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MAHASIVARATRI 2002 PHOTOS

The following discourse has been translated into English from Bhagavan's Telugu speech as heard on this festival's ashram audiocassette. It is a complete, literal translation made with the objective of preserving Bhagavan's precious original poetic style as much as possible. . The words spoken by Bhagavan in English are highlighted in bold black.

  Discourse By Sri Sathya Sai Baba  

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences

First Anniversary

19 January 2002

One may learn all types of knowledge

and win in an assembly.

One may fight as a warrior.

Being born King of kings, one may reign a kingdom.

One may give gold and cows in charity.

One may count all the dots (stars) in the sky.

One may say the names of all the living beings.

But will one be able to control the senses of the body,

stop the mind, look within

and remain steady with equal mind?

Will one be able to remain steady with equal mind?

(Telugu poem)

In the supremely sacred land of Bharath,

forbearance is the beauty for us.

Out of all the rituals, adhering to great Truth

is the most difficult penance.

In our country, the motherly feeling

is the highest of sweet feelings.

Our moral culture,

which considers self-respect greater than life,

is being burned by seeing foreign moral culture,

which gives a strange freedom

that is like a sharp knife.

What should I say about the reign of Bharatiyas?

Just like the elephant does not know its own strength,

our Bharatiyas are like that today.

 (Telugu poem)

Behave Properly

Embodiments of Love!

Every man is making numerous efforts to recognize his complete perfection. To achieve such complete perfection, every man is making numerous efforts. To attain such a complete perfection, the conduct a man follows is said to have fullness or totality. This means that one should have fullness. They also said this is ‘samskriti’ (refinement or culture). Therefore, to perfect his refinement, his sacredness and his character, it becomes necessary for man to take part in many sacred actions.  

Embodiments of Love!

The important life for man is Love only. We have to live in that Love. That Love only is God.

Love is God. Live in Love.

Such a Love is lost in the man of today. He is caught in demonic behavior like hatred, jealousy and ostentation, and is putting his life to bad use in numerous ways.

The respect of the nation depends on morality.

The nation will be ruined without morality.

The nation with morality is a true nation.

Listen, O brave son of Bharath!

(Telugu poem)

We cannot see any morality at all in man of today. Without this morality, he is not part of the human race at all. So if we want to live as human beings, we have to ignite the significant light of morality. Hence, the important health of humanity today is only morality.

Don’t think that only this physical, worldly, secular body relating to this physical world is important, and take it as an aim. The mind and Atma, both specially exist. However, we should not consider the worldly, physical, material body as an important aim. We have to take our morality as a foundation. So, you have to recognize the Truth that we are living for that morality, and conduct yourself accordingly.

Matter and Mind

Even if the whole world is searched, there are only the two: mind and matter, but no third thing. Hence, suitable effort has to be made to recognize well these two, matter and mind. Every man has to inquire and recognize the Truth of, “What is this mind?”

If it is asked, “What is mind?” they say, “It does not matter.” If it is asked, “What is matter?” they will answer, “Don’t mind.” (Laughter) Is this what man knows? When man doesn’t even know what matter is, in what way can he sanctify his human nature? So first and foremost, there has to be effort to recognize one’s human nature.

It should not be felt that this body made up of the five elements is the most important aspect of this humanness. So human nature has three parts within Atma: mind, intellect and samskaara. These three are parts of the Atma. This is described in the Bhagavad Githa as:

Mamaivamsho Jeeva Loke

Jeeva Bhuta Sanathanaha.

The eternal Atma in all beings

is a part of My being.

(Sanskrit sloka)

The mind is a part of the Atma. We should not feel that it is only a bundle of desires. This is a big mistake. It may be said that this is a bundle of desires, referring to the physical world and physical lives. However, it is actually a bundle of Divinity.

Unity in Diversity

If we want to attain this Divinity, what is needed? First and foremost, it is most essential that mankind have unity. Unity is man’s refinement. Its implementation is man’s important ideal for action.

So only when there is unity, man can achieve anything great. Human beings of today have obtained independence but haven’t succeeded in unity. In everything there is difference, difference.

People are feeling that I built the hospital and I am doing service to numerous people in this State of Karnataka. I did not achieve this for ‘these people’ or for ‘those people’. I built it for the nation. (Applause) It is said:

Na Punyam, Na Paapam, Na Soukyam, Na Dukham,

Name Daanayagnyam, Samasthe Namaste, Namasteha.

I am not merit.  I am not sin,

I am not comforts. I am not sorrow.

I am not the yagna (fire sacrifice) of charity.

