Sri Sathya Sai
Organisation
UNIFY, STRENGTHEN, AND EXPAND

Why are we in this Organization? What is the purpose?  

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You must have the firm belief that the aim of this Organization is to remove the obstacles that keep man away from God…. this Organization must elevate the human into Divine.  

Nov 21, 1970 (Third All India Conference) 

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The primary objective of the Sai Organization is to raise the human consciousness to the Divine by eliminating all animal tendencies.  

Nov 11, 1995 (Sixth World Conference) 

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Food is the medicine for the illness of hunger; water, for thirst; for the disease of Birth-Death-Cycle (bhava-roga), Bhagawan is the medicine. for the disease of desire, Jnana is the specific. For the disease of doubt, despair and hesitation, which are the occupational diseases of spiritual aspirants, the most effective remedy is paropakara (doing good to others). For the major infection of ashanti (anxiety and restlessness), the course of treatment is bhajan. It is to provide these remedies to the sufferers that the organisation has to dedicate itself. The organisations must be such that members find them congenial places to deepen their Sadhana, to cultivate their virtues and to overcome their ego, by contact with workers who are free from the least trace of that deadly poison. If this is achieved, their success is certain. 

Apr 21, 1967 

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The Sathya Sai Organization is established to translate the principles of Love and Non-violence into daily practice.  It has also to promote inquiry into four basic problems -  The Body – What is it? (Deham) | The Body –  I am not it. (Nahum) | Then who am I? – (Koham) | Well, I am that! (Soham) – Nov 20, 1970 (Third All India Conference) 

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Remember also that the development of this Organisation will bring Peace and Tranquility to the World torn by chaos. 

21-11-1970 

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The whole world itself will be transformed into a Sathya Sai Organisation and Sathya Sai will be installed in the hearts of one and all.  

20 November 1998  

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Practice 

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… the purpose of the Center is to provide a meeting place for those who wish to learn, discuss, and practice the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba, and to serve as an information point or “signpost” for individuals interested in these teachings…  

Vol1, No1 Jun 15 1976 Sathya Sai Newsletter (Reprinted Sept/Oct 2006 Vo 30 No 4) 

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Our Organization must apply the touchstone of practice to any precept that the members might voice forth or profess.  

Dec 22, 1971 (Fourth All India Conference) 

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Two guidelines, peculiar to this Organization you should not neglect:  1) Act and then advise….2) rules and regulations that we have laid down….have to be observed, scrupulously, down to the smallest dot and dash.  

Dec 22, 1971 (Fourth All India Conference) 

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Do not make any distinction between your official work and your work in the Sai Organization.  Spirituality cannot be divided into compartments.  The Sathya Sai Organization was set up solely to enable members to manifest their love in all their activities.  

Nov 11, 1995 (Sixth World Conference) 

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The prayer hall can wait; the atmosphere of the place where such work is being done cannot be anything but a prayerful one.  

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1926-1985) 

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You cannot revive the hut made of leaves, the hermitage, now in the 20th century; you have to discover a bridge between the ancient and the modern. 

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1926-1985) 

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If the needs of the modern age require a change, change the non-essentials. Do not dilute the truth so much that it loses its genuineness. 

15 September 1963 

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Promote faith and inquiry 

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Your organizations must endeavor to promote faith in God.  If that base is absent, worship, bhajan, puja, good works – all become meaningless automatic ritual, done under social compulsion….Faith can grow only from the root of inquiry…You must encourage inquiry by the members whom you contact and welcome their efforts to gain first hand experience.

– April 21, 1967 (First All India Conference) 

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….the very process of sharing in the activities of the Organization and getting involved in its activities will induce faith and bolster devotion and dedication and make them better and more useful citizens and happier and more peaceful individuals.   Jan 4, 1974 (Fifth All India Conference)  

The acquisition of the love of God should be the primary aim of members of the Sai Organizations.  Nov 11, 1995 (Sixth World Conference) 

 

The first quality every member of the Sathya Sai Seva Organization would have is firm faith in God.  This faith must be based on the awareness that God is Omnipresent.  SSS Veda Vani p 327 

Man today is proceeding on the wrong path. You need not follow anybody. You should follow your conscience, which is your master. Since you respect and follow the words of those who have disharmony in their thought, word, and deed, you tend to forget your Swami, your true Self. This situation is of your own making. Follow your conscience. I never force anybody to do anything. What is the reason? The reason is that one has to follow the dictates of one’s source, conscience. Force connotes external imposition. Source relates to the Atma, which is verily love. So, cultivate love.  November 24, 1998 

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Power of Godly company 

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Meeting with fellow pilgrims and kindred aspirants is a piece of rare good fortune.  Feb 18, 1966 

Ascetic practices, years of constant recitation of the Name, pilgrimages to holy places and shrines, study of sacred books – these will not help the aspirant to spiritual victory as much as communion with the Godly and the good.  

May 16, 1968 (First World Conference)

 

In the beginning, this Namasmarana is best done in company.  For, when you do it alone, distracting thoughts will overpower the earnestness.  A single fiber of grass has little strength; but twist a large number into a rope, you can bind with it a rogue elephant to a tree!  The wild mind can bear bound by faith that is confirmed in godly company.  

May 18, 1968  

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“Hislop:  Well, at least Swami’s devotees know about hanging the mind and can do so. 

