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90 YEARS OF SAIA CELEBRATION OF HUMAN VALUES

SAI DEEPAM 2015

Editor

Ruba Nackeeran

Writers

Mahadeo Dagade

Aravind Balasubramanya

Purnima Jagannathan

Devapreeta Nithya

N. Gangadharan

Dr.Sivalingam

Laveena Kukanesan

Tishan Gunasegaran

Vijay Dorai

Rohan Padmanathan

S.Nackeeran

Nesarajah

Thanuja Vizia

Editor’s Note 3

Chairman’s Note 4

Truth is righteousness 6

A Note on Truth 8

Life’s Driving Force 14

Power of Choice 17

Path to Divinity 20

The Impermanence of Life 24

My Friend from Prashanti 26

Paradise 29

Through Eyes of Love 31

Changing Dynamics of Parenting 33

Ahimsa According to Thirukural 37

A Value to Value 40

The Final Frontier 42

Centre Org Chart & Activities 45

Published by:

Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre of

Brickfields

Pearl Court, 61, Jalan Thamby

Abdullah, Brickfields 50470, Kuala

Lumpur, Malaysia. 2

To be given the chance of editing

this year’s Sai Deepam is in itself a

blessing and it being Swami’s 90th

Birthday is an even sweeter one! As

I searched for images of Baba from

his days as a cheeky, sweet-faced

youth to his last days in his physical

form, all I could feel (just by merely

looking at those pictures) was pure

love. Swami is at all times exactly

what he addresses his devotees in his

discourses - Prema Swaroopa Lara

(embodiment of divine love). This

Divine Love always says that his

life is his message and as a tribute

to that, this year’s issue of Sai

Deepam focuses on the five virtuous

human values Swami highly

upholds. Each value is beautifully

penned from various angles by the

devotees of Brickfields centre, to

whom I must say a very big thank

you to! Much thanks also to Bro.

Aravind from India and Bro. Vijay,

for sharing their wonderful personal

experiences. This magazine

would not have been completed

if Swami didn’t send me nudges in

the form of my beloved siblings, Sis.

Laveena and Bro. Tishan and help

from Bro. Mithran and Uncle

Ganga! Last, but not least, thank

you Swami for giving me this

opportunity.

I truly hope that the values

embedded within these pages serve

as a beacon during your darkest

nights in the ocean of Samsara.

Jai Sai Ram,

Ruba Nackeeran

Editor

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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Spiritual transformation is the

summum bonum of

everything that we do inside

and outside our centres. The

layers of illusion must be

removed, though it is no easy

task by any measure. To do

that the centre organizes on a

regular basis, many activities.

Getting involved in all these

activities will enable the

devotee to ‘polish himself’ and

shine brighter by the day.

This helps raise the individual

consciousness and eventually

the collective consciousness of

mankind. To be a good

instrument in the hands of

Swami, one should have

sharpness of intellect and

purity of heart. Our activities

are meant to do just that, if

done with the right attitude. I

call upon every devotee to be

a spiritual leader. A leader

would not say, “follow me.” A leader

would say, “I’ll go first.” Decide today

to take the vow to “go first” in

demonstrating forgiveness, compassion,

understanding, generosity, kindness,

cheerfulness, positivity and love. Let

this be our moment of truth, a turning

point in our lives, where we see all as

embodiments of the divine, in human

form, with all their faults and

shortcomings. Only then our purpose of

celebrating Swami’s Birthday can be

justified. With that I’d like to thank

the Youths, the elders and all who

have contributed in one way or

another, to make today’s event truly a

celebration.

Jai Sai Ram,

Tilakasiri Simon

Chairman of SSSBC of Brickfields

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CHAIRMAN’S NOTE

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Swami has said countless times that

the five human values are not

independent of each other. These

fundamental values emanate from

Dharma (righteousness), based on

Satya (truth). The entire universe

has emerged from truth and

everything merges into truth. The

sanctification of the five senses is the

way to Truth. And we have many

inspirational examples of this in our

scriptures and history as well.

Yudhisthira, the eldest of the five

Pandavas was the most virtuous and

righteous king of all time and hence

got the name as Dharmaraja. Upon

the onset of the Kali Yuga and the

departure of Krishna, Yudhishthira,

his brothers and their wife retired

and left the throne to their only

surviving descendant of the war -

Arjuna's grandson, Parikshit. Giving

up all their material belongings and

ties, the Pandavas and Draupadi,

accompanied by a dog, made their

Truth is Righteousnessby Mahadeo Dagade.

final journey of pilgrimage to the

Himalayas. As his wife and each

of his brothers fell, Bhima asked

Yudhisthira what was the reason

for their death. Yudhisthira calmly

answered Bhima, but he did not

even look back once to help any of

them which to Bhima seemed very

cruel of Yudhisthira. But the king of

Dharma did so because he knew

that the time to leave Earthly ties

had come. Because of this and the

fact that he was unblemished by

sin or untruth, Yudhisthira was the

only one to reach the mountain

peak in his mortal body.

Today, we don’t have to make

such big sacrifices as Yudhisthira.

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All we need to, and can do is keep walking on the dharmic path by

sanctifying all of our senses, sacrificing whenever and wherever it is

possible. But what is most important is our strict adherence to Truth at all

times! Surrender to Swami and He will always be there to guide and

protect us!

“The discovery of Truth is the unique mission of man. Man is

a mixture of Maya (illusion) and Madhava (God); the

Maya throws a mist which hides the Madhava, but through

the action of the healthy impulses inherited from acts

performed while in previous bodies or through the cleansing

done by austerities in this body or through the Grace of the

Lord Himself, Maya melts away; for it is just a mist which

flees before the Sun. Then Nara (man) is transformed into

Narayana (God) and this Bhuloka is elevated into a

Prasanthinilayam (Abode of the highest peace)” -Sri Sathya

Sai Baba-

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A Note on Truthby Aravind Balasubramanya

‘Truth’ is a simple word but

it has different levels of

meanings as explained

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beautifully by Swami. Elaborating on this, Bhagawan said the following.