Obeisances to all, obeisances.

(Sanskrit sloka)

Hence, every single human being should attempt to obtain Divinity by recognizing the unity in diversity. Only when we obtain a kind of sacredness from this unity, that only will become Divinity for us. Only when we obtain this Divinity from this unity, can we get Divine bliss.

Therefore, if we want to attain bliss in the world of differences, we cannot attain bliss. Importantly, you are feeling that:

Arogyam Maha Bhagyam.

Health is a great wealth.

(Sanskrit sloka)

It is true.

Arogyam Moola Mutthamam.

Foremost, health is important.

(Sanskrit sloka)

That is indeed foremost. If you attain bliss, you will be able to attain health in a moment. Therefore, in human life we have to obtain bliss from Divinity. People are feeling that bliss can be obtained from money, position or authority. We cannot get this bliss through authority. This bliss is unity in diversity. We can obtain bliss through that.

When we are unable to obtain such bliss, no matter how many hospitals are built, no matter how many conveniences are arranged, all of these become useless.

Truly, all the doctors, paramedical, nurses, children (students) and technicians that work in the hospital should be unified. That is the one ideal in this hospital. (Applause) The doctors, nurses, paramedical and technicians who work in this hospital consider themselves part of one life (one family).

Unity in everyone is very important: unity in diversity. Through that, human nature reaches such an exalted place. However, our hospital is not struggling or aspiring for wealth, name or fame.

Our Hospital Is Not a Business

Even from ancient times, health, bliss, food and water, all of these were free in the country of Bharath. I resolved that I should provide these three for free. What is most important and essential for health? Unity is important. Through that, interest will develop in us. When this bliss is shared with numerous people, they will also be able to foster health.

Our hospital is not a business center. Whatever hospital is observed in the world, they turn into business centers. That only is the sin that has developed in the country of Bharath today. There is no worse sin than that. Tomorrow even your health could go bad, isn’t it? Then, if you become ill, in what way can you be successful?

So, the medicine has to be given with bliss to every individual who is troubled by ill health. No money at all should be desired from him. If you hope for money, the sacrifice that you do will become nil. Hence, it is very wrong to start hospitals for money.

Having started this hospital now in Bangalore, in Whitefield, numerous people and doctors have increased jealousy towards Me. These people with jealousy are also creating a lot of problems. No matter how much jealousy they develop, I will not stop this sacred action. (Applause) What is the result that comes from this jealousy? This makes my enthusiasm increase even more! Their jealousy will destroy them.

Making distant criticism and harm,

making the feeling of Love increase,

if only the feeling of unity remains,

that only becomes peace.

That only is safety.

(Telugu poem)

Therefore, we should not have jealousy for anyone in any field. Jealousy only is a bad quality.

Anasuya has three sons. They are Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. (Anasuya is the mother of Dattatreya, an incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. ‘Anasuya’ also means ‘without jealousy’.) Asuya (‘jealousy’) has three sons. They are desire, anger and hatred. Both asuya and anasuya are sisters. We should consider anasuya as important then the Divine Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara) will become our own. If we have asuya as a mother, hatred, jealousy and evil qualities will increase.

Take Up Good Actions

You should participate wherever good is going on. You have to give enthusiasm and encouragement to good things. Therefore, I will not go back in any such activity.

Many poor people, those who are without any refuge, destitute and suffering a lot, are ruining their health in numerous ways and they are troubled so much. They will not even let them (the poor, ill people) near the main gate of a hospital. Is there any other worse sin? Hence, My aspiration is that I must do whatever is necessary to provide the right kind of free care for every such person.

Not only this. Health is on one side. However, water is also very necessary to be happy. My plan is therefore becoming very big. No matter how big it becomes, it will never betray my ideals. It conveys success. (Applause)

If one takes part in good activity, we will not have any dearth at all in our country of Bharath. Our eyes cannot see individuals who do good activities. Take up good activities: without fail Prakrithi (Nature) will give you help.

Rama went to enter into Lanka to search for Sita. Sita is the embodiment of prajnana. In order to achieve (find) this prajnana (symbolized by Sita), Rama, one of sujnana, received the help of Prakrithi when He started off on this search. Monkeys gave help and squirrels gave help. He was able to arrive at Lanka due to numerous different types of help.

So man of today has to step forward to achieve good. We should not say, “Tomorrow, tomorrow.” The action of today is tomorrow’s refinement. The refinement of today only is tomorrow’s sacredness. The sacredness of today only is tomorrow’s merit. That only is the maha bhagya (great prosperity or auspiciousness). So we must take up good actions.

