Thought For The Day

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Katha (Story)....

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There was a small kingdom in which strangely enough all people where quite happy and very healthy. In course of time both the ruler and ruled grew proud of this rare good fortune and claimed it to be a reward of their personal righteousness. Since all of them were healthy, there was no physician in the kingdom. One day, a physician came to its capital city and was happy to find that there was no other physician to compete with him in his profession in the whole kingdom. But whenever he entered into conversation with the people and enquired after their health, they would say: "Oh! We are brahmajnanis, no illness can touch us. We are the fortunate few chosen by God and blessed by Him with health and happiness. Why do you tarry here, better go elsewhere to earn your living". The physician however did not want to leave the city and was also hopeful that this snobbery of the people will not last long.
Once the king suddenly fell ill. The physician was summoned to the royal presence. He was pleased that God had given him an opportunity to display his talent. He treated the king with reverence and great attention. The king was slowly but steadily improving. However, he said: "Sir, I really thank you for your treatment but can you not cure me quickly? I am not used to lying down like this for days together". The physician wanted to teach the king and the people a lesson. He said: "Oh king, there is a quick cure, but I am afraid, I may not be able to get what I want for preparing the medicine". The king said: "you need not doubt the capacity either of my ministers or my people. They will be ready to procure anything you may require. They are all brahma jnanis. They will not bother about any type of strain or sacrifice on their part to get their beloved king cured. Come, tell me what you want". The physician said: "My Lord! I am glad that you are so confident". I require 1/4 pound of flesh from the body of a brahma jnani - that is all". "Oh! How simple!", exclaimed the king. The king immediately sent word to his minister and commanded him to get at once 1/4 pound of flesh of any brahma jnani in the city".
The minister returned very late in the evening, very sad and dejected. The king asked eagerly "Why so late? Come on, where is the flesh?". The minister pleaded, "Oh! King, I am sorry, I could not get what you wanted. When I made the people know of what you need, everyone said: 'Oh, I am not a brahma jnani. Do you think that brahma jnanis will be found in cities such as this?' How can we say confidently that we are all brahma jnanis?".
The king was surprised to hear this and looked at the physician pitiably. The physician said: "Oh king!, do not feel sad. This is the way of the world. One may claim to be anything but to actually live up to that high ideal is extremely difficult. You are now recovered. Nothing is wrong with you. I need no human flesh. I planned this little drama, only to let you know the truth. Pardon me".
Each person is "three in one", i.e. what he thinks of himself, what others think he is and finally, what he really is.

Once Swami Vivekananda was in a certain town to give spiritual discourses. People recognised in him a great monk and profound scholar. They listened to his discourses with rapt attention for about three days. Every day, when the discourse came to an end, some people used to gather around him to ask about certain subtle points on Sadhana, Ethics and Sastras. Students were eager to know about national regeneration and the solutions he could suggest.
There was an old man sitting in a corner observing Vivekananda with avidity but could not speak one word. He was there all the three days, waiting for a chance to be near the monk. On the third day he made bold, went to him and said: "Son! Shall I bring you something to eat? These people never gave you anything nor did they give you time to relax and think about your food. I shall run and be back with food and drink for you." Vivekananda was greatly touched by the loving words spoken by the old man. He said with a beaming smile: "Come, let us go together to your place to eat and drink." Blessed indeed was the old man for he had sympathy and consideration for a fellow human being. He was ready to render loving service to the monk. This indeed is true devotion and he is indeed a true devotee.
That particular year (1969) I had not planned to go for Baba's birthday as I was due to visit India a little later. All the same one evening, after meditation, looking at his picture, I found myself saying: 'Bhagavan, take me to Puttaparthi for Your birthday.' Two years later, I received a phone call from Chuck Wein, a young man who used to come to our Sai Baba Centre in Los Angeles. He was calling from the Warner Brothers Motion Picture Studio.

'Mataji, can you go to India tomorrow? Warner Brothers will pay your passage if you will go to ask Sai Baba's permission to make a documentary film on His life...' Somehow, I wasn't even surprised and answered very calmly, 'Tomorrow is Sunday and all the offices are closed, but I can leave on Tuesday.'

'Who is paying for my ticket?' I asked the Air India manager in Los Angeles.

'Warner Brothers,' he replied.

I arrived just in time for the celebrations which began early in the morning when Bhagavan hoisted the Prashanthi Nilayam flag on the roof of the temple. He then declared that He was Shiva-Shakti incarnated in human form, in order to lead men towards God. He exhorted people to cleanse and purify their hearts - to make Discrimination (Viveka) their flag post, unfurl the flag of Love on in and let it flutter joyfully in the wind of Grace. He also said that He is born in each of us as Love.

'Only that day, when love is born in you, can it be my Birthday.'

At eleven o'clock Swami went from the temple to the auditorium in procession. His mother, Easwaramma, started the ceremony by first garlanding the Sai, then anointing His head with a flower dipped into a cup of fragrant oil. She was followed by several others chosen by Baba from among His old devotees. The procession then moved, headed by the temple elephant Sai Gita.
The day before I was ready to return home, Bhagavan called me in to give His blessing. At parting he produced, with the familiar circling motion of His hand, a beautiful golden medallion of the Goddess Lakshmi.

'I don't want anything, Bhagavan,' I pleaded.

'This is not for you... for the protection of the house - no more fires.'

I did not know at that moment how badly we would need His protection a few months later when we were about to loose the ranch.

After returning from India, I went to the Warner Brothers Studio, but not a soul there had ever heard of Sai Baba let alone my trip to Him!

'Another leela of Baba?' wondered Dick Bock when I told him about it.

