"I shall consider you blessed when you will renounce all attachments, conquer lust and palate and getting rid of all impediments, serve God wholeheartedly and resort to the begging bowl".
The above is the reply given by Sai Baba to Bapusaheb Jog who asked him why even after serving Baba for so many years, his mind was not calm and composed and why he failed in his efforts for self-realization. Sai Baba always laid stress on controlling pleasures of the senses.
In our scriptures, great stress is laid on "non-violence" which means not to hurt anybody physically, mentally, or by speech. Sai Baba had realized that of all the above, harsh and scornful words hurt a person much more than physical or mental violence. Such cutting words are more easily forgotten and cannot be withdrawn. Consequently, they cause everlasting ill feeling. Sai Baba, therefore, not only advised his devotees, "Not to speak cuttingly to anyone so as to hurt him. He said, "let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving a bitter reply. If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy", and to make sure that they did follow his advice, he also said, " He who carps and cavils at others, pierces me in the heart and injures me but that suffers and endures, please me the most".