Discussion #

1. What is prayer?
2. How do you pray and why?
3. What is the relevance and importance of praying or thinking of god all the time and if one does that all the time, is there a need for one to set aside some dedicated time to pray?
4. What does it take to make ones prayer intense?
5. Is it wrong to pray for material things ? personal goals? What about for the welfare of the community?
6. Does satisfaction of material desire eventually become a path to spirituality?
7. Do we want god or do we want something from god?
8. Can prayer be replaced by seva? Swami has said “ Hands that server are holier than the lips that pray” Please explain the contect of this quote.
9. What is the difference between prayer and meditation?

Prayer (Chapter from Prashanthi Vahini) #

http://sssbpt.info/vahinis/Prasanthi/Prasanthi07.pdf

The devotee can well pray for and ask from the Lord the gift of such a peace, as well as the virtues (sat-gunas) necessary for their growth. Why, the aspirant has only this one thing as capital for earning any goal: prayer.

Some people may have some doubts related to this. Of what avail is prayer? Will the Lord gratify all that we ask for in our prayers? He gives us only what, according to Him, we need or deserve, is it not? Will the Lord like to give us all that we ask for in our prayers to Him? Under such circumstances, what is the use of prayer? Of course, all these doubts can be resolved.

If the devotee has dedicated everything —body, mind, and existence— to the Lord, He will Himself look after everything, for He will always be with the devotee. Under such conditions, there is no need for prayer. But have you so dedicated yourself and surrendered everything to the Lord? No. 

When losses occur, calamities come, or plans go awry, the devotee blames the Lord. Some, on the other hand, pray to Him to save them. If you avoid both of these, as well as reliance on others, if you place complete faith on the Lord at all times, why should He deny you His grace? Why should He desist from helping you? Men do not rely fully and unswervingly on the Lord.

Therefore, though you have to be the agent and the instrument doing everything, keep on praying with devotion and faith. Faith is the product of peace, not of haste and hurry. For the acquisition of the grace of the Lord and the resulting awareness of the reality, the quality of peace is the prime need.

Every aspirant is aware of how Droupadi, through her dharma and peace, deserved the grace of the Lord. Though her husbands were mighty heroes and far-famed monarchs, she sought refuge in Lord Krishna, feeling that all others were of no use. 

But Prahlada did not seek refuge under similar circumstances. At birth, he had surrendered all to the Lord. He knew that the Lord was ever by his side and that he was ever by the side of the Lord, so he had no need to call out to Him for protection. Prahlada was unaware of anything except the Lord; he could not distinguish between one function of the Lord and another. So, how could he pray for protection, when he did not know that He was being punished? For all such God-intoxicated and dedicated souls, prayer is unnecessary.

But until that stage is reached, prayer in an attitude of peace is essential for aspirants. Prayer with this attitude will promote equanimity in enjoyment (sama-rasa). The Lord can be prayed to by means of recital of the name of God, continual repetition of the name of the Lord, meditation, or devotional singing. In every one of these, the chief item is the divine name. That is why Krishna spoke in the Gita of recitation of the name.

When repetition of the name is done, it is better to recite aloud and make it devotional singing. This will inspire the gathering. If devotional songs are sung in a sweet voice, people will be drawn toward the Lord. Gradually, it will develop into love for God, and His grace will follow in due course. One should patiently wait for that grace. Even for being blessed by the Lord’s grace, one must have peace and await patiently. Only serenity succeeds in bringing about the result of spiritual practice. Add this lesson to the practices you are engaged in, night and day, and to the following mantra for peace:

From untruth, lead us to truth

From darkness, lead us to light

From death, to immortality

Asatho maa sadgamaya

Thamaso maa jyothir gamaya

Mrityor maa amritham gamaya

The meaning of this mantra is given variously by different people, some elaborately, some succinctly. Here is the real meaning of the mantra. 

The first prayer is: “Oh Lord, when I am deriving happiness through the objects of this world, make me forget the unreal objects and show me the way to permanent happiness.” 

The second prayer is: “Oh Lord, when the objects of the world attract me, remove the darkness that hides the all-pervading Atma, which every such object really is.” 

The third prayer is: “Oh Lord, bless me through Your grace with the immortality (Paramananda) that results from the awareness of the effulgence of the Atma that is immanent in every object.”

