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

76^th Birthday

November 23^rd, 2001

The whole universe is under the control of the Divine.

The Divine is under the control of Truth.

Truth is under the control of the world.

Man is the embodiment of God.

The whole universe is under the control of Truth.

Truth is in the control of a noble person.

A noble person is the supreme God.

(Telugu poem)

Treat Happiness and Sorrow Equally

Embodiments of Love!

Every human being aspires for happiness. He is dejected when there is sorrow. Truth or unrighteousness, justice or injustice, both are not exclusively steady. Man should only have faith and worship (the Source) where both this good and bad originate.

Every human being is always experiencing happiness and sorrow. He welcomes attachment and hatred. He invites worry and misery. However, where is peace for such humanity? It is said:

Sukha Dukhe Same Kritva.

  Treat happiness and sorrow equally.      

                                                                            (Sanskrit sloka)

A (true) human being is one who has faith in the equality of the two. He should welcome sorrow in the same way that he welcomes happiness. Only the man who has such equanimity is a true human being. Hence, we should aspire to consider both of them as equal. Have faith that they are Divine and experience them with the nature of Love.

The person we aspire to respect, or whoever we hope will respect us, first and foremost, we have to respect everybody. There may not be wealth. There may not be virtues. Then, there may not be money and affluence. One may be poor or one may be a rich man. However, in every single human being, Self-respect is equal. So first and foremost, from this day man should make the suitable effort to maintain Self-respect. Hence, that which man should desire is Self-respect. It surpasses everything. The individual who has such respect will respect everything. We should give everybody the same respect that we desire.

Everyone Should Experience Bliss

Embodiments of Love!

There are no new matters to convey to you today. Everyone should experience bliss. Everyone should forget sorrow. The nature of Love should be developed. Divinity should be experienced. Divinity should be attained. This is substantially an important part of what I am giving to you today. (Applause)

Man is not only a valuable person. He is the highest living being. His heart is very tender. His mind is sweet. Life is permanent. Every person should recognize this truth. Sweetness should be obtained in the heart. We should develop greatly amazing equality in the mind. This only is the important good fortune that you have to gain today.

Recognize Divinity in Human Nature

Embodiments of Love!

You do not know today how great mankind is.

Daivam Manusha Rupena.

  God is in the form of Man.

    (Sanskrit sloka)

God obtains (assumes) the form of man. Divinity is fully present in every human being also. Prakrithi (Nature, Creation) is the direct attestation (proof) of the word ‘Bhavani-Sankar’. This means that Bhavani-Sankara is the form of Atma, Siva-Sakthi. ‘Bhavani’ means ‘Sraddha’ (interest, steadfastness). ‘Sankara’ means ‘faith’. Only when there is the steadfastness of Bhavani, the faith of Siva will dance there.

Life is empty when there is neither faith nor Love. The whole universe is full of faith and bliss. However, today man is not putting the appropriate belief in faith. There is the faith of Bhavani in everyone. The Divinity of Sankara is also in everyone. This entire prakrithi is ‘Ardhanareeswara’ (the combination of both the masculine and feminine principles). Therefore, every individual should try to recognize the Divinity in this human nature. There is no spirituality that surpasses this nature of Atma. It is the important duty of every human being to understand Bhavani-Sankara.

These types of difficulties, losses, joys and sorrows arise in every human being. All of these arise out of the mind. The joys and sorrows that man experiences today, the attachment and hatreds that he aspires for, the sensual desires that he experiences, all the three arise through the mind. Due to the mind having feelings of duality, we can see all of these. Only when the mind develops the feeling of non-dual Atma, will there be no perverse feelings at all in it.

Hence, if every man wishes for happiness and sorrow, (he should understand that) the profit that comes to us through sorrow is more than the loss. The ancient people, the ancient ones from history, wished for this sorrow but did not wish for happiness. More than the bliss that comes from happiness, the bliss that comes from sorrow is permanent bliss. We should not criticize sorrow at all. We should not welcome happiness. Bliss (that comes from sorrow) is a better friend to us than happiness. Therefore, we should always desire sorrow, which is such a supreme friend.

Grace Me Always with Sorrows

In the Mahabharata, when Kunthi came and fell at the Feet of Krishna, He asked her, “Mother, what do you want?” She prayed, “Krishna, grace me always with sorrow. I loved You limitlessly only at the time of sorrow. I adored You limitlessly. I worshipped You limitlessly. When I didn’t have sorrow, as long as I was the Queen Mother of the Pandavas, I didn’t remember You at all. The day that my sons had to go into exile in the forest, when they experienced difficulties themselves, from that day I have increased thinking of You. Therefore, Krishna, bless me with sorrows only.”

