In the same way that we invite happiness, we have to welcome sorrow. Equanimity will come only when we consider happiness and sorrow both equal. In man’s life, they feel that the head and face are very pure. They have faith that the feet, which are at the end of the body, are impure. When an individual enters our house, is it possible to only welcome the face and tell the feet to get out? When saying ‘welcome’ to the face, we have to also welcome the feet. These two are like happiness and sorrow.

We are buying books and reading them. We are chanting Vedas. We are chanting scriptures. What is the use of reading all these? Without following your inner voice, there is no results or use in reading the outer words. First and foremost, you follow the inner voice. That is your important guru. That is your important God.

Therefore, Brahma is always eternal. Hence, Veda put the name of ‘Amogham’ to this eternal Brahma. What does ‘Amogham’ mean? Amogham means that which is permanent. Amogham means that which always is. Therefore, Divinity is eternal. Even breath that is exhaled is eternal. From one body that breath appears, and it continues in another body and so on and on.

Because He can’t be described, they call Him ‘Amogham’. A few people say ‘I attained Amogham Ananda.’ What does ‘Amogham’ mean here? ‘I am experiencing bliss without end.’

Because He is one who fulfils all the devotees’ wishes, they gave the name of ‘Siddha’ to Him. What does ‘Siddha’ mean? Sometimes people say, ‘I’m siddha (ready) for meals, or "I’m siddha (prepared) for the journey." It is not like that. "I am siddha (ready) to fulfil your desires." The one who says this is God. However, due to prayers not being right, even if He is ready, it is not fulfilled. Therefore, when you pray to God with full devotion to Him, He will stand ready (siddha) for everything.

Who is man? Man is one who has a mind. What is mind? That which has resolves. How should resolves be? Only when there are good resolves, he will become a true man. One who forgets sat sankalpa (good resolves) is not a man at all. Therefore, whether poor people or sadhus (renunciates), all are equal to God. The property that is equally owned by all is God. The friend that is common to all, the same for all men, is only God. The one with equal power is God only.

Everyone has the right to God. Everyone may experience God. There is no place for the remark that ‘he doesn’t have the right to God, and the other one does.’ However, that pure heart we have to develop.

That which is in the heart is compassion. Hri+daya is Hridaya. Daya means compassion. Our heart is that which is full of compassion. It has changed into fashion. Where is compassion? Truly, if compassion were present today, why are all the disturbances happening in the world? Wherever one looks, anger, all types of fighting, these types of things are happening.

Fighting with each other should not happen. The Divinity in all is one only. We may inquire into this in the worldly way. Eashwara Chandra Daya Sagar was a resident of Calcutta. He was in a nearby small village.

Therefore, at last he passed in law. He was a great orator. If he gave a discourse, numerous, thousands of people would gather and experience it, listening to him.

Some time passed. Troubles and sorrows never stay exactly the same. Due to time, they change. They call the baby that is just born, a ‘child.’ At 10 years old, they call him a ‘boy.’ At 30 years, they call him a ‘man.’ At 75 years, they call him ‘grandfather.’ In the same way that one changes from child to boy, man and grandfather, troubles and happiness also both change.

His troubles were over. A job was found. He got a good salary. He took it and put it on his mother’s feet and said, "Amma! Tell me what your wish is. Do you want any saris? Do you want any jewels or do you want anything else?" Then she said, "Dear, I won’t ask now. The time to ask will come. Then I will tell it."

OK. He wasn’t one who talked back to his mother. This was his respect. This was his obedience. He did namaskar to her and went again to the office. When it was going on like this, his salary increased month-by-month. Then he came and sat by his mother one Sunday. "Amma! Now will you tell? I have more wealth with me. I have to spend it on something, isn’t it?"

Then she said, "I want three jewels. Today, now I am asking for one jewel." "What is that?" "In our village there are so many very young children. Where should they study? There isn’t even a small school. They are going to a very far town and studying. Until they come back home, the mother and father are very troubled. They are worrying if some danger will happen to their children. Therefore, dear, my jewel is one. In our small village, build a small school for the children. That is my first jewel." OK. He had it built.

