IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING SOFTLY - AS QUOTED BY SATHYA SAI

 

*IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING SOFTLY - 

AS QUOTED BY SATHYA SAI*

 

Pl. read below a few extracts of Sathya Sai's discourses on the topic of "SPEAK SWEETLY"

 

1

*Speak softly, sweetly*, without malice in your heart; speak as if you are addressing the Sai who resides in every one. - Baba

One of the first principles of straight living is: Practice silence. For, the voice of God can be heard in the region of your heart only when the tongue is stilled. Then the storm is still and the waves are calm. *There will be no temptation for others to shout when you talk to them in whispers.*

*Set the level of tone yourself: As low as possible*, as high as necessary to reach the outermost boundary of the circle you are addressing. Conserve sound, since it is the treasure of the element space (Akasha), an emanation from God Himself.

Reason can prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up of sound. Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker. *Soft sweet speech* is the expression of genuine love. Hate screeches, fear squeals and conceit trumpets. But love sings lullabies; it soothes and applies balm. Practice the vocabulary of love; unlearn the language of hate and contempt! -

Divine Discourse, Feb 19,1970.

2

*Talk sweetly and softly. You cannot always oblige, but you can always speak obligingly.*

Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1999.

3

*The senses are gifted by God for humans to lead ideal lives. See good, think good thoughts, speak sweet words* and listen to what is good. Be good and do good. The ancient Indian Sages practised silence as a spiritual discipline because they realised the myriad benefits derived from *Mounam (silence)*.  Swami Vivekananda learnt a valuable lesson when he found that after ten days of endless talk, he had forgotten all the shlokas (verses) he had learnt by heart. By practising complete silence for a fortnight he got back his memory powers. People should realise that God's grace is secured by the sacred use of the senses endowed on man by the Divine. 

Divine Discourse, Oct 06, 1997

4

*Talk soft, talk sweet, talk only of God* - that is the process of softening the subsoil. Develop compassion and empathy; engage in service, understand the agony of poverty, disease, distress and despair; and share both tears and cheers with others. That is the way to soften the heart, and help sadhana to succeed. -

Divine Discourse, May 10, 1969.

5

*Fill every word of yours with love, fill every act of yours with love. The word that emerges from your tongue shall not stab like a knife, wound like arrows, or hit like a hammer. It must be a foundation of sweet nectar, a counsel of wisdom, a soft path of blossoms; it must shower peace and joy*.

Divine Discourse, Jul 29, 1969.

6

Spend your life in cherishing sacred thoughts, listening to good things, *speaking good words*, and doing good deeds.

Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 1993

7

Love for all should spontaneously flow from your heart and *sweeten your words*.

Divine Discourse, Mar 30, 1973

 

8

*Do not soil your tongue using it for uttering dirty words. Utter God’s name*

Divine Discourse, Apr 1973.

9

To remember the omnipresent Divine, to chant His glories and adore Him, you need the tongue (power of speech). Jayadeva *hailed the tongue as a God-given instrument to glorify the Lord. This sacred instrument should not be misused in any way for speaking ill of others or causing unhappiness to them. As enjoined in the Gita, avoid unpleasant speech and use only words that are true, comforting and good. Harshness in speech should be avoided. Only when the tongue is used in this way can it become pure and sacred. When your speech is sanctified, your life itself becomes sanctified!*-

Divine Discourse, Jan 19, 1989.

10

*As words increase, the vagaries (an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone's behavior) of the mind also increase. Annihilate the mind by quietude*. - Baba

Dhyana Vahini, Ch 8

11

*Words don’t cost anything but they are priceless. So, they have to be used with care*. - Baba

Silence is the only language of the realised. Practice moderation in speech. That will help you in many ways. It will develop love (prema), 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 that it causes in the heart of another will fester for life*. 

