Parthi Update - September 16-18, 2004

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Parthi Update - September 16-18, 2004

 

16-09-2004

 

In the evening Bhagawan came out for Darshan and went inside the

interview room with some VIP's. Beside our Bhajan group, there was a

group of youth sitting in whites with all their music instruments.

They were the Sundaram Bhajan Group singers from Chennai. There was

some meeting of all the Samithi convenors of Tamilnadu at

Prasanthinilayam on the 16th and 17th of this month. Along with

them, these Bhajan singers had also come. Swami completed the

interview and as He came out of the interview room, He sent word for

the Sundaram Bhajan group to start their songs. Even as Bhagawan

came and sat down on the sofa, the first song began. What

professional singing! Believe it or not, it was a wonderful treat to

our ears and heart. Song after song flowed – so soothing and

melodious. The voice was very sweet and mellifluous, tunes were soul

stirring and the selection of songs itself was very good! We had

Tamil, Kannada and Hindi songs. All songs were about the glory of

Lord Krishna!

 

What is more important is the participation of Swami in this

programme. As soon as Swami sat down, He asked one of them to come

forward. The person went forward with the card. It was a brown

colour card that looked very elegant and had the programme details

within. Swami opened the card and went through the details and asked

him a few questions. Then Swami asked them to sing a particular

song. They began that song. We enjoyed it thoroughly. As they

concluded the song or rather were in the last few lines, Bhagawan

opened the card again and selected another song. As they completed

the current song, He asked them to sing the next song of His choice.

Thus it went on, song after song. Each time Bhagawan would see the

card and ask them to sing a particular song. Literally "Khuda Ki

Pharmaish". All throughout, Swami kept the card with Him on His

lap!! What a gesture of Love and flow of compassion!

 

Throughout the programme, Swami kept giving Taalam (beat) and there

was a smile on His face, a loving smile acknowledging their devotion

and love for Him. It was a treat to all of us. They sang from 3.45

p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Then Bhagawan asked them to sing Bhajans. This too

was a very thrilling experience! Bhagawan retired by 5.15 p.m.

 

17-09-2004

 

We all assembled in the Mandir for evening Darshan. The Sundaram

Bhajan Group was again sitting in front. We hurriedly went and took

our place. Swami came and sat on the sofa and signaled for the

Sundaram boys to start their programme – part 2. Once again the same

experience. Very good songs. Not the usual one's but still very

catchy, good beat, and very nice to hear. After they sang a few

songs, Bhagawan asked for our Music boys. Very quickly, the music

boys gathered in the front. Two of the music boys were holding a

card to seek for permission regarding music programme the next day –

for Ganesha Chaturthi. Bhagawan called them forward, looked at the

card and asked "What about now?"

 

The boys were taken by surprise. They said, "Swami group songs".

Bhagawan said, "Sing Padyams (verses)". Boys asked, "Swami,

stotrams?" Swami said, "No, sing Padyams". The boys went back and

having no idea how to start, they began with the Ganesha Stotrams

that were actually meant for the next day! That is Bhagawan!! Full

of uncertainty and surprises! We just need to take things as they

come and enjoy the flow of His Love! The music boys continued with

stotram after stotram. Many Gurupoornima Stotrams were chanted.

 

Meanwhile Swami spotted two of our young Music College singers. They

used to often render the Ramakatha songs in front of Bhagawan. Swami

asked them to sing the Rama Katha. It was a long time since they had

performed. I'm sure their hearts would have beat faster than ever!

They readily burst forth with the series of Rama Katha songs. Swami

was continuously looking and smiling at them. That kept them going

on smoothly. At the end there was a loud applause!!

 

Bhagawan retired by 5.40 p.m.

 

18-09-2004

 

We wish you a very happy Ganesha Chaturthi! On this holy day,

Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall at 7:30 am and took His seat in

the portico. He called the V.C and asked him as to who would speak.

In fact boys had prepared a nice programme consisting of group songs

interspersed with commentary, dialogues, dance, etc. revealing the

inner significance of all the aspects of Ganesha and the festival.

