A Special Talk Given by Prof. Anil Kumar
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Youth Group
Part 1
18.08.2009
OM…OM…OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Revered State President, members of this august assembly, revered elders, dear young friends: I thank Swami for providing the same translator as last year. We established a good rapport. I can tell you, his translation is certainly better than the original speech. (Laughter) I am only sorry that I cannot communicate with you in Hindi, which is the national language, and I am ashamed of it. I wish I could speak to you in Hindi someday, so that I don’t need a translator. (Laughter)
I heard some speeches by people from the North, right from Vajpayee. Though we don’t all understand the language of a lecture delivered in Hindi, we can get the essence, the substance and feel the vibration, which will shake us. Some of our students in Sathya Sai University speak Hindi excellently. I always tell them, “Why don’t you contest for a Parliamentary seat? You will definitely find a place there!” (Laughter) The standard of speeches made by our students in Hindi are far superior to the speeches delivered in English, both in terms of quality, thought and presentation. Hence I beg your pardon for my inability to communicate in Hindi.
WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE OF BHAGAVAN?
What is the language of Bhagavan? He may speak in Telugu. He may speak in English. He knows all languages. But everybody understands any language spoken by Baba. How? It is the language of the heart. (Applause) Whatever He wants to say will touch your heart. He sees to it that it reaches you.
There is another Divine technique of Baba. Once it so happened, Baba was talking in Oriya with a boy from Orissa, whose mother tongue was Hindi. When Baba was speaking in Oriya, the boy was saying, “Acha Acha.”
Later I asked him, how did he understand that language? The boy said,”What nonsense are you talking? Swami spoke in Hindi, not Oriya.” (Applause) What? Can I not identify Hindi? Even though I do not know the language, I can identify it.”
Speaking in Oriya and simultaneously in Hindi is possible only for Sri Sathya Sai Baba. (Laughter) Therefore, if you ask me what language He speaks, I would say, “He speaks the language of the heart.”
BABA’S APPROACH TO EACH PERSON IS UNIQUE
Baba’s approach is different. When He talks to children, He speaks to their standard; He becomes a child. He jokes with them.
“Hey, how many idlis did you eat? How many dosas did you eat?”
“Hey Pakoda, you are so fat!” All the children start calling, “Pakoda, pakoda.”
He tells another boy, “You are not eating properly, eat some more.”
Watching Bhagavan talking to kids is really a feast for the eyes. And when the boys come out, He pinches the child’s cheek. How others wish that they too were a child!
When Swami talks to youth, He is youthful. He charges the youth with energy, with dynamism and leadership. He gives the values, and the love to live those values. We should take Baba as our youth leader. What are the qualities of youth? Who can be considered a youth? Is it by age limit? No! Youth have certain qualities. What are they?
YOUTH SHOULD BE ACTIVE AND ENERGETIC
Youth should always be active and energetic. Someone who is dull, inactive, a castor oil-faced fellow is not a member of the youth. (Laughter) I see that the youth from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are quite active, so you deserve to be members of the youth. You are really active. Why do I say that? You must have been going around Prashanthi Nilayam seeing interesting spots, waiting for Swami, coming for Bhagavan’s darshan morning and evening, attending bhajans till 7 o’ clock, and after this you are still active. I wish and pray that you continue to be active in future. First quality is activity.
YOUTH SHOULD ALWAYS BE SMILING
The second quality is also very important. You should always keep smiling. Be happy. If you cannot smile at this age, when you reach our age, you will have to roll on the ground! (Laughter)
You should be smiling always, my children. I have been working with the youth for the last forty-six years as a professor in biology. You are not even half of my age. So I know what youth is and what they expect. I live with them. So you should keep smiling all the time. Never be serious. If you are serious, it means you are sick. Always keep smiling, be happy.
When you are happy, people with you are also happy. When you are happy, your parents will be happy. Happiness is the secret to success. A smile is the secret of success. We feel like talking to some people and to some others we don’t. We want to be very close to some people and some we want to run away from. (Laughter) Smiles and happiness will send positive vibrations around. That attracts people towards you.
YOUTH SHOULD BE CREATIVE
You should be creative, innovative, and original. Youth should be creative; you should never be repetitive. You should not be monotonous. You should not be boring. You should not be carbon copies. You cannot be Xerox copies. (Laughter) You should be original and creative, because this is the age of creativity and originality.
