Love is the Pathway to Bliss

Mother, the Most Adorable Name

Embodiments of Love,

Mother is responsible for the birth of everyone. Just as Brahma is the creator of all the created, it is the mother who is the creator of all. You should always respect this motherly feeling. This is motherland. This is mother earth. For this Rama said Janani Janma Bhoomischa Swargaadapi Gariyasi - 'mother and motherland are superior to heaven'. It is our responsibility to revere our mother and motherland. That is your goal of your life.

May be due to the defective educational system or the company, we have no respect for our own country while you follow other lands. It does not matter if you go anywhere. You do a job in any country. You earn money anywhere but never forget your own motherland. This is my motherland. This is my mother tongue. One who cannot declare that this my motherland and this is my mother tongue is a living corpse. So, first we should not forget our motherland. This is also said by Rama.

Sugriva prayed holding the feet of Rama after the victory and Hanuman also repeated the same thing that 'Bharata is already ruling over the kingdom. It would be better if you take charge of Lanka and rule it and teach the Rakshasas the righteous path.' Lakshmana also said the same thing. He said 'Swami, Ayodhya is being ruled by Bharata. Lanka is golden. There is no dearth of wealth. It has all comforts and conveniences. All have surrendered to you. It is better you rule Lanka'. Then Rama said 'Mad man, for the simple reason that one is healthy and so beautiful, I cannot call anyone else as my mother. She may be weak and ugly, but my mother continues to be my mother. That is the only faith I have. Bharata may be in any condition but this country is my mother'. Students, you should have all this moral and ethical values and follow the path given to us by the ancient Rishis and set an ideal to the rest of the society.

Peace, for The Body, Mind, and Soul

The ancient sages have given us sacred texts. They had no iota of selfishness. They had broad mindedness. That is the declaration in the Veda - Sahanavavatu Sahanau Bhunaktu, Sahaveeryam Karavavahai. What a broad feeling it is! The heart should be as vast as the world. Love expands if your heart is wide. Then there will be one human family in this world. That is why the Vedas taught in the first instance: Let us live together. Let us move together. Let us uphold and improve the intelligence that we have come to know together. Let us live together. Let us grow together. Let us mingle and live together without any conflict and misunderstanding and finally it desired peace. Why do we say shanti thrice? Peace at the body level, mental level and Atmic level - adhidaivik, adhi bhautik and adhyatmic. Peace is needed in the three levels of body, mind and spirit.

The whole world is represented by the body. The country is the reflection of the body. Therefore, everybody and every country should be happy and peaceful. Lokaa Samasthaa Sukhino Bhavantu- let everybody in the world be happy. We have forgotten such broad mindedness and divine principles. We go by the individual feeling. We have forgotten the very teaching of the Vedas here.

Embodiments of Love, You don't need to do any spiritual practice. You don't need to read. You don't need to worship. First respect your parents. Therein lies your happiness. You love them. Follow their commands. If their command is not acceptable to you, try, convince and explain to them. Do not pride yourself and be egoistic because your parents are illiterate and that you are educated. What is your education at all? A foolish man does not know his true wealth with all formal learning and education, a mean man will not change his mean mentality. All this education leads to argumentation, difference and not complete knowledge. Why should you face death finally having studied so much. You should study to attain immortality. It is all secular, physical, worldly, bookish knowledge. It is useful for our living but not to achieve the goal of life.

Love and Service The Two Wings

Our life is a bird with two wings. We should have the two wings of love and service. Just as birds fly high with their wings, we should reach noble heights with the two wings of love and service. You cannot reach the goal with only one of the wings. What sort of wings are they? They are like the strings of a Veena instrument. The strings are separate but the musical instrument is one. The whole country is a Veena. The strings are our religions. All religions are unified in one Veena. The music from the instrument will not be melodious even if one of the strings is broken. We should expect and desire for the welfare of all the religions. We should expect the good of all religions. We should also experience the welfare of everybody.

