Om Sai Ram - Shri.Ratan Tata visit to Prasanthi Nilayam - 3rd December

[Guest guest]

It was at 11:10 in the afternoon that Sri Ratan

Tata, the chairman of Tata Sons landed at the Sri Sathya Sai Airport at

Puttaparthi. Extending a warm welcome to this special guest of honour,

arrangements

had been made to give him a quick tour to various institutions in

the Ashram - the Super Specialities Hospital, The University

Administrative Block, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, the Indoor Stadium and

the Chaitanya Jyothi Museum, explaining to him in detail of the Mission

set in

motion by Bhagawan. For the evening, the students of the University had

prepared a drama to be presented before their beloved Swami. Swami made

a last minute change of venue from the Kulwant hall to the Institute

auditorium. This came as a little jolt but quickly all arrangements and

preparations were made at the University auditorium.

 

In

the evening, Swami sent word that all the students along with Mr.Tata

be seated in the auditorium itself and He would arrive directly there.

All awaited Swami's arrival in the auditorium. Soon enough, Swami

arrived and He was welcomed in. Mr.Tata offered his respects to Swami

and as soon as Swami sat in His place He asked for the drama to begin.

This flummoxed the acting crew as some of the actors were not yet ready

in their makeup! When Swami asked once again for the drama to begin,

the predicament was informed to Him and the ever calm Swami asked for

bhajans and soon the notes of "Prem Eashwar Hai" filled the air. After

that bhajan, the lead actors came down the stage to offer a card and

flowers to Swami. Seeking His blessings, they began the drama.

 

The play starts with a young man expressing his joy

to his grandfather on being placed in a top university abroad with a

complete scholarship. Even as his grandfather congratulates him, he

adds that he has also got an offer to join a good company after education.

His grandfather expresses his disappointment with the decision and

expresses his wish that he serve Bharath. The protagonist is now in a

dilemma and wishes to see the heaven of freedom which Rabindranth

Tagore sings about in his epic poem.

 

 

Guiding him from the dilemma, the spirit of Bharath personifies into a

radiant being and tells him about the various young children of the

glorious nation who have earned good name unto her. He then narrates

instances from the lives of Swami Vivekananda, Yudhishtira, Adi

Sankaracharya and the Gopikas of Vrindavan who epitomised the great

values of Satya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema. Swami Vivekananda, had many

financial problems but everytime the Mother Kali appeared before him

and asked him what he wanted, He asked only for spiritual gifts. "How

can I ask for anything other than bhakti and faith from the Mother?" is

his answer when his guru Ramakrishna asks him why he did not seek food,

shelter and wealth! Yudhisthra was the epitome of Dharma as he chooses

the life of Nakula above his other brothers with he wish that a son of

the other mother, Madiri, also be alive! Adi Shankara, embodied the

concept of Advaitha but he too fell prey to Maya when he asked an

"outcaste" to move out of his way. The "outcaste", actually Lord Shiva

in disguise, enlightens Shankara and gets him back on track. Finally,

the simple cowherd girls at Brindavan show how the Lord can be won over

only by Love. The spirit of Bharat finally

ascertains that Educare is in essence the Love of God and the Love for

God stating:

 

Love in Thought is Truth

Love in Action is Right-Conduct

Love in Understanding is Peace

 

 

 

Swami was so moved during every episode depicted in

the drama. Though it was dark, one could see that even Mr.Tata was

moved and very inspired by the drama. As the drama concluded, Swami

moved up the stage to pose with the students. As the pictures were

taken, Swami started to speak to Mr.Tata from the stage itself. He told

him, via a student via his personal secretary, "These students are

doing PhD here. They are post graduates doing MTech, MSc and MBA." When

it became evident that Swami and Tata had much more to communicate with

eachother, Swami called him also on to the stage. A chair was placed

for Mr.Tata beside Swami and it really speaks of the wonderful life

that Mr.Ratan Tata has lead that he got blessed with such regards from

Swami. Swami began to introduce various members of the cast to him. He

was visibly impressed at the versatility of the students who were doing

various courses.

 

 

From the front lines Swami called Mr.Issac Tigrette

of the Hard Rock Cafe fame to come up. He asked him,"How many hotels?"

Mr.Tigrette replied," Swami more than 148 Hard Rock Cafes. But all that

is nothing in front of my Master! Master is everything." Swami then

said, "His daughter also wants to come here and settle down. The

problem in this country today is that the youth are spoilt. In foreign

countries even the parents are spoilt." Then, out of the blue, He made

a declaration, "Everything is polluted. My students will go everywhere

and clean up everything. That is their service to me"Swami continued to

interact with everyone on the stage. He asked one boy as t

o what his PhD wqs about and hearing that it was about prevention of

cardiac problems, said," Heart problems are all because of eating

habits, bad habits, bad thoughts and the polluted environment."

 

 

Speaking about singing, Swami said that the harmony of feelings, rhythm

and melody are most important. "Bhava, Raaga and Tala- these constitute

Bharatha. Bhava or feelings are most important. The boys here have lot

of feelings. They go to the villages and serve the poor people there."

At this Mr.tata replied, "I have seen the glow in the eyes and faces.

They have a lot of devotion for you." Swami said, "If everyone had such

devotion, the world would immediately improve." Swami then asked the

boy who acted as krishna, "Who is your wife?" He replied, "Swami in the

drama she was Satyabhama." Swami quipped, "I asked drama only!

Everything is a drama. This is also a drama." Everyone chorused, "And

you are the Divine director Swami!" Swami distributed watches to all

the participants of the drama. He gave padanamaskar and asked the boys

what they wanted. All said that they wanted Swami and Swami alone.

Swami called the warden and said, "He is our student. Now he takes care

of physics and is also the warden. Tell what your subject in PhD is..."

Warden replied, "Swami has given everything. He knows everything. We

have not done anything."

 

Swami called out for the singers and pointing to Ravi said, "This boy

has studied here from primary school. What work are you doing?" He

replied that he was a manager in the SSSIHMS. Swami said that he had

been working there for 16 years now. The other singers were also

introduced and Swami made each of them sing portions of some songs and

bhajans. It was a wonderful session on the stage. Swami confirmed

whether all the "ladies" of the drama had received the gifts. Ensuring

that all were happy, Swami moved out at 6:45pm. Mr.Tata got the

privilege of sharing Swami's car as Swami called him in. Arriving at

the mandir, Swami moved into the bhajan hall and called Mr.Tata there.

A beautiful private session ensued where Swami revealed, "He is a very

good man. He has no wife and children and so he considers everyone as

his own children. He does lot of service to society." Aarthi was taken

in the bhajan hall itself and both - the student and the elder whose

chance it was to offer rose to Swami- were more than profusely blessed

with sparshan and sambhashan with Him. Promising Mr.Tata that He would

grant him an interview the next day, Swami retired for the evening.

 

In the night, Mr.Tata viewed the videos of the projects taken up by

Swami - the water project in particular. He was very impressed and

expressd, "I would have loved to be part of the water project. This is

a project where all the benefit has reached where it is actually needed

- the poor man! I wish I was there to see Swami plan and execute the

whole project!" Mr.Tata is indeed another among the millions who say,

"I came, i saw and I was conquered (by His love)."

 

Om Sai Ram

 

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