Birthday Message [Janamdin Upadesh]
Sleep much, you become dull,
Eat less, of joy be full
Talk much and earn a turgid brain;
Reduce desire and goodness attain.
Be composed—how well you shine!
Be angry—how fast you decline!
Contentment showers happiness;
Jealousy breeds unhappiness.
Stick to truth, truth will save,
Gladly suffer, it enriches you.
Love and gather affection best;
Hoard! And Shani1 is your guest.
Give up, and roll in joy;
Worry, and illness plays with you as toy.
Satwic2 character is wisdom pure,
Rajasic3 wildness is ruin sure.
Living for oneself is Yamabadha4;
Living for the Self is Sivabodha5.
Pride! You are a danava6!
Dharma7! Thou art Madhava8.
Doubt is ceaseless torture,
Concord, the finest teacher.
Excess knowledge brings much harm;
Fame comes from mirth, moderate, and warm.
Himsa9! O it is Kamsa!
Ahimsa10! ’Tis Paramahamsa11!
The greedy struggle for the “here”
The godly struggle for the “hereafter”
Vasana12 is a wily tick,
Hate is a noose so thick.
Obstinacy is rude and rough,
Mischief is crude and tough.
Learn these lessons well—
And be from triple gunas13 free!
Sathya Sai Baba, 23.11.59
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, Nov. 1999
1Saturn [regarded as inauspicious] 2pure 3active/passion 4fear of death 5knowledge of Shiva 6demon 7righteousness 8God 9violence 10non-violence 11the enlightened one 12tendencies 13qualities
