sai deepam 2015
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90 YEARS OF SAIA CELEBRATION OF HUMAN VALUES
SAI DEEPAM 2015
Editor
Ruba Nackeeran
Writers
Mahadeo Dagade
Aravind Balasubramanya
Purnima Jagannathan
Devapreeta Nithya
N. Gangadharan
Dr.Sivalingam
Laveena Kukanesan
Tishan Gunasegaran
Vijay Dorai
Rohan Padmanathan
S.Nackeeran
Nesarajah
Thanuja Vizia
Editor’s Note 3
Chairman’s Note 4
Truth is righteousness 6
A Note on Truth 8
Life’s Driving Force 14
Power of Choice 17
Path to Divinity 20
The Impermanence of Life 24
My Friend from Prashanti 26
Paradise 29
Through Eyes of Love 31
Changing Dynamics of Parenting 33
Ahimsa According to Thirukural 37
A Value to Value 40
The Final Frontier 42
Centre Org Chart & Activities 45
Published by:
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre of
Brickfields
Pearl Court, 61, Jalan Thamby
Abdullah, Brickfields 50470, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. 2
To be given the chance of editing
this year’s Sai Deepam is in itself a
blessing and it being Swami’s 90th
Birthday is an even sweeter one! As
I searched for images of Baba from
his days as a cheeky, sweet-faced
youth to his last days in his physical
form, all I could feel (just by merely
looking at those pictures) was pure
love. Swami is at all times exactly
what he addresses his devotees in his
discourses - Prema Swaroopa Lara
(embodiment of divine love). This
Divine Love always says that his
life is his message and as a tribute
to that, this year’s issue of Sai
Deepam focuses on the five virtuous
human values Swami highly
upholds. Each value is beautifully
penned from various angles by the
devotees of Brickfields centre, to
whom I must say a very big thank
you to! Much thanks also to Bro.
Aravind from India and Bro. Vijay,
for sharing their wonderful personal
experiences. This magazine
would not have been completed
if Swami didn’t send me nudges in
the form of my beloved siblings, Sis.
Laveena and Bro. Tishan and help
from Bro. Mithran and Uncle
Ganga! Last, but not least, thank
you Swami for giving me this
opportunity.
I truly hope that the values
embedded within these pages serve
as a beacon during your darkest
nights in the ocean of Samsara.
Jai Sai Ram,
Ruba Nackeeran
Editor
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EDITOR’S NOTE
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Spiritual transformation is the
summum bonum of
everything that we do inside
and outside our centres. The
layers of illusion must be
removed, though it is no easy
task by any measure. To do
that the centre organizes on a
regular basis, many activities.
Getting involved in all these
activities will enable the
devotee to ‘polish himself’ and
shine brighter by the day.
This helps raise the individual
consciousness and eventually
the collective consciousness of
mankind. To be a good
instrument in the hands of
Swami, one should have
sharpness of intellect and
purity of heart. Our activities
are meant to do just that, if
done with the right attitude. I
call upon every devotee to be
a spiritual leader. A leader
would not say, “follow me.” A leader
would say, “I’ll go first.” Decide today
to take the vow to “go first” in
demonstrating forgiveness, compassion,
understanding, generosity, kindness,
cheerfulness, positivity and love. Let
this be our moment of truth, a turning
point in our lives, where we see all as
embodiments of the divine, in human
form, with all their faults and
shortcomings. Only then our purpose of
celebrating Swami’s Birthday can be
justified. With that I’d like to thank
the Youths, the elders and all who
have contributed in one way or
another, to make today’s event truly a
celebration.
Jai Sai Ram,
Tilakasiri Simon
Chairman of SSSBC of Brickfields
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CHAIRMAN’S NOTE
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Swami has said countless times that
the five human values are not
independent of each other. These
fundamental values emanate from
Dharma (righteousness), based on
Satya (truth). The entire universe
has emerged from truth and
everything merges into truth. The
sanctification of the five senses is the
way to Truth. And we have many
inspirational examples of this in our
scriptures and history as well.
Yudhisthira, the eldest of the five
Pandavas was the most virtuous and
righteous king of all time and hence
got the name as Dharmaraja. Upon
the onset of the Kali Yuga and the
departure of Krishna, Yudhishthira,
his brothers and their wife retired
and left the throne to their only
surviving descendant of the war -
Arjuna's grandson, Parikshit. Giving
up all their material belongings and
ties, the Pandavas and Draupadi,
accompanied by a dog, made their
Truth is Righteousnessby Mahadeo Dagade.
final journey of pilgrimage to the
Himalayas. As his wife and each
of his brothers fell, Bhima asked
Yudhisthira what was the reason
for their death. Yudhisthira calmly
answered Bhima, but he did not
even look back once to help any of
them which to Bhima seemed very
cruel of Yudhisthira. But the king of
Dharma did so because he knew
that the time to leave Earthly ties
had come. Because of this and the
fact that he was unblemished by
sin or untruth, Yudhisthira was the
only one to reach the mountain
peak in his mortal body.
Today, we don’t have to make
such big sacrifices as Yudhisthira.
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All we need to, and can do is keep walking on the dharmic path by
sanctifying all of our senses, sacrificing whenever and wherever it is
possible. But what is most important is our strict adherence to Truth at all
times! Surrender to Swami and He will always be there to guide and
protect us!
