KANSAI LIGHT FOR NOVEMBER ISSUE NO.47

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KANSAI LIGHT FOR NOVEMBER 2009 ISSUE NO.47------------------------

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KANSAI LIGHT FOR NOVEMBER ISSUE NO.47

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

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PLEASE PRINT COPY FOR YOUR EASY REFERENCE

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God is omnipresent, though at times He incarnates in one form at one place. God is only one. He is not two, though people refer to Him by different names and forms. "Ekam Sath, Viprah Bahudhah Vadhanti" (Truth is One, but wise refer to it by various names). It is only our illusion that we ascribe different names to God like Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Allah, etc. The Sun is only one, and it appears in different parts of the world at different times. It may be 9:00 a.m. in India but it is night time in the USA. So also, the same one God dwells in different people in different forms. Since your perceptions are different, you ascribe different names and different forms. Always realize that God is present every where, in every country and in every individual. He is Omnipresent.

-Divine Discourse, Sep 2, 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MUSINGS ON AVATARS PART 4 (Continued from the previous issue)

By Prof. G.. Venkataraman

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Readers, for 40 previous issues – from October 2004 to February 2008 - we brought you a spiritual feast in the form of the "Gita for Children" in a serialized form. Prior to that, we had started our first series entitled "Shirdi Sai – Parthi Sai" which is continuing till date. The "Gita for Children" series was taken from the book " Krishna - Arjuna Dialogue" authored by Prof. Venkataraman. As we concluded the final segment of this book in February 2008 issue, from March 2008, we started a new series on "Avatars" or Divine Incarnations. The articles in this series are actually adaptations of talks delivered recently on Radio Sai by Prof. G. Venkataraman, and are based on the book "Message of the Lord" authored by him a few years earlier. We hope H2H readers will relish the spiritual insights this series offers.

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Articles In The Same Series

 

 

Part - 01

 

Part - 02

 

 

 

Part - 03

The Story of Krishna (continued)

Krishna Outwits Kamsa’s Demons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Krishna

Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. As I told you last time, Kamsa, scared to death that the eighth-born of Devaki was still alive, began to try every possible means to kill all new born babies in his kingdom, using the help of demons. One of these agents was a female named Putana, and seeking young babies to kill, she wandered into Gokulam.

There, her attention was attracted by the sight of a steady stream of people, particularly women, going in and coming out of Nanda's house. Investigating the matter, she discovered that it was all due to the presence of a most charming baby in that house. Promptly Putana assumed the form of a beautiful young lady (she had the power to assume any form she desired), entered Nanda's house and requested Yasoda to give her baby Krishna so that she may fondle the child. Yasoda gladly agreed to do this and having some work to attend to, disappeared inside feeling that the baby was safe with the visitor.

What Putana had planned was to feed Krishna; not with milk but a deadly poison; but Krishna quietly sucked away the poison and Putana's life as well. When Putana fell dead she reverted to her natural grotesque form. Shortly after this, Yasoda returned and swooned to see the carcass of a huge demoness and her baby playing nonchalantly by its side. The entire village was mystified by the event, and especially the death of the demoness but none could associate Krishna with her destruction. When Yasoda regained her consciousness, she rushed to the altar to offer her grateful thanks to Narayana for saving her child.

Putana's death was a setback for Kamsa, but he was not ready to give up. A steady procession of demons were despatched to Gokulam as executioners, but as it happened, it was they who got executed. In every case, Krishna managed things so adroitly that the villagers, Yasoda in particular, were led to believe that it was an unseen Divine Hand that was protecting the baby!

Back in Mathura , Vasudeva, who knew the secret about the two boys growing up in Gokulam, constantly thought of them. Anxious that all religious rites meant for protecting children must be gone through in their case also, he summoned his family priest Garga and asked him to drop in at Nanda's house as if casually and perform all due ceremonies. Garga called on Nanda as instructed, whereupon Nanda requested the priest to formally name the two boys. This Garga readily did, naming the son of Rohini as Balarama and that of Yasoda as Krishna . He, then, said to Nanda: "In an earlier birth, this Krishna of yours was born as a son to your relative Vasudeva (in his earlier birth too). For that reason, your son will also be known as Vaasudeva, but right now I would advise you to keep quiet about this other name, lest Kamsa gets

funny ideas!"

The Boyhood Pranks of Lord Krishna

If the baby marvels of Krishna were a source of wonder, His childhood Leelas became a source of delight to many and a "headache" to some. Stealing butter from the houses of the various Gopis or cowherd girls, of course in the company of other boys, became a daily ritual and there was no end to the complaints that Yasoda constantly received. (Fresh butter is known as Navaneetam; hence amongst His friends, Krishna was also known as Navaneeta Krishna.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Krishna reveals to Yashoda the entire Universe in His Mouth

One day, when all the children were playing in the courtyard, Balarama ran excitedly to Yasoda and said, "Auntie, Krishna is eating mud by the handful". Perplexed, annoyed and worried, Yasoda rushed to Krishna , and asked Him whether He was eating mud as was being alleged. Krishna , His eyes wide and innocent, shook His head as if to deny. Not believing Him, Yasoda ordered Krishna to open His mouth so that she could check. Obediently Krishna opened His mouth and what did Yasoda see in it? The entire Universe, including herself and her darling Krishna ! Totally dazed, she muttered to herself: "Is this real or is it all a part of the Maya (illusion) of the Lord?"

Incidentally, I might mention that speaking at Prasanthi Nilayam a couple of days before the Birthday in 1994, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, the then Prime Minister of India, described the remarkable changes in the village of Puttaparthi by quoting those very words of Yasoda!

To get back to the story, the vision that Yasoda saw passed, and soon she was back to her role as a happy but tormented mother, while Krishna reverted to being the naughty but adorable son.

On another occasion, Krishna was particularly "difficult" and Yasoda became thoroughly exasperated. Wanting to keep Him under check, she tied a rope around His waist and anchored it to a heavy stone mortar. Feeling secure, Yasoda then went about her work. In the beginning, Krishna passed time watching the birds and the monkeys in the courtyard but getting bored, He began to crawl on all fours, dragging effortlessly behind Him the huge mortar intended by Yasoda to be an anchor. In the courtyard there were two tall trees growing close to each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Krishna releases the deites trapped in the trees

Krishna went right between them but the mortar got stuck. When Krishna pulled forward, the trees snapped and fell to the ground. Instantly, they both were transformed into two beings. Falling at Krishna 's feet they said: "O Lord, we are the sons of Kubera, the deity of wealth. We became trees on account of a curse, but by Your Grace, we have received redemption." So saying, they vanished. It all happened on account of the rope tied around His waist (of course, He had willed it be that way) and for this reason Krishna is sometimes referred to as Damodara.

Krishna Moves to Beautiful Brindavan

The inhabitants of Gokulam became concerned that mishaps to Krishna were occurring in a never-ending sequence. True, by God's Grace, no evil had befallen the young one but maybe there was something evil about the very place. Why not therefore move over to some other spot, like the beautiful Brindavan, nestling under the Govardhan Hill (Govardhanagiri) and close to the River Yamuna? And thus it was that Krishna and His Gopala (cowherd) friends soon found themselves frolicking in Brindavan and its neighbourhood.

By now, Krishna was a bit older and He used to join the other boys of the village in taking the cows out everyday for grazing. Kamsa, disturbed as ever that his mortal enemy was still out there somewhere, continued to send his agents on the prowl. One such demon by name Vatsa, disguised himself as a calf and mixed with the bunch of cows and calves taken out by the cowherd boys, waiting for an opportunity to attack Krishna.

But Krishna easily saw through the disguise and made short work of the demon. Another demon by name, Baka, met the same fate, and after Baka, came Agha, the brother of Putana and Baka. Agha assumed the form of a mountainous python and lay in wait for Krishna with his enormous mouth wide open. The Gopalas straying into the neighbourhood mistook the wide-open mouth to be a cavern and entered it in order to explore. The cows and the calves followed the boys but Krishna stayed outside, quietly watching the proceedings. Just as the python was about to close his mouth, Krishna too entered and allowed Himself to be trapped along with the others. When the jaw snapped shut, Krishna began to grow bigger and bigger. Agha tried his best to spit out Krishna but Krishna stayed put till the demon choked to death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Krishna faces and defeats the awesome maw of the python demon, Agha

Most of the boys were about five years old (which was also roughly Krishna 's age at that time) when this incident took place. Young they might have been but amazed they certainly were by the constant display by Krishna of His extraordinary powers. However, through His shroud of Yogamaya (illusion), Krishna soon made them forget these remarkable incidents, after which Krishna was just like one them!

