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As long as a person is material minded, he is interested only in material things. One person told Swamiji that after listening to Swamiji, he had changed. Swamiji asked "Onida?" meaning "Have you got horns?". He replied, before listening to you, I used to eat Non Vegetarian food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, now I eat it only for lunch and dinner. Another person told Swamiji that after listening to Swamiji, he started taking a bath and a third person told him that he smokes only after lunch and not all day!! Such people feel that simply sacrificing a few material things can give rise to spirituality.

There are many types of sacrifice. Once a man lost his job and asked Swamiji for help. Swamiji told him that he could work in the Ashram's kitchen. The man was annoyed. So Swamiji told him to pray to Lord Shiva, recite the Hanuman Chalisa on Tuesdays, offer coconut to Shiva on Mondays and so on for 5 weeks. Since the man got a job, he continues to follow these even now.

Performing Yagna with material things is only the first stage. The second stage is controlling the mind and the third stage is being beyond worldly objects by controlling the mind and sacrificing the power of the mind and to be involved in inquiry. This Gnana Yagna is the highest. In this the sacred fire is the Gnana or knowledge and the oblation or the ghee is the ignorance in our minds.

We should understand what this Jagath or World is, what life or Jeeva is and Who is God or Ishwara. We should understand the relation between these. Jagath is that which we see as different from us. This causes desire and fear in mind. Desire for the object and fear that we may not get it. If we do not consider it as different, we lose desire and fear and then the World is not so big or difficult and life will be more happy.

Swamiji wanted to visit a Govt. officer. The security guard outside was very strict and he never allowed anybody. Many people hence deterred Swamiji from even trying. Swamiji went to him, bowed and said, "you are a very great person" and then requested him for permission to enter. That man also allowed him. The others who had deterred Swamiji were amazed. It was possible only because of a positive approach.

Next Swamiji talked about Jeeva and Ishwara. Once in a camp for children, Swamiji asked the children what is the difference between Man and God. They said Man has one head, while God has many heads, Man has 2 hands while God has many hands, God has many weapons while Man has beedi!! Swamiji explained "The difference between Man and God is, Man becomes happy by getting something and God by giving." Whenever Man gets true pleasure in giving, he comes close to God. The pleasure of receiving is Jeeva's (man's) and that of giving is Ishwara's (God's). In Gnana Yagna a person understands Jagath, Jeeva and Ishwara.

What comes with all actions that result in knowledge is Gnana yagna. If based on experience, we get happy or sad or upset, we keep remaining in the cycle of birth and death. If we learn from the experience, we are in Gnana yagna. Many years back, one day, Swamiji had told his servants to cook for him and went out. He came back very late, tired and hungry. When he asked for food, his servants said that there was no food. He drank water and went to bed. But since he was very hungry, he could not sleep and came back to the kitchen. He saw that his servants were giving food to their friends. He was very angry, became Narasimha, and hit them. He lost his hunger and then went away. He was tired and he slept. But the next morning, he felt ashamed. The important thing is that he learnt from this experience and totally gave up anger.

Once a very old lady, 85 not out, came to visit Swamiji. She told Swamiji to bend and put Chandan and Kumkum on his forehead. She then put rice on his head, he was worried, she might add seasoning with mustard too!! She put an apple on his book, went around him thrice and then said, "Be happy". He got a lot of happiness seeing the warmth and affection of the old lady. Though he was a little irritated in the beginning,. He did not lose patience and hence he got happiness.

Youth is in being able to learn each and every day from every experience. A real Nanaji is one who keeps saying "Na" or "No" to everything. A person who is not ready to do anything new or learn is old. A good teacher is one who has the patience to learn from everything. It is possible to learn even from passing trucks. Swamiji recounted how an innovative driver of a milk truck had the message, "Phir wohi doodh laya hoon" on the back of his truck. Life goes on with ups and downs, but we should be happy at all times and learn everyday. If we learn, we do Gnana yagna. When we go to somebody and our work gets spoilt, we should not get angry. We should try to inquire as to why that person is in a bad mood and what is the cause of the problem. However bad an experience, we should learn and when we learn, we learn, we get rid of the papa or punya.

