BROTHERS

Swami often asks young boys, "How many brothers do you have?" Boys invariably reply along expected lines by saying two, or three, etc., as is the case. Swami then smiles and softly whispers, "All are your brothers!" After this He asks of another boy, "How many friends do you have?" Taking the cue from the earlier conversation, this second boy would say, "Swami, all are my friends." Swami would again smile, and gently say, "No, all are not your friends; God alone is your friend!"

HUNDRED RUPEES

For Bhagavan Baba, quality is always more important than quantity; and to stress it, He often says: "One ounce of cow's milk is much better than a barrel of donkey's milk!" There is an incident that graphically illustrates the point:

During the period the Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi was under construction, Bhagavan was quite busy and could not spend as much time with His students as He normally did. In the afternoons, after Darshan and a few Interviews, He would be closeted with doctors.

One day, after giving Darshan and receiving letters from the public as well as students, He adjourned as usual to the Interview room. Suddenly He came out holding a letter in His hand. Waving the letter He went towards the students and asked, "Which of you wrote this?" Hesitantly, one boy got up. Swami asked, "You wrote this?" Meekly the boy nodded his head, fearing the worst. Swami then turned towards the elders in the veranda and said, "This boy is a student here. He is very keen to contribute to the Hospital Project. In this letter, he says that he is not a doctor and therefore cannot contribute service. He is not a rich man and therefore cannot make a donation. He is only a mere student. Yet, he is keen to do his bit. So, what does he do? He saves his pocket money, collects hundred rupees and gives it Swami." So saying, Baba pulled out a hundred rupee currency note from the envelope in His hand and displayed it to the devotees there. Bhagavan then slowly added. "For Swami, these hundred rupees represent pure Love emanating from the heart. They are therefore far more valuable than a big donation made perfunctorily." God always cares only for quality and not quantity.

"I AM SWAMI"

Once in Brindavan, as Bhagavan Baba was coming out for Darshan, He saw four boys standing. Swami stopped and asked one of the boys, "What is your name?" The boy told Baba his name. Swami then asked the same question to the other three boys. Two of them gave their names but the third one said, "I am Swami." Baba then told that boy, "In that case, go and give Darshan!" and moved away.

Man certainly is an aspect of God. In fact, as Swami says, man is God. But this fact must be realised in the heart and not merely understood in the head. And having realised this basic truth, man must always have that Godly feeling. Merely declaring, "I am God!" will not do.

YOU ALSO ARE GOD

Swami loves children and can be frequently seen talking to them [especially the Birthday boys] in the veranda in Sai Kulwant Hall in Prasanthinilayam. A favourite question of His is: "Boy, how old are you?" When the boy concerned replies, Swami's next question would be: "How do you know?" Invariably the answer would be, "My mother told me." Swami would then smile and remark, "Yes, it is always the mother who is the first teacher." Changing the subject, Baba would then ask: "Where do you come from?" Quick would come the reply: "Swami, I have come from You!" Swami would laugh and then say, "I just want to know where you were born." After a bit of light banter like this, Swami would then ask, "Who am I?" Without any hesitation, the boy answers, "Swami, You are God!" Swami would smile, pat the boy and slowly say, "You also are God!"