Teaching by Example
A 100 Inspiring Years of Selfless Love
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been my Living God and Guru, hand-holding me and millions of others to understand the purpose of life and realize that divinity lies not outside, but deep within us. It has to be recognized and experienced, not searched for in places external.
The Sacred Sound of Breath
Have you ever sat in silence and listened to the sound of your breath? On average, every human takes 21,600 breaths per day. And the sound of each breath is So-ham! As we breathe in, the sound is ‘So’ and as we breathe out, the breath says, ‘Ham’.
‘So’ means ‘That’ | ‘Ham’ means ‘I am’
“I am That” = “I am God”
This is the declaration that the breath makes to the soul 21,600 times a day. It is this truth that, though being told by the breath to the soul day in and day out, the soul finds it hard to hear and believe. And this is where the Guru steps in.
The Role of the Guru
The word ‘Guru’ refers to a spiritual guide who enlightens. Gu means darkness and Ru means dispelling. The Guru teaches us to master the mind and goads us to look within ourselves, igniting the thirst for spiritual knowledge.
The Journey of Self-Inquiry:
• “Deham?” (Is this body, me?)
• “Naa ham” (No! I am not this body)
• “Ko ham?” (Who am I?)
• “Soham!” (I am HE! I am divine!)
A Tale of Seeking
A young man in his quest for knowledge knocked at the door of a Guru for three days. Each day, he was asked: “Who is it?”, “Who are you? Where have you come from?”, “What do you want?” Each day, he returned without answering. On the fourth day, the door was open. When the Guru asked why he didn’t come in earlier, the boy replied: “You asked me who I am, where I came from, and what I wanted. These are the questions I am trying to find the answers to. Can you help me find them?”
A Saga of Selfless Love
Baba’s life has been a saga of selfless love. He lived simply. He worked 24×7. He did not even have a bank account in His name. He set up educational institutions, hospitals, water projects, and taught His devotees to perform seva in multifarious fields.
“Nar seva is Narayan seva.
Manav seva is Madhav seva.”
(Service to man is service to God)
Baba often said, “My life is my message.” And He walked the talk. In His later years, He declared, “Your life is my message.” His biggest miracle? The transformation of the human heart.
The Essence Engraved on His Mahasamadhi
“LOVE ALL, SERVE ALL”
This is the essence of the Vedas—realizing that you are not separate from others. By loving and serving all, you are verily loving and serving God.
Sanctifying Time Through Service
The Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini is a unique ed-tech platform providing values-based teaching resources for teachers and students. Content created here is uploaded to the Prime Minister’s DIKSHA portal and is downloadable free of cost.
I am blessed to work as a volunteer in this initiative. It gives me an opportunity to sanctify my time while creating valuable resources for the benefit of society and the Nation—serving my divine Mother Sai and my Motherland simultaneously.
“Janani Janmabhoomischa Swargadapi Gariyasi”
‘Mother and motherland are superior to even heaven’
— Bhagawan Ram in the Ramayana
The name ‘Sathya Sai Baba’ translates into everyone’s real mother and father. Baba has truly been my mother and father, more so after my physical parents passed on. This opportunity to serve has been God-sent, and I am grateful for it. I am akin to a squirrel helping the Lord build His Ram-Setu.
🎉 Centenary Celebrations
The celebrations of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 100th birthday are in full swing at Prashanti Nilayam, Puttaparthi.
Do not miss this opportunity of a lifetime!
Join in person or virtually. ✨
May His blessings guide us all on the path of Love and Service
 Priya Tandon | About the Author Priya Tandon is a versatile individual with a diverse skill set and a strong educational background, holding a B. Com (Hons) LLB degree. Alongside her roles as a Member of the National Stock Exchange and Vice-President of the Tandon Foundation, Priya wears many hats in her professional life. A talented writer, artist, blogger, lyricist, and homemaker, Priya’s creative endeavors span various domains, showcasing her passion for self-expression and storytelling. As a co-author of seven books, including titles like “Sunrays for Sunday” and “Sunrays for Friday,” Priya’s works are deeply rooted in the teachings of her spiritual guide, Guru Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. |
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