Sathya Sai Speaks: Volume 1- Chapter 9
Summary: Time waste is life waste.
We must not waste time on meaningless activities. It is especially important for children to know how to manage time. Time once gone will not come back. Like the force of gravitation, drags everything down, the pull of sloth will drag us relentlessly down, so we must be ever on the watch, and active.
Time is verily body of God. He is known as the form of time. We should not waste a single moment of life span gifted to us. So too, the physical and mental talents have been given to us by the Lord as capital for the business of living. They must be used wisely and must not be frittered away.
An anecdote about the value of time:
How should one perform Actions?
Every action is Karma, for example, breathing is Karma. One cannot escape from the fruit of actions but can sanctify them by offering them to God. This is called ‘dedication.’
We must perform actions sincerely without any expectations or attachment toward the results. In fact, karma (activity) becomes yoga (union with God) when it is done without any attachment.
An anecdote about selfless service:
Duty without love is deplorable.
Duty with love is desirable.
Love without duty is Divine
When we prostrate before elders, the mind too must be humble. Mere bending of the body is not a sign of humility.
Service done mechanically is like the flame of an oilless wick. When we take up any task that does not interest us, it will feel like a burden. Hence, service must be done with love and passion.
Significance of Repeating the Lord’s Name
The essence of the scriptures lies in this one rule: repeat the name of the Lord, keeping His glory always before the mind. Just like we need to scrub a brass vessel to make it shine, the mind of man should also be scrubbed by the repetition of His name and contemplation of his form.
We can call on the Lord by any name, and choose any form that appeals to us the most. The ego is most easily destroyed by dwelling on the magnificence of the Lord, and by rendering service to others as children of the Lord.
Just as we feed our body three times a day, in order to keep it in good running condition, we must spend some time regularly every day to keep our mind pure. By doing so one can experience great peace and new sources of strength welling up within. Gradually, the mind will dwell on the name of the Lord wherever we are and whatever work we are engaged in. Peace and joy will then become our inseparable companions.
An anecdote about namasmarana:
Earn the right to approach God without any fear!
The Lord is the divine wish-fulfilling tree that gives whatever is asked. But we have to go near the tree and wish for the thing we want. The tree does not make any distinction; it grants boons to all.
Similarly, Lord does not punish or take revenge if we do not recognise Him or revere Him. He has no special type of worship that alone can please him.We must earn the right to approach the Lord without fear and the right to ask for our heritage.
The I, when crossed out, becomes the symbol of the cross; what is crucified is the ego. As soon as ‘I ‘goes the divine nature manifests itself unhampered in us.
An anecdote about surrender:
Happiness is in union with God. One must always be happy and content in life. God is always alert and ever ready to listen and reply. Our heart is his residence and we can call upon him at any time and from any place. We all can examine and experience it.
Why do we ring bells in temples?
“Om” announces the Lord’s Presence in every sound. All five elements produce this sound, “Om”. The bell in the temple is intended to convey the ‘Om’as the symbol of the Omnipresent God.
When the bell sounds “Om”, the Godhead within awakens, and we become aware of His Presence. That is the meaning of the bell that is rung in front of the inner shrine of the temple.
An anecdote about omnipresence of the lord:
https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/where-is-god/
Premaarpan 