Takeaways of Prayer (Chapter from Prashanthi Vahini) #

• Prayer is a way of communicating with the Lord and asking for His grace, peace, and virtues.
• Prayer helps one to develop faith, equanimity, and love for God.
• Prayer is not necessary for those who have completely surrendered to the Lord and are always aware of His presence and protection.
• Prayer can be done in various forms, such as reciting the name of God, singing devotional songs, or meditating on His form.
• Prayer should be done with a calm and patient mind, not with haste or doubt.

Prayer (Chapter from Sathya Sai Vahini) #

http://sssbpt.info/vahinis/Sathyasai/SathyaSaiVahiniInteractive.pdf

Relation between worldly and spiritual work

The relation between worldly and spiritual work (karma) has also to be examined. We plough the field deep and make it fit for the seeds to grow. We select good seeds and sow them in the furrows. We foster the saplings with care. We remove the weeds that hamper and harm them. We water the plants when they need it. We protect the crop by erecting fences. We keep vigilant watch and save the plants from pests. Take it that each of these crucial steps are carried out by us diligently and without delay, as and when required.

But how can we be certain, in spite of all these, that the fruits of our labours will reach our homes and can be stored by us for our use? The irrigation canal might go dry any day. The sky might pour down too much rain or withhold it altogether. Pests might prove too powerful to be eliminated; they might destroy the crop just when the harvest is in sight. But people should not, even when such disaster faces them, collapse, as if they had lost everything.

If rain doesn’t come in time for the crop, one can venture to fly into the clouds and scatter chemicals, to induce showers by artificial means. But what guarantee is there that the rain thus produced will fall on one’s own land? Artificial means cannot affect the mood of gods. They help or hinder according to their will. When all paths are closed and when, at last, one decides to pray to God for rain, how is the prayer to be framed? In what form should it be uttered? These problems confront one. The disaster is evident, and the only refuge is prayer. “O God! The crop growing in my field is fast drying up on account of unbearable thirst for rain. The canal doesn’t have even a drop of water to slake the thirst of people and cattle. Therefore, have pity on us. Give us rain, in plenty, soon.”

Meanwhile, another problem has arisen, let us say. A neighbour has arranged for the celebration of some festival. Since rain will ruin the festival and cause great inconvenience to the participants, he prays equally fervently. “O God, keep the rains off until this celebration is over.”

Harmonizing individual prayers

Both applicants are intense devotees of God, the one who clamours for rain and the one who opposes it. What is God to do under these conditions? Whose prayer is He to fulfil? Of course, answering prayers saturated with sincerity is the characteristic of the Divine, but when the prayers of devotees clash, how is He to shape His grace?

God is free; His will is law. But He is bound in some sense by His own love and compassion. The monarch of a realm cannot satisfy the desire of all subjects; he cannot claim the power to fulfill all their needs. Why? He is unable to fulfill for himself all that he desires. If he attempts to satisfy every wish that arises in him, the subjects are certain to rise up against him and pull him down from the seat of power. That danger is always dangling over him. However mighty the monarch, he has to obey certain rules and honour some limitations laid down to ensure a just rule. These might have been laid down by the very monarch; but, once promulgated, he too is bound by them and has to honour them. If he casts them aside, transcends them, or oversteps them, chaos will result, for the subjects will also exercise their freedom to cast them aside or override them. “As the king, so the subjects (Yatha raja, thatha praja).”

Author of a law must obey the law

The author of the law must himself obey the law. He cannot stay away. The monarch must always hold the welfare and happiness of his subjects as his ideal. Their welfare and happiness are essential for his own welfare and happiness. They are so closely interrelated.

The inescapable duty of the monarch is to satisfy the proper and praiseworthy desires of his subjects. For this reason, in order to carry out his duties effectively and smoothly, the monarch assigns the task to many subordinate authorities, instead of himself attending to all matters concerning the kingdom and the subjects.

The rulers of worldly states have perforce to lay down hard and fast limitations, conditions, disciplines, and duties in order to ensure welfare, prosperity, and progress. Imagine, then, how many more such have to be imposed by the Lord, who holds Himself responsible for the entire cosmos! For the smooth and safe working of the various facets of nature, He has to prescribe flawless rules. Just contemplate how numerous and universal they have to be! They affect every activity and inactivity in nature. Each unit must have (and has) its own peculiar restrictions and regulations. Each unit is, more or less, itself within the larger framework. It has a separate head, with limbs of government for coordinating duties and responsibilities and cooperating with others.

