Fw. Part III Shrewsbury Newsletter Special with love

[Guest guest]

Light and Love

 

Sister Sarah has sent the Special III part of Sai Vedam of the Spiritual Wing, Shrewsbury Sai Group, Region 4, SSSSO, UK.

 

Vedas underline that we should place God (Cosmic Consciousness, Swami's Cosmic Form) as our ultimate goal in everything we do. Our feelings are the forms of different frequencies of the Universe's Divine play. Through Vedas you suddenly can find that God's will is your own true will, alias God's will and the will of your Spirit are the same. All things form a whole, and nothing can ever subtract from or add to it. So the Reality is the holographic fractal's reflection of the Divine play. "Play it," Swami advices.

Namaste - Reet

 

 

- sarah

Reet

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 8:18 AM

Part III Shrewsbury Newsletter Special with love

 

 

SAI VEDAM (Lotus)

 

 

 

 

 

November 2008

 

83rd Birthday

 

SPECIAL – PART III

 

Spiritual Wing, Shrewsbury Sai Group, Region 4, SSSSO, UK

(SSSSO - Sri Sathya Sai Service Organisation)

 

 

SPECIAL FOCUS NOVEMBER 2008

Special PART III

1000 Moons of the Sai Avatar

 

The websites are buzzing and full to the brim and wonderful emails are flooding in today (Tuesday, 18 November 2008) and this third part must grasp the moment before Ladies Day tomorrow. Check out www.sssbpt.org for this report and www.ssso.net for links to most sites.

 

Prashanti Nilayam, 17th November 2008 …and the day was Golden

 

‘When the almighty Lord decided to script His own story for a descent down to planet earth, He had everything fell in place and in that was written in gold – 17th November 2008, and the day was indeed golden.

 

Inducing nostalgic memoirs of the epochal scene way back in 1997, Prasanthi witnessed yet another grand spectacle, Golden Chariot Procession coinciding with the grand finale of the three day long Sahasra Poornachandra Darshana Mahotsavam.

 

The atmosphere around was electrifying as thousands of hearts and minds woke up to a morning that promised much, with greater expectation of beholding yet another Divine Sport!

 

As time ticked to the scheduled hour, it was expectation in the air with greater enthusiasm, as all eyes ready to gaze on the Lord of thousand moons coming in a regal procession on the golden chariot. Adding to this expectancy came through the mike mellifluous poetic rendering by Madugula Nagaphani Sharma who rendered the air that was intermittently translated by Prof. Anil Kumar, boosting the air of expectancy. The tempo was further enhanced with the song Sarvam Sai Mayam Jagamantha Sai that was followed by yet another audio on Sai Mahatmyam.

 

Surya Koti Samaprabha the brilliance of one crore (10 million) suns. As said in the Sloka (verse) Vakrutanda Mahakaya Surya Koti Samaprabha …Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba shone with the brilliance of millions of suns when He entered the stadium at 9.40 a.m. in a glowing yellow robe sitting majestically on the brilliant Suvarna Ratham (golden chariot). It was a sight to behold for everyone, not only for the mortals, but also for the gods of the highest heavens. An attempt to describe such a sight as the brilliance of millions of suns only shows our shallowness, it defies all descriptions.

 

Bhagawan was heralded into the Hill View Stadium in a long procession consisting of two huge elephants, Institute Brass Band playing sonorous tunes, Bhagawan’s beloved elephant Sathya Geeta and a big contingent of about 150 Veda chanting students in ochre dhotis and angavastrams. As Bhagawan neared the Yajna Vedika, like the previous two days of the Yajna, there was a booming display of pyrotechnics. A Swagatam song (welcome song) rent the air ushering Him into the Yajna Vedika.

 

Upon entering the Yajna Vedhi after a 20 mts. chariot ride, Bhagawan was traditionally and religiously welcomed with Poornakumbham by family members and senior devotees.

Earlier the proceedings for the final day began at 6:30 a.m. with ganapathi pooja and special sankalpa for the homam. Rithwicks in groups gathered around the 10 homa kundas offering ghee and boiled rice with the accompaniment of vedic chanting, that went on for almost 2 hours.