Originality manifests in the form of your ideals and actions. Baba is the best example of one who is active and happy throughout the day. Baba is the best example of bringing happiness, because He is always happy. He does not know what unhappiness is. Baba is creatively original because He does not repeat anything anytime.
YOUTH SHOULD HAVE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
Leadership is very important. Most of the leaders are from the North, because North India has faced so many wars. North India has faced invasions of different kinds. Therefore, those from the North are quite energetic, ferocious and courageous; whereas we from the South are not that courageous because we have not faced any wars. Even in personality, the wheat- eating people from the North are quite tall, slim and trim, whereas those from the South are quite weighty. (Laughter) Therefore, you should have leadership qualities. You should not be a follower, you should be a leader. Baba is the best leader that the world has ever produced.
Service activities taken up by Baba today are adopted by several state governments all over India. Baba’s education system is adopted both in India and abroad. That is being a leader. Therefore, a leader should have originality, new vision, new plans and new programmes all the time. This is the fourth quality I want you to learn from Bhagavan.
YOUTH SHOULD BE READY FOR SERVICE ANY TIME
And the fifth quality is service. All youth should be ready for service at any time. Service is the thing that you can do at this age. People beyond sixty have arthritis, bronchitis, pneumonitis, and spondylitis . . . all kinds of horrible diseases. (Laughter) You cannot sit, and when you sit, you cannot get up. You cannot eat; even if you eat, you cannot digest. That is a useless body. A youthful body is first class! Youth is like a Boeing 747, very fast and perfect. Therefore, you should be always ready to serve with enthusiasm.
When there was an earthquake in Gujarat, Baba announced that He would send volunteers and start service activities there. When there was some problem in Orissa, He jumped into action by constructing thousands of houses there. Service is an opportunity. Service is a blessing. Service is the best form of prayer. Service is the only way to be at the Feet of God. Service is the easiest path to win the favour of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. (Applause)
Those who serve are very, very dear to Him. He will never forget anybody who serves. I followed Swami to Bombay and Delhi. In Delhi, He was to go to Nehru Stadium. About a hundred cars were going that way and also police cars as escorts. Suddenly Baba said, “Not this way. Let Me go that way.” He changed the route.
Police were rushing one after another, following Him. He drove straight to a pandal where ladies and a few men were busy making chapattis. They were so busy making chapattis for thousands of volunteers that they did not notice the presence of Baba. They were chanting “Sai Ram, Sai Ram, Sai Ram, Sai Ram!” Baba had to go and stand before them and say, “I am Sathya Sai Baba, look at Me!” They all started running towards Him. Then Bhagavan said, “All the people are coming here to see Me. All the people are coming here to hear Me. But I have come to see you.” Therefore my friends, wherever there is service, Baba is there.
I can give another example. Your state president must have attended the All India Conference that was held at Rajahmundry. That conference set a record, even to this day, as East Godavari is known for plenty and prosperity. Baba visited every village there. The Godavari District is a district of devotion and sacrifice. Sweets not available anywhere in the world were served to the delegates . . . five sweets in the morning, five sweets in the evening, and plenty of ghee. You don’t drink water in Godavari District; instead they offer you coconut water. That is the standard of that district. Swami liked them very much. Don’t think that I belong to Godavari District; I do not. (Laughter) I belong to a district of tobacco, by the name of Guntur. Guntur is known for tobacco and is also known for chillies. Therefore, I am also hot! (Laughter)
Swami was speaking in the pandal in Rajahmundry at that time. Thousands of devotees were listening to Him. But in the big pandal, even in the distance where all dining arrangements were being made, people could also hear Him. All those working in the kitchen could see Him at the same time, on the same day, at the same location, at the same moment. That is Sathya Sai Baba. You can talk to anybody and verify what I am saying.
Later Baba said, “You have come to hear Me, while they have come to serve you. Both are important to Me. This group is one eye, that group is another eye. Both are My eyes. I have to bless both of you.” That is Sathya Sai Baba.
Therefore, the fifth point is that youth should be men and women of service. I will ask questions, and you should tell me all these points at the end. I will see how intelligent you are. I don’t have to test because you are all very intelligent.
YOUTH SHOULD BE PERFECTLY BALANCED
The sixth quality that you need to have is this: never be frustrated or disappointed because of failures. Don’t be proud because of your success. If you are proud of your success, you will be egoistic. If you are frustrated because of your failures, you will be psychotic.