Functional division of deities

Prayers for timely help or useful guidance are attended to only by the appropriate units. Therefore, if, through ignorance or want of care, the pleading is addressed to the wrong head, what can the head do? Only cast it aside, remarking that it is not of concern because it was wrongly addressed. So, prayers for specific benefits and bounties have to be directed to the departments with which they are related. The divinity concerned with rain is Varuna. So, prayers for rain or about rain have to be directed to Him. He alone is authorized to deal with such.

Similarly, Surya is the head of the realms of health and splendour. Ganapathi is the head of the department that deals with prevention of difficulties that hamper good works. Bhudevi is the goddess in charge of vegetation. Cultivated crops and medicinal plants are fostered by Chandra. Thus, each group of divine manifestations and expressions has a lesser divine authority empowered to supervise and manage it. They are referred to as deities. Deities supervise, guard, and guide each one of the senses of people.

It may be asked, “God is One. Why can’t He listen to and fulfil our prayers Himself?” This question is based on mistake; it is a sign of weakened faith. Of course, there is only one God. But, in the governance of the cosmos, different fields of activity have to be ruled and regulated. These have subordinate deities. 

If you write a letter to me and address it to another, it will reach only the addressee! It cannot be presented before the person whom you desire to approach. So too, you have to address the deity in charge, the one concerned with the fulfilment or denial of your desire. Then, that deity would be interested in your problem and initiate whatever steps possible to solve it.

Credentials for proper prayer

It is essential to inquire into the credentials one has before formulating the prayer. That inquiry will reveal whether or not one’s thoughts and resolutions, hopes, and desires rise from firm faith. How do we test and discover the truth? People take a piece of gold and draw with it a line on a slice of stone; then they examine that streak and assess the quality. The test that will reveal the quality of your faith is whether you are practising sincerely the injunctions laid down by God. Your beliefs and actions must be expressions of faith. They must have holiness as their core. They must be so full of love and compassion that they attract to you the grace of God.

Activity emanating from such sacred belief and faith is the goal of the Karma segment of Vedic scriptures. It is the taproot of human progress; it is the very breath of happy human existence; it is the food that can alone allay the hunger of people; it is the life-sustaining water that can cure their thirst. Activity (karma) is as essentially bound with people as their need to discover and realize their own reality. Therefore, the first and continuing duty is to engage oneself in activities that are taught in the Vedas or approved therein.

Three types of activity reach God and earn His grace:

1. Activity not prompted by personal desire,
2. Activity emanating from unselfish love, and
3. Prayer arising from pure hearts.

These are the items to which the Lord pays heed; they reach God direct. The rest are the concern of deities who preside over their disposal. Therefore, prayers have to be unselfish, saturated with love, and free from the taint of attachment to the gift that the prayer would bring.

Science of spiritual activity

The word sastra, used frequently to indicate scriptures, means “that which commands, orders, directs with authority”. The sastras need not contain orders like “Before eating food, cook it well; before sowing seeds, prepare the soil through ploughing.” Who commands and where is that command laid down that the newborn calf shall seek food at the udder of the mother cow, where it is already stored, to appease its hunger pangs? Birth takes place along with sustenance for those being born.

As a matter of fact, the sustenance is ready first, and the birth of the individual to be sustained takes place later. The individual’s food and standard of living are dependent on the merit or demerit accumulated in previous lives while struggling for these two. One uses one’s intelligence to overcome the obstacles and cultivate the skills needed to succeed in this struggle. But the really valuable guidelines for human progress are beyond the understanding of people and even the capacities of their intelligence.

Nevertheless, the characteristics of one’s conduct and behaviour, one’s attitudes and aptitudes, are delineated in the Vedas and demarcated in the sastras. Activity is as essential on Vedic and sastric lines as they are for humans in the worldly level. The learned should realize that activities recommended in the scriptures promote the best interests of people here and lead to peace and harmony in the hereafter.

Service to fellow beings is service to God

In the art of beneficial activity, the goal of “service to mankind” occupies the foremost place. Of course, the individual pursuing the goal is also a beneficiary, since he is part of the living community that he serves. He is the co-sharer in the magnificent adventure. Knowing this and being aware of this truth when engaged in the service are themselves the highest urges for serviceToday, we hear everywhere slogans like:

• Service to humanity is service to God (Manava seva is Madhava seva),
• Service to the world is service to the Lord of the world (Loka seva is Lokesha seva).
• Service to human beings is service to God (Jana seva is Janardhana seva).
• Service to the individual is service to God (Jiva seva is Deva seva).

