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Subject: Sirkazhi Sivachidambaram’s musical concert…Tamil
New Year Celebrations...Anil Kumar's Updates...
Sirkazhi Sivachidambaram’s musical concert…
Saturday, April 14th, 2012
Painting holy Vishu with devotional hues noted Carnatic vocalist Padmasri Sirkazhi Sivachidambaram presented a musical offering this evening in Prasanthi Nilayam. Beginning with a slow-tuned invocation, Gurur
Brahma, the singer set the ball rolling with a Ganesh Stuthi followed by an array of keertans.
Teaming well with the violinist Chethalai Sathyamoorthy and accompanied by Valamkaiman Thyagarajan on Mridangam, Thiruvalur Sai Krishna on Ganjira, Chennai Ramdas on Ghatam, Chidambaram Rajendran on Mukha Sang, Mardavali Mahesh on Tambura, Sri Sivachidambaram sang for the next one hour, singing all Tamil, except for one Telugu number on Lord Venkatesha, “Sri Venkatesha…”. Some of the other numbers were, “Chittirai Sri Vishukkani..”, “Sharanam Sri Guruvayoorappa…”etc… The concluding song was to the tune of …there are many Names of God…there are many places of worship…but the One presiding deity is Sri Guruvayoorappan…Sri Sathya Sai Bhagawan… The singer concluded with a recital of Tamil version of Samastha
Lokaaha…Ulagam Vazhga… “Ulagam Vazhga…”
Earlier the programme commenced at 1700 hrs. with Rudram chanting by students. Prof. Mukundan, State President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations – Kerala introduced the speaker for the evening, Sri Jyothilal, IAS, Secretary, General Administration to Govt. of Kerala before briefing about ensuing the musical programme. In his short speech Sri Jyothilal elucidated on Bhagawan and His Divine Glory.
At the end of the session, the artist and accompanists were felicitated by senior officials from SSSSO – Kerala. Bhajans continued for sometime and Prasadam was
distributed to the entire assembly. Mangala Arathi was offered at
1900 hrs.
Joining regular devotees, hundreds of youth also have come to Prasanthi this time to celebrate the holy occasion in the Divine Presence.
II Samasta Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavantu II
sourced:
Tamil New Year Celebrations
Friday, April 13th, 2012
It was a very special Tamil New Year in Prasanthi Nilayam. Hearing and speech impaired children from Vela School, Villipurum captured all hearts with a scintillating dance performance in the Divine Presence entitled, “Dikku Leni Vaariki Devude Gathi!“. The school is adopted by Alumni of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning and the Sri Sathya Sai Seva
Organisation, Tamil Nadu.
The celebrations began early in the morning with auspicious music on the Nadaswaram. At 0800hrs, the Sundaram Bhajan group performed Veda Chanting and Bhajans in the Sai Kulwant Hall even as delicious sweets were distributed to the assembly. In the evening Professor Anil Kumar introduced the programme in English and Telugu after which the state president of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Tamil Nadu, Sri N. Ramani addressed the gathering in Tamil.
Sri Venkata Krishnan, Alumni Coordinator, then explained about the school and the alumni association with it.
Vela Special School, Villupuram was started in 1992 as a means of Seva and today caters to the needs of about 214 special children. All the teachers who teach at this school have demonstrated enormous amounts of dedication, patience and commitment to better the lives of these children. On the 26th February 2011, during the Tamil Nadu Alumni meet, Bhagawan had blessed the association of the alumni with this project and had Himself instructed to bring these children to Prasanthi Nilayam.
The first song of the program was a solo performance by Janiswari, a child who is speech and hearing impaired from birth. The song was an offering to Lord Ganesha. The songs were played only for our benefit. These children cannot hear the song or match their steps with the beats of the song. Yet, they have been taught these dance steps by their teachers using only hand sign language, eyes and facial expressions. The dance was orchestrated live by their teachers seated in front of them using this noble communication. In the second song ‘Kayyil deepam endhi vandom’, the little ones pray to Bhagawan to light up
their lives and help them overcome their challenges.