Then after some more time she said, "Dear, I also want a second jewel." He answered, "What is it, mother? Tell!" She continued: "Mothers are suffering a lot, carrying their children, going to the hospital in the town. They are undergoing a lot of troubles. For the cure of their diseases, in our village there isn’t even anyone to give even a bit of powder. There is no one even to pour a little medicine. In this village with nothing, have a small hospital built, son!" OK. He had it built.

Her desires were fulfilled to a large extent. She was very happy. All the people also were praising this Eashwara Chandra Vidya Sagar. His reputation grew. After some more time, as if she just remembered, she said, "Dear, sit. In our village, the water has gone down a lot in the wells. Water in the wells is always reducing."

"In our village, the water has gone down a lot in the small wells. Very small children come. When they try to get water by tying a small bucket with a string and letting it down into the well, not even a drop of water comes up. Therefore, in our village, do something that will make it convenient to get water." OK. After some time, he arranged the water supply. The day it was inaugurated, that mother clasped the son’s hands, "Dear, it is enough if the mother has even one son like this!"

However, "I have one son. That one son is enough for me. His heart is one that is very broad." She desired that a son like this should be born to everyone. Poor thing! Even if one has numerous children, at least one should have good qualities. One who does help to the society, one with good buddhi, (intelligence) should come.

Nowadays in the world, millionaires have all they need. There is no dearth (shortage) of rich people in India at all. There is no dearth at all of educated people. There is no dearth at all of scholars. No dearth of doctors at all. We have as many people as we want. What is the use of them being there? There is no unity between one and the other. When one educated person one sees another, he is proud. When one rich man sees another, there is a lot of jealousy. Qualities like these are increasing in man.

Where is this sacrifice? There are so many billionaires in India. There are so many millionaires in India. If there aren’t hundreds of thousands, at least there are thousands. However, what is the use of them being there? ‘Must earn more, earn more, earn more.’ Due to this bad desire, they are succumbing to a bad fate. They are putting all they earn in foreign banks and closing their eyes.

Why shouldn’t the wealth be used to help the country? Why shouldn’t it be used to help the people in the country? Why shouldn’t it be used for the progress of society? These types of feelings in man have become fully zero. If one looks to the words, they talk very sweetly! If their words are seen, it is all sweetness. But if one sees the actions, it is bitter. Goodness is in the words, but it is not in the actions.

Hundreds of things can be said, but they won’t do one of them. When one doesn’t do, why should these words come? They give big, big discourses, saying society should be like this or like that. If one sees them on the stage, they are talking with a lot of sacrifice. How far is that sacrifice? Just until they step down off the stage! Afterwards, where does the sacrifice go and where does he go?

Therefore, man’s sacrifice nowadays is full of pomp and show. Only it is one type of propaganda: on the stage, a hero; getting down from the stage, a zero. Zeros like this will always be zeros. What is the reason? Even when they have it, they don’t sacrifice it. What is the use?

That which comes to this right hand, should be sacrificed with this left hand. Wealth should come to us to sacrifice. What is the use of wealth coming, but not having sacrifice? Therefore, wealth should be sacrificed.

Eashwara Chandra Daya Sagar did like that. At one time he showed how he was egoless. He was going to a village, to a town, to give a discourse. An IAS officer got into that same train compartment. Both got down at the same station.

Eashwara Chandra took a small suitcase and got down. That IAS officer had a small bag. He got down. He was yelling, "Coolie! Coolie! Coolie! Coolie! Coolie!" Eashwara Chandra saw this. "Sir, is this the only bag? Do you have any other luggage?" "Nothing else. This small bag only is there." "For that do you want a coolie? I will take it and come." He took it, poor thing! The IAS officer thought he was someone insignificant.

This is civilisation today: You purchase things for ¼ anna (NOTE: an anna is an old form of currency. There are 14 annas in a rupee) and labourer charges is 4 annas. If one sees these coolie charges, they are 4 annas. He is being ruined. He is wasting his wealth in this bad way. They think that this is respect of man. This is not respect. Humility and obedience is respect.