Brahma Tests Krishna

Meanwhile, Brahma, the Creator, was watching all these events from heaven. He did not know who Krishna really was, and decided to test the limit of Krishna ’s powers. Brahma then came down from heaven while Krishna was dozing under a tree, collected the boys, the cows and the calves and hid them in a cavern. When Krishna woke up, He found that He was all alone. Exercising His Yogic vision, He immediately understood Brahma's game, and smiling to Himself He decided to teach Brahma a lesson.

Accordingly, with a mere wave of His hand, He created an exact replica of all the missing boys, cows and calves; and with this duplicate party, He returned in the evening to the village. On reaching the village, the party dispersed as usual, the boys and the animals going to their respective homes. The villagers did not realise that the boys and animals were duplicates, but they did notice that they felt an unusual love towards them - not surprising, since these boys and animals were nothing but a direct projection of Krishna Himself! As a part of His Divine Leela (sport), the One had become many.

For almost a year, this replica of cows, calves and boys went accompanying Balarama and Krishna everyday to the grazing grounds, returning at sundown; no one suspected that anything was amiss. Meanwhile, Brahma watching from above became puzzled. He had carefully hidden the boys and the animals but here was Krishna taking them out everyday. How could that be? Suddenly it dawned on him that it was Krishna who had duplicated Himself into various forms, and that He was none other than the Supreme Cosmic Reality, now masquerading as a cowherd boy.

Ashamed and repentant, Brahma prostrated before Krishna and begged for forgiveness. The boys and animals originally concealed were duly set free, upon which Krishna made His projections disappear. As he withdrew, Brahma said to himself: "How lucky are these Gopalas to have the Lord constantly in their midst, to move with Him on equal terms, to play with Him, eat with Him and share various experiences with Him! But little do they know who their companion really is." The Lord continues to play the same trick for how easily do we forget who Swami really is!

Dancing on Serpent Kaliya’s Head

Once while grazing the animals, some of the boys felt thirsty and went to a nearby lake to quench their thirst; Krishna did not go with them. Unfortunately, the waters of the lake were poisoned by a huge and deadly snake named Kaliya that lived in it. Therefore, the moment the boys drank the water, they fell dead. After a while, Krishna , finding that the boys who had gone for a drink had not returned, went in search of them along with His other companions and soon came across a pile of corpses by the lakeside. Instantly He knew what had happened and He angrily entered the lake.

The moment He did so, Kaliya attacked Him fiercely and seeing this, Krishna's surviving companions raised a mighty hue and cry. Their wail was so loud that it could be heard in the village, and the people there rushed to the lakeside. And the sight that greeted them was shocking beyond words, for there was their darling Krishna being overwhelmed by the deadly snake Kaliya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dancing over the hood of the snake, Kaliya, Krishna overwhelms and subdues him

It was of course a part of the drama, and Krishna merely wanted to give the impression that the snake was getting the better of Him. After appearing to struggle for a while, Krishna suddenly turned the tables and soon He was dancing over the spread hood of the subdued snake. (Swami has explained the symbolic meaning - the five-hooded snake represents the five senses. When the senses have no control, the effect is poisonous but when they surrender to the Lord, they become subdued.)

The Darling of the Gopis

Right from the moment of His birth, Krishna was a darling to the Gopis of the village, first as a charming baby and later as a naughty prankster who often stole butter. Much has been written about Krishna 's relationship with the Gopis, a good bit of it with a romantic slant (sometimes, sensuously overdone). Such literature might tend to give the impression that Krishna was something of a playboy. Nothing could be farther from the truth, and Swami has severely condemned all such erroneous portrayals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As He points out, two things go against this romantic image; firstly, Krishna was barely about five or six years old then and it is therefore patently absurd to attribute romantic motives to His relationships with the Gopis. Secondly, and this is an even more important consideration, Krishna was the Lord descended on earth, and surely one would not expect the Master of the senses to go gallivanting around or acting like a Casanova! Would He, the Ultimate Guru who had come to teach the Gita, set such an example? Obvious though these points are, strangely they have not found expression prior to Swami's comments.

Curing Spiritual Blindness

Another time, once again while out grazing the cows, the boys felt hungry and on the advice of Krishna approached a group of Brahmins for food. The Brahmins who were in the midst of an important ritual would not brook the interference and chased the boys away. Hungry and angry, they returned to Krishna for a new solution to their problem. Krishna smiled and said, "Go again to the Ashram of the Brahmins, but this time you ask the wives of those performing the Yajnas (Yajna-patnis) for food". And when the Gopalas went to the women and asked them for food in Krishna 's name, what a difference it was! Instantly the Yajna-patnis collected all the special food made for the sacrificial offering and rushed to where Krishna was.

These women were not versed in the Vedas nor in the performance of Vedic rituals, but their hearts were full of love for Krishna . They knew who He was, and seeing Him they shed tears of joy - and Krishna obliged them with a glorious Darshan. Later, when the Brahmins heard about the Divine Darshan that their wives had received but which they missed, they repented their folly. The story has a moral which is that love for the Lord is more important than mere scholarship or adherence to rituals; the latter could, as it did in this case, lead to spiritual "blindness".

Teaching Indra a Lesson

Once, when He was about seven years old, Krishna saw everyone in Brindavan preparing for a big Yajna. Curious, He asked Nanda what the excitement was all about. Nanda replied that the village was getting ready to perform a Yajna to propitiate Indra, the King of the angels.. Sounding innocent, Krishna asked, "Father, is it not true that the Kingship of the Heaven comes to one who himself performs a hundred sacrifices? So isn't there someone who confers this Kingship?"

When Nanda replied in the affirmative, Krishna then asked, "In that case Father, why don't we worship that Ultimate God, rather than a mere underling of His?" Deeply alarmed, Nanda said, "Sshhh Krishna, don't say such things loud! If Indra hears, then we would all be in trouble." But Krishna would not be quietened so easily, and He continued to insist that the Supreme One alone should be worshipped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only the Supreme One should be worshipped

Indra, who did not know who Krishna really was, (a faux pas committed earlier by Brahma), mistook Him for a spoilt brat, and decided to teach the villagers a fitting lesson for not training their children to respect the King of the Heaven. Summoning Varuna (the god of the waters), Indra ordered him to cause a deluge, and duly the rains came with unprecedented fury. Everyone was petrified, and Nanda reproached Krishna for having aroused the wrath of the gods.

Krishna merely smiled as if to say "Why fear when I am here!" and casually lifting the Govardhan Hill, as if it were a mere pebble, held it aloft over the drenched village as a gigantic umbrella. Thwarted in his designs, Indra realised that Krishna was no mere brat, but the Cosmic One in human form; deeply repentant, he fell at Krishna 's Feet seeking pardon.

Kamsa’s End Approaches

The time for Kamsa's extermination was fast approaching, and as if to set the wheels in motion, Sage Narada informed Kamsa that Devaki's eighth son was actually growing up in Brindavan in the house of Nanda and explained how the transfer of Krishna was stage-managed. Given this firm tip, Kamsa initiated fresh steps to trap Krishna ; this time, no effort would be spared but first, Krishna would have to be lured to Mathura . For this purpose, Kamsa organised a grand festival and sent his lieutenant Akrura to specially invite Nanda and his family.

As Akrura's chariot bearing Krishna and the others was about to leave Brindavan for Mathura , the Gopis who had gathered there realised that Krishna would not return and this was a stunning blow. They cried, wept, pleaded and used every trick known to detain Him, but the artful dodger made a neat getaway as there was a job waiting - Kamsa had to be killed, and his parents (Vasudeva and Devaki) had to be freed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At eight years old, Krishna defeats the mad elephant, Kuvalayapida

As Krishna and Balarama arrived at the special stadium created for staging the sporting events, it was already packed to capacity. Just then, Kamsa arrived and took his seat amidst loud cheering by his henchmen. On a signal from him, the evil plan to do away with Krishna was set in motion. A mad elephant named Kuvalayapida was let loose upon Krishna , but the eight-year old made short work of it, stunning the entire gathering.