As a prelude to the third song, a patriotic number entitled ‘Vande Mataram‘, the master of ceremonies prayed to Bhagawan to bless these children to be able to lead a normal life. An interesting incident happened after that. There appeared to be a loose connection in the audio system and the song did not play correctly. Any other group of dancers who had actually danced based on the music of the recording would have got disoriented and missed a step but these children, special as they are, danced on perfectly, least affected unlike their auditorically sound neighbours. It was as if Bhagawan replied that He did not make them special so that they could wish to be normal. He made them special because they are meant to
achieve extraordinary things.
View Photos/Slideshow:
The fourth song, ‘Kannuku Oli Kodduppom‘ was written by former President of India, Bharat Ratna Prof. APJ Abdul Kalam. In this song, he extols the value of vision and the importance of eye donation to the citizens of India. This was a solo performance by Chitra, a truly gifted child. The dance programme ended in a
celebratory note with ‘Mukunda Mukunda‘.
This cultural presentation was followed by seven melodious songs in various languages by youth from Tamil Nadu indicating how all distinctions melt away and amplify harmoniously in His Divine Presence. Invoking Lord Ganesha with ‘Raja Gajanana‘, the youngsters then sang the praise of great devotees of Lord Shiva in Tamil with the song, ‘Eppadi Paadinaro‘ before linguistically travelling the length and breath of India. A highlight of the programme was an instrumental presentation to the tunes of ‘Raghuvamsa Sudha‘. As if handing over the stage to their brothers and sisters from Kerala for the Vishu Celebrations the next day, the youth fittingly concluded with a Malayalam number, ‘Valam
Kannu Sooryanum‘.
Even as the Sundaram Bhajan Group commenced Bhajans, all participants were honoured with clothes. Also special gifts with Baba’s blessings was distributed to the children from the Vela special school. With the beginning of the Tamil New Year, let us recount the Divine Discourse delivered by Bhagawan on this auspicious occasion in 2008.
sourced:
The Sunday Talk Given by Anil
Kumar
“Mahasivarathri”
February 12, 2012
OM…OM…OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of our most beloved
Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
APPRECIATION OF THE CARNATIC MUSICIANS
First of all, let me convey our grateful
thanks to Bhagavan, and express our deep appreciation to these artists of
national reputation, who presented such a wonderful Carnatic music program at
Sai Kulwant Hall yesterday evening. God bless you! I know fully well how
Bhagavan loves Carnatic music.
Venkatagiri, in the Nellore district of
Andhra Pradesh, is renowned for Carnatic music. The palace of Venkatagiri’s Raja
happened to be the residence for Bhagavan during His visits there, and He would
stay for a number of days, several times every year. Artists, vocalists, and
instrumentalists from all over Tamil Nadu were invited to Venkatagiri, where
they would entertain Swami, and make Him happy round the clock. Swami loves
Carnatic music. Yesterday they did it exceedingly well, and we all felt the
Divine presence and vibrations. May Bhagavan continue to inspire you forever and
ever!
I also request the Tamil Nadu brothers and
members of the organisation to plan more such programs, because the programs
please Swami, and we naturally receive His countless blessings. Therefore,
kindly organise more, more, and more such Carnatic music programs.
I also remember Pattammal singing in front
of Swami once. He was happy and blessed her. She said, “Swami, Thyagaraja sang
to please Ramachandra. We are doing the same to please You, Swami.”
(Applause) Therefore, it is a matter of great pleasure to have had the
program yesterday.
Tamil Nadu is known for Carnatic music,
even including the villages. We can certainly feel proud of that state. The
Indian culture, spirituality, and tradition prevails one hundred percent in that
state. We pray to Baba to shower His choicest blessings on all of you, and your
families as well. Thank you very much.
DIVINE LIFE INSURANCE
We have just one more Sunday and then it
is very close to Sivarathri. This group comprises the regular study circle
group, the Sunday group, and also the special guests from Tamil Nadu. Therefore,
I prefer to make this talk general, also focusing it on the subject of Swami’s
statement, “Come on, go on singing; you don’t need to fear. You will never face
any risk or any danger in your life because I am by your side.”
