Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Sathya Sai Baba, fully Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Indian Contemporary Yogi, Guru, Philosopher, Spiritual Figure, Mystic, Philanthropist and Educator

"Man's many desires are like the small metal coins he carries about in his pocket. The more he has the more they weight him down."

"Character makes life immortal. It survives even death. Some say knowledge is power, but this is not true. Character is power."

"Where there is Faith, there is Love; Where there is Love, there is Peace; Where there is Peace, there is Truth; Where there is Truth, there is God; Where there is God, there is Bliss. Life is Love, enjoy it; Life is Challenge, meet it; Life is a Song, sing it; Life is a Dream, realize it; Life is a Game, play it; Life is a Goal. achieve it. Ego lives by getting and forgetting; Love lives by giving and forgiving; Love is expansion; Self is contraction; Self is lovelessness; Love is selflessness. There is only one religion, the religion of Love; There is only one language, the language of the Heart; There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity; There is only one law, the law of Karma; There is only one God, He is Omnipresent. Haste makes waste; Waste makes worry; So do not be in a hurry. You are not one person, but three: The one you think you are; The one others think you are; The one you really are. "

"And he is Omnipresent. There is only one Religion The Religion of love. There is only one caste. The caste of humanity. There is only one language. The language of the heart. There is only one law The law of Karma (duty). There is only one God One Goal, One Truth, One Religion, One Reason. There is only one Guru. He is God. And that Guru is without you. "

"Nations are many, but Earth is one; Beings are many, but Breath is one; Stars are many, but Sky is one; Oceans are many, but Water is one; Religions are many, but God is one; Jewels are many, but Gold is one; Appearances are many, but Reality is One."

"Desire leads to ultimate ruin. It can never be destroyed by fulfillment. Dispel desire. Develop true love. Desire plus life is man Life minus desire is God. Desire leads to despair. "

"A chance conglomeration of humans does not become a society."

"A house must be built on solid foundations if it is to last. The same principle applies to man, otherwise he too will sink back into the soft ground and become swallowed up by the world of illusion."

"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."

"A language is as sweet as the tongues of the speakers."

"A nation that has no bridle on its sensuality can never thrive or survive."

"A man's well-being depends upon his degree of contentment."

"A man who has no love in him is as barren as a cloud with no moisture, a tree with no fruits or a cow yielding no milk; he is ever far from God and can never earn His Grace."

"A limit should be placed on the food that we take."

"A son has no greater duty, no higher good, than serving his parents."

"A sound mind ensures a sound body; a sound body ensures a sound mind."

"A society has to be welded into a unit by the consciousness of kinship in God."

"A tree can spread its branches wide. Its branches can bring forth blossoms which yield fruit, but only when the roots are fed with water. Instead, if the water is poured on branches, fruits or flowers, can the tree grow and spread? Society has as its root of peace and prosperity, the virtues of devotion and dedication. Hence the educational system must pay attention to the promotion and strengthening of these virtues amongst the people."

"Activity must be dedicated to God, the Highest Good. Then, it will provide health to body and mind."

"A Sutra (aphorism) enshrines in a few words, vast expanses of meaning, vast depths of fundamental significance. The Brahma Sutras gather multi-colored flowers from all the Upanishads and string them together to form an enchanting garland. Each aphorism can be elaborated and explained in a number of learned ways, according to one?s understanding, faith, preference, experience and pleasure."

"Acquisition of positions of authority and power, of skill and intelligence which can manipulate people and things, of fame and supremacy, of personal charm, of good health and happiness or of a large family with many children or wealth? none of these can confer liberation. You cannot attain liberation by undertaking sacrifices, vows, charities, pilgrimages or donations to holy projects. Though the objective world appears real, you must be aware that it is deluding you. You must give up yearning for deriving pleasure from the objects that appear and attract ? both here and hereafter. Renunciation alone can lead to immortality. You will be liberated as soon as you renounce your attachment and desire."

"Acquisition of the higher knowledge alone can fulfil the main purpose of human life. Such knowledge makes one aware that one is not the inert, non-sentient body, but is really the consciousness itself manifesting as the embodiment of ?Being-Awareness-Bliss? (Sat-Chit-Ananda). When this truth dawns and is experienced, one is liberated. One is freed from the fog of ignorance, (Ajnana) even in this very life. One becomes a Jivan Muktha, a person liberated even while alive."