Indra Devi - Canada
 America's foremost yoga authority - taught Sai Yoga under guidance of Sri Sasthya Sai Baba. A close associate of Baba; personally witnessed many wonderful miracles of Bhagawan.
There was once a Raja, who had transferred all responsibility of ruling to his Manthri, and who was spending his time in ease. He never worried about anything, be it big or small. He had a personal companion, whom he had always by his side, more or less as a bodyguard. This fellow was very wise, for he never did anything without deep deliberation, about the how and the why and the wherefore. The Raja took all this deliberation to be just foolishness and he nicknamed the companion, "Avivekasikhamani" or "The Crest-Jewel of Fools". He went to the length of actually engraving the title on a plate of gold and compelling him to wear it on his forehead for all to see! Many people were mislead by this and they took him to be an ignoramus at court; they did not heed his words.
Meanwhile, the Raja fell ill and took to bed. The kingdom was combed for physicians who could heal the king. Messengers went to the eight corners, seeking drugs and doctors. Hundred were busy round the royal patient, but, all efforts failed; the illness worsened day by day. The Raja was at the very door of Death.
The Raja suspected that his end was near; so he hurriedly made some dispositions, spoke to all those whom he wanted to meet, and was immersed in sorrow. He had no thought of God or any other auspicious Power. He was in terrible fear of Death and could not think of anything else.
One day, he called Avivekasikhamani to his bedside and whispered feebly in his ear, "Well; I am going soon, my friend!" Then, the Fool asked without any compunction, "What? You are weak and cannot walk a few steps; I shall order a palanquin, please wait till it is ready." "No palanquin can take me there," said the Raja. "Then, I shall order a chariot," entreated the Fool. "The chariot too is of no use," replied the Raja. "Of course, then, the horse is the only means of journey," wailed the companion, who seemed eager to come to the rescue of his master, and spare him the toils of travel. The Raja said that the horse too could not enter there. The Fool was at his wit's end. Then suddenly an idea struck him, he said, "Come on master! I shall carry you there." The Raja became sad; he said, "My dear friend, one has to go alone to that place, when one's time has come. No companion can be taken." The Fool was thrown in great doubt; he asked the Raja, "It is curious, is it not? You say that the palanquin won't reach there, that the chariot can't go there, nor the horse; you say that no second person can join you! Well can't you tell me at least where that place is?" The Raja replied, "I do not know."
Immediately, the Fool unwound the Golden Plate with the engraving of the title, 'Avivekasikhamani', and tied it round the brow of the Raja, saying "Raja! You know so much about the place, even, which things cannot go there, but, you do not know where it is, and still you are going there soon. O, you deserve this title much more." The Raja was overcome with shame. "Alas," he said to himself, "I wasted my years in eating and sleeping and pursuing pleasures, never caring to inquire who I am, whence I came, what I am doing, whither I am going, and why I came. The precious time allotted to me has come very near its end. There is no time for me any more for all that inquiry. Death is knocking at the door; children have started weeping; my subjects are in great anxiety. Can I, under such conditions immerse myself in inquiry? Can a thought that I never entertained throughout my life suddenly arise now, during my last moments? It is impossible. Yes, I deserve the title, Avivekasikhamani more than anyone else, for I wasted my life in useless pursuits; without any thought of the Reality." The Raja let it be proclaimed that Inquiry is the best means of knowing the Truth, that the inquiry must be directed to separating the true from the untrue, the eternal from the temporary, that people should arrive at the conclusion that, 'God is the only true and eternal Entity' and that by their own independent investigation, his subjects must not only grasp the entity intellectually but must also attain the Grace of God, by their pure lives. Announcing this lesson to his subjects, the Raja breathed his last.
Gurupournima Day, 6 July 1963, 6:30PM. (Sathya Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Speaks III 5, 19.)
[Editor's note. This discourse was exciting for two important reasons. First, Swami illustrated his powers by curing himself, in a few seconds and before thousands of people, of a severe stroke that he had had for eight days and explaining why this event had to take place. Second, for the first time, Swami mentioned Prema Sai, his next incarnation. Swami said that he would come back in a third incarnation as Prema Sai eight years after he leaves this body.]
This is not Swami's illness; this is an illness that Swami has taken on in order to save some one. Swami has no illnesses, nor will he get ill at any time. You must all be happy; that alone will make Swami happy. If you grieve, Swami will not be happy. Your joy is Swami's food.
(Then, Baba signaled to Kasturi to speak. After his short speech was over, Baba wanted the mike to be held before him. He asked through it "Vinapisthundaa!". But, though he asked again and again, the voice was so indistinct that no could make out what it meant.
He then signed for water. When it was brought, he sprinkled a little with his shaking right hand on the stricken left hand, on his left leg. He stroked his left hand with the right. Immediately, he used both hands to stroke his left leg, and that touch was enough to cure it. He doffed the disease in a trice! He started to speak! It was the same musical voice.)