This statement applies to all music, be it
Hindustani or Carnatic, bhajans (Hindu devotional songs), solo or group
singing. (Applause) Baba assures us that we will be safe and secure when
we sing His glory, or the glory of any god, whether Rama, Krishna, Durga or any
deity. It is Divine life insurance coverage. What more do you want? So let us
maintain that.
HUMAN EFFORT IS REQUIRED
I always collect Baba’s statements and
explain their application. The secret is that I do not add anything original.
Swami has given us an ocean of knowledge, a fathomless depth of knowledge. Why
should I add my own knowledge and pollute the golden, original Sai literature?
Let us not adulterate the original scripture of Sai literature. The second
statement is, “Swami, please bless us with opportunities to come here again and
again, for many more years of Your darshan (vision of a holy
being).”
What did He say about this statement? “You
should also determine and decide to come here, and I will pull you to this
place.” The combination of human effort and the Divine will has brought all of
you here to Prashanti Nilayam. He gives an example, “A bulb illumines because of
the dynamo, but the switch has to be turned on. Similarly, you are a devotee and
My will and grace are always there. But you have to turn on the switch of your
effort, so that the grace of electricity can flow automatically.”
Secondly, someone asked, “Swami, why don’t
You do it Yourself?” All questions are answered in His Divine discourses, but
those points don’t get into our heads because we go into a samadhi-like
state, meaning sleep, while listening to His discourses (Laughter). But
if you analyse it, you will understand how cleverly Swami answers all questions.
Swami says,
Emmayya Attla Cheptha Undavu, Chusinaava
Tatta Undaadhi
Tattalo Chapathi
Kurma Pettinaru
Moothki Plate Ki Sambandam Pettali Kadha Yemi
Attla Cheptha Undavau
The chapati, the sabji, the koora, are all on your
plate
Your mouth is ready to eat.
The combination is ready
But the hand has a job to do so you can eat.
That is human effort. That is human
effort. (Applause) Who else but Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Guru
of gurus of this age, can give such an example? No one else, you can
take it from me. That is the thing.
EVERYONE BELONGS TO SATHYA SAI BABA
Some people say, “Swami, my husband is not
devoted,” or “Swami, my wife is not as much a devotee as I am.” It is as if
there is some weighing machine to measure devotion, or some thermometer to know
the temperature of the devotion.
Due to pressure from the wife, the husband
gradually becomes a devotee, and gets sunk into the organisation and into
Swami’s activity. The same lady now cries that her husband is suffering too much
from Sai Baba, “Please help him. Let him give some time for the family!”
(Laughter) So we complain about each other, and have a silly competition.
Baba said, “Whether you believe in Me or
not, whether you participate in bhajans or not, whether you sing My glory
or not, whether you have seen Me or not, all of you belong to Me.”
Only Sathya Sai Baba can say that!
(Applause) “All of you belong to Me. No one can run away from Me. No one
can escape Me. You all belong to Me.”
“Swami, all belong to You?”
He says, “Why not?”
SWAMI HEARS YOUR PRAYERS
“We all belong to You, but how do we
feel You, Swami? How do we experience you, Swami? Baba, when I am
suffering, when I am in need of You, when I have physical problems, financial
problems, social problems, and professional problems, don’t You listen to my
prayers, Swami? Are You not able to hear me? Are You on vacation or what?
(Laughter) Where are You?”
He gives a technique to feel Him. He has
given the secret here.
Brova Bharama Raghurama
Brova Bharama Bhuvanamella Nivai Nannokani
The whole universe belongs to You,
But am I an extra burden to You?
Baba says, “I will give both of My ears to
hear you. When you shout, ‘Swami, what happened to You? Are You not listening to
My prayers?’ I am there listening to you.”
