Sathya Sai Baba The World-Avatar Teaching and Revelations

despair. Pray until God relents; do not turn away sadly if God does not
shower grace when you expect it.
When a religion wants to extend its influence it has to resort to vilification
of other religions and exaggeration of its own excellence. Pomp
and publicity become more important than practice and faith. But Sai
wants the votaries of each religion to cultivate faith in its own excellence
and realise their validity by their own intense practice. That is the
Sai religion, the religion that feeds and fosters all religions and emphasises
their common greatness. Take up this religion, boldly and joyfully.
1.10.76, (24-64/65)
Singing the name and glory of God, allowing the mind to dwell on that
glory, adoring the foot of the Lord, experiencing gratitude and joy at his
grace, feeling oneself as his instrument, awareness of his being one's
constant and closest companion and dedicating one's full being to him
- these are the nine steps in the path of devotion.
"Listen, o people! Revel in this Iron Age, for there is none so propitious
for liberation such that mere remembrance of the name of the Lord and
adoring him thus are enough to win his grace and set you free." (...)
Singing this intense yearning for God and enjoying the experience of
adoring him, helps to purify the atmosphere. Man is today forced to
breathe the air polluted by sounds that denote violence, hatred, cruelty
and wickedness. Therefore he is fast losing the high potential in store
for him. The vibrations of the heart-felt recitation of the Lord's name
can cleanse the atrnosphere and render it pure, calm and ennobling.
It is with this high purpose in view that this programme of global devotional
singing (bhajan) was designed. (...)
The vibrations travel vast distances and affect the nature of those who
inhale them. The atmosphere affects also the food man consumes.
Pollution in the atmosphere is imbibed by plants, plants supply grain,
the grain is the basis of the meal and the meal shapes the character
and behaviour of the person who consumes it. When the environment
is clean and free from evil vibrations, the food too, is pure, and the person
develops a tendency to be loving and simple. It is to ensure such
an atmosphere that this spiritual effort initiated the world over. (...)
By whatever means God is adored, the path of devotion is the easiest
and the most effective for it is a spiritual discipline of the heart, and results
in love and service to all as fellow pilgrims to the same Divine
goal.
Some people do question the propriety of calling God by means of
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