3 P’s—Purity, Patience, and Perseverance
If every person observes three things, he will be one with Swami. You will experience the Divine in you. As the following three are in Me, I can declare firmly about them. They are three P’s—Purity, Patience, and Perseverance. These three are in Me and around Me. Anyone with these three qualities will be unafraid wherever he may be.
It is not enough if the body is clean. Inner purity (shuchih) is essential. The latter, in fact, is more essential than the former. For the proper enjoyment of all things, purity of mind is essential. Whatever sacred acts you may do in the external world, if you have no purity of mind and heart, all of them are valueless. The food cooked in an untinned vessel will be spoilt even if all the ingredients are good. Likewise, in the vessel of the heart, the inside must be purified by prema (love). Then, all that one consumes will be wholesome. Hence, purity is vital for all aspirants; without it, all man’s actions get tainted. Actions done with an impure heart can only produce undesirable results. Whatever good results you want to secure in the external world, inner purity is the basis.
Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 26 (1993)
Every individual must cultivate this noble quality. Patience (kshama) is not achieved by reading books or learnt from an instructor. Nor can it be received as a gift from someone else. This prime virtue kshama can be acquired solely by self-effort, by facing squarely diverse problems, difficulties of various sorts, anxieties, and suffering as well as sorrow. In the absence of kshama, man becomes susceptible to all kinds of evil tendencies. Hatred and jealousy easily take root in a person lacking this virtue.
Divinity is nothing but the combined manifestation of prema (love) and kshama. At one stroke, kshamasubsumes sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness), and the entire Vedas. It is the greatest among tapas (penance). It is the grandest and the noblest among virtues. It is all encompassing.
Whereas kshama can give complete protection, its absence can plunge one into distress and disaster. Impatience breeds selfishness and promotes jealousy, which together spur infighting and divisive tendencies of various kinds. The troubles the country is currently passing through are largely due to the absence of this noble quality of kshama. Impatience has ruined even very great spiritual aspirants. Likewise, kings have been reduced to beggars. Absence of kshama can make yogulu (yogis) into rogulu (sick persons). Without kshama, mankind becomes degraded and starts declining, but if it has this quality then it can progress by leaps and bounds. Kshama is thus the very breath of life.
Summer Showers 2000
The third quality is perseverance (shraddha), which is indeed a prime need for any one in any field but more so in the spiritual path. Once you have taken up a vow to do a good thing, you should not go back on it under any circumstance. You should fulfill it even at the cost of your life. This is the hallmark of a true devotee. In ancient times, people had this determination and became good souls. The Pandavas [from the Mahabharatha] had to spend their lives in forests feeding on leaves and fruits. Still, they never gave up their adherence to the plighted word. In the Kali Yuga [Iron Age] devotees have to face a lot of trials and challenges, but they should not waver even a wee bit in their devotion to God.
Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 26 (1993)
… Adore God with firm determination. The right time for starting on this quest is when you are young as students. Remain unflinching in your faith. You did bhajans all thorough the night. But that is not enough. Contemplation of God should be kept up always at all places. Whatever work you do, dedicate it to God. Divinized every word and action.
Sathya Sai Speaks Vol 28 (1995)
