2ND MARCH 2010 DARSHAN UPDATE.. A MOST MEMORABLE DARSHAN

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Om Sairam dearest Sai Family,

It is said that God’s creation is un comprehendible, His actions are definitely a mystery to our monkey minds, His Leelas are BEST known to Him Alone.

I have no idea as how to narrate this particular darshan update of 2nd March 2010. It was a historic darshan. It was full of fun, surprise, devotion and Swami’s most famous UNCERTAINITY of this day, will be discussed and remembered for the years to come. It is like a dream. Did this really happen or was I hypnotized? If it has happened then why did this happen? For every thing SAIlence was the only answer.

To start with about 1000 plus devotees from the states of Bihar and Jharkhandare here in Parthi to celebrate the holy festival of HOLI. Yesterday (1st March), Swami had given them permission to perform and all arrangements were made. The children were dressed up with their costumes, a big banner was put up in the middle of the hall and as we all were eagerly awaiting His arrival, a word was sent at 6pm for the bhajans to start and after half hour word was sent for Arathi thus the evening darshan was cancelled The whole group was visibly sad and were wondering and asking apologies to Swami from within to forgive their short comings if any. The morning of 2nd march was also a very unique. Swami for the past 11 days has come out 8 times for morning darshans which was so sweet of Swami. This afternoon, again, the children were ready for the performance. Like yesterday, today, also children were praying for His divine darshan. Swami blessed the august gathering at 6:30 pm. It was a big relief for those children who knew that the performance is definitely going to be there now that Swami has come. The first part of the evening performance was a dance and musical programme. All the songs were HOLI (it is a festival linked with Sri Krishna,famous mostly in North India) centric. After 30 minutes of dance, the leader of the group went upto Swami to take permission for the drama to start. Swami gave the consent for the drama entitled “Sita Kalyanam†to start. As the name suggested, the drama was about how Lord Rama married Sita. The first scene shows Viswamitra, the guru of Rama and lakshmana asking his students, to accompany him to King Janaka (Sita’s father)’s kingdom to participate in Dhanur yagna. King Janaka had a Shiva bow which was impossible for even mighty men to carry but Sita, while she was still a young girl successfully raised it with one hand. When King Janaka sees this, he decides who ever raises this bow, will marry my daughter Sita. The drama now had come to the scene where Lord Rama along with Lakshmana and their Guru Viswamitra enter the court of King Janaka and raise the bow and arrow. The drama was a very simple one. There were no big attractions.

Just then our SAI RAMA who was witnessing this drama signals the boy to take Him into the interview room. The most important scene of the drama was about to commence. Here came the biggest twist in the history of Prasanthi Nilayam. Inspite of Swami’s absence on the dais, the drama continued. As every one expected, Rama successfully raises the bow and King Janaka is the most happy man and asks Sita to garland Lord Rama and in turn Lord Rama garlands Sita.

The DRAMA now concludes with all the actors standing in line thanking Swami. All the children who were part of the drama were from MITHILA, the birthplace of Mother Sita. They all prayed to Swami saying you came to Mithila in Rama Avatar, we are expecting our Sai Rama again in Mithila..Swami who had been to the interview room just then comes out to the start the DIVINE DRAMA. This part of the darshan was the most amazing part and it has never happened before. Swami calls up the head of the group and speaks to him for a minute. That gentleman goes up to the children and asks to keep the bow in the middle. In no time the bow is in the middle. The young man again goes up to Swami. Swami tells him something. All the devotees are eagerly anticipating as what is going to happen. We all thought Swami is asking to make way for a group photograph which He usually does after the performance. This time it looked bit unusual. The youngman went upto the children and asked them to be in the places as they were in the scene when Lord Rama lifted the bow.

Swami now signals Rama and Sita to stand next to each other. The young children, who were playing the role didn’t have any idea, more over it is something which they didn’t practice and with Swami right before you, you don’t know what is going on and Swami is very particular and minute in His doing and you have to be very very accurate. Swami then calls up the group leader, asks Sita to garland Rama and Rama in turn garland Sita. The same scene (which Swami missed, when He went to the interview room) was enacted. Every one clap in joy and ecstasy. None of us in Sai Kulwanth hall had any clue. Swami then signaled brother Veda Naryana and group to chant Mantras. Not sure if brother Veda Narayana performed any wedding before but today he had to play the role of head preist, as Lord SAI RAMA directed His own wedding from the TRETA YUGA. It was a treat to the eyes and the soul. Swami was having a great time by directing HIS own STORY. Poor children, did their best considering their age and experience. After the garlanding was done, Swami asked Sita and Rama to be seated on the chairs. In the drama, the chairs were put in such a way that it depicted a King’s court (like the courts we would have seen in many mythological movies). As Sita and Rama were seated all the other kings also sat in their respective chairs. Swami saw Sita seated bit far to Rama. He signaled them to sit next to each other. Now He asks all the kings to vacate their chairs. Every one sat on the floor and all the chairs were taken away (again the crowd burst in laughter).