“There are three levels of truth: Nijam (fact), Sathyam (truth) and Ritam

(absolute truth). To speak according to what one has seen is to merely state

a fact. Suppose I see you wearing a white dress and say "you are wearing a

white dress", this becomes a statement of a fact. Later, at home, you may

wear a blue dress. Then what I had said earlier will not hold good anymore.

Thus, a fact is subject to change. Truth on the other hand does not change

with time. A person may change any number of dresses. But, the person, as

such, remains the same. Thus, truth is the same at all times. Ritam, however,

relates to the Atma (self) which is changeless and eternal, unlike the body

or mind that are subject to change. It transcends both good and evil. It is

described as attributeless, pure, eternal, permanent and unsullied.

While the ultimate goal is to attain Ritam, it all starts with the baby

steps of Nijam or speaking what we know as the truth in our day-to-day

life. It also means to refrain from lying. In this context I remember a lesson

that Swami taught me during my school days.

An unforgettable lab session

During a particular Chemistry lab session, the whole class had

disappointed the teacher with our shoddy work which resulted in him being

in an irritable mood.With about 10 minutes to go for the final bell, all of us

began to automatically wash the glassware and wind up for the day.

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It was a tough task and in the hurry to finish fast, a few beakers cracked

and broke.

Needless to say, this irritated the teacher even more (none of us have

ever paid any laboratory fees and all the chemicals and glassware are

provided to us with love by Swami. This is because Swami believes that

education is the right of every child and not a privilege!). While other

labs have breakage charges, there are none in our labs. So, naturally, the

least that is expected of us is to maintain these gifts of love with care. I

was washing away furiously (while taking care that the glassware

didn’t break) in a hurry to grab a spot at the front row for darshan.

Finally, with only one minute left for the final bell to ring, all the

glassware had been washed and arranged in the shelves. My legs were

waiting with pent up energy for the rush to capture a front spot.

As fate would have it, the teacher began to inspect the washed

glassware and located one beaker that had remnants of the organic

chemicals that had been used. He immediately picked it up and asked

whose beaker it was.

It was mine. Immediately the white angel on my right and the red

devil on my left began their traditional conversation! “Just keep quiet.

There is no way he will find out it is your beaker. He will get frustrated

and let go. “No! That is not right. You know that it is yours and you

should own up. And instead of letting you go, he may punish the whole

class.” “If you raise your hand now, your chance to be on the front line

will be gone! The chance to be physically near to Swami is too great to

be left for the sake of a chemical drop on a beaker!”. “You know that the

problem is not as skewed as the devil is putting it.

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Remember that more than the nearness, the dearness to Swami matters

most and by following the truth, you will please Him.” “Satyameva

Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) is a motto for the aeons gone by. It is not

relevant now.” “Truth is forever and it always triumphs. You speak the

truth and you will be rewarded. That is for sure. ”

“Tell me! Whose beaker is this?”, the teacher’s voice thundered. I

immediately raised my hand and said, “I am sorry sir! That is mine.” The

teacher’s eyes immediately seemed to calm down. He said, “All can leave

now.” As I prepared for the sprint, he said, “Aravind, stay back.” I was

given a load of glassware to wash and only after completing the task

could I leave for the mandir. I was fraught with disappointment, sadness

and finally anger.

“This Satyameva Jayate really seems to be a motto for the past.

If it is relevant in the modern times, then Swami, I want you to bless me

today. I want you to accept a handkerchief from me and smile at me.

You must do it if you want me to have faith in truth.” I threw this as a

challenge to Him. I felt slightly happy within because I was in a win-

win situation. At a time when I was sure to be late for darshan, if

Swami were to give me that chance of offering a handkerchief to Him,

my day would be so special. If that didn’t happen, I would have no

problem in lying my way out of future situations! (Such is the

immaturity of a child.)

Swami’s response

Finishing my punishment, I informed the teacher who was still waiting

patiently for me that I was done. He too seemed sad. I felt that he

deserved to miss darshan for he had made me miss mine. (Later, I found

out that he was sad because he felt responsible for me missing my

darshan and was praying to Swami to wait till I arrived!

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The teachers at the Sri Sathya Sai Higher School are truly magical

creatures of love!)

I went to the mandir and there was no music on. I was so sure that the

darshan had finished but I was shocked instead to find out that for some

reason, Swami had not yet arrived for darshan! As I walked into the

student's’ area, I saw one empty space right in the first line. How could

anyone have missed it? I asked the boy seated there whether that space

was reserved for someone and he replied in a negative. Once again, the

immature thinking set in. “Swami wants to make it easy for Himself to

prove to you the importance of Truth. If I sit here, He will create vibhuti

for some devotee and take the handkerchief from me. I shall not make it

that easy for Him!” Thinking thus, I gave up that space and went to sit

in the portico outside the interview room. This was a region that was

manned by two of Swami’s assistants and in case He created vibhuti

here, they would offer the kerchief to Him. I wanted concrete proof of His

response. I felt a little guilty, but I went ahead with my plan.

What happened next, completely bowled me over. Swami arrived

and completed His darshan rounds. He came to the portico and began to

speak to some devotee. At the end of the two-minute interaction, He

began to swirl His palm to create vibhuti. He gifted the vibhuti to a

devotee. I was a good three meters away from Him. But, out of sheer

instinct, I had tugged the kerchief out of my pocket. However, I stayed

put in my place and one of the two assistants went to Swami with a

handkerchief. Swami just looked away from him and into my eyes. He

smiled and stretched out His hand seeking the cloth in my hand. Like a

robot, I got up from my place and went to Him to give the handkerchief.

He wiped His hand, smiled at me and threw the handkerchief back to

me. I returned to my place in a daze.