For those who have no refuge, God is the refuge (Dikku lenivaniki devude gathi). That is exactly the reason I had to take on the disease that one helpless devotee was to get. He had to suffer this dire illness, as well as the four heart attacks that accompanied it, and he would not have survived it. So, according to my duty (dharma) to protect devotees (bakthasamrakshana), I had to rescue him. Of course, this is not the first time that I have taken on the illness of persons whom I wanted to save. Even in the previous Sariram at Shirdi, I had this responsibility. The suffering that you saw was too much for this particular devotee, so I had to save him by going through it myself. This is my play (leela), my nature. It is part of the task for which I have come, sishyarakshana.
People who were near me during the last week were asking me to give them the name of the person whom I had saved. I told them that it would make them angry against that person, for Swami, they would say, "had to undergo much pain in order to save that one person." Then, they replied that they would honor the person because of the extraordinary devotion that persuaded Swami to run to his rescue that Saturday morning.
Some people even asked me whether it was this person or that, giving names of those who had attacks of paralysis, especially on the left side! This is even more ludicrous, because when I save a person I save him completely. I do not wait until he gets the disease, and I do not leave him a fraction of a disease so that he may be identified later. It all looks funny to me, the guesses and surmises that you make.
Even in Shirdi, Dada Saheb, Nadaram, Balawanth, all were saved by these means. Balawanth was destined to get plague, but the bubo was taken over and the boy saved.
This is perhaps the longest period when I kept the devotees wondering and worried. That was because of the heart attacks, which had to come later on the devotee, from which also he had to be saved. Then, there is another reason why the 8-day period had to be observed. I shall tell you why. This means I must tell you about myself, about something I haven't disclosed so far, something that I was keeping within myself for the last 37 years. The time has come to announce it. This is a sacred day, and I shall tell you.
You know I declared on the very day when I decided to disclose my Identity, my mission, and my Advent that I belonged to the Apasthamba Suthra and the Bharadwaja lineage (gothra). This Bharadwaja was a great sage, who studied the Vedas for a full one hundred years; but, finding that the Vedas were endless (anantha), he did penance (thapas) for prolonging life, and from Indra he got two extensions of a century each. Even then, the Vedas could not be completed, so he asked Indra again for another hundred years. Indra showed him 3 huge mountain ranges and said, "What, you have learned in 3 centuries form only 3 handfuls from out of the 3 ranges that make up the Vedas. So give up the attempt to exhaust the Vedas. Perform a ritual (yaga) instead, which I shall teach you; that will give you the fruit of Vedic study, full and complete."
Bharadwaja decided to perform the ritual; Indra taught him how to do it; all preparations were completed. The sage wanted Shakthi to preside over and bless the ritual. So he went to Kailasa, but the time was not opportune for presenting his petition. Shiva and Shakthi were engaged in a competitive dance, trying to find out who could dance longer. Eight days passed thus, before Shakthi noticed Bharadwaja standing in the cold. She just cast a smile at him and danced along as before! The sage mistook the smile as a cynical refusal to notice him, so he turned his back on Kailasa and started to descend. To his dismay, he found his left leg, hand, and eye put out of action by a stroke. Shiva saw him fall, came up to him, and consoled him. Bharadwaja was told that Shakthi had indeed blessed him and his ritual. Then, Shiva revived him and cured him, sprinkling water from the Kamandalu. Both Shiva and Shakthi granted him the boons of a sage (rishi); they would both attend the ritual, they said.
After the ritual was over, they were so pleased that they conferred even more boons on the sage. Shiva said that they would take human form and be born in the Bharadwaja lineage, thrice: Shiva alone as Shirdi Sai Baba, Shiva and Shakthi together at Puttaparthy as Sathya Sai Baba, and Shakthi alone as Prema Sai, later. Then, Shiva remembered the illness that had suddenly come upon Bharadwaja at Kailasa on the eighth day of waiting in the cold on the ice. He gave another assurance. "As expiation for the neglect that Shakthi showed you at Kailasa for 8 days, this Shakthi will suffer the stroke for 8 days when we both take birth as Sathya Sai and, on the eighth day, I shall relieve her from all signs of the disease by sprinkling water, just as I did at Kailasa to cure your illness."
It was the working out of this assurance that you witnessed today, just now. This had to happen, this stroke and the cure. The assurance given in the Thretha era had to be honored. I may tell you now that the poor, forlorn devotee who had to suffer the stroke that I took over was a convenient excuse, which was utilized. You see, a railway engine is not made available to haul just one car; when a number of cars are ready, then the engine is put into action. So too, the disease had to be gone through, the devotee had to be saved, the assurance had to be carried out, the mystery had to be cleared, the Divinity had to be more clearly announced by the manifestation of this Grand Miracle. All these were accomplished by this one incident.
Let me tell you one more thing: Nothing can impede or halt the work of the Avathaara. When I was upstairs all these days, some people were foolishly saying, "It is all over with Sai Baba," and they turned back many who were coming to Puttaparthy! Some said I was in samadhi, as if I were a spiritual aspirant (sadhaka)! Some feared I was the victim of black magic, as if anything can affect me! The splendor of this Avathar will go on increasing, day by day. Formerly, when the Govardhanagiri (a mountain) was raised aloft by the little boy Krishna, the cowherd maids and boys (gopees and gopalas) realized that Krishna was the Lord. Now, not one Govardhanagiri but a whole range will be lifted, you will see! Have patience, have faith. Tomorrow morning, I shall give every one of you the Namaskaram Blessing that you missed today.