If you are successful, you must say, “Oh Swami, thank You, You are encouraging me.”
If you are a failure you must say, “Thank you Bhagavan, You are teaching me a lesson!”
After all, success and failure are both experiences. That will give us balance of mind. Therefore, all youngsters should be perfectly, totally balanced.
How will we be balanced? When I get first class, I will naturally be happy. When I fail, I will be depressed. How can I be balanced in both situations? Baba gave a simple formula. A question was put to Him. “Swami, how are You balanced always? Why are You not disturbed at any time?”
You know what He said? “I don’t think of the past, because the past is over. Why should I think of it? The past is history. I don’t think of the future; it is yet to come. It is mystery. Past is history. Future is mystery. Why should I worry?” (Laughter)
So live in the present. Live in the moment. This is the key to balance.
So, youth from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh should learn to live in the moment, live in the present, never in the past or in the future. Why? This moment is God. This existence is Divine. God is not past. God is not future. God is in the present.
Where is God? God is here, now! That is the answer.
Therefore my friends, live in the present. Live in the company of God. Experience Him. Be balanced.
YOUTH SHOULD BE PATRIOTIC
The seventh point is that you should always feel proud of your country. Be patriotic. I tell you, there is no other country more beautiful than India. Please believe me. I was thinking that foreign countries are more beautiful. Baba blessed me with opportunities to visit around sixteen countries, where there are the same streets, the same dress and the same food. It is very boring!
If you go to Tamil Nadu, you see lungies (a type of dress), and eat idli and sambar. (Laughter) If you go to Punjab, there is Punjabi dress and parotha. From state to state, there is a difference in culture.
The way ladies wear sarees in Tamil Nadu is different from that of Gujarat. Left to right or something like that—there is some difference. Style is different, fashion is different, habits are different, food is different and houses are different. There is multiplicity and variety in India. Such a lovely country this is!
You have temples everywhere, right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. You have Mahabharatha, Bhagavatham, Ramayana . . . all highly respected, repeated and read everywhere. What a sacred land this is! One must have done a lot of merit in the past to have been born in this country. It is not possible for everyone to be born here. It is very special; a very special category of population has taken birth here.
God is born in this country as Avatar—nowhere else in the world. All Avatars have taken birth here. The most ancient spiritual literature, the Vedas, which are thousands of years old were born in this land—Veda bhoomi. This is a country that thinks of God more than any other country. Before you dance, you do namaskaram to the land. Before you drive, you do namaskar to the steering wheel. We don’t do anything without first doing namaskar, whether dancing or singing, whatever it may be. Why? Spirituality! Spirituality is in the blood and bone marrow of every Indian.
In foreign countries, doctors, particularly psychiatrists, have lots of practice. A rich fellow is mentally sick because he wants to be richer. A man with less money is sick because he wants to be rich. Between husband and wife there is no harmony, there is no trust. I am not criticising them. They have many good points. We have many good things to learn from them. My idea is to tell you the precious things about this country.
A land that spends time in the constant thought of God is Punya Bhoomi . . . the meritorious land. Do you know, today all over the world people ask you, “How do you meditate? What is meditation? What is yoga?” This is Dhyana Bhoomi. This is Yoga Bhoomi and we are citizens of this holy land. We should feel very proud of this country. This is expected from our youth.
Baba is the best example. I know a few people who came to Swami and said, “Swami, we will arrange a chartered airplane. You come with some guests and students, and we will take You all over the world.” They made a plan. And they also made some kind of imaginary plan about where VIPs can be seated, where devotees can be seated, where the army can be seated. I saw that plan!
Do you know what Baba said? “The whole world has come to Me. I won’t go anywhere.” Why? Because this is the land where the Avatar has taken birth. A tree grows widely with branches spread all over, with foliated leaves. It is heavy. The goats and cows stand under the tree and enjoy the shade and shelter. Prashanthi Nilayam is a gigantic tree under which the whole world is enjoying shade and shelter. Further Baba said, “With jaggery a few ants can come and carry the jaggery anywhere. But no one can take Me anywhere. Only my devotees can take Me somewhere.” He loves this country, and we should learn patriotism from Baba. Youth should learn that.
