POWER OF LOVE

POWER OF LOVE   "Let their love be natural, let them know the secret of devotion; let them not exhaust themselves by other Sadhanas, let them stick to this one simple remedy." –Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. III.   During the course of a lecture, a Bishop referred to a Sunday school teacher, who began his classes in a slum. With all good intentions, he brought together the poor children, spoke to them of the love of God and inspired them to live the life beautiful.   Finding that their clothes were dirty, tattered and torn, he said to them, "I shall get you new clothes. You must wear them every Sunday morning as you come to attend the class."   Every boy received a beautiful dress.   On the following Sunday, he found that one of the boys was missing. He made inquiries and was told the boy was a gambler.   The Sunday school teacher went out in quest of the boy, found him, and got him another set of clothes. The boy attended the Sunday class for the next two or three weeks, but again disappeared.   The teacher found that the boy had once again bartered his clothes and gambled away money.   Yet again, he went up to the boy, met him in love, spoke to him with tenderness.   He said to him, "Forget what has happened. Take these new clothes, and be regular in your attendance at the Sunday classes."   This was repeated as many as thirteen times. No less than twelve times, the boy sold the clothes, but the teacher's patience was not exhausted. His love was boundless, unquestioning, unconditional, it demanded no explanation; it needed no apology. A transformation was wrought. The boy turned over a new leaf.   The love of the teacher transformed the boy and made him new.   The bishop concluded his lecture with the words; "I know this is true, because I was the boy!"   It is love which reclaims. It is love which transforms.   Sermons or lectures do not touch the hearts of the people, the power of love does.       http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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DOOR WITHOUT A HANDLE     There is a beautiful picture by the famous artist, Holman Hunt. In the picture, Christ is seen standing in a garden holding a lantern in one hand and with the other, knocking on a door.   A friend of the artist said to him, "Holman, you have made a mistake. The door you have painted does not have a handle."   "It is not a mistake," answered the artist. "For that is the door of the human heart and it can only be opened from the inside!"       http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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A GREAT MESSAGE FOR ALL

A GREAT MESSAGE FOR ALL   She was a poor woman – a widow who had braved many a calamity in the course of her life. Misfortune and tragedy had dogged her footsteps. And yet, she always wore a lovely smile on her face. Serenity seemed to envelop her presence; and peace dwelt in her heart.   Everyone who met her marveled at her courage. How could she remain so calm and serene amidst the turbulences of life? What was the secret of her inner peace?   To those who asked her these questions, she replied, "All the water in the sea cannot make a ship sink. But if the water gets inside the ship, it soon sinks without a trace. So it is with sorrow. Sorrow cannot drown you unless your allow it to get inside you!"   How true it is that we can float safely on the sea of life as long as we don't allow our sorrows and troubles to get inside us! For if we do, we will surely drown in the depths of depression.         http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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AM I NOT THE MOST DEVOUT?