Swamiji learnt Bengali and then used to go and read sign boards but his pronunciation was different. Once he went to a shop and read the sign which said "Ghadi ki dhukan" meaning a watch shop. Then another person came and read it as "Ghodi ke do khan" meaning a horse has two ears. We should apply everything that we learn. If we start applying, every minute is a Sadhana. Sadhana is not simply getting up, sitting and boring God for three hours and then the rest of the world, but learning from every experience.

How should we get this Gnana? Tad viddhi prani patena. This means first understand the true nature. Try to learn or accept. If one has no patience to learn, then accept. Otherwise learn and then accept. We often get doubts on what to do and what to think. Then we should go to illumined souls who know Shastras, lead a clean life and an unselfish existence. We should ask them and follow their advice. We should fall at their feet and accept them as superior to us. Only if we have respect we can learn, since knowledge flows from up to down. The next stage is pari prasnena or by asking questions.

The questions should not be stupid or irrelevant. Once a person asked Swamiji, why he became a Swamiji. Swamiji said "I did not get married. That is why." He asked "Why? Anybody would have given you a girl." Swamiji told him " O.K. You bring me a girl."

Sometimes people ask "When is your birthday?" Swamiji says "31st April". One girl even sent him a card that said "Happy birthday whenever it is" and signed it "Guess Who I am" . So the questions asked to the Guru must be meaningful and relevant. The third step is through service, Sevaya. Once Swamiji was approached by a lady who wanted to press his feet. Swamiji said that he did not want his legs pressed but the lady was insistent. So he said that his neck is hurting and she could press it and end his misery, amongst other things.

If we go to learn music the teacher will be happy if we can reproduce the lesson taught. Similarly Sadhus will be happy if we stop being sad. Stop asking stupid questions and try to experience what is taught. Don't think, "If WE are not sad what will happen to sorrow?" Be happy.

In this Sloka, Shirdi Sai Baba has explained the term Upadeksyanti te jnanam. In the Sanskrit script, the term Tejnanam can be split in two ways. Te and Jnanam or Te and Ajnanam. So this means that, the teacher teaches both Jnanam and Ajnanam. Apara means the Vedas and the Vedangas. Para refers to that which gives us the Darshan of paramatma. So the teacher teaches both Para and Apara or what is paramatma and what is not. If we learn to separate from what is not paramatma we learn what is paramatma. If we get this Jnana we will never get lust or desire again.

Arjuna was a great warrior, yet in the war ,he lost his enthusiasm or Josh and consciousness or Hosh. The lord says that he was caught in this ignorance only due to the corruption of mind. If we stand before a picture of the Lord we can see it clearly as long as we keep some distance from it. If we go very close so that our eye is almost touching it we can see nothing. If we go really far, even out of the room then again we cannot see. So if we should really appreciate life, it is necessary to keep the right distance. Once Swamiji went to Pandharpur and saw the Lord Vittalji. In this temple, the Lord stands with his hands on his waist. People asked Swamiji the reason for this. Swamiji said "The lord tells us to move around the world keeping an elbow's distance around us."

Swami's friend had lost his wife when he was very young. He had brought up his two young children all by himself. Once, after listening to Swamiji's discourse, he thanked Swamiji and said, "When I had lost my wife, I saw my two little children and I lost all my confidence. I thought that I had almost reached the end of life. But when I think of it now, though the events do not change, I don't feel that upset. If I had felt then how I feel now, then I am a Stitapragna."

Everybody in this world has some reason to be unhappy. In Calcutta, when ladies take dogs for walks in the morning, they take them near electric poles. So even electric poles are so unhappy. There was a teenage girl whose father was a big businessman. They often had parties and the girl never used to participate. Her mother wanted Swamiji to advise her . When Swamiji spoke to her she said "When I see them drunk, I feel they are fools." Swamiji asked her why she doesn't go away, for which, she replied that it was her house and she didn't want to leave it. When Swamiji asked her how she managed, she replied "I have a selective hearing aid. I only hear what I want." Relating this incident, Swamiji said, "Why are you amazed ? Even you all are doing it now."