“The discovery of Truth is the unique mission of man. Man is
a mixture of Maya (illusion) and Madhava (God); the
Maya throws a mist which hides the Madhava, but through
the action of the healthy impulses inherited from acts
performed while in previous bodies or through the cleansing
done by austerities in this body or through the Grace of the
Lord Himself, Maya melts away; for it is just a mist which
flees before the Sun. Then Nara (man) is transformed into
Narayana (God) and this Bhuloka is elevated into a
Prasanthinilayam (Abode of the highest peace)” -Sri Sathya
Sai Baba-
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A Note on Truthby Aravind Balasubramanya
‘Truth’ is a simple word but
it has different levels of
meanings as explained
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beautifully by Swami. Elaborating on this, Bhagawan said the following.
“There are three levels of truth: Nijam (fact), Sathyam (truth) and Ritam
(absolute truth). To speak according to what one has seen is to merely state
a fact. Suppose I see you wearing a white dress and say "you are wearing a
white dress", this becomes a statement of a fact. Later, at home, you may
wear a blue dress. Then what I had said earlier will not hold good anymore.
Thus, a fact is subject to change. Truth on the other hand does not change
with time. A person may change any number of dresses. But, the person, as
such, remains the same. Thus, truth is the same at all times. Ritam, however,
relates to the Atma (self) which is changeless and eternal, unlike the body
or mind that are subject to change. It transcends both good and evil. It is
described as attributeless, pure, eternal, permanent and unsullied.
While the ultimate goal is to attain Ritam, it all starts with the baby
steps of Nijam or speaking what we know as the truth in our day-to-day
life. It also means to refrain from lying. In this context I remember a lesson
that Swami taught me during my school days.
An unforgettable lab session
During a particular Chemistry lab session, the whole class had
disappointed the teacher with our shoddy work which resulted in him being
in an irritable mood.With about 10 minutes to go for the final bell, all of us
began to automatically wash the glassware and wind up for the day.
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It was a tough task and in the hurry to finish fast, a few beakers cracked
and broke.
Needless to say, this irritated the teacher even more (none of us have
ever paid any laboratory fees and all the chemicals and glassware are
provided to us with love by Swami. This is because Swami believes that
education is the right of every child and not a privilege!). While other
labs have breakage charges, there are none in our labs. So, naturally, the
least that is expected of us is to maintain these gifts of love with care. I
was washing away furiously (while taking care that the glassware
didn’t break) in a hurry to grab a spot at the front row for darshan.
Finally, with only one minute left for the final bell to ring, all the
glassware had been washed and arranged in the shelves. My legs were
waiting with pent up energy for the rush to capture a front spot.
As fate would have it, the teacher began to inspect the washed
glassware and located one beaker that had remnants of the organic
chemicals that had been used. He immediately picked it up and asked
whose beaker it was.
It was mine. Immediately the white angel on my right and the red
devil on my left began their traditional conversation! “Just keep quiet.
There is no way he will find out it is your beaker. He will get frustrated
and let go. “No! That is not right. You know that it is yours and you
should own up. And instead of letting you go, he may punish the whole
class.” “If you raise your hand now, your chance to be on the front line
will be gone! The chance to be physically near to Swami is too great to
be left for the sake of a chemical drop on a beaker!”. “You know that the
problem is not as skewed as the devil is putting it.
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Remember that more than the nearness, the dearness to Swami matters
most and by following the truth, you will please Him.” “Satyameva
Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) is a motto for the aeons gone by. It is not
relevant now.” “Truth is forever and it always triumphs. You speak the
truth and you will be rewarded. That is for sure. ”
“Tell me! Whose beaker is this?”, the teacher’s voice thundered. I
immediately raised my hand and said, “I am sorry sir! That is mine.” The
teacher’s eyes immediately seemed to calm down. He said, “All can leave
now.” As I prepared for the sprint, he said, “Aravind, stay back.” I was
given a load of glassware to wash and only after completing the task
could I leave for the mandir. I was fraught with disappointment, sadness
and finally anger.
“This Satyameva Jayate really seems to be a motto for the past.
If it is relevant in the modern times, then Swami, I want you to bless me
today. I want you to accept a handkerchief from me and smile at me.
You must do it if you want me to have faith in truth.” I threw this as a
challenge to Him. I felt slightly happy within because I was in a win-
win situation. At a time when I was sure to be late for darshan, if
Swami were to give me that chance of offering a handkerchief to Him,
my day would be so special. If that didn’t happen, I would have no
problem in lying my way out of future situations! (Such is the
immaturity of a child.)
Swami’s response
Finishing my punishment, I informed the teacher who was still waiting
patiently for me that I was done. He too seemed sad. I felt that he
deserved to miss darshan for he had made me miss mine. (Later, I found
out that he was sad because he felt responsible for me missing my
darshan and was praying to Swami to wait till I arrived!
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The teachers at the Sri Sathya Sai Higher School are truly magical
creatures of love!)
I went to the mandir and there was no music on. I was so sure that the
darshan had finished but I was shocked instead to find out that for some
reason, Swami had not yet arrived for darshan! As I walked into the
student's’ area, I saw one empty space right in the first line. How could
anyone have missed it? I asked the boy seated there whether that space
was reserved for someone and he replied in a negative. Once again, the
immature thinking set in. “Swami wants to make it easy for Himself to
prove to you the importance of Truth. If I sit here, He will create vibhuti
for some devotee and take the handkerchief from me. I shall not make it
that easy for Him!” Thinking thus, I gave up that space and went to sit
in the portico outside the interview room. This was a region that was
manned by two of Swami’s assistants and in case He created vibhuti
here, they would offer the kerchief to Him. I wanted concrete proof of His
response. I felt a little guilty, but I went ahead with my plan.
