Events at Prashanti Nilayam 15-08-03

[Guest guest]

Source:

http://www.kingdomofsai.org/2003/NEWS/NEWS20030815a.html

 

Events at Prashanthi Nilayam

15 AUG 2003

 

Following is a wonderful narration of the events at Prashanthi

Nilayam by a couple of Sai Devotees:

 

5:00 a.m. The bell tolls twelve times. Ten minutes later the bell

tolls five times. Ten minutes after that the bell rings once. Omkar

begins.

 

The start of another day on the ashram. New unfamiliar faces have

arrived. Old familiar faces are now absent. We sit on the ground and

wait. After Omkar the chit numbers are drawn. Shortly the lines

begin to file into the darshan hall. Once in a while a gent gets up

prematurely to join a line, not his own, in order to go in earlier.

A sevadal catches him and places him in the late-comer line. Earlier

it was announced that certain items are not allowed into the darshan

hall. Inevitably those same items are found in the boxes outside the

entrance gates as sevadals have found them in the pockets of their

owners: matchboxes, pens, papers, etc. Once inside many still run to

their favorite spots. Generally, though, it is calmer now as more

and more realize that Baba no longer comes along the aisles. Still

the sevadals roll out the red carpet, align it precisely, brush it

off, and put it away when finished.

 

Much has changed since our last visit a year and a half ago. The red

golf cart, a four-seater. Coming in, Baba usually sits on the left

side, behind the driver. Even from far away I sometimes see Him wipe

His lips with His handkerchief. The cart moves slowly along the

aisle, the tires squeaking when it turns. Baba holds onto the chrome

rail in front of Him with one hand. Sometimes He picks letters from

the ladies. Usually the cart stops at the last column on the ladies

side, where He slowly gets off, stepping out onto a two-step red

stool. Two men are already there to assist Him down. Often He pats

the right shoulder of the older gentleman as He begins

to walk up the ramp to the veranda. He walks slowly now, with a

noticeable side-to-side "waddle", appearing to have difficulty.

(Shortly after writing this, Swami, of course, demonstrated He had

no difficulty at all. During afternoon darshan He was on His feet

for 45 minutes, without any support whatsoever, including

guardrails!)

 

Gone are the days of giving letters to Swami. Oh yes, He still takes

them, but much much less from the general audience. But if you're a

VIP or a student of His, then yes. This morning three ladies from

our group were leaving without having their letters taken by Swami.

One of them passed her stack of letters to the front row. The woman

there looked at the stack with a confused expression then promptly

returned it. Few expect their letters

to be taken.

 

Two days ago in the afternoon He played the role of Mother. Two of

His children needed help with their musical skills. One, a violin

player, the other, a singer. Swami sat and listened patiently to

each perform, just like a doting parent. Then He gave each advise on

how to improve. Such sweetness.

 

Inside the mandir now stands the golden larger-than-life statue of

Baba. It stands between the large photo of Shirdi on the left and

the large photo of Sathya Sai on the right. It is "framed" inside a

golden frame. When Swami comes in for bhajans He no longer sits on

His "throne." He now sits in front of the men's line next to the

aisle, in an armchair over which a white cloth has been draped. The

ladies have a good view of Him there. The men in the aisle seating,

however, have much difficulty to see. It is very nice to see Him as

He sits there. He sits sometimes with His eyes closed, in bliss.

When arati begins and the priest lights the lamp, it is enchanting

to see His face lit up momentarily. On His way out He sometimes

pauses in front of the boys and we see Him a little longer. The down

side: after bhajans we are immediately ushered out of the room,

without a chance to meditate.

 

At the veranda, whenever he gets an opportunity, Professor Anil

Kumar, talks with Swami. As Swami approaches on the veranda he

begins a conversation. It is interesting to see the interaction.

More interesting, of course, to hear it. But I don't have that

privilege. Anyway, Anil Kumar is sometimes so animated, bobbing his

head side to side as the Indians do. Swami might look away or not

say anything for a while. And when Swami is speaking with someone

else, a student for example, Anil Kumar is there again,

interjecting. It is almost comical to see. But cute also.

 

Although we no longer see Swami so long in the morning, we are

enjoying more and more of Him in the afternoons. The key is the

white (actually almond or bone in color) chair. If it is brought

out, that means that probably He will be coming there to sit for a

while. (Again, this afternoon, He proved me wrong. Not sitting in

the chair at all) But when He does finally sit, we applaud.

Yesterday He was with us in the afternoon for nearly 45 minutes

before getting up from that chair.

 

The ashram rules seem to have become more slack. More women are seen

wearing tighter revealing clothing (but not in darshan hall, of

course). Or women are seen without shawls, just a shirt. Too, young

men and women are seen walking hand-in-hand.

 

Change is inevitable. Here at the ashram, it is no different. One

quality of change is that it is reliably unpredictable. We know that

things won't last forever. But we're not sure exactly how they will

be different. All we can do is wait and see. But one thing never

changes. Swami's love. I, for one, feel it exactly the same as

during my first visit in 1996. The love is just as pure, just as

sweet. No matter how far I am from Him physically, the love feeling

is the same. It makes me smile. I forget my worries. And I am happy.

 

Be Happy DEAR ONES.

T & M

 

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