| CATEGORY | LIFE |
| SUB CATEGORY | HAPPINESS |
| Why has man lost happiness? |
| Why has man lost this happiness? Because man is afflicted with insatiable desires. These desires are the cause of various maladies. It is only by limiting desires and thereby eliminating the diseases arising from them that the man can secure peace. Divine Discourse 13 Feb 1997 |
| What is the characteristic feature of Truth? |
| SATHYA-ANUSAARINI Lakshmi (As long as people adhere to Truth, prosperity will attend on them). Truth is that which is valid for all the three categories of Time–past, present, and the future. Truth is Divine. The one who adheres to Truth will lack nothing in the world. Divine Discourse 8 March 1997 |
| What the two proper goals of human life? |
| “Thyaaga-anusaarini Keerthi” (Fame will follow the man who has the spirit of sacrifice). In the world today both truth and sacrifice are rare. These two are the proper goals for human existence. Divine Discourse 8 March 1997 |
| Is that being rich gives me everything? or being poor gets nothing? |
| What meaning is there in acquiring millions? A contented man is happier than a millionaire. The poorest man in the world is the one who has insatiable desires. Be content with what you get and carry on your duties. This is Thyaga, a life of sacrifice. Divine Discourse 8 March 1997 |
| What is the source of happiness or sorrow in life? |
| Your actions are the cause of your happiness or sorrow. Do not blame others for your condition. Every thought, every word and every action has its reflection, resound and reaction. It is a sign of weakness to blame others for your troubles. You have to bear with the consequences of your actions. If they are unbearable, pray to God for relief. God alone can give relief in such cases. He is all-powerful and therefore rake refuge in Him. Divine Discourse 8 March 1997 |
| Which is the most valuable wealth in the world? |
| A boy prayed to God to give him strength. What for? It is not for watching TV or movies but for serving God through service to mankind. You say diamond and gold are highly valuable. If you enquire deeply, man is more valuable than all the wealth of the world. Men alone decide the value of gold and diamond, and other materials. Man should have faith in himself. Divine Discourse 19 July 1997 |
| What kind of wealth should youth seek? |
| Youth is the stage in life when the slightest turn towards wrong will spell disaster. Thoughts shape the career. You plan to earn much wealth, because you imagine that rich people are very happy. The rich have plenty to eat, but they have no appetite. The rich wield power over others but they are held down by disease. The rich can have many servants but they cannot live in peace. So, plan to be rich in virtue, in devotion and dedication to good causes. Be rich in sovereign character. Divine Discourse 20 July 1997 |
| How to be happy at all times? |
| Everyone seeks happiness. The Divine, who is the embodiment of happiness, is in you. God wants you to be happy, but you do not realise it. Try to recognise the source of bliss within you. It is not the true nature of man to be unhappy. When anyone is otherwise, persons around him are concerned about him. You should always be happy because you are the embodiment of the Aathma. Never give way to worry. Divine Discourse 25 Aug 1997 |
| Difference between happiness and bliss (Ananda). |
| Any happiness experienced through the mind is not spiritual bliss. It is transient physical pleasure. Not recognising this truth many pursue so called spiritual exercises with the mind. The mind should be ignored. It is concerned only with thoughts of one kind or another. The Aathmic Principle can’t be understood by such thought processes. Divert your attention towards the Aathma and dismiss all thoughts. If you cannot get rid of thoughts, then cultivate good thoughts. Turn your thoughts towards the Supreme Lord. I have often compared the heart to a lock. If you turn the key left ward, it gets closed. Turn the key to the right and the lock opens. Turn your heart God-ward. Divine Discourse 7 Oct 1997 |
| How to live happily in present if a worse past and an unpredictable future? |
| Past is past. Don’t worry about the past. Whatever was done will not come back. Future is in the womb of time; it is unseen and uncertain. So do not worry about future. The present is very important. It is not ordinary present, it is Omnipresent. The past is a tree, the future is also a tree; but the present is the seed. The past is in the present; and the future is also in the present. What you ate earlier, you will have its belch now. Experience the present properly. Don’t worry; always be happy. Divine Discourse 27 April 1997 |
| What is the difference between worldly and divine love? |
| One has to pay a price to acquire anything in this world. If you want to buy a handkerchief from a shop, you have to pay ten rupees for it. You can’t take the handkerchief home without paying the prescribed price. When you have to pay a price even for an impermanent and transient object, you have naturally to pay the appropriate price for obtaining permanent bliss. What is its price? Its price is pure love, which is sacred, ever new, and divine. This is not worldly love. It always unites, it has no ups and downs; it never waxes and wanes. This love always gives and never takes. Everybody should understand the difference between worldly love and divine love. Worldly loves only takes, never gives; divine love only gives, never takes. Divine Discourse 29 April 1997 |