What happened next, completely bowled me over. Swami arrived
and completed His darshan rounds. He came to the portico and began to
speak to some devotee. At the end of the two-minute interaction, He
began to swirl His palm to create vibhuti. He gifted the vibhuti to a
devotee. I was a good three meters away from Him. But, out of sheer
instinct, I had tugged the kerchief out of my pocket. However, I stayed
put in my place and one of the two assistants went to Swami with a
handkerchief. Swami just looked away from him and into my eyes. He
smiled and stretched out His hand seeking the cloth in my hand. Like a
robot, I got up from my place and went to Him to give the handkerchief.
He wiped His hand, smiled at me and threw the handkerchief back to
me. I returned to my place in a daze.
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Even as I sat, my senior beside me nudged and said, “You are a ‘form’
boy man! He wanted you. Did you have some sort of a prayer-deal with
Him?” What could I say? I realized that a win-win situation for me was
also a win-win situation for Him. His love is such that He wins if I win.
One thing is for sure. I know that Truth Always Triumphs!
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affect our motivation in many ways. Have you ever turned over the exam
papers of life - situations which are challenging, overpowering, disturbing,
demotivating; looked at the questions and wondered if you are sitting for the
right test? Or worse, know that you once knew the answers to these
questions but frustratingly, are now out of reach causing emotions of worry,
frustration, fear, anger, discouragement, depression, panic and hopelessness to
erupt inside you?
Life throws different types of challenges at us. A deadline at work or a
sudden crash of the business market are types of challenging situations on the
professional front. A difficult personality trait which constantly hinders our
progress and harms our relationships is an example of a challenge on the
personal front.
Challenges can be unpleasant, even scary, but they are important. Not
only does it make you work harder on yourself but you also become more
determined and powerful. If you are not spiritually equipped to rise to these
challenges when they come about, it is unlikely you will be motivated
enough to cross them. By turning challenges into internal positive energy,
you remain motivated while crossing them and by doing that, you
transform the challenges into blessings or gifts in disguise which will help
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Life’s Driving Force by Brahma Kumaries Study Point
contributed by N. Gangadharan
The one thing that keeps us going from
challenge to challenge is motivation. It
takes us from from “where I am” to
“where I wish to be”. And what affects
this driving force is our thoughts. It has
the ability to colour our perceptions and
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you advance ahead and become more experienced and wise. As the
Brahma Kumarie’s say, "challenges are like spices - the right amount
enhances the flavours of a dish. Too little of them produces a bland, dull
meal; too much of them may choke you at times."
Have you ever noticed some people only work a few hours a day and
are hardly ever confronted by deadlines or other pressures, but are more
stressed and less motivated than those working long hours to tight
deadlines? Some people are trailblazers, they love challenges. They love it
when they are occupied and bottled up with challenges and are passionate
about overcoming them.
Why is there a difference between these two types of people? It all boils
down to perception. It's not what you do, or when you have to do it by,
that causes your stress and brings down your motivation; it's how you
perceive the ’whats’ and ’whens’ of daily life that generates your stress and
affects your motivation levels. It's how each one perceives what they do
and the possible outcome. And your perception is based on your beliefs and
beliefs don't come built into your genes. All beliefs are learnt. We learn
them, send them into our subconscious and they then pop up and out
through our thoughts, emotions and words. The problem is, we not only
hold beliefs, we identify with them. But beliefs are not the truth.
When surrounded by challenges, sometimes we all need a little extra
nurturing, and that gentleness can come from loved ones or even ourselves.
But to remain constantly motivated you need to also take a look at the
non-physical dimension of thoughts and feelings. Physical treatments and
relaxation will help you but they cannot change the way you think. Your
thinking is the cause and behind your thoughts, your beliefs are a deeper
cause. We need to pay much more attention to our thoughts and feelings,
learn to manage them, learn to fill them with peace and calm,
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and then our personality will change for the better, as we restore our
mental and then physical well-being and learn to remain motivated and
fearless amidst challenges. Remember no one else creates our thoughts and
feelings, and they don't just happen, though it feels that way sometimes.
When you learn to identify and assess the quality of your thoughts and
feelings, you can begin to choose the ones you know are positive and that
in turn keeps you motivated.
Challenges are not here to stay and while they are there, they bring
about self empowerment. The next time you are faced with a challenge,
remember that it is your Dharma to overcome!
“The task of every person is to do the duty that has come upon
him/her, with a full sense of responsibility to the utmost of his/her
capacity. There should be complete coordination between what one
feels, says and does. Then work becomes worship.” -Sri Sathya Sai
Baba-
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will it resolve domestic problems,” said Swami in his discourse once. But in
another, He said “a lady must look after the home first and then work
outside, if necessary. She can study to get degrees, enter politics or do any
other work but she should not neglect the home, which is the very
foundation of her life.”
Is Baba trying to say women should stay at home or work? Let’s see the
reasons for Swami’s contradicting statements (or does it seem like it’s
contradictory because we don’t absorb the essence of His statements?)
The first five years of a child’s development is known as the Learning
Window and must be spent with the mother. Swami goes on to say, “the
child must grow with the mother in the first five years of its life. Many
children do not know what the love of the mother is like. The mother should
not hand over this responsibility during these years to someone else and be
called simply ‘Mummy’. Ask yourself if your job is adding value to your
family and children's’ lives or is it just stressing you out everyday? Can you
live with less and spend that time with the children assuming you are not in
dire financial needs? Women are hard wired for nurturing. To relax, women
need to produce a hormone called Oxytocin. This hormone gets produced
when you care for a child, do service or pamper yourself. I used to wonder
why can’t I come back home from work, switch on the TV and relax like
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Power of Choice by Purnima Jagannathan
“If women go out for jobs, who will
take care of the home? If husband
and wife go to offices, who will look
after the children? Earning money
may solve some problems but how
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my other half. Why do I need to do household tasks? But once I started
treating my family responsibilities as oxytocin producing activities, I realized
that I can relax only by doing such activities. Baba has even said all
housework should be treated as acts of worship. That is more fruitful than
hours of meditation. But that said, Swami goes on to say that housework
should not be limited to women alone. Even men need to learn them!