Drinking Water Should Be Provided

So today, in this sacred time, I have resolved one more thing. In the area of Madras (Chennai), there is no water to drink. Rich people have it brought in lorries and other conveyances, and they are able to drink. How can poor people have water brought in? How will they be able to sustain their lives? So they drink the water from the rain that falls in holes and ruin their health.

Therefore, it is all right no matter how many losses come. It is all right no matter how much difficulty comes. I am resolving that drinking water should be provided to all of Madras. (Applause) The water of Krishna River and the water of Godavari River are being wasted and are merging in the ocean.

Not only that. Rayalaseema is also having so many difficulties. They say that this Rayalaseema area is backward class. ‘Back’ means, ‘B-A-C-K’ is ‘back’: ‘B’ for Bellary, ‘A’ for Anantapur, ‘C’ for Cuddapah, and ‘K’ for Kurnool. (Applause) I am hoping to offer water completely to these four districts. (Applause)

The One Who Has Faith

Therefore, this will definitely be fulfilled. There is no doubt about this at all. Man should develop that firm faith. But there is no faith at all in man of today. He doesn’t even have faith in himself. Then, how can he have faith in others?

Nammakam Anu Rendu Nainambulu Leni

Andhulaina Nedu Avani Yandu.

Without the two eyes of faith,

people are blind in the world today.

(Telugu poem)

In what way can mankind live without this faith? ‘Human being’ means ‘the one who has faith’. That is a human being. Hence, how we are misusing such a human life! Therefore, without putting this to bad use, we should put all to good use and render a life of help, even to all brothers.

Janthunaam Nara Janma Durlabham.

Of all life forms, human life is the rarest to attain.

(Sanskrit sloka)

How can you achieve something that is so rare? Take part in a path relating to helping others. Do you know why the hands were given? Only to eat food? No, no! The hands have come to do sacrifice for others. Do you know why the throat was given? Only to swallow food? No, no! We have to make full effort to use this tongue to chant God’s Name.

Sanctifying the Five Senses

Therefore, all the senses that were given to us have to be put to good use in all ways. That is the action that Buddha did. He studied so much. He studied so much knowledge. He beheld so many elders (great ones, noble souls). He heard all of their teachings. Finally, his mind got disgusted. “Fie! Without sanctifying the five senses that God has given, what use is it no matter how much knowledge is studied?”

So, good sights should be seen with the eyes. Good works should be done with the hands. Good things should be heard with the ears. Good words should be spoken with the mouth. What use is it of these senses existing if it is not like that?

Talk no evil. Talk what is good.

Hear no evil. Hear what is good.

See no evil. See what is good.

Think no evil. Think what is good.

This is the way to God.

(Applause)

Hence, in order to sanctify these ten senses, we have to enter the path of helping others.

Yat Bhavam Tat Bhavati.

As the feeling, so will be the result.

(Sanskrit sloka)

If wherever we look, there is bad vision, bad hearing, bad talking, bad thoughts, we will become bad. Even if you have no capability to do help, speak good words.

You cannot always oblige, 

but you can always speak obligingly.

Even the words are not good today. They are harsh words. They are words that give pain to the heart and words that hurt man. If it is like this, then how can we be healthy? Therefore, if we want to be fully healthy, these five senses have to put on the sacred path.

One may be a millionaire or a pauper; there may be money or there may not be money, but there is speech. There are ears. There is a heart. Do good works with these. Your life will be sanctified through this.

Every Human Being Has Compassion

Embodiments of Love!

Every human being has compassion within him. Due to that, they called the heart ‘hrudaya’. Hrt + daya is hrudaya. However, today they are bringing harsh feelings into that heart. No, no! We have to develop a heart with compassion. When we see others with a heart of compassion, the mind will change a lot.

Man is not evil. He is not one who has bad habits. He doesn’t enter into bad activities. He is one who gains growth in good qualities, good behavior and good conduct. Therefore, it is said:

Janthunaam Nara Janma Durlabham.

Of all life forms, human life is the rarest to attain.

(Sanskrit sloka)

What is the rarity here? If man always indulges in injustice, misconduct and bad behavior, then what use is his life? To sanctify the education you studied, use it for others. Use the power that you earned for others. What use is the money that is not used like that? Therefore, we should not struggle for this money. However, money is also needed.

Many people spend tens of millions of rupees to build hospitals. However, you should not expect so many more tens of millions in profit through that. You have built it. Put to good use that which you have created. Put to good use half of your time, offering dana (charity) and dharma (righteousness).