But just like it happened during the Krishnashtami festival, Swami

asked for individual speakers. There were no scheduled speakers and

so the V.C with Swami's permission called research scholar Sri

Deepak Anand to address the gathering. Deepak Anand spoke about

Swami being the One in whom all names and forms of God resided. He

narrated the experience of one of our students who was blessed with

the literal physical company of Lord Ganesha, when he was in the

Institute.

 

Thereafter Swami blessed Sri Shashank Shah, a student of the M.Phil

programme in Management, to share his thoughts with the audience. He

spoke on the inner significance of the various facets relating to

Lord Ganesha. He also narrated the incident where Bhagawan had

blessed Swami Amritananda (a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharishi) with

a vision of Lord Ganesha in the interview room many years ago. Swami

Amritananda in his childhood days had performed a very special

Yajnam for Lord Ganesha. As per the Sastras the benefit of this

Yajnam was supposed to be the Darshan of Lord Ganesha Himself.

Reminding Swami Amritananda about this, Swami asked him whether he

had got the Darshan of Lord Ganesha. When Amritananda answered in

the negative, Bhagawan gave him a vision of the golden hue Ganesha!!

 

The third speaker was Sri Bharat Kumar from the II MBA class whom

Swami blessed to speak. He spoke on the efficacy of Namasmarana and

his personal experience at Tirupati; how Swami had miraculously

helped him to have a very good Darshan of the Lord within a very

short time, with the help of a recommendation letter of a Minister

unknown to him, that mysteriously landed in his hands on its own!

 

Finally the Vice Chancellor, Sri S.V.Giri addressed the gathering

speaking on the significance of the Ganesha festival.

 

After his talk, the Vice-Chancellor prayed to Bhagawan to give His

Divine Message. Swami nodded His approval. The table was arranged

and Bhagawan arose to give His benedictory Message to all of us.

 

The highlights of the Discourse will come to you in my next mail.

 

As the Discourse ended, Swami signaled for Prasadam distribution.

The entire Kulwant Hall was soon bustling with activity. Boys moving

all around distributing juicy red apples! Meanwhile Swami called

those boys who were ready with the programme and asked them what it

was all about. One of them explained that they were going to talk

about the inner significance of all the aspects of Lord Ganesha

relating it to the Nava Vidha Bhakti. Hearing this Swami said that

we must not limit Lord Ganesha to Nava Vidha Bhakti, for Ganesha is

above all this. He is the Atmic Reality! The boys nodded and said

that they would incorporate this too in their presentation. Swami

said that we would have the presentation in the evening.

 

In the evening, Swami came around five past three and got down on

the dais but then went walking towards the interview room. He was

inside until 4.15 p.m. Then He came out, sat for some time and

finally called the boy to whom he had spoken in the morning. Swami

asked him as to what they were going to speak. The student said that

they were going to speak about Ganesha as the transcendental

reality. Bhagawan asked them to also mention that Lord Ganesha is

beyond the Pancha Bhootas too. With His Blessings the programme

began.

 

A song to start with. Then the first pair of anchorers began their

talk saying that though Lord Shiva and Vishnu had specific

pilgrimage centers for them, there is no village or town without the

temple of Lord Ganesha. Then they went on to say that the real

pilgrimage to Lord Ganesha was on the path of Nava Vidha Bhakti.

They explained the first two steps- Sravanam and Keertanam. They

said that both of these are relevant only if done with total Bhavam

(feelings). This was followed by a dance by one of the students to

the stotram `Ganesha Pancharatnamala' in the recorded voice of Smt.

M.S. Subbulakshmi (Mudakarata Modakam Sada Vimukti Sadhakam…). Swami

and all of us enjoyed the dance.

 

Thereafter the next module had two boys discussing the inner

significance of the various physical features of Lord Ganesha. One

was a sculptor who complained that he was getting bored of doing the

same work every year. Make these idols in large numbers and sell

them. He did not gain any satisfaction from this work. To this, his

friend explains that any work done mechanically without

understanding its significance will lead to despair.

