Sai Darshan News: October 5-9, 2008 - Sai Students

[Guest guest]

October 9 2008 And finally the grand day arrived! Today was Vijayadasami, the 90th death anniversary of Shirdi Baba, the final day of the Dasara celebrations and also the concluding Poornahuti ceremony of the Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yajna. The previous evening it had been announced that Swami would make the Poornahuthi Poornam (complete and sweet!) at 10 am today. So most of the devotees chose to go straight to the Poornachandra auditorium rather than wait in Kulwant hall. It was about 9:15 am when Swami arrived out of Yajur mandir. The little Gita was waiting to be fed by the Lord and Swami fed apples to her. Then Swami moved towards the Kulwant hall on a magnificent "throne chair", golden in its colour and tall in its height. It became very evident that He had come only to give joy to those waiting

in the hall as He took a small round and then quickly hurried towards the auditorium. Now everyone too rushed there and in a few minutes the Kulwant hall wore a deserted look with the only people there being the spillover crowd from the auditorium! Just past 9.30 Bhagawan arrived onstage, and interacting briefly with the priests, moved to the Western end of the stage. Along the way, all the teachers and students clad in orange and cream had a good darshan and formed a sort of backdrop for the Lord in orange! At the western end of the stage, Swami blessed garlands to be placed on the mound of kumkum and turmeric that represents the supreme and receives devotion during the conduct of the yajna. The water to be sprinkled on all as a sign of divine blessing and benediction too was blessed and Swami received Aarthi. The priests then sought permission to go to the mandir and fetch the necessary tools to perform the poornahuthi. Swami permitted them and moved

backstage. The priests literally rushed to the bhajan hall where the wooden tools and materials were placed. A long wooden pole with a channel through which ghee (clarified butter) would flow to feed the flames of the yajna fire was the main among them all. They returned in a procession and Swami too came onstage as soon as they arrived. He then moved to the centre, and the priests chanted mantras to somplete the final offerings into the sacrificial fire. The mop of lovely hair around His head marked Swami in the group of saffron bodies that surrounded the equally saffron flame. Swami on the throne looked so magnificent and heavenly as the flames lapped up higher and higher as if attempting to look at Him in all His grandeur. An orange bundle containing all the final offerings to the fire was opened before Swami. Swami inspected it and then blessed it to be placed into the Yajnakundam. As that was done, a burst of joyful applause filled the

entire auditorium. Swami then moved around the stage and blessed all there with His proximity. The priests then gathered around Him once again after a brief visit to the western end of the hall. Swami blessed the priests and the wife of the chief-priest with clothes, and they all went backstage, changed into the new clothes and returned. As they gathered around, the head priest and Swami both asked for all the chantings to cease. All the priests now chanted at a very high pitch and high decibel levels as Swami sat through intensely looking at all of them. Then the head priest sang out some hymn and Swami was very touched with his rendition. After that, Swami received Aarthi at about 10:15 am and retired for the morning into Yajur Mandir. Bhagawan arrived for darshan in the car at 5.30 this evening. The devotees have all got so much used to the chair that the car was indeed a novel experience! Once He came onstage,Swami noticed Nepalese

students seated in the front with huge kumkum marks embedded with rice grains on their foreheads. Swami asked them as to what was that mark all about. The 40 odd students went up to Swami and sought His blessings for the traditional Durga Pooja practice that is common in Nepal. Swami blessed all of them and accepted letters He spoke to a few of them too A wonderful thing has to be mentioned here. The Nepalese students from the Institute, music college and school get together during the summer vacation to carry out seva activities in their region. The most impressive aspect of this service is that all the finance is obtained from the "spiritual savings"(if we can call them so) of these students. They put a ceiling on desires and many of them wash their own clothes and save the dhobi fees. Such savings are directed towards the service. As Swami says, charity gets meaning when it involves sacrifice. The Rs. 100 given by a millionaire pales into

insignificance before the single rupee saved by hard effort! The photos of the previous years service activities were shown to Swami and Swami was appreciative of them. After He blessed all those students, He heard the vedam chants for a while. Then, Sri. T. G. Krishnamurthy, former Sai Organisation State President of Tamil Nadu, was asked to speak. After his half-hour speech, Prof. G. Venkataraman, former Vice-Chancellor of the Sai University, spoke for twenty minutes. The professor outlined as to how the world that does not root itself in Swami's teachings of Love undergoes one bust after another like the dotcom bubble and the housing bubble. Sensing that Swami wanted to deliver His divine message, the professor concluded his talk. Bhagawan then indicated that He would deliver His Vijaya Dasami message and His microphone was brought up. You can read the text of Swami's Discourse here, or you can hear it here. Swami concluded His discourse with the bhajan, "Hari bhajan Bina Sukh Shanti nahi". Needless to say everyone followed with gusto and vigour. Blessing prasadam to be distributed, Swami received Aarthi and retired at almost 7:50pm! Click here to see photos of the Dasara celebrations. October 8 2008 The 8th morning was quite uneventful as Swami remained indoors. The Yajnam went on and all the devotees attended it. In the evening, Swami arrived and completed the darshan rounds. After coming on the stage, He blessed Sri. S. V. Giri, the former vice chancellor of the University to speak. Sri Giri spoke on the significance of Navarathri and Dusshera.

The greater part of his speech however was dedicated to what we should do in order to express our love and gratitude to Swami. He listed an eight point plan which was simple yet effective in its approach and implementation. Faith, respect for elders, love for children, good complany and positive thoughts were some of them. Swami too applauded as he concluded. Then there were bhajans. After about 4 bhajans, Swami subtly indicated to a student to sing the "Allahu Akbar" bhajan! And so the next bhajan was powerfully rendered with the introductory Aalaap. Swami blessed prasadam to be distributed to all and then received Aarthi. He then went into the interview room for a short while. He retired as the announcement, that the next day would be Poornahuthi for the Yajna, was on. October 7 2008 The ninth day in Dusshera is celebrated as Durga pooja or Ayudha pooja. The festival is replete with many practices

and rituals. For instance, there is a legend related to the exhibition of toys that is known as Golu (spelled Kolu in some regions). Since the goddess Durga needed tremendous power, all other gods and goddesses transferred their power to Goddess Durga and they all stood still as toys. To respect the self-sacrifice of these deities during the festival days, Hindus revere toys that are in shape of particular gods and goddesses. After the slaying of Mahishasura and other demons by Durga or Chamundeshwari, there was no more use for her weapons. So the weapons were kept aside and worshipped. This Ayudha puja is being celebrated since ancient times. The Ayudha Puja is a worship of whatever implements one may use in one's livelihood. On the preceding evening, it is traditional to place these implements on an altar to the Divine. If one can make a conscious effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses each day, it will help one to see

one's work as an offering to God. It will also help one to maintain constant remembrance of the divine. In India it is customary for one to prostrate before the tools one will use before starting one's work each day; this is an expression of gratitude to God for helping one to fulfil one's duties. And so, in Puttaparthi too, all vehicles and implements are worshipped and revered this day. The Saab, Merc, BMW and Toyota stood beside each other awaiting their Lord! In this place, not only the devotees from all parts of the world sit with each other, machines and vehicles from everywhere too rest side by side! An altar had been made amidst the cars and the whole place was spotless clean. A few minutes after 9:30 am Swami arrived for darshan rounds. There was a Mangalavadyam (literally translated as "auspicious sound instruments") team standing in readiness to welcome Swami. Swami was not accepting letters and understandably so for today was the day

of the machines! As He crossed the students' area and entered the gents side, the Mangalavadyam escorted Him. With Swami, the wonderful thing is anything looks beautiful and thrilling for He is the one who lends beauty and Grace to anything. The escort group that led Swami for a short distance erupted wonderful feelings within every heart nevertheless. As Swami neared the cars area, all the members of the escort party grabbed the opportunity to place prostrations at His Lotus feet. Swami then moved to the altar that had been made specially for the occasion. He sat in front of it looking and gazing at it. And for those few moments, amidst all the noise and celebrations, a kind of silence enveloped all those standing near Him. His silence is so powerful and it stills even the most turbulent of minds into placid calmness. Trays and bowls holding chocolates and coconuts were brought to Him for blessings. He placed His palms over all of them and

blessed them to be broken in front of the decorated vehicles in the traditional manner. As Swami watched on, coconuts were broken in front of each of the cars. Then bowls of prasadam and chocolates were blessed for distribution. Having done that, Swami continued His darshan rounds through the Veda chanting area and the Primary school blocks. Then He arrived to the stage where He sat listening to the Veda chanting going on The Rudram began and everyone vociferously joined in the chanting. Swami then moved towards the Poornachandra Auditorium. As He moved out of Kulwant hall, everyone else to rushed for places in the auditorium. In the meanwhile, there were two more garages and cars there too had been worshipped. Swami blessed coconuts to be broken. The first coconut hurled did not seem to have force enough to shatter. Swami smiled and told the person to take the coconut and break it properly That smile reminded one of the days when Swami Himself

would break the coconuts. He would hold one in each hand and collide them against each other. The coconut on the left would always be left as it never broke but the coconut in the right hand would break exactly into half! This would go on till the last pair of coconuts were left. This time however, when He would crack them against each other, both the nuts would crack! Leaving all the witnesses with nostalgic memories, Swami moved into the auditorium. Swami sat on the stage as the yajna progressed. The "Suryanamaskar priest" once again did his prostrations and prayers at the Lotus feet by placing a lotus there. All the various priests were deeply engrossed in the worship. We have often heard Swami say, "Work is worship". For these priests, it is so apt as literally worship is their work! After a while, Swami moved across all the students chanting on the stage to the western end of the stage and recieved Aarthi and the chantings of all the

priests who gathered there in a single file. Swami was there for about 10 minutes after which He moved back across the stage and then retired for the morning. In the evening, Swami arrived a few minutes after five o'clock. Once He came onstage after His darshan round, He asked the All India Sai Organisation President, Sri. V. Srinivasan to speak at 5.15 pm. The speaker dwelt on what Swami meant to everyone in all parts of the world. Talking about the relationships that one adopts with Swami, the speaker stated that they can be as diverse as that between a mother and her child to that between friends! As he concluded his talk, Swami called him and told something in his ears. A kind of anticipative thrill spread across the hall and slowly the speaker came back to the podium. He stood still for a while, obviously contemplating and gathering thoughts and words on the magnificence and munificence of the words that the Lord had whispered to him.

And then he spoke with surging joy, "The people of Orissa have been struck by floods and about 7 districts have thousands of homeless. Swami's heart has gone out to them. He is immediately sanctioning 10 crores for their relief." The applause was deafening. While people in power were busy playing the blame game and trying to find the fault, the Lord had planned massive relief! Swami has directed that houses be rebuilt by the Sai organisation along with building Primary Schools for the villagers. And these shelters will not be permanent. Like Swami's glory, they also would be permanent - not mere tents or wooden structures, but sturdy concrete homes. Swami didn't want mere houses to be built, His intention was that homes be rebuilt! Swami also said that He would sell away the hilltop house in Kodaikanal and the Sri Sathya Sai airport at Puttaparthi and direct those funds for service. For the Lord, only the present moment exists. Right now

there is help needed and that will be rendered. Financial estimates and practical difficulties are not to be given prominence when people are suffering for everyone belongs to Him and as He has said, "If you need me, you deserve me." As the speaker narrated the troubled conditions of Orissa which he ascertained during his recent trip, Swami seemed deeply moved. The Lord seemed to be shedding a tear, feeling fully for His children. For the One who initiated everyone into chanting, "Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavanthu" since He wanted not only the people of this world but all the worlds to be peaceful and happy, any suffering melts the heart. As the speaker went on, Swami called him and issued another command, "Right after Vijayadashami, you, Sri Kondal Rao of the AP government and Sri Ramakrishna, the director of L & T leave for Orissa and make plans so that in 2 months time, those people have homes!" If the previous applause was deafening, this one was

such that even the deaf would hear! After these announcements, Swami asked for Bhajans. Very aptly the bhajan chosen by the students was, "Deena Dukhiyon Se prem karo". Prasadam was blessed and distributed to all. As that was done, Swami recieved Aarthi and left. October 6 2008 The 6th morning was again another display of the wonder and beauty of His uncertainty. All the devotees assembled in the Kulwant hall and Poornachandra auditorium for the "holy sighting" or darshan as it is called in daily parlance. It was about 10:15 am when Swami arrived to Kulwant hall for darshan. Completing a full round, Swami went to the interview room. Swami was desirous of distributing sarees to some of the ladies. He did so as He moved from the Kulwant hall towards the Poornachandra auditorium and the ones thus blessed accepted the gifts of Love with joy and gratitude. Once in the auditorium, Swami sat on the

stage witnessing the Yajna. It is an amazing sight to see the way Swami sits at the ceremonies. The word "witness" is so apt to describe it. He is neither elated nor down but seems to be in a state of steady serenity! And that serenity radiates to everyone in His physical ambit. Devotees seem to forget everything and everyone sits calmly and reverentially as long as He is there. The magic of His presence proves that truly it is The Presence - like one is sitting face to face with ones' innermost Self! After a while, Swami moved to the western end of the stage and blessed all the priests there. He received Aarthi to mark the conclusion of the day's quota of the yajnam. Having done that, He again distributed sarees to many of the priests' wives and to few other ladies. Sitting on top, Swami continued to distribute as the ladies gratefully accepted the sarees and had the privilege of padanamaskar as His feet were easily accessible at their head

level almost! Then Swami retired to Yajur Mandir. In the evening, Swami came to the Bhajan hall just before 5.30 on completing His darshan round. As the Vedam went on, He made two rounds down the aisle, distributing more sarees. These 9 days are dedicated to the Devi and it was so apt that Swami continued to distribute sarees. The students from the Anantapur campus of the University seated in the bhajan hall were all joy as they got bonus darshan blessings and Swami accepted letters from some of them. At 5.50 pm, He asked for the Bhajans to begin and sat there for half an hour before accepting Arati. But as He moved out, His eye met the eyes of the warden of the Brindavan campus, Sri. B. N. Narasimhamoorthy. With a twinkle Swami told him, "I will come out soon. Be ready to speak!" And so when the whole Kulwant hall was expecting Him to retire for the day at 6:00pm, Swami called the warden and told him to speak. The warden requested,

"Swami it will be Shrama (difficulty) for you as it has already been a long day." Swami replied, "Shrama Kaadhu, Prema. (Its not difficulty, its Love!)" He had a twinkle in the eyes as He came out and asked for the mike and podium to be placed for the speaker. The speaker then for the next 35 minutes spontaneously poured out his feelings of Love and gratitude to the divine mother. The climax of his speech was an incident where Swami had told him exactly the same words as today. In the summer of 2000 when he had been rendered almost immobile due to a severe backache, Swami had walked all the way to his room in the hostel climbing the steep steps! The warden had then asked Swami as to why had He taken so much "Shrama" and pat Swami had replied the same, "Its not Shrama dear, its Prema!" He concluded his talk and everyone seemed overcome with emotion. When the glories of the Lord are relived and related, everyone is overcome with emotion. Only

those that have transcended the realms of the world and have entered the higher planes of consciousness are untouched by emotion. Even those that are heartless by nature seem to find that noble organ within them and it wells with Love and emotion! As the speaker concluded, Swami blessed him and quickly moved back to the car and retired for the evening. October 5 2008 On the morning of the 5th, all had assembled in the Kulwant hall while the Yajna proceedings began in the Poornachandra auditorium. While some people continue to sit in Kulwant hall, some of them move out to occupy vantage positions in the auditorium, and this morning Swami went straight there out of Yajur Mandir! He arrived on the stage and saw the proceedings for a while. In the meantime, the priest performing the physical exercise of the suryanamaskars moved to Swami and offered the rose. This priest has the privilege of performing

one pradakshina and offerings directly to Swami whenever Swami is physically present on the stage - on other occasions he does it to the Swami that is omnipresent! As the priest fell flat in full prostrations, Swami accepted his rose and blessed him. Then He moved to the ladies corner of the stage where the head priest and his wife were engaged in worship. Behind Him all the other priests also gathered and chanted out aloud. Swami received Aarthi there and as the camphor was waved He smiled at all the devotees and priests. All the ladies outside the auditorium heaped on each other and craned and strained to catch a glimpse of that sweet smiling face. Swami then returned to the gents corner of the stage. Swami then quickly moved from the auditorium into the darshan grounds. The hall was now quite empty and thus the devotees who had held on and remained too had the opportunity to get wonderful darshan blessings. Swami completed a full round and

then moved into the portico via the gents side. The Union Home minister, Sri Shivaraj Patil had arrived and Swami blessed him with an interview. After the interview was complete, Swami came out and sat listening to the chanting of the Rudram that was on. He listened to one complete cycle of the Rudram and that in itself takes more than 30 minutes. The students have a tendency - to slowly move closer and closer to Swami as they sit near Him and who would not do so given the chance! As Swami wanted all the Veda-knowing students in the front, the block was literally bursting at its seams and the students were seated almost till His lotus feet! He called a few students and then asked them what they had for breakfast? He collected letters and interacted with many more students. He enquired into the well being of some of the members of the staff too. He interacted with the students some more, asked one of the students to demonstrate the Jaikar, and

returned to His residence at 10.45 after some more Jaikars from the assembled devotees. It was a wonderful session which concluded with Aarti and Jaijaikars to the Lord. The evening session was again marked by a beautiful round of darshan after which Swami commanded Mr. Ajit Popat to speak. The next 40 minutes or so was an energetic and enthusiastic outpouring of love and devotion for the Lord by Mr. Popat in his characteristic style. He urged everyone to make the best of the Lord's availability and become dear to Him not by just touching Him in the physical sense but by touching His heart! "When the Ganges is flowing by our homes, why do we choose to bathe in our narrow bathrooms?", he questioned out aloud. As he concluded his talk, Swami blessed him and asked for the bhajans to begin. The bhajans began in the bhajan hall and soon after, Swami made His way to the bhajan hall. The day concluded with the waving of the holy fire to the Lord.

 

 

http://www.saistudents.org