Sai:  Were it not for the mind change of Sai devotees the world would already have fallen into complete chaos.  The deterioration  of mind and man has been very rapid and abrupt, even precipitous during the last fifteen years.  That the world is not in total destruction is due to the change in mind of Sai devotees and to Sai’s Grace.  You are not aware of it, just as you are not aware of your eyes until they are lost. In the same way, the world is not aware of Sai’s Grace.“ – My Baba and I, Conversations,

November 7, 1980, p190 

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Reap Benefits and Rewards 

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I am launching a Seva Samiti.  Those who become members of this Samithi and perform selfless service will be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.  Not just them, but also their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  However, the test will be severe.  I will bear witness to the number people who withstand the test and emerge victorious.  

Oct 21, 1961 

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Food is the medicine for the illness of hunger; drink, for the illness of thirst; for the disease of Bhava Roga (birth-death cycle), Bhagavan is the medicine; for the disease of desire, Jnana is the specific.  For the disease of doubt, despair and hesitation, which are the occupational diseases of Sadhaka, the most efficient remedy is Paropakara (doing good to others).  For the major infection of Ashanti (anxiety), the course of treatment is Bhajan.

 April 21, 1967 (First All India Conference) 

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Hislop:  There could be 50,000 or more people in the USA who are Sai devotees, but less than 1,000 who are in the centers.  The organization seems to be of minor importance.  Why bother with it? Even the United Nations has dozens of non-organizational Sai devotees. 

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Sai:  The organization gives a chance to people. In America and other countries, there are large numbers of people who know about Sai, have faith in him, talk about him, his Leelas, and his teachings, but who do not join the organization. The organization imposes some discipline and requirements which these people do not wish to take on. The Sai organization may be limited in size now, but as time goes on, it will attract so many people that the general public will not be able to be accommodated in the Sai gatherings. All available spaces will be assigned to the people within the Sai organization. Thus, the Sai organization membership affords a chance. For example, you are chairman of the American Sai Organization, and Bozzani, is the officer of the foundation (i.e. Sathya Sai Society of America). Because of this, you are in the car with swami, having some 9 hours of interview instead of half an hour in the interview room.

My Baba and I, Conversations, Dec 2, 1982; p. 208-209  

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Share the Message

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It is our duty to share the blessings of our inner freedom and joy with others around us in the society.  This is the true brotherhood of man. Our Sai Organization should keep this aim constantly before them.   

Divine Whispers, p 200 

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…we cannot attain the Ananda which we have set out to acquire, if such advance (growth of organizational activities) is made only in some one corner of this world.  It is only when, in all quarters, our aims and objects, rules and disciplines are propagated, and their worth shown through actual practice, can they be transformed into Sadhana, which is alive.  If they are only propagated, without being practiced, it will be like lightning – a momentary flash of light, smothered soon by thick darkness – soon to be overpowered by disbelief.  

Divine Whispers, p 186 

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Members of Seva Samithi (Service Organisation) have to cure themselves and inspire others to cure themselves.

 28-3-1968 

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You are still young. In your young minds, there is a tendency to waver a little. If one wants to explain the nature of a young man, it can be compared to the behaviour of one hundred monkeys. Taking this into consideration, when you go back, you should join the Sai Organisation and in that good company, you should do good to the rest of the world.  

SS Brindavan 1977 p281

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The newcomers should be welcomed with great love.  You should offer them a seat by your side with all love and care.  But, unfortunately, this is not happening today.  People reserve their seats, saying, “This is my seat.” They don’t allow the newcomers to sit even near their seat.  This is not good.  All should live unitedly.  Only then can you understand Swami’s principle of love.  

July 3, 1996 

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Not for promoting My or any particular name 

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Sai organisations have no selfish interest in them. They want to help all religions and all jivas. They are acceptable to everyone. They have not been established for the sake of promoting a name.

 SS Brindavan 1977 p280

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I do not want the impression to gain ground that I desire this Name and Form to be publicized.  I have not come to set afoot a new cult, I do not want people to be misled on this point.  I affirm that this Sai form is the form of all the various names that man uses for the adoration of the Divine.   

May 17, 1968 (First World Conference) 

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I have not got the slightest intention to utilize the Seva Samithis (Service organizations) for propagating My Name or canvas homage for my Name.  No!  I am content only when spiritual endeavors and disciplines to elevate and purify man are progressing everywhere.

 May 17, 1968 (First World Conference)

 

The Organisations named after Me are not to be used for publicising My Name, or creating a new cult around My worship. They must try to spread interest in japam (recitation of God’s Name), dhyaanam (meditation) and other saadhanas (spiritual practices), which lead man Godward; they must demonstrate the joy derivable from bhajan (devotional group singing) and Naamasmarana (remembering God’s Name), the Shanthi (peace) that one can draw from Sathsang (good company). They must render seva (service) to the helpless, the sick, the distressed, the illiterate and the needy 23-2-1968

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This Organisation believes that the Atma in each is the Atma in all and that the God that each worships is the God that all worship. You cannot insist that in the Bhajans only songs on Sathya Sai should be sung! Fanaticism of that kind I very much dislike and condemn.  Madras, 23-12-1971

It was said (by a devotee who spoke) the world is becoming full of Sai (Saimayam), that the name of Sai is on everyone’s lips. I want it to go deeper. And I do not insist that it should be the Name “Sai”.  Feb 26, 1961

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