 

He then goes on to explain the inner significance of every part of

the idol. To start with, the huge elephant head symbolizes

intelligence; the large ears indicate that Ganesha is ever ready to

hear to the pleas of His devotees. The goad in His hand is to goad

humanity to walk along the path of spirituality; the noose in

another hand is to catch people who are on the wrong path. The

missing tusk reminds us of the great sacrifice made by Lord Ganesha

in breaking off His tusk so as to allow the dictation of the great

epic Mahabharata without any interruption! The tiny mouse symbolizes

Tamas (ignorance). The mouse is a nocturnal animal found only in

dark and dirty places. Lord Ganesha has a command over this Tamas

and has mastered it. So Ganesha who has Mooshika as His Vahana is

the Master of ignorance and He dispels ignorance in humanity.

 

Thus true Vishnu Smaranam is not only mechanical remembrance of God,

but also keeping the form of the Lord in mind, with full knowledge

of its inner significance. Further, when the elephant moves in the

forest he creates a path for other animals. Thus the elephant is a

path maker. Similarly Lord Ganesha is the path maker. He sets the

path for all of us and is a role model for all the students and

youth. Therefore, true Padasevanam is following the path laid by the

Lord. Walking in His footsteps and living His message is true

Padasevanam!

 

Thereafter, there was a stotram chant, followed by the next two

anchorers. They touched upon the next step of Archanam, narrating

the story of why the Durva grass is offered to Lord Ganesha. Once

when Mother Parvati and Lord Shiva were playing a game, they

appointed Nandi as the umpire. On completion of the game, Mother

Parvati was the winner but Nandi declared Lord Siva as the winner.

This outraged Mother Parvati and she cursed Nandi with an incurable

disease. Nandi went pleading to Mother and told her that he had no

choice other than declaring Lord Shiva as the winner because He was

his Master and he was the slave.

 

Impressed by the feelings of Nandi, Mother Parvati agreed to take

back her curse provided Nandi would offer what was cherished by him

most, to her son Ganesha. Durva grass – the most precious item

cherished by Nandi was offered to Ganesha. This is how the practice

continues even today. The inner significance of this is that when we

go to religious places we have a tendency to offer things we do not

like, to God. But in reality, we should offer that which we like

most, to our Lord, as a Tyaga (sacrifice) similar to Nandi. As

Bhagawan says we go to Gaya and give up Bitter Gourd over there!!

 

In the Gita, Lord Krishna clearly elaborates on the practice of

Archanam, saying that what a devotee should truly offer to God is

the Patram (leaf) of the body, Pushpam (flower) of the mind, Phalam

(fruit) of the rewards of the actions and Toyam (sacred water) of

the tears of Bliss! Bhagawan goes one step further and says, "Give

Me all your bad qualities and I shall give you good qualities in

return".

 

Thereafter there was a group song, "Sri Ganesha Shivuni Kumara

Shrutajana….". A Telugu module followed this song.

 

This module expounded on Vandanam. It was full of humour. Two `so

called' Pandits are going around trying to give Discourses on Lord

Ganesha. When asked by a scholar to explain the meaning of the

verse, `Suklam Baradaram Vishnum….", they go on to explain that this

verse is not meant to describe Ganesha but it is about Sai students.

Suklam Baradaram (wearing white clothes), Vishnum (found everywhere,

in India and even abroad), Sasivarnam (the cool mark of white

Vibhuti on their forehead), Chaturbhujam (with two hands and two

feet), Prasanna Vadanam (always cheerful), Sarva Vighna Upa Shantaye

(pacify their taste by adding more salt to a saltless dish!)….

(Laughter!!)

 

They go on to give one more explanation of this Sloka as narrated by

a washerman (dhobhi). Suklam Baradaram (white in colour), Vishnum

(found everywhere, wherever you see), Sasivarnam (having a cool

disposition), Chaturbhujam (with four limbs), Prasanna Vadanam

(always cheerful irrespective of being patted or beaten), Sarva

Vighna Upa Shantaye (O Ganesha, prays the dhobhi, "please remove all

obstacles in the way of my pet so that it can peacefully complete

it's task".)….This is the donkey that is used by the washerman to

carry the bundle of clothes!! (Laughter!!)