Swami says that if you are able to balance both job and family, go for it.
But if it’s affecting you physically and emotionally, it will affect the children
too, therefore it is better to focus on one thing and do it satisfactorily. The
place of a mother can never be replaced as she is the pillar of society. As the
saying goes, “the mother is the high priestess of the house of God. Humility is
the incense with which the house is filled. Reverence is the lamp that is lit,
with love as oil, and faith as its wick.”
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Path to Divinity by Devapreeta Nithya
A typical day begins and ends with
thoughts. We are either having a
monologue or talking to people
around us as we go about fulfilling
our assigned duties. We have
absolutely no control over our
thoughts. These thoughts have
no connection to each other and most of the time don’t even make sense.
Yet thoughts decide the way we respond to situations internally and
externally. Words put into our being in the form of thoughts are termed
as “inner chatter’. It is impossible for common men to lead a life devoid of
thoughts. However it is definitely possible to lengthen the time frame
between two thoughts which will eventually lead to glimpses of a
“thought-free” state.
Any form of practice dealing with the intricacies of the mind requires
one to introspect. Meditation is the royal path that takes you on a
journey inwards. It is the most powerful tool designed for the ultimate
transformation from man to Divine. Only through meditation can we get
in touch with the Divine within. The beloved Lord listens intently to our
ardent prayers and responds through vision, vibration, intuition etc.
This communication with the Lord pervades the mind with positive
energy which is essential in combating all the negativities we face. The
adorable Lord reveals Himself in the stillness of meditation. His Divine
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love floods the chambers of our heart and the flower of self realization
blooms within. Given the miraculous powers and wonders of meditation,
how many of us have actually given this spiritual exercise importance
and put it into practice?
In theory, it is a relatively easy process. Just a matter of sitting
silently, concentrating and watching our breath! However in practice,
resting in solitude even for a few minutes has become a herculean task.
We are unable to free ourselves from the clutches of inner chatter. The
mind refuses to fall into silence as it goes on framing ideas, making
decisions, judgements etc. What do we do? We battle with the mighty
mind. Countless thoughts engulf and put us in a state of self-doubt
whether meditation is at all possible for the common man. Finally we
give up and resort to other sadhanas. But what is the solution?
Cleansing or detoxification of the body and mind is the prerequisite
here. In our day to day life we come across different people, diverse
situations, and myriad of emotions like anger, hatred, jealousy, guilt,
worry etc. play their part. Man chooses either to express or suppress these
emotions. However all these negative emotions accumulated on a daily
basis pollute our inner space and form energy blockages. Continuous
suppression of these emotions manifests itself as physical or mental
illnesses. It is evident from recent studies that over 80 per cent of our
diseases are psychosomatic (conditions which are caused by our mental
state) in nature. For instance, constant suppression of anger can lead to
hysteria. A contaminated inner space is definitely not a conducive
environment for the practise of meditation. Prior to entering into the
silence of meditation, many Enlightened Masters suggest the practice
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of “active” or “doing” meditation techniques which are detoxifying and
cathartic. These techniques though outwardly active, bring about a state
of peace and joy inside. Below are two extremely efficacious cleansing
processes for daily practice which have been adopted from “Meditation
for You” by Life Bliss Foundation. Many of us may have apprehensions
on how to carry out these steps. Just remember to have trust in yourself
and Swami!
Dukka Harana (Destroyer of misery)
Step 1 - Deep chaotic breathing (10 mins)
Chaotic breathing means to breathe in no specific pattern. Just breathe as
deeply as possible without controlling your breath and become the
breathing itself. During this process the body will take in as much oxygen
as it is necessary. The heat generated by this breathing will melt all our
solidified negative energies and suppressions.
Step 2 - Catharsis (10 mins)
This step will throw out all of the stored negativities which have been
melted. without causing harm to others and without suppressing it. Tense
your body as much as possible. Clench your teeth, rotate your head, and
throw your limbs around. You can even cry, scream, laugh etc. Just allow
the body to do what it wants to. Just release all the dukha (misery). This
process brings out all the madness and violence present within your
system! Once all the rubbish is cleared, a sense of calmness and peace
flowers in our being. At the end of the 10 minutes stop whatever you’re
doing and become a frozen statue. When one switches from an
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agitated position to total stillness, the mind stops working for a moment.
Step 3 – Silent sitting (10 mins)
After a few seconds, the thought flow begins again. Sit down and
witness those thoughts. Breathe normally and place your awareness on
what is happening internally and externally.
Manipuraka Suddhi Kriya (Stress relief)
Step 1 Create nonsensical sounds (20 mins)
Imagine you’re arguing with someone. Convey your anger, pain, hatred
etc. in a language you don’t know! Use nonsense sounds, scream, cry..do
not restrict yourself. Do it sincerely as tremendous peace blossoms after
this process.
Step 2- Silent sitting (10 mins)
Place your awareness on the Manipuraka Chakra which is situated at
the navel area. You will feel a sense of lightness. Practise both techniques
until you feel there is nothing left to clear from your system.
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“Not even the deepest sleep will give you such a rest as
meditation can. Just those few moments in meditation you forget
the body. You feel such pleasure in it. You become so light. This
perfect rest we will get in meditation.” Swami Vivekananda
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The Impermanence of Lifeby Dr Sivalingam
The term impermanence expresses that
all conditional existence, without
exception, is transient or in a constant
state of flux. We go through life by
attaching ourselves to things or people
and wanting them to last forever. But
they don’t last and when they
don’t, it makes us sad. We experience envy, anger and even become violent
with others because we cling to false perception of permanence.