YOUTH SHOULD HAVE GOOD HEALTH
Youth should have very good health. It is rather pitiful to notice some who cannot stand for five minutes. It is also a pity to find some boys leaning on the table. No, my boys, no! Eat well, exercise, have an iron body—a sound mind in a sound body. If the body is weak, the mind will also be weak. When the mind is weak, the body will be weak. There is a relationship between the body and the mind. That is called psycho-somatic relationship. Therefore, we must have a strong body. That is very important.
You may find some fellow with a gold medal, but a cloud in the sky can make him catch a cold. Useless fellows! What is the use? The gold medal is useless; you should sell it in the market.
Body is very important. I am very happy when I see some good bodies. (Laughter) Therefore my friends, have a strong body. How to have a strong body? How to have strength? Here is the secret. Baba gave that secret, which I am telling you. To be young always, to be youthful always, to be physically strong, what should you do? “See no evil, see what is good. Hear no evil, hear what is good. Think no evil, think what is good. Do no evil, do what is good.” This is the secret to being young. This is the secret to continued youth.
Some people in their old age are more active than most youngsters. Why? Because of their regulated life. Regulate your food—have a specific time to have your lunch and dinner. Eat what is fresh, not the cold, rotten, refrigerated stuff. I am allergic to it. I want to stop it, but because of my wife, I cannot. (Laughter) I always want hot, hot stuff. Therefore my friends, eat fresh. These are the things Baba said.
He said about food habits: eat at a particular time, and don’t eat all day. It is like putting things in the dustbin all the time. Life is not a process of loading and unloading. (Laughter) Therefore, have a good body with good habits. Have a powerful mind with good concentration.
Baba never forgets anybody. He identifies those whom He met fifty years ago. Forgetfulness or loss of memory is not in His lifestyle. Why? Concentration. You should see Bhagavan watching dramas. When He watches a drama, He gets completely involved. You must have watched Him. There may be anyone on either side—the President or Prime Minister, Aishwarya Rai or Madhuri Dixit or anyone. He will only focus on the drama (Laughter)—full concentration, full attention, no deviation, totally alert and completely aware. That is the secret to being mentally sharp.
When you read, read . . . that’s all. When you play, come on play, that’s all. Don’t think of studies in the playground, or at the football game. Don’t think of cricket in the laboratory. Whatever you do with full concentration is meditation, understand that. Walking is meditation; talking is meditation; reading is meditation; writing is meditation.
Where there is 100% concentrated attention, that is meditation. You should have that kind of concentration. Because in the classroom, I find some faces that are meditating and some faces that are non-meditating. Because of my experience as a professor, I can tell who is hearing attentively and who is not. Therefore my friends, you should have concentrated attention. It is a great quality to have.
YOUTH SHOULD LOVE AND RESPECT THEIR PARENTS
Youth should have another most important quality—respect and love for parents. They should respect and love them, serve them, please them and make them happy. The best example is Sathya Sai Baba. I think His mother died in the year 1972. When He thinks of His Mother’s name today, He starts crying. If anybody speaks of mothers, He is touched and He becomes emotional. That is the kind of love one should have towards their parents.
The first school He started was in His Mother’s name, Easwaramma High School. Later it was Easwaramma Mobile Medical Van all over the world. He established a Kalyana Mantap in the name of his father—Pedda Venkama Raju Kalyana Mandapam.
The Samadhi of both His parents is on Samadhi Road. Every birthday, He goes there. The Samadhi road is very narrow. I live along that street, where the staff quarters are. It is a horrible street, very narrow and always busy. In those days everything was open, but today it is over-crowded. He goes all the way to the Samadhi, goes around the Samadhi and returns.
When God is like that, how about man? When God is so respectful, worshipful and grateful towards parents, how about man? Therefore my friends, you should have that kind of love for your parents. Further He says, “Your blood, your money, your head are your parents’ gift.” Be grateful to them. If you make your parents unhappy, your children will make you unhappy tomorrow. Therefore, we should never displease our parents.
Baba gives an example of Gopichand. Once, two brothers had come to the railway station to see their parents, who were coming from a long distance. They both got into the compartment where their parents were seated. The first brother touched the feet of both parents.
“Amma, how are you? How are you father? How was your journey? Did you eat some food? Are you fine?”
He asked such nice questions, whereas the second fellow was just looking around, full of arrogance and ego. The father felt badly and told his worries to the mother. “The first fellow is so good. How about the second fellow? The first fellow takes more after me and second fellow takes more after you.” (Laughter)
Mother is mother, and she said, “Please don’t be angry with him; he is after all very young. He doesn’t know these things. He has love in his heart, but he is not in the habit of expressing it.”