“Swami, don’t You see my fate in the
family? How long can I live in a tiled house? I should have a better house. How
long should I walk? I deserve a scooter at least. How long? How long can I rot
like this. I need a promotion. I spent so much money for my daughter’s marriage;
why can’t I get some money through my son, or my income tax balance
(Laughter)? Don’t You see my position now? Don’t You understand my
condition now?”
Bhagavan says that He will have both of
His eyes focused on you. When you say, “Don’t You hear me?” both of His ears are
there. When you say, “Don’t You see me?” both His eyes are focused there.
SURRENDER TO SATHYA SAI BABA
“Swami, I surrendered to Your feet when
people made fun of me as Your believer, as Your devotee. Swami, what happened to
You?”
Swami says, “When you surrender, My feet
are there. You will notice. When you say that no one is there to help you, I
protect you and I take care of you.”
Sarva Dharma Partiyejya Man
Ekam Saranam Vraja Man Ekam Saranam Vraja
If you surrender to Me alone, I take care of you.
The Sanskrit sloka of the
Bhagavad Gita is in this style:
Ananyas Cintayanto Mam Ye Janah Paryupasate
Tesam Nityabhi Yuktanam Yoga Kshemam Vahamy Aham
I look at you, I hear you,
My feet are with you.
When you surrender to me, I take care of you.
These are all Divine assurances, which are
put in a simple way, because we are tired of the scriptural Sanskrit rendition.
The Sanskrit rendition is for quotation; it is not for implementation. What we
need is something to come to our support right now. We need an anchor, so Swami
puts it in the simplest way.
LOVE OF THE DIVINE PARENT
Then, “Swami, why don’t You call me? How
is that I am away from You, Bhagavan. I used to visit this place every month.
Gradually I started visiting You once in three months, and then once in six
months. Now, Swami, a few years have lapsed. I am not able to see You, Swami. I
had Your darshan long ago, Swami. Have You forgotten me? Shall I say that
I don’t enjoy Your grace and mercy? Should I feel that I don’t have Your
blessings, Bhagavan? Why am I not frequenting this place? Why am I losing my
faith? Why? Why do I doubt You? Why am I not as strong, as firm, in my faith?
Why is it being shaken today? What, Swami?”
To this He replies, “Do I ever deny you?
Do I ever reject you? Can I say ‘no’ to you? You are My child. No mother would
say ‘no’ to her child, however bad the child is. No father would disown his son,
however bad he is. I am the Divine parent.”
Matha Pitha Guru Dhaivamu Mari Anthayu Neeve.
The Divine father, the Divine mother,
cannot say ‘no’ to you. They will never deny you. Why do you think like that?
CORRECT YOUR MIND
“Oh, Swami, then why am I thinking like
this? Why? Tell me. Why am I thinking that You are not merciful unto me? Why am
I thinking that You are not kind enough towards me, as before? That is my
question.”
Swami comes back with an answer, “When
travelling in a speeding train, you feel the trees and mountains running by. Are
they running? Who is running? The train is running, not you. The trees are not
running, the train is running, that is all. So you, the man, are the train. The
mind is running, but I am steady, like a tree and a mountain. Your mind is
running, so you think I am running.” (Applause) What a wonderful example!
He gives another example. “When we go to
Bangalore or Chennai, we say Chennai is coming up. When we come here from
Chennai, we say Chennai is gone, Chennai left. Chennai has not come, Chennai has
not left, but you have gone. You have left, that is all. So I am where I am,
isn’t it? You come and go, so you think I am leaving you. Correct your mind, and
then you will understand that I continue to love you forever and
ever.”
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE FILLS THE MIND WITH DIVINITY
There is an urgent and emergent need today
to spread His message to all corners of the world, so the world will know that
Sai Baba is a world teacher. Sai Baba is an Avatar (Divine
incarnation), plus a world teacher. We should spread His message far and
wide, in all nooks and corners of the world. These examples are all Swami’s. I
tell you once again that nothing is Anil Kumar’s.
