Saintly men and women reach beyond their own small worlds to grasp universal values. They seek higher and further for the principles, which benefit all. Their visions for humanity germinate in hearts full of love. Their ideals are nurtured on the milk of truth and the bread of duty. They grow strong in the shelter of inner peace. Their strength is inner divinity realized through a pure heart.

The pinnacle of spiritual attainment is realization of the atma. The qualities of this divine nature are being-consciousness-bliss, experienced with divine love as truth. At the summit of realization, these qualities meet at a common point, which is beyond description. So to reach the height of love, one must also reach the apex of wisdom, sense of duty, and peace. These qualities are present within each of us, but are hidden by the dark clouds of egoism. Sathya Sai Baba says that these divine qualities are like the sun: they always shine within us, but are often hidden by clouds of selfishness.

The Upanishads say that man is a spark of divine love encased in five sheaths … That love is ever urging and surging for expression, enlargement, and unclasping. But the tangles of fear, greed, egoism, and aggrandizement do not allow the spark to grow and illumine the sheaths, as well as the world around.

Sathya Sai Speaks 10

When we foster divine love within, the dark clouds disperse. Through love, self-realization is achieved. When we love God, we will not do anything to remove ourselves from the source of love. God wields the instrument of love to transform and reform us into the image of the divine.

One should not fear God. One must love him so much that all acts he disapproves are discarded. Fear to do wrong; fear to hate another; fear losing grace.

Sathya Sai Speaks 6