Madam Indira Gandhi once requested Brahmanand Panda to run for election, to become a Member of Parliament. Do you know what Panda said? “Madam, to be a Sai devotee is far...far greater than being a Member of Parliament.” This is transformation! In another example, a former Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Parthasarathy, was invited to give a talk. Do you know what he said? “People introduce me as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. I am sorry, but I have not come here in that capacity. On the day when Swami told me that I would be the President of the Sathya Sai Organisation, I was more joyful than when I was nominated as Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court.” That is transformation! As long as we crave for power, name, and fame and such, it is not transformation. When my head is full of information, it is not transformation. The spiritual journey confers an experience that leads to a phenomenal inner change without our knowledge. So, what is true transformation? True transformation is egolessness, absence of jealousy, absence of pride, not craving for power, and no arrogance. There are some people, who say, “Anil Kumar, after coming to Swami, I stopped eating brinjal curry.” That is not transformation! Somebody said, “Anil Kumar, I have undergone transformation, because I stopped eating bitter gourd.” I said, “You don't like it anyway, so that is not transformation!” Some people also say, “Once a month, I don't take food on a Thursday.” I tell them, “Not eating once a month is still not enough. It is not transformation.” Others say, “Thursday is Baba's day, so I don't eat. Saturday is Venkateshwara’s day (or Tuesday, Hanuman’s day), so I don't eat.” I say, “Please stop eating. That will be your day — the final day!” Such statements are not transformations. Giving up an item at the breakfast table or at the dining table is not transformation. Baba said in a poem: When you have had a fight with your wife, you don't want to eat that night in order to express your anger. But, then you cannot say the next morning, “I have been fasting.” Fighting with your wife is not religious transformation! By playing cards on Sivaratri, all night long, you cannot say that you have been vigilant. Whom are you cheating? -- --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "saimsg" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
