, "Baba! I can accomplish the task only with your divine help, co-operation and blessings".

Let not Your Tongue Crave for Varied Tastes

Taking food is common to all living species. But, we should eat only to nourish and take care of our body. We should eat to live and not live to eat. We see some people around us who seem to have taken birth only to eat. They will fly into temper and throw away the dinner plate if a pinch of chilly powder is sprinkled less or rice cooked soft. They abuse the cook who prepared the food. They behave as if they exist only for the sake of food and their life a sheer waste if they are forced to eat tasteless food. Will that food remain forever in the stomach? Such people should remember Baba's teachings.

Baba used to mix up every item of food, such as sweets, puris and curries He brought by begging from houses of devotees, got them sanctified and shared it with whoever came to Him, be a servant or dog or crows etc., and ate only the left-over food, without caring for taste.

Constantly conscious of Sai, we must emulate Sai when we take food. Whether food cooked in a day is tastier or not, it should be partaken as a gift of Sai. Once we get this feeling, there is nothing to do with tastes. Sai used to take lot of care about the food He cooked and served. He would make the dishes as tasty as possible. The lesson we may draw is that we should never give importance to the taste of food we consume. Yet, we should take utmost care while feeding others.

Devotion is the Master-Key

The keys of iron safe are the symbols of house-holders' control of the house. Along with power, elderliness and responsibility are also linked to it. In fact, the keys must be in the competent and right hands. When such competent people have the quality of compassion, they only care for the welfare of the house. Unaware of the fact that the spiritual wealth concealed within us is far greater than the wealth stored in the safe, we show concern for the wealth hoarded. Body is like an iron safe in which we want to store wealth. Inside it, there is the divine light of the spirit that glows like precious jewels and gems. That is the greatest spiritual treasure of the soul, the Light of God.

To open that great treasure-house, the master-key 'devotion' is given to us. We should humbly treat the devotion-key Baba granted us and use it for self-liberation.In order to unearth the spiritual wealth within us, we should shed pride, sense of helplessness and dedicate our life to chanting Baba's Name.

Instead of making life a battle-ground for acquiring material wealth, if we worship Baba with a deep devotion, destroying our pride and arrogance, we experience ever-new divine bliss. Hence, in order to have the golden vision of the Spirit-Light glowing within the temple of our souls, we need the master-key of 'devotion' to unlock its doors.

Avoid hasty decisions, wait for Baba's commands

Some men assume that they have unusual talent and unmatched power to accomplish any Herculean task. Drunk of this arrogant attitude, whatever task they undertake may not always yield the expected results. Self-confidence is good, but it is dangerous when it exceeds the bounds.

The ego will blind us to see the truth that there is the divine power beyond the limits of human ability and power. That is arrogance coupled with ego. Pride is the primary cause of man's down-fall.

When confronted by a certain problem, some people assume that they are capable of tackling it. Without understanding the nature of the problem, they venture hasty decisions, miserably fail and incur loss. But, by praying to Baba, our Living God, we can find solutions to our problems and succeed in our works.We have to realize that neither success nor the grace of Baba can be won in haste.

To get right solutions to our problems from Baba, we need to confidently wait with expectation.
The blooming of a flower or the ripening of a fruit is possible by the will of Baba only. Even it takes some time. Likewise, when our problems get complicated, we have to patiently wait for Baba’s directions. Waiting expectantly is unavoidable.
If we repose firm faith in Baba and pray with deep devotion, Baba helps us solve our intricate problems, is a trice, by His Divine Touch.

The Secret of Happy Life Lies in Doing Works with Utmost Sincerity

Every one longs for and labours to experience happiness in life. But, one does not know where happiness lies or the source from which it could be derived. Even though God shows us the path, we are unable to sight it and experience the natural in-built springs of joy.

For this, Baba showed a simple and natural method. We must make God know every action we do. In everyday life, we do several "works" for livelihood. Tilling land, cooking food, attending to house-hold chores and upbringing the children etc. If we feel, they are being done for the sake of someone else, they look tough and burdensome.
However, without selfish attitude, if we treat them as a responsibility to accomplish, they do not appear tough to us. Whatever work we are entrusted with has to be done.

If we attend to the work and offer it at the altar of God, the work does not look tough or strenuous. When there is no strain, we need not feel sick or tired. Same work and same effort, but one works joyously. Our thought, word and deed get integrated as our head, heart and hand get involved in the work.

Transparency and purity mark our deeds if they reflect our thoughts. It is Divinity.
Joy wells up within us because the Ever-Joyous Baba dwells within us and we can joyously journey through life.

Baba The One Who Performs All Actions

Who would but hold the skies from falling?
Who would but keep the flying planes balancing?
Who would but save the trees from the wind?
Who would but make it possible to walk?
My stumbling grandmother and grandfather ?
How do the moon and stars dangle in the skies?
Why is the sun stationed at such a distance?
Who would but make the dragon-fly and birds fly?
Baba, You are the Performer of all, a player as well .
All this I know, You naughty, I know ,If You are not beside, I grieve, You know

Faith is Baba's Precious Gift to us

Nothing is impossible for those who repose faith in God. Many people think that faith in God can only be cultivated with hard work. If we whole-heartedly pray to Baba, the Supreme Protector, He shall bestow on us the power of firm faith in Him. To develop such strong faith in Baba, we need to constantly chant His Name, recall His Leelas and His assuring words for seeking His Divine Shelter. If we can control our fickle mind by chanting Baba's Name and pondering His teachings, Baba will enlighten us, create a fort of faith in our heart and dwells there.

So, we need not worry as to how faith in Baba should be cultivated. Baba blesses His ardent devotees with the iron will to walk up to Him with upright conduct and thought. Baba is the Supreme Master of the Universe. He is the One who will purge our sins, transform us into the embodiments of pure form of Truth and save us from getting entangled in the cycle of birth and death.

Therefore, like a bud, we must sincerely offer ourselves to Him and devote most of our time to His Service and must also surrender our every thought to Baba. By the grace of Baba, the budding devotion will blossom into a full-blown flower of faith. As our love for Baba deepens, He will safely take us to the haven of joy and reinforces our faith in Him.
A fervent prayer to Baba moves His heart to be always with us

Speak on Good Topics, when People are Around

Where few people get together, they converse on several topics. Sometimes they speak on good topics, sometimes they indulge in empty gossip. The mind which should always be pure gets contaminated with the filth of words. So, there is no opportunity to contemplate on God.

After sometime, there would be no thought of praying to God. Although our intellect commands us to do so, mind would not put efforts in that direction. This is called pollution of mind. Without a definite goal in life, like a rudderless boat, we roam about getting enticed by attachment, hatred, selfishness and become slaves to our senses.

The power of intellect which stops our degeneration would get weakened. Since things did not happen as we wished, we get despaired and may tend to behave in a beastly manner.

Like a sinner spoiling the pious, bad conduct attempts to bring the downfall of people around us. Baba says, "Opinions differ where people gather". Man is a social being.

So, when several people gather, the temptation to talk on useless subjects should be avoided. Instead, discussing on inspiring topics that help one and all will serve the purpose of leading them on the right path. If anyone tries to speak bad, we must check and teach him to talk good. We should try to inculcate a sense of spirituality and share it with one and all.

Happy Guru Poornima