The whole of humanity suffers from a deadly disease which even the World Health Organisation has failed to list. They have not been able to do so because it is common to all. When something is common to all it is taken to be a normal state of being, until one meets someone who is not suffering from it. One then becomes aware of a state healthier than one’s own and wants to achieve that healthy state too.

The disease which is common to everyone is sorrow and the person who has walked into our lives to provide a cure is Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who is untouched by sorrow.

Swami says the only anecdote for this disease is devotion. Devotion is that amrita which fills the heart with supreme happiness. There is no other remedy for sorrow.

Who is a devotee? A devotee is one who is ever happy in every situation. The scriptures provide this definition of a devotee. Sai devotees take great joy from the fact that they are devotees of Swami. But devotion cannot be 60-80%, it must be 100%. One has to make every effort to make one’s devotion complete, for complete devotion leads to perfect happiness. Only when one reaches this state can one qualify to call oneself His true devotee.

The fifth step on the ladder of devotion is Archanam which means offering. Love expresses in giving and as love for the Lord grows in the heart of the devotee, he naturally wants to offer his best to his Lord. What is offered to the Lord?

Devotees offer pujas, mantras, bhajans, aarti, etc. to the Lord, and food and clothes too. Basically all that is done in the name of worshipping the Lord is Archanam. We have been practising Archanam for many years now, some for 30 to 40 years, or even more. But has our sorrow gone? It is not that we cannot reach Him, but there may be something important which we have not offered.

Swami says that the cause of sorrow lies within us and not without. The cause of one’s sorrow is one’s anger, lust, greed, jealousy, delusion, and pride. One alone is responsible for his sorrows. And one alone can make himself happy. How? By offering these vices at the Feet of our dear Lord.

Instead of offering objects and rituals, it is these vices which one should really offer Him. Swami says, “Give me all your sorrows and miseries, and take Ananda from Me.” What a fantastic deal this is. One dumps his worthless rubbish at His Feet and He gives us the priceless jewels of peace and bliss.

However, devotees must remember that the Lord does not need our worship. He is complete in Himself. When worshipped in the right way (worship can be tamasic and rajasic too) He blesses the devotee by revealing Himself in all entirety. Which means He reveals the true identity of the devotee too. When one goes in search of God, one ends up finding one’s true self, for God alone is.

In worshipping the Lord many objects and rituals are involved. But is one himself involved in worshipping the Lord? Is our mind focused and involved in the worship? If it is not then the worship will not bless one with expansion. All worship should be done with the feeling that Swami is present. The feeling that the Lord is present will keep the mind in the puja (worship).

What one offers to the Lord in one’s pujas is not important, rather the attitude with which one offers that is more important. That is what He values. The puja (worship) is only a medium to carry the devotees love to Him. And love is all that He seeks in every heart.

Sometimes the objects which one wants to offer to the Lord are not available. Does that mean one cannot offer them? No. The devotee can offer them to the Lord mentally. This is called manasa puja (mental worship). Manasa puja is more effective and powerful because the mind is absolutely focused. Puja loses its meaning when the mind runs here and there. Swami Vivekananda said “External worship is only a symbol of internal worship, but internal worship and purity are the real things. Without them external worship would be of no avail.”

In the book “Saience of medicine” the authors, Dr. Hiramalini Sheshadri and Dr. Sheshadri Hariharan, write about their experiences while treating their patients. Whenever they were in a dilemma as to the course of treatment to be given they would sit by themselves, focusing on Swami. Dr. Hiramalini says she would imagine she was with Swami, asking Him about the course of treatment to be given. After doing this for a couple of times she says Swami started responding. Swami actually started telling her directly what course of treatment she should give to her patients. She was definitely not hallucinating. The proof lay in the treatment that was given, it was just what her patients needed. I found that absolutely amazing. Obviously her mind was so focused on Swami that He started responding.

Manas puja is very powerful because it is done with the mind only and nothing else. The mind is the most important ingredient in any kind of worship. In any puja that one participates in, one must always focus one’s mind and try to feel His presence. If one cannot feel His presence in the puja room or in the Sai Centre, how can one see Him everywhere? Yes, that is the goal … to see Him everywhere.

As one’s mind get more and more focused with manas puja, one reaches deeper levels of Archanam, where all is offered to Him. One will soon realise that everything is coming from Him. One might say “I know all is coming from Him” but knowing and realising are two different things. Realising means feeling all is His, all the time. Do we feel so? Maybe for a minute or two when we hear about it, then we are back to square one, fighting for every little thing.

One must know that his family has been given by Him and all duties arising in the home have been given by Him. So one must do them all for Him. One’s relatives and friends, and one’s talents, capabilities, and wealth all are granted by Him. Body, mind and intellect also are given by Him. The time and space to do all things are likewise given by Him. So every act must be done for Him, as everything is so graciously granted by Him.

The Lord has placed us wherever we are and with whichever people we are with, at home, at work and at leisure. Hence, all duties, whether unpleasant or pleasant, come from Him alone. Since one’s duties come from Him, one must execute them for Him alone. Then no more will there arise any distinction of ‘personal work’ and ‘Sai’s work’, as every action will become Sai’s work. Swami always says, “Work is Worship”. This is how it will be when one offers all work to Him, who alone resides in every heart.

This attitude of Archanam will cleanse one’s hearts and give great joy. Hence, engage in work in accordance with one’s nature and circumstances and dedicate it to the Lord. Invoke Him in every activity and ask Him, “Will it please You Swami if I do this?” Do everything for His pleasure, not one’s own.

It does not matter if one is not at the high level of a contemplative sage. Inner revelation will happen if one performs all actions for the Lord.

All actions, no matter how beautiful they are, are limited. They are finite and imperfect. Even though actions are imperfect, they have the power to perfect the mind if done in the right spirit. The fruit of Archanam is a pure mind and a purified mind becomes detached. The devotee considers everything as the Lord’s and nothing as his.

Attachment is in each one of us and brings us sorrow because we consider family, relatives, friends and material possessions to be ours. So what should be one’s attitude? The Lord has given families to us so one must do the needful and look after the family members for Him. It should be remembered that our children are merely through us, not from us. We are not the creators of our children, if we were we would have made the children as we wanted them to be. We are merely caretakers for Him.

Living a life full of Archanam one will develop the ability to respond to change. Change cannot be avoided. Change is the changeless law governing this universe, an enlightened one once said. Practising Archanam one will develop detachment and adaptability. Hence, continuously the mind must be trained.

May our most compassionate Lord Sai fill our hearts with loving worship.

JAI SAI RAM