A rather bad start for Kamsa who, becoming furious, tried even more wicked methods of extermination; however, every one of them failed. Having slowly worked Kamsa up to the height of fury, Krishna finally tackled him direct and killed him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kamsa's every attempt to destroy Krishna fails - Krishna's does not

With Kamsa removed, the reign of terror that prevailed in Mathura was over. While the public rejoiced and danced in the streets, Krishna and Balarama rushed to release Vasudeva and Devaki from captivity; and at long last, the tormented parents were reunited with their Divine offspring. Although at birth Krishna had revealed His Divinity to Vasudeva and Devaki, He now made sure that they both came under the spell of His Maya so that they could enjoy Him as their son! Thus it was that Vasudeva, worrying about Krishna 's education, entered Him and Balarama into the Gurukula of Sage Sandipani, where the brothers excelled as model students.

The Lord Meets His ‘Family’

Completing the charade of receiving education, Krishna returned to His parents in Mathura where at long last He learnt all about His relatives. He discovered that His father had a sister named Kunti who had three sons named Yudhishtra, Bhima and Arjuna. Later, I shall give more details about Kunti and her sons, for that is important to our narrative.

To get on with my story, a chance for Krishna to meet Kunti soon arose on account of a total solar eclipse. On such occasions, the pious always gathered at a holy spot and took a cleansing bath on conclusion of the event. Krishna and Balarama went with their parents to a place called Samantapanchaka, close to Kurukshetra, later to become famous. Gathered at the holy spot were men and women, sages and kings, the rich and the poor, and the old and the young. Nanda and Yasoda were there too, and there was an emotional reunion between Krishna and His foster parents.

Meanwhile, Kunti spotted Vasudeva and bitterly complained to her brother for having ignored her so long whereupon Vasudava had to narrate the sad story of how most of his time was spent in prison. The sages who had come there were overjoyed about Krishna 's presence. They rushed to fall at His Lotus Feet, but with a mischievous wink He held them in check. Instead, like an ordinary boy, He prostrated before them and sought their blessings, much to the embarrassment of the holy ones.

Spotting the sages, Vasudeva approached and asked them about the best path to follow in order to achieve purification. With deep feeling, the sages said: "The constant and incessant worship of Narayana is the path to follow. Not only is it the best, but it is also the easiest." A delighted Vasudeva turned to Krishna and said, "Heard that? What a wonderful advice! You too must remember to follow that".. Wearing a supremely obedient look, Krishna replied, "Yes, of course father, I shall always remember that constant worship of Narayana is the only path."

That’s all for now, meanwhile, please rejoice that we are so fortunate to have that very same Krishna amidst us right now. All of us must use every means we can command to make the best use of this incomparable opportunity not only to elevate ourselves spiritually, but also to experience true bliss by being one with the Lord in body mind and soul. Jai Sai Ram.

(To be Continued...)

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Articles In The Same Series

 

 

Part - 01

 

Part - 02

 

 

 

Part - 03

– Heart2Heart Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 28, 2009 – The Final Day of the Dassahera Yagnam

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Poornahuthi (consummation) of The Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yagna was scheduled on the morning of September 28. It is also celebrated as "Tikka" by the Nepalese. The day began on a beautiful note as Swami arrived in a magnificent blood red robe! A mere sight of Him drew gasps of pure joy and thrill from all the viewers. At the Residence, Swami's security guards, who are gurkhas from Nepal, offered their pranams and offerings to Swami.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami blessed them and sprinkled the akshatha grains too. Then He moved towards the Sai Kulwant Hall. As He emerged from behind the parked car, all the ladies saw Him in that vivid vesture! It must have been a proud day for that red robe for it appeared at its beautiful best that day! Swami took a complete darshan round and arrived on the stage. The Veda chanting was on and after a minute, Swami moved to the Bhajan Hall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the priests were in the Bhajan Hall and Swami wanted to distribute clothes to them. As this was on, the priests began to chant the Vedic hymns. The pitch was constantly on the rise and very soon the chants seemed to shake the whole hall with vibrations. Swami sat listening to the chants and once they completed it, He told them to proceed to the Poornachandra auditorium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He presented them with a bundle to be offered at the sacrificial fire during the Poornahuthi. He too moved out of the Bhajan Hall. It was also the consummation of the year's Grama Seva and the students from the Anantapur campus of the University were to serve all the permanent residents of the Ashram. The girl students got the prasadam blessed and began their pradakshina around the Mandir. Swami sat at the edge of the Mandir portico blessing all the Anantapur girls with the joy of seeing Him in the beautiful red robe as they got ready to do their bit of distribution in the Grama Seva. Meanwhile everyone else began to move to the auditorium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five minutes later, Swami arrived on the stage in the auditorium. He sat in all majesty in the eastern corner of the stage. After a few minutes, He was invited to the sacrificial flames. The Veda Purusha consented and as everyone watched on, Swami moved to the centre. He blessed all the priests by sprinkling the akshatha grains. Ghee was poured through the special silver duct that was held over the flames by a wooden pole. The chanting continued and the tongues of the flame rose up greedily lapping the ghee being poured. It was as if they too longed to glimpse Him in all splendour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami presided over the offering of the holy bundle. It was truly a profound moment and a lesson to learn too! The One offering and the One receiving was the same! And this was the message not only of this Bhakti Yagna but also of the Karma Yagna where the 'giver' and 'receiver' of the food and clothes are one and the same and in the Bhakti Yagna where the 'speaker' and the 'listener' are also the same! It is He who does everything and remains calm as the witness. We just witness everything and behave as though we are the doers!

After the poornahuthi, Swami moved towards the corner where the "Brahma" among the priests too had completed the rituals. Swami received aarthi there. All the ladies who had gathered outside the hall were all thrilled with a mere sight of Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami blessed them and then retired to the Yajur Mandir. In the evening, Swami arrived shortly before 5 p.m. The bhajans began and Swami soon concluded the darshan rounds. He went into the Bhajan Hall and interacted with all the priests who had gathered there. He presented them with more clothes and gifts. He also gave them vibhuti packets. All of them had the opportunity to plead their personal problems and worries with Him. He patiently and lovingly listened to all of them and consoled and encouraged them. It was a 20-25 minutes interaction after which Swami arrived outside for bhajans. He soon received aarthi and retired.-

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHIRDI SAI PARTHI SAI - Part 4(continued from the previous issue)

 

 

 

 

[ This page has lots of Graphics. Allow time for the images to download. ]

 

 

 

 

 

MRS PATEL: Only now am I able to understand what you said. Tiny fingers may light the lamp but the lamp can illumine a whole mountain! How nicely a small one like you could explain a Truth as vast as the very ocean! Come on, have this; take this Prasaadam! All of you also have Prasaadam. When you eat, I shall take it that the Lord Himself has partaken of the offering ……….. Oh God, what else can I say?!

SCENE 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young Sai is standing before a Mosque, surrounded by his friends. He is explaining the Hindu scriptures to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOUNG SAI: Parithraanaya Saadhunaam, Vinashaya Dushkrutam, Dharma Smapstaapanaarthaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge. For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the re-establishment of Dharma, I incarnate from Age to Age. That is what the Bhagavad Gita says.

MUSLIM BOY: That is OK. But do you know what the Quoran says?

 

 

 

 

YOUNG SAI: Quoran, Gita, and the Bible - what difference does it make? They all say the same thing.

ANOTHER MUSLIM BOY: You are saying all sorts of things. We don’t understand what they mean.

YOUNG SAI: I shall explain. For establishing Dharma or Righteousness, God Almighty incarnates in every Age. You may call Him Ram or Rahim, Christ or Krishna, it does not matter. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD FOR ALL!

Meanwhile, worship goes on inside the Mosque.

 

 

 

YOUNG SAI: God is the same for of all of us; we worship the same God. There are so many fruits like bananas, mangoes and so on. They have different shapes and colours, but are they not all sweet? In the same way, though people may follow different religions, they are all one.

The worship over, the Muslims emerge from the Mosque. One of them shouts at Young Sai.

ELDER/MUSLIM: Hey you! Stop! Children, if you listen to this fellow, you would all get spoilt. Come on, move and get going!

ANOTHER ELDER: [to children gathered there] Go away!

