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Source: radiosai.org
January
14th, 2006
We begin this update by wishing all of you a very Happy Sankranti. Last
evening, an announcement was made that this morning, the valedictory
function of the Annual Sports and Cultural Meet would be held at 8.30 a.m.
All of us were seated in time in the Sai Kulwant Hall. However, Swami made
His entry only at 9.50 a.m. The Porte car with Swami was led into the
Kulwant Hall with a grand procession starting with the Brass Band by the
Anantapur students, followed by the Flag March by the captains of various
sports and cultural events and then the Brass Band by the Prasanthi
Nilayam boys. The flag bearers halted at the centre of the Hall and formed
two neat rows on either side of the pathway. Swami’s car made its passage
through the pathway amidst the flags saluting Him. Taking a full round,
the car approached the interview room. At 9.55 a.m. Swami came out in His
chair. He moved straight to the ceremonial lamp and lighted the same with
a candle handed to Him by the Physical Director of the Brindavan Campus.
Accompanying him were the Physical Director of the Parthi Campus and the
PD’s of the Higher Secondary School and Primary School.
The Hall was decorated well with the giant puppets used during the Opening
and Closing Ceremony of the Parthi Campus Sports event on the 11th . Two
were kept on either side of the dais while the others were kept against
the pillars in the Kulwant Hall. Even the huge cutouts with Swami’s
photographs used on the 11th were resting against some other pillars in
the Hall.
It was 10.00 a.m. by the time Swami walked and stood holding the railings
and finally sat down on His chair and the VC began his address. The Vice
Chancellor, Sri Anil Gokak spoke very briefly focusing on two points. One,
the Annual Sports and Cultural Festival of the Institute and the second,
the Makara Sankranti festival and its significance.
He spoke about the passion that the Greeks had for sports and how the
Olympiads had ‘peace among nations’ as their true purpose. In our
Institute, he said that Human Values and Sports were interwoven. Talking
about Sankranti, he said that it was the arrival of a new spirit. It is
the Uttarayana, when the sun enters the Makara Rashi. Spring or Summer
symbolizes activity and creativity in both outlook and attitude. The old
and worn-out must be gone and all new things must be born, the speaker
said.
Again talking about the sportsman spirit, he stated that the passion for
perfection is much more important than the achievement of success. He
concluded his talk at 10.15 a.m. and prayed to Bhagawan to deliver His
Divine Discourse. Bhagawan stood up to everybody’s joy and delivered His
Divine Message.
Here are the highlights of Bhagawan’s Message:
Human life is very sacred. Whenever God descends on
earth, He takes a human form only. There is no separate God other than a
human being. The human body is made up of five elements. Atma is the
totality – formless. We must prove our human nature through our behaviour
and conduct.
Education is only for the body and the mind. It is external. Educare is
from within. It deals with the inner feelings. When inner feelings are not
pure, even vocabulary cannot be pure. Outer action is a function of the
inner feelings. Expression of educare in the outer world is true
education. Only experienced people can understand this inner principle.
All degrees such as BA, B.Sc…..are external. Those who have understood the
inner nature are very rare in this world.
There are three Gunas that drive us in life. Satva arises from within.
Rajas is passion in action. Control over these is most essential. Do not
use sports and games which stand for Rajas to communicate the higher Truth
– Paramaartha. Instead, based on Paramaartha carry out your physical
activities. Without Adharam (basis) there can be no Adheyam (based).
Ekoham Bahusyaam. The One has become many. There are so many bulbs here in
this Hall. But the current that is lighting all of them is One. Everything
comes from God only. Sugar is the same in all sweets. Bereft of Love you
are not a human at all. True Will Power is also an expression of the Atma.
Atma is the source of everything.
When God descends on earth, He behaves like an ordinary human being so
that all humans can understand Him clearly. Atma represents oneness of all
beings. Degrees are different but learning is the same. Cows are different
but the milk is same. Ornaments are different but the gold is the same. It
is God only who manifests as Man, Woman and the child.
