Time and one's own heart are the best teachers

Who is the real ‘teacher’ in this world? One’s heart is the true teacher. Time is a true teacher. World is a book. And God is the best friend. Hence, one need not search for a good preceptor. Heart is one’s true teacher. The very heart is the ‘conscience’. When one follows one’s conscience, one gets the true teachings. Conscience never misguides. So one’s heart is the true teacher, time is the true preceptor. Time goes along the right direction and it does not change under any circumstance.

Time is verily God; With analogy

All mortals must bow to Time via death. But Time too has a Master. Who is that Master? It is God. People imagine that there is a Lord of Death known as Yama. In truth, Yama is just a symbolic representation of Time. Children and young people too wonder how the Sun happens to have a son named Yama, who is the Lord of Death. They think it is odd for the Sun to have a wife and son. Such feeling arise of out of misunderstanding. How do we understand Time? Basically it is via the phenomenon of sunrise and sunset, both of which are related to the Sun. We reckon that there are 12 hours from 6 o’clock in the morning to 6 o’clock in the evening; this is the way we count time and the progress of the day is related to the movement of the Sun in the sky. It is in this sense we associate time with the Sun, and figuratively describe time as being the child of the Sun. It is only when action is related to the Atma that the nature of Sathya or Truth stands revealed. Where the Atma or the Ultimate Truth is concerned, there is no room or scope for any doubt. People do not accept many things said in the scriptures because they tend to view these statements in purely physical terms and from a narrow perspective. It is a mistake to do so. It is only through proper analysis that the correct meaning of the scriptures can be grasped.

Analogy to explain time, duty and place

There is plenty of water in the Ganges. However, what each person carries home depends on the size of the container he brings. In the same way, teaching must be tailored to the recipient; all cannot be taught the same lesson. Where spiritual seekers are concerned, God bestows energy according to their capacity to absorb, which in turn is determined by how disciplined they are. It is through discipline that you can enhance your capacity to absorb. Without discipline, it is not possible to attain God. Lack of steadiness would not do! Here is a small example. Every day at 6 PM, you either sing bhajans or do meditation. Suppose on one particular day you happen to be travelling in a bus at that appointed hour. Some hold the view that spiritual practices must be done only in specific places. That is not correct. What is important is duty and not the place. Thus, when it is time to do so, you can meditate wherever you happen to be. The place may be different but what is important is the clock time. If you happen to be in a bus at 6 in the evening, it does not matter, because you can think of God even while you are in the bus. You do not have to go to a particular place to be with God. No matter where you are, your mind can take you to God. If you are regular and diligent in your duties, everything would come to you.

Time is highly valuable; Do not waste it

People think that India is a poor country. What is the cause for its poverty? People’s laziness is the root cause for this poverty. Time is very precious. One wastes three fourths of the available time. In a day of twenty fours one misuses twenty three hours and fifty five minutes. This is not the quality of a true human being. Every moment must be used properly; that is the true duty of every human being; that is the true human value. By wasting time one’s actions become null and void. The day man values time, man will be valued. Therefore one must strive to become one who is valued by time. When one misuses time, one will be harmed by time.

Time is God; Do not waste it

Don't waste time.Time waste is life waste. Time is the very personification of God.God is time. God transcends time, he is the master of time. God is master of time. All are bound by time.

Time waste is life waste

It is in this context it has been said that the body is for the benefit of all others. While such sacred human birth has been given to us, without participating in sacred work and to waste time and abuse the privilege of this human birth that has been given to us cannot be the right conduct for the members of the Sathya Sai Organization. Time is everything. If we waste time, we will be wasting our entire life. So that we may not waste time and not waste the life that has been given to us in doing work, which means wasting time, we have created the Sathya Sai Sevadal so that we may participate in useful work.

Forget past, live in present and don't worry about future

Past is past, it is beyond recovery. In spite of all efforts one cannot regain it. Do not think about the future. Future is not sure. But present is very important. This is not ordinary present. This is ‘Omni present’!! Why? What is the reason for the misery of the mankind today? Man has forgotten the present, broods about the past and worries about the future. Present is important. When hungry, eat the food served on the plate. What is the use of thinking about the grand feast enjoyed ten months ago? Do not think of the past. Think of the present. ‘Past is a tree, Future is a tree, Present is the seed!!’ Out of the ‘past’ tree comes the ‘present’ seed! Out of the ‘present’ seed comes the ‘future’ tree!! Hence seed is very, very important. Therefore, one should take care of the ‘present’ seed. Never be bothered or worried about the future. If one is good in the present, in future too will be good. So, one need not worry about the future. When one worries incessantly about the future, psychologically one becomes an unhealthy person. One need not give future a thought at all. Why should one worry? What is the shape of worry? Worry is mentally created fear!! Worry has no form. It is only one’s creation. Never give scope for such worry. Be happy always!

Worrying about past and future is the cause for unrest

What is the reason for mankind’s grief? This can be answered easily. Man today bothers himself about the past and worries about the future. That is the weakness in man today. Of what use is brooding over the past? Past is past, Forget the past. It won’t come back!! Doctor spoke about future and also the story of Churchill. What is meant by future? It means tomorrow. Tomorrow is not a surety in man’s life. What is the witness for one’s future? Future is not sure. One cannot know where, when and what moment. Therefore, one should not worry about the future. Hence one must not bother either about the past or about the future but live in the present. This is not an ordinary present; it is ‘Omni’ present. The past results are in the present; the future results are also in the present. What is a seed today will be a tree tomorrow. What was a seed yesterday is now a tree today. So the present has both the past and the future. Hence one has to think about the present properly then one will not have any worries. Brooding about the past and worrying about the future makes one suffer in the present.

Utilise time optimally and lead a good life

Time is highly sacred and valuable. Each one has to introspect whether he is making proper use of time. Time once lost is lost for ever. Future is not in your hands. So, man should make proper use of the present. This is the teaching of Bharatiya culture. Time is God. Hence, the Vedas extol Him as Kalaya namah, Kala Kalaya namah,Kaladarpa Damanaya namah, Kalateetaya namah, Kalaswarupaya namah, Kalaniyamitaya namah (salutations to the embodiment of time, to the one who has conquered time, to the one who transcends time and to the one who ordains time). God dwells in all. He has thousands of heads, eyes and feet. Our ancients realised this unity in diversity and recognised the innate divinity of man. They sanctified their lives with such noble feelings and exemplary behaviour. Our ancient sages and seers stressed the need for unity and cooperation among human beings. They prayed, “Let us move together, let us grow together, let us grow in intelligence together, let us live in harmony with each other without giving room for conflicts.” This is the main principle of Bharatiya culture. But such spirit of unity is lacking in modern society. These days there is no unity even among the members of the same family. Unity is the essence of human life. One can attain the goal of human life only by putting this principle of unity into practice. This divine principle of unity is being forgotten today.