 

 

 

 

SCENE 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young Sai and His friends are now gathered before a Hindu Temple where worship is going on inside. Meanwhile, a young boy is looking at a paper spinning wheel that Sai is holding in His hand.

 

 

 

 

YOUNG SAI: [to the boy] What is it that you are looking at?

A BOY: At this spinning wheel. … Looks nice.

YOUNG SAI: Do you know what this is? It is the Divine Wheel of Lord Vishnu. Do you know how it rotates?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOY: No, please tell us.

YOUNG SAI: Simple. When the wind blows, it rotates! When the wind blows, the leaves flutter, ripples are produced on the water in the lake, and this wheel also rotates. This power called wind has no feelings of difference; it does not care whether it is a leaf, or water or a wheel. It penetrates everywhere and produces motion.

BOY: Why are you telling us all this?

 

 

 

 

YOUNG SAI: Because you wanted to know how the wheel rotates – that is why! Wind power does not differentiate. In the same way, Divine Power penetrates everywhere. Allah, Christ, Krishna, - these are just different names for that same Divine Power that is in every one of us. We are all boys but we have different names; one is Rama, another is Rahim, and a third one is David. Religions also are like that. We all belong to the same caste, the caste of humanity. The blades in this wheel are like the religions. The force that moves them is God. And the one holding the wheel is the devotee of God!

Meanwhile, an elderly Hindu comes there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ELDER: [to Sai] Enough of this discourse! (To others) Let’s go.

By way of a reply, Young Sai begins chanting from the Quoran. This irritates the elder.

ELDER: [Mockingly imitates the Quoran recitation.] You are reciting the Quoran. Do you know the meaning?

YOUNG SAI: Yes, I know. The meaning is: God is only ONE!

ANOTHER MAN: [to Sai] Oh, you have come again! We don’t need you discourses in this sacred temple. [to others near him] He is a small boy but tries to talk about big things!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YET ANOTHER ELDER: He should not be allowed to come to this temple.

ANOTHER MAN: There is no use in all this tall talk.

YOUNG SAI: [to the first elder who challenged Him] Whether you like it or not, whether you get angry or not, did I not make you recite the Quoran? God is the same for all! Everything is God! God is everywhere!

MAN: Go home!

Sai leaves chanting the Quoran.

ANOTHER MAN: Give him some room, and he will go beyond limits!

YET ANOTHER MAN: Yes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCENE 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patel’s house. The father has heard reports about Young Sai talking philosophy near places of worship and causing annoyance to village elders.

 

 

 

 

PATEL: [to Sai] Come here you fellow! …..You have become a big problem for me! Caste, religion, and culture cannot be changed by one person. It is not your job to talk about religion and such things. Everyone tells me you are mad. I care for you like my very eyes but you? You are acting too big for your age. You are a just small boy; yet, I am not able to drive sense into you. I don’t know who can do it.

MRS.PATEL: Did you not say he is a small boy? Why then are you getting so upset? These people may be old in age but they are short on wisdom. Our boy is tender as a leaf; yet, he is doing what the elders ought to be. They should be ashamed of themselves, instead of objecting to what he is doing.

PATEL: Mothers can never see the faults of their children. What may seem good to us may not appear so to others. If we get a bad name because of him, I cannot bear it.

MRS. PATEL: Please listen. This child is a gift of God. Perhaps it is God’s will that one day in the future, this boy will do enormous good to the world. Therefore, as long as there are good people around us, no harm will come to our dear child. He won’t get us a bad name.

PATEL: Let us see what he will do in the future.

MRS. PATEL: Don’t worry, I’ll take care of that. (To son) Look my dear son. You should always listen to me and obey me. You should not bring a bad name to your father.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOUNG SAI: Mother, I did not do anything wrong. I merely said that all are equal in the eyes of God - that’s all!

MRS. PATEL(to husband): Did you hear? This is the lesson that he taught!

A crowd of villagers march to Patel’s house. They are all angry and upset by what Young Sai is doing. One of them knocks on the door of Patel’s house.

 

 

 

 

MAN: Mr. Patel!

PATEL: Who is that? [Opens the door.]

PATEL: [Asks the crowd] Why have you all come?

MAN (MUSLIM): Mr. Patel, this is not good. Your boy comes to the Masjid and chants Hindu Mantras. It is wrong and you must warn him. In the Masjid one must say Allah Ho Akbar, and not invoke the name of Rama.

ANOTHER MAN (HINDU): Mr. Patel! Is it right to chant the Quoran in Rama’s temple? Where the Gita is to be recited, is it meaningful to discuss the Quoran?

YET ANOTHER MAN (MUSLIM): Brother Patel, you are welcome to study your Bhagavad Gita. Likewise, we would like to study the Quoran in the Mosque. There is no need to take the Gita to the Mosque and the Quoran to the Temple!

A PERSON IN THE GROUP: Everyone has his own beliefs and religion. This boy is small and yet to be educated. You should warn him not to talk about religious matters. It is neither good for him nor for you!

 

 

 

 

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CONVERSATIONS WITH SAI Satyopanishad - part 20: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 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 begin chapter seven, “Sadhana, The Inner Doorâ€.

 

CHAPTER VII: Sadhana, The Inner DoorProf. Anil Kumar: Swami! Good company is very essential for everybody. Is it as significant as it is said to be?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bhagavan: Undoubtedly, good company is very important for every one of you. In fact, you should also seek the company of good people. You should run away from bad company. It is the company you join that decides your life. So, it is said, "Tell me your company! I shall tell you what you are!" Dust when it is in association with the wind goes up, but the same dust in association with water sinks down. Another example for you: in ten cups of milk if you mix one cup of water, the value of water also will go up. But, on the other hand, in ten cups of water, if you pour one cup of milk, the milk will lose its value.. See, this explains clearly the importance of the association or the company you keep.

You also hear in the Mahabharata about Karna, who, in spite of all his excellence in archery, intelligence, and physical prowess, because of his bad company, has come to be known as one among the 'dustachatustaya', the four wicked ones. Karna lost all his name and fame because of bad company.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! What is your advice to employees, who struggle to make both ends meet and wish to follow Swami?Bhagavan: I have advised you a great many times to keep hands in society and head in the forest. You work well with both your hands. Be very sincere in your work and serve wholeheartedly. At the same time, keep God as your aim and objective. You should keep Him in your mind at all times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consider a mother. She may be very busy with her household work, but she never forgets her child. She knows when her child will feel hungry and needs to be fed.You must have watched the dance programme in our auditorium. The dancer keeps two or three pots one above the other on the head, and moves her head and limbs precisely to the rhythm and the drumbeat. To the surprise of the audience all the while the pots remain exactly one above the other on her head as they were kept just before the dance performance began. How? The answer is simple. As she dances, she constantly concentrates on the pots over her head so that the balance is never lost.Similarly, in your life you may be doing several things. Yet, you should ever remember God and keep Him as your sole aim. Always look up

inwardly.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! You are unique in explaining both the components of our life, the spiritual and the physical.. You alone can do it in this world. It is most necessary that we mix with people, and sometimes even intimately. We have to interact with one another in our daily life. How are we to speak and what is good for us to speak? Kindly tell us about this, Swami!Bhagavan: You think that worldly life and spiritual life are separate entities. They are not. Spirituality is awareness. It is total knowledge and not pieces or bits of information. You should always talk sweetly and softly. You can please everyone with your fine talk. See, when a crow sits on the wall repeating kav, kav we chase it away, but when a cuckoo repeats kuhu,

kuhu, you too start imitating its sweet sound. Both are birds, but where does the difference lie? It is only the sound, you see! Similarly your talk makes all the difference. The crow has not harmed you in the least, nor has the cuckoo rendered any help to you. It is only the sound that pleases or displeases you. You should speak the truth, you should talk pleasingly. You cannot always oblige, but you can speak obligingly. Is it not? Your words should never hurt or harm anyone.

 

 

 

 

 

It is only the sound that pleases or displeases you. You should speak the truth, you should talk pleasingly. You cannot always oblige, but you can speak obligingly.