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Even as I sat, my senior beside me nudged and said, “You are a ‘form’

boy man! He wanted you. Did you have some sort of a prayer-deal with

Him?” What could I say? I realized that a win-win situation for me was

also a win-win situation for Him. His love is such that He wins if I win.

One thing is for sure. I know that Truth Always Triumphs!

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affect our motivation in many ways. Have you ever turned over the exam

papers of life - situations which are challenging, overpowering, disturbing,

demotivating; looked at the questions and wondered if you are sitting for the

right test? Or worse, know that you once knew the answers to these

questions but frustratingly, are now out of reach causing emotions of worry,

frustration, fear, anger, discouragement, depression, panic and hopelessness to

erupt inside you?

Life throws different types of challenges at us. A deadline at work or a

sudden crash of the business market are types of challenging situations on the

professional front. A difficult personality trait which constantly hinders our

progress and harms our relationships is an example of a challenge on the

personal front.

Challenges can be unpleasant, even scary, but they are important. Not

only does it make you work harder on yourself but you also become more

determined and powerful. If you are not spiritually equipped to rise to these

challenges when they come about, it is unlikely you will be motivated

enough to cross them. By turning challenges into internal positive energy,

you remain motivated while crossing them and by doing that, you

transform the challenges into blessings or gifts in disguise which will help

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Life’s Driving Force by Brahma Kumaries Study Point

contributed by N. Gangadharan

The one thing that keeps us going from

challenge to challenge is motivation. It

takes us from from “where I am” to

“where I wish to be”. And what affects

this driving force is our thoughts. It has

the ability to colour our perceptions and

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you advance ahead and become more experienced and wise. As the

Brahma Kumarie’s say, "challenges are like spices - the right amount

enhances the flavours of a dish. Too little of them produces a bland, dull

meal; too much of them may choke you at times."

Have you ever noticed some people only work a few hours a day and

are hardly ever confronted by deadlines or other pressures, but are more

stressed and less motivated than those working long hours to tight

deadlines? Some people are trailblazers, they love challenges. They love it

when they are occupied and bottled up with challenges and are passionate

about overcoming them.

Why is there a difference between these two types of people? It all boils

down to perception. It's not what you do, or when you have to do it by,

that causes your stress and brings down your motivation; it's how you

perceive the ’whats’ and ’whens’ of daily life that generates your stress and

affects your motivation levels. It's how each one perceives what they do

and the possible outcome. And your perception is based on your beliefs and

beliefs don't come built into your genes. All beliefs are learnt. We learn

them, send them into our subconscious and they then pop up and out

through our thoughts, emotions and words. The problem is, we not only

hold beliefs, we identify with them. But beliefs are not the truth.

When surrounded by challenges, sometimes we all need a little extra

nurturing, and that gentleness can come from loved ones or even ourselves.

But to remain constantly motivated you need to also take a look at the

non-physical dimension of thoughts and feelings. Physical treatments and

relaxation will help you but they cannot change the way you think. Your

thinking is the cause and behind your thoughts, your beliefs are a deeper

cause. We need to pay much more attention to our thoughts and feelings,

learn to manage them, learn to fill them with peace and calm,

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and then our personality will change for the better, as we restore our

mental and then physical well-being and learn to remain motivated and

fearless amidst challenges. Remember no one else creates our thoughts and

feelings, and they don't just happen, though it feels that way sometimes.

When you learn to identify and assess the quality of your thoughts and

feelings, you can begin to choose the ones you know are positive and that

in turn keeps you motivated.

Challenges are not here to stay and while they are there, they bring

about self empowerment. The next time you are faced with a challenge,

remember that it is your Dharma to overcome!

“The task of every person is to do the duty that has come upon

him/her, with a full sense of responsibility to the utmost of his/her

capacity. There should be complete coordination between what one

feels, says and does. Then work becomes worship.” -Sri Sathya Sai

Baba-

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will it resolve domestic problems,” said Swami in his discourse once. But in

another, He said “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.”

Is Baba trying to say women should stay at home or work? Let’s see the

reasons for Swami’s contradicting statements (or does it seem like it’s

contradictory because we don’t absorb the essence of His statements?)

The first five years of a child’s development is known as the Learning

Window and must be spent with the mother. Swami goes on to say, “the

child must grow with the mother in the first five years of its life. Many

children do not know what the love of the mother is like. The mother should

not hand over this responsibility during these years to someone else and be

called simply ‘Mummy’. Ask yourself if your job is adding value to your

family and children's’ lives or is it just stressing you out everyday? Can you

live with less and spend that time with the children assuming you are not in

dire financial needs? Women are hard wired for nurturing. To relax, women

need to produce a hormone called Oxytocin. This hormone gets produced

when you care for a child, do service or pamper yourself. I used to wonder

why can’t I come back home from work, switch on the TV and relax like

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Power of Choice by Purnima Jagannathan

“If women go out for jobs, who will

take care of the home? If husband

and wife go to offices, who will look

after the children? Earning money

may solve some problems but how

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my other half. Why do I need to do household tasks? But once I started

treating my family responsibilities as oxytocin producing activities, I realized

that I can relax only by doing such activities. Baba has even said all

housework should be treated as acts of worship. That is more fruitful than

hours of meditation. But that said, Swami goes on to say that housework

should not be limited to women alone. Even men need to learn them!

Swami says that if you are able to balance both job and family, go for it.

But if it’s affecting you physically and emotionally, it will affect the children

too, therefore it is better to focus on one thing and do it satisfactorily. The

place of a mother can never be replaced as she is the pillar of society. As the

saying goes, “the mother is the high priestess of the house of God. Humility is

the incense with which the house is filled. Reverence is the lamp that is lit,

with love as oil, and faith as its wick.”

