Live in Love

Discourse of Sathya Sai Baba, Ananthapur, 1 Aug 1971
Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust
Web posted at Mar 17, 2002

Within thirty days of the inauguration of the Women's College building in this town, I am glad I am laying the foundation today for this Kalyaana Mantap (festival hall). Joy and grief come upon mankind, often without advance notice! Ananthapur has had the college as well as this festival hall, as surprises. That is indeed worthy good fortune. The mind decides and shapes things according to the decision. It manipulates external objects until the desired achievement is concretised. When the decisions are good, good is the resultant; when they are bad, bad happens. When love is the lever that operates the mind, only good can result. That is why I always emphasise the role of love.

Live in love; love is life. Without loving or being loved, no being can exist on the earth. Love sustains, love strengthens, love is the urge behind all adventure, all sacrifice, all success.

I have come to restore love among mankind, to cleanse if of narrowness, and restrictive attitudes. That is the main task, in the revival of Dharma (morality). It is not enough, to talk about the prime importance of love in the task of human rehabilitation. One must set the example, in actual practice. This hall is a symbol of that love resulting in joy for this town. When words, deeds and thoughts emanate from hearts filled with love - pure, untarnished, such as, love for God and for man as the image of God - all who contact you, will feel elated. If you love your Aathma and not your body, you will realise that the same Aathma is the core of every being and you will start loving every being as much as you do yourselves. This is real self-realisation. This is the truth; that is to say, a fact that can never be denied or deviated from, during the passage of time.

Someone mentioned now that the results of the final examinations held by the university are commendable, since more than seventy per cent of the students who appeared from the college at Ananthapur have passed with credit! Good, but, what I will be glad over, is quite another thing! I look forward to cent percent success in the examination which assesses character, virtue, sweetness of speech and behaviour, reverence towards elders and the culture of this land. I wish that the pupils of this college live so fully in love that the homes where they were bone and bred, and the homes which they enter on marriage, and the homes they themselves establish - all will be happy, on account of them. No one of them should feel dishonoured, through their behaviour. All must shine as splendid examples of joy and contentment, devotion and dedication.