Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 1

The auspicious day of Vijaya Dasami, in 1953, opened a golden chapter in the history of mankind, for that was the day chosen by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for His first ever divine discourse in public. The flow of divine discourses, which started on that auspicious day out of His immense compassion for the well-being and harmony of humanity, has continued unabated even after five decades. During this period, Bhagawan has delivered hundreds of discourses in various places, to a variety of audiences. His benevolent acts for the humanity at large are also unparalleled. His noble mother made three requests to Him, namely to provide drinking water, a school, and a hospital for the village of Puttaparthi. Bhagawan has commissioned mammoth drinking water projects, benefitting hundreds of villages, towns, and even the city of Chennai. He has also built schools, colleges, super specialty hospitals, and even an outstanding university, and constructed thousands of houses to cyclone-hit people. This priceless inaugural volume in Sathya Sai Speaks contains thirty three divine discourses, of which five are for the students and authorities, giving invaluable guidance. There are also five discourses addressed to the residents of different villages, advising them on the value of unity and brotherhood.

Bhagawan has announced Himself as the Divine Teacher of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. By precept and example, through His writings and discourses, letters and conversations, He has been instilling the supreme wisdom and instructing all mankind to translate it into righteous living, inner peace, and universal love. When the Ramakatha Rasavahini, the uniquely authentic, nectarine stream of the Rama’s story, was serialised in full in the Sanathana Sarathi, Bhagawan blessed readers with a new series, which He named Bharatiya Paramartha Vahini (The Stream of Indian Spiritual Values). While these precious essays, on the basic truths that foster and feed Indian culture since ages before history began, were being published, Bhagawan decided to continue the flow of illumination and instruction under a more comprehensive and meaningful name, Sathya Sai Vahini - the Ganga from the Lotus Feet of the Lord - “The Flow of Divine Sai Grace”. This book, therefore, contains the two Vahinis that have merged in one master stream. Inaugurating these series, Bhagawan wrote for publication in the Sanathana Sarathi, “Moved by the urge to cool the heat of conflict and to quench the agonising thirst for ‘knowledge about yourself’ that you are afflicted with, see, here it comes, the Sathya Sai Vahini, wave behind wave, with the Sanathana Sarathi as the medium between you and Me.” With infinite compassion, this Sathya Sai incarnation of the Omniwill is giving millions of persons in all lands freedom from disease, distress, and despair, narcotics, narcissism, and nihilism. He is encouraging those, who suffer gloom through wilful blindness, to light the Lamp of Love in order to see the world and the Lamp of Wisdom to see themselves. “This is a tantalising, true-false world. Its apparent diversity is an illusion. It is One, but is cognised by the maimed, multiple vision of humans as Many,” says Bhagawan. This book is the twin Lamp He has devised for us.

This Volumes’ of Sri Sathya Sai Speaks are compiled and offered at Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Lotus Feet on His 97th Birthday as a reminder to all Spiritual Aspirants of Baba’s Love & Message Compilation of Discourses from 1953 to 2010 (1614 Discourses) Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 01 | Year(s) : 1953 to 1960 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 02 | Year(s) : 1961 to 1962 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 03 | Year(s) : 1963 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 04 | Year(s) : 1964 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 05 | Year(s) : 1965 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 06 | Year(s) : 1966 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 07 | Year(s) : 1967 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 08 | Year(s) : 1968 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 09 | Year(s) : 1969 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 10 | Year(s) : 1970 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 11 | Year(s) : 1971 to 1972 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 12 | Year(s) : 1973 to 1974 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 13 | Year(s) : 1975 to 1977 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 14 | Year(s) : 1978 to 1980 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 15 | Year(s) : 1981 to 1982 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 16 | Year(s) : 1983 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 17 | Year(s) : 1984 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 18 | Year(s) : 1985 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 19 | Year(s) : 1986 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 20 | Year(s) : 1987 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 21 | Year(s) : 1988 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 22 | Year(s) : 1989 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 23 | Year(s) : 1990 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 24 | Year(s) : 1991 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 25 | Year(s) : 1992 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 26 | Year(s) : 1993 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 27 | Year(s) : 1994 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 28 | Year(s) : 1995 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 29 | Year(s) : 1996 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 30 | Year(s) : 1997 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 31 | Year(s) : 1998 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 32 | Part 1 | Year(s) : 1999 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 32 | Part 2 | Year(s) : 1999 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 33 | Year(s) : 2000 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 34 | Year(s) : 2001 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 35 | Year(s) : 2002 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 36 | Year(s) : 2003 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 37 | Year(s) : 2004 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 38 | Year(s) : 2005 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 39 | Year(s) : 2006 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 40 | Year(s) : 2007 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 41 | Year(s) : 2008 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 42 | Year(s) : 2009 Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 43 | Year(s) : 2010