Impermanence and change are thus the undeniable truths of our existence.
By being aware of the concept of impermanence as well as observing it,
one can find suitable remedy for sorrow of human life and attain liberation
from Anicca (the absence of permanence). Everything in this world is
subject to change except change itself. We are aware of this theoretically
but how do we apply it in our day to day life? Because if we can apply it,
we will experience a change in the understanding of life and make life
more meaningful.
Normally when misfortune strikes us, we start grumbling over it as
though we did not expect it. We label it due to bad luck and sometimes
even tend to blame others for it. This is because we think we are always
perfect and that nothing can or should go wrong. There are also those who
lose all hopes in their life when a misfortune strikes them and they totally
give up on life. These kind of negative thinking is not right and we should
not yield to it. Hence it is important that we develop awareness of the
possibility of change before the actual change takes place.
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We should be ever prepared for it. When the actual change takes place, it
will not affect us seriously. On the contrary, it will be a smooth sail
through a turbulent storm.
Let us correlate this in the practical life. When a crisis strikes us, the
immediate response from us is that it will not pass away and that the end
has come. But with time the situation is mended on its own or the crisis
eventually passes away. Hence, during any crisis, one should remind
oneself that this too will pass.
If we are prepared for change in advance, the manner in which we
look at our relationships with others changes too. Neither good feelings nor
unfavourable feelings are permanent. If we train ourselves to accept both
pleasant and unpleasant feelings, which are also subjected to
impermanence, and that whatever feelings we have now will not stay
same for long, we would have alleviated a lot of our sufferings.
There is also no such thing as lasting security. Illness and decay are
unavoidable. So the best security one can have is to rely on the inner
security throughout their lifetime.
As everything is unique, brought about by moment-to-moment change,
acceptance of this impermanence of all things leads to profound healing.
The only reality is the present moment. Impermanence is the primary
cause of our suffering. Being aware of it and taking time to let it pass
away is the way to circumvent though it.
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In Prashanti Nilayam, there is an alluring
friend who persuades herself into entering
and engulfing my heart. This friend is
subtle in form and at most times
experienced subconsciously. Among the
many boons this new friend confers upon
me is the possibility of making communication minimally necessary. Some of
the greatest feelings of tranquility I have come to experience through has been
through this boon.
This most mystical friend refuses attention and shies away from analysis. I
do not understand her nature, I cannot fathom her origin. It seems to me she
came from another world, duty-bound to select me as the worthy receiver of
her wholesome guardianship. I say worthy but I am unsure of it, but perhaps I
think she is only deserving of such assumption. She must know. She just seems
sure.
When in her company, that nagging soldier in my head is subdued. He
becomes an obedient nobody, a sleeper at the corner with uninteresting attire. I
could almost forget about him. She is a demanding occupier, rightfully so. There
is not an inch of space she does not require, not an ounce she is willing to retire.
Suffice to say that I thoroughly enjoy entertaining her arrival, and oblige to
her every demand.
She offers in return abundance of power; not of the sinews but of the soul.
The wings become visible, a soul in flight. I am enraptured by my being
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My Friend from Prashantiby Vijay Dorai
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– I like the sound of my own breathing. I notice my heartbeats one by one,
I count my steps and chew my food. Suddenly with existence I feel a sense
of closeness. From my life I become distant. I begin to understand the
conundrum, of the fish in water athirst.
When Prashanti becomes a memory and the proverbial “real world”
resumes routine, she quietly, just the way she came, takes leave. A space
opens up in the midst of my being. The void begs to be fed. My
inexperienced heart cries, my untrained mind offers solace. Designed by
evolution, the mind summons the senses in search of the bad fruit. The
fingers glide above squares and screens. The eyes become hungry.
Suddenly, a friend’s life becomes essential to my living. Tragedy to my
enemy, a musical melody.
In her absence I fail the easy tasks. Sometimes I wake myself up from a
drifted thought, remembering to take a breather, a deep empty sigh –
another lost moment without her. The new King rules supreme, I am
enthralled by him, my new master. The soul perches in a shade, impassive.
Blessed to forget, acceptance seeps through the cracks of the roof. Soon, I am
submerged in worldly indifference and exclaim “Life goes on, my friend.
”But always there, all along, in a little corner forted by faith, is a
yearning to meet my friend again. The friend I have grown to love, from
Prashanti.
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Paradise by Laveena Kukanesan
The blades of grass sway gently to the motion of the wind. The sky, a
clear blue. She takes the first, deep breath she has had in years, using every
ounce of her new lungs. She looks around and finds herself in a vast green
field filled with the happiest of colours.
She looks ahead and spots a great banyan tree in the distance. It invites
her and acceptingly, she moves over to it. There, she kneels down and sits
on her heels, her hands clasping her knees, waiting for Him. A breeze
blows around the great banyan, lifting with it its earth and leaves,
encircling her in a magical moment. It is the most pleasant of waits. A
minute or an hour later, she doesn’t know, she sees Him coming in, and as if
there had been no wait at all, they begin chattering of all things dear to
their hearts.
“Now, are you ready? We are going on our final journey,” He informs
her. “But Swami, there is so much left to do. Who is going to take care of
my husband, my children, their spouses and my grandchildren if not me?
What do I have, if not my family?” “My dear, by curbing our desires, we
lessen our feeling of hopelessness. You may have seen these words in the
railway compartments: ‘Less baggage, more comfort, make travel a
pleasure.’ On this journey of life, our desires are our baggage.
