Vinayaka Chathurthi in Prasanthi Nilayam

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15th September' 2007 - Vinayaka Chaturthi Today, the holy day of Ganesh Chaturthi, is a very important day all over India. The Lord in His elephantine for is worshipped as the remover of all obstacles. And so a festive atmosphere pervaded Prashanti Nilayam. It had been charged yesterday evening by a series of significant events. Swami had come at 5:15 pm during the bhajans yesterday and had gone straight to the bhajan hall. After the bhajans, He sat through the whole Aarthi and then waved His hand in benediction as Loka Samasta was going on. Then He had enquired as to what songs would be sung the next day and seemed to be lost in a kind of serene bliss. He left but before that had said, "Vinayaka is here" as if Lord Ganesha was present in the hall witnessing all that was going on. Then He had retired. Today morning, Swami came out at about 9:15 am. Instead of the ritual Veda

chanting, the notes of the Ganesh Gayatri followed by the Ganashtakam rented the air. Swami completed the darshan rounds and then went into the interview room. After a short while, He came out and then sat in the wheel sofa on stage. Songs continued. There were three group songs and more than five individual songs. Swami sat through listening to all of them. After about 45 minutes, He told that prasadam could be brought and distributed. There were two kinds - a sweet and another, a packet containing oval tofees. He opened the toffee packet and checked them! Then He beckoned to the primary students sitting nearby and told them to start distributing. He also called all the children holding cards and began to view them. In the meanwhile, the songs concluded and Ganesh bhajans began. The bhajans had a very enthusiastic following. Swami kept seeing all the cards and He also gave every child who went near Him a sweet in His own sweet manner. More

than thirty children must have walked up the steps to Him expectantly and then walked down those very steps with satisfaction. After blessing all of them, Swami sat enjoying the bhajans. Then He received Aarthi and left. The time was about 10:50 am. Near the Yajur Mandir, Swami blessed huge Ganesha statues that had been specially procured and then each statue was sent to its destination - one being kept near the Ganesh temple at the entrance of Prashanti Nilayam. 16th Septmber'2007 - Morning Today morning was one that touched the hearts and made one and all feel the impact of Love. Swami came out for darshan as bhajans began at about 9:15 am. There was an assembly of devotees from West Godavari. Special mention must be made that the devotees and doctors there had carried out a very noble venture of fitting up people who had lost their legs with artificial limbs that had

literally and figuratively made them stand on their own feet! They had been seated in the marble blocks and Swami directly went amidst them. The wheeled sofa was taken along the lines they were seated and Swami was continuously smiling and blessing them. He first went from front to back, interacting with them and enquiring of their welfare. Really these people have been doubly "gifted" with a new lease of life! He then came to the front to where the first row of the "gifted" people were seated. He began speaking to them. He enquired as to where they had come from. One of them took out a photo from his pocket. It was a picture of how he was before. The legs were not present even up to the knees. And he now stood before Swami, eyes filled with gratitude and hands folded in surrender. Swami took the photo into His hands and saw what was and is. Then encircling His palm, He created a green diamond ring for the person. He asked for cloth pieces

to be brought and personally gave it to them. He lovingly interacted with all of them and it was such a touching experience for all concerned - the onlookers, the recipients and for Swami too. He then went over to the ladies side half of the marble block. He created another ring for a person then and put it on his ring finger. As He sat watching all of them getting prasadam and clothes, some of them got so overwhelmed, that they came up to the front and fell at His feet. As He blessed them, He very compassionately said, "I will come to you. You need not make that effort." (A statement of such profound implications.) Swami kept watching them all so silently. He was sitting facing them in the front. It was a beautiful scene and one wished that time would just freeze and preserve that feeling-filled scene for eternity. A serene smile now danced on His face. He seemed to gaze not only at them but somewhere deep within them too. After a while, He

asked to be taken on stage. As He got there, He said that He would speak to all of them and so the mikes were brought out. Given below is the full transcript of His discourse(which did not have real time translation.) Embodiments of love Today, it is a very joyous day. The body is made up of many parts. Only when all the parts function properly we can perform our duties. In any country, in any situation, to carry out any work, our body is very important. So we should take care of our body. We are being very careless with our body because of which we face many difficulties and we become dependent on others. If we want to be independent we have to take care of each and every part of our body so that they function properly. The doctors who have given you these artificial limbs are very noble people. Without those doctors, you would not have received

these limbs. So, each one of you has to take care of your limbs. Every human being is able to live because of these body parts. The eye sees, the mind comprehends and it is expressed through speech and the ear hears. But in all this there is only one principle and that is divinity. Mamaivaamso jeeva loke jeeva bhutah sanaatanaha. With so much of hope you came here and you are so happy now. This is your home and I am yours. Please do not have any hesitation as to how to come here, how to see Swami? Don't have such hesitation. Come whenever you want. Speak to Swami and go back happily. There is no difficulty. You be brave. Shraddavan labhate gnaanam. That wisdom is not the one which we have. It is the spiritual wisdom which comes from divinity. With this divine wisdom we come to know that God is there in every one. You go on saying this is my leg , my hand etc....when you are saying it is yours. Then who

are you??? Who are you? You are that and that THAT is nothing but divinity. Don't forget divinity and always remember God. When you remember God and think of Him let there be any difficulty you will win over them. When you have Gods power with you, we will win over every thing. Even if you have all other things like wealth, education. etc., if you don't have Gods grace, then all else is a waste. So pray for Gods grace and do namasmarana and I bless that you and all your family members may have a happy and peaceful life. The doctors who have helped you for giving you these limbs are very noble ones. They have taken many troubles to do this help for you. Now also they are planning many other things. Implement all those plans. For all those things I will also help you. I extend my full support to you. Loka samastha sukhino bhavantu. Only when all are fine will you also be fine. Do not think that you

are some where and they are some where else.Every one is inter connected. For every one there is only one leader. Ekoham bahusyam. And He is God. And He is the Atma swaroopa. So have self confidence and carry out all your functions and He will take care of all the things. If you have confidence on God, you will develop love and with that love you will gain truth and the combination of love and truth leads you to righteousness. Love is within us and in the same way God is also with in us. If you think of that God you can come over all the difficulties. I hope that you these kinds of difficulties never trouble you again in any birth. Many difficulties come and go. They are like passing clouds. Don't brood over them. When you don't brood over them, they will go away by themselves. See me now. Once I fell down and 4 bones were broken. They told they want to bandage it. I did not allow them to do it.I have been like that only and it

will surely go. Again in kodaikanal I slipped. They told me to take the help of some people. There is no need to take any help from any one. With courage and patience you have to lead your life God is there to help us. India has helped so many countries. Our country, our land , our language. Keep that honour for your country. These politics don't have any honour for our country. Even if there are some difficulties in your family don't get troubled mentally. When you think of god and leave every thing to him all will go well. Today seeing you all here Iam very happy. When you all are happy then only I can also be happy. When you are not happy how can I be happy? It is not possible. I bless that you all be happy and blissful through out your lives. After the discourse, Swami continued to speak but the mikes had been removed!! Swami said that the mikes were not good and

He called Anil Kumar sir to tell in brief all that He had said. But with a torrential flow, the professor not only summarised the discourse, but also captured the gratitude and feelings of all the assembled devotees. After that, Swami asked for bhajans to be sung. After the students had sung three bhajans, the devotees took over and their group sang a few more bhajans. Swami had prasadam distributed and then receiving Aarthi, left at about 11:00 am! Om Sai Ram