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Posted on: Mar 31, 2014
Celebrate Ugadi by Sacrificing Selfishness and
Embracing Selflessness
The dawn of a new year always brings with it a new hope; a hope for good change, improvement and better tidings. Though this change need not necessarily wait for a new year, we inadvertently connect the two. This leads to the year being welcomed with hope-suffused celebrations and, eager and anxious prayers. In all this we forget that every new year is a reminder that time moves on swiftly, and that it is indeed necessary for us to introspect whether we are living the purpose for which this life is given to us.
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Celebrations of such festivals in Bhagawan’s presence were special for this very reason. Yes there is rejoicing and revelry. But Bhagawan always drew our attention to the essential significance of the observance, and made sure that the soft spiritual calling is not drowned in the din of the festivity.
So let us all begin this Ugadi (New Year day for Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Marwari, Kashmiri, Konkani and Sindhi people) by reading and listening to this Ugadi message of Baba, delivered on 13 April 2002 where Swami teaches us the best way to celebrate this festival. What better way than this to start this year named ‘Jaya’ (Victory)? May we all imbibe this message and move closer to our own ‘Spiritual Victory'’
Embodiments of love!
For ages and generations we have been enjoying the bliss of celebrating this festival of Ugadi. Bharathiyas (Indians), through their spiritual insights have been conferring peace and security to all the countries. That is the reason why, from olden times to today, the prayer Loka samasthaa sukhino bhavanthu (May all beings everywhere be happy) is chanted. Today’s man has progressed well physically and materialistically. But in terms of ethical behavior, he is not able to keep criticism and narrow mindedness under check.
If one enquires and introspects deeply, one would realise that selfishness and self-interest are the root cause. Man today does not love material objects for their sake; he does not love individuals for their sake, nor does he love the country for the sake of the country’s welfare.
Whatever one sees, listens or thinks is being used for self-interests and selfishness alone. We will be celebrating Ugadi in its true spirit only when we give up our narrow-mindedness and selfishness. On Ugadi day, people wake up early, have a sacred bath, put on new clothes and relish sweets and delicacies. It is rather easy to have external cleanliness and to wear new clothes. They are interested only in external cleanliness and are not concerned about purifying their hearts which are tainted with evil thoughts and evil feelings. But that is not the purpose of celebrating festivals. True celebration of Ugadi lies in purifying one’s heart, developing selflessness and giving up evil tendencies, thus, making man noble.
Embodiments of Love! Today is Ugadi. Since it marks the beginning (adi) of an era (yuga), it is called Ugadi.
Ugadi has been celebrated from times immemorial. Though many Ugadis have gone by, the evil tendencies in our hearts have not gone. The day when you give up bad qualities, fill your hearts with love and take to the path of sacrifice, is true Ugadi.
What you eat and wear alone does not qualify this day as Ugadi. Today you may wear a new shirt, but how long will it remain new? Tomorrow it becomes old! Nobody reads the same newspaper every day. Today’s newspaper becomes tomorrow’s waste paper. Our life too is like a newspaper. Once you have finished reading a newspaper, you do not like to read it again and again. You have been given this life, and you experienced it. Enough is enough! Do not ask for another birth now; just as you would not read the same newspaper again. You have read through this newspaper, you have experienced it, you have rejoiced, you have suffered, you have gone through it all, now do not seek another.
You should pray, “Oh God! You have given me this newspaper (life) today and I have experienced all that I need to. I do not want to have another newspaper; I don’t want another birth”.
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Many things happen in this world. We perform various tasks and undergo many experiences. But what is the use of all this, for it is unable to give us bliss. Neither by wealth nor by action nor by study of texts nor by darshan, sparshan and sambhashan (vision, touch and conversation) of noble souls can man attain eternal bliss. You can visualise the manifestation of God and experience bliss only when you purifies your heart.
Love all. Have faith that God is present in all. Make everybody happy. Only then can you attain happiness. It is impossible for you to attain happiness without making others happy.
What is it that we have to do on this day of Ugadi? Starting today, we must make efforts to purify our hearts. Past is past. It will not come back. We have seen the path, we have walked on. Now, we should look at the path before us. What is the point in looking behind? Future is not sure, so that is not the truth for us. Even that will pass on in a moment. What is the guarantee that we will be alive until tomorrow? So, do not worry or think about your future; do not muse about the past. Live in the present. Present is the important thing. It is not ordinary present; it is omnipresent. So, when you sanctify the present, the past and the future shall be sanctified automatically.
Embodiments of Love!
Today is the New Year day for the people of Andhra Pradesh. Tomorrow will be the Tamil New Year day and that will be followed by Vishu (the New Year Day) for the people of Kerala. Such festivals keep coming one after the other. There is no dearth of festivals. What is needed is the intellect to experience and understand their true significance.
Embodiments of Love!
Right from this day, from this moment, start giving up your bad feelings, thoughts and habits. Thereby make your hearts sacred. Only then will your obtain bliss. There is no point in reading sacred texts or visiting noble souls unless you purify your heart in the first instance. Let your thoughts, words and deeds be sacred. This is the true significance of celebrating Ugadi.
If the feelings are sacred, the result is bound to be sacred. When you undertake any task with a sacred heart, you will instantly get sacred results. You do not have to look for anybody as proof of this statement. I Myself am the proof for this. There is no trace of selfishness in whatever task I undertake. Whatever I do is for the benefit of humanity. Many people do not try to understand this and think that it is done with some expectation. But I do not expect anything from anybody nor do I get any benefit out of it. I derive only one benefit, i.e., I feel happy when everybody is happy.
So too, as you all claim to be Sai devotees, you also should strictly adhere to the Sai path and experience the joy therefrom. When you follow in My footsteps, you too will certainly achieve sacred results, and also earn a good name. And this will happen instantly.
Being Sai devotees, you should at least to an extent, give up selfishness, embrace selflessness and lead your lives immersed in the principle of love. Give up criticizing others; give up hatred towards others.
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Offer respects even to those who hate you. Hatred is a bad quality. It will lead to your own ruin. Do not become a victim to this quality of hatred. Develop love towards everyone.
Help the poor and needy to the extent possible. Help ever, Hurt never. Sage Vyasa has given the essence of eighteen Puranas in two sentences, Paropakara punyaya, papaya parapeedanam (one attains merit by serving others and commits sin by hurting them). This is the main principle of Bharatiya (Indian) culture.
Do not be under the illusion that you are hurting others. When you hurt others, you are actually hurting yourself. When you help others, you will receive help tenfold. If you harm others, you will be put to harm ten times more. Keep this in mind.
So on this sacred day, fill your hearts with love, become embodiments of love and undertake sacred activities.
Bhajan: Prema Mudita Manase kaho…
Radio Sai Team wishes all of you a blissful and sacred New Year.
- Team Radio Sai
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