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Path to Divinity by Devapreeta Nithya

A typical day begins and ends with

thoughts. We are either having a

monologue or talking to people

around us as we go about fulfilling

our assigned duties. We have

absolutely no control over our

thoughts. These thoughts have

no connection to each other and most of the time don’t even make sense.

Yet thoughts decide the way we respond to situations internally and

externally. Words put into our being in the form of thoughts are termed

as “inner chatter’. It is impossible for common men to lead a life devoid of

thoughts. However it is definitely possible to lengthen the time frame

between two thoughts which will eventually lead to glimpses of a

“thought-free” state.

Any form of practice dealing with the intricacies of the mind requires

one to introspect. Meditation is the royal path that takes you on a

journey inwards. It is the most powerful tool designed for the ultimate

transformation from man to Divine. Only through meditation can we get

in touch with the Divine within. The beloved Lord listens intently to our

ardent prayers and responds through vision, vibration, intuition etc.

This communication with the Lord pervades the mind with positive

energy which is essential in combating all the negativities we face. The

adorable Lord reveals Himself in the stillness of meditation. His Divine

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love floods the chambers of our heart and the flower of self realization

blooms within. Given the miraculous powers and wonders of meditation,

how many of us have actually given this spiritual exercise importance

and put it into practice?

In theory, it is a relatively easy process. Just a matter of sitting

silently, concentrating and watching our breath! However in practice,

resting in solitude even for a few minutes has become a herculean task.

We are unable to free ourselves from the clutches of inner chatter. The

mind refuses to fall into silence as it goes on framing ideas, making

decisions, judgements etc. What do we do? We battle with the mighty

mind. Countless thoughts engulf and put us in a state of self-doubt

whether meditation is at all possible for the common man. Finally we

give up and resort to other sadhanas. But what is the solution?

Cleansing or detoxification of the body and mind is the prerequisite

here. In our day to day life we come across different people, diverse

situations, and myriad of emotions like anger, hatred, jealousy, guilt,

worry etc. play their part. Man chooses either to express or suppress these

emotions. However all these negative emotions accumulated on a daily

basis pollute our inner space and form energy blockages. Continuous

suppression of these emotions manifests itself as physical or mental

illnesses. It is evident from recent studies that over 80 per cent of our

diseases are psychosomatic (conditions which are caused by our mental

state) in nature. For instance, constant suppression of anger can lead to

hysteria. A contaminated inner space is definitely not a conducive

environment for the practise of meditation. Prior to entering into the

silence of meditation, many Enlightened Masters suggest the practice

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of “active” or “doing” meditation techniques which are detoxifying and

cathartic. These techniques though outwardly active, bring about a state

of peace and joy inside. Below are two extremely efficacious cleansing

processes for daily practice which have been adopted from “Meditation

for You” by Life Bliss Foundation. Many of us may have apprehensions

on how to carry out these steps. Just remember to have trust in yourself

and Swami!

Dukka Harana (Destroyer of misery)

Step 1 - Deep chaotic breathing (10 mins)

Chaotic breathing means to breathe in no specific pattern. Just breathe as

deeply as possible without controlling your breath and become the

breathing itself. During this process the body will take in as much oxygen

as it is necessary. The heat generated by this breathing will melt all our

solidified negative energies and suppressions.

Step 2 - Catharsis (10 mins)

This step will throw out all of the stored negativities which have been

melted. without causing harm to others and without suppressing it. Tense

your body as much as possible. Clench your teeth, rotate your head, and

throw your limbs around. You can even cry, scream, laugh etc. Just allow

the body to do what it wants to. Just release all the dukha (misery). This

process brings out all the madness and violence present within your

system! Once all the rubbish is cleared, a sense of calmness and peace

flowers in our being. At the end of the 10 minutes stop whatever you’re

doing and become a frozen statue. When one switches from an

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agitated position to total stillness, the mind stops working for a moment.

Step 3 – Silent sitting (10 mins)

After a few seconds, the thought flow begins again. Sit down and

witness those thoughts. Breathe normally and place your awareness on

what is happening internally and externally.

Manipuraka Suddhi Kriya (Stress relief)

Step 1 Create nonsensical sounds (20 mins)

Imagine you’re arguing with someone. Convey your anger, pain, hatred

etc. in a language you don’t know! Use nonsense sounds, scream, cry..do

not restrict yourself. Do it sincerely as tremendous peace blossoms after

this process.

Step 2- Silent sitting (10 mins)

Place your awareness on the Manipuraka Chakra which is situated at

the navel area. You will feel a sense of lightness. Practise both techniques

until you feel there is nothing left to clear from your system.

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“Not even the deepest sleep will give you such a rest as

meditation can. Just those few moments in meditation you forget

the body. You feel such pleasure in it. You become so light. This

perfect rest we will get in meditation.” Swami Vivekananda

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The Impermanence of Lifeby Dr Sivalingam

The term impermanence expresses that

all conditional existence, without

exception, is transient or in a constant

state of flux. We go through life by

attaching ourselves to things or people

and wanting them to last forever. But

they don’t last and when they

don’t, it makes us sad. We experience envy, anger and even become violent

with others because we cling to false perception of permanence.

Impermanence and change are thus the undeniable truths of our existence.

By being aware of the concept of impermanence as well as observing it,

one can find suitable remedy for sorrow of human life and attain liberation

from Anicca (the absence of permanence). Everything in this world is

subject to change except change itself. We are aware of this theoretically

but how do we apply it in our day to day life? Because if we can apply it,

we will experience a change in the understanding of life and make life

more meaningful.

Normally when misfortune strikes us, we start grumbling over it as

though we did not expect it. We label it due to bad luck and sometimes

even tend to blame others for it. This is because we think we are always

perfect and that nothing can or should go wrong. There are also those who

lose all hopes in their life when a misfortune strikes them and they totally

give up on life. These kind of negative thinking is not right and we should

not yield to it. Hence it is important that we develop awareness of the

possibility of change before the actual change takes place.