*The tongue is liable to four big errors: uttering falsehood, scandalising, finding fault with others, and excessive articulation. These have to be avoided if there has to be peace for the individual as well as for the 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 spiritual texts* -

Divine Discourse, Jul 22, 1958.

12

*Loving words sweeten life. Let your speech be always sweet, whatever be the circumstances*. - Baba

One important thing to be remembered is that *it is possible and desirable to utilise the full power of words through softness and sweetness*. 

*If one is anxious to see God in every object, the sweetness of the word will be of immense help. Imagine how happy others will be in your presence, and how light your minds will become by the practice of softness of expression!* 

When meditation is carried on in that happy atmosphere, how quickly concentration can be attained! 

 *Instead, if in conversation you use words that blame others and despise them, in turn you become the target of blame, and your mind gets agitated by the effect of both*; then the object of meditation is not realised because the atmosphere turns impure.  Therefore, if you really wish to be happy through meditation, as a preliminary to the process, you must be engaged either in joyful conversation or in happy thoughts and memories.

*Sweet and soft conversation helps meditation a great deal*. -

Dhyana Vahini, Ch 10.

13

*Sweet words and sweet manners lead to sweet actions and sweet reactions*. - Baba

You attach importance to quantity, but the Lord considers only quality!  *Lord doesn’t calculate how many measures of “sweet rice” you offered, but how many sweet words you uttered, and how much sweetness you added in your thoughts*! 

Divine Discourse, Feb 08, 1963.

14

*Speak with love. There is no Divinity greater than love. When you fill your heart with love, your thoughts, vision, words and deeds will be suffused with love*! -

Divine Discourse, May 07, 2001.

15

*Health does not depend on medicine. Good words, good manners, good sight, good thoughts - these are essential*. What can even powerful or costly medicines do if one is ill with bad thoughts and bad feelings? 

Divine Discourse, Nov 20, 1982.

16

*Firmly believe that God resides in all beings. Speak such words, those that would spread truth, goodness, and beauty.* - Baba

Divine Discourse, Oct 25, 1972.

17

Your thoughts, *words, and deeds should be suffused with love. Make efforts to alleviate the suffering of your fellowmen*. 

Divine Discourse, Oct 23, 2004.

18

Practise nonviolence (ahimsa). What is the meaning of nonviolence? *Ahimsa means not to hurt others by thoughts, words, and deeds*. Never leave unity of thought, word, and deed, even for a moment. Only when you observe unity of thought, word, and deed in all your endeavours will divine feelings manifest in you. 

Divine Discourse, Jul 29, 1996.

God, the LIFE GIVER & MOTIVATOR #blog0095

God, the LIFE GIVER & MOTIVATOR

श्रद्धा (faith), सबुरी (patience) are the two keywords we must have.

But again, the question is how?

No amount of so called millions of motivation speakers can motivate you - they all tell you to think positive - at the most they would say think of beautiful nature, think of good times, read something that interests you, have a hobby etc. etc.

FOR MOTIVATION, ONLY REAL METHOD IS TO HAVE/EARN MERCY OF LORD & that is possible only by loving devotion & that is possible only by listening (श्रवणम) , reading, thinking (स्मरण) about Him & dedicating our thoughts, actions & words to Him & NOT IGNORING HIM by saying we do not have time for all this & we will do that in old age.

Ask those who are old - how much time in a day they have devoted to God, how lovingly devoted to God they have become ?

Actually, loving devotion is not a question of allotting time to God but is an "attitude", bent of mind, inclination that sticks with you 24x7.

Pure devotees keep doing all their office/job & family duties & still be in touch with Lord - simply due to their attitude towards Lord.

Call it ART OF LIVING - so earlier/younger you adopt spirituality in life, the better your life would be.

For example, God motivates people to join spiritual whatsapp groups & simultaneously motivates others to write His above motivational message, as God sits inside each being to INSTILL LIFE ITSELF & also to guide & motivate for the ULTIMATE & HIGHEST & GREATEST & ETERNAL BENEFIT OF ALL WHO ARE FORTUNATE TO READ & ASSIMILATE (absorb) HIS MESSAGE/S.