"After knowing who this ?I? is, you must try to know what this outside world is. You see these flags fluttering; now, what is it that flutters? Is it the cloth, or the rope, or the wind? You know it is the unseen wind that causes that flutter. So, too, you see the effect, not the cause, when you observe Nature around you. The bungalow is seen, not the foundation under the earth; the tree is seen with all the crowning glory of leaf and blossom and fruit, but the roots that grip it and feed it are not visible. You cannot therefore deny them. So, too, for everything that can be seen, heard, smelt, tasted, and touched, God is the cause. Man is born as man because he is to realize this truth and feel the presence of God in all beings and things."

"All action results from thought, so it is thought that matters."

"All gods are one. There is no difference between a Hindu and a Muslim. Mosque and temple are the same."

"All are expressions of the same God, as bulbs lit by the same current through manifold colors and wattage."

"All men are cells in the same divine organizm, in the divine body. That should be your faith, your fortune, your fort, your fullness."

"All spiritual practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel."

"All religions teach one basic discipline - the removal of the blemish of egoism from the mind, and of running after trivial joys. Every religion teaches man to fill his being with the Glory of God, and evict the pettiness of conceit. It trains him in methods of detachment and discrimination, so that he may aim high and attain liberation. Believe that all hearts are motivated by the one God; that all faiths glorify Him alone; that all names in all languages and all forms man can conceive denote the one Supreme Being; His adoration is best done by means of love."

"All waves are on the same sea, are from the same sea, are the same sea. Service teaches you to be firm in this knowledge. [64] Service will also impress the Unity of all mankind on the person doing service."

"All things in creation are subject to the law of change and man too is subject to this law."

"All works are God's. He inspires, He helps, He executes, He enjoys, He is pleased, He reaps and He sowed."

"Always respect another's opinion and another's point of view."

"Also, service should be performed without expectations for results. Do not serve for the sake of reward; serve because you are urged by Love."

"Anger is the harvest of the bewitching mind; it enslaves man and fogs his understanding."

"An Avatar is capable of all things at all times. Yet, the Avatar will not undertake to demonstrate His powers all the time. The Avatar will exercise such powers only when exceptional circumstances demand it, and will shed Grace on a deserving person alone."

"Any devotional song, in any language can be sung as long as all can follow."

"Always try to put yourself in the position of the other and judge your action against the background. Then you will not be wrong."

"As a matter of fact, there is no trace of ill-health in Me. I am always healthy. Not only today, till 96 years I will be like this."

"Any happiness that you can give to others will result in happiness for yourself in the end. Man must realize that he cannot get anything without sharing it with humanity around him. So, you must believe that happiness of the people around you will lead to your own happiness in due course."

"Anything that helps you maintain unruffled equanimity is right action."

"As the attraction power is increasing in me... You are going to witness many astounding events in future... Even while i am speaking to you now, my feet are being pulled by the earth. If i lift one foot, the earth attracts the other foot. Whatever i touch with my hand, it also gets attracted. This magnetic power is present in every man... I try to lift my foot but it is very difficult."

"As regards the technique of meditation, different teachers and trainers give different forms of advice. But I shall give you now the most universal and the most effective form. This is the very first step in spiritual discipline. At first, set a few minutes every day for meditation, and extend the time as you feel the bliss that you get."

"As close as you are to God, so close is God to you."

"Aspire now. Adore now. Achieve now."

"As today is a sacred day dedicated to women, they should change themselves and help to change the men and the children. They should develop the qualities of sympathy, compassion; love and sacrifice. Study the lives of our great women, who were models of patience, fortitude, compassion and sacrifice. I desire that you should take up the reins of leadership and bring peace and prosperity to the nation by leading ideal lives."

"Avatars of God are engaged in service; that is why Avatars come. Hence, when you offer service to mankind, the Avatar is pleased and you can win grace."

"Base all educational efforts on building up of the character of the students, and then you can confidently think of rising on in the super-structure of curricula."

"Awake, Arise and Stop not until the goal is reached."

"Be ever watchful to see that you strive to take in more and more of God into you."