What is true Japam? Is it holding the Japa Mala and praying to God? No.
When you forget all worldly matters – that is true Japam. What is the use
of merely closing your eyes and sitting? Be it Japam or Tapam – all of
them ultimately lead you to the Atma. Honey bees fly around everywhere and
finally settle down for the nectar in the flower. It could be a Jasmine
flower or a rose flower. Ultimately, it is interested only in the nectar!
Why did we start this College? It is to develop good virtues, character
and good conduct. Without desires you cannot achieve anything. Therefore,
consider this desire also as the Will of God. Be it a man or a woman, if
the heart is pure, he / she will be successful in any venture.
Realize the value of diamond. Diamond stands for Die Mind! Annihilation of
the mind. Mind is the basis of this whole universe. Without controlling
the mind, what is the use of all achievements? Annihilation of the mind
makes you a Paramahamsa. Do not follow the mind. It yields sweets fruits
outside but the juice inside is bitter.
Students, you may read so many books but understanding is very important.
What is the use of merely chanting the Vedas? You must make an attempt to
understand the meaning. Whether you like the Vedas or not – Vedas are
Vedas! They are very sacred.
Dear students. (At this point, Prof. Anil Kumar translated as –
Students. Swami corrected him saying DEAR Students and Prof. Anil Kumar
repeated DEAR Students!!) You know a lot related to
the material world. But you do not understand the inner feelings. Bulbs
are many but the inner current is one. We must be able to experience the
spiritual feeling even in this physical world.
Leave all your burden and responsibilities to God and discharge your
duties in this world. Then alone, you will be able to acquire true
education. Education is not just going through books. Be convinced of two
things:
1) There is Divinity
2) We must do everything, all actions, to please God.
God goes only by inner feelings and motives while the world goes by outer
expressions and behaviour. God is Bhava Priya and not Bahya Priya.
Each one must ask the question – Who am I? Not just - Who are you? A true
aspirant is one who understands this Oneness. Father, Mother all these are
based on physical relationships. Be true to your name. For example,
Ramaiah must live like Lord Rama. Many students have a desire to complete
their B.Com. and then go to USA for taking up of a job. Do not entertain
too many desires. I always tell the Ladies, wear one bangle on each hand.
If you wear too many bangles, they will clash with each other and make
sound. So have fewer desires.
Above all, have total faith in God. Students, I am not happy with your
just earning degrees. You should be pure outwardly and inwardly, both. Be
always happy. Get a good name. People should say – see this person, he is
so good, he always minds his own business, never interferes with
unnecessary matters. Never get the title of ‘Rowdy’!! Get the title ‘Good
Boy’. This can come from good work, good thoughts and good conduct. In
Telugu, guddu means egg, not that guddu!
Students, you are all Embodiments of Love. You want God but your actions
are not in line with your wish. Therefore, develop unity of thought, word
and deed. I want you all to be united. Pray to God and get a good name. It
is only then that the purpose of setting up this Institute will be
fulfilled. I am always with you. Grow in your devotion and share the same
with all. That will make Me happy!!
Today is Uttarayana. If you have good thoughts and feelings now, you will
certainly get a good name, surely you will. When I see you all, I feel so
happy! Happiness is union with God. Do not worry about your examinations.
Write what comes to your head. I will take care.
Saying so, Swami sat down on His chair and sang the Bhajan – Bhajan Bina
Sukha Shanti Nahin…
He again continued…. Though My physical body is
weak, I am attending to all My duties.
After this, Swami gave away the Award Cups to the different Campuses,
starting with the Brindavan Campus, followed by the Prasanthi Nilayam
Campus, Anantapur Campus, Higher Secondary School, Music College and
finally the Primary School. Apple Prasadam was distributed to all. The
Band team played a few pieces. Swami then got up and went walking to the
car. At 11.40 a.m. Aarti was given and Swami retired for the morning. An
announcement was made by Prof. Anil Kumar that in the evening at 6.00 p.m.
the Brindavan students of the Institute would present the play – Adi Kavi
Valmiki.
