Issue 251 - October 31, 2021 |
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Sairam Dear Brothers and Sisters,
If we want to be happy in life, then engaging in service and helping others is the ONLY solution. This is the best way to be happy, says Swami often. “When happiness is given to others, it magnifies and comes back to you multiple times. That happiness is beyond, that which cannot be described. That is the joy of sevā, which you have to experience!”
Service is the sādhana, through which we become closer to God, and this mission of Sai is all about loving others and serving others.
Sairam
Bhuvana Santhanam
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ātmano mokshārtam
(Emancipation of one’s self)
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I Have to Choose You; You Cannot Choose Me!
I once asked Baba, “How can I be like Sri Madhusudan, to You?” He immediately responded, “Let Me tell you the truth, I have to choose you; you cannot choose Me! But you can always be ready. Let Me explain. A painter requires thick brush or a thin brush depending upon the stroke he wants to paint. He has a set of different brushes ready in his kit. He picks what he wants, and when he wants. I will pick up a brush when I want to use it for thick strokes, and then put it back. Just like how the paintbrush is available, all you can do is be available. When I will pick you, I alone know! What can you do for Me? Be there! When I say I want you now, you should be ready with all your ability, skills, knowledge and surrender. That’s all I expect from you!”
Baba continued, “Madhusudan was ready. He worked upon himself continuously to do my work, but I was not ready to use Him! He wanted to be with Me and stay back in Puttaparthi. He cried, prayed, wrote letters, went hungry, pleaded, performed poojas…yet I did not pick him up. He had a role later, and his time had to come in the latter part of My mission. And then when the time came, though he was not ready, I decided to use him and whatever little readiness was required to be completed, I did it! So, the truth is that you cannot choose this path. If someone thinks that they have chosen this path, he or she is the most ignorant person on the Earth. God chooses you! But when does God choose you? When you are ready, in abeyance and surrender. When He feels He needs a bigger stroke and requires a bigger brush, God should be able to pick you up! God should not face a situation when you are not ready or unavailable. You should be ready at His beck and call! In the same manner, the way a brush is available to a painter, each individual is designed differently to perform a particular task. This kind of readiness and surrender is the most important prerequisite to do My work!”
An excerpt from ‘Karishye Vachanam Tava’ authored by Bhuvana Santhanam, Pg no. 11.
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sevā – An inseparable part of life
By Ms Sujaya Bhatt
Student, Toronto, Canada
As a resident of Toronto, Canada, we experienced the world's longest lockdown which started somewhere towards the end of 2019. With Swami’s immense grace, I was able to participate in ‘Feed the World’ initiative, despite the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases followed with series of strict lockdown and its different measures imposed by the government. However, after the 95th birthday, for some reason, I was unable to continue to participate in sevā activities with the same frequency, as I used to earlier and somewhere deep down, the feeling of guilty was building gradually.
It was during this time, that many opportunities in the form of various activities carried out by different Foundations and Trusts— ‘Each One Educate One’, ‘SAI Global Mission’, ‘Heart to Heart Foundation’, and ‘Sri Sathya Sai Sarla Memorial Hospital’, came my way and it made me realise and discover, as to how we can continue serving on a day-to-day basis, from sun rise to sunset and benefit others.
I had the opportunity to collaborate with many youth and adults, who used their skills and education, to help in these projects and indirectly benefit those in need. These were the times, when I realised, that we already have what it takes to do serve the unserved. The greatest learning which I derived during this pandemic is that, we just need to be available and capable, and the rest will be taken care by Swami. Once we change our mindset and perform any activity, keeping Swami as the focus, that action becomes sevā.
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To help reach Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s human values-based education to the world, and to resuscitate the humanness of humanity, the Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence launched a unique, first-of-its-kind Institute of Human Values, to offer tailor-made courses totally free of any charges, curated by experts from around the world. The Vision of the Institute is to make better humans in their personal and professional spheres, by making them more sensitive towards society’s needs and exploring ways of their contribution to society in a meaningful and selfless manner, thereby creating a sense of global citizenship and responsibility.
The courses will help an individual balance the inside and outside, while progressively being a better human being, that will ultimately help him or her unravel the true meaning and purpose in life.
Learning from the heart is spiritual awakening, Baba would say. The Institute of Human Values is the first step to help lead the world into the beautiful awareness of its heart – a heart that operates from the universal human values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa.
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Every individual born is same like that of gold which remains steady. It may take various shapes and sizes of different ornaments, but the essence remains the same. Every jīvātmā (individual soul) is like that of space, where all sorts of things take place. In this space, rains, storms, fire, seasons, etc. come and go. The space remains untouched, unsullied and ever free. It is never affected by the any of these forces.
Likewise, our nature as ātman is always pure – nitya (permanent), śuddha (pure), mukta (free), buddha (peaceful), nirmala (unsullied) svarūpa (embodiment). There is no merit or sin for the ātman. It only applies to the body and mind complex.
The ultimate truth is that ātman is ever free from the dualities of this creation. The one who learns and imbibes the teachings of adhyātma yoga (yoga of the soul) taught in kaṭhopaniṣad will escape the vicious jaws of birth and death.
In episode 36, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai clears the ‘three confusions of life’ which one may encounter while treading the path of spirituality. Come and receive the highest wisdom directly from the Sadguru expounded in the simplest way possible!
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INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE FOR THE WEEK |
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“I have chosen you out of the world.”
– John 15:19
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jagat hitāya
(Welfare of the World)
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Every Friday, Sai Youth from La Plata prepared and served home-cooked meals to the needy individuals. They also distributed box of groceries with milk, sugar, blankets and clothing to needy families, joining hands with two local community kitchens located in one of the poor neighbourhoods. In addition to this, food packages were distributed to the homeless individuals. Over 400 meals were served during the month of September.
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On an unusually beautiful Saturday morning, the Sai Youth from Houston got together once again in love and harmony to serve the homeless of downtown, Houston. Close to 110 sandwiches were made with tofurky, pickles, mayo mustard and cheesy goodness. Crackers and juice were also prepared by the volunteers. Even the younglings joined in to help in the crusade of love. Over time, this sevā has grown to be not just love in action but also a time to bond, laugh and grow with each other in the process.
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