Those who are unfortunate do not join at all & leave such whatsapp groups not finding anything of interest or relevant to them.

Actually each message of His is a "knock" on the door of your heart, an insinuation (hint) to open your heart's door to Him BUT we constantly ignore that "knock" & DO NOT ALLOW HIM TO ENTER OUR HEARTS AS WE WANT TO "ENJOY" OUR LIFE INDEPENDENTLY (SAYING "THIS IS MY LIFE") WITHOUT ANY INSTRUCTIONS/INTERRUPTION FROM ANYBODY, BE IT EVEN GOD IN FACT- THIS IS THE EXACT REASON WHY GOD CREATED HIS CREATION TO LET US TRY TO ENJOY LIFE INDEPENDENT OF HIM.

BUT WITH OUR TEMPORARY HUMAN BODY & LIMITED CAPABILITIES,  GRADUALLY WE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WORLD IS A PLACE FULL OF HARD WORK LABOUR (LIKE ASSES - WE ARE NOT "DOINGs" BUT WE ARE "BEINGS"), MISERIES, OLD AGE, DISEASES & DEATH, WHERE EVERYBODY IS SELFISH & THOSE FORTUNATE BEINGS, FED UP WITH WORLD'S TROUBLES & SHOCKS,  WITH SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE GRANTED BY GOD HIMSELF, TURN TO HIM IN CRY OF ANGUISH & THAT IS WHEN BHAKTI (LOVING DEVOTION TO LORD) STARTS AS THE DEVOTEE SUDDENLY FINDS IMMENSE BLISS IN THIS PURE LOVING DEVOTION WHICH IS निष्काम (without any material desire except for love of Lord).

1

https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/features/we-are-human-beings-not-human-doings/

2
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8190465-we-are-human-beings-not-human-doings

3
https://www.facebook.com/BKShivani/posts/lets-be-human-beings-not-human-doings-the-word-human-being-clarifies-that-our-pr/1235596233438198/

Story of Sita mata (सीता माता) & Valmiki ji (वाल्मिकी जी) #blog0094

SITA mata (सीता माता): 

The daughter of King Janaka who became Rāma’s wife. How she was born on earth is described in a Vedic literature known as the Devi Bhagavata as follows:

There was once a great ṛṣi called Kushadvaja who had a daughter named Vedavati, who was said to be an incarnation of the goddess Lakṣmī. Kushadvaja was petitioned by various celestials and demons for his daughter’s hand, but she had set her mind on getting Viṣṇu as her husband.

One day a demon named Shambhu asked for Vedavati’s hand in marriage, but he was refused. Becoming furious, he attacked and killed Kushadvaja. When Vedavati saw this she looked in anger at the demon and he was immediately burnt to ashes. She then went to the forest and began to meditate in order to propitiate Viṣṇu and get Him as her husband. It was at that time that Rāvaṇa came there and insulted her, as described in the prologue of this book.

After she immolated her body, it is said that Rāvaṇa took her ashes with him back to Lanka. He kept them in a gold box in his palace. However, soon after this he saw many inauspicious omens in Lanka. The Ṛṣi Nārada, on a visit to Lanka, informed Rāvaṇa that the cause of the ill omens was the presence of Vedavati’s ashes. The demon then had them thrown into the ocean.

The box containing the ashes was carried by the ocean and deposited on the seashore near Mithila. It went into the earth and it was at that place that Janaka performed a sacrifice for getting a child. A part of his sacrifice was the furrowing of the earth and he thus found the box. Lakṣmī had entered the ashes, and when Janaka unearthed the box he found a golden child inside. This child was named Sītā.