 

Listening to all this, the scholar chides them for spreading all

this perverted meanings. He then goes on to explain the true meaning

of the Stotram as the One wearing white (pure) clothes, Omnipresent,

as cool as the moon, with four hands – ever ready to help His

devotees, ever Blissful with a pleasant smile on His face, bestowing

peace by removing all hurdles – He is none other than Lord Ganesha

Himself! We must offer our Vandanam to this Lord.

 

Another student elaborated on Vandanam and Dasyam in English for the

benefit of the non-Telugu audience. In Vandanam, we join our two

hands representing the five Karmendriyas and the five Jnanendriyas,

keep it close to our heart and then bowing down with humility, we

offer all these to the Lord. This is true Vandanam. True Daysam is

when one offers help and service to others with a feeling of

compassion and amity and not with a feeling of pity. We become a

Dasa (servant) of the Lord in every being!!

 

Then the boys sang another stotram and thereafter the aspect of

Sneham – friendship was very humorously depicted wherein, a student

is talking to his teacher about making Lord Ganesha as his new

friend as the exams were soon approaching. To this the teacher

corrects the student saying that this is the mistake we all make.

Friendship is not meant for this `give and take'. True friendship

must be related only to the Atmic bond. The student then asks the

teacher as to how one could cultivate this bond. The teacher says

that this can be done by loving God as one's true friend. It is only

then that we will experience His Love.

 

The module culminated in the depiction from the Kathopanishad, about

the analogy of the human body and the chariot. The chariot stands

for the body, the five senses are like the five horses, the reins

stand for the mind, the charioteer is like the Buddhi and the owner

of the chariot is the Atma! This was illustrated with the help of

five boys acting as the horses with the rope of the mind binding

them together and another student acting as the Buddhi controls the

rope in his hand.

 

If the Buddhi has control over the rope of the mind, the senses are

under check. If not, the chariot of the body will be under total

chaos with each of the senses following their own way. Thus making

the senses subservient to the mind, the mind subservient to the

Buddhi and the Buddhi subservient to the Atma, is true Atma

Nivedanam (self-surrender).

 

Thereafter the boys communicated that Lord Vinayaka was the supreme

Atman itself and true Atma Nivedanam was surrendering the individual

self to the Supreme Self. Lord Vinayaka was even beyond the Nava

Vidha Bhakti and the Pancha Bhootas. He is the supreme consciousness

pervading the entire cosmos and it is to Him that we have to offer

ourselves in totality and attain the supreme mergence. He is Vi +

Nayaka – the one without a Master. He is Gana + Pati – the Master of

all the Ganas that represent the ten Karmendriyas and Jnendriyas and

the mind and the Buddhi.

 

One of the students explained the inner significance of Vidya, which

was not merely the secular knowledge, but Atmavidya – the supreme

wisdom and Lord Ganesha is the bestower of that supreme wisdom.

 

Finally, praying to Bhagawan to cast at least one glance at us so

that we may acquire this supreme wisdom, the programme ended with

the Qawalli, "Ek Bar Yun Nazare Milakar Dekh Le Sai………."

 

Bhagawan then asked the boys to sing some more group songs while

Prasadam was being distributed. Swami very lovingly called the boy

who danced and materialized a small idol of Lord Ganesha made of

gold, for him.

 

Swami sat for another 20 minutes and took Arati at 5.45 p.m. All

throughout the programme Bhagawan was smiling and expressing great

joy! This was a very satisfying experience for all of us. Thus with

the Blessings of the Divine Father we returned to the Hostel to

worship the Divine son in our wing altars.

 

The immersion ceremony is going to be on Monday and therefore all

boys are busy fabricating and decorating their palanquins and

chariots. We are awaiting the colourful and joyous ceremony the day

after!

 

Sairam

 

Posted by Azmeen Kasad on 20.09.2004

http://aumsairam108.tripod.com/ganesh04/parthi_update.htm

 

Ganesh Chaturthi Photogallery:

http://saibabalinks.org/pictures/2004/Sep18/2004.09.18.htm