The annual sessions in Indian Culture and Spiritual Life, conducted by the Will and munificent Grace of our beloved Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, are aimed at educating, correcting, and guiding students in the discharge of their duties in their daily life, and conducting themselves modestly and progressing steadily and steadfastly in their spiritual life, on their journey Godward. Expounding on The Nature Of Truth, the adverse effects of negative emotions, the benefits of Self-control And Detachment, and the differences between the three Vedic schools of Dvaita, Advaita, And Vishishtadvaita, Bhagawan teaches and enriches, enlightens and invigorates our lives. Conducted in the searing heat of the Indian Summer, the aptly and auspiciously named Summer Showers brings to the world the cooling showers of Swami's compassion and grace. His divine wisdom relieves devotees of the heat of their sufferings, lights the lamp of the Divine in their hearts, and brings them gently and ever steadily to the spiritual path, revealing the way to the Self. With the blessings of Bhagawan, we present Summer Showers in Brindavan, 1972.

THE ETERNAL TRUTH ABOUT LEADERSHIP "Nations are made or marred by the calibre and moral character of their leaders. Here is a timely book, which tells the world how to re-establish leadership inspired by idealism." – V.K. Narasimhan, Former Chief Editor, Indian Express "The author's uncomplicated directness and crisp examples capture the imagination and curiosity of the most seasoned executives as well as young sceptics. The book delivers a passion for leadership through the lens of conceptual clarity. Excellent reading for leaders and those who want to be." – Wayne L. Strom, Ph.D., Professor of Behavioral Science, School of Business And Management, Pepperdine University, California "Corporate planners, government policy makers and those who want to contribute to society and the world in any way can derive immense insight, intuition and imagination from this book." – Bala. V. Balachandran, Ph.D., J. L. Kellogg Distinguished Professor, J. L. Kellogg Graduate School Of Management, Northwestern University, Chicago "This book can help to integrate and revitalise the American society for its world leadership role." – Dr. William M. Harvey – USA "On behalf of the Director-General of UNESCO, I acknowledge receipt of Mahavakya on Leadership. We appreciate the book as a useful resource material which will inspire UNESCO's activities on education for peace, human rights, democracy, international understanding." – Andri Isaksson, 29th November, 1995

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba wrote a series of articles under the Vahini series, for Sanathana Sarathi, a monthly magazine being published by Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam. These precious articles are brought out now, under the title “Geeta Vahini”, in this book, for the benefit of readers. This is not a commentary or summary of the divine message that was given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna. It conveys the same message in a simpler form to us, in order to remove our delusion and confer faith and strength on us, so that we may realise our own reality. Bhagawan says, “Drawing on the Divine that is inherent in us is the lesson of Geeta… Arjuna is the jiva and Krishna is the Deva. When both are in contact, impregnable might results… Krishna had to work in and through Arjuna, so that the reign of Dharma (righteousness) is re-established. Arjuna means white, pure, unblemished. Hence, he is the proper instrument.” We too can become proper instruments in restoring Dharma, if we follow the lessons that Bhagawan teaches through this book.

This is the biography of Professor N. Kasturi, the chosen biographer of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This book is his autobiography, his story, his journey to the feet of the Lord, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In his own words, "Each of us has to live the volume of biography, which we bring with us, as often as we are born, page after page, chapter after chapter, howsoever punctuated with dots and dashes, interrogations and exclamations, commas and colons, until the sentence ends ultimately with a Full Stop. But, luckily, I have as my inseparable companion and counsel, Bhagawan Himself; He dots the i’s and crosses the t’s as I live the lines on every page. He has made the Book of Life, my biography – momentous and meaningful for me. I must, however, confess that I do not deserve this book on me, by me. There are, I know, millions, who are absorbing the Love of the Living Loving God much deeper, who can, therefore, stand forth as messengers of His Love. They can lead the unloved and the unloving with surer and firmer steps, to the Presence of the Redeemer, the Comforter, the Saviour, the Avatar, the Sai. Nevertheless, when Bhagawan manifested a faint, favourable interest, when someone ventured to whisper to me in His Presence, that a bunch of my reminiscences may be welcomed by many, I was promoted by that smile to embark on this audacious adventure. My memory assumed the role of Chief Editor and hence, the chronicle suffers from imperfect chronology. Since the four parts of “Sathyam Sivam Sundram” relate most of that I have yearned to communicate, this book has become a personal testament, often perhaps too personal to be tolerated, for which act of indiscretion, I ask for pardon. Flattery is the food of fools, say those, who are denied that pabulum. I dare not deny my taste, for I have been fooled by flatterers, who threw appellations like poet, scholar, linguist, humourist, philosopher, and even ant-hill sage! Please dear reader, remember that I am struggling my best to eliminate the poison of the ego and sympathise with me, whenever you find the reptile raising its hood between the lines of this book. A few ‘old students’ of my classes at the University, my grandson, his wife, and a few brothers at Prasanthi Nilayam demanded that I should not give up the work and insisted on the completion of the book. As a result, this book, ‘Loving God’ is now placed at the Feet of the Lord and on the palms of those, who live in the Love of the Lord. Jai Sai Ram."