Mothers always defend such fellows.
After many years, the first brother became a judge in the High Court. Everybody started saluting him. Why? The fellow did namaskar to his parents; therefore the whole world is doing namaskar to him. Where is the second brother? The second brother is appointed as a peon in the same court doing salam (saluting) to everybody. Why? He did not do namaskars to his parents; therefore he is doing salam to every buffalo in the street! This is the example given by Baba.
So my friends, as Sai youth you should make your parents feel proud. You should make the nation feel proud of you. You should make your teachers, professors, and everybody feel proud of you. I am sure Sai youth are very special. You don’t need any conduct certificate. You do not need any testimonials from anybody. You do not need references from anybody. If you say “Sai youth” it is the best and highest conduct certificate. Sai youth, okay, that is enough! We don’t need to verify.
Our boys appear for interviews. When they see “Sai student” — “Accha, selected!” So, “Sai youth of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh?” Yes, selected!
Every commodity has a brand. Biscuits . . . Britannia . . . good. Chocolates . . . Nutrine or Parrys? Good! Need an almirah (a metal closet)? Godrej, good! Sai Youth . . . very good! (Laughter) That is the standard expected of you.
I should also tell you another point. You might have been born in Chhattisgarh or Madhya Pradesh; your nativity may be of that state. You can tell someone, “I am born in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh or Bihar.” There is nothing wrong about it. But actually, Sai youth are not only from Madhya Pradesh, not only from Chhattisgarh. Sai youth are international. Understand this.
You can go to any country; you can go to any state. A currency note of 50 rupees or 100 rupees, 500 rupees, or 1000 rupees is the same all over India. A Hindi-speaking person has no separate currency. An Andhra Pradesh person has no separate 500 rupees currency. Currency is the same. The quality of Sai youth is the same, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. We should maintain that kind of quality, that kind of personality, and should have that kind of individuality.
We should be trustworthy, we should be competent, we should be proficient, and we should be efficient. Proficiency is knowledge, while efficiency is a skill. Mere proficiency is useless. Suppose a fellow has a gold medal in medicine; he is proficient in medicine. But if he gives medicine and the patient goes to the other world, he is not efficient. It is not enough to be proficient; he should also be efficient. Therefore, Sai youth are both efficient and proficient. Because of your discipline, because of Baba’s blessings, you are all going to be evergreen heroes.
Old age will be afraid of you. It will run away from you, because Sai youth are youthful. I tell everybody, “I may not belong to youth. But I am youthful.” Being a youth and being youthful are different, something like efficient and proficient. So you should be youth and youthful . . . that is in the hands of Sai youth.
I am very happy to have met you this evening, and am extremely happy to see the large number of youngsters. I am also very happy to know that there are many who are new to this place. I am also happy to see so many office bearers, elders, seniors and leaders of the Sathya Sai Organisation. I am very grateful to all of you for your gracious presence, and am thankful for your kind invitation. I am really proud of you boys and girls. You made me young once again, like a college boy. I imagine myself as a student of my college; I imagine myself in those initial days of my job as a professor.
Any man of any job may retire; any man of any job may be old. There is only one job that has no retirement, one job that never ages. That is the job of a professor. I am proud to be a professor because I don’t find the happiness I have in any of my classmates, who are now serving as Class I Officers. After all, my bank account is nil. Baba always says, “Anil, your bank account is nil.” But Baba said once again, “Because you are with Me, My grace is full.” So, Anil is nil in respect to money, but Anil is full of Baba’s grace!
I am so happy to meet you all, so many, many youngsters. I assure the leadership of the Sathya Sai Organisation that is seated here that they don’t need to worry about the Sathya Sai Organisation. The youngsters of Madhya Pradesh are ready to take on responsibilities. Some of you seniors are worried about what will happen to the Sathya Sai Organisation. Some of you feel sad watching the present generation of youngsters. But be sure, the Sathya Sai Organisation is going to be more and more glorious because of the youth from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It is going to grow more and more. It is going to attain greater heights. Sathya Sai flag will fly in both the states far, far higher.
God bless you. I thank the translator for doing a good job.
Prof. Anil Kumar ended his talk by singing the bhajan, “Govinda Gopala Hey Nanda Lala”.
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