Our life is not just a journey from Womb to Tomb. A person's previous life can be seen from their temperament. A person who is always crying must be from hell and a person who is always happy must be from heaven. In a lighter vein, Swamiji said, "At least for others' sake, Be happy, Otherwise, they will say, you are from hell!".

That knowledge which does not improve our life, is a waste and a burden. Death is a rule of earth. There is no cause to be unhappy. Broaden your perspective. No incident is the end of the world. "Even this will pass away." Nothing is permanent. Even this yagna will finish today. People who couldn't fight during the last week, having been disciplined by the yagna, will begin again.

Every person brings software to this world. The body is hardware and our fate is software. Everything functions only as per this pre programmed software and we should just be prepared to accept things that happen, since, we cannot change it. Accept everything and everybody as they are, then there is no love, hate, good or bad. Whom we love, we love to serve. The difference between love and dependence is that in love, there is no expectation, but in dependence, we expect returns. When we expect returns, Love becomes a bargain. If we treat others like us, we become better people.

If we can coexist with others with love and others love us unconditionally, then we are in a spiritual path. If we see others as us, we become loving by nature. We see our face so many times. Nothing good to see too!! Still, we love ourselves. So, whatever we love as ourselves, we love spontaneously. Such a person will never be unhappy.

Once Swamiji was traveling by plane. The weather was turbulent, and the air hostess was herself very scared. Her announcement sounded scared. Swamiji told her, as he was getting down, "Don't be so scared". She replied, "It was sudden". Swamiji said, "Such things don't come with announcements. They will be sudden. So don't fear or cause fear!!".

Swamiji explained the term "Api chedasi papebyah" as qualification for knowledge. If we have expertise in committing sin, then we are qualified to get this knowledge. Even a sinner is eligible for this knowledge. The Lord knows that the people coming to him are a special brand. So he says thus. The moment we change ourselves, our sins are forgiven by the Lord. Swamiji told us to dedicate all sins to Swamiji that day, he could have a bath in the Ganges later!!

If we learn from our sins and don't revert to sin, immediately we are freed from the effects of the sin. But to be steeped in sin is wrong. Just as fire can take up the fuel fed to it, so too, the jnanagni can burn to ashes, all our actions, good or bad. There is no greater purifier than knowledge. The word "Pavitrahah" is derived as "Paveh Bhayath Thrayate" meaning that which takes away the fear of Indra's weapon or the fear of death. When we see death, then fear of death enters life. Death kills only once, but the fear of death kills a million times. He who gets purity of heart by Karmayoga automatically sees truth in self, with time. The heart always remains light and paramatma is born.

Swamiji eats less. He said, "Humain Figure ka fikar hain". Why?, Because his wedding is not over!! The sign of wisdom is wit and humor. Once four people were starting a garage business. It was a failure because they had their garage in the 4th floor of the building. Next they tried their hands in the taxi business. Again it was a failure because, all 4 were traveling in the taxi!!Swamiji advised all of us to read jokes everyday before going to sleep and then requested that we do not tell it to anybody!!

So first, knowledge is obtained by the faithful. The term Shastrasya, Guruvachasya .. means that we should accept as true, what Shastras and our teachers say. This is faith and this faith can lead us to the Lord. Only, if we accept God can be seen, will we ever see God. Only those who lead life with enthusiasm are on the spiritual path. One who treats paramatma as the most important and has control over his senses, can achieve God realization.

One person used to trouble others everyday. One day he never came. They went and looked for him and he lay dead with feet and hands in different directions. Even after death, he gave trouble, since they could not straighten him. A doubting soul has no peace. One who does not know, does not have faith and is always suspicious, gets destroyed and loses happiness here and in the world beyond. That person who is not bound by action is one who has dedicated all actions to God. So, the Lord tells Arjuna to cut with the sword of wisdom, the doubts in his heart and accept Karmayoga.