AM I NOT THE MOST DEVOUT?   Baba said, "The simple remembrance of My name as 'Sai, Sai' will do away with sins of speech and hearing" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. III.   Once it came to pass that pride entered the heart of sage Narada. He began to think that he was the greatest devotee of the Lord. Surely, there was no one who could surpass his faith and piety.   The Lord read his mind. He said to Narada, "I would like you to visit the earth, where lives a true devotee of mine. I am sure you would be very happy to meet him."   Narada is intrigued. Who could be this 'true devotee' so warmly recommended by the Lord?   Narada goes to the earth plane, to a particular place as directed by the Lord. He is surprised to see a poor farmer!   The man wakes up in the morning and utters the Name of the Lord – just once. He then takes his plough and goes out to till the land. All day long he toils, and then returns to his humble dwelling for a simple meal. At night, before he falls asleep with exhaustion, he utters the Name of God – just once!   "How could this man be a bhakta?" Narada wonders. "Surely, the Lord has made a mistake in pointing him to me."   And so Narada returns to the Lord and narrates what he has seen. "Strange are the ways of your true devotee sire," he tells the Lord. "The whole day long he tills his land – and he utters your Divine Name but twice."   "I have a task for you, dear Narada," says the Lord. "Here is a cup of oil. Take it in your hand and go around my abode once. But make sure you do not spill even one drop of oil!"   Narada does as he is told. Ever so carefully, he carried the cup of oil and circumambulates the Lord's abode. Having completed the assignment successfully, he returns to the presence of the Lord.   "I have done as You bade me, dear Lord," he announces, with what he thinks is justifiable pride.   "Well done! But tell Me, dear Narada, how often did you remember Me in the course of your round?" asks the Lord with a smile.   "How could I remember You?" blurts out Narada. "All my attention was focused on the oil. You had told me not to let even a drop of oil spill over!"   The Lord's smile is divine mischief itself! "This cup of oil so engrossed your attention that you did not remember me even once!" He tells Narada. "The poor farmer carries the burden of his entire family, still remembers Me twice a day! Is he not a true devotee?"       http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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AVOID! AVOID!! AVOID!!

AVOID! AVOID!! AVOID!!   "Our mind is fickle by nature, it should not be allowed to get wild. The senses may get restless, the body, however, should be held in check and not allowed to be impatient." Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XLIX   A young man approached a man of God and said to him, "Teach me a way to overcome temptation."   "I will suggest to you not one, but three remedies," replied the saint. "The first is to avoid occasions. The second is to avoid occasions. And the third is to avoid occasions."   The young man was determined to change his life, and decided to follow the saint's advice. One day, however, a dangerous occasion confronted him. A girl of questionable character with whom, at one time, he was very intimate, came to meet him.   "Honey, don't I mean anything to you?" she drawled. "I'm still the same girl, after all!"   "Yes!" replied the young man hastily. "But I am not the same fellow." With that, he ran away as fast as his legs could carry him.

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SWEET DREAMS - SWEEP DREAMS

SWEET DREAMS - SWEEP DREAMS   "Removal of ignorance is like this, Oh Arjuna, if dream and sleep disappear, you are yourself. It is like that" –Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXXIX, L.   A poor man and his wife remained childless for several years after their marriage. At last, a son was born to them, and their joy knew no bounds. He was truly the apple of their eyes.   All of a sudden, the boy fell seriously ill. The parents did everything they could to treat him and cure him. Every last penny they had, was spent on him – but to no avail. His illness could not even be diagnosed, and the child died.   The mother was overwrought with grief. She wept and wailed in profound misery. The father, however, remained calm.   "How can you be so indifferent?" wept his wife. "Don't you feel miserable at the loss of our only child?"   "Last night, I had dream," her husband replied. "I dreamt that I was a king, and a proud father of five handsome princes – wise, well-behaved, bright. All the five were killed on the same day in a war, as they tried to save their country."   The poor man asked his wife gently, "Tell me, for I am puzzled. Should I grieve over the death of my princes whom I lost in my dream, or for the one I have lost here, in this life?"   How true it is that this life is a dream. Only a few blessed ones who realize the Truth awake from this dream.

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YOU are the creator of your own destiny

YOU are the creator of your own destiny     Do you believe in miracles?   Do you want them to happen in your life?   Then here's a probable way:   Believe that God is All-powerful and there's nothing impossible for Him.   Be clear about what you want.   Be sure of the motivation of the desire (It should have nothing that may enhance the ego)   Sit in silence and invite God to discuss your needs with you. Trust and hold on to the first image of God that comes to you. Listen for comments and suggestions. Surrender your desire with a bubble of light. Concentrate on the bubble and let it grow in the energy of your intense desire and imagination until it explodes all over you. Celebrate your success. Thank God and get back to your duties.   Trust. And all things will work to your good.   Thoughts are building blocks of life. Thoughts can make or mar your life. YOU are the creator of your own destiny!     http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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