WHY FEAR WHEN BABA IS NEAR

WHY FEAR WHEN BABA IS NEAR   Baba said, "If you spread your palms with devotion before Me, I am immediately with you, day and night. Though, I am here bodily, still I know what you do; beyond the saven seas. Go wherever you will, over the wide world, I am with you" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XV.   In a hospital, in France, there were two persons about to pass away. One of them was the world famous author, Voltaire. There he lay on his death-bed: around him were doctors and nurses doing their best for him. They found agony writ on his face. His cries were pathetic, "What will happen to me now? I see nothing but darkness before me!" Voltaire had written many books but he had not established a link of love and devotion with God. In the moment of death, he felt lonely and lost.   In the same hospital, in another room, lay a little girl. She was but twelve years of age. She, too, was about to die, but she was happy, calm and peaceful. Her face was wreathed in smiles. The doctors and the nurses wondered at her serenity, as they thought of the great man in the other room in the throes of fear. They said to her, "Little one! You know you are about to die and yet you keep on smiling. Are you not afraid of death?"   The little girl, in her childlike, innocent way, said, "Why need I be afraid of death? My Beloved Jesus is here, standing in front of me with outstretched arms. He says to me, "My child, come unto Me!"   The little girl had established a link of love and devotion with Jesus. She was not afraid of death. As she passed away, on her lips was a song:   "The Beloved is near: I have no fear! Whither? He knows best!"   Whither will He take me? He knows best. I only know that whatever He takes me, He will keep me close to Himself, and that is all I need. In Him is peace and joy, the peace that passeth understanding, the joy that no ending knows!     http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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NEVER ALLOW DIRT TO ACCUMULATE

NEVER ALLOW DIRT TO ACCUMULATE   Baba said, "Catharsis from (Purging away of) sins. Unless a man has turned away from wickedness, and stopped from doing wrong, and has entirely composed himself and unless his mind is at rest, he cannot gain self-realization, even by means of knowledge" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XVI & XVII.   An old man, who lived all alone in his house, complained to his neighbour woman that his eyesight had grown weak and that, as he looked out from his window, he could not see the beauty of the outside world.   The woman found that the window panes were covered with dust and dirt. She cleansed them with soap and water.   The old man was delighted to find that he could see as clearly as ever.   "It was not that your eyesight had grown dim," the woman said to him; "you allowed your windows to get dirty."   May we never allow the windows of our soul to get dirty – we shall never lose sight of God and we shall kindle little lights of love and service, wherever we go.     http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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Thank You God

In all conditions and circumstances, in all incidents and accidents of life, lift up your heart and pray:   Thank you God! Thank you God!

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VALUE OF A SIGH

VALUE OF A SIGH

 

Baba said, "I do not need any paraphernalia of worship - either eight-fold or sixteen-fold. I rest there where there is full devotion" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XIII.

 

There is the story of a labourer who attended the evening worship (aarti) at the temple, every day.

 

One evening, he was detained at his place of work, and when the aarti time approached, he rushed to the temple so that he might not miss his daily appointment with the Lord. As he arrived at the temple, he found the pujari coming out of the gate.

 

"Is the aarti over?" he asked.

 

"Yes," answered the pujari, "it's just over!"

 

"Ah!" came the anguished sigh of disappointment.

 

The pujari said to him, "Will you give me your sigh in exchange for the merit of the evening worship?"

 

"Gladly," answered the labourer, for he had never wished to miss the evening worship.

 

That night, he had a dream. He saw the Lord – Sri Krishna – who said to him. "You struck a bad bargain, this evening. Your simple exclamation was more precious that all the aartis put together performed by the pujari during his entire life! The yearning of a true devotee's heart is dearer to Me than all external forms of worship."

 

Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai

TRICKS TO TRIP YOU DOWN

Baba said, "Relying on your own cleverness you missed your way" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXXII.

 

Sang Kancil, an intelligent mouse-deer was known for his cunning and wit. Several times he outwitted the big, bad crocodile, Sang Buaya.

Sang Kancil's home was full of trees and food and so Sang Kancil had no trouble finding food when he was hungry. Sang Kancil spent his days running and jumping, and his favourite pastime was to look at his own reflection in the river.

Sang Buaya, a crocodile, and a few other crocodiles lived in the river and were waiting for a chance to have Sang Kancil for dinner. One day, as Sang Kancil was walking by the riverside, he saw red, ripe fruits hanging on the trees across the river. Sang Kancil wanted to taste the delicious looking fruits because he was getting tired of eating only leaves on his side of the river. He walked to the riverbank and thought hard how to cross the river with Sang Buaya waiting for him at the bottom of the river.

Sang Kancil thought and thought and suddenly an idea came to him. He called out to Sang Buaya, "Sang Buaya! Sang Buaya!" Slowly Sang Buaya emerged from the water. "What is it, Sang Kancil? Why are you shouting my name? Aren't you afraid that I would grab you and have you for dinner?" asked Sang Buaya, opening his big mouth.

"Of course I am afraid but I have a mission to do. The King has ordered me to count the crocodiles in the river. He is having a feast and all of you are invited to attend. There will be plenty of food, but first I need to count how many of you are here. So would you please ask your fellow crocodiles to line up across the river so that I can count you up?" said Sang Kancil.

Sang Buaya was excited. He gathered all the crocodiles in the river and told them about the feast. Soon all the crocodiles made a line across the river. "Don't try to eat me while I am counting. Otherwise I would not be able to report to the King," warned Sang Kancil. "We won't eat you," the crocodiles promised.

Sang Kancil stepped on top of Sang Buaya's head and counted one. When he came to the second crocodile, Sang Kancil counted two and so to the rest of the line until he reached to the other side of the river. Sang Kancil turned to Sang Buaya and said, "Thank you, Sang Buaya for helping me to cross the river. This is my new home."

"What do you mean? You tricked us to help you cross the river?" shouted Sang Buaya. He was shocked. "There isn't any feast, is there?" The other crocodiles looked at Sang Buaya angrily. They knew they had been tricked.

After that, Sang Kancil lived happily in his new home and had plenty of tasty fruits and green leaves to eat. Sang Buaya, however, was ignored by the other crocodiles because of his foolishness.

 

Beware the environment revolving around you and seek His guidance to make your way safe and secure.