QUIZ on The Divine Life and Message of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Part – IV

1. What are the aims and objectives of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations?

   ANS: The aims and objectives of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation are a) Self Purification, Self improvement and Self discovery, b) To establish the essential unity of all faiths and propagate through example the values of Truth, Righteous conduct Peace, Love, Non-violence and selfless service.

2. What are the three wings of the organisation?

   ANS: The three wings of the organisation are Service, Spiritual and Educational which stand for work, worship and wisdom.

3. What is Balvikaas?

   ANS: Balvikaas is the most important component of the Educational wing. It is meant to enable children to imbibe human values and practise them in day to day life in order to realize that the end of education is character and to make their subsequent life happy useful and fruitful both for themselves, for society and for the country.

4. What is the motto of Sevaa Dal?

   ANS: Duty is God; Work is worship.

5. Explain the quotation, “Hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray”.

   ANS: It does not mean that prayer is inferior to service activity. It means that prayer alone is not enough; it should be followed by service. It actually means “Haath me Kaam, Dhil me Raam”. (work in hand and God in heart).

6. What is Study Circle?

   ANS: Study circle is very much like a round table conference. One subject is discussed from various points of view by the members. The spiritual aspirant can clarify his doubts in spiritual matters. However it is not a debate nor a complaining and explaining session but an inspiring one.

7. What is Sath Sang?

   ANS: Sath sang can transform a sinner into a saint, because of the contact with the virtuous men. It is not just keeping company of good people but of good and sacred books and entertaining good thoughts.

8. What is the benefit of devotional group-singing?

   ANS: “Wherever my glory is sung I am present there”, says the Lord. Hence Bhajan (devotional group singing) is the most inspiring of spiritual practices. It is in fact melody or music therapy. One can easily forget oneself in devotional group singing and experience Divine vibrations. India has set this holy tradition as the most effective Saadhana to realize God.

9. What is Nagar Samkirtan?

   ANS: Nagar Samkirtan: Devotees get up early in the morning, go about the streets singing the glory of God. This samkeerthana awakens people from sleep or Thamas when the sacred sound of God’s name reaches their ears.

10. What is meditation?

    ANS: “It is only in the depths of silence that one can hear the voice of God.” If prayer is a communion with God, meditation is Union with God. In deep meditation, one who meditates, the process of meditation and the object of meditation become one. Meditation is the stage attained after concentration and contemplation. It confers peace.

11. How does Swami explain meditation?

    ANS: Swami says that concentration is like identifying a rose flower among the leaves and thorns. Contemplation is like cutting the flower without touching the thorns. Meditation is offering the flower at the Lotus Feet of the Lord.

12. What is the role of festivals in spiritual practice?

    ANS: Festivals are meant to inculcate the foremost values of life: Love of God, Fear of Sin and Morality in society, in the observance of each one of the festivals the Saadhana of work, worship and wisdom are practised.

13. What are the nine points of Code of Conduct?

    ANS: The nine points of Sai code of conduct are:

    1. To engage in meditation every day.
    2. Entire family to participate in Bhajan atleast once a week.
    3. All members should send their children to Balvikaas classes as a matter of principle.
    4. To participate in community service and other Seva activities organised by the Samithis.
    5. To participate in Nagara Samkirthan and Bhajans organised by the Samithis atleast once a month.
    6. Regular study of Sai literature.
    7. Be obliging in speech.
    8. Not to speak ill of others especially in their absence.
    9. Not to waste food; to set apart some grain every day for the poor and hungry (Naaraayana Seva).
14. What are the ten commandments given by Baba?

    ANS: The ten Sai commandments are :

    1. To be patriotic.
    2. Have no hatred to any religion; respect all religions alike.
    3. Our race is human race; we should learn to treat all men as brothers.
    4. Keep houses and sorroundings clean.
    5. One should not encourage begging but strive to provide livelihood for the needy. To encourage begging amounts to encouraging idleness.
    6. Do not give or take bribes.
    7. Not to have any difference of caste, creed or religion.
    8. Everybody should learn to do his own work and should not depend on others to do his work.
    9. Have Fear of Sin and Love of God.
    10. To honour the Law of the Land and not to break any rules and regulations made by the Government of the day.
15. How can we try to establish integration at the national level and international level?

    ANS: Since the factors of disintegration are based on different conceptions about God, Religion, Caste, Language and Work, integration can be made possible by following Baba’s message:

    There is one God. He is omnnipresent ; There is only one religion the religion of Love

    There is only one Caste, the Caste of Humanity ; There is one language, the language of the heart.