In 2017 a Satsang held in the divine presence in Boston, USA, a devotee seeks guidance on accepting everything as the Divine will, and getting rid of desire and attachments. Here is what Swami said: How is everything Swami's prasadam? With a little examination, you can do it on your own and then you can tell Me. You were born; your lungs were breathing; your heart started beating and your blood started circulating. Did you do anything to make this happen? Whatever you do using these faculties, can you say that it is your doing? How is the result under your control? There is nothing you can do and nothing that you can own because God is working through you as your breath, your heartbeat, your circulation, your respiration and your digestion. It is only because He is doing all these things for you that you are able to work in the world. Where then is the question of claiming ownership of anything? Whatever comes out of your actions in your life is all because of Him. Sometimes, He may give you bitter medicine to cure your illness; accept it as His prasadam. Sometimes, He may give you a sweet to appreciate your good actions; accept that too as His prasadam. How does one get rid of attachment? Attachment comes by thinking about an object too much. Dhyayato vishayan pumsaha sangas teshu upajayate – while contemplating the objects of the senses (thinking excessively about something), attachment grows. Stop thinking about all the wrong things. How can you stop thinking? By being in the right company, you will get good thoughts. It is said that "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." When you keep thinking of negative things, it increases your attachment to the world. From attachment arises anger, from anger comes loss of discrimination and, finally, your intellect gets weakened. Therefore, it all happens due to thinking about things which are unnecessary. How can you avoid that? By making your mind think about only good things. By keeping good company, you can get rid of base desires and attachments. Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny. It all starts with good thoughts, and thoughts depend on the company you keep. Good company, good thoughts; bad company, bad thoughts. That is how you can get rid of desire and attachment. | | Annapoorna COVID-19 Crisis Support | | In times of COVID–19 lockdown, many families have lost their means of livelihood. Annapoorna Trust supports those needy families by supplying them with Food Essentials. | | Whitefield in Bengaluru Annapoorna volunteers in Whitefield reached out to 350 people from underprivileged pockets in the area and served them meal packets comprising vegetable rice and curd rice. | | Ramanagara District Annapoorna volunteers distributed 55 relief kits in Vaddarahalli , Ramanagara district. 60 relief kits were also distributed in Iruligara doddi village, Channapatna taluk, Ramanagara district. | | Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada Annapoorna team in Bantwal Taluk in Dakshina Kannada District distributed food grain ingredients to needy 180 families. | | Hyderabad - May 1, 2020: 1,200 Bottles of Drinking Water for Ram Koti hospital
- April 26, 2020: Relief for 60 Migrant Workers' Families in Hyderabad
- April 23, 2020: 17 Migrant Workers' Families in Buddha Nagar Receive Groceries
- April 21, 2020: Food Kits for Migrant Workers in Hyderabad
- April 17, 2020: 100 cartons of drinking water for King Koti Hospital
- April 15, 2020: Daily Meal Distribution and Grocery Distribution in Hyderabad
- 60 cows in one of the Goshalas near the Singaram Village, Hyderabad did not have grass to eat. Annapoorna volunteers from the Annapoorna Trust gathered grass and handed it over to the Goshala
| | Nizamabad District April 22, 2020: Relief Material for Needy Families in Nizamabad District | | Khanapur April 21, 2020: Essential Commodities for Needy Families in Khanapur | | Manoharabad Annapoorna team today reached out to the needy families of the children studying in the Government School in Manoharabad, Jakranpalle Mandal in Nizamabad District in Telangana to provide them with daily essential groceries. | | Annapoorna volunteers from Dehradun in Uttarakhand State have planned meticulously and are carrying out relief activities to help needy families and the homeless during the COVID-19 lockdown period. | | Vizianagaram District Annapoorna team in Vizianagaram District have so far provided daily essentials to 163 needy families across 10 villages in Vizianagaram District in Andhra Pradesh. | | Ananthapur April 26, 2020: Daily Essentials for Needy Families in Ananthapur | | Nellore April 22, 2020: Groceries for 44 Needy Families in Nellore Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh is marked as a red zone based on COVID-19 infection, thereby leading to highly restricted movement during the lockdown period. | | Vizag Airport, Andhra Pradesh April 21, 2020: Relief Material for 400 Contract Employees of Vizag Airport | | Addanki Mandal in Prakasam District April 20, 2020: 180 Needy Families Located and Provided Relief Material in Addanki Mandal in Andhra Pradesh | | April 29, 2020: Relief Materials for 250 Families in Delhi Annapoorna Trust in collaboration with Rescue Foundation has reached out to 250 needy families across Delhi and has provided them with daily essentials. Apart from groceries, personal care kits were also provided. | | April 23, 2020: Relief Activities in Jorhat, Assam The Annapoorna team in Jorhat in Assam had reached out to 11 needy families with groceries. The team identified another 17 needy families and provided them with grocery relief kits. | | April 20, 2020: Essential Groceries Distributed in Greater Noida Annapoorna team reached out to about 150 needy families in Greater Noida to provide them with groceries and some vegetables, in order to help them during the current lockdown. | | Sri Sathya Sai Aarogya Vahini Covid 19 Relief Support | | Sustained Support for Chronic Rural Patients with Hypertension and Diabetes: An initiative is ensuring sustained, monthly medicinal support for the diagnosed rural, chronic hypertensive and diabetic patients. | | Ensuring Medicines for Two Months for End Beneficiaries Suffering with Chronic NCDs at Rural Sites: Rural youths are being trained in capacity building and are playing pivotal roles in end point patient care. | | 24 hours Tele-Medicine: Supply of Groceries for Identified Households: | | Middle East Seva Activities - April 2020 Ramadan Mubarak | | Ramadan is the holy month when Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. Just like how the Vedas were revealed to the Rishis via sound waves/Tarangas, Quran too was a Divine communication. It is a month of silent and earnest remembrance of the Lord. The Sathya Sai families from the Middle East engaged themselves in selfless prayers/chants while at the same time, tried to render service to their fellow men. | | Behind the scenes of this fight for life due this pandemic, there are millions battling hunger worldwide. While the virus has acted as an equaliser, affecting both the rich and the poor; when it comes to hunger, it is the poor, especially the countless that are living hand-to-mouth who are the worst affected. Most live in fear that instead of the coronavirus, hunger could kill them. | | April was bustling with work for the youth even when the entire country was at a standstill. Amidst the situation, the Government workers continued to show up for work every two days giving the youth an opportunity to continue serving them as usual. As times are more difficult these past few weeks, the youth have been putting special effort to not only give refreshments but also provide a full meal when possible. | | Approximately 15 kms from the city of Colombo, the Kashyapa Children's Orphanage is home to 35 boys between ages six-twelve and five dedicated workers. | | Mythri Children's Home The youth were blessed with another opportunity to buy rations, this time in Borella, for a children's home housing 24 girls aged 6-19 who are looked after by four workers. | | Born in a devout family, where love for God and parents played a predominant role, it was easy for Ms. Sonal Khanna to attribute her life to the pure love that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba personifies. It has been a journey from Shirdi Sai to Parthi Sai to perceiving the same love in the subtle form of Swami as well. Sonal, along with her husband Mr. Abhinav Khanna are active youth volunteers of the Sai Hrudayam family in the UAE. | | I am overwhelmed and enchanted with the grace of our dearest Swami. Nowadays, before I undertake any task, I think of Swami and He corrects me that very moment and ensures that I do not do anything wrong. 'Sarva Karma Sathya Sai Preethyartham'— my only purpose in life is to undertake every act to make Swami happy. | | | | | | |