Each one highlights the idea that service rendered to a person is worship offered to God. 

This idea is very true and very valid. But the method of service is not being well thought out by many. The call for service to mankind is heard and welcomed, but how and where that service is to be practised is not reasoned out and decided. Each one follows their inclination and impulse. The most powerful impulse is self-aggrandizement camouflaged as service. In the name of service, neither worldly prosperity nor spiritual advance is furthered. More destruction than construction is achieved. Helping one, cooperating with another, sympathizing with others when they suffer defeat, disease, or distress —all these must cater not merely for the individual but also for the harmony and happiness of the world.

The organization of the urge to serve and the directions into which these were channeled have prevailed for ages, as laid down by the sages who were the forefathers. The forefathers believed that the very observance of righteousness and justice (dharma) by the individual contributed to the welfare of the world and could be evaluated as service. The broad circular heavy footprint of the elephant can include and even obliterate the footprints of many an animal. So too, the imprint of dharma includes service to society and to mankind. This was the faith of the sages.

High ideals are inspired by dharma. The forefathers imbibed them along with the breast milk of their mothers. Therefore, their practice of dharma was pure, praiseworthy, and productive of the highest good. It was believed in those ancient days that the festive feeding of the hungry, provision of houses for those without shelter, the construction of temples, the digging of tanks and wells, were all conducive to the happiness of people. Good people who propagated such ideals were discovered and gathered, fostered and fended; entire villages were earmarked for them and cultivable land allotted for their upkeep. The cool comforting moonlight of the fame of these leaders and guides has lasted even unto this day, providing unshakable examples of love, compassion and wisdom in the service of humanity.

Takeaways of Prayer (Chapter from Sathya Sai Vahini) #

• Worldly work involves a lot of effort, planning, and care, but it does not guarantee success or satisfaction.
• Worldly work is subject to many factors that are beyond human control, such as natural calamities, pests, or conflicts.
• Worldly work can also create dilemmas and contradictions, such as when different people have opposite desires or expectations from the same situation.
• Prayer is a way of acknowledging the limitations of worldly work and seeking the help and guidance of God, who is the ultimate source of everything.
• Prayer should be done with humility, sincerity, and faith, not with greed, selfishness, or doubt.
• Prayer should also be done with detachment, acceptance, and gratitude, not with attachment, resistance, or complaint.
• God is free and His will is law, but He is also bound by His own love and compassion.
• God cannot satisfy the desires of all devotees, as their prayers may clash or contradict each other.
• God has to balance the needs and desires of different devotees, while also considering the larger picture and the greater good.
• God’s grace is shaped by His own wisdom, justice, and compassion, not by the whims or demands of individual devotees.
• Devotees should have faith in God’s wisdom and trust that He will do what is best for them, even if it may not be what they initially desired or prayed for.
• The author of the law must obey the law, and cannot exempt themselves from it.
• The monarch must prioritize the welfare and happiness of their subjects, as their own welfare and happiness depend on it.
• The monarch has a duty to satisfy the proper and praiseworthy desires of their subjects, and may delegate this task to subordinate authorities.
• The monarch must lay down rules, limitations, disciplines, and duties to ensure the welfare, prosperity, and progress of their kingdom.
• The Lord, who is responsible for the entire cosmos, must prescribe flawless rules for the smooth and safe working of nature. These rules affect every activity and inactivity in nature, and each unit has its own restrictions and regulations.
• Prayers should be directed to the appropriate deity for specific benefits or bounties.
• Different deities are responsible for different aspects of life.
• While there is only one God, different fields of activity in the cosmos are ruled by subordinate deities.
• Prayers should be addressed to the deity in charge of fulfilling or denying the desire.
• Sastras are authoritative scriptures derived from the Vedas.
• Sastras contain commands and directions that guide human conduct and behaviour.
• Sastras prescribe activities that promote human progress and lead to peace and harmony.
• Sastras are essential for human progress, as they delineate the characteristics of one’s conduct and behaviour.
• Service to mankind is considered a form of worship offered to God.
• Service should be done with the right intention and method, not for self-aggrandizement or personal gain.
• Service should cater not only to the individual, but also to the harmony and happiness of the world.
• The practice of dharma, or righteousness and justice, contributes to the welfare of the world and can be considered a form of service.
• Dharma inspires high ideals and provides guidance for service to humanity.
• Service can take many forms, such as feeding the hungry, providing shelter, constructing temples, digging wells, or supporting leaders and guides who propagate love, compassion, and wisdom.