One day, a hunter was chasing a deer in the forest. A sage who was sitting there saw the deer running fast to escape the hunter. The hunter in his search for the deer, saw the sage and asked him if he had seen a deer passing by. In reply, the sage said, "Oh hunter! The eye that saw the deer passing cannot speak and the tongue that speaks cannot see. What can I say?" So nothing false was spoken.You must have heard of the great king Harischandra. By just telling one lie, he could have easily got back the kingdom that he had lost. By adhering to truth, his son was brought back to life, and his family reunited. He did not utter a single lie. He stuck only to truth. So, till this day his name is remembered and it has come to stay so long as the sun, the moon and this galaxy remains. He is the very embodiment of truth. So he is called "Satya Harischandra".

Mataku pranamu satyamu - Truth is the life of speech.kotaku pranamu sainyamu - Army is the life of a fort. Nottuku pranamu cevralu - Signature is the life of an IOU.

You should not talk too much or excessively. If you do so, society will call you a chatterbox, a loose tongued man. Ati bhasa mati hani, too much talk turns you mad. Mitabhasa atihayi, limited talk makes you very happy as you are not likely to tell a lie, criticise, gossip, or talk vainly.You lose your respect if you talk endlessly. You tend to lose your memory as well. You lose your energy. If you switch on a radio and keep it on high volume for a long time, many units of electricity are consumed, aren't they? So also, your energy gets consumed if you keep talking for long.

 

 

 

 

 

It is always in the depth of silence that the voice of God is heard.

Note that it is always in the depth of silence that the voice of God is heard. If anyone greets you with a 'hello', respond with a 'hello'; if anyone says 'goodbye', you also reply in the same way, 'goodbye'. That's all. You talk only when it is necessary and to the extent it is needed.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Is it not a help to a person if I point out his mistakes?

 

 

 

 

 

Bhagavan: Thinking of the mistakes of someone else, you also become defective. To face and to resist a bad man you have to become even worse than him. So, it is a sin to point out the mistakes of others. If you point out the mistakes of others, with one finger, three fingers point towards you.As the saying goes, a street dog is always in search of slippers. A pig spends its time in gutters. You would also look like a pig if you go on looking at the faults of others.In a way, a monkey is much better than a man who finds fault with others. When a monkey finds an orange fruit, what does it do? It will takeaway the outer rind and then eats the fruit. Will it not?This sort of separating the good from the bad is called vibhaga yoga. You should give up the bad, the undesirable.In Japan, there is a city by name Kyoto. A woman was passing through a

particular street carrying with her a big bundle of clothes wrapped up in a neat pure piece of white cloth. These clothes were all dirty and were not neat. Someone asked, "What are those clothes?" She said, "I want to show you the good. I want you to see the good. Therefore, I have wrapped these dirty clothes in a white cloth". Finding faults in others, making fun of others, criticizing others, are mistakes that one should not commit.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Now we understand that we are mistaken with regard to our knowledge. You have explained clearly what awareness is by saying that it is complete knowledge but not the knowledge of a bit or a piece of anything. How are we to cultivate this awareness?

Bhagavan: Spirituality is very essential for awareness. It is impossible to develop awareness by any other means. With a spiritual background, things will be very clear to you. You will then have total understanding, which is awareness. Otherwise, what you acquire is bookish knowledge, superficial knowledge, general knowledge but not practical knowledge, which is awareness. This is possible only in the spiritual path.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A small example: You sow a seed in the ground. It germinates into a plant. But do you expect the seed to germinate if it is kept in a tin? Impossible. Similarly, the plant of awareness grows in the field of spirituality and not in a tin of worldly pleasures. The awareness then developed is, in fact, true awareness.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Now it is clear that this sort of "awareness" is not available in our educational institutions, that awareness is so very important for all of us. You are the incarnation of God in the present day world. Why don't You, by Your grace, grant us this boon of awareness?

 

 

 

 

 

Bhagavan: If everything is done by God Himself, what will be there for you to do? How will you make use of the God-given mind and intellect? Don't you realise that these divine instruments like the mind and the intellect that you are equipped with will be a waste, if God does everything for you? The mother cooks and serves food. She cannot eat it on behalf of the child! When the child sustains any injury the mother feels sad. But she cannot bandage herself on behalf of the child!

Though you sit in front of the plate filled with potato curry and chapatti, you must also pick them up with your own hands and eat. By simply repeating "potato, chapatti" will your hunger be appeased? The hand and the mouth should be put to work. Is it not? Similarly, you should make use of your mind and intellect.

Everything will be known to you. By your effort, you will win God's grace. With krsi, effort, one can even become a rishi, a sage. Do your duty thinking at the same time of the Lord. Krishna too said the same thing to Arjuna, mamanusmara yudhya cha, "O Arjuna! Remember Me and fight!" Chanting Rama's name, Hanuman could cross the mighty ocean. So do your duty and you can achieve whatever you want to.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Spiritual aspirants observe austerities like upavasa, fasting, jagarana, vigil and consider them spiritual. We request you to let us know their importance and inner significance.Bhagavan: The traditions, rituals, and the age old practices of Bharat have a meaning and

significance. Aspirants undoubtedly get divine experiences. But today people are after external and pompous rituals without any understanding of their inner significance. So they have forgotten the very goals and purposes for which they were originally intended. Almost all the rituals have become mechanical, monotonous and routine. There is none to explain to them lucidly.. Most people are not aware of the subtleties. So, you don't find anybody practicing austerities or rituals sincerely. Man need not change. It is the mind that should change.

 

 

 

 

 

To feel God in you is upavasa and not mere fasting as the literal meaning goes: Upa, near, vasa, living: In other words, upavasa means living close to or near God.

Suppose you are traveling to a distant place and you don't have food to eat on the way: Can you consider this upavasa, fasting? Will this be of any spiritual use? A patient doesn't take normal food. Is that fasting? What do you get out of it? To feel God in you is upavasa and not mere fasting as the literal meaning goes: Upa, near, vasa, living: In other words, upavasa means living close to or near God. It means one should turn inward, feel God and constantly think of Him.This is upavasa in its true sense. Today, we notice people who fast on the ekadasi day. But, they eat double the normal quantity of food the next day. The madhvas (followers of Madhvacharya) observe Bhisma ekadasi on which day they fast. They don't swallow even their saliva.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the state of Karnataka, they say in Kannada, "bida bedi bittu keda bedi" which means, do not give up and spoil yourself. When you give up anything, don't pick it up again. It is a bad habit. Instead, what is happening? They get the flour ready well grinded and preserve the dough for three days, with this they make nice tasteful dosas, south Indian tiffin. So in Kannada it is said, indu adideekadasi ondu tindu nalavattu dosa, it means, in the name of ekadasi, on one fasting day in a month, preparations are made for as many as forty dosas. Is this upavasa? No, definitely not.

One should keep off from worldly happiness, sensual pleasures and material comforts. You should be unmindful of all these mundane matters, but awake or vigilant to the inner core, the atma.

Why should you observe vigil, jagarana? Why is jagarana, keeping awake throughout the night, observed? It means that you should keep off from your worldly happiness, sensual pleasures and material comforts. You should be unmindful of all these mundane matters, but awake or vigilant to the inner core, the atma. You should be awake in respect of the inner divinity while neglecting worldly botherations. But what is done in the name of jagarana? They play cards throughout the night or watch three movies one after the other in the name of jagarana. Watchmen, nurses in the hospital on duty, railway station masters on duty don't sleep in the night. Does it amount to jagarana? Certainly not! Merely skipping sleep is an external ritual. One should know the inner reality while observing these rituals. Since they are all done mechanically,

they are made fun of and they look ridiculous in the eyes of others.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Some want us to do puja, some suggest dhyana, meditation, a few prescribe parayana, reading of the scripture, and some others assure us of good results from japa, repetition of God's name. I am confused about what to do and which one to follow. Kindly tell me the best among these ways to be followed in my sadhana?Bhagavan: You can follow any of them with total prema, love, nissvardha, selflessness, chittasuddhi, purity of your heart, ekagrata, one pointed-ness, and saranagati, surrender to realise and experience God.

Imitation is human. But creation is divine.

You follow the path that suits your convenience. Any procedure that appeals to you and gives you shanty (peace), and ananda (bliss) can be followed. But never imitate. Never go by other people's words and paths. You follow your chosen path. Otherwise, you lose your own way too. Imitation is human. But creation is divine.

