Q & A with Bhagavan

Hislop: Ten years ago when Swami formed the American Sai Organization, he gave what he said was the single most important rule for American Sathya Sai Baba Centers. For the next ten years: What is the single most important rule for our Centers?

Sai: What is your idea?

Hislop: Swami’s first rule—have as little as possible to do with money—it seems to me it must continue.

Sai: Yes, that is correct. The rule cannot be changed. It must continue unchanged through the next ten years.

Hislop: Then what shall be the particular emphasis for American devotees for the next ten years?

Sai: The emphasis must be on the sadhana of purity and sacrifice. Purity is Divinity. Through sacrifice there is purity of mind and heart. By purity, Divinity is realized. Sacrifice is an offering or giving up to the Lord, a dedication to the Lord. What is to be sacrificed to the Lord is the sense of ego, of ‘mine’. Once all sense of ego is sacrificed to the Lord, given up to the Lord, heart and mind are purified of ego attributes and Divinity can then be realized.

Hislop: During the course of the next ten years is the American Sai Organization to remain a Spiritual Organization or is it to change its mode of life so as to become primarily a Seva Organization?

Sai: The Organization is to continue to be a Spiritual Organization with some changes, but not major changes. Devotion to God: the purifying of mind and heart, by sacrificing to God all ego tendencies, is to be the purpose and the practice of the Sai devotees in the American Sai Organization.

Hislop: Swami, for the past several years my neck has been painful and doctors can do nothing. What should I do for it?

Sai: (rubbing the neck with his hand) Don’t do anything. Swami will take care of it.

Hislop: I have some questions I do not know how to answer. About living in the moment, what is meant?

Sai: Those are general questions. Ask Kasturi to be here tomorrow morning and I will answer those questions.