Devotion Of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu #

http://sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume34/sss34-08.pdf

Once Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to a temple and prayed, “Oh Lord, I know that you are the Master of the world. You are omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. You can grant any wish that I ask for. But I don’t have any worldly desires. I don’t aspire for money, jewelry and material objects. Neither am I interested in devotion or renunciation nor do I crave for liberation. But I do have one desire. Grant me the strength to love You. It is enough if I can love you. There is nothing superior to this.” 

As Chaitanya Mahaprabhu loved God dearly, he propagated the message of love to the entire world. ‘‘Think of God incessantly. Chant His Name. There is nothing in this world except God.” This was the message propagated by Chaitanya.

His mother wanted him to get married to a girl named Lakshmi, who hailed from a good family and was highly devoted. But Chaitanya was not interested in marriage. He said that he had dedicated his life to the Lord. His mother said, “You might have offered your mind to God, but what about your body? Life should have both spiritual and physical aspects.” On the insistence of his mother, Chaitanya married Lakshmi. 

Immediately after the marriage, he set out on a pilgrimage. He wanted to propagate the Divine message. Chaitanya did not return home from his pilgrimage for a long time. His wife Lakshmi was a pious lady. She had a pure heart full of selfless love. She left her mortal coil while constantly thinking of Chaitanya. Chaitanya returned home after her death.

His mother felt highly depressed at the turn of events. She felt that it was impossible to get another girl like Lakshmi who was pious and pure-hearted. Then she got him married to another girl named Vishnupriya.

After his second marriage, he again set out to propagate the Divine message and in the process totally forgot his home. He considered God as His only refuge. He had no other thought in his mind.

Once when he was singing the glory of Lord Krishna in the streets, some miscreants, who were jealous of his growing reputation, snatched away the cymbals from his hands. Thereafter, he started playing on a drum while singing the Divine Name. Even the drum too was broken by the miscreants, but he was least perturbed. He felt there was no necessity to use the musical instruments to sing the Divine Name.

Then he started clapping and singing Bhajans. Now the miscreants beat him up mercilessly. His body started bleeding profusely, yet Chaitanya continued to chant the Divine Name. But when his mother came and saw, there was no trace of blood on his body. It had all disappeared miraculously because Chaitanya firmly believed that his body belonged to God and was not attached to it.

Takeaways on Devotion of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu #

• Chaitanya Mahaprabhu prayed for the strength to love God and considered this the highest goal.
• He propagated the message of thinking of God and chanting His Name.
• He was not interested in worldly desires and dedicated his life to serving God.
• He faced opposition but remained steadfast in his devotion.
• His faith and devotion were strong enough to overcome physical suffering.

Anything can be achieved through prayer #

http://sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume37/sss37-22.pdf

There is nothing greater than prayer. Hence, everyone must necessarily offer their prayers to God. However, one should not pray for worldly gains. “Oh God! I want your love and nothing else.” This should be your constant prayer. Once you become the recipient of God’s love, you can conquer the entire world.

You may undertake any task, but do not pray to God for the fulfilment of the task undertaken. Instead, leave everything to His Will. Have full faith that He will do what is good for you. Pray to Him, “Oh God, please take care of our needs every moment of our life.” When you discharge your duties surrendering everything to God’s Will, you will certainly achieve success in your tasks. But Swami’s Will takes shape without any prompting or planning at the appropriate time. Whatever Swami requires arrives unasked.

However, Swami would like to make one more thing clear. As things come to us unasked, we utilise them for the benefit of others, too. Swami does not want anything at all! Swami’s only purpose is that, having come here, you should make best use of this opportunity and lead your lives in a happy and sacred manner. You need not give anything for Myself. Swami is always ready to fufil your desires. But before you express your desire, you should enquire yourself whether you really deserve it.

Any mighty task can be accomplished by prayer. Hence, pray to God silently. Do not pray for the fulfilment of your petty desires. Give up all desires and pray to God wholeheartedly with love. You will certainly find fulfilment in life. You can understand and experience divinity only through love. Some people complain, “Swami, God is not coming to our rescue in spite of our incessant prayers.” I tell them, “The mistake lies in your prayer and not in God.” If your prayers are sincere, they will certainly be answered. There is nothing that God cannot accomplish.

