In plain words
If they examined and took in well the works and the service Sai does, these people would not behave like this.
If you wish to recognise the principle of Sai truly, you must try to experience Sai's Prema. If you recognise this Prema alone, you too can be transformed into divinity. This is what ‘The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman itself’ means. One who has recognised the state of Brahman becomes Brahman. In this world there is nothing Sai needs. But since Sai bears some worldly responsibilities, is developing the organisation and has taken up service to the villages, following the ways of the people and the rules of the government up to a point cannot be avoided.
Recognise the inner meaning of the ‘Ceiling on Desires’ programme
With a holy intention we began the Ceiling on Desires programme. I have also told you the inner meaning behind beginning it. Through desires that pass all bounds, people are weakening their lives, in their finances and in their health. As a rule, every man, when he has money, steps forward eagerly to misuse it. Some poor families too imitate such wealthy people and are ruined. We began the Ceiling on Desires programme precisely to curb this misuse. If a labourer earns ten rupees a day, he drinks two rupees' worth of arrack. He spends three rupees on the cinema. Another two rupees he spends on one bad habit or another. Through such misuse their family life is crippled. That is why we began this programme, meaning that people should give up all such things as smoking cigarettes and beedis and taking liquor and meat, and then, once their finances were sound, they could support at least a few families with the money they had saved. Some, not recognising its true nature, thought that the aim of the Sai organisations was simply to make money somehow. The Sai organisations have never laboured for the sake of money. To render fitting service to the people and to show them the right path is the chief aim of the Sai organisation. But people made up meanings contrary to this and did not give up smoking cigarettes and beedis. They are not giving up drink. They only bring money and pay it in. I said clearly that I do not want this money. What we asked was that they curb their desires; we did not look for money.
To be fulfilled the moment it is willed is the principle of Sai
Money is indeed needed in the world. For whom? Not for Me. I never desire money. But there are some who have founded certain institutions and bear their responsibilities. Without money no programme can be taken up at all. We have adopted six thousand villages. In these villages we are providing not only education and medical care but roads and drinking water as well. Never has the word ‘I want money’ come out of My mouth. Seeing the good works being done, people come forward and give generously. Sow a single grain of paddy in the earth and it becomes a hundred grains. To be fulfilled the moment it is willed: that is the principle of Sai. The moment the resolve to build a college arose, the Rājamātā had the college built. There was no begging. The growth of the ideals took this form. The moment I resolved to start a school to bring up children well from their earliest years, Craxi, brother of Italy's Prime Minister, came and said, ‘I will have this school built.’ I resolved: if there were a higher secondary school too, the children could be raised from childhood with good discipline, could they not? At once a man named Bozzani came from America and had the higher secondary school built. In Bangalore too, the moment I resolved on a hostel and colleges, Mrs Cowan came and took on the responsibility, saying she would complete them.