Are we aware that the “Man Of Miracles” walked amongst us was…is…no ordinary a person, but the Mightiest Persona ever visited Planet Earth and blessed the entire Cosmos? Cosmos is His creation and He is The Creator, the Be All and End All of anything and everything. Students whom He often referred to as “His Property” had the most wonderful blessings, seeing and experiencing Him at the closest quarter, drinking the nectar of His Divine Love!!! Many facets of His Divinity were…are…often revealed to these blessed grateful bunch of students, who virtually become effective instruments in His hands, by disseminating ‘His Love’ into the world at large. Read on Sri Raviteja’s “The Love Of My Life” that revels and reveals many an interesting facet of Beloved Bhagawan. Sri Raviteja is an MBA from Bhagawan’s Institute and is currently serving the Bhakta Sahayak Division of Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam.
It was a bright sunny morning in Brindavan. Swami was standing on the pathway, in front of the Trayee Mandir, behind the lines of the students seated there, facing the deer park. He was talking to some of the senior devotees who were also standing close to the deer park grill. In those days, there were a lot of trees there, in a row. As Swami stood there talking, a small leaf from one of the trees slowly glided down through the wafting breeze and landed on Swami’s hair softly. Bhagawan did not seem to “notice” it and continued conversing with the senior devotees. But some of us sitting close to where Swami stood saw this and quietly nodded to each other with a smile. I, for once, thought in my mind how lucky the leaf was!
This thought was but a blip in my mind and almost immediately, as if He heard me “say” it, Swami turned back, took a few steps towards me, picked the leaf from His hair and said, “it is not the leaf, YOU are fortunate!” Saying so, He gently cast it on my lap. I was expecting a leaf to fall, but instead, a small fruit resembling a guava fell on my lap. As I sat with my mouth open in utter awe, Swami gave me a mesmerizing smile and moved on. It took some time for me to touch down to reality.
We all are very fortunate
We all are extremely fortunate to be so close to Him while the good Lord has taken Avatar. We are blessed to be able to speak to Him, touch Him, laugh and be part of His fun and sport. Sitting close to Him we can only marvel with utter adoration as He lays bare the greatest secrets of His own creation in so nonchalant a manner. But the greatest of our boons is to receive His wonderful thousand mothers’ love and grace in various forms. One life time just does not suffice for any of us to appreciate and bask in this breathtaking flow of grace of the Lord. Indeed it is the greatest privilege conferred on each one of us.
While we try our best to understand and realize the deep significance of such a wonderful blessing bestowed on us, it is but natural to revel in His leelas and mahimas (divine sport and glories) as they are verily His visiting cards, announcing at least infinitesimally, His love for us.
He is the caretaker
I always wondered how Swami takes care of people across the world and marvelled at His myriad miraculous ways of attending to and pleasing His children all the time. After we had completed MBA, some of us stayed back in Puttaparthi praying to Swami to give us a chance to live at His Lotus Feet and serve. Swami too responded favourably to our prayers and gave me and a couple of my student colleagues an opportunity to serve, albeit temporarily, in Sri Sathya Sai Gokulam (the cowshed in Prasanthi Nilayam).
We were very happy to be associated with the “divine” cows at the abode of Gopala. In fact, Swami used to address us as ‘cow boys’ too. One day, my elder brother landed in Puttaparthi for Swami’s darshan. During a conversation, he casually offered me money for my expenses. I felt a bit offended as the norm in our family was to not depend monetarily on anyone in the family once one completed his/her studies. So I vehemently rejected the offer from my brother and said “Swami is there for me and to take care of me in every way.”
This happened after morning bhajans at around 11 a.m. We used to stay in the old hostel in those days (now used for Brindavan boys as Hostel when they arrive in Puttaparthi). Even as I completed my statement, someone came rushing and said to me “Swami is calling you!” I was totally astounded because Swami had already retired for the session in the morning. In those days Swami used to stay in the Prasanthinilayam Mandir itself.
I could not really believe this but rushed to the interview room rather confused wondering what could be the matter. I walked straight into the interview room upon instructions and Swami seemed to be waiting for me there. As soon as I walked in and presented myself at His Lotus Feet, puffing and panting, Swami presented me with a couple of hundred rupee notes saying, “Keep this for your expenses.” My heart missed a beat and tears rolled down my cheeks spontaneously. I fell at His Lotus feet with my heart full of gratitude. Swami listens to what we say, no matter where we are. When we have trust in Him He takes care of us always.
‘Picture’sque Sai
Once when my brother had come from abroad for a visit to my home town, it so happened that all our family members were present in my home except me. I was studying in Puttaparthi at that point of time. My mother felt sad for my absence and went and sat in front of Swami’s picture in our home and cried out, “Swami, all are here; alas, only my son is missing”. I must add – I was totally unaware of all of these behind-the-scene developments. That very afternoon, in the mandir, Swami walked up to me and said “Your mother is crying for you; go to your hometown; stay for a couple of days and return”. Saying so, Swami gave me prasadam and asked me to leave that very evening. Obviously, everyone in my family was surprised to find me home the very next day.
Every picture of Swami represents Swami Himself and is not merely a picture. There have been many instances when we have had a problem and wanted a message or a prompt solution. That’s when life becomes picture perfect, so to say – someone totally unknown walks up to us and gifts us a pocket size calendar. On it is Swami’s beautiful smiling face and “abhaya hastha” and silently present at the bottom of such a picture is a message from our Lord. Invariably, the message is verily the solution we just needed! The answer we just were waiting for!
When we have an earnest wish or a fervent prayer and cry out to Swami sincerely, He surely is listening, waiting to grant it.
During my student days, I always tried to spend my vacation in Puttaparthi or Brindavan depending on where Swami was. But during one summer, Swami commanded me to go home and spend some time there.
Jagamele Paramathma (Lord of the Universe)
I wondered why Swami was driving me away and even felt very miserable and thought He did not like me to be around because I may have committed some mistake. Little did I know that He intended on teaching me yet another lesson by granting a very sweet experience.
One night after supper in my home, I went upstairs and lay on an old cot on the terrace. I was dearly missing Swami as it was only during the vacations that one could really get a lot of wonderful chances of being very close to Him physically, primarily due to less number of students being there. However, I just had no choice this time around as Swami personally had commanded me to go home. So, as I lay on this cot, the song that is very close to my heart came to my mind and I began singing it to myself. The song is a composition of Saint Tyagaraja going as – “Nagu momu Gana leni Naa Jaali Telisi Nanu Brovaraadaa” (Can’t you come and take care of me even after seeing my piteous condition of not being able to view and adore your beautiful smiling face). My favourite line from the song is -“Jagamele Paramaathma yevaritho Moralidudhu, Vaga choopaku Taalanu Nannelukoraa” (Oh Lord of the Universe, who else do I explain my predicament to? Please do not disown me. I cannot take it. Please take me close to you).
