Guest guest Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 KANSAI LIGHT FOR MAY 2009 ISSUE # 41--------- KANSAI LIGHT , MAY 2009 ISSUE # 41 News letter of Sri Sathya Sai Organization Japan address: I.S.S, 2nd Fl, 1-3, Kumochi 5-Chome, Chuo Ku Kobe Tel: 078-222-1885, Email: rgcjp --------------------------- Puttaparthilive - Newsletter Thought for the Day Man has forgotten love and is hankering after worldly objects. Money comes and goes but morality comes and grows. Does your wealth accompany you when you leave this world? No! Only the results of your actions will accompany you. Only the wealth of merit will protect you. Paropakaraya Punyaya, Papaya Parapeedanam (one attains merit by serving others and commits sin by hurting them). Do not accumulate sin. Instead, earn the wealth of merit.----------------- February 14, 2009 – Swami’s Visit to Muddenahalli The grand Welcome Entrance Muddenahalli's great penance finally came to fruition on February 14. Though the picturesque hilly terrain that houses a residential model school in the name of Bhagavan had been blessed by His Divine Presence on many an occasion earlier, February 14, 2009 for them was a red-letter day. It was destined on this day to receive the sanctifying touch of blessing from the Lord when the foundation stone was laid atop the picturesque hills in Muddenahalli as the privileged fourth campus of the Sri Sathya Sai University. The University has three campuses at Prasanthi Nilayam, Brindavan and Anantapur. On November 23, 2008, Swami took everyone by a pleasant storm as He announced in between His discourse: The Artist's impression of the going-to-be campus "Today I have decided to have a separate campus affiliated to SriSathyaSaiUniversity in Muddenahalli. Bhagavan's Will is bound to happen. The work will start from tomorrow. Therefore, Swami has Willed to have SriSathyaSaiUniversity in Muddenahalli. The people living in Muddenahalli are village folk. They live by physical labour. To pursue higher studies, they have to go to cities or towns. Once they have completed their education, they can go elsewhere to earn a living. Swami has decided to inculcate spirituality through Bhagavatam, Bhagawad Gita and Ramayana." The complete happening of that day is present in the December 2008 issue of H2H. And so it was that a lot of ground work and preparations had been made. It is very interesting that Swami chose February 14 for the ground breaking ceremony. This day is symbolic for the celebration of love the world over. Muddenahalli got the privilege of being the Divine valentine as Swami decided to shower His Love, grace and bounty on it. The entire campus wore a festive look with dainty decorations and bold banners. Flags and festoons spread a colour riot everywhere. Thousands, students and teachers clad in immaculate white and nearly 10,000 other devotees who had gathered under the shamiyanas on the vast lawns in front of "Premdeep", the Divine abode, were delighted at the arrival of the Lord in Sathya Sai Grama. Swami arrives at Muddenahalli in the Estima Rows of devotees have been waiting for this moment Elaborate arrangements had been made with meticulous planning to receive Swami. The Divine convoy comprised of Mr. Chakravarthi (Secretary, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust), Prof. G. Venkatraman (formerly Vice Chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai University), Mr. S. V. Giri (formerly Vice-chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai University), Mr. Vishwanath Pandit (current Vice-chancellor), Mr. V. Srinivasan (President, Sri Sathya Sai Organisations), Mr. C. Srinivas (Member, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust), Mr. S. S. Naganand (Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Medical Trust and Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust), and others. After spending a few minutes in "Premadeep", Swami proceeded to the hillock in the southern direction of the campus, where the land had been levelled for laying the foundation stone for the Administrative Block and Residence of the Divine Chancellor. Wending His way up the hill to the proposed site At the selected spot Atop the hill, the venue for the foundation stone laying ceremony, Swami was accorded a grand traditional reception with the 'Poorna Kumbham'. Amidst sonorous chanting of the vedas by the students, Swami laid the foundation stone inside the specially erected 'mantapam'. The mantapam and the entire area had a celestial atmosphere with gorgeous flower decorations, colorful balloons and a wide-variety of lush green plants. Swami glanced through the event card and looked at the plans for the college building designed by the L & T Ltd. THe foundation stone is unveiled Swami has a look at the plans... ....and the handbook too After laying the foundation stone, Swami returned to “Premadeepâ€. He blessed a group of old students of the institution, who sought His Divine sanction to construct 'Prema Kutir', a residential block for the dedicated teachers (thyagajeevis) of Muddenahalli. Another group of well-wishers of the Institution, who proposed to build some guest houses for the comfortable stay of parents of students and other guests, was also blessed by Swami in the Prayer-hall of "Premdeep". Meanwhile, students were singing bhajans on the sprawling lawns under the huge shamiyanas where thousands of people had gathered well in advance to have the darshan of the Lord and listen to His nectarine words. Alighting the specially erected dais in front of the "Premdeep", Swami granted the coveted Divine darshan to the thousands assembled. Blessing the alumin of Muddenahalli- for Prem Kutir The cake is cut to mark the occasion The thousands thronging and thirsting for Him are thrilled! The public function began with the chanting of Veda by a group of students after which Mr. U. Gangadhar Bhat, Chairman of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust spoke for a few minutes expressing heartfelt gratitude to Bhagavan for conferring the boon of the University Campus to Muddenahalli. Mr. B. Narayana Rao, the Secretary of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, speaking next prayed to Bhagavan to give strength to all the teachers and office bearers to carry out His wishes by becoming His worthy servitors. Mr. B. N. Narasimha Murthy, Warden, Sri Sathya Sai Boys' Hostel, Brindavan described the unfathomable compassion and concern of Bhagavan for the entire mankind and the service activities undertaken by Him for the amelioration of the difficulties of people. He had been associated with the Muddenahalli school right from its inception, and he spoke his heart out expressing his gratitude to Bhagavan. He cited the examples of the Super Speciality Hospitals built by Bhagavan at Prasanthi Nilayam and Whitefield within a record time and how they were a boon to the suffering humanity. Before concluding He made a fervent prayer to the Divine to bless the occasion His Divine Discourse. Sri. B.Narayan Rao addresses the gathering Sri B.N.Narasimhamoorthy pours out his heart Reasoning out His newest endeavour to impart quality education, Bhagavan said that children from the area were poor and could not afford to go to cities for pursuing higher education. Referring to the declining spiritual progress in villages, He said, this campus would give emphasis on scriptural studies that should help the children to grow into noble citizens. The campus would be inaugurated in one year time, barring all obstacles as it was His Divine Sankalpa, declared the Lord, amidst cheers from the audience. The entire project would be borne by Him alone, assured the Lord, advising the patrons not to accept any money from outside. He said, "When Lakshmi resides in my Vakshasthala (heart region of the chest), why do I need anyone's financial assistance?" The Divine Discourse in Telugu lasted for 45 minutes. The nectarine flow begins... "During My very first visit to Muddenahalli, I had provided the campus with many facilities and now I have decided to start a campus of Sri Sathya Sai University here and start courses like B.A, M.A, B.Sc, M.Sc, B.Com in this college. I have laid the foundation stone today for the building. Just like the magnificent buildings on the hills in Prasanthi Nilayam, a grand building will raise its head on the hillocks here and this and other imposing buildings will be ready for inauguration by next February. Now, people in society have become very greedy. Greed brings in its train sorrow and suffering. To get rid of this, people should tread on the path of 'Atmaanveshana' (self-discovery) which will confer on them bliss. Now, even in villages people have many facilities but they do not have any spiritual inclination; they have given up the practice of remembering God. So, I have decided to arrange for the teaching of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Bhagavad Gita to the students in the college here so that they will impart to the villagers the message and the values of these sacred scriptures. "You are all very fortunate" One should have self confidence. You know that Abraham Lincoln was penurious; other students in the school treated him contemptuously when he went to school wearing torn clothes. When he sorrowfully told his mother how he was subjected to scorn and disdain, his mother advised him to develop faith in God. As a result, he became the President of America. Before occupying the seat of the President, he prostrated to his mother; he knew that he could rise to such a high position only by his mother's advice and blessings. You too should develop in you such self-confidence. Atma, God, I – all these are one and not different. "Ekam Sath Viprah Bahudha Vadhanthi". From the same gold, different ornaments are made. If you develop such self-confidence in you, you can become leaders of tomorrow. Only those leaders who have faith in God can cure the ills and ameliorate the sufferings which the society is afflicted with at present. You should serve the society with self-confidence and with the feeling that you are a humble servant. The positions like M.L.A, M.P or ministers are all but temporary. I started the educational institution here with the purpose of providing the children with good education, food and clothing. Magnificent buildings which will cause a sense of wonder will come up here. I, Myself, will inaugurate the college and other buildings here on February 14 next year. When Goddess Lakshmi herself is here in My heart, what is the necessity to ask anyone for money? You should remember that God dwells in your heart. You may give up anything but you should not give up devotion for God. With unshakable devotion you can achieve anything". In between, Bhagavan turned to Mr. Narasimha Murthy and advised him to camp in Muddenahalli for some time to give proper guidance to the teachers and office bearers. Telling this, He materialized and blessed him with a glittering ring. Calling Mr. Narayan Rao, He advised him not to accept money from anyone for the project. Entire project would be borne by Bhagavan alone, assured the Lord, advising the patrons not to accept any money from outside. He advised him that all the teachers and office bearers should work in unison. Continuing His Divine Discourse, Bhagavan said: "You are indeed fortunate because you have got this opportunity of Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan. It is your duty to keep your parents happy. So many foreigners come to Prasanthi Nilayam and learn to lead a peaceful and happy life. Within the next 18 years the whole of the world will become one big family and the Sanathana Dharma way of life will be adopted by everyone. Bhagavan concluded His Divine Discourse with the bhajan, "Prema Mudita Manse kaho Rama Rama Ram…" Prasadam was distributed to all who had assembled, after which Bhagavan started on His return journey to Prasanthi Nilayam. With sweet memories and abundant hopes, Muddenahalli would be looking forward for an eventful year when the Divine Sankalpa would come true, and when He would be setting His Divine Feet yet again, a date that would go in the annals of His story as a very special day. --------------------------- CREATING A LAND OF LOVE … A group of people who had forgotten to laugh or cry and were made to live like subhumans by a callous society, just because they had contracted an infectious disease (which is actually curable), are now not only smiling with joy brimming in their hearts, but are also looking forward to making beautiful lives out of themselves. Those who were society's outcasts are now outstanding testimonies of the Power of Love. Read this story and you will know how we can create a 'land of love' anywhere if our intentions are pure and if we are dependent on none else but the Divine. Naya Bazaar Kustha Ashram lies some distance away from the township of ‘steel city’ Rourkela, in Orissa, a state in North East India. ‘Kustha’, in Oriya (the language of the state) means leprosy. In this colony, amid rundown mud thatched houses, live around 300 people, labeled as lepers and permanent outcasts by society and made to suffer a life of ostracism, poverty and neglect. This was the case, a few years ago, but not true anymore. Now, this area has turned into a land of love which can turn even the most stone-hearted individual into a ‘Mother Teresa’ or a ‘Mahatma Gandhi’. The turnaround brought about in this despised-by-all settlement by the Sai workers of this region is most stunning and stands as testimony to the power of Pure Love that Bhagavan Baba is. To start with, the Sai volunteers did not call them ‘lepers’. They explain: “We never call them as lepers, but as ‘Narayanas’ (embodiments of God). We don't have to remind them about their grim existence and future by using a word and name that reminds them of their disease - but a name that reminds them and us too about their real nature – divinity.