Govinda Meaning
“I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, the First Progenitor Who is tending the cows, yielding all desires, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose-trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of Lakshmis or Gopis.”
Small Gems from
Swami’s Kodaikanal Discourses
In 1997, Swami gave discourses everyday in Kodaikanal. To make them more interesting to us, he often included small parables to get the meaning across. I wrote down several of those stories to be use in our magazine InnerViews. Now they will do equally well for Sai Memories.
Four Wives and Four Ways
A rich man had four wives. The first wife was highly spiritual. The second wife was sick. The third wife read many good books. The fourth was a modern wife; she enjoyed fashionable sarees and jewelery.
The rich man went to America on business. There he was delayed. He wrote to his wives to explain, and asked each of them to send a fax and tell him what they wanted him to bring home.
The fourth wife, the modern woman, wanted the husband to bring her the latest fashionable sarees and jewellry. The third wife wanted books full of information and biographies of noble people. The second wife said, “Bring the latest medicines.” The first wife said, “I don’t want anything. It is enough that you return safely.”
The husband returned. He gave the latest sarees and jewels to the fourth wife. All books he gave to the third wife. To the second wife he presented the latest medicines, and then he stayed with the first wife. The three other wives were angry, and asked, “Why do you stay there? Why don’t you stay with us?”
It is difficult to live with one wife, and beyond measure with two wives. Three wives were responsible for Rama being sent into exile. Four wives are unbearable! All three wives started to fight with him.
Then he said, “I gave you what you wanted. You wanted the jewels and sarees; you wanted good books, and you wanted medicines, but first wife wanted me, and I am staying with her.”
God is the same. He acts in a similar way. If someone prays to God, “Oh God, I want wealth and comfort.” God may grant them. If some others pray to God for wisdom, certainly God will teach them wisdom. God also has constructed the Super Specialty Hospital for those who fall sick.
But to those who pray, “Oh God, I want you!” He will be very close to that one. These are the four ways of approaching God.
– Sai Baba
The Best Visa
Whatever you want, God will grant it. But your desires are not important; God is important. If you have God, you will have everything. Real wealth is God; real health is God. You should make every effort to pray for God, because you are from God. You should go back to God. So many have assembled here. Where do you come from?
You belong to different countries all over the world, and now you are here. Though in a blissful state, you have to go back the moment the money is spent, or when the visa expires, you must then return. It is not possible to stay here always.
However, God is not a temporary visit, you should have a permanent visa. It is God’s grace that you can acquire love, love, love! When once you have love, you will have a permanent visa.
There is love in each one of you. Develop that love and share it with others. You can also experience it from others. Love is not one way traffic, it is two ways _ give and take. We don’t need to go anywhere, if we have love.
Many foolish, foolish, foolish people go everywhere seeking that Swami and this Swami.
You need not go anywhere. God is in your heart. Have full faith in God. Do not change your faith. Do not change your concentration, follow one path, have belief in one God; that is the spirit of love.
– Sai Baba
Two Brothers
Excerpt from discourses given in Kodaikanal on the 25th April, 1997
“Once there were two brothers living together. One was a miser and the other was an even greater miser. They were so miserable that they didn’t enjoy anything in life. They heard from a nearby village that an elderly person had died the evening before, and the elder brother decided to visit the village to pay his respects.
To save money, he walked rather than take the local bus. He got up early the next day, lit the lamp and went on his journey. When the younger brother saw the lit lamp he extinguished it with his hands to save oil. Alone in the dark a scorpion stung him, and he suffered greatly.
A half an hour later there was a knock on the door. When he went to open it he saw his brother had returned. I’ve returned to ask you whether or not the lamp was put out,’ said the elder brother. The younger brother still in great pain said, ‘Brother, what have you done? By going and returning, the soles of your shoes have worn out.’
One who has greed and miserliness will have no happiness. Sacrifice is most important. There is no higher quality than sacrifice; with sacrifice one can attain everything.”
– Sai Baba
The Highest
Excerpt from a discourse given in Kodaikanal on the 2nd May, 1997
“People have come here from many distant countries and spent a lot of money. Why? They have come here, due to Divine Love. Without love they could not have come this far and also undergo so many discomforts.
Love is within everyone. Think of everyone as a temple of love. Have love for society, not the illusory love of 1 + 1 + 1. (My, myself and I). Love all the world. At least when you come here try to expand your love.
The world is a mansion where all men belong to rooms called countries, such as India, Japan and America.
Each nation is a room with a different name. But all people are the same Atman. Understand the intimate relationship between the house and the family. Man can achieve anything with unity, but he must make an effort.
“Look to the highest.”
– Sai Baba
Rose Coloured Glasses
Excerpt from a discourse given in Kodaikanal on the 1st May, 1997
“An optimist and a pessimist were both looking at the water in a tumbler. The optimist said that the tumbler was half full and the pessimist said that it was half empty. The optimist is full of happiness. The pessimist uses a parachute, but the optimist uses an aeroplane. But sometimes the parachute is correct. Pessimism and optimism both depend on the attitude.Hopelessness is due to faulty vision. The optimist and pessimist can walk down the same street, the optimist looks up and sees the stars, whereas the pessimist looks down and sees a hole. Both are walking on the same road but there is a difference in the vision or attitude.
Change your vision to think that everything is God. Know the difference between spectacles and vision. With our natural eyes we see colours. When we use the spectacles of love, the entire world is full of love. Everything becomes love. Spectacles cover the eyes but do not obstruct vision. See the proper colour, the whole. God is full of love. Wear the glasses of love.”
Darshan seating!
From a discourse given in Kodaikanal on the 3rd of May,1997
“The darshan queues now resemble a bus queue. Everyone is thinking only of him or herself. There is no thought for others. When the time for the bus is due the queue pushes and tramples over others to get to the best available seats. No one stops to consider others, their welfare. All rush without a care for anyone else!
This is not right, THERE IS A SEAT FOR EVERYONE. No one should take all the best seats at the expense of others!
( Swami gave a direct look to those in the bhajan hall ) I tell you, there is a seat available for everyone of you – no need to worry.”
– Sai Baba
Fire is hidden in wood and God in Man – Baba
The best and only religion in the world is the religion of love. The good-hearted man who professes no religion is the truly religious man. All are pilgrims on the road; some going very fast, some going slower, that is all. The goal is the same for you all though the roads may be very different and many in number.
– Sai Baba
Children Of Light 