As I sang this rather stirring song by myself, tears welled up in my eyes and I cried out to Swami “Swami, why did you send me away?” Soon I fell asleep and I had a fantastic dream in which Swami walked up to me and gave a very beautiful smile and asked me to take Pada Namaskar and glided away slowly. There was no word exchanged and I woke up soon after with a jolt. I was pleasantly surprised with this sudden gush of grace showered on me as the dream seemed totally real. I had tears in my eyes with my heart full of gratitude. But the story does not end here.
After my vacations, I returned to Prasanthi Nilayam. In those days, Swami used to beckon to the students sitting in the front rows of the darshan gathering to step into the interview room to arrange and stack up the saris and dhotis for distribution purposes. This, of course, was a great occasion for the boys to move closely around Swami, talk to Him and even succeed in getting a ‘padanamaskar’ in the end. Hardly a few days past the vacation, Swami called me into the interview room on the pretext of giving one of these chances to me.
As I was counting and stacking up the dhotis on Swami’s instructions, Swami slowly walked up to me, took my right hand into His, looked into my eyes and gifting me a very beautiful smile similar to the one He had given me in my dream said, “Baadha enduku, Jagamele Paramathma neethone vundagaa? (Why do you worry when the Lord of the universe is with you). It took some time for me to realize what had happened and I was totally dumbfounded to say the least. Soon my joy knew no bounds and I fell at His Feet and took a “padanamaskar” in Jagrada Avastha (waking state) this time. I couldn’t help but wonder which was more real – the ‘padanamaskar’ in my dream or this one at the interview room? The truth is simple though – reality is nothing but being in the presence of Pure Love.
Grace Marks
Achilles had his heels. I had mine. Being a science graduate, I always felt very uncomfortable with the mumbo-jumbo of business accounting in my MBA. In fact, I fared very badly in one of the semesters and in the final exam too felt I hadn’t done well enough to feel confident and comfortable of coming out unscathed. Little did I know that He intended on teaching me yet another lesson by granting a very sweet experience. I was scared that a very adverse result here would imply that my days in the college were numbered. So whilst most of my class mates eagerly awaited the results to check their brilliant performances, I on the contrary, was praying for a miracle so that the announcement of results would get deferred, sine die. But when you have Swami, miracles are but commonplace. Hardly a few days past the examinations, Swami called me for an interview and in the interview room chided me for faring badly in the paper and said, “I am giving you grace marks only out of my grace. Be grateful.” Needless to say, I cleared the term paper and arrived unscathed! My gratitude remains evergreen.
Kodai Treats
Swami’s summer trips to Kodaikanal are always extremely memorable for every student who has had this wonderful blessing of accompanying Him. I have been blessed with that opportunity a few times. Everyone accompanying Swami would get to experience the proximity of the Lord in all its hues – a pure mother’s selfless love, a father’s discipline, a friend’s intimacy, a guru’s attentive affection and Divinity’s omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence. From the smallest of His acts to His seemingly casual utterances, everything arrived attached with a definite purport and purpose.
He would personally draw close to every student’s lunch plate to observe what he was eating and ensure that the student was served his most favourite dish just as a loving and caring mother would do. At another instance, He would chide a student “If you do not know how to shave without cutting yourself, how and when will you grow to the level of knowing the Para Brahman?”; this time more as a concerned father. He would expound the deepest insights from the Vedas, Upanishads, the epics namely, Mahabharata, Bhagavata, Ramayana, etc and with the same level of patience and passion, He would, on the other hand, descend to a learner’s level and explain how to do meditation step by step…. as an affectionate Sadguru.
On another occasion, He would quickly materialize the ring worn by the demon king Kamsa and as everyone reverentially admired the creation with wonderment He would quickly remark “Adore the creator, not the creation!” Ah, what lessons! We cannot help but just offer ourselves completely in total self surrender at His Lotus Feet. We can only pray to Him to grant us the intelligence and devotion to lead a life that will lead us all to merge into Him.
He is the In-dweller
Numerous incidents can be quoted to establish the fact the He is indeed the in-dweller of our hearts. Let me quote one here. Sometime back, I had to accompany my wife to the Super Speciality Hospital in Bangalore for her treatment very urgently. However, I wanted to pray to Swami for His blessings and permission to leave for Bangalore from Prasanthi Nilayam. I wrote a letter addressed to Swami and kept trying to give it to Him for three consecutive days. I was hoping that He would take the letter and then give me permission to go. But unfortunately for me, He did notice the letter but never did accept it from me. Then I left hope and dropped my plans to go because I couldn’t get His consent.
On the fourth day, after evening bhajans (this happened on the 9th of Dec. 2007), Swami beckoned me to come forward and as I approached him, He asked, “Bangalore Hospital Povaalaa? (Do you need to go to Bangalore Hospital?)”. I knelt down and replied in the affirmative. It was the exact last day for my departure to Bangalore as per my original plans!!! Then, I drew up closer to where He sat in His chair, explained my wife’s condition and sought His blessings and permission to leave. Swami was extremely loving and gave me prasadam. God tests us till the last minute. He is the all-knowing indweller of our hearts and when you are least expecting, He showers His abundant grace on us literally drenching us in it.
Many of us would sweetly recollect those good old moments when He took us close to Him. In the beginning, would be the anguish of seemingly total rejection and dodging. He would pass by us, looking around and not at us as if we did not even exist, even though we were sitting right in front of Him. One moment, He would make us feel as though “we were the world” for Him. Another moment, He would conduct Himself in a manner as though “we never existed in this world”. He would lavishly praise us in front of the many accomplished dignitaries in the portico, while at another instance He would ridicule and admonish us for no “apparent” reason known to us. At that point of time I never understood the significance of these acts, but now in the company of hindsight, I have realized that all that Swami did was only to make us tough enough to face the various challenges in our lives. To maintain an internal equilibrium by greeting these challenges with a smile on our faces and a calm in our hearts, that was the lesson. Swami never ever did encourage a caster-oil face!
Kalaatheetha
Swami is no doubt beyond time and space and He has demonstrated this many times to many people – appearing at the same time in different places and doing the impossible. Once in Brindavan, I offered a letter to Swami and He gladly accepted it with a glee in His mischievous eyes. I did not understand the humour and wondered if there was something wrong with my face! But Swami moved on without a comment and walked out of Trayee Brindavan and beyond its compound walls to grant darshan to the hundreds of devotees sitting in the SaiRam shed, while we all waited for His return. After sometime, Swami slowly walked back. This time though, He had a big bunch of letters in His hand that He had collected from the numerous devotees. He moved gracefully, straight towards me and with a stare, pulled out exactly my letter from the middle of the big bunch and tossed it back at me and glided on without uttering a single word. I was rather stunned with this move and felt remorseful as I felt He had not accepted my letter. Later, I went back to my room and opened my letter to check if I had written something wrong that had displeased Swami. But amazingly, I did not find the original contents of my letter. Instead, I found 5 hundred rupee notes and a small piece of paper on which was written in Telugu “I am happy with your offering. Accept this blessing of Mine. Stitch clothes for Ugadi festival” in Swami’s own hand! When did He open my letter and read it? When did He write this note? When did He place the money in it? He is indeed Kalaatheetha!
