Guest guest Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Home FAQs Contact Us Search: Prasanthi Bulletin Index of earlier Bulletins Sunday, August 24, 2008 Bhagawan arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall to the strains of Nadaswaram music this Krishnashtami morning resplendent in a yellow robe at 9.20 am. He moved to the main gate of the Sai Kulwant Hall, where the procession of cows from the Gokulam had just arrived. After feeding the cows and blessing His elephant calf and others like a deer and doves there, Swami moved to the stage and sat there for a while as the Vedam went on. At 9.45, He asked for the music programme by the students to begin. A couple of Krishna songs were followed by a flute programme, ten students on flutes playing popular melodies on Krishna. At 10.20, Bhagawan accepted Arati and prasadam was distributed as He blessed the various cards brought up to Him by the students of the schools and college. It was 10.45 when He started back to His residence in the car. In the evening, Bhagawan arrived by four o'clock and moved to the interview room. Around an hour later, He came to the Bhajan hall and interacted with the students and teachers there till He asked for the Bhajans to begin at 5.40 pm. Arati was at 6.20 pm and Swami left for Yajur Mandir in His car. Saturday, August 23, 2008 This evening, the students from the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva school at Alike presented a Yakshagana Roopaka. This is an adaptation of the traditional art-form of Karnataka, involving colourful costumes and stylized dance. Bhagawan came for darshan in His chair and went into the interview room for a while. He then went down to near the Sai Kulwant Hall main gate where the performers were seated and interacted with them before returning to the stage and starting the programme at 4.45 pm. The programme was made more accessible by the addition of English dialogues by the actors. As they concluded at 6.05 pm, Swami came down from the stage to have group photographs with them. He interacted with them for nearly half an hour, blessing them with clothes and talking at length to the teachers. Swami accepted Arati at 6.30 pm after prasadam was distributed before returning to His residence. Friday, August 22, 2008 Bhagawan moved about in the Sai Kulwant Hall on a second extended darshan round in His chair on two occasions this week, on Tuesday and on Thursday. This evening, devotees from Vishakhapatnam presented a musical dance drama. The approaching Krishna Janmashtami festival was the inspiration for their drama, comparing the divine leelas of Krishna and Sai. Swami arrived from His residence at 4 o'clock, and after an hour in the interview room, emerged to come onstage. There, He Blessed the various items brought to Him before the program commenced at 5.15 pm. As the last song of the 45 minute dance drama was being played, a jhoola was kept in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall and the devotees prayed that Swami sit in the jhoola. Bhagawan graciously came down from the stage and posed for group photographs in front of the jhoola. He then interacted with the group for nearly twenty minutes, giving clothes to the children, getting prasadam distributed to them. After a brief visit to the interview room, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.30 pm. Saturday, August 16, 2008 This evening, the youth from West Bengal presented a half-hour drama. Bhagawan came for darshan in His chair and moved to the interview room after a round of the verandah. At five o'clock, He came onstage, and the drama began soon after. The youth presented the service activities done by the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation in the villages, and showed how Corporate citizens were transformed watching one of their former collegues doing selfless Seva. Bhagawan blessed the group with photographs and clothes. He gave each of them photo-frames as they came up one by one. At six o'clock, the students sang Bhajans for ten minutes before Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence. The Book Trust website has a few short videos of the events of this weekend. Friday, August 15, 2008 The Varalakshmi Vratam was observed today at Prasanthi Nilayam. The front part of the Hall was occupied by the ladies doing the puja, dressed in purple sarees. Bhagawan arrived at 9.45 am and the rituals got underway five minutes later when He came onstage. The priest chanted the invocations and instructed the ladies on the rituals in Telugu. After half an hour, Swami went on a full round of the hall as the puja went on. At 10.45, the puja concluded. Swami came onstage and accepted Arati at 11 am. The priest gave a few more instructions to the ladies as Swami left for His residence after ten minutes. In the evening, Nandi award winning Telugu singer Smt. Sunitha presented a musical programme. Bhagawan arrived for darshan and made a full round of the Hall while the singer and accompanists were seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall. The 45 minute song programme got underway at 5.20 pm when Swami came onstage. Swami blessed the artiste with a chain and gave clothes to her accompanists. A couple of Bhajans by the students was followed by a song "Dinakara Shubhakara" by one of the students before Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.45 pm. Thursday, August 14, 2008 The final year post-graduate students of the Sri Sathya Sai University presented a drama based on a nationalistic theme today. Bhagawan completed His darshan round and came into the Bhajan Hall where the costumed students were waiting, and interacted with them for a few minutes. He then moved to the interview room while the students took their places. At 5.10, the drama commenced when Swami came onstage. The hour-long performance depicted scenes from the lives of heroes of Inda's freedom struggle as well as from mythology. Bhagawan interacted with the students after the drama, blessing one of them with a chain. He moved down from the stage to take group photographs with them. Then He came onstage and called up students in small groups for more photographs. Later, He blessed all the II PG students with watches. Bhajans were sung for ten minutes while prasadam was distributed before Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.50 pm. Wednesday, August 13, 2008 This evening, Bhagawan came for darshan at four o'clock in His chair. After a full round of the Hall, He went into the interview room and emerged a few minutes later to sit onstage. As the Vedam went on, He blessed a succession of "Birthday boys" and later moved in His chair for a second round of the ladies' side. He interacted with the West Bengal youth group, and blessed one of them with a chain before returning to the verandah. The Bhajans began at 5.10 while prasadam was distributed. Swami accepted Arati at 5.45 before returning to Yajur Mandir. Sunday, August 10, 2008 This afternoon, Bhagawan consented to watch an education documentary prepared by the Prasanthi Digital Studio in the Poornachandra auditorium along with the students of the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School and the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. Bhagawan arrived there at 3.45 and saw more than 45 minutes of the documentary before asking for the screening to be stopped so that He could go to the Sai Kulwant Hall. There, devotees from Vijayanagaram district of Andhra Pradesh presented a Telugu drama 'Jagame Rama Mayam'. The Vijayanagaram devotees had arrived in strength yesterday and had a procession through Puttaparthi last evening. This evening's 45 minute drama concluded at six o'clock, and Bhagawan Blessed the children who participated with clothes. The students sang bhajans for fifteen minutes while prasadam was distributed, and Bhagawan accepted Arati at 6.25 pm. Wednesday, August 6, 2008 This morning, an auspicious shower preceded the change of Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University at the Poornachandra Auditorium. As announced yesterday, the ceremony got underway at 10 o'clock with the students singing bhajans as Bhagawan arrived onstage. Swami sat there, flanked by the incumbent and outgoing VCs, with Mrs. Gokak beside her husband. Ten minutes of bhajans were followed by an invocatory Vedic hymn by the students. Mr. and Mrs. Gokak were garlanded by the principals of the Prasanthi Nilayam and Anantapur campuses respectively. Sri. Srinivasan Srirangarajan then gave a speech, outlining Mr. Gokak's term as VC, highlighting his transparency, helpful nature, and attention to detail. Sri. S. V. Giri, former Vice-Chancellor, spoke next, bringing out the contributions of both Sri. Anil Vinayak Gokak and his illustrious father, Dr. Vinayak Krishna Gokak, the first Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University. Sri. Gokak spoke next, praying for Swami's blessings in his next endeavour, which is to organise the centenary celebrations of his late father. Bhagawan stood up to deliver His Divine message after Sri. Gokak's speech. Swami stressed that He is always with each and every one of us, and that with Him, there are no "goodbye"s, only "welcome"s. He urged all of us to remember that we are divine, though we use different names for our bodies for worldly convenience. After His 45 minute Discourse, Bhagawan asked the incumbent, Prof. Vishwanath Pundit, to speak. Prof. Pundit humbly stated in his short speech that he was only an instrument in the Divine Hands. Swami blessed Mr. and Mrs. Gokak with bracelets. The function concluded with Arati ten minutes past noon while prasadam was distributed. The Himachal youth had another musical presentation this evening. Bhagawan came onstage at 5.15 pm and the concert for the evening got underway. Ms. Sunanda Sharma sang in Hindustani classical style for an hour. Bhagawan then called her up and blessed her with a chain. The students sang a bhajan while the lady members of the Himachal group readied themselves for a musical presentation, with a couple of group songs. Bhagawan blessed the performers with clothes and chocolates while the students sang a couple of Bhajans till Arati at 6.50 pm. Tuesday, August 5, 2008 The Sai youth from Himachal Pradesh presented a musical programme this evening. When Swami came onstage, the programme began with a short introduction praying to Bhagawan to visit their state. During the 45 minutes of songs, the young men formed vigorous tableaux with three rows of singers clapping and swaying to the beat. Bhagawan blessed one of the group with a chain, and then went down from the stage to take group photographs with them, standing up for the photos. Once He returned onstage, He sent chocolates, clothes and vibhuti prasadam for them. Swami listened to a few minutes of bhajans by the HP group, followed by a bhajan by the students before accepting Arati at 6 pm. Prof. Anil Kumar was then asked to make an announcement about the Vice-Chancellor change ceremony tomorrow at the Poornachandra Auditorium. Monday, August 4, 2008 Thls evening the devotees from the UK were once agaln seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant hall. Once Bhagawan arrived, He called a couple of devotees to the interview room. A few minutes later, He emerged and the program of speeches got underway when He came onstage at 4.50 pm. After a short speech by a lady from the UK, Mr. Ajit Popat, the group co-ordinator, spoke for half an hour about the qualities Sai youth must imbibe. A couple of bhajans by the students preceded Arati at 5.45 pm. Sunday, August 3, 2008 This evening, devotees from Kuwait presented a musical drama and a bhajan medley. They were seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall with their green scarves, with a picture of a mosque as a backdrop when Swami came for darshan. After Bhagawan reached the stage, the programme got underway at 4.50 pm. Children acted out the drama while the songs were sung by the older devotees. Swami came down from the stage to take pictures with the group, and when He returned onstage, the devotees sang Sarva Dharma bhajans in medley style, with no gaps between bhajans. After fifteen minutes of the Bhajan medley, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence. The Book Trust website has a report and images. Friday, August 1, 2008 Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair by 4.15 pm today, and moved to the interview room with the UK group ready in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall with another musical offering. Just before half-past four, Swami sent word that the programme could commence. Just as the first item got underway, Bhagawan arrived onstage. After an introductory song, a visually-challenged devotee presented a few songs and a couple of medleys on the accordion. As group songs followed, Swami called her up and interacted with her. Bhajans by the UK devotees was followed by Bhajans by the students at 5.30 pm till Bhagawan accepted Arati at 5.45 pm. You can see an illustrated version of happenings at Prasanthi Nilayam in the Prasanthi Diary of our monthly e-Journal Heart to Heart. The previous issue of Prasanthi Bulletin is available here.. Index of past Prasanthi Bulletins... top Share files, take polls, and make new friends - all under one roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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