What is to be done for the welfare of the society? In what way are we proceeding? We serve with intentions of selfishness and for name in the society. I am born in society. I cannot live for a moment without the society. My happiness and pleasure depend on the society. Service to society is service to one's own self. We should understand this unity. It is ego if you say I am serving society. What is the gain to the world by your service? There is no loss sustained if you don't serve. The gain and loss go to you, not to the world. The youth of today should understand this principle of equanimity.

We do not understand the spirit of youth. What is the stage of youth? The stage of youth is that which comes in between and passes off. It is not there from the beginning. It does not last till the end. We pride ourselves because of this youth which comes in between and passes off like a passing cloud. This stage of youth is sacred and is the golden age. You should gather all sacred equipment in this sacred stage.

Inquire the Real 'I'

We celebrate birthday. What is this birthday? Whose birthday? We say my birthday. Who am I? You don't ask that question. You say my birthday because you identify yourself with the body. But later you say it is my stomach. If you say my stomach, then who are you? You say my senses, my mind, my intellect, then who am I? You are separate. This is my kerchief. When I say this, I am different from my kerchief. When you say my body, you and the body are different. Therefore, the body, mind, senses, intellect, all are instruments. But you are the master for all these. That is I. Make an effort to recognize that I.

Embodiments of Love, There are two types of I, the one lettered I and the three lettered Eye. The three lettered I is eye. That is the body. It has three attributes. One lettered I is Atma. The movable and the immovable is divinity. God does not receive or give. It originates from your heart. Therefore, enter into activities of help, render service. Service is our life. There is nothing higher than service.

From Kinkara to Shankara

Embodiments of Love, People from various countries participated in this conference. What is the main idea of this conference? We should render service. Wherever there is need, we should surrender our body, money, mind and intellect. You can be a leader with only the spirit of service. You cannot be a leader without being a servant. How can you be a leader without being a servant? Consider yourself as kinkara, the servant and not Sankara, the leader. Only a kinkara can become a Sankara.

Today we pray to the river, 'River, you flow and fill up the tanks'. We need not pray to rivers. We have to pray to the rain. Let us pray to the rain. The tanks will automatically be filled. Understand that society is God and if you serve society, all your desires will be fulfilled. We expect God to grant us many boons because of our love for God and our sense of devotion. It is the 70th birthday of this body. You have to know one important thing. Swami does not need anything. He does not expect any dress. Swami belongs to you. Swami is not separate from you. You are not separate from Swami. That is the intimate relation between Swami and you.

You should all encourage service in villages and backward areas. You must have listened to the list of names read out. Some brought some jewels. For decoration. What are precious jewels to God? Bliss is His jewel. Love is His jewel. He Himself is the very embodiment of beauty. Then why do you bring all these jewels and hide that real beauty? A beautiful idol is made by a sculptor. How beautiful it is to look at the idol! You go on decorating, garlanding and hide the very beauty of the idol. These are all artificial. The natural form is the bliss. Never bring such things. Do not entertain such thoughts. So, those who have given, don't feel. What Swami has told the Central Trust is that all the jewels that have been brought here will be auctioned right now and the money realized utilized in the best possible manner for water supply. Prasanthi Nilayam will not accept anything. Swami will be happy only if you serve in any other way. Spend your money for service. Where there is water shortage, try to solve that problem. Where health care, education and medicines are required, participate in that activity. Do everything for society and not for the individual.

Water is Life

Our country Bharat is a collective form. Everything is cosmic form. Keep in view the welfare of the society. Individuals cannot be a society. We have to make an effort to serve many people in society. Not only jewels, they have brought some money also today. There are certain areas, certain places where some work is yet to be done in Anantapur District. All problems of Rayalaseema should be solved completely. What sort of a place is this? It is a desert area. There is no drinking water supply. How do you expect plants to grow here? You cannot live without these things. You only breathe the oxygen given out by the tree. Carbon dioxide exhaled by humans is received by the trees. This is the position today. You cannot live without vegetation.