In loving memory of my aunty and uncle,
who first introduced me to Bal Vikas and
eventually, Swami, who would become my
guru, God, friend and saviour.
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The fewer our desires, the greater our comfort, and without desire, life can
be a pleasure.” “You underestimate their strength,” He continues. “After all,
they are My children too!”
“What about my companionship? They will miss it, no, Swami?” “My dear,
when one dies, the only items taken with one are one’s good and bad deeds,
not their power, money, prestige, vigorous beauty of the body or their culture.
These things are all gone.. But yes, they will miss your companionship and
you.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do much for you of late. My limbs were too weak and
my body too frail.” “My dear, you have served me well. See how you have
inspired everyone by being so strong yourself! You have filled so many
stomachs with love. Each time you fed them, you fed me.” Cupping His palms
into her cheeks just as she had done to her children many times before, He
continues, “Now, it’s time I serve you.”
She closes her eyes and they hum a lullaby. Looking down at her palms,
she finds instead shimmers of light, like thousands of little specks of gold dust
where her body once was. As the wind blew, it carried with it those little
specks of gold dust until there was no more from where it came from, but
instead, filled the skies with a magical display of sparkles, and if you listened
close enough, the distant hum of a peaceful lullaby, the chorus of which went:
“Love is my form, truth is my name, bliss is my food.
My life is my message, expansion is my life
No reason for love, no season for love, no birth, no death…”
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Through Eyes of Loveby Tishan Gunasegaran
Mother Teresa has beautifully said that if you
judge people, you will have no time to love
them. Things go out of hand or mostly become
a problem when we judge, criticize or look
down at something or someone. We do this not
only because we look at them without love but
because we choose to compare and judge.
Everything we see and experience in this world is nothing but God’s
creation including the good and the bad. Comparing God’s creation is
extremely unacceptable. Declaring Krishna is greater than Rama, or
Buddha is superior to Kuan Yin is not right at all. We should understand
that everyone is one and the same.
We do not even know ourselves well, so how are we to pronounce
judgement on personalities we have never experienced or understood? We
judge whether something is good or bad based on our predilection. We
often look at something from the worldly point of view but if we look at
something from the Divine’s point of perspective which is full of love, we
will realize that there are no differences. Even the weak and bad will look
strong and good to us.
When we are happy, we feel and experience love. If we remove the
pleasant feeling from that happiness, all that is left is love which is not a
mere emotion but the language of the soul itself. When parents forbid their
child from going out at night for example, both parties do not like it. But
we don’t understand that the emotion behind this is pure love. If we
remove the feeling of dissatisfaction towards our parents and if
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they take away the feeling of restricting us from their feelings, what is left
is love. Love here is very subjective because we all know that it is not safe
to be out at night and what they portray is the act of love. Otherwise
inadvertently something might happen. In simple words, response towards
love is not always happiness. We usually experience this when things don’t
go our way and we feel awful but fail to realise that it is beneficial for us
in the long run.
We often take attachment as love. In love, there should be no demand
whereas attachment expresses on demand. The feeling of unity is the
feeling of love and the experience of God. The experience of love is not
always about being happy but spreading love through various forms and
acts. As Swami said, ”all beings are beautiful if seen through eyes of love.
“What is true Love? Pure, unselfish Love towards all living
beings, considered as embodiments of the Divine, with no
expectation of reward, is true Love.” -Sri Sathya Sai Baba-
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Changing Dynamics of Parentingby Rohan Padmanathan
Societal changes have certainly taken place over the last few generations
and together with it the minds of children and behavioral patterns have
also evolved. The world is becoming a more complex place to live in. Parents
of today cannot replicate and imagine themselves in a role similar to those
of their parents due to the changing dynamics.
Today’s pattern of children or young adults have various negative
influences resulting in drug and alcoholic addiction, teenage pregnancies,
depression, suicides, lack of ambition and a quagmire of other problems due
to their confused minds.
Accordingly if we need to see changes in our children then we cannot
expect to swish the magic wand and dramatically see changes in them.
Although we can set them in the right path, we first need to see the change
in ourselves before we can ever dream to see the change in them. Whatever
good or bad that we as parents possess, the children will directly or
indirectly inherit them.
Reflect on how we were raised when we were children and the
behavioral patterns of our parents. If you reflect hard enough you will
notice that subconsciously you would have inherited some of these traits,
some positive and some not so positive. There were parents who had many
children in the 40s and 50s who became known as the Baby Boomers but
their issues at that time were curtailed to less serious issues that we see
today. There were minimal incidences of child depressions as there was more
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happiness perhaps in their family amidst the difficulty of life after the War
and they struggled and appreciated the efforts made by their parents. The
burgeoning middle class society with better prospects of jobs and
opportunities has benefitted children today with a better lifestyle but TV
and social media have resulted in some undesirable consequences in the
pattern of their behavior.
Parents have and continue to provide the best for their children and cater
to all the needs they deem fit, be it material items or other social needs so
that the child will grow to become a respectable person with a decent job
and achieve the parents perceived intent. The end result however is not to
their expectation and they wonder what went wrong.
Unlike the Baby Boomer age where mothers stayed at home, the mothers
of today have to work to provide dual income so that the family has a
better future. Fathers are confused about their role at home and cannot be
expected to take on stereotyped roles particularly if both parents are
working. The mother is the guiding light to the nurturing of their children
with the aid of the father who provides the emotional support. Children
today mature more quickly and are highly intelligent but they remain
emotionally immature longer.
Parents feel inadequate in their task due to work stress and worry and do
not spend enough time at home. They may provide “quality time” but if
there is no quantity, the effect of such quality time will be very minimal
and therefore cannot expect their children to bond with them.