 

After Bhagawan entered the Yajna Vedika, this being the concluding day, 17th November 2008, Lakshminarayana Poornahuti was performed for the Yajna. The priests chanted sacred Vedic Mantras in unison, Veda chanting students chanted Sri Rudra Prasna, Purusha Suktam, Sri Suktam and Durga Suktam as Bhagawan was giving Darshan to devotees from the Vedika. He went to each side of the Vedika to bless the vast multitudes of devotees with His Darshan. One could see a huge concourse of devotees literally filling every inch of space in the stadium. Precious materials were offered in each of the 10 Yajna Kundas. Bhagawan blessed them before they were offered in the Yajna Kunda. Final offerings were done in each of the Yajna Kundas with ghee (clarified butter) and fruits.

 

 

 

There was a wide array of Mathadipathis (heads of Maths) from different Maths of India. These luminaries are the heads of prominent Maths in India. They had come to grace this auspicious function by their presence and also shared the dais with Bhagawan. They were: Sri Sri Sri Dr. Shivakumara Swamigalu, Head of Sri Siddaganga Math, Tumkur is a nonagenarian and also spoke a few words on this occasion, Sri Jagadguru Madhwacharya

Mahasamsthana Pejawara Mathadeesha H.H. Sri Vishwesha Tirtha, Sri Sri Sri 1008 Sri Sushameendra Thirtha Sri Padulavaru, Sri Jagadguru Kanchi Kamakoti Peetadhipathi Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji, Suttur Math, Sri Sri Rangapriya Mahadesika Sri Sri and Sri Sakthiamma, Sripuruam, Golden Temple, Sri Narayani Pitham. Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji graced this occasion on 16th November. Sri Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra also shared the dais with Bhagawan and sought His blessings. This most auspicious and holy function concluded with Jaikars – Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ki Jai and offer of Arati to Bhagawan at 11.00 a.m.

After the Poornahuthi, Bhagawan appeared at the front of the Vedika followed by distinguished guests who arrayed on either side of Bhagawan granting a rare spectacle for the multitudes gathered all over the stadium. For the devotees who have been waiting from early hours it was indeed a sight to behold with the yellow clad Lord of thousand moons granting darshan on the most auspicious day. Adding fervour to the grand spectacle came the helicopter drizzling holy water blessing the multitudes from heaven followed by a shower of hues rejoicing the grandeur and beauty of this earthly carnival. It was indeed a golden day to rejoice!!!’

..

 

MONDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2008

LAST DAY OF CHANDRA DARSHANAM YAGNA

Lunchtime UK time and there is a chance to watch the video of this morning’s procession and the concluding part of the yagna of a 1000 moons in Puttaparthi, thanks to www.radiosai.org . After the wonderful procession where all things to do with splendour come to mind, Swami comes to the ceremonial arena. At this time the Purusha Suktam is being chanted very clearly and it takes me back to 2004, where the Midlands Youth and some others had the privilege of learning this chant and to take it to Swami. Devi and I were among the girls, young women and ladies of that party.

 

Since an inner ‘implant’ in the mind came in the early 90s,

‘Look after My precious Vedas,

Look after the pure, perfect, classical and intricate’,

I had wanted to learn the chants and at last the opportunity came at that time to learn the exact method and to dive towards the depths and expand towards the endless extent. SE

 

 

 

PURUSHA SUKTAM – INTRODUCTION

Thanks to www.ramanuja.org

Note: If you put in searches on the web for any Sanskrit term given here, it will take you on a wonderful journey of discovery. SE.

‘In South India, the Purusha Suktam, Vishnu Suktam, Sri Suktam, and Narayana Suktam are generally chanted together in paarayanam.

The Sri Rudram, Purusha Suktam, Upanishads, the Gita, and the Vishnu Sahasra Naamam are also recommended for daily paarayanam - chanting.

Since the Purusha Suktam is seen in all Vedas, it is cited as the essence of all Srutis by Veda Vyasa in the Mahabharata. Saunaka, Apastamba, and Bodhayana have also written concerning the use of the Purusha Suktam.

 

What does the Purusha Suktam talk about?

The Purusha in the title of the Purusha Sukta refers to the Parama Purusha, Purushottama, Narayana, in his form as the Viraat Purusha. He was the source of all creation. It describes this form of his, as having countless heads, eyes, legs, manifested everywhere, and beyond the scope of any limited method of comprehension. All creation is but a fourth part of him. The rest is unmanifested.