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We should be ever prepared for it. When the actual change takes place, it

will not affect us seriously. On the contrary, it will be a smooth sail

through a turbulent storm.

Let us correlate this in the practical life. When a crisis strikes us, the

immediate response from us is that it will not pass away and that the end

has come. But with time the situation is mended on its own or the crisis

eventually passes away. Hence, during any crisis, one should remind

oneself that this too will pass.

If we are prepared for change in advance, the manner in which we

look at our relationships with others changes too. Neither good feelings nor

unfavourable feelings are permanent. If we train ourselves to accept both

pleasant and unpleasant feelings, which are also subjected to

impermanence, and that whatever feelings we have now will not stay

same for long, we would have alleviated a lot of our sufferings.

There is also no such thing as lasting security. Illness and decay are

unavoidable. So the best security one can have is to rely on the inner

security throughout their lifetime.

As everything is unique, brought about by moment-to-moment change,

acceptance of this impermanence of all things leads to profound healing.

The only reality is the present moment. Impermanence is the primary

cause of our suffering. Being aware of it and taking time to let it pass

away is the way to circumvent though it.

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In Prashanti Nilayam, there is an alluring

friend who persuades herself into entering

and engulfing my heart. This friend is

subtle in form and at most times

experienced subconsciously. Among the

many boons this new friend confers upon

me is the possibility of making communication minimally necessary. Some of

the greatest feelings of tranquility I have come to experience through has been

through this boon.

This most mystical friend refuses attention and shies away from analysis. I

do not understand her nature, I cannot fathom her origin. It seems to me she

came from another world, duty-bound to select me as the worthy receiver of

her wholesome guardianship. I say worthy but I am unsure of it, but perhaps I

think she is only deserving of such assumption. She must know. She just seems

sure.

When in her company, that nagging soldier in my head is subdued. He

becomes an obedient nobody, a sleeper at the corner with uninteresting attire. I

could almost forget about him. She is a demanding occupier, rightfully so. There

is not an inch of space she does not require, not an ounce she is willing to retire.

Suffice to say that I thoroughly enjoy entertaining her arrival, and oblige to

her every demand.

She offers in return abundance of power; not of the sinews but of the soul.

The wings become visible, a soul in flight. I am enraptured by my being

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My Friend from Prashantiby Vijay Dorai

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– I like the sound of my own breathing. I notice my heartbeats one by one,

I count my steps and chew my food. Suddenly with existence I feel a sense

of closeness. From my life I become distant. I begin to understand the

conundrum, of the fish in water athirst.

When Prashanti becomes a memory and the proverbial “real world”

resumes routine, she quietly, just the way she came, takes leave. A space

opens up in the midst of my being. The void begs to be fed. My

inexperienced heart cries, my untrained mind offers solace. Designed by

evolution, the mind summons the senses in search of the bad fruit. The

fingers glide above squares and screens. The eyes become hungry.

Suddenly, a friend’s life becomes essential to my living. Tragedy to my

enemy, a musical melody.

In her absence I fail the easy tasks. Sometimes I wake myself up from a

drifted thought, remembering to take a breather, a deep empty sigh –

another lost moment without her. The new King rules supreme, I am

enthralled by him, my new master. The soul perches in a shade, impassive.

Blessed to forget, acceptance seeps through the cracks of the roof. Soon, I am

submerged in worldly indifference and exclaim “Life goes on, my friend.

”But always there, all along, in a little corner forted by faith, is a

yearning to meet my friend again. The friend I have grown to love, from

Prashanti.

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Paradise by Laveena Kukanesan

The blades of grass sway gently to the motion of the wind. The sky, a

clear blue. She takes the first, deep breath she has had in years, using every

ounce of her new lungs. She looks around and finds herself in a vast green

field filled with the happiest of colours.

She looks ahead and spots a great banyan tree in the distance. It invites

her and acceptingly, she moves over to it. There, she kneels down and sits

on her heels, her hands clasping her knees, waiting for Him. A breeze

blows around the great banyan, lifting with it its earth and leaves,

encircling her in a magical moment. It is the most pleasant of waits. A

minute or an hour later, she doesn’t know, she sees Him coming in, and as if

there had been no wait at all, they begin chattering of all things dear to

their hearts.

“Now, are you ready? We are going on our final journey,” He informs

her. “But Swami, there is so much left to do. Who is going to take care of

my husband, my children, their spouses and my grandchildren if not me?

What do I have, if not my family?” “My dear, by curbing our desires, we

lessen our feeling of hopelessness. You may have seen these words in the

railway compartments: ‘Less baggage, more comfort, make travel a

pleasure.’ On this journey of life, our desires are our baggage.

In loving memory of my aunty and uncle,

who first introduced me to Bal Vikas and

eventually, Swami, who would become my

guru, God, friend and saviour.

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The fewer our desires, the greater our comfort, and without desire, life can

be a pleasure.” “You underestimate their strength,” He continues. “After all,

they are My children too!”

“What about my companionship? They will miss it, no, Swami?” “My dear,

when one dies, the only items taken with one are one’s good and bad deeds,

not their power, money, prestige, vigorous beauty of the body or their culture.

These things are all gone.. But yes, they will miss your companionship and

you.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do much for you of late. My limbs were too weak and

my body too frail.” “My dear, you have served me well. See how you have

inspired everyone by being so strong yourself! You have filled so many

stomachs with love. Each time you fed them, you fed me.” Cupping His palms

into her cheeks just as she had done to her children many times before, He

continues, “Now, it’s time I serve you.”

She closes her eyes and they hum a lullaby. Looking down at her palms,

she finds instead shimmers of light, like thousands of little specks of gold dust

where her body once was. As the wind blew, it carried with it those little

specks of gold dust until there was no more from where it came from, but

instead, filled the skies with a magical display of sparkles, and if you listened

close enough, the distant hum of a peaceful lullaby, the chorus of which went:

“Love is my form, truth is my name, bliss is my food.