After he went to the stage. The IAS officer saw Vidya Sagar. Many people were sitting. He also sat in a seat. Vidya Sagar was coming to the dais. When he came, all the elders on the stage put garlands on him. The IAS officer saw all of this. "Oh dear! The one who brought my bag was him, wasn’t it? Is he Eashwara Chandra? How egoless he is!" He learned a lesson and repented within himself.

Truly, today is Eashwaramma Day. Who is Eashwaramma? No one knows. They just think her name is Eashwaramma. The mother of Eashwara is Eashwaramma. Her name is not that which was given by her mother and father. At her marriage time, Kodama Raju told her, "Amma! This name is not right for you." Devagiriamma was her name. "This is not good. Eashwaramma is a good name for you." So he called her Eashwaramma.

Therefore, the family of Eashwaramma was very poor. There was not even a single paisa in her hand at any time. She didn’t know about eating rice. Always it was balls made with cooked ragi flour. That was called ragi or ragi balls.

In Karnataka many people eat ragi. That is very tasty to Me. Rice, kurma (curry) and burma. I don't like these so much. I take ragi, dipping it in ground nut (peanut) chutney. I have so much ananda. (I like it so much.) These items can be got in our village. They are very dear to Me. Even when I go elsewhere, I will bring ragi powder with Me from Puttaparthi. When I go to Kodaikanal I’ll tell the boys to bring along ragi flour. This is the way how I am. My food is the same.

Eashwaramma did not learn even one letter of the alphabet. She didn’t have any education. I am thinking that is very good, not to know anything like this. It is not possible to get a hold of or control those people who study a lot. Then if one sees them, their way of life, their fashion, are very topsy-turvy. Therefore, she didn’t study anything. I’m thinking that she did a very great thing by not studying.

At one time, when I was a small boy, I used to teach all the children Pandari bhajan (a type of dance done to bhajans dedicated to Panduranga, a form of Krishna). At that time, this body was 7½ years old. Then, when I was teaching Pandari Bhajan, when I was singing those songs, when I was doing those steps, Subbamma and Eashwaramma used to experience the same ananda.

One day, Venkama Raju gave money for expenses. She used it and two annas were left over with her. She kept it safely. With these two annas she bought 2-3 packets of puffed rice. She distributed those two bags to all the children. In this way, no matter what came, she used to distribute it. She had a lot of feeling of sacrifice.

After doing this Pandari Bhajan, they took me from there to study at Uravakonda. I used to teach all the children there at night. All the children came. "Raju, you are going! What should we give as guru dakshina (the offering to the teacher)?" They felt very badly. I brought a small basket and gave them. Everyone gave three naiya (single) paisas. When I gave it to them like that, 10 members came. The total was 2½ annas. Four bottlu (the old name for paisa) is one anna. 2½ annas came. I took this collection and put it in Eashwaramma’s hand. She took my hand and gave it back. "Dear, how much sacrifice for such a small boy! You aren’t even keeping that which the children gave." She kept those 2½ annas in a bag until the day that she died.

Over time, we built a mandir. I was staying in Subbamma’s house. The number of visiting devotees increased. Then one day Eashwaramma came upstairs. She said to the people following behind her, "You are all coming. No one should come." She came. When I was sitting at the table eating, she took hold of my two hands. "Swami! In our village, there is no hospital at all. Build a small one. It is enough. All the mothers and children are having difficulty walking. They are going to Bukkapatnam even with two-day old babies! I am not able to bear watching their troubles. Just like I carried my children, their children are the same, isn’t it? Therefore please build it." I told her, "OK, I will build it!"

After, I had a big hospital built. As that hospital was built, Besawada Gopal Reddy was Central Minister. I had him called and had him open it. That day, Eashwaramma was overflowing with joy! She didn’t eat meals. She didn’t drink water. She didn’t like to do anything else. "This makes my stomach full, Swami! This makes my stomach full." Then, after I had gone upstairs, again she came and said, "More than this, what do I want, Swami? The desire of my mind has been fulfilled." "Be happy!" I said. She said, "Not now! There is more that is desired."