Agricultural areas in India have open
wells, and the water is drawn out with a pulley and a bucket. To draw water, you
drop the bucket into the well, and watch to see when the bucket is full. When it
is full, you draw up the bucket filled with the water. But what do you do? You
put the bucket into the well, and pull the bucket up without it being full. It
is your mistake. The water is there, but you don’t look into the well. Or number
two: while drawing up the water, you leave the bucket in the middle and the
water leaks out.
Bhagavan gave this beautiful example: “The
bucket is the mind. I am the water. The well is life. You allow the bucket to go
into the well of life, fill it with the water of Divinity, and pull it out,
which is self-effort, or sadhana.”
The process of getting the bucket out is
sadhana, or spiritual practice. But what do you do? You don’t do the
sadhana. You don’t notice whether the bucket is full of water or not. You
don’t wait until you are perfect in your sadhana, so it is your fault.
Water is there in the well, just as Swami’s Divinity is throughout life,
everywhere. We don’t have to search for it.
EXAMPLES AND METAPHORS
He gives another example. I tell you my
friends, in all Sanskrit literature, it is Kalidasa who is known for examples
and illustrations. Upama Kalidasasya, not upma (cooked semolina
breakfast dish), upama. Upma is in the South Indian canteen. I
mean upama. Upama means ‘similes, illustrations and examples’.
Upama alankara and utpreksha alanakara are ‘figures of speech’.
Similes, metaphor, irony, and synecdoche are all different figures of speech.
Among gurus, Sri Ramakrishna
Paramhamsa is known for upama alankara similes. Among Avatars,
Jesus Christ is known for metaphors, or upama alankara. Today, Bhagavan
Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the only one whose discourses are punctuated by full
illustrations, and are full of examples so we can understand the underlying
philosophy deeply and easily. Swami’s philosophy is so simple.
SPIRITUALITY IS LIGHT AS A ROSE
In Kodaikanal, Swami gives you the freedom
to talk to Him freely, as a friend. He does not expect you to say, “You are
Narayana. You are Parabrahma.” You don’t need to declare it. “I am Narayana. You
don’t need to give Me an identification certificate or an ID card.”
In reply to a statement that spirituality
is difficult and tough, do you know what Baba said? He said it is very easy. He
took a rose flower and said that spirituality is like that, softer than butter,
lighter than cotton, as light as the rose flower. That is spirituality.
Why do we find it difficult? Swami said,
“You prefer difficulty (Laughter). You choose toughness. You want
complications. ‘Swami, simple ra, meeru ample. Yemi chesedhi?’ You make a
mountain out of a molehill; I make the molehill out of the mountain.”
Simplification is Sathya Sai Baba,
complication is guru. Is this my observation? No. It was Howard Murphet
from Australia who said that one way to know whether he is a guru or he
is Divine is by His ability and capacity to communicate the most complicated of
things in the simplest way possible. That is the only secret. That is true with
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, very true. (Applause) He simplifies so that
we are able to understand.
SWAMI IS HURT WHEN YOU HURT OTHERS
Someone said, “Swami, I kept some
naivedyam.” Naivedyam is an offering. Just as we say prayers
before dining, people make an offering to God. A dog ate the naivedyam
the lady had offered. The next day, a cat came and took it. This lady was
very annoyed with the cats and dogs of Puttaparthi. Of course, now we should
include a third population also: monkeys, which are increasing in large numbers.
The lady said, “Swami, dogs and cats are
bothering us a lot. What shall I do?”
Do you know what Baba said? “It is not my
business to drive them out. My business is to see whom you are hurting by your
words and deeds, how you are hurting the feelings of others, and how you are
damaging the feelings of others. How are you hurting others? That I am watching.
I am not here to watch your cats and dogs, or anyone.”
What does this mean indirectly? Indirectly
it means that some of us, if not all of us and with due apology to the
exceptions, are very capable of hurting others. This is what Baba has been
managing, because He is God. You don’t need any other proof that He is managing
all of us with our negative minds.
Baba says it so nicely, “I am watching how
you are hurting people, how you are dispiriting people. They come here with
spirit, and you just demoralise them, dispirit them. That hurts me more than
your dogs and cats.” That is what He said.