VALMIKI JI (वाल्मिकी जी)

The Rāmayana’s original author. The story of how he first came to compose the work is told in the Rāmayana itself as follows:

One day Vālmīki was visited in his ashrama by the celestial seer Nārada. Vālmīki asked him who was the most virtuous person in the world. Wanting to know if there was a perfect person anywhere, he asked, “Who is possessed of all power and knows what is right? Who is always truthful, firm of resolve and conscious of all services rendered? Who has subdued his self, conquered anger, is above fault-finding and, although being friendly to all beings, is nevertheless feared by even the gods when angry? O eminent sage, I have a great curiosity to know this and you are surely capable of telling me.”

Actually, by his own spiritual practices and meditations Vālmīki had been able to realise that the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, had appeared on the earth in a human form. He wanted Nārada, whom he saw as a spiritual master, to tell him about the Lord’s incarnation.

Nārada replied, “There is one descended in the line of Ikṣvāku and known by men as Rāma. He is powerful, radiant, resolute and has brought His senses under control. Intelligent, sagacious, eloquent, glorious and an exterminator of foes, He knows the secret of virtue, is true to His promise and is intent on the good of the people.”

Nārada went on at length describing Rāma’s many qualities. He then narrated in brief the whole story of Rāma’s pastimes. When he had finished he said, “This Rāma is now ruling in Ayodhya. Indeed, you have already met Him when He came to your ashrama. The remaining part of His pastimes are yet to be manifested. O sage, all this will soon be described by yourself. This sacred story of Rāma, known as the Rāmayana, should be heard by all men. It is on a par with the Vedas and capable of destroying all sins. Hearing or reading this narrative a man will, on departing from this world, be honored in heaven along with his sons, grandsons, followers and attendants.”

Nārada rose to leave and was worshipped by Vālmīki. As the celestial seer rose into the sky by his mystic power, Vālmīki stood thinking about Rāma. He had already sensed His divinity when he met Him some years back. Nārada had confirmed his intuition. Feeling thrilled with transcendental ecstasy, Vālmīki made his way toward the nearby river to take his midday bath, followed by his disciples.

As he went toward the riverbank, the ṛṣi surveyed the beautiful forest scenery. He saw playing among the reeds by the river a pair of cranes. Those two birds were engaged in mating and they sported together making a delightful sound.

Suddenly, as Vālmīki looked on, a niṣāda huntsman fired an arrow and struck one of the birds. Mortally wounded and covered in blood, it thrashed about on the ground screaming in pain. Its mate also cried piteously and fell about in sorrow.

Seeing this, the soft-hearted Vālmīki felt compassion. He saw the niṣāda approaching with bow in hand. In grief, he said to that hunter, “As you have slain this poor bird while it was absorbed in pleasure, may you have no peace of mind for the rest of your life.”

The curse came out in perfectly metered poetry. Astonished by this, Vālmīki said, “What have I uttered? Tormented by grief I have composed a stanza filled with that emotion.”

The sage, brooding over the incident, entered the river and took his bath. After coming out he went back to his hermitage still thinking on the rhyming couplet he had spoken to the hunter. When he reached his ashrama he took his seat and was about to commence his lessons to his disciples when Brahmā suddenly appeared there. Seeing the great creator of the universe approaching on his swan carrier, Vālmīki hastily rose and joined his palms in humility. He offered his prostrate obeisances and worshipped the deity with many prayers. Brahmā then sat down on an exalted seat quickly brought for him by Vālmīki’s students.

Even though Brahmā was present before him, Vālmīki could not stop thinking about the incident with the hunter. He again recited the verse he had composed. Feeling sorry that he had lost control of himself, he appeared dejected and sighed.

Brahmā laughed and said, “Let this poetic utterance of yours become the source of your glory. Do not brood any more, O sage. It was by my arrangement that this speech flowed from your lips. In that same meter you should now describe the pastimes on earth of the all-wise Rāma. Tell the story of that hero as you have heard it from Nārada. By my mercy you will be able to see every detail of that story, as clearly as a fruit held in the palm of your hand. Therefore, render this sacred and soul-ravishing tale into verse for the good of the world.”

