QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY   Baba said, "God does not like big subscriptions and donations collected against the wishes of the donors, but He likes ever trifling amounts given with love, devotion and appreciation" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch.. XLVII   A King built a Cathjedral in the middle ages. Many came forward with their contributions. A poor widow had nothing to give. There were a few worn out mats spread on the follor of her cottage. As bullock carts, carrying marble for the temple, passed by her cottage, she fed the bullocks with strands of straw which she pulled out of her mat and breathed out the prayer, "Lord, this be my humble offering towards the building of Your temple."   When the Cathedral was ready, a holy man came to consecrate it. He said, "Last night, I had a dream. In the dream I heard a Voice say, tell the people that the great Cathedral has been built not by the king but by the poor widow who dwells by the side of the road leading to the Cathedral."   The king was mystified. How could a poor widow build a huge Cathedral? The widow was called for and asked what her contribution had been.   "Nothing," answered the widow. "All I did was to give bits of straw to the bullocks that carried the marble for the Cathedral."   The Lord asks of us not big things but little offerings made to Him in devotion and love.   Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai

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BLESSED ARE THE PURE

BLESSED ARE THE PURE   Anger is a passion which burns up brotherhood, friendship, social solidarity, spiritual fellowship. Muhammad's great disciple, Ali, was once insulted. Ali bore the insults for a long time; but he lost patience, at last: then Ali returned tit for tat! Muhammad, who was present all the time, got up and walked away, leaving Ali and his opponent to themselves. Meeting Muhammad in the evening, Ali said: "Master! Why did you go away when you saw that I was being insulted? Why did you leave me in the lurch?"   Quietly answered the Prophet: "O my friend! That man who insulted you was, indeed, rude and cruel: and I was happy to see that you were silent. I saw that there were, at that time, ten angels keeping guard over you and blessing you. But as soon as the angels saw that you gave tit for tat, they left you, and I, too, came away."   Ali lost his purity: Ali defiled his mind and his mouth. Every one of the senses must be kept pure: the eye, the vak (voice, speech), and the prana (breath) must be kept pure. If we control speech only but not the vibration of prana, we get bad dreams. To be pure, so train yourself in the school of brahmacharya that your dream state, your sub-conscious life may also be pure. Therefore repeat "Om" or "Hare Ram" or any other "Guru Mantra" as often as you can, by day and by night. Men of prayer can achieve much, because prayer, repetition of Om or Guru Mantra, purifies the prana.   Purify, also, the sense of "hearing" and the sense of touch and taste. Purify, too, your mind and heart.   India cannot be truly great if Indians squander their bala or bodily vigour. Religion must build up strength. Don't squander your life-force! Develop your vigour and use in it the service of man. So may you be as the light gay grass, humble yet strong. So purified you may see the Beauty of Nature and the Truth of God. Blessed are the pure: for they are the builders of the Race.       http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com           TIME DOES NOT PASS, TIME STANDS STILL. ONLY WE ARE PASSING. THAT'S WHY WE GROW OLD AND TIME ALWAYS REMAINS YOUNG.

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SEARCH ENDS IN YOUR HEART

SEARCH ENDS IN YOUR HEART   Baba said, "My abode is in your heart and I am within you. Always worship Me, Who is seated in your heart" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XV.   Madam Guyon was one of the most beautiful young women of her town. Even as a little girl, her heart was filled with the love of God. She did not know where to find Him.   As she grew up, she went into society and, for some years, lived a worldly life. Her marriage was an unhappy one. The yearning for God, which slumbered within her heart, woke up again. She was built to love: she had a sweet, gentle, tender heart. Not receiving what she expected from her husband, she turned her attention to God, whom she had neither seen nor heard nor touched.   This unhappy, fashionable woman went out in quest. She sought for Him here, there, everywhere, but could find Him not! She realised that God is found by those to whom He reveals Himself. The true approach to God is, therefore, by the way of simplicity.   One day, there came to her town a holy man. She met him and placed before him all her difficulties. He was a man of few words. To her, he said, "Madam, accustom yourself to seek God in your won heart, and you will find Him!" The words pierced her heart as an arrow: and she was wounded with a wound whose healing lies in a vision of the Beloved. She herself describes her state in words which are so beautiful:   "I felt in this moment," she says, "a profound wound which was full of delight, of love, a wound so sweet that I desired that it might never heal. These words had put into my heart that which I sought for so many years or, rather, they caused me to find that which was there. O, my Lord, You were within my heart, and You asked of me only that I should return within, in order that I might feel Your presence. O Infinite Goodness, You were so near, and I, running here and there to seek You, found You not!"   From that day onwards, she gives up "running here and there." She gives up her "practices" and "exercises." She has found her "centre", and for her all wandering ceases. She quietly surrenders herself to the Lord; she finds Him within her heart!       .

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TREASURE IMPERISHABLE

TREASURE IMPERISHABLE

 

Baba said, "Wealth and prosperity are transient and the body is subject to decay and death. Knowing this, do your duty, leaving all attachment to the things of this world and next. He who does this and surrenders himself to the Feet of Hari (Lord) will get free from all troubles and attain bliss" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXXI.

 

Bahram was a wealthy merchant. Hs caravans carried for sale in foreign lands, goods worth lakhs of rupees, every year. One day, his caravans were looted by robbers, Bahram lost several lakhs.

 

One of his friends came to sympathise with him in his great loss. It was a time of famine. Bahram thought his friend had come in the hope of getting a meal. Bahram asked the servant to serve meals. But the friend said, "I am not in need of a meal. I came to sympathise with you in your loss."

 

And Bahram said, "It is kind of you to have come. But I am not worrying over what has happened. I feel grateful to God that though the robbers looted my goods, I have looted none! The robbers have robbed a portion of my perishable wealth: but they have not touched the Treasure Imperishable, the Treasure of faith in Allah, the Compassionate. It is the true Treasure of life!"

 

Trials and tribulations draw out the best is in you. Do not run away from them, but greet them as friends. They will not sting you.  They will lead you from success to greater success.

 

 

 

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WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS…

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS…   A poor, old man went about planting mango trees.   Someone said to him, "Why are you planting trees at your age? Surely, you will not live to eat their fruit!"   Quietly, answered the old man, "I have eaten mangoes grown from trees planted by others. Let my tree yield mangoes to those who live after I am gone!"   We live in a wonderful universe in which everyone, everything gives. The trees give; the river gives; the earth gives; the sun, the moon and the stars give. Why then, must thou, O man, be anxious to take, to receive, to amass, to gather, to hoard, and not to scatter?   Everyone – howsoever poor he be, can give something. He can give a loving thought, a sweet word, a radiant smile, a moving song, a helping hand, which may bring comfort to a broken heart. More than money, the world needs love and sympathy.       http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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