June22- posting of Saudi Sai center activities

July 5, 2007

Dear Brother Rajan PBV, I enjoy reading all the episodes posted by you on happenings in Saudi (jubail, dammam, jeddah and Riyadh). I had visited twice to Jubail and had attended few bajans as well. Its quite informative by reading all your mails on happenings over there. Thanks for the same. Regards, Meenakshi Iyer. P.S. This mail containing teh song Alai Payudhe with its meaning is very interesting as well.Rajan PBV <sssdgroup wrote: Sai-Satsang in 4 centers continued (week ending 22nd June, Friday)Sairam to all Children, Sisters and Sai Brothers in all 4 Sai SatSanghs in Dammam, Jubail, Jeddah andRiyadh.We continue with the Twentieth (20) posting of theactivities of all 4 centers.Summary:1) Total Attendance all over Saudi over 110.2) Music program in Riyadh (Alai Paudhe)3) Special posting for Children of SAI- Balvikas inSaudiDetails:In Dammam the weekly satsang was held on the eveningof Wednesday 20th June at Bro. Kaladeepan’sresidence. The attendance was by about 25 membersstarting at 7.30 pm. Aarthi was taken by Bro. RajRajagopal who had come down from Riyadh who alsostayed on for the Study circle that was held laterand attended by about 15 members. Some exchange ofbooks took place in the mobile library. Next week Bhajan is scheduled at Bro. Shastri’sresidence at Rizayat

compound.Jubail center held the weekly Satsang on Thursday 21stJune at 7.30 pm attended by about 11 members at BroNaidu’s residence. Aarthi was taken by Bro Jayaramanwho had come down with another member from Dammam. In Jeddah the weekly satsangh was held on Thursday21st June at 7.30 pm and attended by 14 members.Aarthi was done by Bro Gopi who informed me about theproceedings in the absence of Bro K.P. Rajan. Riyadh group held the weekly Bhajan on Thursday 21stJune evening from 7.00 am till about 10 pm. It wasattended by about 60 members. The weekly Shirdi BabaSatcharitha was read by Bro. Kham. The aarthi wastaken by Bro Gopi who was the master of ceremonies orthe Music program that was held after the bhajans. The Music program was a specially conceived event towelcome Mrs. Sathyabama Packy who usually resides inSydney, Australia. It covered 15 songs in mostlyCarnatic music formats and

sung melodiously by BathaSuresh, his daughter Lavina, Gops, Karthik, MeeraRamana and Mrs. Mythili Sreenivasan. Theaccompaniments were done effectively by Bro RaviShankar on the organ and Karthik in Miruthangam/Dola.While it was not possible to comment on all songs, Iwill translate here one of the famous Tamil songs“Alai Payudhe” sung by Batha Suresh in Raga Kaanada,composer: Uthukadu Venkata subbiyar, Adi Tala, forbenefit of Non-Tamilians. The background is a devoteelonging for Lord Krishna playing flute (Kannan is oneof the Tamil names of Lord Krishna- literally it means“eyes”) Mind is tossing like (sea) waves, Kanna (LordKrishna), my mind is churning a lot (because) of yourblissful, enchanting flute musicI, standing like a non moving statue, without count oftime and it was all strange, Muralidhara, my mind ischurning like a wave Even the sweet moon is burning like a mid day

noon, mybrows are looking at your direction, your melodiousflute music is coming floating in the air making myeyes close in trance in a special wayCome, Step hard on my turbulent mind, making me happy In the secluded forest, come embrace me and givespecial feelingsLike the waves of the vast sea (of my mind), entwinedwith Sun’s rays, Come to make merryWhile I cry out in agony (for you), and you areenjoying with other (gopis)Do I deserve this? Is this proper, is this right?As you play the flute, like the heavy tossing (ofwaves) with an aching heart, Kanna (Lord Krishna) mymind is tossing around like waves.From Children (Balvikas) book of short storiesreferred to last week, here is another story. Thistime it is about dangers of Greed. A man was very greedy even after owning a lot of land.He heard that a village head was selling and went tohim to buy more. The

village head said “Pay me onegold coin and you can have all the land that you cancover by walk from sunrise to sunset. The onlycondition is that you start in front of me in themorning and must reach me back before sunset,otherwise you get nothing and lose you gold coin. The greedy man set out at the crack of dawn aftermeeting the village head and walked fast towards northand then about midday, turned east and walked againwithout resting, then by afternoon, turned south andwalked. The he realized that he has to get back beforesunset and then turned west and walked back towardsthe starting point. As he was greedy, he did not takethe straight line but made a curve so as to get moreland. Then at a distance he saw the village head andrealized that time was so near the sunset. He hurriedand was anxious and as he reached within 3 steps ofthe village head, he fell down “dead with exhaustionand dehydration”

as he had walked for 12 hours withoutrest or water. A he was buried in a small grave, thevillage man told others “Look this man wanted to getso much land for one Gold coin and all he got was justa six feet of grave- this is what Greed leads men to”.There are of course different versions of the samestory by different authors (including one by LeoTolstoy) but the moral of the story is “Greed is selfdestructive” and Charity helps everyone. By the way, if you wanted to listen to the “AlaiPayudhe” song by an accomplished singer (Ms. Sowmya)Pl visit http://www.karnatik.com/c1000.shtml and listen on yourcomputer.Sairam and Pranams to all.P.B.V.Rajan Here’s a new way to find what you're looking for - Answers

Here’s a new way to find what you're looking for - Answers