The Master
Bhagawan always knew exactly when to contain the exuding over-enthusiasm of the boys. At the same time, He would completely encourage us enough to be ready to face all the odds. For example, in 1990, when Swami gave us a chance to serve in Gokulam, we were so enthusiastic that we would be extremely keen on showing off all our talents acquired in our MBA. From time to time, we would go to Swami to explain the results of our sincere efforts, showing the growth in productivity levels with various charts and statistics. But Swami was always keen on the welfare of the cows and offered very valuable lessons as to how to take better care of them, about their feed and medication etc. He always infused the right amounts of enthusiasm into us for us to give our best at work place, at the same time, providing purpose and focus to our efforts.
Omkara Swaroopa
Every member of the Bhajan group will fondly recollect His days with Swami as the bhajan sessions are some of the most wonderful moments in a student’s life. Here the student would get to offer himself and his talent at the Lotus Feet of our Lord. Swami too, would personally take special interest in watching who was singing a specific bhajan, or who was playing the tabla etc, in almost every session. A number of times He would very lovingly choose to correct the singers on their pronunciation, rhythm or tune. Another time He would choose to teach a lesson or two as well. For example, once when it was time for the bhajans to start, all of us began with Omkaram with Swami’s approval. Swami was standing at the entrance of the bhajan hall at this time. All the boys sincerely shut their eyes to sing the Omkaram the customary three times. Swami slowly bent over to my ear and softly whispered the ultimate truth “Here is the very embodiment of Omkara standing in front of you and what a shame, all of you are shutting off your eyes on me and singing Omkaram!” Wow, what a revelation!
Every moment that we have enjoyed in the Lord’s presence is a breathtaking experience of learning and growth. It is a blissful experience and a great inspiration to face the challenges of life, granting us immense faith in Him. Above all, every experience bestows total love and complete devotion for Him thus drawing us closer to Him and helping us lead a purposeful life.
This is not a dream, it is real!
It was early January 1989 when all of us were seriously preparing for the sports day celebrations. At the same time, even the intra-campus sports competitions were on for the Prasanthi Nilayam campus. I was very actively participating in a lot of athletic events that included the high jump and long jump events. One of the greatest motivation factor for boys to participate in as many events as possible was that if one landed a prize – be it a silver medal or even a consolation prize- one would receive it directly from Swami’s hands. To top it, one would get an opportunity to be photographed with Him.
So, whether one qualified or not, every one tested their mettle at almost every event – sports or games!
On one particular morning, soon after the march past practice, our Physical Instructor wanted us to wrap up the final of the Long Jump event as there was no time to organize this event later. Although all of us, the participants, were not totally prepared, we had no choice but to accede to the instructor’s request.
Even though I had received many prizes earlier for this event and was considered the favourite to win this event, I too was not prepared for this sudden announcement as I had not done the routine warm up that morning. Anyway, the event began marked for the mandatory three jumps, the best of which would be compared and considered for a prize. When my turn came, I too took the first jump but as soon as I took the jump I realized that I had landed on my left foot and soon understood that, either I had broken my ankle or had stretched a ligament. I just could not get up from the landing spot and had to be lifted and carried back to the hostel as I was groaning in pain. That evening in the hostel, I lay on my bed in my room feeling bad and crying for the unfortunate state of mine.
Thoughts were swirling in my mind, ‘While others had got three shots to get their jump the longest, I had to contend with only one, thanks to the injury. Any prize was but a distant dream. I had forfeited a golden chance of getting close to Swami to collect the prize. Secondly, because of the injury, I couldn’t attend any darshans. Atleast, not for the next few days. Indeed, I was in a real mess!’ Lamenting so, I turned to my left as I continued to lie down and covered myself with a blanket as I did not want anyone to notice me crying.
Very soon, I felt a tap on my right shoulder. I thought it would be one of my roommates and lazily turned to check who it was. Take a deep breath here and guess who it was? Lo! It was the Lord, the very Embodiment Of Love standing in front of me! He sported a very beautiful grin on His face. I was completely bowled over and dazed and looked blankly at Him. With twinkling eyes, a radiant smile and with a very compassionate voice He said, “This is not a dream, it is real!” I was speechless and kept staring at Him, not really understanding what was happening. As one may know, Swami does not normally just walk-in to one of the hostel rooms without prior notice or intimation to the authoritiesand that too in the evenings when thousands of devotees are waiting for Him anxiously in the mandir.
Swami was accompanied by Sri V.K. Narasimhan (the then editor of Sanathana Sarathi). Then Swami started explaining to Sri Narasimhan as to what had happened to me. How I had fallen down and stretched my ankle. He went on to say “This fellow thought he would not get the prize and so will not have the chance to receive it from My hands but he has bagged the first prize. Moreover, He was also missing Me as he could not come for darshan and that is why I came to see him!” I pulled myself to sit in a reclining position against the wall, but was totally bewildered and just kept watching the proceedings.
Soon Swami created Vibhuthi and applied it on my forehead saying “you will be alright soon. Do not worry.” I kept gazing at Him as tears flowed down my cheeks spontaneously. My throat was choked and I could not utter a word. I was so shocked at the whole incident that I even forgot to pray for Padanamaskar and express my gratitude. But Swami, a supreme Loving Lord that He is, came close to me, lifted His robe partially just a little above His Feet and asked me to take Padanamaskar. I grabbed His Feet, cried and washed His Feet with my tears to my heart’s content.
I always wonder – Will I ever be able to re-pay Him for all the love that He has bestowed on me? Or is it too arrogant on my part to even think that I could re-pay Him? Can I ever even match His expectations in terms of leading a life that He wants me to? One thing I can say – He has shown me that He has indeed created us and that He is the Ultimate Goal that we all have to reach. He has also shown me that the only way to reach Him is through simple innocent love offered with total sincerity. What can we do, really, to please Him? I can only express my feelings with the simple prayer that we all know:
My Dearest Loving Lord!
Take my Love and let it flow in fullness of devotion to Thee;
Take my Hands and let them work incessantly for Thee;
Take my Mind and Thoughts and let them be in tune with Thee;
Take my soul and let it be merged in Thee;
And Take my everything and let me be an instrument to work for Thee;
For, Thou art the Love of My Life and I am Thine forever.