Now only Rama and Sita were left in the middle seated in their respective chairs. I could see those little children (Rama and Sita) literally shivering and completely surprised. When thousands are watching you, with Swami right infront of you, if they were asked to sit that too on a chair what great tense moment that would be for any one. They were seated in such a position where in they were facing Swami’s residence. Swami then sent a word to face Him. The children now are completely tense, the shivering clearly visible. At one stage they lost the body consciousness and just did what they were asked to do. On the other hand every one of us were enjoying every bit of this DIVINE PLAY. Swami was making every one of us jump in joy. Now Swami asks the leader, who was an elderly gentle man to throw akshintalu (rice mixed with turmeric powder) on both of them. Luckily there were some birthday boys with their plates seated before Swami. The leader borrows a cup of turmeric rice grains from the birthday boys, goes and does the ritual. Swami then asks Rama and Sita to pour the rice on each other. It is called TALAMBRALU (in telugu).This is a ritual very commonly seen in South Indian weddings. The leader couldn’t catch Swami’s words. Meanwhile Prof.Bhaskar helps Rama and Sita to do the ritual and our thrill touched the sky. Swami then asks the leader to tie the brahma mudi (it is a knot which binds the tip of bride’s saree to that of the grooms shawl). They say it is the knot of Brahma, the creator and symbolizes, unity among the newly wed and a promise that they will stay together in happiness and sorrow. that ritual is also finished. Swami then asks Rama and Sita to go around three times. They do so. Every time a particular ritual was asked, Swami used to look at brother Veda Narayana for the significant mantras. As far as I know brother Veda has not performed any weddings, and this was first of its kind experience for him. After the grand DIVINE WEDDING, Swami signals the bhajan boys to sing Rama bhajans and as the bhajans were sung, Swami asks the boys to bring clothes from inside. Swami then asks where are the sweets?. In no time, the students come with steel containers of prasadam. Swami made sure every one got clothes, and prasadam.

Now Swami came down the dais for the group photo. It was a very special moment for children who played Rama and Sita. Swami came down and had a special photographs with them. Brother Veda naryana who was the priest till that time, was now playing the role of wedding photographer capturing those memorable moments of this divine wedding..Not sure if Swami gave anything to the lead actors.

After the group photograph, Swami signaled for the arathi. Being immersed in the DIVINE DRAMA, when I saw at the clock it was 8:30 pm. After arathi, Swami was very kind enough to bless us with His Abhaya Hasta. He raised both His hands and blessed once at the gents side and again at the ladies’ side.

We all thought, it is over now but NO.. Swami didn’t want to leave. Swami called the leader again. Asked the children in the play to line up in such a way that they leave a path in the middle. Girls were lined up by the ladies’ side and gents towards the gents’s side. A path was left open right infront of the dais. Here Rama, Sita, Viswa mitra, Janaka maharaj and Lakshman were some where in the middle of the line. Swami send a word to make them stand in the front side. Rama was in the front behind Rama was Sita, Lakshamana and so on. Swami now looked at the line and signaled some of them to move right, left. He was just making sure, they all were in order. Swami then signaled Sita to come infront and Rama to stand behind Sita. The whole crowd burst into laughter. We all thought Swami would come down the dais and pass in between them to go His physical abode. NOPE.. Swami

called the photo grapher to take a photo graph. After about 3or 4 photos were taken, the photos were shown to Swami in the camera view finder. Swami seemed convinced with the photographs. Now brother Sathya who was doing the video tries to get a shot. Swami signals him to go ahead. After the video was taken, Swami very kindly raised both His hands to bless us with one more complimentary Abhaya hasta thus ending a beautiful and memorable darshan. I had no idea infact none of the devotees in Sai Kulwanth hall had any idea as why this happened and how. Every one seemed shocked and surprised. There was a big glow in every one’s face after darshan. Was it a re- enactment of the Divine Wedding of Rama and Sita. I was bit curious to know if the child who played the role of Sita was a boy or a girl and my guess was right, it was a boy. What a great fortune it was to witness this wonderful leela of Swami. Not sure what great boon we were bestowed with. Probably we were one of those fortunate souls who witnessed the wedding of Rama and Sita or may be we were right there in the Treta Yuga but were denied to witness that historic wedding at that time that we got a more closer look at this DIVINE happening. What ever may be the cause, it was the most memorable day of my Prashanthi Dairy. A day which will be remembered and shared with the generations to come.. Swami what can I say…. Thank You.. Thank You.. Thank You..Jai Sairam.. Satish Naik.. Attachment(s)

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