Free Medicine and Operations

Free medicine is not given even to a single patient. Today even medicines have become so expensive. You may believe it or not, but ten years have passed since the Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi was built. We have done operations on 70,000 patients. (Applause) Now here in Bangalore, one year has passed since opening the hospital.

However, there have been so many thousands of open-heart bypass surgeries. If the cost of this is considered, it costs 100 crores of rupees every month. (One crore is ten million.) No one knows about this. Why? This is because they are taking medicines for free. They don't know its price. But if the correct value is considered, its cost is one hundred crores of rupees.

Not hundreds of crores. Even if it is thousands of crores, I must be successful in this activity. (Applause) Hence, I am hoping that soon these hospitals will prosper and should do the suitable type of help to all poor people.

Our Chief Minister Krishna of Karnataka State has given us so much help. (Applause) He gave so much land for this. He gave it all freely to us. He has great, sacred sacrifice in his heart. (Applause)

Thyaaganaike Amritatwa Manassu.

Sacrifice alone confers Immortality.

(Sanskrit sloka)

That sacrifice only gains Immortality.

Like this also, one other person is sitting here on this dais. Wanting to build a hospital like this in Bombay, he said, “We will give the needed land.” See here, our Karnataka State Chief Minister, and also the Bombay Chief Minister came. (Applause)

Why? This is because Bombay has even more difficulties. Wherever one goes, there is pollution, pollution, pollution. Due to this, the health in people is weakening.

Health is wealth.

When the health is good, we can achieve anything.  But today man is unable to do even his own work due to ill health. Therefore, being born as a human being is not for amassing and keeping wealth. At the time of leaving (dying), who takes anything? No one takes anything. At the time that we go, if it were possible to take even a naya paisa in our hands, it would be very difficult for us! We are not even taking a handful of soil. Truly, if man were still able to take the soil with him, even the soil would be put on ration in our country of Bharath! (Applause) Hence, we don’t take anything at all.

Merit and Sin

That which is taken is merit and sin. That which you take (when you depart) is: you take the good that you do and you will take the sin that you do. So, without succumbing to sin, you should try for merit.

Paropakara Punyaya Papaya Parapeedanam.

One attains merit by serving others,

and commits sin by hurting them.

(Sanskrit sloka)

Help ever. Hurt never.

We have to do help with our hands to the extent possible. So regarding help, everyone who has been born a human being should render help.

We have to do charity according to our capability. This charity has fallen down. There isn't this charity at all. It has become a hard heart. The heart of man should be filled with Love. If the heart is filled with that Love, the whole life will become full of Love. Hence, we should make our hearts full of Love.

So, to every human being: We don’t need to worry about the hospital or about the patients, about charity or dharma. To bring in and cure the ones who have diseases is our duty.

This is our duty.

Duty is God.

Work is worship.

So, I am doing My duty. This is not someone’s incitement or force at all. This is My Source. (Applause) So, I am doing it with complete Love.

The Newspapers Are the Root Cause

Then one more thing: Many people among those who are sitting here are attempting to imagine numerous things regarding what happened yesterday. But this is not correct at all. The root cause for all of this is ashanthi (lack of peace).

Let anyone think anything. The newspapers are the root cause for this. (Laughter and applause) They won't share good things. Whatever is bad, they go on sharing that. Therefore, if it comes in the paper, so what?

This is paper, newspaper. N-E-W-S: news. N-E-W-S: what is the meaning of this ‘News’? ‘N’ is for North; ‘E’ is for East; ‘W’ is for West; ‘S’ is for South. (Applause) East, west, north, south: we have to make news combining all of them.

The journalists don’t have this type of collection among them at all. They increase their own feelings within them. However, it is not great to express ones own feelings. Among them, there are also good papers. “The Times of India” and “The Hindu” paper - all of these write exactly what has happened.

What is my opinion? It is this: Whatever paper one is from, write exactly what has happened. It is not wrong. They bring in what has not happened at all and put that in the paper. Only when non-existent and amazing things are put in, they will get more money. Just write exactly what happens. If it is a wrong, write it as a wrong. If there is good, write it as good. Only that; but don’t mix in what isn’t there.

If what happened yesterday is observed, it was only just like an atom (very small). But in a moment, it spread to all sides. Then another: television. This is another thing for the people…(Laughter) TV has no useful job at all. They go on publicizing things like this.

I am 76 years old. Up till now I have not met with any newspaperman or TV people. (Applause) I don’t have any relationship with papers at all. For, if good is spoken, without fail friendship can be made with them. But they write contradictory things.

