Hislop: When you go out in the world, very likely you will get married. How will you relate to your wife?

Student: Swami will have given me my wife. Swami is my spiritual father and mother, and in the real sense I am born of Him. He is God, and my wife is not different from Him. He is in her heart also. So I will regard my wife as mother, sister, and God.

Hislop: Well, I have heard that Mother and Father are to be regarded as God. But this is the first time I have heard that one's wife is to be regarded as God. I believe you are going to face some problems in this matter.

SAI: (To Hislop in Telugu via another student) Ask him what he will do if his wife says he cannot come to Puttaparthi?

Hislop: You know, sometimes a wife develops a very strong personality and takes command of the family. Suppose such a wife says to you, 'You must not go to Puttaparthi.'

Student: I would not mind. You must know that a diamond has several facets. The largest face, with the most reflective power, represents God. But each smaller facet is of the same diamond. My wife, who represents a smaller facet of the diamond is also God. And my home is Puttaparthi. So I would be content with my Puttaparthi, with God in command.

Hislop: You say God is the diamond and that the brilliance of the largest facet represents Him. Suppose Swami says 'Come to Puttaparthi' and your wife says ‘Do not go.’

Student: It is God that I obey, not the wife as such. I would go to Puttaparthi.

SAI: (In another aside to Hislop) Ask him what if his wife says she would leave him.

Hislop: The wife is one body and mind. Swami is another. The wife has her independent viewpoint. You tell her 'I will go to Puttaparthi. You may stay here.' But wife says to you, 'You will not find me when you return. I will leave you.'

Student: Such a wife is not my wife. I would go to Puttaparthi. She may go according to her own decision.

SAI: Ask the boys some questions (the college boys were outside in the compound circled around Sai).

Hislop: (to student) What do you want?

Student: I want Swami.

Hislop: I mean after you graduate and go out into life.

Student: I want Swami.

Hislop: Who is Swami?

Student: He is Love. He is God.

Hislop: Where is Swami?

Student: In my heart.

Hislop: Then Swami is in your heart and you already have Swami. What do you want to do in life - doctor, lawyer, Prime Minister?

Student: I will do as Swami tells me to do.

Hislop: Who is Hislop?

Student: He is Swami.

Hislop: Then why do you not say 'I want Hislop?'

Student: Hislop is a small portion of Swami, whereas Swami is God in full.

SAI: (laughing) Hislop is a big tall man, where as Swami is a small one, about 5 feet tall.

Hislop: How do you know that Swami is God?

Student: I see He is God.

Hislop: But you see Swami's body. How do you see Him as God?

Student: We have confidence that He is God.

Hislop: Where is God?

Student: God is everywhere.

Hislop: When you look at that tree, what do you see?

Student: I see God.

Hislop: How does this faith arise that God is everywhere?

Student: There is some small experience of Swami. Then there is faith.

SAI: No. Faith comes first and then experience. Students must not only know the answers to questions. The answers must be in the conduct of their lives, and on this basis they must teach others. Faith is natural to each person. Each person has some faith in himself, some confidence in himself. And the core of his being, of himself, is Atma. From this comes the foundation of faith in himself.

A small example. One does not remember his birth and his mother tells him the date. He does not know by himself, but through faith he accepts what mother says. Father may not have been present at the event, but mother gave birth. She does not need to ask anyone. Some reflection will indicate that for the coming into being of the universe there must also be a basis. God is that basis. He knows. He need not ask anyone. In that subtle area, beyond body and intellect, only faith can exist. Faith is naturally with each person, and so also is love. Love is directed to various objects and to various persons, but love of God is the essential factor. Looking at that tree we note that the many branches, leaves and twigs have the one trunk as the factor common to all of them. The trunk, in turn, relies on the roots. To try to water each leaf and each branch would take much time, and the water would be wasted. But if we direct all the water to the roots of the tree, then each branch and leaf and twig will naturally receive moisture in the way that is best for it. As it is now, people say they love friends and relatives but do not love God. God is the basis of all the individuals. He is the Root from which all have their being. It is best to love God first and to love Him with all one's heart. Then your love will naturally include the various individuals.

Hislop: Swami, when the college boys give speeches they say that Swami gives them the words. Can this be correct?

SAI: Sai gives them confidence. With confidence the words arise automatically. (To a college boy) What do you want when you finish college?

Student: I want only to merge with Swami.

SAI: Now the Avatar has taken a body to revive Dharma. He is here, engaged in that. So what is all this talk of immortality and merging? Your whole life is before you. First, find out what is the purpose of this life. If God Himself is here to foster Dharma and you engage yourself in the same task then you are worshipping Him. Then you are near and dear to Him, for you are serving Him, His devotees, and yourself.

(On another occasion)

Hislop: (at Prashanti Nilayam) Swami, what is that new construction on the other side of the sheds?

SAI: That is an oil pressing plant. Farmers in this area can bring their groundnuts and press out the oil free of charge.

Hislop: I had heard that Swami was making a cottage industry for the villagers in these large sheds, but I did not know about the farmers.

SAI: The Gokulam is also a model dairy to show the farmers. The cottage industry is to free the villagers from their poverty by showing them how to work and have an income from work.

Hislop: That large shed beside the new High School that Swami is building, what is that for?

SAI: There the students may learn skills to help them in a practical way. How to fix machines, carpentry, electricity, plumbing, construction of buildings and so on.

Hislop: Will that be a feature of all the schools that Sai builds?

SAI: Yes. Girls will learn sewing and household skills.

(To be continued)