Calamity, danger, and death cannot be avoided for all time; they are inevitable factors of life; you have to learn to live bravely with them. This can be accomplished only by uninterrupted prayer, not by spurts of worship actuated by sudden fear. Purify your hearts, your thoughts, feelings, emotions, speech; strengthen your nobler impulses; then no panic can un-nerve you; nothing can shake your stability, your Prasanthi.

Your prayers will be heard and answered; the Lord has no distinction of big nor small, of high or low. (L&L, p. 128)

Today is the holy festival of Sankranti. In fact, this year is particularly more important than the previous year. Last month several people suffered from untold miseries and sufferings on account of a Tsunami. It is only man’s evil deeds that are responsible for such a calamity. I, therefore, advise you not to indulge in wrong actions and evil deeds. It is possible that more troubles may occur during this year, compared to last year. However, we must move forward unmindful of those troubles. These are all passing clouds and you need not perturbed by these occurrences. Be bold and courageous to face them. The calamity of Tsunami that occurred last month was in fact, man-made. It was not Divine Will at all! But, man feels that all such calamities are thrust upon man by God. Never! God always provides happiness to man. He has no anger or hatred. His nature is love. The question arises why should there be sorrows and difficulties in the world? Strictly speaking, happiness will not have any value without sorrow. Man cannot experience happiness without undergoing some difficulty or the other. Both happiness and sorrow are intertwined. One cannot exist without the other.

Pleasure and pain, good and bad co-exist;

None can separate them. You cannot find

Pleasure or pain, good or bad to the

Exclusion of the other. Pleasure results

When difficulties fructify. (Telugu Poem)

God does not cause pain to any living being in His creation. All sorrows and difficulties are man-made only. God is the protector of all living beings. He provides peace and happiness to one and all. Lokah samastah Sukhino bhavantu (May all people of the world be happy). This is the Will of God. How then can God cause sorrow to a human being? Unable to understand HIs divine will, you accuse God of causing sorrow. If you can fathom the divine will, you will realise that everything is for your good only. We are all embodiments of bliss. Day in day out you experience that bliss and share it with others. Then only it will increase. (SSS Vol.38, pp. 12-14)

It is only the divine quality of love that save us from sorrows, difficulties and calamities. (SSS Vol.42)