This year, 2010, marks the celebration of 85 years of the Advent of the Avatar, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Today thousands throng to see Him, to listen to Him and experience the peace of being in His presence. The number of lives that are transformed, families that are united and youngsters who have become role models is countless. The Lord has tirelessly worked to ensure that man learns to lead a life that is more fulfilling and gratifying. Not only has He spoken on innumerable occasions in His ashrams be it in Prasanthi Nilayam or Whitefield or Kodai Kanal, but also, over the years, has painstakingly traveled to umpteen locations to wake up the ignorant and the indolent so that they do not miss this golden opportunity to sanctify their lives. Everywhere the Lord went, He delivered a masterly discourse which stirred people out of their sloth and indifference. In the below quiz we attempt to give you a tiny glimpse of this Divine Mission by taking you through those precious messages communicated by Bhagavan at various locations from the North to the South, and the East to the West of India.

1.During His visit to Rajahmundry in 1958, Swami inspired all the devotees assembled there with His Divine Discourse. He said: “My nature can be understood by you only when you wear the glasses of holiness; holy things can be cognized only by the holy seeker. You get what you search for; you see what your eyes crave for. The doctor is found where patients gather; the surgeon stays in the operation ward. So too, the Lord is ever with the suffering and the struggling. Whenever people cry out in agony: ‘Oh God,’ there, God will be.

“The credentials of one doctor can be examined and judged only by another doctor; the patient has to believe and carry out his instructions if he desires to improve. He can give his judgment on the doctor only after the course of treatment is complete. Unless he obeys the orders of the doctor strictly and to the very letter, he has no authority to pronounce judgment. So what can you now speak about Me? Follow My prescription!”

According to Swami, in order to let our ‘prescription’ which is sadhana (spiritual efforts) like meditation, chanting his name, etc. be effective, what are the ‘dietary and other regulations’ that is required?

A. Always be truthful
B. Lead a regulated life
C. Spread the glories of God
D. Cultivate Divine Love in the Self

2. During His visit to Mysore City in 1961, Swami enthused the devotees with His Divine Discourse in which he gave salient spiritual guidance. He said, “Though I have been coming to this City for over twenty years now, this is the first time I am speaking to a gathering of the people living here. The time, the need and the deed have to coincide; and today they have.

“The city of Mysore has earned fame by its devotion to music, sculpture and other fine arts. But there is one thing finer than all these: the Art of Living. Many a person skilled in other fields is a failure in so far as this art is concerned. He lives miserably, without a trace of joy or contentment or peace. He knows only pain and he gives others only pain.

“Mysore is also famous for the fragrance of its sandalwood; so far so good. But I would like the fragrance to emanate from your feelings and thoughts and deeds, not so much from the trees that grow in the forests. Then only is the fame fully deserved. If the sense of beauty and the sense of harmony are not translated into the daily life of men, women and children, then that life is a waste, a burden, a hoax.”

During this Divine Discourse in Mysore, Swami gifted mankind with a beautiful morning/evening prayer sharing a profound thought: “Know that waking from sleep is but _________”

A. Fresh test of our faith in God
B. Only due to God’s Grace!
C. Birth
D. A mere co-incidence!

3. During His visit to Repalle, in 1961, for the installation of His idol in the temple there, Swami imparted a very important teaching: “Remember, Sai does not live in structures of stone or brick and mortar! He lives in soft hearts, warm with sympathy and fragrant with universal Love. Temples and image-worship have some value in stimulating the higher impulses of man, of diverting his instincts along more socially useful channels…this marble image is only a container. The thing contained is Sai thathwa (principle). Just as a cup is the aadhaara (base support) and the milk in it is the aadheya (supported), you pour Sai thathwa in this Form and you call it Sai Baba; you pour it in another vessel of a different form and call it Shrinivasa, or Shiva or Krishna or Rama.

“Installing this marble image in the Mandir yonder does not mean the end of all effort for you. In fact, it is just the beginning…One chapter of your thapas (penance) is over; you have got this idol and you have organized this function but the next chapter is ________”

A. To make it alive through devotion
B. To keep the temple and the surroundings very clean
C. To conduct bhajans regularly
D. To start balvikas for children

4. During His visit to Lucknow in 1961, Swami expressed a lot of joy: “This gathering makes Me very happy, as people from Andhra, Mysore, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have joined together to arrange this meeting…Perhaps, you thought I was an Andhra or a South Indian! The whole world is My Mansion; it has many rooms, each State being just one room in that mansion of Mine. I came here to tell you this truth about Me.  And also to instruct you to not attach so much importance to the language you speak. It is the meaning that is important, or the feelings you express, and the behaviour you adopt. The language of the heart is expressed through sympathy, kindness, service, love, brotherliness. That is the language that really matters; that language can be understood by every one…

“The Governor, in his introductory speech, spoke of India's daridrya (poverty) and deplored this plight. But why deplore the plight of a land where the Lord Himself is moving as an Avathar? In what way are you deficient? This land is fully equipped with all the resources needed for a happy life. People can get all the light they want by just switching 'on'! But they do not know how to do it or where the switch is, that is all.

“India has the treasure that will make her  ________of all Humanity.”

A. The Richest in values
B. The Guru
C. The most Glorious
D. Extremely prosperous

5. During His visit to the Women’s College in Mysore, in1963, Swami very eloquently imparted very empowering messages for all women: “Remember, Gunaposhana (nourishing the good qualities) is as important as deha-poshana (nourishing the body). You go about filling every bus, in attractive dresses, and carrying heaps of books, but, let Me tell you, the greatest beauty aid for women is sheelam (virtue). Attach importance to nishttha (discipline), and not to naashttha (breakfast). You can miss naashtha but not nishttha.

“Live a regulated and disciplined life from now on; make it a habit, an armour that will protect you from harm. Pray to God and recite His Name or meditate on His Glory for some fixed period of time everyday; you will find it amply rewarding. Don't say, ‘Let me have a taste of the reward and then, I shall start the saadhana.’ Practice, and the experience will follow; it must follow.

“This College is known as the Mahaaraani's Womens’ College. I want each of you to be a Mahaaraani (Queen) of your household. Mahaaraanis watch the world from the inner apartments of the palace, through interstices in the wall or enclosures; they can see, but they are safe from other eyes. That is the highest sthree-dharma (Women's duty), as laid down in the shaasthras (scriptures); you should not be seen or talked about; you must be away from public gaze; you must be silent and invisible partners, inspirers and teachers.”

Swami then enforced His message strongly: “People call you _______. Do not believe it.”

A. Lazy
B. Weak
C. Manipulative
D. Unintelligent

6. During His visit to Venkatagiri in 1964, Swami invoked intense devotion in each blessed soul who heard His Divine discourse there. He said: “You are as distant from the Lord as you think you are, as near Him as you feel you are. Well, let Me tell you this. The distance from Me to you is the same as the distance from you to Me, is it not? But, you complain that I am far, far from you, though you are approaching nearer and nearer. How can that be? I am as near you as you are near Me.

“That nearness is won by Devotion, which cannot be steady except after getting rid of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’.  When a prisoner is taken from place to place, he is accompanied by two constables, is it not? When man who is a prisoner in this jail moves from one place to another, he too is accompanied by Ahamkaram and Mamakaram:Egoism and Attachment. When he moves about without these two, you can be sure he is a free man, liberated from prison.”

According to Swami what attitude should we adopt in this jail to free ourselves from the imprisonment of egoism and attachment?

A . Sincere repentance
B. Humility in our character
C. Refrain from adding more negative karmas
D. Accept the sentence quietly

7. During His trip to the Dharmakshethra temple in Bombay, in 1969, Swami enlightened everyone with the knowledge of the power of using the japamaala (rosary beads). He said:

“The japamaala teaches you the Unity, though it has 108 beads! Why 108 beads? 108 is the product when 12 is multiplied 9 times…9 is the Brahman Number, for it is always 9, however many times you multiply it! It is immutable, for 9 multiplied by any number finally adds up to 9. So, when you turn the beads, impress upon yourself the fact that there is both truth and travesty in the world, and that travesty attracts, distracts and delights in deceiving you, it diverts you into devious paths, while the truth makes you free!

“Now about the beads, before everything you must know the symbolism of the fingers. The thumb represents Brahman, the Eternal Absolute, the Immanent Principle. The forefinger, the index one, which indicates this and that, you and other, is the Jeevi, the Individual, feeling separate and distinct. When these two are joined at the tip, held in that position, it is the Jnaana mudhra, the Gesture of Wisdom, for, wisdom consists in the Jeevi becoming One with the Brahman, the Mergence of that which felt that it had emerged! The other three fingers represent Prakrithi orthe Objective World, which is negated when the mergence is affected. They are the three Gunas, the Saathwik, the Raajasik and the Thaamasik (qualities of purity, passion and inertia), that by their interplay create the phenomenal world.”