Purusha as Brahma remained inactive, and Aniruddha Narayana, one of the four aspects of Narayana in the first tier at the base of the Vishaaka Yoopa, asked him ``Why do you do nothing?''

``Because of not knowing,'' Brahma replied.

``Perform a yajna. Your senses, the devas, shall be the ritviks. Your body shall be the havis. Your heart, the altar. And I shall be he who enjoys the havis -- the offering. From your body sacrificed, shall you create bodies for all living creatures, as you have done in kalpas before this.''

Thus says the sAkalya brAmhaNA.

This yajna was called ``sarvahut'', the offering of all. The act of creation itself grew out of yajna, the rite of sacrifice. Who was worshipped at this sacrifice? It was the Purusha. Who performed it? Brahma, the creative aspect of the Purusha. Who were the ritvik priests ? The devas, who are the Purusha's senses. Who was tied as the beast of the sacrifice? Brahma, again. What was barhis, the altar of the sacrifice? All of nature. Who was the fire? The Purusha's heart. What was sacrificed? Again, the Purusha himself, his great body that contained all of creation.

In a way, this is a message of love, that the Purusha would consume himself in the fire of creation, to create all the worlds. From this sacrifice did all of creation emanate. This is central to the message of the Purusha Sukta. vedAhametam purusham mahAntamAditya varNam tamasaH parastAt |tam evam vidvAn amRta iha bhavatina anyaH panthA vidyate 'yanaaya ||

This great Purusha, brilliant as the sun, whois beyond all darkness, I know him in my heart. Who knows the Purusha thus, attains immortality in this very birth. I know of no other way to salvation.

 

 

 

NAME 82: Garland of 108 Precious Gems - Kasturi

 

OM SRI PURUSHOTHAMAAYA NAMAH

 

‘Purusha’ is so called because of His residing in the body, the pura. Baba says ‘the entity that lives in the body’ is the Purusha, the entity that lives in all bodies is the Purushothama, the chiefest person. Purusha is the Vyashti (individual), Purushothama is the Samashti (the collective). Purusha is the tree, Purushothama is the forest. Baba is Purusha as well as Purushothama. Naraakara as well as Niraakara. He has said ‘the name of Sai fills the entire world, every inch of it, for there is no place where I am not; there is no Name which is not mine.’

 

 

 

 

 

In the Bhagavad Gita, He declared to Arjuna, “As I transcend the perishable and as I am even higher than the imperishable, I am declared as the Purushothama (the Highest Purusha) by the world, as well as in the Veda. Without being deluded by my human body and human characteristics if a man knows Me as Purushathama, for the sense of the Holy is inherent in man. It is an inescapable impulse. That is why Baba, the Purushothama is worshipped and the worship is so fully rewarding.

 

Baba is also warning us against being misled by His human role; “I walk and talk and eat like you but remember always I am all Gods in one.”

 

 

CHAPTER 15 - BHAGAVAD GITA

The Bhagavad Gita, according to Gandhi (Berkley Hills Books)

 

The Lord said:

 

(1) With its root above and branches below; the ashvatha tree, they say, is imperishable. It has Vedic hymns for leaves. He who knows it knows the Vedas.

(2) Above and below its branches spread, blossoming because of the gunas, having for their shoots the sense-objects. Deep down in the world of men are ramified its roots in the shape of the consequences of action.

(3) Its true form is not here perceived, neither is its end, nor beginning, nor basis. Let men first hew down this deep-rooted ashvattha with the sure weapon of detachment.

(4) Let him pray to win that haven from which there is no return and seek to find refuge in the Primal Being from whom has emanated this ancient world of action.

(5) To that imperishable haven those enlightened souls go who are without pride and delusion, who have triumphed over the taints of attachment, who are ever in tune with the Supreme, whose passions have died, and who are exempt from the pairs of opposites such as pleasure and pain.

(6) Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire illumine it. Men who arrive there return not – that is My supreme abode

(7) A part indeed of Myself which has been the eternal jiva (the individual soul) in this world of life attracts the mind and the five senses from their place of Prakriti.

