Discourse Clip - Sai Inspires May 22, 2026

A river has two banks. But for this, the river may flow in all directions, flooding the fields and villages and causing untold hardship and disaster. If it has the bunds to regulate the course of flow, it will be useful for irrigation. In a similar manner, the river of life has to be contained between the two bunds of the eight-lettered axioms. One is, Shraddhavan labhate jnanam and the other is, Samsayatma vinashyati. Both these declarations are made by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. The meaning of the first one is - “It is only by faith that one attains wisdom”, and the second one means - “A person who doubts everything will perish.” So long as one has doubt, one cannot achieve anything. If a person has no doubt and has full faith, he can achieve anything. The river of human life flowing between these two bunds reaches the goal of grace successfully. A tree that needs water is provided water only at the root. Though the root is not visible to your eyes as it is buried under the earth, it is the basis for the tree to thrive. If the root is dry, the tree becomes dead. Therefore, you have to safeguard the root. Similarly, you have to safeguard the root of life. Otherwise, it will get extinct. The root of life is to kill doubt. Therefore, these two eight-letter mantras are the essential needs for life. - Divine Discourse, Apr 23, 1998