Swami has aptly said “parents toil to leave their children a pile of riches;
but they do not teach them the proper sense of values by which they can
know how little the riches are worth, and how best to utilize the riches for
their genuine advancement”. Baba has emphasized that Love is the
undercurrent of all human values for love as speech is truth, as action is
right conduct, as thought is peace and as understanding is non-violence.
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He adds that genuine love is associated with a soft tender heart, kindness,
compassion and a sense of oneness and acceptance. Such love empowers and
does not weaken the recipient.
In “Human Values The Heart of Dynamic Parenting” by Drs Pal Dhall
and Tehseen Dhall of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education,Canberra, it is
stated that love at the heart of parenting is not just an emotion, although
emotion is an important ingredient of that love. The love is expressed as joy
and warmth, recognizes and cultivates the uniqueness of each person and
manifests as affection. It is accepting, non-judgmental, healing and
ennobling. It is the kind of love that “ does not covet lordship over the
recipient”. This type of love makes the parents grateful for the child. When
such love pervades, it fosters creativity and strengthens the character of the
children.
Khalil Gibran in his poem wrote “Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come
through you but not from you. And though they are with you, yet they
belong not to you.” Our children are not truly ours because they are the
children of God who have come on this earth due to their soul's own wish.
Dr Phall adds that the responsibilities of parents therefore include “
introducing the child to God” so that the inner well being of love, harmony,
joy and strength may be tapped at any time. There is a qualitative
difference between the love for family members and God’s love. Swami has
said “God’s love is unbounded, it knows no growth or diminution. Worldly
love is momentary and feeble. Divine love is unchanging and eternal. God is
the embodiment of Love. His infinite Love is offered to all in equal measure “
The Sathya Sai Baba Organisation in Malaysia has a National Parent
Care Programme that takes an Inside Out Approach to Parenting. It
simply means that we as Parents have to change to see the change that
we want in our children.
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Ahimsa According to Thirukural.by Nackeeran Sivapunniam
Thirukural, the classic Tamil Sangam literature is
the most treasured of all Tamil literary texts. It is
a Dharmashastra that provides guidelines for
people to lead an extraordinary and dharmic life. The text is divided into
three main sections - virtue, wealth and love. Under virtue, couplets 311 to
320 focuses on non-violence. In just these couplets, the great sage poet
Thiruvalluvar unravels profound wisdom of practising Ahimsa in our
lives day-to-day.
311. The pure by faith mean pain to none
Though princely wealth by that is won
People who are spiritually inclined and intend to live a life of
righteousness will never want to cause any harm to others even in their
thoughts. They will not harm any life form even if they are promised the
greatest wealth in the world. Such is the nature of a true devotee.
312. The spotless heart seeks not revenge
Though malice does the worst in rage
It is human nature to seek revenge when the mind is clouded by anger
and shrouded in hate. When someone is immersed in rage, they lose their
divine nature and tend to seek revenge but one whose heart is filled with
love will never succumb to rage and revenge.
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313. Revenging even causeless hate
Bad-blood breeds and baneful heat
Let’s assume that someone for no apparent reason causes you immense
pain and suffering, Though you have every reason to retaliate and seek
revenge, doing so will only result in causing you, the spiritual aspirant,
immense pain and suffering in future. Therefore under no circumstances
should you seek revenge and cause harm.
314. Doing good-turns, put them to shame
Thus chide the evil who do harm
The best form of punishment to those who have done evil to you, is by
showing them nothing but kindness in return and to forget both the evil
and the good done on both sides. This is the Ahimsa way of handling
hate and evil.
315. What does a man from wisdom gain
If he pines not at others pain?
We spend a great part of our lives educating ourselves and pursuing
qualifications from the most esteemed universities of the world. In
wanting to gain name and fame, we hurt others and derive great
pleasure from it! True wise men will not only not harm others but will
also make sure that others do not suffer any pain that he himself would
not want to suffer.
316. What you feel as pain to yourself
Do it not to another
The real meaning of Ahimsa is not subjecting any other being to pain
and suffering that you would not like to be subjected to.
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317. Any, anywhere injure not
At any time even in thought
Our beloved Bhagawan has always stressed that even in thought one
should not think of harming others. Thirukural also expounds this in just
two lines. It states that it is a great virtue to practice Ahimsa in thought,
word, and deed.
318. How can he injure other souls?
Who in his life injury feels.
Life has taught us the meaning of hate, evil and suffering. We know
what it is to injure others both by action and words, as we have
experienced this many times. As such, how can we bring ourselves, to
subject others to pain and suffering that we abhor so much?
319. Harm others in the forenoon
Harm seeks thee in the afternoon
Newton’s, third law states that, “for every action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction”. Those who intend to make Ahimsa their way of life
should ensure that they do not cause harm to even the minutest of living
organism, knowing that that the harm caused would come back to haunt
them someday.
320. No harm is done by peace-lovers
For pain rebounds on pain givers.
No one wants to suffer any form of pain in their lives. The simplest way
to avoid pain and suffering in this life and in lives to come is to abstain
from causing any pain to others.
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A Value to Valueby Nesarajah
“Co-incidence is a miracle where I
hide myself” said Swami once and
I am a believer of this because I have recently experienced it firsthand. When
Tishan sent me a message requesting for an article for Sai Deepam, I was taken
aback as I was in Melbourne without any access to my collection of Sai
literature for reference. But I agreed that I would write something on Ahimsa
by using the Internet as my guide instead. No sooner had I replied him, an
email appeared in my inbox about Gandhi, the apostle of Ahimsa! When I
started reading the email, I realised Swami’s leela at play as Gandhi stated
“Truth is my religion and Ahimsa is the only way of its realisation” thus
linking the two topics as part of one’s spiritual process.