We have to have faith that both happiness and sorrow are equal. That is the true enlightened knowledge of human beings.

Embodiments of Love!

There are so many people who have made history in the world. From then until today also, they only wished for sorrow. The bliss that is in sorrow is not gained by us in happiness. The bliss gained in happiness is broken in a moment. The bliss gained in sorrow is permanent for us. Hence, God gives both happiness and sorrow.

What does ‘Bhagavan’ mean? ‘Bha’ means ‘radiance’. ‘Ga’ means ‘to increase’. ‘Vaan’ means ‘to spread’. God is the one who spreads the form of Light all over. He has no form at all.

He is subtler than space and smaller than the atom.

(Telugu poem)

How can a form be determined for such a God? Your own Atma is seen as your form.

The Consciousness of God takes the form of Divinity

and is fully present in everything.

(Telugu poem)

You are in God and God is in you. There is no difference at all between God and you. Due to us having (the sort of) faith today that such a nature without differences has differences, we are succumbing to numerous sorrows. So, God doesn’t mean ‘this form’ or ‘that form’. Divinity is present in all forms.

Where is Truth?

The entire Creation has originated out of Truth

and everything will merge back into Truth.

Is there any place seen where there is no form of Truth?

See this! It is the pure, unsullied Truth!

(Telugu poem)

So, where is Truth? It spreads everywhere. There is no place without Truth. Therefore, there is no place without God. God is all pervading. Based on this, in the Bhagavad Gita it is said:

Sarvata Paani Paadam, Tat Sarvota Chi Siromukham.

Sarvato Sritomeloke, Sarvamato Tishtati.

Feet, eyes, head, mouth, and ears pervading everywhere,

 God permeates the entire Universe.

(Sanskrit sloka)

God is hiding as Truth in all forms. So, if we want to worship God, who is the embodiment of Truth, that form of God is in us only. Even though man is the embodiment of Truth, he is wasting time by doing actions, unable to understand that this Truth is within him and having faith (believing) that it is separate.

The culture of Bharath (Sanathana Dharma) is the embodiment of Truth, which is eternal and true. It does not change with the times, waver with the body, change with the eons and it is not created with Creation. It does not change with time. It cannot be moved with actions. It doesn’t develop with feelings. It has no birth through creation. It cannot be destroyed in the final annihilation. Such a Divinity that has no birth or death is the true nature of Atma.

He is permanent, without any death and birth.

He is eternal, with no beginning or end.

He does not die, is not born and will not be killed.

He is One who is in all forms.

(Telugu poem)

In what way should we worship such a Divine God? This means that one should worship one’s Self. The feeling that ‘one is separate’ and ‘God is separate’ should be pushed far aside. “God is right in my heart. God’s place of residence is only inside my heart.” There is no mansion for God that excels the heart.

God loves the heart very much. Such a mansion that is loved so much is His home. There is such a sacred heart in every individual. Therefore, God is all pervading. We don’t need to search for such a God outside.

When we experience difficulties, we have to go deep inside and inquire into the truth that there is so much happiness in these difficulties. Without these difficulties, there would be no value for happiness at all. Every human being should always be happy.

Happiness is Union with God

When I was coming, everyone was saying, “Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday!” I am always happy! (Applause) Then why are you only saying “Happy Birthday” on this day? Say “Happy Birthday” to the one who is not happy. I am one who is always happy.

Hence, happiness is not something that comes from the outside and enters (inside).

Happiness is Union with God.

Therefore, whatever (whomever) is with God is happy. Every man among humanity believes that happiness is separate from him and therefore he is making numerous efforts (to gain happiness).

How did our ancients worship God? They took (considered) sacrifice as the most important flower. As the main offering, they desired only to give the flower of Love. They welcomed Truth as the manifest God for them. They had faith in the unity of compassion and Love. They felt that their heart was His throne.

Due to such prayer of those days, the youth of those days and the great ones of those days were able to attain Divinity. Therefore, man of today should also undertake such sacred prayers and install (Him) in the seat of his heart.

We have so many thoughts. What is the use of having so many thoughts? All of these thoughts are only the main causes for sorrow. There is also joy fully in those sorrows. Just like sugar is in syrup, in that same way God is in the form of sugar in (the syrup of) sorrow. So we have to have faith in the equality of happiness and sorrow. We should always be happy.

We Should Not Worry About Difficulties

Some external difficulties and losses do take place. Just because they are taking place, we should not feel that they are difficulties. We should not worry about these difficulties. There should be faith that these are stepping-stones that give bliss.

Due to the Pandavas experiencing difficulties for 14 years, finally Krishna was in, around, with and beside them, and He gave them victory. Therefore, there is so much of God's help even in difficulties.

So, in those days all of the Pandavas also felt: First, God; next, world; third, ‘I’. They put themselves last. First God. They kept God first, the world behind and the ego of ‘I’ even further behind.

But what is it that Kauravas did? First, ‘I’; next, world; last, God. They kept God behind. So they lost. They didn’t obtain joy no matter how much they searched. There will always be complete bliss for the one who makes God close.

We should respect every single individual. When there is such respect, that respect will again turn back and return to us in double.

Embodiments of Love!

We should not worry about difficulties. We should not think about sorrow at all. Don’t aspire only to be happy. Don’t contemplate about bliss at all. Think, “Only sorrow will give me true bliss.”

In the orange fruit of sorrow… (Swami re-starts) The external rind of an orange is sorrow. Only when the rind is removed and thrown away, we will obtain the juice of happiness.

So, God is referred to as ‘Raso Vai Saha’ (God is essence). It is said that He is the embodiment of rasa (essence, sweet juice). Hence, if there has to be rasa, it should be covered above by a very bitter thing. Only when there is such a hard grief, we will obtain the sweet juice.

A Man Named Lincoln

In the past, there was a man named Lincoln in America. Lincoln was one who was born in a very ordinary family. When he was going to his school, all the friends who also went with him made fun of him. What did they say? “We have put on ornaments. We have worn new clothes and valuable clothes. This poor boy doesn’t even have proper clothes.” Saying that, they made jokes (about him).

One day, paapam (poor thing), Lincoln was unable to bear it. He fell on his mother’s lap and cried, “Mother, they are humiliating me like this.”

That mother consoled her son, “Son, all of these dishonors and honors are for our good. Don’t aspire for respect and honor. Maintain Self-respect. That only is your property. That only is your wealth. That only is your God. Never lose your Self-respect.”

Due to those courageous words being imprinted in his heart, he was courageous in every difficulty, and he was successful. “Atma is in me. My true wealth is Self-respect.” He was like that and finally, he passed in the class. Due to this Self-respect, he passed in all classes.

Finally he had the encouragement of his friends. Feeling that his qualities were very great they said, “Sir, the elections are coming. Become a Member of Congress.” Lincoln thought, “Where am I? Where is a Member of Congress? Would there be a seat there for me? Will they let me enter into the (Congress) Hall?” Thinking that, he doubted a lot. Immediately, he pushed aside his thoughts. He said, “My mother’s order was (for me to have) Self-confidence. I will fight with that.”

With that, with Self-confidence he fought, and finally he became the President of America. He was such a small boy in his house! What is the reason for him becoming President? The true reason is Self-confidence. No matter what position one who has no Self-confidence may be in, he may fall down.

Develop Such Self-Confidence

Therefore, Students!

All of you should consider Self-confidence as an important aim throughout life. You will not obtain the bliss of the Self if there is no Self-confidence. Hence, try to spend life with Self-confidence.

You only are Divine. There is nothing higher than your Atma. Therefore, Brahma merging in the Atma has the name of ‘Atmavaan’. What does ‘Atmavaan’ mean? Its meaning is ‘that which is all pervading and which is permanent in the body and heart’. So, in the world there is nothing that surpasses the heart.

We should develop such Self-confidence, love all living beings and see that there is no one who is hated. There may be someone who hates you, but you should not hate anybody. That only is:

My life is My message.

  (Applause)

My Life is My Message

Follow My example. Even when someone hates Me, even when someone criticizes Me, I won't criticize anyone. I won't hate anyone. So, when you follow that (do that), you will also obtain a nature equal to Sai Baba’s (nature).

What is the reason for this (Avatar) growing to such great fame? The nature of Love only is My important value. This is My true property. Therefore, you also share this nature of Love, develop Self-confidence and give an ideal life to the world.

I didn’t think it was necessary to speak a lot today. I didn’t think to speak. All of you be well today. Not only the welfare of the country of Bharath; you should also hope for the welfare of all countries also.

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

  May all the beings in all the worlds be happy.

(Sanskrit sloka)

  (Applause)

All should be happy. Then only you will get bliss. Develop this kind of expansive feeling. Experience such an expansive nature. Put aside narrow feelings. If anyone criticizes us or beats us or gives any suffering, you accept it with patience and experience with a natural feeling of, “These are all for my good, my good.” There is nothing that surpasses that.

This Indweller Is in Everyone

The body is made up of the five elements.

Some day the body is bound to fall.

The Indweller is permanent.

The permanent Indweller has no death or birth,

 and has no attachment, rules or regulations.

See truly, that Indweller only is God Himself.

         (Telugu poem)

Therefore, this Indweller is in everyone. Even a beggar comes and asks:

“Bhavathi Bhiksham Dehi.”

“Honored Mother, give alms.”

(Sanskrit sloka)

Whom is he asking? He isn't asking you! He is asking the Indweller within you. This means that he is asking God. Unable to know this Truth, you are feeling that he is asking you for alms. That only is your ignorance. That only is your ego. He’s not asking you. Saying, “Bhavathi Bhiksham Dehi, Dehi, Dehi,” he’s asking the dehi (Indweller).

You are the embodiment of the Indweller. You  (the ego) are not the Indweller. Only the Divine power within you is the Indweller. That Divinity is in everyone. It has no difference of poor or rich. There is the one nature of Atma in everyone. Worship such a Divinity with Love.

Heart-to-Heart, Love-to-Love

Love everybody; it is not wrong. However, what kind of Love? Love that is selfless; the Love that has no body attachment is equal in all. The feeling of body provides only narrow feelings. This is only a relationship between body and body. But between God and you it is heart-to-heart, Love-to-Love. Therefore, you have to see Love with Love.

I did not send anyone an invitation today. I will never have invitations printed. Yet, if so many people have arrived here today, it means that the main cause for that is Love for Me. (Applause) It is a matter of great bliss that I am deserving of so many people’s Love. Some people do not even deserve the love of their parents in the house. However, it is (shows) true Divinity that I deserve the Love so many people in the world. (Applause)

Ratih, Loko Ratih.

  Loved, loved by the world.

              (Sanskrit sloka)

The whole world loves this (Avatar), not only the people who have come here. There are so many crores (tens of millions) of people. To be deserving of the Love of so many people, that only is the main reason for (proving) great Divinity.

There is only one Love, from small children to elders and from youth to aged people. There has been complete clamor (describing the crowd coming in for the Birthday function) from early morning 3 o’clock, (keen) to enter inside. They were ready with such eagerness.

Will they have such eagerness for anything else? They won't. If you want to see some cinema, you will stand in a queue. If you want to go in some bus, you will wait in a queue for a bus. Yet for Swami’s darshan, they won't even pay attention to a queue. They will come pushing! (Applause) They won't even pay attention to their life. You are in so much haste, wanting to have darshan of this (Divinity) and wanting to come forward with such Love.

Such a Love cannot be obtained no matter how many austerities are done. What austerity did you do (in the past)? What yoga (discipline, self-control) did you practice? How many types of practices did you do? Today you have obtained the opportunity to experience this kind of bliss. (Applause)

I love everyone. There is no one whom I don’t like. Therefore, the result of my Love is the reason for being deserving of the Love of so many people.

The Truth Is in You Also

Hence, don’t speak words that hurt others. Don’t speak words that give suffering to others. Don’t begin any kind of evil actions. Recognize the Truth that it is the form of Atma that is in everything from the atom up to the mighty. The Truth is in you also. You are feeling that it is not. That only is a mistake. That form of Truth (Atma) is within you. There is no Truth that surpasses you (the Self). Therefore, that which we should know today is:

Easwara Sarva Bhutanam.

  God is in all living beings.

(Sanskrit sloka)

Eswara is only a kind of embodiment of power. She, Eswari (feminine counterpart of Eswara) is a kind of faith. The combined form of Bhavani-Sankara is human life. Sankara is the nature of the body. Bhavani is the nature of Atma. Both follow each other. The nature of Siva desires the happiness of the body. Bhavani desires the wisdom of the Atma. That only is faith.

Without that faith, we cannot achieve even a small work. So first and foremost, develop Self-confidence. If we have that, there won't be any other thing that cannot be achieved in the world.

Love with the Full Heart

Embodiments of Love!

If you want to recognize the nature of God, there is no need to do great spiritual practices; no need to do long fasts; no need to do great repetition of God's Name, austerity or meditation. It is enough to Love with the full heart.

People are aspiring so much, thinking, “I have to do this task and that task for God.” All of those are only characteristics of faith. Therefore, develop that faith.

Not only that. Due to Bhavani-Sankara being present in such a sacred body like this (in man), this body should not touch wrong foods. From this day you have to gain these three day-by-day: Love of God, fear of sin and morality in society.

Morality in society

If we want such a true morality to come to us, first and foremost Love of God is needed. When there is that Love of God, there will be fear of sin. Today, such a one who has no fear of sin is succumbing to all sins. That is not proper. It is contradictory to human nature.

Don’t Be Dejected Over Worries

Being born is a worry. To be on the earth is a worry.

Worldly life is a worry. Death is a worry.

All of youth is a worry. Old age is a worry.

To live is a worry. Calamity is a worry.

All actions are worry. Difficulties are a worry.

Happiness is a worry. Worry, strange worry!

(Telugu poem)

To man whom has so many worries, if he wants to be without worries, how can it be? All of these are worries that are related only to one’s body. All of these are only worries that arise from the same mind. If you control that mind, there will be no chance at all for these worries. Thyagaraja said:

Manassu Swadhiinamaina Manalaku,

Mari Mantra Tantramella?

Why manthras (sound syllables repeated for spiritual uplift)

and tanthras (secret rites for attaining superhuman powers)

for those who have their minds under control?

(Telugu poem)

Hence, if the mind is under our control, we don’t need these manthras. All worries will be discarded.

Sarva Chintalu Baapedi,

Sai Prema,

Penchudikanaina Manulaara,

Prema Toda.

At least from now onwards,

develop with love Sai’s (Divine) Love,

which destroys all worries.

(Telugu poem)

(Applause)

This will get rid of all worries. So don’t be dejected over worries. We can achieve anything with prayer to God. Not only Bharatiyas. There are so many foreigners also who have achieved so much with that Love.

Faith in Yourself

There are so many people who have followed the commands of the mother, put their commands into practice and attained bliss. Therefore first and foremost, (these) are the ones who have outer forms:

Matru Devo Bhava.

Pitru Devo Bhava.

Acharya Devo Bhava.

Mother is God.

Father is God.

Teacher is God.

                                  (Sanskrit sloka)

First and foremost, you should love the mother. After loving the mother, love for the father will come naturally. The individual who loves the mother and father will love the teacher.

However, first and foremost, before loving the mother, you should love yourself. Then only the love for the mother will develop. Love for the mother will not come to the one who doesn’t have faith in himself.

Faith in yourself and faith in God:

 This is the secret of greatness.

First and foremost, you have to develop the nature of these two

.

Contemplate on All that Swami Said

Embodiments of Love!

Then evening also, there are so many Birthday events (programs). Hence, from then (3 AM) itself, so much time has gone by for you. So I am hoping to give you rest to some extent. (Applause) There is, however, the stomach. It becomes necessary to put some petrol (food) into this petrol tank. (Laughter)

Many people arrived here at 2 and 3 o’clock (in early morning). So you go and contemplate on all the things that Swami said. Make the proper effort thinking, “I have Self-confidence,” and achieve it with courage. Make that promise: that only is your oath. Speak with the courage of, “I have Self-confidence!”

Follow the command of God. All will be successful for you. All will fructify for you. Victory may be gained in everything.

Bhagavan ended His Divine Discourse by chanting the bhajan,

“Hari Bhajana Bina Sukha Shanti Nahi…”

Glossary for 76th Birthday

Taken from "A Glossary of Sanskrit Words

Gleaned from Sai Literature"

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

2)     “Bhavathi, Bhiksham Dehi”: (pg. 81) “Mother, give me alms.”

3)     Darshan (pg. 106) Direct seeing of a holy Person, which brings His grace and blessing to the viewer

4)     Manthra: (pg. 220) Mystically powerful formulae or sound symbols to be recited for spiritual uplift

5)     Prakrithi: (pg. 274) The world, the Universe or nature.

6)     Sraddha (pg. 356) Faith and interest; steady faith; steadfastness; devotion

7)     Tanthra: (pg. 372) The secret rites for attaining superhuman powers

8)     Yoga (pg. 421) Discipline; self-restraint; concentration; self-control