Q & A with Bhagavan Archive

Hislop: Swami says that ‘All is done by the Lord and not by you.’ But the world over there is the concept that man is responsible for his own actions. Sai: You are God.

Hislop: We see here the form of God as Swami. How are we to understand that form? Does God appear only as that one form? If the question is improper, may Swami please disregard it.

Bhakta: Swami, faith in the Lord too diminishes sometimes. What is the reason for that? Swami: When one is deluded by the mere external world and when one does not attain success in such

A Visitor: How does one get devotion to God? Sai: Confidence is necessary. Food is the start. The body is made from food. Without health, it is very hard to do anything. The stomach

Hislop: What does surrender to the Lord mean in such common things as shaving, going to the market, walking, and so on? Sai: Surrendering to the Lord is surrendering all thoughts and actions, not

John Hislop: Swami, conflict between people appears to be inevitable. What to do? SAI: Conflicts do come about, but they should be limited to that point, to the fact of conflict and should not

Hislop: What is meant when Swami says to a departing devotee that, ‘Swami will be with you wherever you are; Swami is in your heart’? Sai: The situation can be compared to a man

Question:  Swami, Krishna was surrounded by eight consorts and is stated to have been associated with 16,000 gopis [cowherdesses]. It is very disturbing and embarrassing to hear of Lord Krishna’s many wives. Kindly enlighten

Question: Swami, today Sai devotees are spread all over the world. They range from heads of governments to ordinary citizens. As your devotees, they enjoy special respect and esteem in society. What is the

Question: Swami, when we say ‘men and women are equal’, then why do we find differences and discrimination between the two sexes? Bhagavan: Physically men and women are different. But spiritually, i.e., from the

Question: Swami, today Sai devotees are spread all over the world. They range from heads of governments to ordinary citizens. As your devotees, they enjoy special respect and esteem in society. What is the

Question: Swami, although Manthara [Kakeyi’s personal maid] and Surpanakha [Ravan’s sister] are two minor woman characters in the Ramayana, both of them appear crucial in leading to major developments. What lessons should we learn