Live in the Divine

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the following discourse to the overseas devotees  lays out guidelines for a rewarding visit to His abode at Prasanthi Nilayam. He lovingly urges us to act in a manner befitting a true devotee, with dedication, gratitude, discipline, discrimination, and determination. 

There are five requisites for developing true devotion. The first is dedication (offering everything to God). Egoism is the bar to developing the spirit of dedication. It manifests itself in various forms of pride, including pride of physical strength, intellect, and wealth. But as all these are transient and may be lost at any time, it is unwise to feel conceited about the body, mind, and property.  Hence, egoism should be renounced as the first offering to God.

Next comes devotion. It should translate into gratitude for all that one receives from providence—the air that we breathe, the light and the heat of the sun, the water we drink, and the food we consume. Grace of God provides life’s essential necessities. Therefore, our primary obligation is to express our gratitude through devotion, which can be by way of bhajans [devotional singing], japa [repetition of the name], meditation, and prayer must be done in the spirit of gratitude.

The third requisite for true devotion is discipline. Every action in life, including those in the spiritual field, must be governed by recognized limits and regulations. You must observe discipline in matters relating to your dress, general behavior outside the mandir [temple] or during bhajans inside the mandir, the way you speak, and the food you eat. All your actions should be filled with sanctity and purity.

Discrimination is the fourth requisite. Discrimination has to be used in every aspect of daily living—in what you see, what you say, what you eat and what you listen to.  In particular, avoid eating all kinds of food in strange places.

Last comes determination. Firm determination is fundamental to achieving great things in life. It is more so in the spiritual field as it helps face and overcome difficulties and obstacles. You must steadfastly hold on to what you consider as good, what you regard as sacred, and what you recognize as the truth. That is real penance.

End of wisdom is true freedom

People in the West talk about freedom; does it mean acting as you please, and doing what you like. Not at all. True freedom involves keeping one’s senses under control. When a man gets tipsy after consuming a drink that he desired, what happens to his freedom? He, in fact, has lost even the little sense he had.  Freedom does not consist in indulgence. Real freedom comes from realization of the self. Indeed, the end of wisdom is freedom.

Of the different kinds of knowledge, those that are practiced are the ones that really matter. The rest are merely verbal and pompous scholarship. When people are asked, “Where is God?”, some say, “He is everywhere.” But, these are mere words although the statement is basically correct. The question is how real are those statements and, more importantly, do they come from personal experience. The consciousness of the omnipresence of God should be based on the feeling that everything and every being is in God. You must feel the presence of God wherever you go, whatever you do—whether you are eating, speaking, or working. When you cultivate such an attitude that is the highest form of devotion.

From confidence to bliss

Look upon the body as a moving temple. Wherever you go, God is with you. Do not indulge in debates over what is God and where He is. God has to be experienced through faith and confidence. Where there is confidence, there is love. Where there is love, there is peace. Where there is peace, there is truth. Where there is truth, there is bliss. And, where there is bliss, there is God.

Bliss is everywhere. The bliss that is in you is limited by your body-consciousness. You must extend that bliss and make it all embracing. When a child is born, he is a lone individual. As he grows, he has wife and children. When the children get married, the kinships expand. This widening of relationships, however, occurs within a single family. You have to widen your outlook to cover the entire human family.

The Sai family

Here, in Prasanthi Nilayam, there are people from many countries. You have Italians, Australians, Indonesians, Americans, Argentineans, and people from scores of other countries. The countries from which they come are different. But they consider themselves as belonging to one family—the Sai family. This is an expression of unity in diversity. Human beings may be diverse, but God is one. The concept of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man should inspire your daily life.

Further, you have all come from distant countries, at great expense and trouble. You do not seek any personal favors. You are not concerned even about your comforts. You are content if Swami talks to you or grants you an interview. Be steadfast in this attitude. Having come all the way, you must attend bhajans, whether you are able to follow their meaning or not. Avoid strolling outside Prasanthi Nilayam because  if the body wanders, mind also wanders.

Consider what a great waste it would be to wander away from the sacred atmosphere of Prasanthi Nilayam, even momentarily. I am speaking out of concern for your good and well being. Always remember that you have come here to experience sacred thoughts, and to sanctify your lives. You should observe the discipline of this place. You have to behave with decency and respect towards everyone. Self-realization can be attained only through sacrifice. But some are not prepared to give up smoking or non-vegetarian food. If you cannot give up even small things, which are undesirable, how are you going to develop the spirit of sacrifice?

When you go back to your respective countries, your conduct must be such that your countrymen have high regard for you. They should recognize the transformation wrought in you by your visit to Prasanthi Nilayam, and be enthused to follow your example. When you constantly remind yourselves, “I am God,” you develop Godly behavior. Listen to your inner voice—the voice of conscience. Then, your conduct will be spontaneously Godly.

Do not waste

It is because of your devotion and earnestness that you have come all the way here. You must make full use of your stay to realize your goal. Do not think only of the weeks and months you spend here. What matters is, how you use your stay. Swami judges you not by quantity but by quality. What matters is how far you have transformed yourselves, and advanced spiritually.  And, how much of your old ways and practices have you given up?

It may be cheaper to live in Puttaparthi than in your own country. But that does not mean that you should spend money as you please. Misuse of money is evil. Don’t waste money. Don’t waste food. Food is God. Don’t waste time, because time wasted is life wasted. Don’t waste energy. Energy is wasted in idle talk and meaningless wanderings.

I know how deep your devotion is. Do not dissipate it by indulging in unbecoming activities. Conduct yourselves in such a way that it pleases Swami. When you are happy, I am happy.

Remember your goal is nothing less than realizing your inherent divinity. It is difficult for any one to get an opportunity like this. How many, among the billions of people in the world, can come here to experience the Divine?  You are among the blessed and the fortunate few. Make the best use of this supreme good fortune and transform yourselves into godly persons, and help to transform others. Be always happy. Share your joys with others. This is true spirituality.

Remember, love is God; live in love. Truth is God; live in truth. Bliss is God; live in bliss. Be fearless. God is with you. When you go about with the conviction, “God is with me; I am in God,” you will have no fear. I hope, by acting in this way, you will spread peace and harmony in your respective countries.

Source: Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. XXII