My life is my message, expansion is my life

No reason for love, no season for love, no birth, no death…”

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Through Eyes of Loveby Tishan Gunasegaran

Mother Teresa has beautifully said that if you

judge people, you will have no time to love

them. Things go out of hand or mostly become

a problem when we judge, criticize or look

down at something or someone. We do this not

only because we look at them without love but

because we choose to compare and judge.

Everything we see and experience in this world is nothing but God’s

creation including the good and the bad. Comparing God’s creation is

extremely unacceptable. Declaring Krishna is greater than Rama, or

Buddha is superior to Kuan Yin is not right at all. We should understand

that everyone is one and the same.

We do not even know ourselves well, so how are we to pronounce

judgement on personalities we have never experienced or understood? We

judge whether something is good or bad based on our predilection. We

often look at something from the worldly point of view but if we look at

something from the Divine’s point of perspective which is full of love, we

will realize that there are no differences. Even the weak and bad will look

strong and good to us.

When we are happy, we feel and experience love. If we remove the

pleasant feeling from that happiness, all that is left is love which is not a

mere emotion but the language of the soul itself. When parents forbid their

child from going out at night for example, both parties do not like it. But

we don’t understand that the emotion behind this is pure love. If we

remove the feeling of dissatisfaction towards our parents and if

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they take away the feeling of restricting us from their feelings, what is left

is love. Love here is very subjective because we all know that it is not safe

to be out at night and what they portray is the act of love. Otherwise

inadvertently something might happen. In simple words, response towards

love is not always happiness. We usually experience this when things don’t

go our way and we feel awful but fail to realise that it is beneficial for us

in the long run.

We often take attachment as love. In love, there should be no demand

whereas attachment expresses on demand. The feeling of unity is the

feeling of love and the experience of God. The experience of love is not

always about being happy but spreading love through various forms and

acts. As Swami said, ”all beings are beautiful if seen through eyes of love.

“What is true Love? Pure, unselfish Love towards all living

beings, considered as embodiments of the Divine, with no

expectation of reward, is true Love.” -Sri Sathya Sai Baba-

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Changing Dynamics of Parentingby Rohan Padmanathan

Societal changes have certainly taken place over the last few generations

and together with it the minds of children and behavioral patterns have

also evolved. The world is becoming a more complex place to live in. Parents

of today cannot replicate and imagine themselves in a role similar to those

of their parents due to the changing dynamics.

Today’s pattern of children or young adults have various negative

influences resulting in drug and alcoholic addiction, teenage pregnancies,

depression, suicides, lack of ambition and a quagmire of other problems due

to their confused minds.

Accordingly if we need to see changes in our children then we cannot

expect to swish the magic wand and dramatically see changes in them.

Although we can set them in the right path, we first need to see the change

in ourselves before we can ever dream to see the change in them. Whatever

good or bad that we as parents possess, the children will directly or

indirectly inherit them.

Reflect on how we were raised when we were children and the

behavioral patterns of our parents. If you reflect hard enough you will

notice that subconsciously you would have inherited some of these traits,

some positive and some not so positive. There were parents who had many

children in the 40s and 50s who became known as the Baby Boomers but

their issues at that time were curtailed to less serious issues that we see

today. There were minimal incidences of child depressions as there was more

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happiness perhaps in their family amidst the difficulty of life after the War

and they struggled and appreciated the efforts made by their parents. The

burgeoning middle class society with better prospects of jobs and

opportunities has benefitted children today with a better lifestyle but TV

and social media have resulted in some undesirable consequences in the

pattern of their behavior.

Parents have and continue to provide the best for their children and cater

to all the needs they deem fit, be it material items or other social needs so

that the child will grow to become a respectable person with a decent job

and achieve the parents perceived intent. The end result however is not to

their expectation and they wonder what went wrong.

Unlike the Baby Boomer age where mothers stayed at home, the mothers

of today have to work to provide dual income so that the family has a

better future. Fathers are confused about their role at home and cannot be

expected to take on stereotyped roles particularly if both parents are

working. The mother is the guiding light to the nurturing of their children

with the aid of the father who provides the emotional support. Children

today mature more quickly and are highly intelligent but they remain

emotionally immature longer.

Parents feel inadequate in their task due to work stress and worry and do

not spend enough time at home. They may provide “quality time” but if

there is no quantity, the effect of such quality time will be very minimal

and therefore cannot expect their children to bond with them.

Swami has aptly said “parents toil to leave their children a pile of riches;

but they do not teach them the proper sense of values by which they can

know how little the riches are worth, and how best to utilize the riches for

their genuine advancement”. Baba has emphasized that Love is the

undercurrent of all human values for love as speech is truth, as action is

right conduct, as thought is peace and as understanding is non-violence.

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He adds that genuine love is associated with a soft tender heart, kindness,

compassion and a sense of oneness and acceptance. Such love empowers and

does not weaken the recipient.

In “Human Values The Heart of Dynamic Parenting” by Drs Pal Dhall

and Tehseen Dhall of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education,Canberra, it is

stated that love at the heart of parenting is not just an emotion, although

emotion is an important ingredient of that love. The love is expressed as joy

and warmth, recognizes and cultivates the uniqueness of each person and

manifests as affection. It is accepting, non-judgmental, healing and

ennobling. It is the kind of love that “ does not covet lordship over the

recipient”. This type of love makes the parents grateful for the child. When

such love pervades, it fosters creativity and strengthens the character of the

children.

Khalil Gibran in his poem wrote “Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come

through you but not from you. And though they are with you, yet they

belong not to you.” Our children are not truly ours because they are the

children of God who have come on this earth due to their soul's own wish.