Swami said Ahimsa means that regardless of whether in thought, word, or
deed, one should not cause harm to another. But what does it signify? It is not
merely refraining from causing harm or injury to others; it also implies
refraining from causing harm upon oneself. A person who harms himself or
herself cannot avoid harming others. One way to ensure you’re not harming
yourself is to constantly examine whether your conduct is right or wrong. For
instance, when speaking, one must examine whether the words are causing
pain to others.
Among all the Avatars who have come to guide mankind, Gautama
Buddha was foremost on his emphasis on Ahimsa. Some people went to
Buddha to argue about the existence of God and Buddha told them that all
these disputes are a waste of time. Sathya, Dharma, and Ahimsa are the same
as God, therefore worship God as the form of truth first. Speak the truth, practice
Dharma and observe non-violence.
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“Ahimsa Paramo Dharma” he said which means Ahimsa is the most
meritorious deed. Therefore non-violence can be defined as the regulation of
human life. The Vedas say “Sathyam Vada, Dharmam Chara” which
translates to speak the truth and follow Dharma.
Often concerns are raised that it is impossible to live without causing
hurt to other living beings. Many germs die when one takes a bath or
walks or does any other action. Even in the process of breathing, many
germs die. Violence is present in all these activities. Therefore, to avoid the
consequences of such involuntary violence on living creatures, Swami has
advised to dedicate all actions to the Divine. But there is no meaning in
dedicating to the Divine conscious acts of violence. The Conscience will not
approve of such conduct.
All these sayings and directives of sages seem to be a tall order for
those of us who are embroiled in the temptations and peer pressure of
modern life. Swami has said “start early, drive slowly, and reach safely”.
This excellent advice is applicable to our spiritual life as well. Spirituality
isn’t something that should be confined to old age; it has to begin from
childhood and progress steadily. So no matter where you are on your
journey to spirituality, let it be paved on the path of Ahimsa!
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“Be careful with regard to your food. Excessive eating
does violence to the body. Moderation is conducive to
happiness. Non-violence is thus what confers
happiness on you. When you realise that God is in
everyone, you will practice non-violence,” Sri Sathya
Sai Baba
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The Final Frontierby Thanuja Vizia Bala Krishnan
This article does not intend to examine the
deeper meaning of Ahimsa i.e. that which
goes beyond the abstinence from causing
physical harm because this is common
knowledge. What it aims to do is to take
the hand of the reader on a journey of self-
examination against the practice of Ahimsa in its truest essence. A person
who truly endeavours to tread the spiritual path needs to have the iron-clad
courage to be able to stop, look at themselves and examine each thought
and action under a high resolution microscope and open the hidden truths
behind those thoughts and actions. It is only through such examination can
we witness the monkey mind that’s at play and venture to master it. If
Ahimsa expounds that one should not cause harm or injury, then let’s see if
we’re truly doing justice to this divine call.
Have you ever shared an unflattering story about someone with another
person, believing it to be true without even knowing if it is? Has such
chatter caused irreparable harm to the person’s reputation or feelings? Has
your action caused this juicy story to spread further? You may argue that
you know it to be true, therefore it was okay to share those facts. But how
sure are you that you truly knew those facts? But okay, let’s give yourself
the benefit of the doubt, and say that those facts are indeed true and factual.
Even then, what good does the spreading of pain and harm bring?
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We are often appalled at the way news is sensationalised. But what
about ourselves? Doesn’t gossipping translate to unwarranted
sensationalization of news albeit at a different level? We spring up in
defence if anyone hurts our loved ones. How does this not apply to the
person we gossip about? Doesn’t that person too have family and friends
who will be upset and hurt by the blemish to the character of their loved
one? Why is it okay for us to hurt others but not vice versa?
Talking ill of others and spreading rumours is a fundamental flaw in
our character that needs to be addressed with precision and brutal honesty
if it is to be uprooted for the greater good. If only we earnestly
endeavoured to control the mind and tongue, what glorious beauty will
shine forth through our character!
Ahimsa is the culmination of all the tenets of the human values. Prema,
the sharing of true, all-encompassing love will not be able to bear causing
hurt and pain for it feels the very same pain. Shanti, the spread of
everlasting peace and joy through virtuous thoughts and actions will also
not be able to bear the disruption that such unsavoury actions will
undoubtedly cause. Dharma calls for actions that lead to the greater good
and will not allow negative actions to enter its circle. Sathya expounds
unblemished truth through thought, word, and deed and will reject
anything that causes ripples to its purity. The very practice of Ahimsa
encompasses all of these higher ideals within its fold – the final frontier!
Does this then mean that we should be docile and shy away from
standing up for justice and rightful action? No, it does not!
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Our actions must always be guided by the greater good. The conscience
must be allowed to guide. However, it is also important to check oneself
and ensure that it is the conscience guiding and not the ego camouflaging
itself as the conscience. This calls again for self-examination. Dare first to
stand up not to others but to ourselves. Standing up to oneself requires great
courage and is a necessary step if we are to reach greater heights. Let’s be
our worst critic and stop ourselves from doing that which is against our
true nature.
Place a check and balance mechanism. If God were to stand before us,
would we dare repeat such talk or actions to Him? If we don’t, then
perhaps it should not be spoken to anyone. There is no point in causing
harm and pain. Life is short with all of us trying to live it the best we can,
seeking happiness. Live and let live. Love truly, seeking to please Him
always.
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SO FAR IN 2015....
JAI SAI RAM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWAMI