The mind must become the servant of the intellect, not the slave of the senses.

Sairam,                                                                                                                                        Prashaanthi Nilayam, 1962

Parashuraama came across Raama and challenged him when he was returning to Ayodhya after his marriage. He had won Seetha by bending and breaking the bow of Shiva and thereby humbled the pride of all the crowned heads that had come seeking Seetha's hand. But, Parashuraama was intoxicated with his own achievement in defeating the Kshathriya rulers in twenty-one campaigns. That pride lowered the Divine status of Parashuraama and so, he could be felled in a moment by Raama who was to all appearance just a stripling! Only experience can reveal the sweetness, the sublimity and the purpose of lord's Glory.

I have come as an Avathaar when the saints, Saadhus and sages (the pious) prayed and awaited anxiously. My tasks are Vedharakshana and Bhaktharakshana---fostering of the Vedhas and fostering of Bhakthas (devotees). Know that you are saved and be confident that you will be liberated. Become entitled to the honoured title of Bhaktha. Your virtue, your self-control, your detachment, your faith and your steadfastness---these are the signs by which people read of my glory. You can lay claim to be Bhaktha only when you have placed yourself in My hands, fully, completely, with no trace of ego.

Bhakthi (devotion) is faith, steadiness, virtue, fearlessness, surrender and absence of egoism. Puuja done however elaborately and pompously is sheer waste of time and energy. Many of you go round the temple and satisfy yourselves that you have done so many pradakshinas (circum-ambulations), but, they can be called so only when your mind circles this place along with your feet.

While your feet are taking you round by force of habit, your tongues blabber about the faults of others, or the price of vegetables, or the dishes you propose to cook for lunch. Before you start on your pra-dakshina, give your mind as dakshina (thanksgiving offering) to the Resident of the temple, the Lord. That is the first the only thing to do. Pradakshina is not to be taken as prescribed for loosening the limbs or giving them some exercise.

You do not bloom as fragrant offerings at the Lord's feet by learning the saadhana path. The senses have to be curbed into obedient servants of the spirit. Do not thrust your sorrows, your needs and your problems into the ears of those who have come to you with their own bundle of such things. They are not interested in adding to their troubles. Do not disturb with your loud voice those who are meditating or reading or writing the name of God. Talk less and talk low when you must talk.

The drug that can cure one's ignorance of real nature that affects thoughts, words and deeds is patented under different names: jnaana, karma, upaasana (contemplation) and bhakthi. They are all the same in potency, and curative power. The difference lies only in the method of administration either as mixture or as tablet or injection.

People learn details about China, Russia and America; they know about the volcanoes of the Pacific or the islands of the Arctic regions but they do not know an iota about the features of their own inner realms. Everyone of you have five Realms but you are aware (but not full knowledge) only of the outermost realm, the Annamaya kosha (the material casement), in which they are housed. There are deeper layers of which you are ignorant---the Praanamaya (sheath of vital energy), the Manomaya (mental sheath), the Vijnaanamaya (sheath of intelligence) and the Aanandhamaya (sheath of Divine Bliss). Those who are conscious only of the Annamaya kosha, can claim to be only just Kaarnaswaruupa, not Raamaswaruupa (embodiment of desire but not of Raama). They will be swayed by every gust of kaama (desire).

If possible, Meditate yourselves alone; read spiritual books if you can; write the name of the Lord in the quiet of your corner; if you cannot do these, at least do not disturb others who are doing these. Encourage one another to march along the path to God. The mind must become the servant of the intellect, not the slave of the senses. It must discriminate and detach itself from the body. Like the ripe tamarind fruit, which becomes loose inside the shell, it must be unattached to this shell, this casement called body.

--SATHY SAI

Omsai srisai jaijaisai