(8) When the Master (of the body) acquires a body and discards it, He carries these with Him wherever He goes, even as the wind carries scents from flower-beds.

(9) Having settled Himself in the senses – ear, eye, touch, taste and smell, as well as the mind – through them He frequents their objects.

(10) The deluded perceive Him not as He leaves or settles in (a body) or enjoys (sense-objects in association with the gunas. It is only those endowed with the eye of knowledge that see Him.

(11) Yogis who strive see Him seated in themselves. The witless ones who have not cleaned themselves see Him not, even though they strive.

(12) The light in the sun which illumines the whole universe; and which is in the moon and in the fire – that light, know thou, is mine

(13) It is I who, penetrating the earth, uphold all beings with my strength, and becoming the moon – the essence of all sap – nourish all herbs.

(14) It is I who, becoming the Vaishvanara Fire and entering the bodies of all that breathe, assimilate the four kinds of food with the help of the outward and the inward breaths.

(15) And I am seated in the hearts of all. From Me proceed memory, knowledge and the intellect. It is I who am to be known in all the Vedas; I, the author of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas.

(16) There are two Beings in the world: kshara (perishable) and Akshara (imperishable). Kshara embraces all creatures and their permanent basis is Akshara.

(17) The Supreme Being is surely another – called Paramatman – who as the Imperishable Ishvara pervades and supports the three worlds.

(18) Because I transcend the kshara and am also higher than the Akshara, I am known in the world and in the Vedas as Purushottama (the Highest Being).

(19) He who, undeluded, knows Me as Purushottama, knows all. He worships Me with all his heart, O Bharata.

(20) Thus I have revealed to thee, sinless one, this most mysterious Shastra. He who understands this, O Bharata, is a man of understanding. He has fulfilled his life’s mission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From ‘Finding Ishwara’ 8 Days of Indwelling, 80 Keys of Recognition

It is good to have your own practices come as well as practice the classical ones. It helps with the integration of the pure, perfect, classical and intricate into the contemporary. I tried an 80 minute intensive interspaced with mantra and silence this magnificent Monday. Whether 80 mins or 80 days – the degree of immersion that comes continues to stun me. SE

 

Day 2 – I AM

 

 

He said within once, ‘I want you to know the I AM’. Many are coming into I AM these days. In I AM, I is. I AM is I in being state. When the doing and the seeing are not doing the doing or the seeing, the being state is. Elimination is the only way. ‘Not this, Not this’ is Not everything. When everything is not this, I AM is.

 

 

I asked if I know I AM yet. He always brings more. How does more fit into a picture of the ultimate less? Always it is back to tree rings. Each year of more I AM is another ring in the trunk of this living tree. Somehow there is always more. The fullness is more full. The emptiness is more empty. The wonder is more, simply more.

Oddly the more I witness, the more engaged it all becomes. When I am engaged in something, the more and the less work together as one. Bystanding is not ‘I standing’. We can bystand when we witness if we are not careful. When ‘I’ stands, all is engaged, connected, happening. Standing up and being counted is letting ‘I’ stand. He stands so tall as the ‘I standing’.

He is also ‘I sitting’. We go crazy when He sits and we want Him to stand. The ‘sitting I’ sits in serenity unmovable. We want Him to heal Himself. To stand and heal Himself. To walk and to run again. We want Him to defend Himself. To wipe out opposition to His good name. He sits serenely in the ‘sitting I’ through this.

He is the ‘I waving’ too. He waves and we waver. He waves as we waver. He knows our wavering and He waves. He blesses and we are in bliss again.

His presence intensifies as we travel the dusty roads. He is the ‘I travelling’. He travels the dusty roads and we marvel. We love to see Him travelling. He travels, we travel. ‘Look at My wonderful world’, He said once inwardly and I looked and saw His wonderful world passing by.

Life leaves us when we are in the ‘I travelling’. We leave life travelling. You cannot leave life in a stopped state. Stopping at the end of life is an illusion. If change is happening we are travelling. He is the eye in the storm of change. He sees us through change. We want to see Him as we travel through this change. Dying is wonderful travelling. He is our travelling companion.

He is the ‘I calling’. He calls and we become calm. If we are calm we can hear the calling. They say we have lost the sense of calling. Once people used to follow their calling. In the Church they ask you about your calling and only those strongly called join the priesthood. The calm in the priest speaks of the calling.

He is ‘I serving’. Have you seen Him serve? He has served every minute of every day for 80 years. Only ‘I’ can serve like that. When we serve we are learning from the Master who serves. No one has ever served as He has.

He is ‘I acting’. He acts and we get confused about the script. We don’t know our lines. We fumble delivering our lines. We analyse our performance. We stumble from play to play. He writes the scripts and acts them out.

 

 

 

MEDITATION, CONTENTMENT, INNER PEACE

 

Preface – Dhyana Vahini

 

‘To be living as a contemporary of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is itself a unique chance.’ N Kasturi

 

 

From ‘Dhyana Vahini’

 

‘One should have the desire only for the path of Realisation. One should not dedicate one’s life for the mean desires of the world. Dedicate all to the Lord; that is genuine contentment. That is the result of the acquisition, of peace of mind, joy and discrimination; of Santhi, Santhosa and Vicharana. Sakshathkara is also possible then.

 

To acquire these, Smarana and Dhyanam, are the only means. They alone can give that power. Nowhere else can you get them, nowhere else will you get them. More than all, if you possess Santhosha, the other two will be added to you. Nothing is more profitable to man than contentment. It is a treasure richer than the three worlds. The contented person can experience indescribable Divine Glory.’

 

 

‘Contentment will not make anyone an idler remember. It is an attribute of the true Sathwic character. It will make the mind always turn towards the Lord. It will save you from the tribulation to satisfy the unimportant waves, catering to selfish needs. It will direct human talents towards efforts to elevate. The contented man will always be truthful and he will therefore be in constant communion with the Atma. That is to say, he can be immersed in Dhyanam for long periods without rest or the feeling of tiredness. Dhyanam is the one method of counteracting the mental activities, which surge forward in a thousand directions; there is no other method at all.’

 

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

 

 

 

MEDITATION ON LORD SIVA – PART II

 

NIRGUNA MEDITATION

This is meditation on Lord Siva, in His all-pervasive, unmanifested aspect, as the Supreme Parabrahman. In this form of meditation, you meditate on Lord Siva as the Supreme Brahman without form, attributeless, eternal, infinite…

 

Every atom, every molecule, every nerve, vein, artery, should powerfully vibrate with these ideas. Lip repetition of ‘Sivoham’ will not produce much benefit. It should be through heart, head and soul. This feeling should be kept up continuously. Negate the body-idea while repeating Sivoham mentally. When you chant Sivoham feel:

 

Infinity I am Sivoham Sivoham

All light I am Sivoham Sivoham

All joy I am Sivoham Sivoham

All glory I am Sivoham Sivoham

All power I am Sivoham Sivoham

All knowledge I am Sivoham Sivoham

All Ananda (Bliss)

I am Sivoham Sivoham

 

Meditate on the above ideas constantly. Constant effort with zeal and enthusiasm, is an indispensable requisite. Repeat mentally the above ideas incessantly. You will realise.

 

Lord Siva and His Worship: Swami Sivananda (Divine Life Society)

 

 

THE LIGHT IN THE EYE OF WONDER

 

I am the lake in the desert

I am the fruit on the tree

But you won’t come to the desert

So you don’t need a drink from Me

 

I am the light in the eye of wonder

I am the thumping in the heart

But you don’t notice I’m near you

You make not noticing quite an art

 

Listen to the wisdom I can give you

Stop in your tracks and question Me

I’m here and one day I’ll be gone

Take the fruit from this tree

 

(Poem come in the early 90s, from a collection of 108 poems

written to accompany the 108 Names of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba )

 

 

 

Definition: SPLENDOUR

Heraldry: Sun in Splendour

A representation of the sun with rays and a human face

 

SPLENDID – Brilliant or find especially in appearance

Characterised by magnificence, Glorious or illustrious

Brightly gleaming, radiant

 

 

 

RESPLENDENT

Having a brilliant or splendid appearance

Root – to shine

 

 

 

‘Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu'

“Let all the worlds be happy.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAI VEDAM

 

DAY OF DIVINE SPLENDOUR

 

Shrewsbury

Sai Group

 

November 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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