Teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Volume 2

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Teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Volume 2

Silence

You Cannot Always Oblige, 

But You Can Always Speak Obligingly

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Dedicated with love and reverence to

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

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Teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Volume 2

©2013 Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation

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Contents

Pages 1-11

The Voice of God Can Be Heard Only in the Depth of Silence

Silence Is the Speech of the Spiritual Seeker

You Can Experience Divine Bliss Only in Absolute Silence

Silence

Pages 12-23

Speak with Love

Speak Good Words

Always Speak with a Smile

You Cannot Always Oblige,

But You Can Always Speak Obligingly

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1

Silence

The Voice of God Can Be Heard Only in the Depth of Silence

Silence Is the Speech of the Spiritual Seeker

You Can Experience Divine Bliss Only in Absolute Silence

Silence Develops Love

Silence is the only language of the realised. Practise moderation in speech. That 

will help you in many ways. It will develop love, for most misunderstandings and 

factions arise out of carelessly spoken words. When the foot slips, the wound can be 

healed; but when the tongue slips, the wound it causes in the heart of another will 

fester for life. 

The tongue is liable for four big errors: uttering falsehood, scandalising, finding 

fault with others, and excessive articulation. These have to be avoided if there is to 

be peace for the individual as well as for society. The bond of brotherhood will be 

tightened if people speak less and speak sweetly. That is why silence was prescribed as 

a vow for spiritual aspirants by the scriptures. You are all spiritual aspirants at various 

stages of the road, and so this discipline is valuable for you also.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume I, 

Chapter 10: Viveka and Vairagya. 

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Talk Sweetly without Anger

The first step in spiritual discipline is the cleansing of speech. Talk sweetly with-

out anger. Do not boast of your scholarship or attainments. Be humble, eager to 

serve; conserve your speech. Practise silence. That will save you from squabbles, idle 

thoughts, and factions. 

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume II, 

Chapter 6: Steps in Sadhana. 

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2

Make the Place Where You Are a Citadel 

of Silence

You need not escape into a forest to gain si-

lence and the chance of uninterrupted spiritual 

practice. You can make the place where you are 

a citadel of silence; shut off the senses, let them 

not run after objects. Your home becomes a her-

mitage; your spiritual practices will then move on, 

without any obstacle.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume II, 

Chapter 6: Steps in Sadhana. 

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Stay Away from Bad Company

I know that you are finding time, in spite of the 

hard work throughout the day, to attend cinemas, 

to engage in wayside chats, to promote and par-

take in factions, and quarrels, and for many other 

distractions that add to the sum of your worries.

It is best you stay away from companions who 

drag you to such distractions that weaken and 

worry you; spend a few minutes every morning 

and evening in the silence of your own shrine or 

home; spend them with the highest of all powers 

that you know of. Be in His elevating and inspir-

ing company; worship Him mentally; offer unto 

Him all the work you do; you will come out of 

the silence nobler and more heroic than when you 

went in.

Communion with the Master 

Just consider – do you come out of the cin-

ema theatre more peaceful, more heroic, purer, 

nobler than when you went in? No; your passions 

are aroused, your animal impulses are catered to, 

your lower nature is fed. Nothing else can give 

one the rich reward that silence and prayer and 

communion with the Master can give. Not even a 

decent bank account, or a string of degrees, or the 

muscles of a prize-fighter.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume III, 

Chapter 38: Project Site, Puja Site. 

Kindness Has to Be Fostered in Silence

One great temptation for weak minds nowa-

days is the opportunity for publicity. Even a gift 

of five rupees to some charitable organisation is 

announced in thick banner headlines! Conceit 

is thus encouraged, and man slides into paltry 

pomp. Kindness has to be fostered in the silence 

of the mind. 

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume IV, 

Chapter 52: Anna and Amritha. 

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The Silent Man Has No Enemies

The tongue is the armour of the heart; it guards 

one’s life. Loud talk, long talk, wild talk, talk full 

of anger and hate – all these affect the health of 

man. They breed anger and hate in others; they 

wound, they excite, they enrage, they estrange. 

Why is silence said to be golden? The silent man 

has no enemies, though he may not have friends. 

He has the leisure and the chance to dive within 

himself and examine his own faults and failings. 

He has no more inclination to seek them in oth-

ers. If your foot slips, you suffer a fracture; if your 

tongue slips, you fracture someone’s faith or joy. 

That fracture can never be set right; that wound 

will fester forever. Therefore use the tongue with 

great care. The softer you talk, the less you talk, 

the more sweetly you talk, the better for you and 

the world.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume V, 

Chapter 21: The Rare Chance. 

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Silence Is the Best Practice to Guard 

Faith

Silence is the best spiritual practice to guard 

faith; that is why I insist on silence here also, as a 

first step in your spiritual practice. 

Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume V, 

Chapter 42: Pay the Price. 

 

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