 

 

 

 

 

A small example to illustrate that one becomes a loser by following others. There was a fruit market and it was the season when mangoes were available in plenty. A shopkeeper got a board specially painted with the words "Good mango fruits are sold here" and displayed it in front of his shop to promote sales. One stranger came and said, "Sir! What is it that is written there on the board? This is a fruit market. Why should you have the word on the board 'here'? It looks silly and superfluous. I suggest you erase this word 'here"'. Then the shopkeeper sent word to the painter and erased that word on the board 'here'.Now on the board, the words “Good mango fruits are sold" were left. Another man came to the shop and said "What, Sir? You don't look smart and intelligent. Have you yourself cared to read what is written on the board? This is the mango season. All the shops are

selling only mangoes. Why should you write 'mangoes' especially, as if they’re here only? It will be better if you remove the word 'mango' from the board!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

The shopkeeper got it erased with the help of the painter. Now on the board the words “Good Fruits are sold" were left. Another customer came and said, "What nonsense is this? Do you find anyone selling 'bad fruits'? How funny it looks when you say 'good fruits', very silly! Remove those words 'good fruits' from the board.The shopkeeper was convinced and got them erased with the result that only the word 'Are sold' were left on the board. A well wisher of the owner who happened to pass by looked at the board and was shocked. He said. "What? Are you mad? Did you read the board? What do you mean by 'Are sold'? Are you going to sell the board or what?" The shopkeeper called for the painter and got the words 'Are sold' removed. Now he was left with a blank board. Finally, the painter gave the bill with two entries, one for initially painting the letters and the other for erasing

each word at intervals. What happened to the owner of the shop who paid heed to the words of everyone? He lost both the board and that money. This will happen to you too, if you adopt other people's ways.Your Guru also prescribes a method that suits you. He never wants all and sundry to follow the same pattern. The methods of sadhana are suggested depending on your capacity, skill, understanding and the level of your spiritual awareness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I give you here a simple illustration from the life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Once it so happened, that one disciple by name Brahmananda was crossing the river in a boat to buy and fetch the requirements for the residents of the ashram.

 

 

 

 

 

He overheard the conversation going on among others who boarded the same boat. One said that Ramakrishna was spoiling many youngsters who were wasting their time by being lazy in the name of devotion and that it was surprising to see them with shaven heads and wearing ochre robes. Brahmananda felt very sad and shed tears. He returned to the ashram that evening. Ramakrishna asked him what had happened in the boat while crossing the river. Brahmananda recounted the whole episode feeling very bad about the remarks made against Ramakrishna and his disciples.Then Ramakrishna was furious and said, "What Brahmananda! How could you hear all these remarks! Can you bear when your Guru is criticized like that? How do you react when your parents are attacked? How could you hear all this?" Next day, it was the turn of Vivekananda to go to the market. He

boarded the boat and was on his way. Vivekananda had to hear once again the boatman speaking ill of Ramakrishna for making youngsters lazy and useless. He could not control his anger. He got up immediately, held the neck of the boatman and was even ready to push him into the Ganges. Somehow, others calmed him down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the evening, as usual in the course of the conversation, Ramakrishna, surrounded by his young disciples, asked Vivekananda what had happened in the boat. He proudly reported his reaction to the words of the boatman. Then Ramakrishna said, “What Naren! Are you not ashamed of your behaviour? Couldn't you control your anger? What is the use of your sadhana? Is this the way a brahmachari should behave?" Vivekananda then asked, “Swami! It is very strange to hear you speak like this. The other day you were angry with Brahmananda for keeping quiet when we were criticised. Today when I reacted to the same words, you are blaming me.Why this difference, Swami?" Ramakrishna smiling said, "A bicycle has two tyres. There is too much air in the front wheel. A little of it should be let out. The air is less than necessary in the back wheel. Some more

air must be pumped into it. So also, Brahmananda should have more spirit, while your temper must be reduced. That’s how the level of the individual is important in the spiritual path. You shouldn't imitate and follow others blindly.Prof. Anil Kumar: Bhagavan! In our namavali, series of names of God, we address God by so many names. We have more than a hundred names 'ashtottara' and a thousand names 'sahasranama.' Of these various names, which is the best and the exact name of God?

Bhagavan: All names and forms are only His. There is nothing in the universe, which is not His. You should consider God as the indweller of your heart - hrudayavasi.

Draupadi, when she was being disrobed and humiliated, prayed to Krishna for help, calling him 'brindavana sancari' and 'mathura natha', which caused some delay in Krishna manifesting to save her. To prove the truth of her prayerful words, Krishna had to go to Brindavan and Mathura and then reach the open court to save her. Had she called Krishna 'Hrdayavasi', the indweller of her heart He would have appeared immediately before her and saved her straightaway from disgrace. You sing 'Brindavana sancari' in your bhajans. Presently I am in Kodaikanal. Are you not wrong? You sing, prasanthivasa, parthivihara, 'one who is in Prasanti Nilayam, moves about in Puttaparti', in your bhajans. Is it right? No. I am in Kodaikanal, not in Puttaparti or Prasanthi. But, if you say 'Hrudayavasi' the indweller of your heart, though I may be

physically anywhere, you will get immediate response from Me.

 

(To be continued...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2, 2009 – Drama on Sankaracharya by Japanese Sai Youth

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October 1 saw a very interesting announcement being made. The first day of a new month had a new programme in the offing. On Swami's command, Prof. Anil Kumar had announced that the evening of October 2 would witness a drama on the life of Adi Shankara.If you are wondering what is so special about it, you must know that it was to be presented by the Sai Youth from Japan (Zone 5)! Japanese youth performing the life of India's foremost Advaithic scholar and sage - things could not have been more interesting. And so, on Gandhi Jayanthi, the birthday of the father of the Indian nation, a drama on Adi Shankaracharya, the father of one of India’s profoundest spiritual thoughts (non-dualism), had been arranged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By 4:00 p.m., Sai Kulwant Hall was ready to receive its Lord and the Japanese youth awaited Swami with all readiness. At five minutes to five, Swami arrived. Along the ladies side were seated the staff of the Sathya Sai General Hospital and they fervently prayed to Swami to visit them on Sunday as it was their anniversary day. Swami blessed them and seemed to agree to their request.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami completed the darshan rounds on the gents’ side and arrived on stage. He immediately spoke to the co-ordinator and asked him to begin the programme. The first part of the programme was music on traditional Japanese instruments. The shakuhachi, which is Japan's vertical bamboo flute with five finger holes, four in front and one at the back, played the lead. The other lead instrument was the koto which consists of a 6 foot long shallow resonating box (made from Paulownia wood) with a set of thirteen strings stretched over movable ivory bridges.

Swami was swaying to the music with a gentle smile playing on His lips. Everyone has imagination and music has universal appeal. So we always conjure images and sights in our minds that match the music we hear. But the sight of Swami is so apt for any kind of music! And that is because it is not the music that adds to the sight but the darshan that adds infinitely to the music!

After that, the Japanese chanted the Vedas! Starting with Ganapati Prarthana (Ganesh Invocation Mantra), they continued with Sahana vavatu... They even chanted the Narayanopanishad to perfection. In the meanwhile, Swami asked once or twice for the drama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the co-ordinator tried to cut short the programme, Swami stopped him saying, "Let them chant and sing as much as they want." And so, the chanting was followed by a few bhajans, most of them in the Japanese tongue. It was only after the singing that a member of the youth carrying a traditional Japanese fan came up to the front and introduced the drama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The half an hour long presentation then got underway. It highlighted the major episodes of Shankara's life from him assuming sanyasa after being caught in the jaws of a crocodile to his travels throughout India where he outclassed everyone in debates; from his being humbled at the hands of Lord Shiva in the guise of an untouchable to the exalted manner in which he kept up his promise to perform his mother's rites.

[To attempt an enlightening quiz on the life of Adi Shankara and His philosophy of Non-Dualism from H2H archives, please go here.]

