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QUIZ ON DIVINE SUMMER SHOWER DISCOURSES



Right answer on your 1st attempt
3 Points
Right answer on your 2nd attempt
2 Points
Right answer on your 3rd attempt
1 Point

Often Swami has referred to students as ‘His properties’. In one of His Summer Shower Discourses, Swami says, “Vidhyarthi (student) is the one who contributes substantially to the welfare and the well being of society. He is: vidya + arthi, a true seeker of learning. Students should realize that their life span is fast melting away like ice, whether they care to improve or not. The life a person lives as a student is the foundation for the life he will lead later as a citizen. It is only when a student lives a life characterized by peace and self-control that he will have a peaceful and contented life later as a citizen.”

1. In His Divine Summer Shower Discourse in 1972, Swami prodded students with the message:

The end of wisdom is freedom.

The end of culture is perfection.

The end of knowledge is love.

The end of education is character.


“There is a desire on the part of all of us to acquire these four qualities, namely, wisdom, culture, knowledge, and education, and reach their ends, namely, freedom, perfection, love, and character. But students should realize that if these qualities are not properly utilized, then they cannot call themselves students. As students and future citizens of this country, you have the responsibility for shaping the future of this country. Put your hearts on the right path by listening attentively to the more experienced men…. Those students who are here should not regard this as a month of holidays but should regard it as one of holy days. It is possible during this one month; there may be certain inconveniences you have to put up with...___________ is the first step in self-realisation.”

What is the first step in self-realisation that Swami advised to the participants of the summer course in 1972?




2. Bhagavan often talks about the three D’s. “Students must necessarily have three essential qualities - _______, devotion and duty. It is only when the students have these three qualities, that they will become useful to society. Every student is neglecting these three important qualities. He is behaving in a manner which makes others feel that he is - only after getting higher degrees like M.A. or M.Sc. This can also be summed up by saying that he is running after the so-called higher knowledge, not caring for general knowledge. If one does not possess ordinary common sense, however much he may think himself to be educated; he will have to be equated to an illiterate person.”

What is that first ‘D’ quality that Swami was guiding students about?




3. In His goal to make students become spiritually and mentally stronger, Swami explains: “It is the duty of every young student to recognize every bad idea or thought that sprouts in his mind and exterminate it completely. Mind is like a mad monkey and you should not surrender to it. You should control the mind and keep it under your direction. You should not be prepared to yield to all the desires that sprout in your mind. As soon as a thought comes into your mind, you should examine whether it is a good thought or a bad thought. For example, let us look at a piece of cloth. In reality, it is a bundle of threads; and if you examine it more carefully, you will say that it is just cotton. The first stage is cotton, the second stage is thread, and the final stage is the cloth. What would you do if you do not like this cloth? You remove the threads one by one and the cloth will not be there. In the same manner, mind does not have any specific form. It is simply ________”




4. In His Divine 1978 Summer Shower Discourse, Swami helps students learn the value of good conduct with a practical example: “Every student should shape himself as an ideal example. I have told you many times that a damaged car which comes for repair and replacement of various parts like nuts, bolts, screws, etc., should, after repair, be in a good condition when it is sent back home. In a similar manner, you have all come here with the need for repair. You have come here a month ago as a damaged car. You have been repaired in this workshop and your old and mean ideas have been replaced. When you go back to your homes, you should try to move the car of your life with clean ideas and good conduct. You should no longer have evil vision, faulty words or bad thoughts. You should do good work and set yourself as an example to others. If after going home, you still conduct yourself with the same old bad habits, what is the benefit of coming to the summer classes? You will also be setting a bad example to your friends. You will have lost all goodwill. Your time, effort and physical strength will have been wasted and become unsacred.”

What does Swami expect students to do with the teachings, after the Summer Shower course?




5.In 1979, Swami purports to the students the reason for the Summer Courses: “It is to impart to you such wholesome ideas and to enrich your value systems that the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust has been conducting these summer courses.”

While teaching values, Swami compares human life to a tree. What is the root of this special tree?




6.In His Divine 1990 Summer Shower Discourse, Swami makes students realize: “Whether one is a reputed scholar, an eminent scientist, or a great administrator, the development of human qualities is most essential for everyone. The development of society, the state, and the nation is proportionate to the development of manavatvam or the human state. If human qualities are lost, the honour of society and the nation will be lost.”

According to Swami, on which sublime quality does the honour of mankind depend?




7. In His Divine, 1993 Summer Shower Discourse, Swami expresses His point poetically:

“Education teaches humility.

Humility grants deservedness.

Deservedness bestows wealth.

Wealth facilitates acts of dharma.

Dharma grants fulfillment here and hereafter.”


Swami corrects a misnomer: “Many people have mistaken ‘dharma’ for ________.




8. In His Divine 1995 Summer Shower Discourse, Swami enforces: “You can achieve whatever you desire! Students should cultivate such determination. Without determination, you cannot achieve anything. Don’t say, ‘I will try.’ Say, ‘I must do!’ Don’t even use the word ‘try’. If you say ‘try’, ___________! So say, ‘I must do.’”




9. In His Divine 1996 Summer Shower Discourse, Swami guides students by asking them to face reality: “Students should realize that their life span is fast melting away like ice, whether they care to improve or not. Students of today are blind to the goal of life. Modern education does not confer any value on man. Even the rich meaning of a word like vidya has lost its pristine glory. The syllables vid and ya are laden with significant meaning. vid means ‘light’ and ya means ‘that’. Hence, vidya means ‘that which lends light.’”

What path does Swami propound for students to excel in their education?




10. In His Divine 1990 Summer Shower Discourse, Swami clarifies to the students that while He stresses on the importance of spiritual education, He does not misguide that they should give up secular learning. On the contrary, He says: “Along with it, you should try to acquire the knowledge of that which is real and everlasting. How many have not acquired high educational qualifications, name and fame? But how transient and fleeting are such things! The body itself is impermanent. However, even when the body perishes, our samskaras (accumulated mental impressions) will remain with us permanently. We should remember that we should live not for the sake of annam (food), but for the sake of __________”




Dear Reader, did you like this quiz? Is it too difficult? Is it interactive enough? How does it help you? Please tell us at h2h@radiosai.org.

-Heart2Heart Team


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Vol 6 Issue 06 - JUNE 2008
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