Festivals and Events

Ashadi Ekadasi

In the Hindu lunar calendar, Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the fortnight after a new moon or a full moon, and is considered auspicious for the worship of Lord Vishnu. The Ekadashi after the new moon in the Hindu month of Ashada is of special significance to the devotees of Lord Vitthal, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. Tradition has it that two of the greatest devotees of the Lord from the state of Maharashtra, Sant Jnaneshwar and Sant Tukaram had set out on a pilgrimage from their respective places to the shrine of Lord Vitthala in Pandharpur and reached the Divine Abode in fifteen days time on this auspicious day of Ashadi Ekadashi. Following the tradition set by these great souls, devotees from the entire length and breadth of Maharashtra, set out for Pandharpur (the abode of Lord Vitthala), wearing basil beads and singing His glory on a pilgrimage to reach there in the stipulated period of fifteen days on this auspicious day to have Divine Darshan. These devotees are known as Varkaris and the pilgrimage is traditionally called Dindi Yatra.
In recent times, the holy festival of ‘Ashadi Ekadashi’ has seen multitudes from the states of Maharashtra and Goa make the pilgrimage to Prasanthi Nilayam to celebrate this important festival in the Divine Presence. Devotees from the states of Maharashtra and Goa commence their Dindi Yatra from the town of Dharmavaram (about 40 kilometres from Puttaparthy) on foot and reach Prasanthi Nilayam, on the morning of Ashadi Ekadashi to have the Darshan and blessings of Bhagawan. This is usually followed by a cultural programme presented by the Bal Vikas children of Maharashtra and Goa.

