PRASANTHI NEWS - Vol. 20

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PRASANTHI NEWS - Vol. 20

In this issue of Prasanthi News, we give you a glimpse of Swami’s interaction

with students and the emphasis Bhagawan is giving on Vedic chants; then a

soul-stirring musical presentation by the students and to top it all,

Bhagawan’s visit to the Institute.

5th July to 9th July 2005

On 5th morning the students in the campus were taken by surprise when Bhagawan

came in the car at around 9.40 a.m. He went until the Music College. Nobody

would have ever imagined seeing Swami there at this time. Therefore, Swami’s

car stopped outside the Music College for a few seconds, and before anybody

could react, He was moving back again to the Mandir. His Leelas are so

wonderful!

In the evening, Darshan was at 3.30 p.m. Swami sat outside all the while and

there was continuous Veda chanting. It was great to see Bhagawan chanting with

the students from time to time, and He was all the while encouraging them to

chant with vigour by often nodding His head synchronising with the intonations

of the chants.

The same pattern continued on the following days. Swami spent long hours sitting

outside in full view of the devotees giving everyone a golden opportunity to

feast on His Divine Form. He would sit all the while, absolutely still

apparently looking into the emptiness and this gave us a feel of what Divinity

is all about. He is the unchanging eternal Witness and that is the feeling one

gets these days when Bhagawan sits outside during Darshan.

But now and then, He suddenly asks for letters and then it is great to see one

student after the other, going forward and giving their letters to Swami.

Bhagawan spends quite some time with each boy talking to him, asking him some

questions and giving him some answers. It is a great sight to watch the Divine

interaction.

The best part is when Swami calls the boys whose birthday falls on that day.

They move forward like a train with a number of compartments. Each one makes

the best of the opportunity, giving letters, getting blessings, praying for

solutions to their problems, etc. Very patiently, Swami caters to the needs of

each one and the whole episode goes on for quite some time, to the delight of

one and all!

One evening, Swami went inside the Bhajan Hall. He spent some time inside the

Bhajan Hall talking to the Bhajan singers and others seated in front. He spoke

to them about the life of Panchali (Draupadi) and Savitri. In the course of His

conversation, He materialised a huge locket (round disc) having a colour

portrait of Lord Rama – in the typical posture of holding the bow and arrow.

The other side was shining with gold. Bhagawan gave the sacred locket to a

senior faculty member.

On 9th July, the Dean of the School of Business Management, Prof. U.S. Rao sat

in front in the Darshan lines, to pray to Bhagawan for Blessing the Management

Workshop that commenced in the Institute on the 11th and will go on till the

13th. (The theme is: “Service Sector in India – Building World Class

Organisations”.) As the car went gliding by the stage, Swami called him and

spoke to him for a while and gave His blessings for the Workshop.

10th July 2005

This evening, Swami came out for Darshan at 3 p.m. The music group boys of the

Institute had planned for a music programme. They were all set, waiting for

Swami’s arrival. Bhagawan immediately stopped the Vedam chanting and asked the

boys to begin their presentation. The first song was Deva Namo Deva

(salutations to You Oh Lord!) – a Telugu composition. Then they sang the

popular song– Madhura Mohana Ghana Shyama Sundara Sai … (Swami’s form is

enchanting as that of Lord Krishna). He called the lead singers front and gave

them some instructions. Then they began the Telugu song, Kondala Nelakonda

Koneti Rayuduvadu …(The Lord has installed Himself at the top of Seven Hills)

and Sai Charanam Baba Charanam Sharanam (We seek refuge in Sai) and many other

songs followed one after the other to the delight of all.

By 4.15, the ‘music programme’ came to an end. This evening, Bhajans began at

4.30 p.m. itself. A few minutes later Swami went back to the Poornachandra

Auditorium. Bhajans went on till 5.00 p.m. and then Ararti brought the day to a

close.

11th July 2005

This morning was an unforgettable one for all students and staff of the

Institute. The Foyer prayer session had just begun and the Management students

were getting prepared for their Workshop. Veda was being taught in the Foyer as

part of the prayer session, when there was some brisk movement on the road

outside. Swami’s car was making its way forward. As Bhagawan’s car came close

to the Institute entrance gate, devotees came rushing forward. To everyone’s

surprise, the car turned inside the College Campus. The car slowly moved

forward and was finally parked near the entrance of the Institute Auditorium.

Bhagawan’s visit was an unexpected one for the students and staff. Soon the

students plunged into activity and were busy with arranging Swami’s chair,

public address system and so on.

A short while later, the guest speakers for the Management Workshop also arrived

and took their seats. It was 9.00 a.m. The Lord sat in the car waiting for the

preparations to be made for a full 40 minutes. When the merciful Lord decides

to shower His grace, it is virtually a downpour.

The Vice Chancellor offered a rose to Bhagawan. Swami entered the Auditorium and

sat on a chair in the centre, in front of the stage, facing the first row of

chairs. There was a podium arranged next to Swami’s Chair. Bhagawan looked at

everybody seated in the Hall and then signalled for the Veda chanting to begin.

Swami then asked the Vice Chancellor to speak. The Vice Chancellor gave a brief

talk for around 5 minutes, summing up the various initiatives taken in the

Institute since June 2005 in the areas of various academic programmes, Human

Values integration, etc. Then Bhagawan asked the music boys to begin their

musical presentation. Within minutes, the music group was ready on the stage.

Microphones were arranged and the songs began. Thyagaraja Kirtanas, Pibare Rama

Rasam and other classical songs were rendered. It was around 9.30 a.m. when

Swami asked them to sing the Rama Katha song. Now the musical presentation

reached its crescendo.

Swami was very much involved in the music. At 10.00 a.m. the Rama Katha came to

a close. Swami was very happy with the performance. The two lead singers Sri Om

Prasad (I M.Sc. Physics) and S.V.B.S. Sai Krishna (II MBA) came running down for

His Blessings. There was a long feedback session and Swami gave them a number of

tips regarding singing.

In the course of His interaction, suddenly, Bhagawan waved His right Hand and

created a gold ring for Sai Krishna. There was a loud applause. Prasadam

blessed by Swami was distributed to all. Swami was offered Ararti and then He

left for the Mandir in the car. An unexpected visit, and a moment to be

cherished by the students.

In the evening, Bhagawan came out for Darshan at around 3.00 p.m., took a full

round of the Darshan Hall and stopped near the interview room door. He waited

until all the students came for Darshan and moved over to the centre of the

dais. Veda chanting went on with full vigour. At 4.10 p.m. Swami called the

Veda teachers forward. Sri Sudhindran, Dr. Anil Kumar and Sri Veda Narayana

went towards Swami. Bhagawan spoke to them for some time and then with a wave

of His Hand, materialised a beautiful gold chain for Sri Vedanarayan and put it

round his neck. There was a loud applause in the Hall.

After this, Veda chanting stopped for some time. Prasadam distribution began and

at 4.20 p.m., Sri Rudram chanting commenced. At 4.25 p.m. Swami went inside the

Bhajan Hall and had a session with the Bhajan singers. He asked them to sing

some songs, suggesting changes, telling them the correct way to sing, etc.

After the interaction, Bhagawan retired to His abode at 5.15 p.m. Bhajans went

on till 5.30 p.m. concluding with the Ararti.

JAI SAI RAM

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