Water is life for man. Swami planned many things in recognition of this truth. Heart is important for life. Head is important for education. Water is essential for body. All these three should be supplied free. It should not be a business. It is God's property. Just as oil is the life for the lamp, love is essential for life. A lamp without oil and life without love are useless.

Let everybody be happy along with you. Let everybody be in peace along with you. Do appropriate service keeping this in view. Embodiments of Love, God is within you in the form of three attributes of Satva, Rajo and Thamas. God is Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara within you. You forget the God within you and are after God who is not in your reach. Can't you understand Him when He is within you? Where is the kerchief now? It is in Swami's hand. So, Swami's hand is bigger and kerchief is small. Swami can hold it as the kerchief is small. When God is in you, you are mighty and God is so small in you. You have to prove your majesty and never be weak. Do majestic deeds when you are majestic.

Expansion Through Seva

Right from this day our organization should expand and spread all over the world. We should forget individual differences, keep in view the welfare of the society. The welfare of the society is our welfare. Let it be in any village, region or country, we should participate in all activities in all areas, regions and countries.

Embodiments of love, Participants from 175 countries have assembled here today. So many have congregated. What work are we doing now? We have to inquire clearly. Our quality lies in our work. There are bound to be poor people in your respective countries. They are the Daridra Narayanas - God in the form of poor people. You serve that Narayana. What is the use of serving Sriman Narayan, God, who has everything? God has so many servants to serve Him. You don't need to serve Him. There are the poor and the needy, who are the embodiments of God. Serve them.

Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram

Implant such noble ideas in your heart and let them grow into huge trees and you give comfort under their shade to the needy. This is the only birthday gift Swami is asking from you. Swami does not need anything else. You will be happy and secure, that is your gift to Swami. You should set an ideal and example to others.

Improve and expand our Organization as you go back to your places. Just don't stop here. You should develop further day after day. Then only you can call yourselves as true devotees. Don't waste the principles of the creator, sustainer and destroyer in you. Don't hurt them. Do not misuse them. Then you will be committing a sin. Understand the principle of trinity, the mother, father and the preceptor. Know the eternal truth that God is in you, you are God, He is within you. That is Sathyam, truth, Shivam, auspiciousness and Sundaram, beauty. That is God. That is what Plato also said, truth, goodness and beauty. These three are life principles, let anybody from any country proclaim. Lead your life with these principles and keep up the sanctity and greatness of this country.

Water should be there in Rayalaseema throughout the year. Rayalaseema is a place of stone so far. Rayalaseema should be converted to Pranaseema - land of life and Ratnaseema- land of diamonds. It is the collective and not individual responsibility.

Devotees Flowers, Swami The Thread

One flower does not make a garland. Many flowers make a garland. So all of you should mold into a garland. Then Swami is the inherent, latent thread in between passing through the flowers. What is the use of the string without the flower? Consider yourselves as children of one mother. You should consider others as brothers every time and as one human race.

Do not give any room for differences of nationality and religion. All belong to the human race; the caste of humanity, religion of love, language of the heart, that is the spirit. This is what you have to learn; let it be any language for that matter. Here is water. Telugu people call it Neeru, Tamilians Thanneer, Hindi people call Paani, and English people call it Water. Names are different but water is the same. Likewise, God is one. You call Him Allah, Jesus, Buddha. Develop that faith.

Love, The Pathway to Bliss

We should not hate any religion. The followers of all religions should behave like brothers and sisters. You practice such an ideal and give happiness to Swami. Many foreigners said 'Happy Birthday', 'Happy Birthday' in the morning. Swami is always happy. Swami does not need your happiness. You be happy. Happiness is union with God. If you want to be happy, join God. Then you can be happy.

You should follow a new path right from this day. You should spend a happy time in unity, coordination and integration. You should experience divinity in all. That is true bliss. It is not happiness if it is from comforts and conveniences. They are just passing clouds, coming and going. You should achieve that bliss that neither comes nor goes. Love is the only path to reach that goal of bliss.