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

His was the advent that was a silver lining, glittering in golden! Two decades before independence, when the country was suppressed and was clamouring for freedom from the British, in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh was born a little boy by name Sathya Narayana Raju. His birth was no less significant, but in line with the promise of the famous Gita verse, “Parithranaya Sadhuunam…”!  Sathya Narayana Raju’s birth was the fulfilment of the word of Bhagawan Sri Krishna over 5230 years ago, given to Arjuna.  His Story may sound utopian, but it is verily the True Story. He came, beyond any doubt, at the most significant of times, when the world was in disarray and needed a healing touch.
He came to be known as Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and with this began the all-conquering, incredible Sai Sojourn!  Human destiny was scribbling out its unique history, erasing the void and filling in with the vivid. Basking in His glory of selfless love, the wise recognized Him to be the personification of Divinity.
He came to walk on the earth this time neither with a bow and arrows, nor a flute and discus; neither as a powerful prince of prowess and statesmanship nor as a kingmaker, but much more than that, since, the battles to be fought and won are on the intellectual plane. Physical prowess and conventional warfare had to take a backseat this time. Their place has been taken by penetrating powerful words of wisdom and disarming Pure Love, the splendour and majesty remaining the same as a rule.  The assurance given more than five thousand years ago at the beginning of the Kali Age thus became a fulfilment on the 23rd of November 1926 when the present Avatar Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born at Puttaparthi, an insignificant, underdeveloped and remote village in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh.
He says: “Yes, I am God and so are you.  The only difference between you and I is that while I am aware of this fact, you are not.”And this is no casual remark. Indeed, inherent in this small, but extremely significant statement is the fundamental truth of humanity’s divine nature – its true reality; and revivifying the heart of every human being to this salient truth is the mission and message of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Very aptly, Baba begins His every discourse, addressing the gathering as, “Embodiments of the Divine Atma”.
All who listen to Him, experience His unconditional love, benefit from His caring counsel and witness His supernormal supremacy over mind and matter, which give a real glimpse of the glory and majesty of God, and therefore, of the infinity that each human potentially and inherently is.
Crime has overtaken compassion, anger has replaced adoration, greed has swallowed gratitude, and selfishness has drowned selflessness and sacrifice…
Like His previous avatars, this time also He chose His father and mother for His earthly career.  The choice fell on Pedda Venkama Raju of the Ratnakaram family and Mother Easwaramma, whose lives were sanctified and glorified for posterity to remember.  Motherhood  received a greater measure of respect and honour, which was probably its due.  What He could not (or did not?) do for Mother Kausalya in the Thretha yuga, He fulfilled in the Dwapara yuga, and what still remained, in Kali Yuga.  If Mother Kausalya had to suffer pain and agony at the separation of Rama while He was in exile, it was amply compensated when Mother Devaki and Father Vasudeva were emancipated from the clutches of his uncle, the devilish Kamsa.  He also gave joy and grace to Mother Yashoda by making her His foster mother.  So, the fortune of one was divided for the two as both – chosen by Him only – deserved that grace.  Yet, He was not satisfied in rewarding them.  Perhaps He chose two more this time – Mother Easwaramma as His Devaki and Mother Subbamma as His Yashoda.  How fortunate these mothers are!  Their names are inked in golden letters in human history.
The baffling experiences and the mind-boggling miracles that followed and the unlimited glory that brought even the toughest and the greatest to the fore, to kneel before Him and seek His blessings, convinced even His adamant elder brother Sheshama Raju, the Telugu Pundit of Kamalapuram School, with whom He lived for a few years, though the elder brother wished to educate Him to become a Government servant.
As a child He was not only precocious, but demonstrated exemplary divine qualities of compassion, forbearance, generosity and wisdom which distinguished Him from all children of His age in the village.  The Divine child was recognized only by the centurian grandfather Kondama Raju, who discovered much to his joy and wonder, that the Lord had only fulfilled his prayers as foretold by the celebrated Venkavadhoota (a realized soul – an anchorite of wisdom) of his family whom the former revered like a guardian angel.  The boy Sathyanarayana Raju was miraculous even as a child.  He would take out peppermints and sweets from nowhere for His classmates who looked at Him with awe, wonder and adoration.  They conferred on Him the title ‘Guru’ as His wisdom was sufficient to command respect from even His teachers.  Then came the enunciation on the 20th of October 1940, at the age of 14, that He, as the reincarnation in the form of Sai Baba, had to respond to the call of His devotees for whom He had come and was, therefore, no more the ‘Sathya’ of His family members.  This startling revelation marked the beginning of His avataric mission.  Crossing over to the garden of Shri Anjaneyulu, the next door neighbour of His elder brother, He sat on a stone block to teach those who had collected around Him and to the whole universe the first prayer:
“Manasa bhajare Gurucharanam
Dustara bhava sagara tharanam”
(Meditate in thy mind on the feet of the Guru; that can take you across the turbulent sea of samsara).  Young Baba was given a rousing welcome at Puttaparthi.  He took residence at the house of Subbamma, His ‘mother Yashoda’, who looked after Him and His ever-growing number of devotees. His mission was further amplified in a letter He wrote to His brother Sheshama Raju on 25th May 1947 in answer to the fear and anxiety the former had expressed out of fraternal love.  He said: “I have a task to foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of bliss.  I have a vow: To lead all who stray away from the straight path, again into goodness and save them.  I am attached to a work that I love: to remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they seek”.Subsequent years witnessed His multifaceted personality in action on all fronts of human activity, mainly, spiritual, educational and service.  The avatar made it clear that the objectives of His avataric mission would consist mainly of Vedaposhana (fostering of the Vedas – the repository of wisdom) and Bhaktasamrakshana (protecting and fostering of His devotees).  The former broadly included the propagation of Vedic philosophy and Indian Culture and preservation and dissemination of ancient wisdom enshrined in the scriptures.  The latter, namely, Bhaktasamrakshana, covered a wide variety of subjects offering succour, whenever and wherever they were physically or mentally in distress, medical treatment through special institutions like Super Speciality hospitals, establishment of educational institutions for the overall development of the human personality, providing pure drinking water through huge water projects, housing and monetary help to the poor and the destitute, Narayana Seva (feeding  the less privileged) and clothes distribution through students under village seva activities, overall development by adopting villages all over the country through Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations and umpteen number of activities aiming at the welfare of human society, all free and with no discrimination.
When God undertakes any activity directly, its expansion is unlimited and the beneficiaries innumerable.  The Primary School He started to fulfil the desire of Mother Easwaramma, has grown into a full-fledged university. The small hospital opened to meet the medical exigencies of the village has now become a gigantic world class hospital. The water projects, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust has undertaken for Rayalaseema Region and subsequently for Mahboob Nagar and Medak districts, and not to miss the gigantic water supply scheme for the capital city of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, is providing the most essential thing in life, pure drinking water to lakhs and lakhs  across these regions.
And with the years passing by, many more projects and many more happenings! His is a Mission with a Vision and it goes on…
He says, “My Life is My Message”. Every move of this Divine Persona on Earth is to be rightly tracked, to be imbibed by the millions and billions of lives on earth; every gesture of this Divine Phenomenon is to be rightly noticed to be engraved in the hearts of billions, every word oozing out from those Divine Lips is to be properly marked, for these words carry precious gems of Wisdom; every moment in His life is to be captured in the hearts of men for He lives a life full of His message, walking the talk, moment after moment in the most selfless style.
God is now here, radiating the love of a thousand mothers and thus preparing us to embark on the ultimate journey – the direct flight to Divinity, the journey within!!!

Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu
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