However, untruth is not good at all. For each untruth, so many births of the consequences of those sins have to be experienced. If one hundred untruths are made every day, how many births will it take to be freed? Write exactly what is there. No one will say ‘no’ at all. So, how wrong it is to say what did not happen!

Nothing At All Happened Yesterday

Nothing at all happened yesterday. I went to the very end of the hall. I went up to the people who were sitting down. Again from there I looked, took everyone’s letters and came back. After coming back from there, I sat on the stage for 40 minutes. Hence, nothing happened at all.

Afterwards I went inside and I took a little food. I then came to this hospital. We came here wanting to see what arrangements were made. By the time I came back to Brindavan from here, this useless propaganda had spread.

I didn’t see any individual (referring to a man with an air pistol). No individual came near Me. (Swami’s voice imitates in a taunting way the sound of people gossiping:) “He came with a pistol near Me. They saw it.” What lies, just tell! (Laughter) (Swami’s voice turns louder, accusing and strong:) Was there even one newspaperman there? Who saw? (Swami pounds the table saying:) Why should anyone tell such untruths? No one came at all! Finally, we see that pistol is a gas (air) pistol, used only to shoot birds. When all of it is like this, why such big publicity? This is a BIG mistake.

Let the paper men think anything. I don’t get anything out of the newspaper. My paper - my heart only is My paper. From My heart, there is so much Love only: only Love, only Love. (Applause) So I am sharing that Love. Let it be anyone at all: I will share it with all. All are Mine. I belong to all. I don’t have hatred for anyone. All have only Love for Me. I have Love for everybody. Therefore, Love is the close relationship between both of us.

Feeling a very small and insignificant thing like this as big, suffering was given to the hearts of how many people? The journalists have succumbed to so much sin! From so many places - America, Germany, Japan, England, telegrams came from all directions. Therefore, none should succumb to so much jealousy.

Kill the Terrorists of Jealousy and Anger

The President of America said, “Kill the terrorists.” However, the question of, “Who are terrorists?” should be asked. Jealousy and anger, both of these are terrorists! Therefore, in every man there is both anger and jealousy. Hence, the jealousy and anger that is within every man has to be killed. Then the country will be well.

Instead of killing the bad qualities, they are continuing to kill human beings. People should not be killed. The bad qualities in us should be killed. That which is sacred should be fostered. Hence, the terrorists are within us. So you only have to kill the terrorist in you. It you don’t kill the bad qualities, you will become part of terrorism. Kill both this jealousy and anger. This is My desire.

If both anger and jealousy are killed, the country will be so prosperous. This prosperous country, our country of Bharath, should become an ideal country for every country.

So, if only the anniversary of the hospital is considered, I don’t need this celebration. We should become individuals who develop sacredness in us. In every human being, there are both of these, namely jealousy and anger. We should kill these two and we should develop sacred Love and compassion.

Therefore, Embodiments of Love!

All of you are certainly embodiments of Love. A human being without Love cannot be seen in the world. There is Love in every single human being. Keeping such a vast, such a sacred, such an amazing Love within us, why are we spending such a hard-hearted life?

I am hoping and blessing all of you to become Embodiments of Love and make Bharath into an ideal country, and I am thus ending My discourse. (Applause)

(Bhagavan did not sing a bhajan after His Divine Discourse)

GLOSSARY for First Anniversary

19-01-2002

Taken from "A Glossary of Sanskrit Words

Gleaned from Sai Literature"

1)     Anasuya: (pg 24, 49) Envy-lessness or devoid of jealousy

2)     Ashanthi (pg. 41) Peace-lessness that is confounding the world

3)     Asuya, Asooya: (pg. 49, 24) Envy (jealousy)

4)     Atma: (pg. 50) A spark of the Divine; a conglomeration of manas (mind), buddhi (intellect) and samskaara (civilized tendency); Man’s true reality is the Atma. The Atma is a wave of the Paramatma, God viewed as the Universal; the Soul

5)     Chi! (a Telugu interjection meaning: Fie! Pooh! Tsk! Nonsense!)

6)     Crore: A hundred lakhs or ten million; 100 x 100,000

7)     Dana: (pg. 105) Gift, charity; control of greed

8)     Dharma (pg. 291) Righteousness

9)     Hridaya (Hrudaya): (pg. 155) Heart; Hri= the place which has + daya= compassion.

10)  Prajnana (pg. 168) The higher or spiritual knowledge.

11)  Prakrithi: (pg. 274) The world, the Universe or Nature.

           12) Sujnana (pg. 169) A higher technology than science