As the drama concluded, all the youth came forward and almost pleaded with Swami, "Swami, Sankara's teachings on the Advaitha are the ultimate. Guide us along this path to see You in all!" And that statement spoke of the impact Swami has been making on mankind.While narrow-minded people stop at saying, "There is only One God", Swami goes ahead to say, "There is only one God and God is omnipresent." While the rest are content with, "There is only one religion (and it is mine!)", Swami becomes all inclusive as He declares, "There is only one religion, the religion of Love!" And thus it is that He has universal appeal for He teaches us that there are as many ways to God as there are seekers in this world! He guides each one along his/her chosen path.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami beckoned for the 'Japanese Sankaracharya' to come near. He then materialized a beautiful gold chain and put it around his neck. The actor broke down in divine joy and Swami seemed to console him. Patting him and blessing him, Swami said that He would move down the stage to grant group photos. That was also complete soon and it was a beautiful sight to see Swami amidst men and women in traditional Japanese as well as Indian clothes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami moved up the stage and asked them to sing some more bhajans. The youth gleefully pounced on the opportunity and as they sang, prasadam was distributed. At 6:15 p.m., Swami received aarthi and retired for the day.Source:heart-heart

 

 

 

 

FROM PUTTAPARTHI...AIR CHIEF MARSHAL O.P. MEHRA ! Air Chief Marshal O. P. Mehra served the Indian Air Force for 36 years and retired in 1976. He was awarded Padmavibhushan, and was also Governor of Maharashtra and Rajasthan. In his own words……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'I had the good fortune to end up in Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba's presence about 35 years ago, not because I had a desire to do so, but under very interesting circumstances. On being appointed Chairman of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), I had to shift my residence from Delhi to Bangalore. During this visit, I deemed it fit to call on the Governor of Karnataka, Shri Dharma Vira whom I had known as a dear respected elder and friend. One fine morning at the breakfast table, Shri Dharma Vira said 'chalo, Sathya Sai Baba ko mSai Baba)'. Before I could react, my wife said, 'Haan bhai sahib chalangay' (yes, dear brother, we shall accompany you). After about half an hour after return to our room from breakfast, I picked up my briefcase prior to proceeding to my office. My wife asked me 'what are you up to?' 'I am going to the office' was my response. 'How can you do

that having told bhai sahib that we shall accompany him and meet Baba?' I reminded her that she had agreed to go and that I made no such commitment. In very clear words I went on say, "I am not prepared to waste my time to visit Babas, Swamis, Saints or what other designation you call them by. They are all hoax, and I assume Sai Baba is no exception. I am told he waves his hands and produces goodies, which he bestows on the devotees/disciples. Magic! Sarkar, the noted magician, also does the same but does not pretend to be a swami or saint'. In fact I did use some un-parliamentary words, which, in retrospect, stand reprehensible. At this stage, the Governor's (Shri Dharma Vira's) ADC knocked on the door to say 'HE is in the car waiting for you'. To avoid any further unpleasantness to our dear host, much against my will, accompanied my wife to the waiting car. We were off on what turned out to be a momentous twist in my destiny.

Soon after our arrival at Baba's Ashram at Whitefield, He arrived and Shri Dharma Vira introduced me in the following words. 'Swami, this is Air Marshal Mehra'. Before he could say anything, Baba interrupted him to say 'Janto, Janto, HAL (I know, HAL)'. At this stage, much to my horror and shock, Baba said, 'Mehra tum theek bolta, work is worship. Baba log kay paas jana waste of time hai (Mehra you are quite right. Work is worship. Visiting Babas, etc. is waste of time)'. He then floored me by repeating all the uncalled for words which I had uttered during my heated argument with my wife in our room at the Raj Bhawan. I did not know where to look. This was no Sarkar type magic. It was to a non-believer, proof positive, if the same was necessary for His omnipresence. After sometime he took me for an interview. At the very outset, He asked 'what is worrying you' and he went on to say 'all you are thinking is of Delhi,

Delhi, Delhi. You will go to Delhi. At the end of the interview, He suggested that I should visit Him again after a few days. During the second meeting I came back a changed person having shed the doubting mode at the Divine Feet of Baba. How I went back to DELHI is another story!!!

SOURCE:SAI PRASHANTHI GURUKULAM

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October 4, 2009 – Divine Visit to the General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Anniversary day of the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital arrived on October 4 and hopes of a Divine visit ran high. Swami had assured them that He would visit the hospital anytime after 10:00 a.m. but needless to say, the staff was all geared up well in advance from 8:00 a.m. itself. These dedicated people are the heart of this hospital who have been a witness to many a miracle of love on a daily basis. It would be thrilling to relive these tales and for getting that joy please visit our stories on General Hospital from H2H Archives.

 

From the dental department, Swami moved through the maternity corridor where He blessed the doctors and nurses. He accepted a rose from one foreign nurse and then moved into the elevator. He arrived on the first floor and into a hall where everyone had assembled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the dental department, Swami moved through the maternity corridor where He blessed the doctors and nurses. He accepted a rose from one foreign nurse and then moved into the elevator. He arrived on the first floor and into a hall where everyone had assembled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A song struck up melody in the air filled with devotion as Swami moved into the hall collecting letters. Everyone took namaskar and Swami moved to the centre. Then, began an hour long interaction which the staff will not forget for a very long time to come. Swami began by asking, "What news?" None spoke anything but everyone asked Swami to speak. A mike was also placed before Him. Swami literally began to reel out the 'news' as He spoke about the floods that are devastating the state of Andhra Pradesh. He spoke of the rising waters of the Godavari and Krishna and said that a "mini pralayam (deluge)" had descended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami then began to ask about what they needed at the hospital - equipment, staff - whatever. After some hesitation, they said that they needed more beds. Swami asked, "How many more?" There was no answer. So Swami enquired and found out that there were 26 women doctors, 13 men doctors and 1200 patients on an average everyday. Swami said, "So many patients. They come from everywhere. Because nowhere are the doctors so good. But we need more place and all round here buildings have been built. If I build on top of the hill, how will patients come? Let us see... if necessary, we will make some space for it in the Mandir." Swami also advised them to have separate rooms for emergency and complicated cases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami then asked for the new doctors who had joined the hospital. They raised their hands and Swami spoke and interacted with some of them. He told one of them that her husband in Mumbai was not satisfied with the work in that hospital. He further stated that the joy and satisfaction 'here' is to be found nowhere else. Some of the doctors and sisters who had been working in the hospital for years got the opportunity to give Him letters and talk personally to Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They all pleaded with Swami, "Swami if you keep coming like this we all get inspiration to work harder and harder." Swami said, "You called Me and I came. If you call again, I will come. But see everyone is not there." Everyone said, "Swami all are here." Swami retorted, "That is because I am here. On other days everyone is in their own places!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thus the interactions went on. The youngest doctor gave an impressive speech in Telugu. Before him, the superintendent of the hospital also gave a short welcome address. Towards the end, all the ladies formed a beeline to His feet and offered letters and prayers to Him. Swami sat patiently accepting everything and blessing all. The whole session since Swami entered the hall had lasted more than an hour. Swami also popped in a few groundnuts into His mouth from the various offerings that were made. Then, saying that it had got late already, Swami began to move out. He was thronged on His way out by everyone and He graced all. Finally, getting into the car, He left for the Mandir.

Dear reader, how do you like this section? Does it help or inspire you in anyway? Please share your reflections with us by writing to h2h mentioning your name and country. Thank you for your time.

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Apeksha: Hope springs eternal...