After some time, she came again. "Swami! Water is very difficult to get in the village. And there is no convenient place to study." Then, in the small village of Puttaparthi, I had a small hut built for the school. I did the opening. Over time, I made it into a big building.

After building the hospital, all of this happened. She said she wanted water. I said, "It will happen, it will happen. Don't think about it." It is no use to put just very small bore wells. Many people are putting bore wells. They are saying, "We have dug so many bore wells, so many bore wells!" But they don't have even a drop of water after some time.

Therefore I said, "I am doing it with a good mind, Amma! Of course it will come." Seven feet wasn’t even dug, and so much water came. Even now, any of you can go to the old Mandir and see. In that seven foot well, there is as much water as anyone needs. So that everyone could take that water, I had them put in a back door. Let everyone in the village take the water!

Slowly, as devotees increased, you also know, I gave water to the entire District of Anantapur. In what way? I brought the water from Tungabhadra and gave it to everyone. Up to 200 or 300 crores (of rupees) was spent. (A crore is 10,000,000 rupees.)

Truly, if all the leaders, ministers, and elders, if they all think of it, why can’t they do it? No one is thinking of it. They are only keeping all that which comes. Is there the feeling of sacrifice anywhere? There is no sacrifice at all. P.V. Narasimha came the other day and said, "Swami, except for You, there is no one who is saying like this. Put a Summer Class for Ministers!"

Today’s daughter-in-law becomes tomorrow’s mother-in-law. "Sir! You are telling these types of moral values today. Why should you not follow them now?" I gave my word. "It was a mistake. Whatever happened, has happened. Past is past," he said.

Therefore, even now I am telling that only. Develop some kind of perennial flow of water and give to everyone. If there is no water there, dig something deep. Dig wells, build big tanks and share it with everyone. Water is prana (life-breath). Without water, what is the use of being? Even at time of death, they pour water. I said, "Water has very much prana."

Before Eashwaramma died, I told her, "Amma! You have asked for a lot. These three are very important. Education for the head; medicine for the heart; water for the body. I have given these three freely." Free education for everyone. There is free education for everyone. There are not even examination fees. There are not even entrance fees. We are even giving the papers. Everything we are only giving. This is free education, free health.

If a heart operation has to be done, they tell the patient it will cost 2 or 3 lakhs. We don't know why our Indians are becoming so weak. All the people who have studied as doctors are becoming like lower class. They are selling all their power as doctors. What they want is money. But there should be a limit. If one sees the medical profession, they are selling it. If one sees food, they are selling it. They are selling education and, at last, they are selling themselves. In this way, sacred India is becoming weak.

Nowadays the boys who have bought degrees look very foolish. What are these degrees, I don't have any idea at all. It is all bookish knowledge. Studying, studying, studying, studying. Getting it by heart, writing on the tests that which was studied, and then they will only get the mark of ‘passed’. On the second day after, if the question is asked, they will give no reply. What is the use of studying this type of education?

More than our study, we should learn culture. Our culture of India is very valuable. Give due respect to it. No matter who it is, speak with humility.

Then there is another thing with all the children. The friend of your father makes a phone call. As soon as you pick it up, say in a sweet voice, "Who are you, please? Namaskar. What do you want?" Talk good words like these.

But those good words aren’t there at all. Instead you say in a very harsh voice, "WHO ARE YOU?" They say, "I am a friend of your father." You say, "MY FATHER ISN’T HERE!" and immediately put down the receiver! You speak all lies: "Not available". He is sitting right at the side, but one says ‘Not available.’ That is not correct.

If anyone comes to the house to see your father, say in a sweet voice, "Who are you? Why did you come? Sit inside." Sit him down and get him a cup of water. How happy will be the elderly people! They will be very happy thinking, ‘Such a young boy has such humility!’