Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

EMBODIMENTS of Divine Atma! You are celebrating this day as the Birthday of Swami, and deriving Anandha (divine bliss) through various programmes here, carried on with enthusiasm by you; but, in fact, I have no wish to consider this as a special day because it is the birthday and celebrate it as such. I have come on purpose to reveal to man the mystery of his Reality and the goal of his life; I have not come to set them the task of celebrating the birthday or to get arranged any pompous and personal festivals. I have no such desire, at any time, in this or any other sojourn.

On what day do I celebrate my birthday? On that day when all of you experience genuine Anandha, in your hearts! Now, when your hearts are surging with manifold fears and anxieties, and torn by miseries and losses, and riven as under of grief, declaring this day as-My birthday seems to be barren of meaning! While on this subject, it is essential that I warn you of another subject also. Do not spend your time trying to understand Me; do not waste your time in the attempt. The reason why I am saying this is: It is beyond any one's capacity to understand Me. So, trying to do the impossible, you are only wasting your time and your effort. It is only when you succeed in knowing yourselves that you can know Me.

I need nothing, however great or small, in this Universe. At no moment has desire affected me for any thing or activity. I am the person come to give, not to receive. And, what you can offer Me is just this: pure, unadulterated love. When you offer Me that, I derive Anandha. During the recent Dhashara Festival, some announcements were made; if you ask Me what connection I have with those announcements, I reply, the connection is that of the name only. Otherwise, I have no connection with these. Considering the wrong and undesirable paths that youth is courting and preferring all over the world at the present time, the Members of the Sathya Sai Central Trust have decided to establish Colleges in many States and through these institutions, to provide youth opportunities to transform itself in various ways, to maintain unimpaired the ideals of Indian Culture, and to equip youth with the strength and sweetness that are the common virtues of all faiths and their basic truth. For the realisation of this plan, they resolved to utilise the fiftieth birthday of Swami and celebrate it with its unfoldment, on a grand scale. They decided thus, as a result of earnestness and depth of devotion. In order to establish colleges, funds are needed; no task can be fulfilled without money, even the smallest and least important. So, they agreed on a method by which each devotee gives as a life-time contribution, the sum of fifty rupees; thus, a corpus can be built up, out of which they could start and develop educational and health services. They were moved by high ideals and pure intentions to resolve thus.

This resolution they placed before Me. I responded to their proposal in this manner: Well. Do not carry out this task in a hush-hush way, swayed by the one purpose of collecting money. Be frank about it; adopt such means as will remove all doubts from the minds of individuals, of the Government and of the world outside. Finally, they made the announcement that day. But, many have imposed on that announcement their own interpretations and absurdities, and they have started propagating that it is proposed to spend fifty lakhs of rupees, for the celebration of Swami's 50th Birthday! Really, to spend 50 lakhs of rupees for wastefully celebrating either a birthday or any other such festival is a sin which cannot be compared with any other in the degree of iniquity. When people all over the world are affected by manifold miseries consequent on the absence of food and shelter, if someone spends 50 lakhs of rupees on his birthday, it has to be proclaimed a vast misuse, a heinous sin. I can never be a party to such activities. Not only this. In Prasanthi Nilayam, no misuse or extravagance can ever happen, for any festival, either Shivarathri, Navarathri or the birthday. Many. people imagine that lakhs are spent here for the dhashara celebrations; but, all who come, serve their best in the fullness of devotion that dwells in their hearts and so, not a naya paisa is spent for any purpose. The rithwiks (Vedhic Priests) who officiate at the yajna, the lecturers who deliver discourses - all come and share in the joy, out of love and faith; their comforts are looked after by the members of Seva Dhal and the Seva Samithis and by the volunteers, who dedicate their strength and skills to make the Festival a success. No paisa is spent on any item. Today, you find the Prasanthi Nilayam area clean and pleasing. What is the reason? How many sweepers have we employed, how many coolies are engaged?. You may wonder. No, not one. Everyone cleans the place where he is staying, and the area adjacent. Thus, cleanliness is ensured, without any cost. It can be asserted that at no place in the world are resources put to such good use, with the least expense, as at Prasanthi Nilayam.

Prasanthi Nilayam is holding forth and exemplifying the highest ideals, in the material, ethical, economic, moral, spiritual, worldly, and even political fields. There is no place here for anything contrary. This can be asserted without any possibility of contradiction. In spite of this, some ignorant individuals rely more on their guesses than on facts, and indulge in spreading wrong conclusions. Let Me tell you that if a single person in the whole world points out a wrong step in Prasanthi Nilayam, he shall be met and convinced. For, the Prasanthi Nilayam is eagerly bent upon the task of upholding and demonstrating high and holy ideals achieving spiritual realisation. It does not seek these worldly riches; nor does it yearn for earning favours and fame. Embodiments of the Divine Atma! When you feel the desire to give away in charity, direct your minds towards the development of good educational institutions, the provisions of healing facilities for the sick, and the amelioration of distress among the poor. Not in this place, but, anywhere, the members of our Organisation must be ready and eager to help students, the sick, and the poor. Feel that this work, wherever carried out, is work that pleases Me. You need not offer Me anything; I only want that you should realise the goal of life by playing your role in the activities that help and cure, carried on by such institutions. You are all aware of this: I do not allow anyone to bring here even a flower, a fruit or a coconut. However, some persons, carded away by their devotion and dedication, or moved by sudden enthusiasm or exultation, send by post or bring when they come here clothes for Me and place them before Me. From this day, I am directing that this should not be done; observe this as My command. If anyone brings clothes despite this he shall not be admitted to Prasanthi Nilayam. Such persons will be treated as acting against Swami's wishes and orders. What you should place before Me as offering is Pure Love; only that. Therefore, from this day, spend your days and years in activities that help those who are in dire need, and thus make this human existence of yours worthwhile and fruitful. I wish you will conduct yourselves accordingly and I bless you.