More Love More Power

Sai Dharmam: February 2025

Feb 04, 2025

Table of Contents:

Divine Discourse
YA Short Story
Devotee Speaks
Bhajan
Game

Lessons from Nature: Finding Divine Love

Divine Discourse

EMBODIMENTS of Divine Love! The trees provide cool shade and sweet fruit equally to all, whether they have fostered them or harmed them. They teach man this lesson of equal mindedness. The mountains, by bearing heat and cold, wind and rain alike, teach man not to care too much for the body. The birds take no thought for the morrow and are content to live on what they can get. They teach man the lesson of contentment and indifference to the future. The departed convey the message of the impermanence of life and its pleasures. Nature thus teaches man in many ways to give up ideas of "I" and "mine" and look upon God as the supreme preceptor. Although Nature has been teaching these lessons from the beginning of time, man has not learnt to give up the ideas of "my people" and "others" and to develop the sense of oneness and equality of mankind and realize his divinity.

Trees are foremost among teachers. By attachment to the body and developing self-conceit, man forgets the lessons of Nature and wallows in selfishness. The mountains, by their indifference to cold or heat, are teaching man that he should bear joy or grief with an equal mind and strive to realise God. Pleasure and pain relate only to the body. The Atma is unaffected. This is the lesson to be learnt from the mountains. We are seeing people being born and people dying. In spite of all that is seen, or heard or experienced, man is unable to get rid of the delusions relating to the body. Hence he is caught up in the coils of bodily attachments. He does not learn the lesson of the impermanence and fleeting nature of physical existence.

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 22 (1989)

The Devotee’s Awakening

Story by Young Adult Shyam S.

In a world filled with ambition and worldly desires, there was a 17-year-old boy named Shravan seated in the corner of his room, chanting "Om Sri Sai Ram." His friend tempted him to go out for a movie that featured his favorite star. Shravan was compelled by the desire to see this movie, having eagerly anticipated its release and reading all the reviews. For the past five years, he had followed the star closely, idolizing him to the point of obsession; spent hours watching his movies, reading about his personal and professional life, and collecting memorabilia. Many times a day, he would Google the star’s name and scour social media for any updates or news about his next film. Yet, deep down, he knew this obsession was pulling him away from his spiritual path and from God. Due to this guilt, he decided not to go watch the movie. However, he continued Googling the movie’s reviews and was filled with a sudden surge of guilt. Swami’s picture next to his bedside smiled so beautifully at him, silently communicating with him through the divine voice within.

He heard these divine words from the Lord: “Oh, I’m here all alone without your company because you are busy thinking about someone else.” Suddenly, the beautiful smile of Swami in the picture disappeared, and He appeared morose. Instantly, this divine unfolding hit Shravan hard and shook him from within. He burst into tears and said to Swami's picture, “Swami, You’re the most important person in my life. I promise I won’t put anyone before You.”

He heard Swami’s voice from within: “Prove that to Me.”

Gathering his courage, Shravan started chanting “Om Sri Sai Ram,” closing his eyes and focusing more intently on Swami. Tears flowed as he felt guilty for ignoring the Lord and the overwhelming presence of the divine. After a few minutes of chanting, he felt a deep sense of peace and calm.

He opened his eyes and spoke to Swami in the picture, “Swami, how can I be Your instrument? I’ll give up my obsession with the movie star, but I need Your blessing to do it. Please help me!”

That night, Shravan had a beautiful dream that opened a new way of living. In the middle of a scorching desert, Shravan sat in a small hut, feeling alone and thirsty. Shedding tears, he began singing the bhajan “Karuna Nidhey Bhagawan Gopala Brindavana Sai Bhagawan.” As he invoked the Lord’s help with deep devotion, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Wiping his tears, he turned around and, to his greatest joy and amazement, saw Swami—the Lord Himself—standing in front of him, swaying left and right, looking very similar to the picture on his bedside. Shravan was unable to control his tears of joy. He knelt before Swami, poured out his heart, and said, “I love You,” placing his head at the feet of the Lord.

Swami, smiling beautifully, said, “My divine child, drink some water.”

Swami materialized a brown and gold-laced pitcher, and from it flowed water that tasted sugary and divine—unlike anything Shravan had ever tasted before. For a parched mouth, this was the greatest gift one could ever receive. The scorching sun softened, and a cool breeze stirred the sand at Shravan's feet. Bursting into tears of joy and feeling overwhelmed by the Lord's compassion, Shravan held Swami’s right hand tightly and continued to shed tears. Swami gently lifted him up and said, “Don’t worry about being alone in this desert, my child. I’m always here for you. This desert is mine too.”

Shravan folded his hands and said, “Swami, thank You. I felt so lost here. I thought no one would help me. I don’t know how to get home, and my parents must be worried by now.”

Swami smiled and said, “Don’t worry about your parents. I’ll take care of them.”

A sudden shift in the air made Shravan’s heart race. In the far distance, at the far-right corner of the desert, a figure appeared, meditating silently amidst the sand. As the figure grew clearer, Shravan gasped. He saw a teenage boy with a divine face, immersed in bliss, meditating on the Lord. Upon seeing this, Shravan felt energized and asked Swami, “Swami, who is this divine personality? He looks so attractive and seems so happy in the meditative state.”

Swami laughed and said,”OH, THAT’S…”

STAY TUNED NEXT MONTH FOR PART 2 TO KNOW WHAT SWAMI SAID TO SHRAVAN

Love All and Serve All

Devotee Speaks

What does this really mean? To me, it’s that everything life throws at you, be it good or bad, you should be prepared to receive with an open heart, knowing it is all God's gift. Life's moments of joys and sorrows carry a certain symbolic meaning and teaching that add to our development. By embracing them as divine blessings, we rise above the material attachments and get on to developing an overview about life.

One of the profound teachings here is the importance of giving up the ego; the sense of “I” and “mine”, which are rooted in human qualities of selfishness. Letting go of these attachments allows us to overcome our limited human perspective and align ourselves with the greater divine purpose. This detachment doesn’t mean negligence, but rather a mindful surrender to the will of God, trusting that everything happens for a reason beyond our understanding.

Through this lens of acceptance and contentment, we learn to face life’s highs and lows with composure. Whether it’s an achievement that brings joy or an obstacle that causes pain, both are ultimately from God, designed to shape and guide us. Instead of judging these experiences or labeling them as good or bad, we should strive to accept them with gratitude and humility.

Moreover, this teaching emphasizes the need to guard against selfishness. When we claim pleasures for ourselves, or when we take pain as personal suffering, we create unnecessary barriers between us and divine love. Instead, by viewing both joy and hardship as opportunities to grow in faith and understanding, we can create a spirit of selflessness and unity with God’s will. In this way, we align ourselves with a deeper sense of peace, knowing that every moment of life, whether filled with good or bad experiences, is an expression of divine grace.

Bhajan

Bhola Bhandari Baba Shiva Shiva Shiva Sai Baba

Anatha Rakshaka Deena Dayala Patitha Pavana Sai Baba

[ Bhola Bhandari ... ]

Yogeshwara Sai Murari Yogeshwara Hey Tripurari

Nithyananda Brahmananda Premananda Sai Baba

Meaning: O Lord Sai Baba, You are the Lord who can be pleased easily, You are the treasure of mercy and prosperity, You are the supporter of the orphans, protector and the refuge to the destitute and You uplift them and make them sacred. O Lord of the Yogis, O Sai Murari, Tripurari, the destroyer of three worlds, You are the embodiment of eternal, supreme bliss and love.

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