By Sri Y arvind

 

 

Hope springs eternal in the human breast;Man never Is, but always To be blest:The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home,Rests and expatiates in a life to come. –

Alexander Pope,An Essay on Man, Epistle I, 1733

 

Jagdish and Suma Shetty – Nestled in Mumbai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chowpatty's Beaches

Mumbai is the city of light and glitz. This commercial capital of India has a very complicated history. It is a city built out of seven islands Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, and Matunga-Sion. The original name given by the Portuguese was ‘Bom Baia’ which means ‘Good Bay’ in Portuguese. The British later corrupted it to ‘Bombay’ and the name now is the name that the original fisher folk inhabitants of the islands, the Kolis gave – ‘Mumba’ after Mumbadevi, the Hindu deity to whom a temple is dedicated at Babulnath near Chowpatty's sandy beaches.There can be no front without a back. All the glitz and glamour of Mumbai hides the very real existence of equally real people with their joys and sorrows, pleasure and pain, successes and failures…in short it is a city like any other. In this city lived a couple Jagdish and Suma Shetty in

the Dadar area of Mumbai. Mr. Jagdish Shetty, self employed in business also ran a hotel in Mumbai. They were expecting their second child. Already the proud parents of Priyanka, their first daughter, they were looking forward to adding to their threesome after seven years.Their Lives Turn ‘Inside Out’…But fate had a terrible shock in store. Their little girl was born with a congenital anomaly called “Bladder Exstropyâ€. Bladder exstropy, more properly, the exstrophy-epispadias complex, is a rare congenital birth defect occurring once every 40,000-50,000 live births with a 2:1 male:female ratio. This defect involves the malformation of the bladder and urethra, in which the bladder is turned "inside out". The bladder does not form into its normal round shape but instead is flattened and exposed outside the body. The lower portion of the bladder, a funnel-shaped bladder neck, made up of muscles that

open and close the bladder, fails to form correctly. The urethra and genitalia are not formed completely and the Uro-genital organs appear displaced forward. Additionally, the pelvic bones are widely separated. The diagnosis involves a lot of anomalies of the lower abdominal wall, bladder, anterior bony pelvis, and external genitalia. Treatment is with surgical correction of the defect, but patients can still have long term issues with urinary tract infections and other problems.The urine drips continuously and this irritates the skin. In addition, there is no control over bladder movement. Moreover there is also likelihood of urinary infection for the child.. The fear of infection involves continuous prophylactic (preventive) antibiotic treatment. Initial surgery is carried out within 24 to 48 hours after birth, for closure of bladder by bladder neck reconstruction. The second stage surgery is done after three years or so. This is to repair the

genitalia, achieve urinary continence and urethric reimplantation.A Slim Chance They named their daughter “Apekshaâ€. One of the connotations of the name is “hopeâ€. It was all they had when beset by this vagary of fate. They visited the Holy family hospital in Mumbai and after consultation with Dr. Nishant Nanavati (pediatric surgeon) the vital initial surgery was done; and the second stage had to wait for the required three years. The doctors in Mumbai had estimated the costs at Rupees four lakhs for this surgery, with only 50% chances of success. Dr Ransley of USA, an authority on these surgeries said: “Life-long bag carriage for the patient or life-long catheter usage.†In plain English it means: the patient would have to carry a urine bag always to collect the urine since there will be no control or a urinary catheter would have to be inserted to drain the urine as and when it collects in

the bladder. Both the situations condemn the patient to a life of ignominy and social embarrassment.Despite having major hospitals like the Hinduja hospital and the Lilavati hospital, the assurances the parents received did little to assuage the fact that it would take a miracle for their little daughter to lead a normal life. But as it is often said, to be normal in itself is a miracle. And miracles as all of us know – do happen.. All of us ‘normal’ people stand testimony to that – come to think of it God is always a part of our lives whether we accept it or not and it is He who decides the when, what and how of all Destiny.The Dawn of Hope

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram

One day some of their family friends came home with the good tidings that there was a free hospital in Prasanthi Nilayam called the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS) which had a department of urology and nephrology which offered all medical care free of cost; from diagnosis to surgery. They did not know anything about the hospital but then what is destined will happen. After spending more than five lakhs in medical bills, they were overjoyed that such an institution existed that offered free medical care of such high standards.They came to Puttaparthi and approached the SSSIHMS. Apeksha was admitted and things were moving smoothly but the parents out of their sincere devotion to the Lord whom they had accepted as the head of their family, poured out their anguish into a letter and offered it to Swami. During one darshan session He accepted the letter and blessed them with the go ahead

for the surgery.Thereafter the surgery commenced expeditiously. Her congenital condition was rare, delicate and complicated and required sufficient advance preparation. So she was treated with special care so that she did not contact any infections from other patients. To make sure that all would go well, in Apeksha’s words, “I was given a royal treatment by the staff. A special single room, lots of toys and physically carried about, instead of on a stretcher!†She was definitely a special child not because of her medical condition; but because she spread sunshine wherever she was. The nurses who were taking care of her recollect her to be a very sprightly and cheerful child despite her physical discomfort. Truly it is a blessing to be able to make another smile unmindful of ones own suffering. Her innocence warmed every heart that came to know her.The Big Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The big day arrived and Apeksha, then five years old, was operated on January 14, 2003. It was not by coincidence that the day also happened to be the holy day of Makara Sankranthi, the harvest festival, and the auspicious time when the sun begins to move northward. In God’s plans there are no coincidences.The surgery was performed in the Operation Theatres of the Department of Urology, SSSIHMS, Prashantigram. Dr. K.S. Ramgopal was the chief surgeon and he operated on her for a marathon seven hours. He stopped only when he was sure that the entire procedure was complete and nothing else was left to be done. He covered every base and anticipated every complication and worked with prophylactic intent. Apeksha was wheeled out of the theatres and was under constant, intensive observation for the next twelve hours. Her vital signs stabilized and slowly, yet steadily she improved. Times passed and Apeksha lived up

to her name – hope that burns eternal in man’s heart found expression in her life. The turning point came when the doctors advised the parents that the anti-biotic drugs which she was receiving since birth were stopped a mere six months after the surgery. The pain and fever is gone, no more bed wetting, and no signs of the adverse effects of long term anti-biotic usage.Apeksha on the Ascent!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apeksha - A shining star

 

The operation was a great success. Almost two years and ten months later, Apeksha now is a normal, active child, bubbling with joy. Fair and fit as a fiddle, bright, charming and very exuberant, talking nineteen to the dozen, it is really amazing to see her recovery in such a short period of time. Academically too she is shining and her star seems only on the ascent. She stood 1st in her class IV and is now maintaining her high standards even in class VI. She wins prizes in elocutions and is the Compeer for Annual Day programs in school. Gifted with a good voice she sings well and has Sai bhajans in her house every Thursday, and the entire family participates. Her father Mr. Jagdish Shetty, mother Suma and sister Priyanka, who is also a brilliant student, all have full faith that Swami is the Divine power which they had been praying to all the while. They look forward to opportunities to pass on the great blessing of

good health that God provided to their family – Free of cost – with no strings attached.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What we receive in life is destiny how we face it is self effort. More often than not we fight circumstances in life unable to understand them. What we don’t understand, we fear! And fear leads to insecurity. Insecurity weakens the spirit and this leads to further lack of understanding. That is the reason why it is said: Don’t fight circumstance – use it as the eagle does the winds to soar or the fish to the currents in the ocean. There is a time and place for everything and it is God who decides when, how and what! The only duty of ours is, in the words of H.W Longfellow in his Psalm of life:“…Act. Act in the living present, Heart within and God overhead…â€

– Heart2Heart Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, SAPPORO

OKINAWA, CHIBA, NAGOYA, TOKYO & KYOTO AND

SAITAMA

 

SAI BHAJAN GROUPS.: OBIHIRO, , SHIZUOKA, KITAKYUSHU, MORIOKA TAMA, NARA, FUKUOKA, TOHOKU, NAGANO,HAMAMATSU , HIROSHIMA-IWAKUNI,

KAGOSHIMA, GUNMA, KANAZAWA, KAGAWA.AND

KAWASAKI.

 

Note: Some schedules are subject to change.

Please contact respective centers and groups for information.

.......................................................................................................

1. SWAMI'S MESSAGE

 

 

 

2. MUSHING ON AVATAR PROF G.V P-4

3. DASARA YAGNAM

4. SHIRDI SAI PARTHI SAI PART-4

5. CONVESATION WITH SAI PROF ANIL KUMAR PART-20

6. DRAMA BY JAPAN DEVOTEES

7. EXPERIENCE OF AIR MARSHAL O.P.MAHIRA

8. DIVINE VISIT TO GENTRAL HOSPITAL

9. APEKSHA HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

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Sai Ram

Dear Bro

Kansai Light is spiritual News letter and it has many beautiful articles

So Far Yet so near was a amazing story. We will love to share with

others.

 

Thank you and loving Sai ram

Ravender-------------------------

Dear Sai Brother Ramsai

Your magazine is wonderful , It is such perfect illustration of Swami's

love. In the coming month, i will proceed to Parthi to have darshans of Swami

the call is there.Thank you Sir for Kansai Light oct issue.

Prem.M

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Dear Sai Ram

I am deeply touched going through this magazine K.L

reading these articles.tears coming flowing and thank to Swami,s

continous guidence.

sai ram

Rama shatsri

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Please write us @rgcjp mentioning your name and country.

We will appreciate your feed back on November issue

Sai Ram

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