Swami's last sibling dies - Swami gives discourse

[Guest guest]

Source: http://pavanaputra.tripod.com/news/janaki.htm

Sai Ram web site: http://www.sairam.ar.cx/

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Swami's last sibling dies - Swami gives discourse

 

My Dears,

 

Thanks to our Sai Sister in Puttaparthi, we have an incredible

description of today's events in Prashanti with the passing of

Swami's last living sibling, Janakiram. Swami gave even gave an

impromptu discourse.

Love,

April

 

 

Sai Sister in Puttaparthi

Friday, October 17, 2003 9:39 AM

Swami's last sibling dies; Swami gives discourse

 

On Thursday, Swami came out as usual in the morning for bhajan.

After lunch, He walked all the way up to the edge of the verandah,

supported by two assistants, before settling down in the open chair.

For some reason, they did not put the footrest on, so His feet were

hanging down,inches from the floor!

 

After bhajan, I was surprised to hear the whole village humming that

Swami's brother (who has been in serious condition in the Super

Speciality Hospital since his heart operation) had died! I called up

a reliable contact, who told me that there was absolutely no

confirmation on that rumour. How tragic that rumours send a person

to the grave before their time!

 

Later, Swami went to the hospital. We all heard that his brother,

who has been in a comatose or semi-comatose state, awoke; however he

wasn't able to speak. Swami poured a few drops of water into his

mouth. After that, "he was all right," the rumour spread. But

actually, we had no definite reports, only that he is "still alive."

 

(This made me remember the last hours of Swami's two elder sister:

both were, at different times, in serious condition and comatose.

Only when Swami came to the hospital, they suddenly became awake and

aware. They even held Swami's hand. He gave vibhuti to them and

left; after a few hours, they left their bodies peacefully. And of

course, the Indian practise is to give a few sips of water,

preferably with a tulasi leaf, in their last moments.)

 

It is an extraordinary thing that droves of people, hundreds and

hundreds, (thinking that Janakiram was dead or in the last stages),

descended on the Super Speciality hospital to see him, and they were

actually let in to look at Swami's brother through the glass doors

of the ICU unit!

 

Evening was a program of different small school children chanting

the Vedas, speaking and singing songs. Swami stood up for a minute

or two, at the end of the program.

 

Friday morning, Swami came early, about 7 AM. The same lady who

stood up the other day, was in first line. She again stood and

lunged towards Swami, to touch Him! She even managed to touch His

arm. Swami looked utterly shocked at this event, then suddenly put

on a very harsh look and said, "NO! GO AWAY!" By then, the Seva Dals

were dragging her away. Swami, also by then, was smiling and giving

a look full of love to her!

 

It seems that someone from Singapore has donated a large amount,

which will be used to build and start a nursing college here. There

was some small puja related to that, after which (8 AM), arathi

bells were rung. Later, there was bhajan as usual. Swami came in

the open chair as usual. Bhajan ended at 9:20 AM, and Swami came out

from lunch and was back at the Poornachandra by 9:45 AM.

 

At about 10:30 AM, Swami's brother Janakiram, aged about 73, really

did leave his physical coil behind. Hundreds, even thousands, of

people from Puttaparthi and beyond came flocking to the hospital, as

word spread. Janakiram leaves behind his wife, two daughters and one

son, all comfortably settled in life with children of their own.

 

Swami's elder brother died in 1986; His eldest sister in 1993; His

second elder sister in 1996; and now His younger brother.

 

The last of Swami's siblings is dead!

 

The entire town of Puttaparthi 100% closed their shops and went like

iron fillings to the magnet of Swami's brother. The place was like a

ghost town! He had helped numerous people and was the protector of

all the villagers and others in these areas. He was active in

politics and also a member of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.

 

The body was soon brought to their village house (a few houses

before the birthplace of Swami, the Siva temple) where pandemonium

reigned. I didn't go there, but I saw the events on the local TV

channel: pathetic scenes of his poor wife falling on the body and

crying, and of his son sobbing uncontrollably. The body was already

alarmingly swollen and bloated. Hundreds of people then filed past

the body. The only movement in Puttaparthi all morning and

afternoon, was of people going and coming back from seeing the body.

Hundreds of people, from the flower girls and sweepers to the big

contactors, were feeling like orphans abandoned. After all, it is

not so easy to have close contact with Swami, but Janakiram was

always there to help them with their problems and do practical

things to tide over various tragedies. Many people depended on him.

 

Swami had cleverly organised a function to hold people's attention!

Swami came about 3:30 PM to the Darshan hall. First, there were

speakers talking about the nursing college. Even the kind donor

talked about how Swami has been protecting his family.

 

Then, the talks on Janakiram began. Several people talked on his

good nature, his equal love for all and what a major figure he was

in Puttaparthi. Last was the flowerly-speached Anil Kumar, who

spoke eloquently in Telugu. He talked on how he first was

introduced to Janakiram in the 1980's, when he shared a room with

him in Kodai Kanal for 40 days. He talked of how he had equal love

for all, was always ready to help and be kind, and though he

sometimes seemed angry, he would immediately turn sweet and soft

again, and forget completely about the harshness.

 

(Meanwhile, the body of Janakiram was taking in procession at about

4:30 PM and buried as is, as per family custom, on a plot of land

near the bypass road, in Enumulapalli.)

 

After that speech, Swami indicated that He, too, wanted to speak!

Anil Kumar couldn't resist then coming to the mike and formerly

inviting Swami to say a few words "to lift our heavy hearts." The

table was brought and with the help of only one boy, He stood up, at

about 5:10 PM, and started to talk.

 

First Swami sang the poem about the greatness of Indian women,

ironically starting with the line about how Savitri brought her

dead husband back to life! His voice faltered with emotion several

times. Swami then began talking about the power of God that is in

man, and how one such great Shakti was Janakiram! He said that

although Janakiram may have had harsh speech, inside his heart was

soft and calm. He repeated this several times.

 

Then He immediately started talking about how Rama felt when his

beloved brother Lakshmana fainted on the battlefield. Rama

said, "How can I ever find a brother like you? It is not possible!"

Swami went on; several times His voice cracked and fathered, and two

or three times He had to stop mid-sentence because He actually

started to sob! It was a heart- ending moment, the closest Swami

has ever come to outright, real crying. Slowly, Swami changed the

subject to the power of Atma in all, the Divinity that is

permanent, etc. Then His voice became strong again. After some time,

He began to talk about the nursing college and the great help that

the kind donor was rendering.

 

After that, Swami talked the rest of the time on love: how we should

fill our hearts with love and give love to all, etc.

 

To me, this was a message for all of us: perhaps He was showing, by

His own show of emotion, that sometimes we may have tragedy occur,

but we should overcome it by concentrating on spirituality, filling

our hearts with love and sharing that with all.

 

Suddenly, about 5:50 PM, Swami's right side seemed to buckle and he

faltered, starting to fall to one side. His assistant helped him to

regain balance. Swami then said, "Don't feel bad that I am put to

suffering. I have no inconvenience. In fact, through my actions I am

an actual example of pure love." Amidst the applause, He slowly slid

down in the open chair and He motioned for bhajans to begin.

 

After the Ganesh bhajan, and one other bhajan maybe, they sang the

really appropriate, "Araja suno mere, parama kripalu," a beautiful

bhajan saying, "Listen to my prayer, oh one of supreme compassion!

Take me across births and deaths!" etc. On the second time around,

just at the line about births and deaths, Swami wiped his eye and

called for arathi! So, the bhajan was ended right there in the

middle and Swami went out in the open chair.

 

Whew! What a day!