Takeaways from “Anything can be achieved through prayer” #

• Prayer is powerful.
• Pray for God’s love, not material gains.
• Surrender to God’s will.
• Use blessings for others’ benefit.
• Question if you deserve your desires.
• Pray silently and sincerely.
• Love is the path to divinity.
• God’s response depends on the sincerity of the prayer.

Practice of meditation #

http://sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume17/sss17-06.pdf

In the practice of meditation, it should be realised that all cannot follow the same pattern or method. It varies according to the evolution and circumstances of each individual and his or her capacity and earnestness. Some worship the Supreme as the Universal Mother. Some look upon the Almighty as Father. Some regard God as the Supreme Friend. Some devotees approach the Divine as the Beloved or the Master. Jayadheva, Gauranga and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa belonged to the last mentioned category. They did not practise meditation. They felt the presence of God everywhere. Where could they go for meditation? Such was their experience. To the true sadhaka evidence of the omnipresence of God can be found everywhere. By merely closing one’s eyes, one does not engage in meditation. One must feel one’s unity with God in one’s inner being.

Prayer is for the mind what food is for the body. Just as wholesome food gives health and strength to the body, prayer purifies the mind and strengthens the spirit. If bhajans (devotional songs) are done in an ostentatious manner, the ego gets bloated. Young people must proceed from thamas (the darkness of ignorance) to thapas (spiritual penance). They must be steadfast in pursuing whatever they take up. There is no meaning in doing meditation for two days and giving it up on the third day. Meditation must become an integral part of one’s life.

Takeaways on practice of meditation #

• Individualized Meditation: Different people have different methods of meditation.
• Perception of God: God can be perceived in various forms.
• Omnipresence of God: God is everywhere and in everything.
• Importance of Prayer: Prayer is essential for mental and spiritual strength.
• Avoid Ostentation: Devotional practices should be sincere, not showy.
• From Ignorance to Spiritual Penance: Spiritual growth involves moving from ignorance to penance.
• Consistency in Meditation: Meditation should be a regular part of life.

The Prayer of Surrender as written by Swami to a devotee… #

For long, the source of this prayer was unknown. It was attributed to the ‘wall at the entrance of the Western Canteen in Prasanthi Nilayam’.

Here is the English translation(the letter image above)

“Why get agitated? Let Me take care of all your business. I shall be the one who will think about them. I am waiting for nothing else than your surrender to Me, and then you do not have to worry any more about anything. Say farewell to all fears and discouragement.

You demonstrate that you do not trust Me. On the contrary, you must rely blindly on Me.

To surrender means: To turn your thoughts away from troubles, to turn them away from difficulties that you encounter and from all your problems. Leave everything in My hands saying, “Lord, Thy will be done. Thou think of it.” That is to say, “Lord, I thank you, for you have taken everything into your hands, and you will resolve this for my highest good.”

Remember that thinking of the consequences of a thing is contrary to surrender. That is to say, when you worry that a situation has not had the desired outcome, you demonstrate that you do not believe in My love for you —you prove that you do not consider your life to be under My control and that nothing escapes Me.

Never think: How is this to end?… What is going to happen? If you give into this temptation, you demonstrate that you do not trust Me. Do you want Me to deal with it — yes or no? Then you must stop being anxious about it! I shall guide you only if you completely surrender to Me. And when I must lead you on a different path than the one that you expect, I carry you in My arms.

What seriously upsets you is your reasoning, your worrying, your obsession, and your will to provide for yourself at any price. I can do so many things when the being, in his material necessities as in his spiritual ones, turns to Me saying, “You think of it,” and then closes his eyes and rests quietly.

You will receive a lot, but only when your prayer relies fully upon Me. You pray to Me when in pain so that I intervene, but in the way you desire it. You do not rely on Me, but you want Me to adjust to your requests.

Don’t behave like sick ones who ask for a treatment from the doctor, all the time suggesting it to him. Do not do that, but rather, even in sad circumstances, say, “Lord I praise and thank You for this problem, for this necessity. I pray You to arrange things as You please for this terrestrial, temporal life. You know very well what is best for me.”Sometimes, you feel that disasters increase instead of diminish. Do not get agitated. Close your eyes and tell me with faith, “Thy will be done. You think of it.” And when you speak thus, I accomplish a miracle when necessary. I think of it only when you trust me totally. I always think of you, but I can help you completely only when you rely fully on Me.“

http://saibaba.ws/articles/reflectionsonprayer.htm#:~:text=Prayer%20ought%20to%20be%20an,developing%20unselfish%20love%20for%20God