Yes, I have witnessed some devotees' problems being solved almost instantly, but most of their difficult life situations were solved only over time, and usually after a long and intense practice of meditation, prayer, and deep awareness.
When you read my books, in which I tell all kinds of amazing stories about Sathya Sai Baba, you may get the mistaken impression that he was like a kind magician who instantly solved the problems of all people.
Yes, of course, Sathya Sai Baba was a good magician, and everyone who came to him received blessings. He showed boundless love toward every person, whether that person was his follower or not. However, it should be remembered that behind all miraculous healings there was a time of self-practice, and those who lazily waited for Sathya Sai Baba to solve all problems for them, unfortunately did not receive healing and solutions to difficult situations.
The boundlessness and unconditionality of Sathya Sai Baba's divine love was so significant that he blessed even those who hated him. The greatness of his love did not cancel the personal responsibility of each person for everything that happens in life.
As Divine consciousness we are eternal, but as human beings we are limited in time. Until the age of fifteen or sixteen, a person goes through a period of childhood and adolescence. Mature life is short enough, and after that comes old age. Sometimes you have intellectual, financial, or family problems. When you ask the Avatar for help, the most important question, “when will healing occur?” subconsciously arises.
If your problems are solved in a month. Good. What if in a year? This is already causing tension. What if it takes twenty years to solve your problems? Within the framework of human life, this is a lengthy wait. Time is the highest price.
33. Sathya Sai Baba on the teachings of Krishna
Sathya Sai Baba's spiritual message is universal. He easily quoted, analyzed, and commented on the sacred texts of various traditions. Of course, first of all, in his lectures and books, he commented on the most significant Vedic scripture – the Bhagavad Gita.
In August and September 1984, Sathya Sai Baba gave a series of lectures on the spiritual heritage of Krishna. This course consisted of thirty-four lectures. In my opinion, these commentaries are the most important part of the philosophical heritage of Sathya Sai Baba. Over time, these lectures were published as a book.
This book is divided into three major parts. The first part is devoted to the "path of devotion," the second part is devoted to the "path of wisdom," and the third part is devoted to the "path of action."
In the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita, a large role is assigned to the performance of wise action. The spiritual path consists not only of the practice of meditation, prayer, and the study of sacred texts, it also includes actions performed in society as a service to people.
These actions have an important place in the spiritual life because it is in the performance of wise and noble action that a person reaches the highest point of the spiritual path. It is in action that a person becomes like God and becomes a Godman. Performing an action means the manifestation of one's talents and the embodiment of one's destiny.
Nowadays, generations of people are wondering what their purpose in life is? A successful person is one who has realized his destiny and organized his life in such a way as to actualize that destiny. Of course, an important element of a successful life is a good family, good health, and financial well-being.
There is a very important term in Sanskrit: Dharma, which has many meanings. One of the meanings of the word Dharma is "philosophical teachings," another translation of the word Dharma is "righteousness." What is righteousness? This is the fulfillment of the will of God and the correct disposal of the talents given by God. In essence, Dharma is the embodiment of one’s destiny. To live life in accordance with Dharma means to embody your talents and be a creator.
God is the Creator, but man is also a creator, only on a more modest scale. To fulfill one's Dharma means to be a Creator and to become a worthy son or daughter of God, our common Heavenly Father.
If you do in life what corresponds to your genius, then this action becomes Dharma. Creativity can be any action that suits your talents. Quite often, creativity in our time is associated with the work of artists, poets, and musicians.
But in fact, creativity is any kind of activity that allows you to reveal your potential. It can be any scientific discipline, pedagogy, sports, finance, art, social activity and much more. This is one of the most important aspects of Krishna's teaching, which Sathya Sai Baba constantly pointed out.
34. God is the Creator
Krishna, realizing that God is the original source of talent and creativity, spoke about the need to act. The ideas that arise in your mind come from the divine consciousness. All the energy you receive to achieve your creative projects also comes from the Lord. You are an instrument in the hands of God.
One of the most important qualities of God is, the Creator. God is in the eternal process of creation. Every person is also a creator. The Lord's work is vast and varied. Human creativity is much more modest in scope, but in both cases the quality of this creativity is identical.
Human creativity is similar to God's creativity, only in miniature. It is like comparing the whole ocean to one small drop; they are different in scale, but identical in quality. Both the ocean and the drop are equally water.
Realizing his destiny, a person embodies his creative potentials, reveals the nature of God, and becomes a Godman.
Society may seem dark and imperfect to us, but it is also a part of God's plan. Society is a manifestation of the divine consciousness; it is a space of endless development and knowledge.
Almost always, people read sacred texts, such as the Vedas or the Bible, from the point of view of human consciousness. Many perceive this approach as the only possible one. For the majority, the idea that the Bible and the Vedas are books about communication between man and God sounds absolutely natural.
The great mystic and philosopher, Nisargadatta lived in the twentieth century. He lived in the city of Bombay, which is now called Mumbai. Sathya Sai Baba highly appreciated the level of spiritual self-realization of Nisargadatta and advised his own devotees to carefully read his philosophical books.
Once Nisargadatta advised his students to try to read the Vedas and the Bible from the point of view of God. This sounds more than strange. Imagine being the God who created this universe and giving instructions to the sages and prophets while performing great miracles.
The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Krishna, the divine teacher, and Arjuna, his chief disciple. Unconsciously, most people, while reading the Bhagavad Gita, associate themselves with Arjuna, a disciple receiving spiritual instructions from Krishna. What if you associate yourself with Krishna?
Who do you recognize yourself as? Basically, you are what you think you are. If you are aware that you are small and weak, then that is what you are. If you are aware of yourself as an individual "I", then you are an instrument in the hands of higher powers. If you are aware of yourself as the Higher "I", then you will discover the truth that in fact it is you who is the original source of all wisdom, ideas, knowledge, and energy.
Of course, this is a very complex and subtle situation because it is easy to confuse the real Higher Self with the small ego that is entangled in megalomania. That is why one should be extremely careful when trying to feel like God. Remember that where the ego begins, the idea of being chosen and superior always arises. The awakening of the Divine Self always goes hand in hand with kindness and awareness of the subtle interdependence of all things.