Brahmā blessed the sage that his narrative would remain extant for as long as the mountains stood on the face of the earth. He also told him that he would be able to continue living anywhere he chose within the universe for the same length of time.

Having finished speaking, Brahmā disappeared. Vālmīki was filled with wonder. He and his disciples gazed in amazement at Brahmā’s seat for some time. Gradually regaining their presence of mind, the sage’s students began reciting the verse he had uttered to the hunter. They were overjoyed at the honor bestowed upon Vālmīki by Brahmā. The sage then began to meditate on Rāma’s pastimes, gradually composing the Rāmayana over the coming days.

source: 

https://vedabase.io/en/library/rkd/glossary/

 

भक्ति में रस क्यों नहीं मिल रहा है, भक्ति में उत्साह कैसे बनाए रखें HG Ravi Lochan Prabhu

 

https://youtu.be/MSFt4-o213A

Standby link (in case youtube link does not work): 

भक्ति में रस क्यों नहीं मिल रहा है भक्ति में उत्साह कैसे बनाए रखें HG Ravi Lochan Prabhu.mp4

 

0 45 व्यक्ति इन बातों पर रोता है कि मैंने अपना जीवन व्यर्थ कर दिया भगवान का नाम नहीं लिया भगवान के ग्रंथ नहीं पढ़े

1.02 एक व्यक्ति को पढ़ना नहीं आता था मगर गीता सामने रखकर रो रहा था, चैतन्य महाप्रभु ने उनसे पूछा कि क्यों रो रहे हो, कहा कि श्री कृष्ण कितने दयालु हैं किसी के लिए भी सारथी बन जाते हैं, चैतन्य महाप्रभु ने उनसे बताया की तुम शास्त्रों का सार अच्छी तरह समझ गए हो - ये थी एक उदाहरण सच्ची भक्ति की

 

3.38 नोत्पादयेद्यदि रतिं श्रम एव हि केवलम् 

https://prabhupada.io/books/sb/1/2/8 

अभी तक इतना करने के बाद भी श्री कृष्ण के चरणो में रती (attraction) नहीं हुई तो सब केवल श्रम ही है (without getting attracted to Lord Krishna, rest everything is nothing but only wasteful hard labour) 

4.14 गधा भी केवल मेहनत करता है और उस मेहनत के बदले थोड़ी सी घास मिलती है उसको मालिक से घास वैसे भी free में उपलब्ध है उसको पर गधे की बुद्धि नहीं है ऐसे ही हम भी अपनी बुद्धि का इस्तेमाल नहीं करते

5 51 इस संसार में शुरू शुरू में सब चीजें बहुत मीठी लगती है अच्छी लगती हैं मगर धीरे-धीरे रस जाता रहता है कम होता रहता है मगर श्री कृष्णा की मिठास हमेशा बढ़ती रहती है

6.24 शादी में लोग कहते हैं You are my true soul mate मगर शादी के 2 महीने बाद एक दूसरे का मुंह नहीं देखना चाहते

7 34  और हम ऐसे घोंचू लल्लू लाल हैं कि ऐसे संसार के संबंधों में invest करते जा रहे हैं

9.44  संसार से कुछ भी उम्मीद नहीं रखो कि आप को समझ पाएंगे क्योंकि वे सार ग्रहीय नहीं है जो केवल एक भक्त होता है

10.21  संसार को तो यह भी नहीं पता क्या सही है क्या गलत है मल त्यागने के बाद अपने आप को कैसे शुद्ध किया जाता है यह भी नहीं पता

10.57  worldly minded people का संग नहीं करना क्योंकि संसारी व्यक्ति देगा केवल संसार मगर जिसकी बुद्धि में श्री कृष्ण हैं वह आपको देगा श्री कृष्ण

भक्ति तो बुढ़ापे का काम है ? HG Ravi Lochan Prabhu | ISKCON Dwarka

 