Dr Phall adds that the responsibilities of parents therefore include “

introducing the child to God” so that the inner well being of love, harmony,

joy and strength may be tapped at any time. There is a qualitative

difference between the love for family members and God’s love. Swami has

said “God’s love is unbounded, it knows no growth or diminution. Worldly

love is momentary and feeble. Divine love is unchanging and eternal. God is

the embodiment of Love. His infinite Love is offered to all in equal measure “

The Sathya Sai Baba Organisation in Malaysia has a National Parent

Care Programme that takes an Inside Out Approach to Parenting. It

simply means that we as Parents have to change to see the change that

we want in our children.

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Ahimsa According to Thirukural.by Nackeeran Sivapunniam

Thirukural, the classic Tamil Sangam literature is

the most treasured of all Tamil literary texts. It is

a Dharmashastra that provides guidelines for

people to lead an extraordinary and dharmic life. The text is divided into

three main sections - virtue, wealth and love. Under virtue, couplets 311 to

320 focuses on non-violence. In just these couplets, the great sage poet

Thiruvalluvar unravels profound wisdom of practising Ahimsa in our

lives day-to-day.

311. The pure by faith mean pain to none

Though princely wealth by that is won

People who are spiritually inclined and intend to live a life of

righteousness will never want to cause any harm to others even in their

thoughts. They will not harm any life form even if they are promised the

greatest wealth in the world. Such is the nature of a true devotee.

312. The spotless heart seeks not revenge

Though malice does the worst in rage

It is human nature to seek revenge when the mind is clouded by anger

and shrouded in hate. When someone is immersed in rage, they lose their

divine nature and tend to seek revenge but one whose heart is filled with

love will never succumb to rage and revenge.

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313. Revenging even causeless hate

Bad-blood breeds and baneful heat

Let’s assume that someone for no apparent reason causes you immense

pain and suffering, Though you have every reason to retaliate and seek

revenge, doing so will only result in causing you, the spiritual aspirant,

immense pain and suffering in future. Therefore under no circumstances

should you seek revenge and cause harm.

314. Doing good-turns, put them to shame

Thus chide the evil who do harm

The best form of punishment to those who have done evil to you, is by

showing them nothing but kindness in return and to forget both the evil

and the good done on both sides. This is the Ahimsa way of handling

hate and evil.

315. What does a man from wisdom gain

If he pines not at others pain?

We spend a great part of our lives educating ourselves and pursuing

qualifications from the most esteemed universities of the world. In

wanting to gain name and fame, we hurt others and derive great

pleasure from it! True wise men will not only not harm others but will

also make sure that others do not suffer any pain that he himself would

not want to suffer.

316. What you feel as pain to yourself

Do it not to another

The real meaning of Ahimsa is not subjecting any other being to pain

and suffering that you would not like to be subjected to.

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317. Any, anywhere injure not

At any time even in thought

Our beloved Bhagawan has always stressed that even in thought one

should not think of harming others. Thirukural also expounds this in just

two lines. It states that it is a great virtue to practice Ahimsa in thought,

word, and deed.

318. How can he injure other souls?

Who in his life injury feels.

Life has taught us the meaning of hate, evil and suffering. We know

what it is to injure others both by action and words, as we have

experienced this many times. As such, how can we bring ourselves, to

subject others to pain and suffering that we abhor so much?

319. Harm others in the forenoon

Harm seeks thee in the afternoon

Newton’s, third law states that, “for every action, there is an equal and

opposite reaction”. Those who intend to make Ahimsa their way of life

should ensure that they do not cause harm to even the minutest of living

organism, knowing that that the harm caused would come back to haunt

them someday.

320. No harm is done by peace-lovers

For pain rebounds on pain givers.

No one wants to suffer any form of pain in their lives. The simplest way

to avoid pain and suffering in this life and in lives to come is to abstain

from causing any pain to others.

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A Value to Valueby Nesarajah

“Co-incidence is a miracle where I

hide myself” said Swami once and

I am a believer of this because I have recently experienced it firsthand. When

Tishan sent me a message requesting for an article for Sai Deepam, I was taken

aback as I was in Melbourne without any access to my collection of Sai

literature for reference. But I agreed that I would write something on Ahimsa

by using the Internet as my guide instead. No sooner had I replied him, an

email appeared in my inbox about Gandhi, the apostle of Ahimsa! When I

started reading the email, I realised Swami’s leela at play as Gandhi stated

“Truth is my religion and Ahimsa is the only way of its realisation” thus

linking the two topics as part of one’s spiritual process.

Swami said Ahimsa means that regardless of whether in thought, word, or

deed, one should not cause harm to another. But what does it signify? It is not

merely refraining from causing harm or injury to others; it also implies

refraining from causing harm upon oneself. A person who harms himself or

herself cannot avoid harming others. One way to ensure you’re not harming

yourself is to constantly examine whether your conduct is right or wrong. For

instance, when speaking, one must examine whether the words are causing

pain to others.

Among all the Avatars who have come to guide mankind, Gautama

Buddha was foremost on his emphasis on Ahimsa. Some people went to

Buddha to argue about the existence of God and Buddha told them that all

these disputes are a waste of time. Sathya, Dharma, and Ahimsa are the same

as God, therefore worship God as the form of truth first. Speak the truth, practice

Dharma and observe non-violence.

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“Ahimsa Paramo Dharma” he said which means Ahimsa is the most

meritorious deed. Therefore non-violence can be defined as the regulation of

human life. The Vedas say “Sathyam Vada, Dharmam Chara” which

translates to speak the truth and follow Dharma.

Often concerns are raised that it is impossible to live without causing

hurt to other living beings. Many germs die when one takes a bath or

walks or does any other action. Even in the process of breathing, many

germs die. Violence is present in all these activities. Therefore, to avoid the

consequences of such involuntary violence on living creatures, Swami has

advised to dedicate all actions to the Divine. But there is no meaning in

dedicating to the Divine conscious acts of violence. The Conscience will not

approve of such conduct.

