Book Notes
Sai Sandesh, Gems for Healthy Living
by Prof. Anil Kumar Kamaraju
Anil Kumar, translator for Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been giving Sunday talks for devotees in Prashanti Nilayam for many years. His talks have encompassed an extraordinary range of subjects, from human behaviour to spiritual discipline, to parenting. He is ever the one to cite the Vedas, to share of his learning experiences at the Feet of Bhagavan Baba, and share his acute spiritual insights with devotees.
This book is a compilation of those Sunday talks, and conveys the characteristic simplicty of Anil Kumar's speaking along with his direct spiritual acumen delivered as he speaks.
From the Contents
- Who is a Devotee
- Success in Life
- The Art of Listening
- Four Do's and Don'ts
- Embrace the New Year
- Precious Nuggets from Baba
- Pursuit of Divinity
- Snacks for the Soul
- Master of Divine Technology
- Cornerstones of Life
- Towards Self Fulfillment
- Breath of life
- Health and Happiness
As you can see, Professor Kumar's range and scope of spiritual talks covers every aspect of devotee life, family life, life in society, and the brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God.
On Page 42, Prof. Kumar talks about the timings for our daily prayer. He describes our daily prayer time as our date with the Lord and we should not break our daily appointment with God. He uses the homely metaphor of feeding a dog at the same time every day. This is the same as training the human mind to respond and act in the way it has been shaped. Thus Prof. Kumar illustrates the foundations of a wholesome and full spiritual discipline.
On page 143, Taking up Swami's dicta that Time waste is Life waste, Prof. Kumar describes human capital as time. We may have capital to start a business, and capital can grow or be paid back to the investor. However, human capital, time, which we are given, once used, can never be regained again.
Speaking about Reality and Potentiality, on page 274, Prof. Kumar points out the extremes that many aver a true devotee ought pursue: renounce, stay in solitude and live as a renunciate. After mentioning the other extreme of immersion in material desires and pursuits, Prof. Kumar develops the theme that Bhagavan Baba is a bridge between the two. He goes on to further develop and give examples of reality and potentiality in human life.
414 pages of examples, stories, spiritual guidance, all pointing toward the goal of human life with balance. The subtitle of this book is Gems for Healthy Living. This is refreshing reading, and this book is an excellent text for daily spiritual reading.
For International readers, this book is available from the Sri Sathya Sai
Books and Publications website
For Australian residents, $3 plus (postage included), from Sai Books, 24 Kenilworth Ave, Wonga Park, 3115,
(Margaret and Randall McDonald), phone (03) 9722 1740
email books [at] saiaustralia.org.au