The Alphabet of Ananda

The following is excerpted from a talk given by Charles Penn to the Prasanthi Vihar Youth Camp in Bombay. He gives a new meaning to the alphabets leading ultimately to ananda, supreme bliss.

I know people are thirsty for Sathya Sai Baba and His teachings. You can get Swami’s answers to your questions in your own heart. Right here quieten your mind, and ask Him the question. Don’t be too impatient—wait—He is with you, in you.

Swami! What shall I tell these young men? What would these people like to hear from me? Or, rather, what would You like me to tell them? You must teach me… What do You teach me?

All right. I shall begin with the alphabet. Yes. There are 26 letters, and I shall tell them about 26 words, each word beginning with one of the letters:

A is for apple—the fruit that keeps the doctor away; eat to live, do not live to eat. As spiritual growth is attained, you will need less and less food for the body.

B is for boy—a sapling, trying to get a firm hold in the soil, trying to draw sustenance from the sun; put your roots in Sai Baba, then you can never be felled by any storm. Draw sustenance from Sai Baba; He is the sun illumining your intelligence.

C is for creek—a little stream struggling to find its way to the sea, to merge therein, like all human souls that strive to merge in the Supreme Universal Soul.

D is for dust—even dust has a purpose; be like the dust that mixes in the company of the wind; then you rise upward into the skies; do not be like the dust that joins the company of water and then you are washed into the depths.

E is forever evergreen; be evergreen, even in a desert. When Sai Baba is with you, in you, how can you be dry? He will keep you ever fresh and ever happy.

F is for flavor—bitter or sweet, take them as they come. Do not be disturbed or upset. Maintain equanimity, whether the circumstances are conducive or non-conducive.

G is for growth—growth of the body and growth of the spirit, the soul. The fruit of Sai Baba’s message and of His grace helps the growth of the spirit. Sai Baba’s grace knows no decline; He will give you basketfuls and basketfuls, if you strive to follow His directions for your betterment.

H is for happiness—feel happiness in every one of your actions, however insignificant the action may appear to be. If you are asked to clean this black-board, be happy, because when you do it, more words can be written upon it, for the benefit of all who are here.

I is for inner—the inner self of each one, of all, everywhere, and at all times. The inner self uses the body as its vehicle for its journey on the earth.

J is for joy—give joy to others, be full of joy, always.

K is for kindness—be tender and kind, be sweet to every one, at home, at school, in gatherings, while on journeys, and everywhere.

L is for love—love virtue, love patience, love humility, love, so that you may be loved by the good and the wise. Love the universal spirit everywhere, irrespective of color or form. Sathya Sai Baba likes both the yellow flower as well as the red one. We, too, should not differentiate. Color is just an illusion; there is no blue in the sky.

M is for mother—Sai Baba always harps upon the supreme role of the mother and upon the duty of revering her and offering gratitude to her. Love your mother and respect her always.

N is for now—the `past’ is gone, the future is uncertain; the `present’ and the `now’ is here. Right now is the golden moment. Do not waste the precious ‘present.’

O is for open—have all doors open except one; that one is the door of the mind; lock the mind in its own room. Submerge the mind in the inner self. Delve within your self for finding peace. When a thought or feeling arises in the mind let the intellect question its bona fides; if it approves, then tell your inner self, “I don’t want to go anywhere; if you want me to go, I shall come with you; I shall go with you only.” Your inner self is Sai Baba; seek His guidance.

P is for pure—you are essentially pure, remain pure, put the mind under control; tell your mind, ‘go back into your room.’

Q is for quality; quality and not quantity is what Sai Baba likes; to cultivate quality, quality of spiritual effort, sit quietly, talking to Sai Baba or listening to Him, as your companion and charioteer. That is the purest approach.

R is for run—run… that is what Sai Baba has taught me. When you see an accident, run, to help the victim. Don’t sit and moan; don’t say, ‘It is the other’s job, it is not my job.’ Find happiness in helping; ask for nothing in return; Leave the fruit of the service, if any, in the hands of God. Forget about it. If anyone asks you, ‘Aren’t you the person who helped that old man?’ just say, ‘Maybe,’ and walk away.

S is for Sai—say ‘Sai’, and He comes to lift you up, your physical self and your inner self. The inner self is Soham [That I am]; ‘He’ is there in you, with you.

T is for tree—when the roots have grown deep and strong, the inner self blossoms; the tree has reached maturity; the blossoming of universal love, the urge to serve is the real maturity.

U is for usefulness—learn to lean less and less on the world and more and more on yourselves, on your inward strength. Make your life beneficial and useful.

V is for victory—victory over your desires, desires that are bad. Good desires, like love for God are a must! But do not welcome any desire that is harmful. Sublimate all bad desires that will lead you to the state of desirelessness.

W is for will—develop your  ‘will power’ properly. Control is the secret of power. Control the senses, the mind; control speech, impulse, passion, and emotion.

X is for excellence—to do your best, in the circumstances in which you are, that is excellence. Be your best, draw out all the goodness in you, all the capabilities for service that you have.

Y is for why—inquire, ask, investigate; Sai Baba will give you the clue, the answer, the light. When you see a bird fly, ask why? Sai Baba will answer, “The wind is blowing that way; it just flies in the direction of the wind.” Sai Baba then warns you, “You must fly against the wind; you must swim against the current; only then you can reach Me soon, or else it may take many lives of effort.”

Z is for zeal—reach Sai Baba with zeal; have the zeal to get to Him as fast as you can. He is always with you; He will assuredly guide you, so that you may discover Him in you. He is ever gracious to give you peace and joy, to fill you with ananda [bliss].  A is for ananda—the letter with which we began. Ananda is the real nature of man.

~Charles Penn
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, Nov. 1968