†In this article too, we will use this word “Narayana†while we share with you this touching story of a group of people most wish to forget. Vivekananda Sahoo, a former student of Bhagavan’s University, who hails from this state of Orissa, gives us this moving account: The Drought of Love The City of Rourkela in North East India Akin to Naya Bazaar (mentioned above), there are four more colonies in and around Rourkela – Durgapur, OMP Backyard, Tarkura and Sector-6. Each accommodates around 250-300 Narayanas. This western part of Orissa has the maximum number of Narayanas in the state, particularly in the Sundergarh District. "I choose to work for them because child 'Narayanas' (lepers) are the most unfortunate, uncared-for lot in our society; deprived of everything for no fault of their own. Born of infected parents, they lose what little they have right in the beginning – from education to entertainment...." - A Sai Worker On any evening, one can - if he/she has the courage - make one’s way through the muddy track that leads to Naya Bazaar Leprosy Colony and find Shanti decorating the idol of Sri Rama with champa flowers (Michelia Champaca) in the local temple for the evening bhajan. You can see her next putting a beautiful garland of jasmine and marigold flowers around a photograph of Bhagavan Baba; her eyes now brimming with tears. Under the photo is etched the words: "Why fear when I am here?" After the bhajans, she may tell you how Swami has transformed her life from a curse to a blessing. With tears flowing down her cheeks she narrates how in her adolescence she was diagnosed with leprosy. Her family members were frightened that they too would contract the disease and therefore kept her in confinement, in a room at the edge of the village. "For the first few weeks I kept crying, and asking, ‘Why me?’â€, says Shanthi. After six months in isolation she was taken away to a clinic and has not seen her family since. “I felt forsaken by my own family but this was my fate and I had none to blame.†The disease robbed sensation in her right foot; it became so damaged that eventually it had to be amputated. While she was being treated she met her husband - also marked for life by leprosy. Living an existence that society never acknowledges.. Shanti’s story is only representative of the hundreds in the colony. In fact, her tale finds an echo with all the other 250 odd inmates. They are all social outcastes, treated with scorn by one and all. Even if cured by medication, they remain socially ostracized. Once infected with leprosy, the sufferer is soon forsaken by all family members and friends. Leprosy is contagious, and as the disease slowly eats away their hands and feet, Narayanas are forced out of society. They can not find work and often end up begging to survive, and living in substandard colonies. The social rejection is, in fact, so great that even when many are cured of their deadly disease, they end up living in isolated settlements. Those affected are forced to live and die a forgotten and humiliating life. Though the people’s affected body parts have no physical pain, their lives are punctuated with a deep emotional pain. The stigma that attaches to them is worse than watching body parts like the tips of the nose, fingers and toes just disappear. Their lives as dry and dreary as the sleeping animal In such pathetic circumstances nearly 300 families live at the colony. They survive on a meager government pension which many supplement with weaving. But their main occupation is begging. Many of the disabled who stand outside the temples and at road junctions in Rourkela carry the marks of leprosy. One man, who has lost several fingers, said that he rarely leaves the colony because people outside are too hostile. Forlorn, devastated and without any hope of improving their lot, they live in colonies which are rarely visited by outsiders. Shunned by the government and society, the Narayanas often find consolation in vices like drinking and drugs. The Force Called ‘Pure Love’ It was the year 1985, when the climate in the colony began to undergo a radical change. Inspired by the Pure Love of their Master, Bhagavan Baba, a group of spirited Sai youth had ventured into this so called ‘god forsaken’ area to sow the seeds of Divine Love. Determined to serve the residents of the colony, they found within themselves the necessary love and patient endurance to achieve their purpose - virtues which they attribute to a Strength beyond their own. Thus, a story of reaching out against almost insurmountable odds, portraying the indomitable human spirit, began to be played out – all according to the Divine Director’s plan. The Sai Army began their march..... ....slowly but with steady determination The first task that the youth undertook was to warm the hearts of the colony residents, which had dried up with the pain of many cruel years. Every evening the Sai Youth would share their time and goodwill, looking into their eyes, listening to them, and inspiring them with comforting words. At first the reaction was that of suspicion and mild hostility, but the youth persisted in their efforts. The Sai workers gave them the first taste of pure love. ....and soon they started taking care of each one of them Slowly, the youth gained their trust and achieved the first challenge of instilling respect and self-worth in the hearts of these abandoned souls. Beautiful things happen when we regain the buoyancy of our human spirit. The Narayanas, who were bereft of the hope of being loved by anyone, found warm eyes, understanding hearts and empathetic smiles. Their hearts, frozen from a lifetime of neglect, now began to warm up. They were unable to fathom how the Sai Youth were so different from others in the world outside. They saw 'Lord' in the leper... ...and cared for them like they would for one of their own They wanted to know what goaded them to display such selfless love and concern. The Seva dals, at this point, realized that mere words would not suffice. They gently waited for the language of love, so beautiful and profound, to convey the sweetness and power of the Cosmic Heart that was beating behind all their actions, and one day it happened – the wall broke and tears flowed copiously. Pure Love with reverence was the key They started providing for their immediate needs Gopal, an elderly man who had been in the colony for more than 30 years, through tear stained cheeks, said, "This is the first time someone has spoken to me with so much of love and respect, my son!" Many of the Narayanas were still unable to think through the reason why the Sevadals, brimming with the fountain of youth, would abandon their free evenings to spend time with them. They wanted to know more about the Youth and their motivation. The Sai workers slowly revealed them the source of their strength and inspiration The poor folk listened intently to the Sai Sagaand were chocked with emotion What unfolded next changed them forever. By way of explanation, the youth sang a song about ‘Love walking on Two Feet’ - a phenomenon called Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and about the rays of His Love reaching out to millions all over the world. On hearing the greatest love story etched in history between man and God, the Narayanas found someone who could redeem their lives. They listened with rapt attention and fervent hearts about this miracle of love. Tears rolled from their eyes, just like the way a seed which is sown in the soil sprouts when the first shower of rain drenches the earth. They sweetly sang about His Glory... Music when filled with devotion can do magic Unbounded Selfless Service In a bid to normalise the leprosy sufferers’ lives, the Sai youth began to attract other people's attention to the Narayanas’ plight and worked to improve the standing of the colony members in society. They had to battle against the prejudice that Narayanas are afflicted for the sins they committed in previous lives. The youth were never tired of convincing people that showing love towards another human being is the most powerful way to receive the blessings of God. Apart from the change that it brought in the lives of the Narayanas, the impact that this seva had on the Sai Youth is tremendous. After working with these Narayanas in close quarters they know that to have a ‘normal’ body is nothing short of a miracle and some of the experiences they have had doing this service is simply extraordinary. No work was difficult or undoablefor these Sai angels They thought only about the 'Narayana', never for a moment about themself One concerns a young man who was cleaning the wounds of the Narayanas in dedicated and heartfelt service. After some time, he started to feel the sensation in his right hand was slowly decreasing and becoming numb - an early sign of leprosy! Incredibly, a calm resignation took him over, as he felt this happened while serving those so much in need. He simply prayed to Bhagavan to give him enough strength to carry on serving. Miraculously all the symptoms vanished! It is now ten years since this happened and he is still serving the Narayanas with tremendous zeal and love! The way the Lord takes care of His workers is unimaginable. Another sevadal volunteer describing his motivation for working at the colony, says, "I choose to work for them because child Narayanas are the most unfortunate, uncared-for lot in our society; deprived of everything for no fault of their own. Born of infected parents, they lose what little they have right in the beginning – from education to entertainment. Leprosy is not hereditary, but the healthy children of leprosy patients are compelled to spend their life in unhygienic and filthy conditions. They are deprived of all physical, social, educational, vocational and cultural development.†Blankets ready to go! To save them from the biting winter. One who serves is actually more happy Draped in the warmth of His love Over a period of time, five leprosy colonies, housing about 2000 residents were adopted in this loving way by the Sai Organisation. They started with Bal vikas classes for the children, then expanding into bhajans, Narayana seva, and other activities. There are also Medical and sadhana camps organized here. Gift for the tiny-tot...a treasure for him None had earlier cared for them, let alone give gifts Their joy knew no bounds Every child received her precious present An essay of pure love There were presents for all the adults too With Love, All Is Possible The Samithi distributes artificial limbs to people who have lost them due to leprosy on a day known as "Disabled Dayâ€. Once a month the Medical Camp provides an opportunity for cleaning and dressing of the Narayanas’ wounds by doctors and local Sai youth volunteers. The stench coming from the wounds is sometimes unbearable, and it requires every ounce of a person's determination to carry out the task. The volunteers and doctors also identify patients who need further medical attention and refer them to the relevant hospitals and specialists. The seva done in every medical camp was to be seen to be believed Personal attention to every 'Narayana' was always an important guiding principle One such Narayana, lets call him Jai, was complaining of severe stomach pain. On investigation, it was discovered that he had a tumor in his stomach. The Sai volunteers took Jai to a private hospital where the doctors recommended an immediate operation. The operation would cost Rs. 20,000 and another equal amount would be needed for the post-operative care and medication. The volunteers struggled to collect the amount from among themselves, as Rs.40,000 is quite a sum! But the dearth of funds did not dissuade them from going ahead – they had to provide the right treatment for Jai even if it meant hardship for themselves. Medicines ready fo the monthly medical camp "Your dedication and devotion to a fellow human being who is a complete stranger, is so inspiring and worthy of emulation. Allow us to be a part in this mission of selfless seva too. We are waiving Rs 20,000 for any post operative care. And in the future, we will treat any patient that you bring here absolutely free." - Managers of a Private Hospital The Sai sevaks deposited the required amount at the hospital and the operation commenced. After a grueling seven hours, the doctors emerged from the operation theatre triumphantly. A 3.5 kg tumor was removed from the patient’s abdomen to everyone’s relief. The hospital managers, witnessing the selfless attitude of the Sai workers, wanted to speak to the Sai Youth. They were moved by the patient’s plight and the enthusiastic youngsters’ spirit of sacrifice. They said, "Your dedication and devotion to a fellow human being who is a complete stranger, is so inspiring and worthy of emulation. Allow us to be a part in this mission of selfless seva too. We are waiving Rs 20,000 for any post operative care. And in the future, we will treat any patient that you bring here absolutely free." Needless to say, the Sevadals were completely taken aback and overcome with joy as they reflected how the fragrance of God’s Love affects others with compassion so powerfully. New Lives for the Neglected There are other elements of the Narayanas’ lives that the spirited Sai youth have been able to improve. Their harsh daily existence requires them to beg - this being the most traditional way of earning their livelihood in a society that does not allow them to work. So, these Narayanas can be seen sitting outside temples, and going from door to door, looking for alms. Unfortunately, during the summer months, Rourkela turns into a blazing oven resembling one of the furnaces at the Rourkela Steel Plant, as even the road asphalt melts in the scorching sun! No one dares even to venture out in these blistering months, except those forced to beg to survive. Risking sun stroke the Narayanas used to start out no matter what the temperature, for they had no choice – the only alternative being to starve to death. Every Sai family saves a little everyday to serve them what they haven't had for days Now they do not have to go around beggingin sun and rain - food comes to them, with love This was their terrible situation till the Sai Samithi came to their rescue with an initiative called 'Amrutha Kalash' – ‘Pot of Nectar’. Every Sai family now saves a fistful of rice on a daily basis. When the lady of the house prepares food for her family, a part of the rice grains are kept aside to be given in alms while chanting ‘Sairam’. When the blistering summer months set in, the Samithi collects all the set aside rice and other food grains from all the devotee homes and distributes these as two month’s rations for each of the colonies. For the family, it may be a small act, but for the Narayanas it is life-saving in every way. Elevating Love… Twenty days after the idea surfaced, a water project for the colony was born, when an electric pump was fitted to pump the water to an overhead tank. Now the Narayanas easily procure clean and pure drinking water by a simple turn of the tap, which is, after all their right. On one of the regular visits to the colonies a few devotees observed that the Narayanas have a great deal of difficulty drawing water from the well. Their mutilated fingers and hands were not able to grasp the rope to draw the water. A scarcity of funds did not deter the Sai Organisation from remedying this situation. Twenty days after the idea surfaced, a water project for the colony was born, when an electric pump was fitted to pump the water to an overhead tank. Now the Narayanas easily procure clean and pure drinking water by a simple turn of the tap, which is, after all their right. Sarita Maa, a 72 year old lady, smiled joyfully when after veda chanting and bhajans, the project was inaugurated with a gush of fresh water flowing down into an earthen pot. She carried the pot of water to the temple and asked the priest to perform abhisekham (worship) for her “Sai†first, then and there. One could not help but be reminded of Sabari's devotion to Lord Rama, from the grand epic, Ramayana. Every time they meet, it is only joy that is shared A part of the dedicated team who follow His footsteps From Lepers to Luminaries of Love The children of Naya bazaar colony are now in their Bal Vikas Group 3 classes. These children chant the Vedic hymns “Rudram†and “Chamakam†with right intonations. They are encouraged to continue and complete their studies in the local school provided to them by the government and a few bright and deserving students’ fees are also sponsored by the Samithi so that they can complete their graduation. Unable to say a few lines coherently earlier, now these small kids chant vedic hymns It is the big Sai Family where there is one language, that of the Heart, and love is only feeling Although their living conditions and physical appearance is heart-breaking, their faith in God is now exemplary and their spirit is soaring. Who, but only an embodiment of Pure Love, can inspire such incredibly inspiring acts and make divine beings out of ordinary mortals. Let us make our lives a saga of Pure Love just like His - and like St. Francis of Assisi, who was also moved by God to care for such suffering Narayanas, pray: Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. - Heart2Heart Team --------------------- The Advaitic Meaning In The Ramayana (Rama And Sita) ------------------ Courtesy : Vedanta Vani, Chinmaya Mission Where a true miracle happens- alas! the average man has no eyes to see it. Only gross magical acts he recognizes as miracles. Jesus commanding a lame man to get up and walk, is a,miracle. But a fragrant beautiful flower blossoming out of a mere heap of dung, is just an accident! When summer clouds gather and dance in the skies, it is only a routine happening! The very Ramayana started as a miracle.One day when Valmiki was going to the Gangas to take a bath, he saw a Krauncha couple (a pair of curlews) sitting on the branch of a tree. A hunter shot at one bird which fluttered and fell down dead. The tragic sight evolved in Valmiki, the composition of a poem, which in turn caused the gods to request him to write an Epic Poem. Thus came forth the Ramayana - a miracle in itself.Ramayana came out in spite of man, through man. The poem was,written by a man well-established in the Ultimate Reality, who was expressing through his work, the pure Advaita Philosophy, the contents of the Upanishads. The glory of the poem is that the ideal states of living are expressed, the ideal brother, son, king, enemy, friend and the ideal man living in society. But all this is mere paraphernalia. The core of this poem is utterly divine which explains why the glorious story of Rama is so popular even today.Rama, The Pure Self'Rama' itself means "Sarveshu Ramante lti Ramah" that which revels in everyone of us, the pure light of Consciousness, the Atman, the Self, the Atma-Rama. This spiritual essence in us, can come out only as a son of Dasaratha, one who has conquered all the ten Indriyas -' five Gnanedriyas and the five Karmendriyas. It will be born in you and reborn only in Ayodhya (yuddha means conflict, Ayodhya means where there is no conflict meaning, where all conflict has ended). In that Ayodhya which is ruled only by the self-controlled man (the one given to self indulgence and pleasures can have no peace and tranquility) Dasaratha's son Rama is born. Wedded to the mind when Rama returns, he finds that he cannot live in Ayodhya. For, once the mind has come, you start expressing through it. Sita, The mindRama, the pure Self, cannot enter into any active participation in life unless wedded to the mind. Sita (the mind) is ready. She is not born to Janaka by wedlock. While ploughing the land, he finds Sita. If a girl is got every time the land is ploughed, agriculture would have ceased long ago! The mind appeared from the most inappropriate place ever. It is absurd to enquire deep into this. Later you find that the same Sita , disappears into Mother Earth. From Mother Earth she came, to Mother Earth she went back. From where mind comes, and where it disappears during samadhi, nobody can tell. This is Maya.Wedded to the mind when Rama returns, he finds that he cannot live in Ayodhya. For, once the mind has come, you start expressing through it. You have to enter the forest of life, self-exiled as it were.Some cause or other must emerge as one enters the forest of existence. So long as Sita was looking up to Rama, living in Rama, for Rama, by Rama, she never found any difference between Ayodhya and a jungle. But how long can the mind remain constantly centred in the higher divine potential in us? It has to become extrovert. And this is just what happened the moment Sita looked away from Rama. The golden deer was noticed.The finite, ephemeral, ever-changing objects, start pulling you towards them. The mind demands them. Rama may argue, and all the scriptures , might also argue, that it is all Maya, that it is not real, that it is only a Rakshasa. Yet even Sita, Rama's own consort, will not accept it, and she will exile Rama in search of the sense-object. Once desire- polluted, you fall. When Rama goes, he winks at Lakshmana and they both understand that the poor deluded girl is suffering, Sita is left in Lakshmana's charge.To Be ContinuedAbout the authorSwami Chinmayananda Swami Chinmayananda's lectures were an outpour of wisdom. He introduced the Geetha Gnana Yagna. He wrote a lot of books on spirituality, commentaries to Vedantic texts, children books etc. He then started spreading His teachings globally. --------------------------- My pranam to the lotus feet of Sathguru Sai Maharaj. I am Kouwshigan writing from Colombo, Sri Lanka. I want to share A leela of Shirdi Baba experienced by me recently. As you know that I had a heart attack & was admitted in ICU last 5th of February. I was there in ICU for 7 days then discharged home. But doctors confirmed that I had heart attack and advised me should rest at home for at least 45 days continuing my prescribed medicine.So, I was at home all these days & kept reading the holy Sai Satcharitra which I had started when I was put up in ICU and also continued reading the holy book after discharge from the hospital.One day, middle of February my wife Subha asked me to restart meditation which I had given up one & half years back as per my heavy designing work as I go to sleep some times 12 midnight or 1 or 1.30 early morning, so because of this, I could not get up very early morning for meditation and it had a stop.Finally I made up my mind & restarted meditation again on the Shivarathri day, the 23rd of February.While I was meditating this time after my heart attack, I use to always visualize that I am in Chavadi in front of Baba & Baba is applying Udi on my chest & is lovingly saying to me 'EVERY THING WILL BE FINE". I will feel at peace.So, once I finish my meditation, I would chant MAHAMRUTHUNJAYA MANTHRA & GAYATHRI MANTHRA 9 times each. This chanting I used to perform from those days & till now I am continuing.Meanwhile, I was nearing the completion of SAI SATCHARITRA except few chapters.Earlier, when I was in the hospital, a test was planned to be done on 2nd of April (A RUNNING EXERCISE TEST WITH ECG in which the doctors could find whether blockages are there.) and we both were very very scared when the days were nearing.Usually I am quite scared for even having an injection which I used to have but now I was very scared for operations & surgeries. So, during my prayers & meditations, I would firmly pray to Baba to avoid any blocks.So, after every meditations, I used to apply Udi on my chest & taken little with water as Theertha.During this period, I was called by the assistant doctor of cardiologist & he suggested me that the test can be done on 20th morning (last Friday) at 9 a m which was planned to do on 2nd of April.When we received the call from the doctor, we were quite upset & many things were going on in our minds.Then, Friday I got up early morning & meditated as usual to Baba, then I opened the SAI SATCHARITHA & found that was the last chapter to be completed. I completed my Sai Satcharitra & got ready for the test with tension somewhere in my mind.Reached hospital, and when my turn came, my pressure went up & I was really panicked. While I was running.......I keep on chant those two manthras.... And was visualizing Baba.......all the time , Doctor was checking on me with all the 4 stages of running -which were quite difficult for me as I did not do any exercise during these 45 days as per doctors advice.Finally I went to the doctor to know about the report of the tests, then he said......"EVERY THING IS NORMAL AND THE REPORT IS NEGATIVE, THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS OF BLOCKAGES" and then he said that I could go to my teaching classes, do swimming & even ride my scooty. Oh god.... We were so happy & the final report gave us a real relief from the tense situation where so many thoughts were running inspite of the belief that Baba is taking care.So before this examination, on 19th evening I received a mail by a Sai Bhakth name Ireni, requesting all of the devotees, commonly, who want send prayers requests which she/he would like to place at SAI's lotus feet at Shirdi on Saturday, 21st March 2009. And she/he expressed her excuse for the short notice; and her/his trip itself was so unexpected and beyond control and requested us to send it before 4pm IST of 20th March.So, when I read the mail, I sat in front of my laptop & wrote a prayer and sent at that minute. It was 19th and the prayers would be reaching only Saturday. My test was performed on Friday morning at about 10 am.Here I think, when I was writing the prayer to Baba, HE would have received it & accepted the prayer there and than.So, I strongly believe that Baba’s Udi ,Sai Satcharitra reading & the prayers that we and our Sai friends did- save me from the blockages. Now, I am perfectly all right & started my works. My Pranams & thanks to BABA & you all for my speedy recovery.Sairam,KouwshikColombo, Sri Lankawww.graffixxsolution.com/--------------------------- CONVERSATIONS WITH SAISatyopanishad - part 13:Direct Directions from the Divine Dear Reader, In response to your positive feedback to this section where we have a conversation with the Divine, we continue with Prof. Anil Kumar’s ‘Satyopanishad’ following Dr. John Hislop’s series ‘Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’ that ended in January 2008. This series is also is in the question-answer format that many devotees prefer, and has answers from Bhagavan on topics as wide ranging as the origin of evil, the goals of human life, and aspects of God – embodied and formless, to price hikes, women’s liberation, vegetarianism, and the generation gap among people of the present times. Published in two parts by the author, these volumes have 270 questions in all, which are neatly grouped under separate chapters. In this issue, we continue the fourth chapter: The Outer Door. CHAPTER 4 - THE OUTER DOOR (Continued from the previous issue) Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! We have on one side the most invaluable spirituality, while on the other, we have also friends and relatives diverting our attention towards the world. No doubt, it is our fault to pay heed to their words. Yet, we face the conflict. What is to be done? Bhagavan: Today no one has true friends. Who are the friends of today's world and of what sort are they? (Addressing the students) After all, your friendship lasts for two or three years until you complete your studies here and leave the hostel. Later, you separate from each other and go your own way. So long as you have money in your pocket and your father is in a good position, everyone would come to you and say "hello", but the day your pocket is empty and your father retires, you will be left with none even to say 'good bye'. Can you still call anyone your friend? Friendship in Sanskrit is known as 'maitri,' pronounced as 'mythree'. Here ‘three’ represents the harmony in thought, word and deed. Are there friends with this purity? Nowhere! Who is your true friend then? God is your real friend. God is the only friend for you, as He is always with you and in you: Don't consider anyone else as your friend. Further, you should be very careful with people or your company. It is said, "Tell me your company, I shall tell you what you are". Therefore, all and sundry can't be your friends. A warrior of outstanding stature and an expert in archery, Karna fell into disrepute because he was in bad company, and so he is branded as one among the wicked four, (the dustachathustaya) - Duryodhana, Dussasana, Sakuni and Karna. Next, who are your relatives? In what way were you related to them before you were born? All of them come in with the passage of time and pass off like passing clouds. Is it not so? Relatives come up to the main door as one dies and the members of the family at the most follow one's corpse to the cremation ground; none follow the departed soul. It is only God who is with you during your life and even after your death. So, God is your real friend and the only relation. These worldly associations shouldn't be taken as friends and relatives. Your life too is short. But God is awareness and existence. He is there before, during, and after your life. He is the eternal truth. So, follow Him, catch hold of God with your right hand as it is the right thing, and catch hold of the world with your left hand, as it has to be left behind sometime or the other. It is thus the right thing to remember God always. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! It is most unfortunate that there is no tangible change in our lifestyle though we have been here and listening to Your divine discourses over the years. We do not know the reason why it is so. Kindly show us the way. Bhagavan: Lack of practice is the only reason. When there is no power supply and it is dark all over, can darkness be dispelled by just saying "lamp" unless you light it? The hunger of a starving man can never be satiated by merely looking at the menu of the most delicious items. He has to eat some of them to appease his hunger, shouldn’t he? Can a sick man be cured of a disease by merely listening to the formula and composition of the medicine without his taking it? Can the suffering of a poor man be alleviated with all the knowledge of economics and accountancy? Can you attain liberation (mukti) by reading books without practicing any of the instruction found therein? Instead of saying something without doing, it is better to do and not say anything. I repeatedly tell you that until you practice what you say, there is little effect even after listening to talks for years together. Take a small example here. Suppose you have with you a matchbox full of matchsticks and you want to light a lamp. You will now have to open the box, pick up a stick and strike against the side of the box to light it. In case you fail to light the matchstick, even after striking it again and again, what does it mean? You then come to discover the meaning: the matchbox is wet. You cannot light a stick striking it against the box. What is to be done now? You have to dry the matchbox in the sunlight for some time. Similarly, you are drowned in the water of worldly desires and attachments. Therefore, you can't light the lamp of wisdom. Dry your mind with all its limitless desires and thoughts of worldly comfort in the sunlight of renunciation; only then can you light the lamp of wisdom. You may be here listening to any number of discourses for any length of time, but you will not be able to achieve the expected results if you fail to translate the essence of one discourse into your daily life. Dry your mind with all its limitless desires and thoughts of worldly comfort in the sunlight of renunciation; only then can you light the lamp of wisdom. You may be here listening to any number of discourses for any length of time, but you will not be able to achieve the expected results if you fail to translate the essence of one discourse into your daily life. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Because of wrong direction in our thinking, we feel dejected, restless and often fail in our attempts. Kindly show us the way out of it. Bhagavan: For all these agitations, disturbances, disappointments, depressions and failures, what is responsible is your wrong way of thinking. Whatever may happen in life, you should think, “This is good for meâ€. You should know that everything that happens ultimately turns to be for your own good. This is called positive thinking. Today you are full of negative thoughts. How do you expect to know and experience God? Your body, mind, intellect and the senses are completely negative, but your spirit, conscience, or atma is positive. God is your conscience. Do you know why you are not able to realise and experience God? It is entirely due to these negative thoughts and attitudes. So, positive thinking and positive actions are very essential for spiritual progress. Only then will you be peaceful, blissful and successful. Take your own example. (To the students) It is absolutely because of positive thinking that you are able to plan your academic programme and prepare yourself accordingly, as also aim to secure a good rank in the examinations and later a job. But planning to study whatever would fetch you a very fat salary, help you to go abroad, earn more money and marry a girl who would get you a large amount of dowry, is negative thinking. As far as your parents are concerned, their idea of educating you is absolutely positive, but making a business out of your education is negative thinking. For a doctor, to treat a patient and cure him/her is a positive approach, but if money is the criterion for the treatment given to the patient, it is a negative approach. Today we should fill our hearts with all positive thoughts like divine feelings, divine sentiments and good thoughts. Only then you will experience God, who is satchitananda, the absolute positive principle. Therefore, it is necessary for you to take everything as good for you. This is positive thinking. Come what may - problems, difficulties, troubles, failures, losses, blame and what not, you should always be positive. You will know later that all this had happened for your own good. Today we should fill our hearts with all positive thoughts like divine feelings, divine sentiments and good thoughts. Only then you will experience God, who is satchitananda, the absolute positive principle. Therefore, it is necessary for you to take everythingas good for you. A small story: there was a king who had a fancy to cut sugarcane all by himself to small pieces and eat it piece by piece. One day, while he was busy doing this, as ill luck would have it, he cut his finger. The minister, who was by his side, remarked, “Oh King! You have cut your finger. This is good for you.†On hearing this remark, the king grew wild, and thought, “What! How can this be good for me? What would the minister say if I lose my head too?" So the king ordered, out of fury and anger, that the minister be put in prison. Then, the minister said, “Oh King! This imprisonment is my good fortuneâ€. After some time, the king went hunting all alone to a nearby forest. He lost his way and was noticed by some tribals moving in that area. They were actually in search of a man suitable to be sacrificed to propitiate their deity at the end of their ritual. They caught hold of the king and took him to their head priest. After checking the king thoroughly, the head priest said, “We can't kill this king and make an offering to our deity as one of his fingers is missing. A handicapped or crippled body is unfit to be an offering.†Saying so, he set the king free. On the way, the king realised the truth of what the minister had said when he had cut his finger. He summoned the minister and said, “Oh Minister! How true is what you said! It is just because of the fact that I had lost my finger that the tribals set me free, unharmed. Now I have one doubt. You remarked that it was good for you when I put you behind bars. How has this imprisonment turned out to be good for you?" Then, the minister replied, 'Certainly! Had I not been kept in the jail, I would have followed you. The tribals, after leaving you, would have caught hold of me, killed me and offered me to their deity in your place. So, this punishment has been to my good fortuneâ€. This is positive thinking and attitude; then happiness and success will follow you. akkaraku rani cuttamu mrokkina varamiyani velpu moharamuna tanekkina parani gurramu grakkunna viduvangavalayu gadara sumati This Telugu poem, means, 'A relation who doesn't come to your help in time of need, a God who doesn't grant you boons even after you pray, a horse that doesn't run in the battlefield, will have to be given up immediately, Oh! Wise one! Is it not so?' Here, in this poem, first of all, know that it is addressed to a sumati, a wise one. It is true that you have to sever connections with a relation who doesn't come to your aid in the hour of your need, give up the horse that fails to run in the battlefield, and forget a God who doesn't grant you rewards even after you pray. Here, you should note one important point. Why don't you think this way? Before you blame your relation that he is not of any help to you when you need him most, why don't you for a while, ponder if you have ever been of any help to your relation when he needed you? A horse that doesn't gallop in the field must be given up, but why don't you question your competence in horse riding? God, who doesn't respond to your prayers, is not God; but do you deserve what you desire and pray for? This poem is meant for that person, sumati, who thinks positively before blaming anybody. This is how your thinking process should be. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Now we understand that we should also have such intense faith in God. Naturally, our experience will be proportionate to the depth of our faith. Swami! Does God also respond commensurate with the intensity of our faith? Bhagavan: Certainly! If you put in krsi, effort, you will earn God's krpa, grace. Moreover, with krsi, effort, you can even become a rishi, sage. A village boy happened to meet a scholar who said to him that God could be experienced through pranayama (breathing exercises) and dhyana (meditation). Hearing this, the boy began practising it most sincerely. Pleased with his devotion and sincerity, God manifested Himself before the boy and blessed him. The boy then told the scholar that he had seen God by doing what he asked him to do. The scholar could not believe it. He said, “Oh! Don't talk rubbish! How is it that you could see God while I couldn't, by practising pranayama and dhyana for years? Don't speak lies!" The boy returned to his place of meditation and saw Lord Narayana there. He said to Him, “Oh God! The scholar calls me a liar! How am I to make him accept what I have experienced? Swami! Kindly stay here until I bring him here and make him see You and experience the truth for himself. But dear God! I am afraid You may run way from here and it will make me very miserable in the sight of the scholar who doubts me. Therefore, with this rope let me tie You to this pole here." He did so, ran to the scholar and requested him to see Narayana for himself. Although the scholar came over there, he couldn't see God tied to the post, but the cowherd boy could see Him and converse with Him. Ultimately, the boy cried and prayed to Narayana to make Himself visible to the scholar too. God obliged him. This is what true devotion is. God even allowed Himself to be tied to a post. You have to note another point here. The faith that the cowherd boy had in the words of the scholar was the cause of his experience. If you spend your life in prayer, it is bound to be peaceful and blissful. For example, if you climb up the seven hills and reach the shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala, you will feel very tired. On the other hand, if you go to Tirupati in a group, singing God's glory all along the way, you will hardly feel any strain. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! In this age of Kali, devotion, faith and steadfastness are on the decline. Not only this, we often find people making fun of devotees and leading a life opposed to religious norms. This is a very sad state of affairs. What do you want us to do in these circumstances? Bhagavan: First of all, correct yourself. Rectify your own defects and mistakes. When you are not flawless and idealistic, you have no right to blame anybody and point out the mistakes of others. So, see that your own faith is strong, deep and unflinching. Raju Tygaraja In Andhra Pradesh, there lived three Rajus, kings in their own field of activity: the king of poetry, Goparaju; the king of devotion, Tyagaraju; and the king of sublime lyrical music, Potaraju. The latter refused to dedicate his rendering of the great work, the Bhagavatam, to the king who promised him immense wealth as a token of his appreciation of the work. Potaraju, or Potana, dedicated his work only to Lord Ramachandra. Goparaju, or Ramadasu, also called Gopanna, spent all the money he had in the treasury for the renovation of the temple of Rama, for which he was severely punished. Tyagaraju considered ramuni sannidhi, proximity to God, more precious than nidhi, money. All these three Rajus followed their chosen paths out of their deep conviction about the supremacy of God. They worked and suffered for their own self-satisfaction and for the satisfaction of their own conscience. They did not bother about the views and opinions of others. They did not yield to temptations of any sort. Dogs may bark watching an elephant passing by, but the elephant loses nothing. You know the vastness of a sea. Have you not heard the puranas (ancient scriptures) proclaim that amrta, nectar, and halahala, poison, are produced by the same ocean? Amrta makes you happy while visha or poison is dangerous. Isn't it so? Similarly, society is like a vast ocean where you have nectarous and good people, as well as poisonous and bad individuals. Bad people make fun of good people. It doesn't mean that you should give up your nobility and goodness. A crane may make fun of a swan. The singing of a cuckoo bird is horrible to the ears of a crow. A koel eats the tender leaves of a mango tree while a crow eats the bitter leaves of a neem tree. Similarly, some in society struggle for worldly, fleeting and sensual pleasures; while others make all sincere efforts for God's grace to enjoy divine bliss. A donkey that carries a bundle of sandalwood on its back doesn't know the fragrance of the sandalwood. A buffalo doesn't know the taste of beaten rice. Similarly, divinity is not relished by all and sundry. If you deny God, it means you are denying yourself. You are not different from God. You are God. Your praise and blame do not affect God. The good and bad of your own actions come back to you as reaction. If you deny God, it means you are denying yourself. You are not different from God. You are God. Your praise and blame do not affect God. The good and bad of your own actions come back to you as reaction. The axe cuts the sandalwood tree that has not done any harm to the axe. Because of this evil deed, the axe loses its sharpness for which it is kept in fire and hammered. The sandalwood tree does not subject the axe to any punishment. So, it is the action of the axe that comes back as reaction. Consider another example in this context. When gold is burnt in fire it shines brilliantly. But, as a reaction the goldsmith has to suffer because ash falls into his eyes in the process of burning the gold, and his own clothes become dirty due to smoke. Here, the gold, that is burnt and hammered, does not punish the goldsmith. His own action punishes him. Similarly, if you accuse or blame or deny God, it will not do anything to Him. But, your action will come back to you as reaction; you punish yourself. Suppose you throw some dust at the Sun, what happens? It only falls in your own eyes. If you switch on an electric fan, you will enjoy the cool breeze. If you don't switch on, it will not lose anything; it suffers no loss. If you switch on the bulb, you get light. But, if you don't switch it on, the bulb suffers no loss. Therefore, good and bad depend only on you. Just as you can buy any material object in this world with money, similarly with the money of God's name, you can be blissful. Under a streetlight, you will be able to see all around including the bulb that illumines. Similarly, divinity makes you, and everybody around you, happy. So, deepen your faith in God and experience divine bliss. That's what you should do. Fruits can't protect themselves. It is the tree that protects the fruits it bears. The tree is protected and kept green by its roots. If you supply water and manure to the roots, they protect the tree, which in its turn protects the fruits. Isn't it so? God is the root of this world. If you surrender to God, everything will be taken care of. People with worldly thoughts can't relish divine feelings. A person from the fish market can't imagine who a jeweller is. A sea has most precious gems at its bottom but the seawater is full of salt. Isn't it? Similarly, we have people of different temperaments in this world. God is never against anyone. There are none close to or distant from Him. All are alike to Him. You may hold a jasmine flower by either your right hand or left hand, it smells equally well in either hand. God is that one who is in all. (To be continued) -------------------- SPIRITUAL QUOTIENT – 17 YOUR LOVING SOUL!!! My Dearest Friend, As you got up this morning, I watched you, and hoped you would talk to me, even if it was just a few words; listen to me, asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in your life yesterday. But I noticed you were too busy, trying to find the right outfit to wear. When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a few minutes for you to stop and say hello, but you were too busy reading junk news in the newspapers! At one point you had to wait 15 minutes with nothing to do except sit in a chair. Then I saw you spring to your feet. I thought you wanted to talk to me but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip instead. Then you gobbled up some breakfast in a tearing hurry & ran down the staircase to get into your vehicle! But you ignored me then also even though I was waiting for you to acknowledge my presence & talk to me a few kind words. I noticed that before lunch you looked around, maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to me and offer the food to me first & maybe that is why you didn't bow your head. You glanced at 3 or 4 tables and you noticed a pretty 11 year old sweet looking girl talking to me briefly before eating, but you didn't. That's okay. There is still more time left, I told myself. But I’m very happy that the children are able to recognize the GOD in them more than the adults. The irony is that the ignorant adults are always telling the children what to do & what not to do! I watched patiently all day long. With all your activities I guess you were too busy to say anything to me. You went home and it seemed you had lots of things to do. After a few of them were done, you turned on the TV. I don't know if you like TV or not since you watch just about any channel and you spend a lot of time each day in front of it not thinking about anything, just enjoying the show. I waited patiently again as you watched the TV and ate your meal, but again you didn't talk to me. Your Science has already proved that constant watching of these mindless TV programs actually leads to Dementia among other disorders! If you don’t believe in me, at least believe in ‘your Science’. At bedtime, I guess you felt too tired. After you said goodnight to your family you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time. Then also you didn’t thank me! That's okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you. I've got patience, more than you will ever know. I even want to teach you how to be patient with others as well. I love you so much that I wait everyday for a nod, prayer or thought, or a thankful part of your heart. It is hard to have a one-sided conversation! You’re indeed a great artist. But this delusion, also called Maya, misleads and fools you. You paint a picture and people praise it. You immediately begin to think that you, the body, have actually done it. No! It is I who put the idea for the picture, it is I who guided your hand, and it is I who allowed you to make that picture beautiful. And yet you think that it is you, the body, which did it! Tell me, who is responsible for this delusion, you or me? Still you wouldn’t thank me or even talk to me or listen to me. Well, at times you don’t read my letters at all & even delete my mails without giving a single glance!!! I know everything that you do. Well, you are getting up again. Once again I will wait, with nothing but love for you. Hoping that today you will give me some time. I assure you that the relationship that you would have with me would be the finest in the UNIVERSE! Have a nice day. Thank you & regards. YOUR LOVING SOUL!!! SAIRAM -------------------------- DEAREST OF THE DEAR By Bharat Kumar S S- A Former Student of Swami's Institute. Excerpts from a talk given by Bharat Kumar in the Divine Presence of Bhagawan Baba on 23rd Oct 2004, Vijayadasami Day. On behalf of the billions of people throbbing with life on this Planet Earth, I offer the blossoms of my devotion at the Lotus Feet of Mother Sai. At the Lotus Feet of this Searcher of Hearts, who is eternally engaged in the Divine sport of hide and seek with His beloved children. Amma (Mother) Sai, Respected Elders, Sisters and Dear Brothers: What God Wants From Us The Master of the Universe, at whose glance The Suns, Moons, Stars, and Planets quiver, runs behind man and asks: “Can you give me your affection? Can you love Me, your Creator more than what I have created for you?†And man says, “I am busy right now. I have things to do… work pending… just hold on.†And God says “Yes, I’ll wait.†The saints and seers of yore have churned the ether with the ladle of their devotion and have brought forth the spirit of that Divine Mother in this Beautiful Form. Now, when a child refuses to partake it’s food, the mother very lovingly takes the child into her embrace, shows to the child with a pointed finger, the full moon which is floating in the star studded sky, and then, when this child is fully engrossed in it’s appreciations for this queen of night skies, the mother very lovingly feeds the child even without it’s knowledge. Similarly, when man refuses to imbibe the teaching of the Lord, that in God alone one can find everlasting joy, then He takes us into His embrace, shows us His moon-like miracles - which are no doubt enchanting - but in the very course of these miracles, He feeds us with the morsel of truth that God alone is the Nearest of the Near, the Dearest of the Dear, He alone is the one who is Closer than the Closest. Closer Than Our Mother I would like to share with you a very prized possession from the museum of my recollections, one of the channels of Bhagavan’s Love, of which we students are recipients of. These are at the dear hostel where the entire atmosphere is permeated with brotherly love. Whenever there is a rainfall there is a brother coming up from the dispensary department with a homeopathy pill saying: “Brother, it has rained. Tomorrow you may catch a cold, you may catch fever, please take this.†So one day, in that hostel, due to some reason, there was a 2-hour delay in my lunch. In spite of being in that kind of an atmosphere, I was missing that love saturated motherly enquiry as to ‘why you didn’t have your food?’ (“Bhojan Cheyi leydemi? Bhojan cheshnava?â€). I was missing that motherly element and with these thoughts, I had a very absent minded lunch session. Then after a bath, I came to Mandir. Swami came, graced the cushion simhasana (Throne), there was a nice Darshan, and as He was going back, He turned towards me and said: “Yemi ra, bhojan cheshnava? (Did you have your lunch?â€) That is the Divine Mother! He whispered a thundering truth into my ears that He is the Nearest of the Near, the Dearest of the Dear. "I Have Heard This Before..." Once, in a private audience with Bhagavan, my mother expressed a desire to sing a song in His presence and Swami very graciously consented. So she sang: “Ee janmaki idi chalura…Sai Karunamaya Sagaraâ€. Now, when the song was over, my mother said to Swami: “Swami, this is the first time I am singing a song in your presence. Thank you.†And then very casually Swami said: “Ledey (No), this is not the first time! Inta mundikuda Vinnanu..Idey patta ne kalalo ochi vinnanu, kada? (No way, this same song I have heard earlier also…I came in your dream and heard this, isn’t it?â€) Mother was nodding her head, so after the interview session I asked my mother to throw some light on this incident and she said she’s a decently accomplished classical singer, and once, she had the opportunity to sing the glory of Swami in one cassette; the recording of which was elsewhere. So after the recording was over, she traveled by train to her native place. She recollected that it was a tedious train journey, but there was something pleasant about it. It was that at night when she was asleep, this very Swami had come to her in her dream and she had sung the same song and she herself had forgotten about it. “I am closer than the closest, closer than even your thoughts,†Swami says. Now, having known this, what can we pray for to the Lord? Swami says that making a prayer to Me is like making a telephone call. I either receive the telephone right away and then grant it: “Yes, yesâ€. Or, my dutiful answering machine comes up saying “Waitâ€. So there is either a yes or there is a wait. There is no: “Noâ€. So having been assured of that kind of an affirmative response, for any legitimate prayer, what can we aspire to pray for? Tears Of Divine Grace I always used to wonder as to how Shabari (from the epic Indian Ramayana) cultivated that kind of devotion wherein her once tasted berries were sublimated to a level of a fitful offering to Lord Rama? What inspired the great singer Saint Tyagaraja to compose those 32,000 splendid kirtanas (devotional compositions) on the Lord of Seven Hills (Lord Tirupathi)? How could the Gopis of Vraj develop that kind of devotion wherein Krishna was their end all and be all of life? Now just as the waters of the ocean rise and fall just because of the gravitational pull of the moon, similarly, these feelings of devotion can search in our hearts only because of the grace of the Lord. I remember one afternoon I was sitting in the bhajan hall, when my eyes fell on a devotee whose sight was very lovingly fixed on Bhagavan’s Beautiful Form. He was feasting with boundless fondness on that Beauty Incarnate. And then tears of devotion were rolling down his cheeks. I marveled at this display of devotion and wondered if I could ever experience or display that kind of devotion towards the Lord. That night, I wrote a letter to Bhagavan asking Him to bless me with a similar experience. The next day, I had the opportunity of sitting in the most coveted first row. Swami came. He didn’t take my letter, but then at the stroke of 5, when the bhajans commenced, a very strange feeling was welling up in my heart, which was very new to my being. Tears of devotion were surging in my heart, in my eyes, and then they were flowing down not for a couple minutes or so, but continuously for the next half an hour. I was not at all in control for was it I who had initiated it? Just a wholehearted prayer and He filled a holed heart with devotion! Swami, bless us all that we would desire You than anything else. We would seek Thee all the time and keep chanting Your name while involved in the battlefield of life. Jai Sai Ram. - Heart2Heart Team ------------------ He Lived His Message... And Shared His Love Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 A humble tribute to Prof. D. S. Habbu, the chosen instrument of the divine for a number of missions, the most significant of them being spearheading the moulding of young minds of the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School during its fledging years. “I have brought the best principal to the Higher Secondary School,†Bhagavan said, nay declared, as He lovingly held the arm of Prof. D. S. Habbu and introduced him to the dignitaries seated in the Prasanthi Nilayam Mandir. It was the initial months of 1983, the first year of Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. For many, who were witness to this episode, it was another beautiful evening with the Lord; but for the bespectacled and humble professor, it was a bolt from the blue. He did not know how to react, but to bend down with folded hands, and express how beholden he was to the Lord for granting him such a precious opportunity to play a part in His mission. Swami loved the trusted principal of His schooland Prof. Habbu too had his focus only on Him Sai was truly always in his heart...guiding, goading and always guarding “It was the chance of a lifetime, no doubt, but a great challenge too,†Prof. Habbu recalled speaking to the H2H Team in July 2008. “In the next nine years, I toiled day and night, and gave my time, energy, everything, to live up to that word of Bhagavan. I have no idea to what extent I matched His expectations, but this much I do know – I tried my very best. That is my only plus point.†And today, 26 years after Swami unfurled this school which has become one of the best in the country offering high quality, secondary school education completely free of cost, the alumni of this esteemed institution find it hard to articulate their heartfelt feelings for their very dear and revered Principal. Prof. Habbu – An Exemplary Teacher Who Walked His Talk “Habbu Sir was not just our principal; he was truly our unmistakable friend, philosopher and guide. Though a strict disciplinarian, he had a heart of gold. He left an indelible impression on me,†says Mr. P. Satyanarayan, currently a Credit Review Analyst in the Commercial Bank of Kuwait. “Habbu Sir is my legend,†says Mr. Ajishnu Sharma, another alumnus who graduated in the year 1988. He adds, “He was not just an efficient teacher, but a very kind man; he had a smile that could melt even the sternest of hearts.†"He taught us to be spiritual, not religious. He inspired us to achieve, not for self- aggrandizement, but to please the Lord for the talent He has bestowed us with. Indubitably, he was a true Sai jewel! He had a personal relationship with each and every student. Bhagavan could not have entrusted those impressionable years of our lives to another better person; I feel so fortunate.†For Mr. Partish Kumar Dubey, who completed his XII grade in the school in 1990 and is currently an Asset Manager with Barclays Capital, London, “Habbu Sir was a man of principles who taught us values by His own example. What a fine personality he was! His life had a fine balance between the inner world of self-discovery and outer world of achievement. "He taught us to be spiritual, not religious. He inspired us to achieve, not for self- aggrandizement, but to please the Lord for the talent He has bestowed us with. Indubitably, he was a true Sai jewel! He had a personal relationship with each and every student. Bhagavan could not have entrusted those impressionable years of our lives to another better person; I feel so fortunate.†The sweet relationship that Swami had with Prof. Habbuwas always a joy to behold The dedicated Principal sincerely presented every school report to Sai That is how many of the former students of Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi Nilayam, love their first principal. If there is one virtue of Prof. Habbu, which was like a formidable foundation on which was built the solid mansion of his sterling character, it was his absolute dedication to Swami’s word and mission. Prof. Anil Kumar, the former Principal of the Brindavan campus of Sri Sathya Sai University, says, “One facet of Prof. Habbu, which is matchless, is his devotion to Swami. He never complained about anything and was extremely positive in his outlook. Even if there was an adverse remark from any quarter, whether genuine or false, all he used to say was, ‘We may not have lived up to His vision’. He judged his every emotion and act, sentiment and decision with the touchstone of Swami’s direction and mission. He was truly a role model for all administrators.†The Most Memorable Turning Point - Prof. Habbu’s First Meeting With Bhagavan It is little surprise that Swami picked such a personality to oversee the blossoming of the characters of the children of His own school. In fact, the Lord, after choosing to reward him a place at His lotus feet in 1973, lovingly guided and chiseled him for nine years before assigning him the prized responsibility of spearheading a part of His education mission. “It was in 1965 that someone told me about Bhagavan and placed in my hand one of His photos... I saw the picture and immediately developed 100% faith in Him; something within me strongly said that He was divine. I never had a doubt since then." ~ Prof. D. S. Habbu “It was in 1965 that someone told me about Bhagavan and placed in my hand one of His photos,†Prof. Habbu said recalling the initial days of his journey to Sai. “I saw the picture and immediately developed 100% faith in Him; something within me strongly said that He was divine. I never had a doubt since then. That photo of Bhagavan straight away adorned our altar and we worshipped Him everyday. In those days, I was working in SDL College in Hannavar, in the state of Karnataka, as a Reader in History. And every minute of my spare time was spent in Sai work. "And in 1970, when the local Sai devotees in that region started a Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi (Sai Centre), they chose me to be the president of the organization, and I served in this position as best as I could. We undertook many service activities, started Bal Vikas classes to train young minds, soon there were pre-sevadal courses, and I was very much involved in teaching not only many Vedic and spiritual hymns to the students but also instilling in them noble values of truth, integrity and reverence for one’s culture. I engaged myself completely in this sacred work for three years, till I moved to His physical proximity in Brindavan.†'He didn’t speak a word... ....but truly said so much' Prof. Habbu physically saw Bhagavan for the first time only in May of 1973. Reminiscing that sweet memory, he said, “My first beautiful moment with the Lord unfolded at nine in the morning that memorable day. I was seated in the lines in the ‘Sai Ram’ shed at 8.30 and there were not many people those days, probably a hundred. After about half an hour, the gates opened, and I saw, to my delight, the sublime form of Swami walking gently towards us. I remember having a letter in my hand, and Swami, to my surprise, walked straight to me, lovingly picked the letter, and then moved away. He didn’t speak a word, but truly said so much. I was spellbound.†Always at His lotus feet It was this first encounter which intensified his love for Bhagavan and the dedicated professor now longed to be in His physical presence as often as he could. It was at this time that he heard of a vacancy in the department of history in the Sri Sathya Sai Arts, Science and Commerce College, Brindavan (when the Sri Sathya Sai University opened in 1981, this college became one of its campuses). Fortunately, the then Vice Principal of this college, Mr. R. J. Kulkarni was known to him, and suggested to Prof. Habbu that he could apply to Swami’s college. Without any delay, Prof. Habbu wrote a letter to Swami praying for an opportunity to serve in His institution. Just like the first letter, the Lord accepted this one too very lovingly from his hands. Emboldened by this, once the professors returned home, he sent his application letter to the college. Soon, he received a positive response and was called for an interview. “Two stalwarts, Prof. V. K. Gokak and Dr. S. Bhagavantham, interviewed me.†Prof. Habbu continued the story. “ After the 15 minute interview, I was asked to return to my hometown. Within a week, I received the call: ‘Join on Thursday, July 19, 1973’. From that day, I never looked back. I resigned right away and came to Brindavan; I was on duty on that appointed date.†Luckily for Prof. Habbu, within a week Swami came to Brindavan. “When we heard about His arrival, we rushed to the Mandir,†He recalled. “At that time, the Trayee Brindavan building, that we see now, did not exist; in its place was the Old Bungalow. We were standing in line at the portico, and after Swami alighted from His car, He came near us and looked at each one of us keenly. And when His eyes met mine, He smiled, and said in Kannada (my mother tongue), Enu, Habbu anuva? (‘Are you not Habbu?’) I said, ‘Yes, Swami!’ At this moment, I was happy and sad; happy because I had finally come to His lotus feet, but, at the same time, sad, as I had taken 46 long years.†Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 When The Door Opens… Healing Touch. This is the story of a bubbly four-year old, Harsh, who was fun and frolic personified, but at the same time, to his parents' horror, harbouring within himself a heart which had many ‘holes’. How and when did the trials of his parents end? Read this touching account to find out. The paper plane glided silently over the beds and made a belly-flop landing on the nurse's head. Apparently, the parting between her tresses was the perfect air strip for that voyage of imagination. Engrossed in recording some notes in the patient's file, she was caught unawares and with a mix of surprise, irritation and curiosity, turned to glare at the bunch of children occupying the Pediatrics cubicle. The wordless giggle, joyful clapping of the hands and the excitement in his eyes at having obtained a perfect landing were a total giveaway… unmistakably it was Harsh again! One look at him and the nurse's irritation drained away from her face and was replaced with a warm affectionate smile. Harsh was not being naughty. He was being… well! He was just being himself. In his four-and-a-half years, Harsh seemed to have learnt the knack of getting away with mischief, thanks to his endearing smile and those sparkling eyes. It would take a stretch of imagination to guess that those eyes were windows opaque to the ravages within; the fact that his little body suffered from multiple congenital malformations. Rather philosophically, the Syrian poet Khalil Gibran said: “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you they belong not to you.†Beautiful words, poetry to the ears but hard to imbibe in a real life crisis! A seer, detached from the world and its apparent vagaries, is at peace with himself, in a stage of evolution far beyond that of a father knowing the plight of his first born. Yet, destiny is not harsh on all. With the power of prayers, when one door closes, a hundred new ones can open – one only has to search for the right door. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences was the anvil that sealed the fate of little Harsh and his father Mr. Chhagan Lal. The Father Shares His Story Little Harsh and his father, Mr. Chhagan Lal When the heart is full, words are few, but then when happiness is shared it multiplies, while sorrow when shared is halved. Chhagan Lal was only too happy to share his pursuit of happiness with Heart2Heart readers. He said: "Though the surgery was complex, the doctors and the attending team have vast experience in dealing with such complex problems. The surgery was completed in a relatively short time and Harsh was shifted to the ICU. The ICU is equipped with state-of-the-art technology where he was monitored round the clock for 24 hours by an expert team of doctors and nurses. He had an uneventful recovery and was discharged soon.†"We hail from the Udaipur District of Rajasthan, but have been living in the Pandapura town of Mandya district, about 120 kilometers south-west of Bangalore, along with 25 other families from Rajasthan, all of whom are engaged in business. We have a daily-provision store in Udaipur, which I was helping my father manage. About four or five years ago, I decided to come down to Bangalore and help my brother, who was running a jewelery business in Pandapura. "Harsh was our very first child, born in July, 2003 in Rajasthan. At the time of his birth itself, we noticed that he had a deformity in the roof of his mouth. The doctors suggested us to wait for a few months before taking him to a plastic surgeon to fix this deformity, which in medical parlance is referred to as a cleft palate. We brought Harsh back to Pandapura when he was 6 months old, and took him to a plastic surgeon when he was one year and three months of age. After taking a look at him, he referred us to a Pediatric surgeon for some more tests and evaluation. Suddenly, it seemed that this was not a simple problem as we had imagined. My wife Manju and I had a trying time during those days. "From our side it only seemed that Harsh's speech wasn't that clear, and that he was not picking up language very fast, but we had not expected anything more serious than that. It turned out to be a really stressful time for us when the Pediatric surgeon listed out the multiple problems Harsh was diagnosed with and then mentioned that Harsh first needed cardiac surgery, and only after that would they correct the cleft palate. He referred us to a Cardiologist. As parents, we were not prepared for such a bleak prognosis. It was all too much to take in at once. "The cardiologist put Harsh through a battery of tests and diagnosed Harsh's problem as PDA, Patent Ductus Arteriosus along with a VSD, Ventricular Septal Defect (An anomaly between two vessels of the heart and also a defect between two heart chambers).†A Normal Heart Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ventricular Septal Defect Their Hope Finds An Answer The immediate reaction of the parents predictably was of shock and despair. Like the dark cloud that comes with its own silver lining, the parents soon found a ray of hope. "We were very distraught at first, but somewhere in our hearts we knew our little son would be saved. Soon after visiting the Cardiologist, a relative living in Pandapura, told us about Baba's Hospital in Bangalore, which offers free surgery. Given the gravity of our situation, we rushed to the Hospital right away and within a month, Harsh was admitted in the pre-operative ward. “In our desperation, there was no scope to consider various options. We just had to take the leap of faith to approach the Sri Sathya Sai Hospital for help. We had absolutely no idea how the Hospital would be, and what kind of treatment we could expect from a free Hospital. Never could we have imagined that this totally free of cost medical facility would turn out to be such a wonderful set-up. The doctors and the staff put us at total ease and all this gave us the trust that this is the place where Harsh could be safely treated and cured of his heart ailment. As parents, this is the ultimate relief we could ever have wished for.†The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Bangalore Harsh underwent two consecutive surgeries, one to tie off the PDA, an abnormal connection between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and the next to close the hole between the ventricles of his heart, a VSD Ventricular Septal Defect closure. The Dedicated Doctor Explains Dr. Hari Kumar, who was part of the surgical team, says, “Harsh had two defects — one in the heart between the right and left chambers and the other between the two great vessels, which supply blood to the lungs and the body. As a result, there was increased pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension). Patients with these complex defects usually die of heart failure or infections. When not treated early, the disease becomes incurable due to permanent changes in the lungs. “The sternum was opened and Harsh’s heart was connected to a Cardio Pulmonary Bypass machine (CPB). The CPB machine allows an advanced machine pump and an artificial lung to take over the function of the heart and lungs during the surgery. The heart was then opened and the defect was closed with a patch. Next, the defect between the two great vessels was also closed. "Though the surgery was complex, the doctors and the attending team have vast experience in dealing with such complex problems. The surgery was completed in a relatively short time and Harsh was shifted to the ICU. The ICU is equipped with state-of-the-art technology where he was monitored round the clock for 24 hours by an expert team of doctors and nurses. He had an uneventful recovery and was discharged soon.†After cardiac surgery, Harsh underwent successful plastic surgery, thanks to a helpful doctor who was also a Sai devotee. He returned to Bhagavan’s Hospital early November for a minor procedure. This was to avoid any future surgery related complications. A Family Transformed Prior to this life altering experience at the Sri Sathya Sai Hospital in Whitefield, Harsh’s father Mr. Lal had only heard about Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and His Mission of spreading Love through His unique healthcare and educational institutions. After the first surgery, Baba's picture given to Lal and Harsh by the Counseling staff, started to adorn Lal's shrine at Pandapura. "Very soon, we are all planning to visit Puttaparthi, to have Baba's Darshan, and express our gratitude to Him, who has given our son a new lease of life," he says gratefully. The ever happy and upbeat Harsh The ward is well lit and warm and even as Chhagan Lal is narrating his story, little Harsh is busily revising the English alphabet and proudly shows it to his father. He has even mastered the Kannada alphabet and quickly scribbles it on a piece of paper. His father’s face glows with a smile tempered with pride, satisfaction and relief. The moment is just perfect, for it lacks nothing, thanks purely to the Advent on earth of the Purest form of Love, Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Had it not been for Him, Chhagan Lal and Manju would never have had their little son’s precarious health restored through such complicated and advanced surgeries done with love, patience and caring ….. without even a mention of the word ‘money’. Only in the realm of the Divine can such concerns be ever assuaged. - By B. Satish Chandra and the Heart2Heart Team ------------------- OUR JOURNEY… TO LOVE, WITH LOVE By Sri Jagdish Chandra- A Current M. Phil Student in Swami's Institute. This is the text of the talk delivered by Jagdish Chandra in the Divine Presence of Bhagawan Baba on 18th Aug 2005, the second day of the conference on "EDUCATION FOR THE 21st CENTURY- EDUCATION TO EDUCARE". With humility, and love, I offer myself at the Lotus Feet of my Beloved Swami; my Lord, my Master. Honorable Chief Guest, Distinguished Dignitaries, Revered Elders, dear Sisters and Brothers. Sai Ram to One and All. A few days back, as I was going back to the hostel, from the mandir, I saw a person wearing a T-shirt which sported a peculiar saying, it said, “I was born Intelligent, but Education spoiled me.†As I walked into the Mandir today, and stood right in front of the banner that portrays the theme of the conference, I read “Education to Educare.†What is this journey? How does one go about it? Let me start with a small anecdote. A man once dreamt that he went into a beautiful shopping complex and after making a tour and buying some items he finally went to the billing counter. To his utter astonishment, he finds God standing there! He plucks up courage and asks the Lord, God Points the Way… “God! What are you selling here?†God replied: “Whatever is good for you!†The man started thinking. After a while he said, “God, then give me something that can take away my pain.†God said: “No, I will not do that, for trials, tribulations and pain draw you away from the world and closer to me.†Then the man said: “God, give me happiness!†God answered, “No. I can bless you, but happiness is up to you.†The man pondered a little and said, “God give me all the things so that I can enjoy life.†“No. I have given you life so that you can enjoy all things,†replied the Lord. At the end the man was exhausted. He thought frantically and came up with a wonderful solution. He said: “God, now I understand the most essential, the most valuable thing for a human being. And they are the Human Values! Give me Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema.†This time God chuckled, “Son, you have got me wrong! We don’t sell fruits here. We sell only seeds. It is up to you to inculcate them. I can only point, but you have to follow.†That is what we have to do. And what is the necessity of these Human Values? They show man the highest of goals. The path to tread - where to begin and where to reach. The Ultimate Reality that each and every human being is essentially Divine. And the basic purpose of his life, his existence, is to merge back into the Source from where he originated. THE FOUR BEAUTIFUL PILLARS THAT SHOW THE WAY TRUTH There are four Beautiful Pillars that take us to the goal. The first is truth, Sathya. Bhagavan beautifully teaches us that Sathya is beyond our ordinary understanding of the word truth. It denotes the Ultimate Truth - the Truth that reveals to man that he is essentially Divine. Divine Arithmetics…Divine Lessons It once happened that a group of devotees came from Madras. And as Bhagavan glided by in Darshan, He went and stood in front of them. Bhagavan asked the group leader, “How many members are there?†The group leader said: “Bhagavan, 20.†Swami said: “No, 21.†The man counted once more. He thought there might an error. But his counting was perfect. He said: “Bhagavan, we are 20!†Swami replied, “You forgot to count Me! I am always there in that group! How could you forget this?†Overjoyed, the man had to agree! The next day Swami approached the group again. This time the leader was ready to face another question. But he did not know that a different answer was asked of him. Bhagavan again asked: “How many members?†The man said, “Swami, 21.†Swami answered, “No, 40.†There could be a slight difference when one considers 21, 23, and 22. But 40 is altogether a very huge number. He could not have made that mistake. And then Swami said: “You think I am alone with the group? I am with each and every one of you! Then if I am with each and every one of these 20, then in fact, we make 40!†The final lesson was still waiting. The next day Bhagavan came to the group. The group leader too was ready but this time not to give an answer but to learn from Bhagavan. Bhagavan asked: “How many members?†The man stood up. He did not know which to say - 21 or 40. But he said: “Bhagavan, 40.†Swami said: “No, one. All are One.†Who can teach this most important lesson in just three apposite and powerful statements? To teach the Reality which the Vedas, Upanishads and great Scholars have struggled to expound! Only the Avatar can come to our level and teach us everything in just three axioms. The only Truth which God comes to teach is: “All are One! Everyone is essentially Divine.†Bhagavan once said: “I am not a Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya or a Shudra.Neither do I relate myself to any of those four Varnas. I am Sathya Bodhaka…The teacher of Truth. I am Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram.†When one follows this Truth, what he actually follows is Dharma. The Scriptures declare: Sathyam Nasti Paro Dharma. There is no greater Dharma than following Truth. DHARMA – What Exactly Is It? There may be differences of opinions over the definition of Truth, what exactly is Dharma (right conduct) and how to follow it. As I entered the portals of this Institute on my first day in the hostel at Brindavan I remember a board which had the following inscription: “A hostel is a place where each one lives for the other; and all live for God.†This is Dharma simplified so that it can be easily put into practice. Just do whatever you want keeping in mind the Indweller in your heart and offer everything to Him - that automatically becomes Dharma. “My Krishna is Suffering!†When Krishna was suffering from a headache He asked for dust from the feet of His devotees to cure it. There were intellectuals and scholars who recoiled at the possible blasphemy - but the Gopikas did not listen to this. They said, “My Krishna is suffering! All that I want is just to carry this dust and to place it lovingly on His head!†The scholars argued with them saying, “How dare you do this? It is sinful? You will end up in hell for all the remainder of your lives for having done such a thing!†But the Gopikas replied “We don’t mind spending the rest of our lives in hell! But if it gives a moment of joy to our beloved Krishna, that is enough!†What can be greater Dharma than pleasing God? Top Marks From God! Once it so happened that the examinations in the Institute were going on. A boy who was on his way to the examinations hall found an old woman who had met with an accident lying in a pool of blood! Not knowing what to do, He prayed to the Lord within His heart; He prayed to His Dearest Swami. He then took the lady to the General Hospital and made sure that she received treatment. He then ran to the examination centre. By then, most of the time which was allotted for writing the paper had elapsed. He wrote whatever he could for the paper and then went to the Mandir. That day Bhagavan called him and said: “Good boy! You will get top marks!†Needless to say, that boy got top marks! One’s Own Heart…The Simplest Guide Thus, to the question “What is Dharma?†there arises the simplest of answers. Follow whatever pleases the Lord most. If one ponders what is the means by which the most complicated dilemma of Dharma can be understood, it can be realised that the devotee’s own heart is the simplest of guides. PEACE When one practises Dharma it leads to the next level of the Human Values…Peace. When one practises Dharma to the extent that he surrenders himself totally at the Lotus Feet of his Lord… Sarva Dharman Parityajna Mam Ekam Saranam Vraja Aham Tvan Sarva Papebhyo Moksha Yisyami Ma Suchah. (One who surrenders to Me forsaking all, I will take care of Him and even grant Him liberation). That Moksha, the Peace that he feels, is the Peace which is mentioned as one of the Four Pillars of Human Values. The Temple of a Thousand Bells! A traveler once heard that under the ocean lay buried a temple of a thousand bells. He was gripped by a wish to find this temple and so he went to the ocean. Day after day, he put his ear to the sands to listen for the faintest tinkle of a bell. But he never came across any sign of this. After searching for many days he finally decided to give up. And on the last day he was standing on the seashore one final time, just looking at the magnificent ocean as the waves came crashing onto the shore; and he gently lost himself in the symphony produced by the waves. He slowly went deeper and deeper inside that experience. And in that depth, he heard a small bell ring. And then he heard two…and then three…and then thousands of bells ringing! So much so that he did not hear the voice of the ocean - he only heard thousands of bells ringing all around him. LOVE - The Ultimate Purpose! Similarly, when man loses himself totally in what God is telling him…what he hears, and what he feels is Peace - the Voice of the Lord. And that Peace leads him to the Ultimate Love. I used to wonder, God is such a poor businessman! He does not know how to barter! How could He barter a few handfuls of puffed rice and shower boundless wealth on Sudamma? How could He take a piece of cloth from Draupadi’s sari and shower an infinite number of saris when she needed help? How could the Lord eat the berries eaten by Shabari? How could the Lord eat banana peels which had been already partaken by Vidura? I could see the material actions but there was a hidden aspect behind - the aspect of Beautiful Love! Once a T.V mechanic went to a particular devotee’s house. And as he was repairing the T.V., he saw the Bhagavan’s photograph there. He asked the owner, “Do you believe in this person?†The devotee humbly said, “He is my Master…my Guide, my Everything.†The mechanic said, “Mine too!†“How can you say that?†said the devotee. The repair man gave a very simple answer, saying, “If I have ten rupees in my pocket, I would see it to it that come what may this ten becomes a hundred, the hundred into a thousand, and the thousand into ten thousand. But here is God Who is giving away whatever He has! Sometimes in the form of a Super Specialty Hospital, sometimes in the form of a Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, sometimes in the form of a Water Supply Project…and His projects never end! One after another, even before a project can come to an end another project starts! It is impossible for an ordinary human being to do all this - He can only be God, our Bhagavan! In what way can one measure Thy Love!? Saint Francis of Assisi once said, “Oh Lord! All through the day I searcheth for You! And all through the night, as I dream, You searcheth for me! When, when shall this dream come to an end and I shall meet You?†There was once a boy who had newly joined the hostel and had been brought up in luxury at his home. He had never learnt the art of sweeping and one day he found that it was his turn to sweep the room. With great effort, and with whatever courage and talent he could muster, he swept the room. At the end of it and with the broom in one hand, and the dust-pan in the other, he went in front of Bhagavan’s photo and said, “Swami, I have accomplished such a great task! Now give me my reward!†But then, at the following Darshan, Swami came right in front of him, materialized Vibhuti and gave it into his hands saying, “This is the reward for the great task that you accomplished this morning.†Sweeping the room is such a small thing; does it require any merit or any talent? But what transpired was just Love! Anything that can make us become better human beings and a little more evolved, maybe sweeping, maybe mopping, helping in some way - that is dear to the Lord! And when He sees that, He does not mind to come down to our level and reward us even for sweeping! That is the Love of God! After Love, What Next? Finally, what does this lead to? What does Love lead to? Once, there was a disciple who was always at his prayers. His Master took him to task “How long will you keep praying like this?†The disciple replied, “Master, it is you who taught me to pray like this! It is you who taught me that I should lean on God as He will solve our problems.†The Master retorted, “When will you learn that God is not a person to lean on? He is the one who rids us of our tendency to lean. He makes us realize that we are no ordinary human beings. We too are Divine! The day you learn that lesson, you will no longer lean.†Lord, I would like to close with a prayer inspired by a story which Shri Ramakrishna Parmahansa beautifully narrated. It is about a small salt doll that tried to measure the depth of the ocean. It went into the ocean and it found that it could measure nothing. It just dissolved. Let each one of us, who are simply puppets, merge into the Fathomless Infinity, into the Fathomless depths of Love that You are! Jai Sai Ram! ------------------- -----------------BUDDHA PROGRAM IN KOBE CENTER : ON 5TH APRIL 2009: ========================================================= AUM SAI RAM RAM SAMA THANK YOU VERU MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO DEDICATE THE REPORT OF OHANA MATSURI THAT WAS HELD IN LAST SUNDAY. THESE ARE THE PHOTOS OF OHANA MATSURI . AMACHA KAKE CEREMONY SPEECH ABOUT BUDDHA BUDDHA STATUE DECORATED WITH THE FLOWER. THE OHANA MATSURI CEREMONY WAS HELD IN KOBE SAI CENTER . OHANA MATSURI MEANS FLOWER FESTIVAL FOR CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY OF BUDDHA. AND IN THE AMACHA KAKE CEREMONY , WE DEDICATE AMACHA(SWEET TEA) TO THE BUDDHA. THE PROGRAM WAS STARTED WITH VEDA NAMAKAM . AND AFTER THE PROGRAM WAS OVER ,WE ALSO ENJOY THE SWEET AMACHA. KOBE SAI CENTER ...REPORT FROM BRO.SUMITOMO MASAKI ---------------- KANSAI LIGHT FOR MAY 2009 1. SWAMI'S TEACHINGS 2. SWAMI'S VISIT TO MUDDENAHALLI 3. CREATING LAND OF LOVE 4. RAMA & SITA'S STORY 5. SHIRDI BABA & DEVOTEES EXPERIENCE CLOLMBO 6. PROF ANIL KUMAR SATYOPAD NO-13 7. SPIRITUAL QUOTIENT-17 8. DEAREST OF THE DEAR 9. HE LIVED HIS MESSAGE PROF HABBU 10. WHEN THE DOOR OPENS 11. OUR JOURNEY TO LIVE WITH LOVE 12. REPORT FROM KOBE CENTER ---------------- KOBE CENTERS PROGRAM SCHEDULE Place : l.S.S. 2nd Fl. 1-3, Kumochi 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Kobe (Tel: 078-222-1885) Home Page MAP Bhajans Bhajan Practice Study Circle every Sun 4:00-5:00pmevery Thur 7:30-830pm 1st,5th Sun 2:00-3:40pm 2nd Sun 2:00-3:20pm3rd,4th Sun 2:30-3:40pm every Thur 7:00-7:20pm 2nd Sun 5:30-6:30pm (English)4th Sun 5:30-6:30 (Japanese) 2nd Sun 3:40-3:55 (Gayatri Chanting) Ladies Programme 3rd,5th Sun 5:30-6:30pm Youth Programme 3rd Sun 0:30-2:20pm 2nd Sun in odd months 5:30-6:15pm(Study Circle)1st Sun in even months 0:30-1:50 Seva Aisei-en (Orphanage home): 3rd Sun 9:30-11:30amNarayana Seva: 2nd,4th Sun 10:00-11:30am, 1st, 3rd Thur 9:00-10:00pm Veda Club Veda clup is held on every 4th Sunday after Bhajans. Study Circle in (Japanese) is held on every 2nd Sunday on 1st fl. Subscribe/Un information: (Free copy) To , please send your request to rgcjp To , please type “REMOVE†on the subject line and send to rgcjp ----------------------- SAI CENTERS: KOBE, YOKOHAMA, OSAKA, SAPPORE,HAMAMATSU OKINAWA, CHIBA, NAGOYA, TOKYO & KYOTO.' SAI BHAJAN GROUPS.: OBIHIRO, SAITAMA, SHIZUOKA, KITAKYUSHU, MORIOKA TAMA, NARA, FUKUOKA, TOHOKU, NAGANO, IWAKUNI, HIROSHIMA, KAGOSHIMA, GUNMA, KANAZAWA, KAGAWA. Note: Some schedules are subject to change. Please contact respective centers and groups for information. ..................................................................................................... GLOBAL KANSAI LIGHT READERS CORNERS:In this issue we share our readers responses received from readers Since we have allowed a limited space for acknowledgments, we can print a few of these letters in every issue. Sai Ram. --------------------------From Lisa German Center Sai Ram I enjoyed the sharing stories on Swami & Kansai.Light Thanks Lot...From time to time i have to say "Thank you" for your kind service. Swami's Blessings Lisa ------------------------- From Vidhya Respected Sir, This is Vidhya from India. I read the articles on Arjuna & Krishna in "Kansai . Light" where why did u create the Universe. It was very informative and interesting. I request you to send me these articles and similar articles whenever time permits. Loving Vidhya ------------------------ From Barbara Joy Mullen Sai Ram Brother Ramchabd Chugani Thank you so much for sending me "Kansai.Light" via email. It is highlight of my day when I receive it. The April issue moved me to tears, especially the articles on the young boy and the mason that were healed at the Sathya Sai super specialty Hospital. How blessed are those that serve at the hospital and those that receive treatment there... And how blessed are we that know GOD walks the earth at this time, in the form of Bhagavan Sri sathya Sai Baba. I pray my life be a blessings to all as well, as I have been blessed. I have read: Those who love, loving pour forth radiance Those are the sons and daughters of God In my lifetime, love in every heart In my lifetime, peace,peace on Earth May You Always Be Blessed Barbara Joy Mullen Palm Coast, Florida, U.S.A ------------------------ From Arjan.S My dear Respected Ramchand Many thanks and will print out and read slowly and this is better medicine that from Doctor. "Kansa.Light" for April issue and i always thank you really we human beings are lucky to have so much from masters to follow and live balance of our life in God's name. Thank you again Arjan. _______ From Sheela Krishnamurthy Dear Sir, Sai Ram Thank you u very much for sending this new April issue "Kansai.Light"... I am overwhelmed and tears couldn't stop when i read the miracles and Swami's conversation. May God bless u with all the happiness to you for doing this seva. Sairam Sheela ________ Dear Chugani I cannot find the right words to thank you for this wonderful email "Kansai.Light" and Others mails...God bless you May you Tribe Thrive Sai Ram Chandru ------------------------ Humble Pranaams at the Lotus feet of Bhagavan Baba Sairam Respected Sir The Presentations of articles in "Kansai.Light" and Mrs Malika Srinivasan is heart touching and most inspiring to each and everybody... so kind of you sir. I request you to kindly send me some more and also the lectures of Anil Kumar. Awaiting anxiously please Sairam With Kind Regards Convener Vanasthalipuram samithi ========================================================== .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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