According to Swami, until when should we do the japamaala (rosary beads)?

A. Until our last breath!
B. Every morning and night
C. Only when we are depressed
D. We should not be bound by it forever

8. During His visit to Madras, in 1964, Swami taught the devotees the importance of faith in each one’s own culture. He said:

“The Lord cares for ekaagratha and chittha-suddhi (concentration and purity of mind). You need not feel that you are physically away from Him. He has no 'near' and 'far'. If the address is clear and correct, for the same stamp, your letter will be delivered, be it the next street or Kolkata or Mumbai.

“Smarana (remembrance) is the stamp; manana (recapitulation) is the address. Have the Name for smarana;theForm for manana, that is enough. Select one Name and one Form for smarana and manana; but do not talk ill of other names and forms. Behave like the woman in a joint family; she respects and serves the elders of the family such as the father-in-law, and his brothers and her own brother-in-law, but her heart is dedicated to her husband, whom she loves and reveres in a special manner. If you carp at the faith of others, your devotion is fake. If you are sincere, you will appreciate the sincerity of others. You see faults in others because you yourself have those faults, not otherwise.”

According to Swami, what is the best way of respecting others’ cultures?

A. Go periodically to other churches and learn about their faith
B. Discuss within one’s own church the current advancements of other faiths
C. Accept the things that help us control our mind and senses
D. Have an attitude of non-interference

9. During His visit to Yerpedu (Andhra Pradesh), in 1964, Swami emphasized His Divine Role to all those who were present, and said: “Here I must tell you something about Myself, like leaving a Visiting Card here. My task is not merely to cure and console, remove individual misery. It is something far more important…My main task is the re-establishment of vedas and shasthras (ancient scriptures)in the heart of Bharatha varsha (India)and the revival of knowledge about them in the people. This task will succeed; it will not be impeded by any obstacle. It will not be limited or slowed. When the Lord decides and wills, His sankalpa (Resolve) cannot be hindered; it will not be hindered. You must have heard people say that Mine is all magic, black or white. Well, these people may also say that Krishna lifted Govardhanagiri by means of black magic, or that Rama built a bridge over the sea, by black magic!

“Of course, there is magic in the world both white and black; but, the manifestation of Divine Power must not be interpreted as magic. Can the crow's egg and the cuckoo's egg be identified as belonging to one class? Magicians play their tricks for earning a livelihood. They use it for worldly fame and wealth. They are based on falsehood and they thrive on deceit and ignorance. This Body can never stoop to that level. No, never. This Body has come through Divine Sankalpa (the Lord's Resolve). That resolve is intended to uphold Sathya (Truth). Bhagavathsankalpa (God's resolve) is always Sathya-sankalpa (resolve that comes true).”

Swami then talked about ‘work’: “The work that each does is important for the whole community; there is no high or low. It is not for this, that one has to compete with others…” According to Swami, what must we compete with then?

A. How quickly we can learn our sadhanas
B. How our character shines
C. How quickly we march towards God
D. How we get along with all other faiths

10. During His visit to Hyderabad, in1972, Swami spoke highly about the upcoming construction of the temple Shivam: “The construction of this Mandir named Shivam is a special Sadhana for the residents of Bhaagyanagara (Hyderabad). Its appearance is unique, for it is to be built in the shape of a Linga, the form most approximate to the conception of the Formless, Attributeless, Absolute. The Linga is the form of God, emerging from the Niraakara (formless) to the Saakara (one with form). Other aakaaras (Forms) are all subsumed in the Linga Form. Prakruthi, the objective world, is the base; it signifies that the Lord is established in that manifestation of His, which is the concrete presentation of His play, His potentiality and His Shakthi (Power).

“Shiva wears the crescent on His crown so that the soft moonlight might mark out the pilgrim route to God, and make the journey less toilsome. He spreads joy and peace. But, the fiery, ferocious poison is hidden behind the blue patch on Shiva’s throat. That is a lesson for man: keep under restraint, within you, the qualities and tendencies that are anti-social, the poisonous hatreds and competitive greed. The Shivam does not mean any particular God or unit of the Trinity. It includes all mankind, for man has to realize that he is Shivam.”

According to Swami, what is the meaning of ‘Shivam’?

A. Goodness
B. Beauty
C. Truth
D. Divine Protector

Dear Reader, did you like this quiz? Is it too difficult? Is it interactive enough? Would you like more such quizzes? Please help us in serving you better by writing to h2h@radiosai.org mentioning your name and country. Thank you for your time.

- Heart2Heart Team