All these sayings and directives of sages seem to be a tall order for

those of us who are embroiled in the temptations and peer pressure of

modern life. Swami has said “start early, drive slowly, and reach safely”.

This excellent advice is applicable to our spiritual life as well. Spirituality

isn’t something that should be confined to old age; it has to begin from

childhood and progress steadily. So no matter where you are on your

journey to spirituality, let it be paved on the path of Ahimsa!

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“Be careful with regard to your food. Excessive eating

does violence to the body. Moderation is conducive to

happiness. Non-violence is thus what confers

happiness on you. When you realise that God is in

everyone, you will practice non-violence,” Sri Sathya

Sai Baba

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The Final Frontierby Thanuja Vizia Bala Krishnan

This article does not intend to examine the

deeper meaning of Ahimsa i.e. that which

goes beyond the abstinence from causing

physical harm because this is common

knowledge. What it aims to do is to take

the hand of the reader on a journey of self-

examination against the practice of Ahimsa in its truest essence. A person

who truly endeavours to tread the spiritual path needs to have the iron-clad

courage to be able to stop, look at themselves and examine each thought

and action under a high resolution microscope and open the hidden truths

behind those thoughts and actions. It is only through such examination can

we witness the monkey mind that’s at play and venture to master it. If

Ahimsa expounds that one should not cause harm or injury, then let’s see if

we’re truly doing justice to this divine call.

Have you ever shared an unflattering story about someone with another

person, believing it to be true without even knowing if it is? Has such

chatter caused irreparable harm to the person’s reputation or feelings? Has

your action caused this juicy story to spread further? You may argue that

you know it to be true, therefore it was okay to share those facts. But how

sure are you that you truly knew those facts? But okay, let’s give yourself

the benefit of the doubt, and say that those facts are indeed true and factual.

Even then, what good does the spreading of pain and harm bring?

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We are often appalled at the way news is sensationalised. But what

about ourselves? Doesn’t gossipping translate to unwarranted

sensationalization of news albeit at a different level? We spring up in

defence if anyone hurts our loved ones. How does this not apply to the

person we gossip about? Doesn’t that person too have family and friends

who will be upset and hurt by the blemish to the character of their loved

one? Why is it okay for us to hurt others but not vice versa?

Talking ill of others and spreading rumours is a fundamental flaw in

our character that needs to be addressed with precision and brutal honesty

if it is to be uprooted for the greater good. If only we earnestly

endeavoured to control the mind and tongue, what glorious beauty will

shine forth through our character!

Ahimsa is the culmination of all the tenets of the human values. Prema,

the sharing of true, all-encompassing love will not be able to bear causing

hurt and pain for it feels the very same pain. Shanti, the spread of

everlasting peace and joy through virtuous thoughts and actions will also

not be able to bear the disruption that such unsavoury actions will

undoubtedly cause. Dharma calls for actions that lead to the greater good

and will not allow negative actions to enter its circle. Sathya expounds

unblemished truth through thought, word, and deed and will reject

anything that causes ripples to its purity. The very practice of Ahimsa

encompasses all of these higher ideals within its fold – the final frontier!

Does this then mean that we should be docile and shy away from

standing up for justice and rightful action? No, it does not!

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Our actions must always be guided by the greater good. The conscience

must be allowed to guide. However, it is also important to check oneself

and ensure that it is the conscience guiding and not the ego camouflaging

itself as the conscience. This calls again for self-examination. Dare first to

stand up not to others but to ourselves. Standing up to oneself requires great

courage and is a necessary step if we are to reach greater heights. Let’s be

our worst critic and stop ourselves from doing that which is against our

true nature.

Place a check and balance mechanism. If God were to stand before us,

would we dare repeat such talk or actions to Him? If we don’t, then

perhaps it should not be spoken to anyone. There is no point in causing

harm and pain. Life is short with all of us trying to live it the best we can,

seeking happiness. Live and let live. Love truly, seeking to please Him

always.

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CENTRE ORG CHART

& ACTIVITIES

MAIN COMMITTEE

Chairman: Bro. Simon 012-6579922 / saintsiri@yahoo.com

Dep. Chairman: Sis. Rajes 012-6316345 / rajeskannan17@gmail.com

Secretary: Bro.Sandeep 017-3034745 / sandeep18sg@hotmail.com

Treasurer: Bro. Siva 012-2064453 / rasa.sivalingam@gmail.com

SPIRITUAL WING

Bhajans

Thursdays, 7.15pm - 9pm

Bro. Siva 012-2064453 / rasa.sivalingam@gmail.com

Study Circles

Last Thursday of the month

Bro. Mahadeo 019-8161154 / mahadev17@yahoo.com

Spiritual Transformation Programme

Third Wednesdays of the month

Bro. Simon 012-6579922 / saintsiri@yahoo.com

MAHILA WING

Sis Sutha 016-2209639 / sutha_nadason@yahoo.com

Sis Rani 016-2360917

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SERVICE WING

Community Adoption Programme

Sundays in Matang Jaya

Bro. Simon 012-657 9922 / saintsiri@yahoo.com

Narayana Seva

Bro. Muthiah 012-2346417 / muthiahsuppiah@yahoo.com

Leprosarium Visit

Once in three months

Sis Ruba 012-2372286 / ruba.nack89@gmail.com

EDUCATION WING

Bal Vikas

Saturdays 5pm - 7pm

Sis Rajes 012-6316345 / rajeskannan17@gmail.com

Teen Youth Classes

Sundays, 4.30pm - 7pm

Sis Ruba 012-23722286 / ruba.nack89@gmail.com

YOUTH WING

Youthvikas

Once a month

Sis Ruba 012-2372286 / ruba.nack89@gmail.com

Bro. Tishan 014-6635531 / tishmadsen.tg@gmail.com

FB: facebook.com/pages/Sathya-Sai-Baba-Centre-of-Brickfields

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SO FAR IN 2015....

JAI SAI RAM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWAMI