PROF ANIL KUMAR'S ADDRESS TO THE YOUTH ...CHICAGO,IILINOIS MAY 29TH 2009 PART ONE

[Guest guest]

Prof. Anil Kumar's Address to the Youth

at the National Youth Conference

 

Chicago, Illinois

 

May 29, 2009

 

Sai Ram! Thanks to Swami, for making it possible for me to be among you on this pleasant evening. I have spent time in the company of youth for the last forty-six years only! So, I know the temperament of youth, the attitude of youth, the ills of youth, the wealth of youth, and the strength of youth. Why not? I have spent my life in the company of youth.

 

In fact, it has been announced that this is an informal session, and that I should answer your questions. Still, I cannot resist the temptation to make certain comments based on first-hand information and observation.

 

My friends, please believe me, whenever I go anywhere, I understand that there are many things to learn. Baba has given me a number of chances to interact with the youth in the United States. It all began in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Who could organise a youth workshop within a notice of forty-eight hours only? Hats off to Milwaukee! That was a wonderful job! (Applause) Is here anybody here from Milwaukee? Yes? Why don't you stand and let us all see you. Good! That's right! (Applause) They organised in just forty-eight hours, that’s all!

 

I was also thrilled and excited to see an improvement over Milwaukee in the next youth workshop held in Dallas. They've done exceedingly well also. Those from Dallas, kindly get up! (Applause) Louder, louder! (Applause) Ah, that's great! It was a fantastic experience indeed.

 

I thought, ‘I am climbing steps: Milwaukee first and Dallas next.’ But, Baba wanted me to go to still higher levels. Then I noticed Atlanta did exceedingly well. Excellent! Those from Atlanta, Georgia, kindly get up! (Applause) Atlanta! Oh great! Why was it so great? Because fifteen of them participated in the workshop right on the stage, in action, while fifteen others supported them. Seventy youth attended that workshop, which was not an easy job.

 

Then we took another step: the fourth youth workshop was organised in Seattle, Washington. I cannot fully define the scene—the mountain there had the beauty of Kailasa. I saw the mountain (Mt. Rainer) with a bridal look, all covered in a silken white robe like Kailasa. What a beautiful scene it was! And full of greenery! This place seems to have the same roots as Kodaikanal and the lake there is absolutely Kodaikanal. It made me feel that I have not missed anything. (Swami was in Kodaikanal at the time Prof. Anil Kumar was in Seattle. Normally at this time of year, Prof. Anil Kumar would be with Swami there.) And the place where I stayed is a replica or carbon copy of His residence in Whitefield, Bangalore: Trayee-Brindavan. So I haven't missed anything!

 

I got a phone call from my friend in Kodaikanal. He said, “Anil Kumar, we all miss you. We miss you here.†I told him, “I don't miss you.†(Laughter) For this simple reason: I find Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba here in the United States of America. Excellent! Those from Seattle, kindly get up! (Applause) Wah, wah, wah, wah! Great, great!

 

And apart from this, I could also meet youth in different places as well, like in Orlando, Florida. I met many youngsters there. Hats off to their discipline, spiritual service and bhajan standards! Yes, those from Orlando, kindly get up! They have done a good job! I see them here, but I don't know why they don't get up? Orlando, Orlando! Please get up! Orlando! Orlando! (Applause) I was deeply touched by their bhajans. The time was 9:30-10:00 in the night, and they didn't want to leave me. And I didn’t want to leave them. That is the bondage of bhajans! Excellent!

 

And also, I got to meet a number of youth in New Jersey. More than 2000 people attended there! New Jersey, excellently organised! Those from New Jersey, kindly get up! (Applause) Come on, come on, come on! (Applause)

 

At the same time, to feel a native touch, in Rochester, New York, I had an opportunity to witness a cultural programme at a place where Bharatnatyam was the main programme for the evening. Bharatnatyam! I saw girls of all age groups, from 10 to 25, wearing the costumes. Oh, what kind of performance it was! I don't remember ever seeing that kind of Bharatnatyam performance in recent years. I enjoyed the dance thoroughly. After that dance, there was another program by four presenters from Ireland, doing an Irish dance. But it didn't end there. Then we saw Fusion-Bharatnatyam. I can never forget that wonderful performance in my life. Rochester, New York, you have done a very good job!

 

DIVINE INSURANCE COVERAGE

Thus the trip and our stay here have been very fruitful. I have been to the U.S. a number of times in the past. But this visit has been different from earlier visits. This visit has been very fulfilling as we could organise youth workshops and encourage the youth. Bhagavan encourages us when we encourage others.

 

One day, all of a sudden, I got a phone call from Dr. Narendra Nath Reddy, requesting me to stay and join the National Youth Conference here in Chicago. I was hesitant to accept because I was supposed to return by the 27th, as per the original programme. But Dr. Reddy went all the way to Prashanthi Nilayam, got Swami's permission, and called me from there. He said, “You're quite safe. Divine Insurance coverage!“ (Laughter)

 

That assurance made me feel relaxed. Working right under His nose, in His institutions, we have to be extra careful. We often say, “Living with God is education.â€' But living with God is also “staying by the side of fire!†We have to be close to the fire, without getting ourselves burnt!

 

Before I get into the other topics, I would like to highlight two more points: of course, there are many, but I am dumbfounded when I notice the service you have done at the Butong Refugee camp. A number of young adults from all over the U.S. participated and helped them. Besides material help, they extended moral support to all these refugees. They showered love on each of them. The young adults hail from different places like Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Phoenix, Memphis, Cincinnati, Denver, and Atlanta. They all participated in that refugee camp. So, please give them a thunderous applause! (Applause)

 

ROLE MODEL TO OTHERS

The youth here must have many achievements and accomplishments; these are just the ones brought to my notice. There's one more important thing: the youth not only did service. Not only did they participate in service activities, they also acted as catalysts, inspiring others to also participate. So they were a role model to others.

 

There was one place where our young adults wanted to distribute clothes to those who are in dire need of them. Only about nine volunteers had started in the university campus. The university was so happy about it that the university authorities themselves came forward liberally, keeping boxes at different centres for the purpose of collecting clothes for distribution. These young adults are from Birmingham, Alabama University. (Applause)

 

There are so many details I have learnt from you, my friends. With no hesitation, with Swami as my witness, I openly declare that I went through your journals, your newsletters, and your reports. And I dare say, whatever people may think, the young adults in the U.S are doing an excellent job—an excellent job, with a spirit of research, and with a spirit of commitment and dedication. It's not an ordinary thing.

 

Staying there in Prashanthi Nilayam, I interact with youth from all over the world, including those from different states in India. Youth from different states come there and necessarily invite me to interact with them. As I see the literature you have gathered, I am tempted to speak on all these aspects.

 

But there is another interesting thing I want to mention before I answer your questions: the accounts made on “Ceiling on Desiresâ€. None can ever match the excellent job done by the Ceiling on Desires group! If you're here, kindly get up! Ceiling on Desires, Ceiling on Desires group. (Applause) Excellent job! Excellent job! Not an easy thing!

 

CEILING ON DESIRE

To be honest, each one of you deserves the award of youth field degree. Good! Excellent! If you give me time, I can speak throughout the night until you are convinced. And I can also tell you another point that touched me. Unimaginable! There is ‘food’ under Ceiling on Desires. I don't think of food in terms of having a ceiling on desires, because I have more desire for food. I have made an in-depth study of your work, and interacted with many people. The account on food is unparalleled, unbeaten, and excellent! Kindly get up! Food group! (Applause) Wah! Great!

 

And there's another aspect on money, and having a ceiling on desires with regard to money. This kind of brief write-up on money, I am sure nobody else can write like that—an MBA or a student of MFM can dare interpret accountancy or the banking system from the spiritual point-of-view. So the group who worked on money, under Ceiling on Desires, also did exceedingly well. Those of you, who are here, kindly, get up! Money group! (Applause) Yes, they want to save all their money. (Laughter)

 

LIFE IS A PROCESS OF LEARNING

There are lots of things to share with you. We'll certainly interact and talk. I have come here to learn. Life is a process of learning, from womb to the tomb, from birth to death. I am not here to conduct ceremonies. I am not here to say something new, because the things that you do here are suited to the situation in the U.S. I cannot expect you to do Narayana seva, as we do in India. You can't expect people here to sit on the streets, can you? Impossible!

 

So, whatever you are doing is quite adapted to these particular geographical conditions. Having identified people and interacted with the youth here, I would say that you can get along well all by yourselves without outsourcing, including Anil Kumar! You don't need anybody. I have seen you, what you are. I have seen your talent. I have participated in programmes.

 

Please encourage the local talent. Encourage your people to participate, or else it leads to frustration. It leads to aloofness from the mainstream. Let young people come to the front. We elders can give you some ideas, but let us forego certain opportunities for ourselves because we have had enough chances earlier.

 

If any mission or any spiritual organisation is to progress, it will progress only with the help of the locals, not due to anybody coming from outside. Therefore, in this conference, let us resolve firmly that the local people, the people from the U.S., will be given all opportunities. Let them do the job, thereby doing justice in accordance to the expectations of everybody, and also according to the prevailing situations.

 

I would also like to make this point: this conference should aim at another important area. We are preparing a second line of leadership. The youth are going to take up the reigns of the Sai Organisation. For your information, all over in Prashanthi Nilayam, Swami is replacing the seniors with youngsters now. We find so many youngsters occupying high posts. Why not here in the United States? Therefore, this conference should think of preparing the youth, who will be ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the organisation in the coming year. So, aim for a second line of leadership.

 

Depending on the available time and opportunity, I will share the rest of the material I have with you. Thank you for listening to me in rapt attention. God bless you! Thank you very much. (Applause)

 

Yes, you can put some questions from where you are. You can stand there, and a hand mike will be passed to you .Part-one-------------------

Ram ChuganiKobe, Japan