भक्ति तो बुढ़ापे का काम है ? HG Ravi Lochan Prabhu | ISKCON Dwarka

https://youtu.be/J-PGvs0TTn0 

Standby link (in case youtube link does not work):

भक्ति तो बुढ़ापे का काम है HG Ravi Lochan Prabhu ISKCON Dwarka.mp4

0.0 इस आज समाज में wrong conception बन गया है कि young age is for enjoyment, ऐश करना 

0.17  जब मैंने Krishna consciousness join किया तो दोस्तों ने समझा कि ये तो पागल हो गया है

1.04 असल में हम young नहीं है old हैं, जैसे कहते हैं "I am 20 years old"  

1.17 life में कुछ भी हो सकता है, "सावधानी हटी दुर्घटना घटी"

1.30 और सबसे बड़ी दुर्घटना यही है की हम अपना पूरा समय और energy बर्बाद कर रहे हैं, young age में  कीर्तन में नाचना अच्छा लगता है, क्या बूढ़े होकर नाच सकते हैं ?

1.57 आज young को नहीं सोचना पड़ता गोवर्धन पर्वत की परिक्रमा लगाना - this means this is the right age for bhakti 

2.13 बुढ़ापे में हम exhaust (tire) हो जाएंगे हमारी desires exhaust नहीं होंगी

2.39 अंगम गलितम ….IN OLD AGE...

https://svbf.org/newsletters/year-2014/bhaja-govindam-4/

अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुण्डं दशनविहीनं जातं तुण्डम् ।

वृद्धो याति गृहीत्वा दण्डं तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापिण्डम् ॥

angam galitam palitam mundam, dashanavihīnam jātam tundam

vriddhō yāti gruhītvā dandam, tadapi na munchatyāshāpindam

The limbs (अङ्गं angam) are weakened (गलितम् galitam); the head (मुण्डम् mundam) has turned grey (पलितम् palitam); the mouth (तुण्डम् tundam) has become (जातम् jātam) toothless (दशनविहीनम् dashanavihīnam). The old man (व्रूद्ध: vrddha:) walks (याति yāti) holding (गृहीत्वा gruhītvā) a stick (दण्डम् dandam). Even then (तदपि tadapi) [he] does not give up (न मुञ्चति na munchati) his bundle of hopes and desires (आशापिण्डम् āshāpindam).

The imagery presented of an old, decrypt man unable to carry his own weight but still carrying the burden of his desires and ambition is indeed graphic. If with age, the maturity to let go does not come, then old age becomes an even greater burden after all. Recall the line “वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तासक्त: vrddhastāvat chintāsakta:” of Verse 7 in Part 2 whereby only worries and despair become the only capacity left to the old who fit the description of that verse “परमे ब्रह्मणि कोपि न सक्त: paramē brahmani kōpi na sakta:” (incapable of setting one’s mind on Brahman).Age does not automatically engender maturity. Emotional and spiritual age should indeed accompany physical age, and that is the primary import of this verse.

In the following verse, the āchārya notes that the above plight does not befall just the wealthy, who are endowed with various means for pleasure, but can befall even the homeless destitute, or for that matter even an ascetic. The poverty of desire and inadequacy is the greatest equalizer on this earth sparing none in any segment of the social scale except those who have gained an inner sense of adequacy and dispassion.

3.34 आशाओं का पिंड (box) है ये कभी खत्म नहीं होता है बुढ़ापे में भी, इस young age में हम सोच रहे हैं की बुढ़ापे में सब मेरी आशाएं खत्म हो जाएंगीं तब मैं चैन से भक्ति करूँगा - ऐसा नहीं होगा

4.19 it is very very important कि इस youth age को हम properly utilize करें, हमारा समय हमारी energy भगवान में लगाएं, क्योंकि ये समय चला गया तो फिर हमारे पास repentance के सिवाय कुछ नहीं बचेगा