"I do not like wasting money..."
September 10, 1997 The students from Kerala asked Swami’s permission for flower decoration in the Mandir on the Onam day… Students : Swami, flower carpet. Swami : Flower carpet? No, I do not like wasting money. Students : Please Swami. Swami : No, do not spend money. You can do work in the hostel. (Seeing the card in which King Mahabali was drawn) Parikshit Maharaj Hai Kya? (Is this King Parikshit?) Students : No, Swami, Mahabali. Swami : (To a teacher) Do you know what is sweeter than death? Teacher : No, Swami. You are the sweetest. Swami : You do not know what is sweeter than death? Extreme ignorance is sweeter than death!! (After the interview) (To a student, who was showing a card) No flower decoration. Flower Chaahiye, Flower Tree Se Tod Deta Hai, Tree Kitna Sad Hoga. (When you pluck the flower, how sad does the tree feel?) This state of the tree is called Viyoga (separation). Students : Please, Swami. Only one day. Swami : No. I do not like decoration. You should decorate your heart. Flower decoration is ‘art’ and not ‘heart’. Which one do you want? Heart or art? Students : Heart, Swami. Swami : That’s why I said no need of decoration. (Swami called one schoolboy) What do you want? Student : Swami, Prasadam. Swami : Why? Student : Fever, Swami. (Swami put His hand on the student’s forehead and throat and said) 98.5-degree temperature. Everybody laughed and Swami sent the boy. After the interview, students hailing from Kerala prayed to Swami to permit them to do the floral decoration in Mandir for Onam. Swami very lovingly explained to the students the reason why they should avoid floral decorations. Swami : Don’t pluck the flowers. When the flowers are cut and used for decoration it will become artificial. When they are on the trees it gives natural beauty. Art is outside, heart is inside. Don’t waste money, Don’t waste energy, Don’t waste time. Then Swami moved on to the first portico and continued the same topic with Mr. V. K. Narasimhan… Swami : See Narasimhan, boys want to do floral decorations. But I didn’t permit them. V.K.N. : Enduku Swami? (Why Swami?) Swami : When you pluck flowers, the trees feel bad that they are missing their children. Hurt never. V.K.N. : But Swami it is said ‘Paropakaaraya’... Swami : That is said, but when you pluck flowers, the natural beauty goes away. Not only that, flowers cause allergy to the body and cause cracks when you walk over them. They also contain some types of poisons in them. That is why I don’t come to hostel. Boys keep throwing flowers under my feet. Boys don’t understand this. Source: Students with Sai - Conversations: Part 1 (1991-2000) -- --- 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.