In the evening, Bhajans began at 4.50 p.m. and concluded with Aarti at
5.10 p.m. Swami came outside and sat on the dais. At 5.15 p.m. the play
commenced with Lord Rama and few other characters presenting a bouquet and
card to Swami. The same play that was enacted on the 12th in the College
Auditorium (see below) was presented in the Kulwant Hall. It was received
very well by the audience and at the end; Swami gave group photographs to
all the artistes and the sets and costumes boys. He took Aarti and retired
to Poornachandra by 6.30 p.m. Prasadam was distributed to all.
January 13th, 2006
This evening Bhagawan came out for Darshan at 4.20 p.m. Having taken a
full round, the car stopped near the interview room and the car door
glided open. The Brindavan Warden Sri Narasimhamurthy Garu and the Vice
Chancellor were summoned and were spoken to. After a while, Swami went
into the interview room and came out again at 4.35 p.m. The Primary School
drama was slotted for this evening and it was already 4.30 p.m. But the
compassionate Lord knew the requirements of the presentation. It was an
audio-video show with projections to be made on a huge screen that was set
up behind the pathway leading from Poornachandra. For this, the
surroundings needed to be dark. Therefore, Swami made Prof. Anil Kumar
announce that there would be Bhajans now and then the Primary School
children would present their play.
Bhajans began at 5.00 p.m. and went on till 5.45 p.m. when the sun had
just crossed the edge of the Ashram walls, thus providing the necessary
ambience in the Kulwant Hall. Swami then asked the programme to commence.
First, the girls of the Primary School presented a violin recital – a
large number of them producing a beautiful music. Meanwhile, Swami came
out and sat at the centre of the dais. He signaled to Dr. Goldstein and
Dr. Narendra Reddy to sit on the chairs behind Him. The VC and Sri S.V.
Giri also joined them.
Young children dressed in bright coloured costumes went forward to present
to Bhagawan a bouquet and the Programme card. At 6.05 p.m. the play titled
“Sai Prema Dhara” began. This same play was enacted earlier by the Primary
School children on the occasion of the International Children Festival
celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam in October 2005. It was the same show. A
beautiful blend of audio-video effects and actual skits by the children!
Basically, they depicted the entire life of our Swami right from the
childhood days, highlighting some of the most important and significant
events.
The uniqueness was that the video was used to depict characters before
they actually came onto the stage. For example, children dressed as Lord
Ganesha and Subramanya are shown in the video to be flying in the sky
coming towards the earth from heaven and then as the video fades away, the
same children in the same costume appear on the stage. This gave a very
realistic effect to the play. Characters like Sri Kasturi Garu and Mr.
John Hislop were depicted as anchors, who narrated various events in
Swami’s life.
The Kalpavriksha episode, Sri Subbamma Garu witnessing the Cosmos in
Swami’s mouth, the Virupaksha temple episode, and the various projects of
Bhagawan were depicted very well. The great saints like Meera, Tyagaraja,
Andal, Purandara also come onto the stage and glorify our Lord. A number
of video clippings of Swami of the earlier days were shown in the
background making the presentation very lively.
The play went on till 7.00 p.m., the best part being an interview that
Swami gives to the children, wherein, the children on the stage ask Swami
several questions and Bhagawan is shown answering those questions through
appropriate video clippings! In conclusion, all the children assembled
together in front of Swami and swayed to the song Madhura Mohana Ghana
Shyama Sundara Sai….. Swami was very very happy and materialized a chain
which He put around the neck of the boy who acted as Prof. Kasturi. After
a while, He also materialized a ring for a student who acted as one of the
Sai Baba’s in the play. There were many Sai Baba’s in the play to depict
Swami at different points of time!
The play had a great impact on the audience and all gave a loud applause.
Swami gave group photographs to all the participants. In a very orderly
fashion, the children came in small groups and sat around Swami’s chair
for photographs. Swami had some word for each group filling their hearts
with joy! By 7.30 p.m. Swami took Aarti and retired to the Poornachandra.
January 12th, 2006
This day turned out to be a very significant day for the Institute as
Swami Blessed the College Campus not once but twice in the evening to
watch two dramas – one by the Brindavan Campus students and another by the
Parthi Campus students.
The plan as per Bhagawan’s instructions in the morning was that He would
come to witness the Brindavan play first at 3.30 p.m. and later after the
evening Bhajans He would come again for the Parthi play. The College
Auditorium and the Foyer below was bustling with activity right from the
morning. Sets were being arranged and the artists were donning their
costumes. We all were seated in the Auditorium by 3.00 p.m. It was an
in-house affair with only the Brindavan and Parthi Campus Institute
students seated in the Auditorium.
At 4.10 p.m., Swami arrived at the College Campus. As His chair rolled in
and was positioned at the centre, the announcement was made and the play
began. The title was ‘Adi Kavi Valmiki’. It was an excellent presentation
that went on for an hour. The best part was the fantastic sets that gave a
real lift to the whole drama. It was an aesthetically breathtaking and
technically intricate effort to have all those contraptions and multi
sided cutouts that would turn and immediately become a new background for
another scene.
Even before the play started, Lord Rama, Lava and Kusha came down the
stage to offer a bouquet and the welcome card to Bhagawan. The first scene
was about the highway robber Ratnakara who attempts to rob the seven sages
and in turn is robbed of his own evils and gets transformed into the great
poet saint Valmiki. The stage was set into two sections at different
heights, that enabled two different scenes to be depicted parallely.
The next scene directly takes us to the Ashram of Saint Valmiki on the
banks of Tamasa. Here Valmiki gets the Darshan of Narada who reveals to
him the secret of the One who has all the 16 Kalas and is currently
present on earth in a Human Form. Later, Valmiki discovers how his Soka
(sorrow) upon seeing a bird killed by a hunter metamorphoses into a Sloka
(hymn). He then gets the vision of Lord Brahma who Blesses him to write
the poem Ramayana and offer it to humanity. At the rear end of the stage,
there was a hydraulically operated platform that was raised and lowered as
desired. For example, Lord Brahma appeared out of nowhere from below and
having said his dialogues disappeared with the lowering of the platform.
This was a very unique and creative idea!
Thus Valmiki starts composing the Ramayana in the Anushtup Chandas. Lava
and Kusha come into the scene – the ones Blessed to propagate the Ramayana
to the world. The rest of the play was the entire Ramayana Katha song that
we often hear in Bhagawan’s Presence. Ramakathanu Vinarayaa….As the song
was being sung by Lava and Kusha the relevant scenes were depicted on the
raised stage behind in quick succession. The best part was that there was
no break for change of scenes. Everything was so well organized, the
artistes coming in from one end, moving out through the other end. Some of
the characters like Shurpanaka and the deer appearing from below at the
rear end.
The best part was the beginning of Rama’s story when the sacrifice is
being performed. A Yagna Kundam is placed on the rear stage with the fire
lighted and in an instant, the cutouts at the back open up revealing a
beautiful massive sun chariot with the Sun God standing behind. The moment
the sacrifice is over, during which the Fire God appears again from below
on the hydraulic platform, giving the feeling that he is really coming out
of the fire; the cutouts close up bringing us back to the original
backdrop.
Scene after scene kept moving in font of our eyes with such precision and
accuracy of movement and coordination that it was a breathtaking
experience! The scene of Mandara poisoning Kaikeyi’s mind, the exile of
Lord Rama, the deer attracting Sita, Ravana coming and taking her away –
again the movable platform making the depiction look so realistic. The
killing of Vali, the bridge across Lanka, the slaying of Ravana and
finally the most touching event, the Agni Pareeksha of Mother Sita.
Every few minutes, two anchors would come onto the stage and narrate the
significance of the events being depicted. Finally Lord Rama accepts
Mother Sita. After this there was a brief break with the curtains closed.
Minutes later, the curtain parted to reveal a beautiful palace scene with
a lovely throne and the Pattabhishekam of Lord Rama. Lord Rama is
coronated and the citizens dance with joy. The final scene brings all the
artistes together in prayerful obeisance to Bhagawan.
No doubt, there was loud applause for the wonderful play. Bhagawan was
very pleased and even asked them to present the same drama once again in
Sai Kulwant Hall to bring joy to all the devotees. Swami spent quite some
time Blessing the artistes and talking to them. He left to the Mandir at
5.30 p.m. At the Mandir He took Aarti and retired to His abode.
Meanwhile, the Parthi drama boys were all dressed up in their costumes
anticipating Swami’s arrival. A few minutes later, an announcement was
made that the drama was postponed to another day. But would our
compassionate Lord disappoint His students who were waiting for Him ready
with all their costumes. Once again there was a message that Swami will be
coming today itself to witness the Parthi drama too. Giving enough time
for the Parthi boys to set up the stage and get ready, Swami arrived at
7.15 p.m. A rare Blessing for the College campus in its 25th year of
existence!
The Parthi drama was a display of ancient scriptural wisdom in a
contemporary setting, titled Bhakti Pravaham – a title selected by
Bhagawan Himself. The play began with an interview of two young scientists
in the studios. Mr. Mukherjee and Mr. Prajnaat. Mr. Prajnaat who is lost
in the world of science is guided and shown the true path by Mr. Mukherjee
– a scientist turned inwards. In the course of his dialogues with Mr.
Prajnaat, Mr. Mukherjee narrates instances from our scriptures to show how
Science is not the ultimate but just a prelude to the Ultimate.
Three plays were part of this drama. One was that of the Pandavas. It is a
period of their exile. All the brothers criticize Dharmaja for being
responsible for their current plight. Dharmaja unable to bear the agony
opens the leaf on which Lord Krishna had given him a message – a message
that was to be used as a Mantra in times of unbearable grief. Opening the
leaf, the brothers find on it written – This too shall pass! The message –
nothing is permanent in this world. Everything is a passing cloud. Name,
fame all come and go.
Incidentally, both the scientists lose an award which they were expecting
to win. Whereas Mr. Mukherjee is able to take it with equanimity, Mr.
Prajnaat beaks down. The next message is depicted through the story of
Tyagaraja. How he offers everything to the Lord and nothing else matters
to him. No worldly pleasures or wealth is able to take him away from
singing the glory of the Lord.
The final scene is that of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who gets lost in ecstasy
the moment he utters Lord Krishna’s name. Finally, the play culminates 10
years later, when the transformed scientist Mr. Prajnaat, realizes his
dream of winning the Nobel prize for his achievements. However, he now
offers this at the Lotus Feet of Bhagawan for he has realized that all
name and fame is a gift of God and man is truly a puppet in His hands.
Saying so, he comes down the stage and offers the award to Bhagawan seated
on His chair. Thus the play ends in a very dramatic way.
This drama too had very good sets, with many scenes being depicted at the
rear end behind a curtain. When Tyagaraja sings, Lord Vishnu reclining on
the Adishesha is seen in the background and so on.
It was 8.30 p.m. Bhagawan was very happy and said – very good drama. He
raised His Hand and Blessed all the artistes assembled on the stage.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Tyagaraja came down and bowed at His Feet. Swami
spent some time talking to them and once again Blessed all the actors. He
said that this was only a rehearsal and asked them also to make a
presentation once again on the 15th for a larger audience. There was loud
applause appreciating the fantastic drama and Swami moved out towards the
Mand
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