7
Shun pomp, show, and publicity. Krishna declared
that it was such a recluse that was dear to Him.
Never Hanker After Publicity
Today there is show and publicity everywhere.
The person may spend just five rupees on charity,
but he is prepared to invest five hundred rupees in
publicising his act in the newspapers. Is this not
show? It is only the one who seeks fame that needs
publicity; on the other hand, the one truly inter-
ested in service has no need for it. Never hanker
after publicity.
As long as you are after pomp, you will never
be able to experience Atmic bliss. How can one
who is ignorant of the Self ever earn God’s love?
While seeking God’s grace, one must be very pa-
tient in everything and in every aspect. Then alone
can it be said that one is treading the spiritual
path; then alone would one become eligible for
God’s attention.
2
Eliminate the Ego to Purify the Heart
There should be no ostentation or showing off
in any undertaking by a devotee. Unless ostenta-
tion is given up, egoism will not leave. The ego
must be eliminated to purify the heart. No good
deed can be done without purity in the heart. It
is through sacred deeds that the heart is purified.
Ostentation is a demonic quality. It encour-
ages egoism and megalomania. One should seek
to acquire a good name through selfless service
alone. It should be done with humility and sincer-
ity. One who aspires to become a national leader
must first know how to render service. He should
not seek office or position. The Sai Organisations
have been set up for rendering service and not to
establish official positions. Selfless service should
be done out of a sense of duty.
Selfless Service Broadens the Heart
and Widens One’s Vision
Selfless service brings out all that is great in
man. It broadens the heart and widens one’s vi-
sion. It fills one with joy. It promotes unity. It
proclaims the truth of the Spirit. It drives out all
the evil qualities in a man. It must be regarded as
a great spiritual discipline. You are born to serve,
not to dominate. Everyone in the world is a ser-
vant and not a master. All relationships—husband
and wife, mother and child, employer and em-
ployee—are based on mutual service. The world
is progressing because of such mutual service. If
the principle of service did not operate, the world
would come to a halt.
Do you regard an “officer” as a superior? It is
not so. Even he is a servant. It is only when man
is filled with the spirit of service that his Divine
nature is revealed. He then experiences the peace
that passeth understanding.
5
Your Devotion Must Be
for
Pleasing the Lord
The world today is immersed in ostentation
and egoism. What does it matter whether the
world praises you or decries you? For instance,
why should a devotee show off his devotion to
earn the approbation of others? His devotion must
be for pleasing the Lord and not for earning the
approval of the world. In the spiritual path, what
matters is the inner joy you experience. That is
the key to self-satisfaction. Sarvarambha parithy-
aagi means one who is prepared to relinquish all
his possessions and acquisitions including wealth,
knowledge, and strength.
1
One should give up all desires and ego. Ego
leads to attachment, hatred, jealousy, aggrandise-
ment, and other vices. It is ego that is responsible
for the downfall of man. One with ego cannot ac-
complish even a small task. An egotistic person is
not respected even by his near and dear ones. Ego
is the worst of all the enemies of man. Develop
humility in order to get rid of ego. No amount of
spiritual practices will help a man of ego in attain-
ing tranquility and bliss.
4
8
YEARN FOR GOD’S LOVE AND BE
DEAR TO HIM
Secure God’s Love through Sacred
Actions
If you wish to become eligible for God’s love,
then your actions must be consistent with love. It
is impossible to secure God’s love without appro-
priate and sacred actions. Can the one who is al-
ways hankering after rewards ever be truly happy?
The only compensation you ought to seek is the
pleasure and joy of doing your duty properly. The
joy of service is the true reward. If you go against
the command of God, then everything is bound
to go wrong.
As you think so you become. If you desire
God’s love, then your actions must match and be
compatible with your desire. If you do not want
God’s love, then you are at liberty to do as you
please. However, if God’s love is what you want,
then you must act in an appropriate manner.
Lovingly Obey God’s Commands
In this world, you first have to pay the price
before you acquire the authority to possess what
you desire. You go to a shop to buy a towel. The
shopkeeper quotes a price of twenty rupees. When
you pay twenty rupees in cash, the shopkeeper
packs the towel and gives it to you. No cash, no
towel! God also follows a similar “transaction”
procedure. What kind of “business” does God do?
Divine business! If you lovingly obey God’s com-
mand, then you are sure to receive love. God’s love
has no limitations or stipulations. Only one con-
dition: you give, and then you receive.
Without offering selfless service, how can you
expect to receive God’s love? To receive God’s love,
you must be totally free from worldly desires and
constantly engage in selfless service. The service
must be of a pleasing nature. All actions must be
performed exclusively for God’s pleasure. For this,
you do not have to give up anything. Just keep on
doing your normal duty in the manner ordained
by destiny.
Do Everything to Please God
You wish to study; by all means do so. But in
what manner should you study? You should do
it for God’s pleasure. You are employed in some
place. How should you do your work? Do it as if
you are trying to please God. Tell yourself, “I am
doing this job as an offering to Him.” Install this
feeling in your heart, and do whatever you want
to do or have to do. However, before rushing to
adopt this course, pause, reflect, and make sure
that God would really be pleased with what you
are trying to do and offer to Him! You cannot do
all sorts of silly and stupid things, claiming that
you are doing them for God’s pleasure.
Saturate Every Action with Love
If you act just according to your fancies, do you
think that God will accept your actions as an of-
fering? Every action of yours must have the stamp
of quality that is acceptable to God. Without that
stamp, your action will be counterfeit. God should
acknowledge that your action is good. When you
affix the proper postage stamp, your letter can go
to far-off places. But if there is only an address on
the envelope and no stamp, it is of no use. An un-
stamped letter dropped into the mailbox will end
up only in the dead-letter office. Therefore, if you
really want your offering to reach God, you must
affix the stamp of love. It is only when love satu-
rates every action of yours that God will shower
His grace. He will do so in many forms too.
Do Good Work Solely for God’s Pleasure
Slowly but surely you must develop all the
qualities enumerated in the Bhagavad Gita verse.
The acquisition of these virtues is possible; have no
doubt about it. Sparks of fire are produced when
two pieces of wood are rubbed hard together. But-
ter is formed when curd is churned in a sustained
manner. Similarly, in spirituality, sustained inqui-
ry leads one to wisdom and Divinity. You realise
the truth: Tat Twam Asi—that Thou art.
Is it possible to obtain fire without rubbing
and butter without churning? The fire is latent
in the wood and is not visible. You have to rub