SWAMI’S WILL BECOMES REALITY
In days past, people thought Baba was a
magician. Of course, even now some think like that. We can’t help them.
Dhritarashtra was born blind, and therefore not able to see. How could he be
helped? So there are some who are born stupid, and we can’t help them. We can
only pray for them, so that their good sense prevails as time passes by.
The human mind works that way. But the
Divine mind, the cosmic mind, knows all this. He understood what they were
thinking and said, “You go anywhere on the Chitravathi, all over the Chitravathi
river, desire any fruit you want, or any article, or any gift you want; when you
pick up the sand, you will find it there.” When the people went, one person
found a chain, one got a ring, another one an apple, and another a guava. They
found whatever they wanted. They came, fell at His feet, and said they were
sorry, they were mistaken. Baba said that it was His duty to see that they
doubted Him no more.
Swami also said, and let us remember this
statement: “Whatever I think, and whatever I will, will happen.” That is all.
The thought or the will is sankalpa. The fulfilment, fruition, or
manifestation of His thought into reality is siddha. If He says that you
are going to be an engineer, then you will be an engineer. Even if you want to
be a doctor, you cannot. Even if you became a doctor, you will study biological
engineering! Whatever He wills must happen, and is sure to become a reality in
due course of time.
Once He brought an apple. There were fifty
people there. He cut it into four pieces. Believe me or not, all fifty people
got one fourth of the same fruit, the same quantity! (Applause) I can
give you the addresses of those people, including their door numbers, if you
want. People asked Him how He did it; perhaps they wanted to do it too!
(Laughter) You want to try it too, because you say you are God! It is not
possible! One thousand candles equal total Divinity, but we are zero candles,
sometimes with no filament!
He said, “When I could create a whole
apple, can’t I create one fourths?” He explains it in such a simple way.
SWAMI’S ONLY JOB IS TO THINK OF HUMANITY
“All right, Bhagavan, we have been here
for some time, and we have enjoyed Your company. We have heard Your discourses.
We have had a number of darshans, but it is so sad to leave You. It is
unfortunate that we have to leave. We had tears of joy when we saw You, but now
it is tears of grief because of separation.”
Please see how Baba is so totally Divine
and totally human, so complete. One hundred percent Divinity plus one hundred
percent humanity equals Sathya Sai Baba! (Applause) Both are in perfect
combination.
Baba said this, which is so touching: “You
are luckier than Me. Why? You go home and get busy with your business and with
your families. You are busy with all your avocations and professions and you
forget Me. But where am I? I have no one else. I think of you only. I think of
you only. (Applause) I have no one else. I have no other relatives, no
other job, no profession. My only job is to take care of you. My only job is
only to think of you. I am alone. You are better off because you can forget Me,
but I cannot do that.”
Once a lady, who ran a business and had a
number of shops in Bangalore and Chennai, said she had to leave to manage her
business. Swami asked her to stay for a couple more days. She stayed, and then
again wanted to leave.
Swami said, “Can’t you stay for two days
more?”
The lady said, “Swami, what am I, after
all? Even if I go, there are so many devotees here, You can be happy with
them.”
Then Baba said, “I have so many devotees,
correct. Aa shed loki velli choodu entha gola, entha galata Okaru okarni yei
rithika potladukuntunndaru abba. Abba, abba endhuku naaku e gang Vallathote
gadapaali ayya nenu.”
Baba says, “When you people go, I have to
spend time with the local stuff, people fighting and shouting at each other. No
love, no love at all. I have to spend My time with them. So I want you to stay
here for some more time.” So says helpless Baba.
MAKE A PILGRIMAGE TO PUTTAPARTHI
Some people say that Baba is not here
anymore. Is He at your place? Is He with you? The one who is not here, and who
is with you, cannot be God. Impossible! He should be everywhere. But this is a
kshetra (holy place). I gave this example long ago. Lord
Venkateswara is everywhere, but Tirupati is Tirupati. Tirupati is
kshetravaasi. Venkateswara is kshetravaasi. He dwells there, but
at the same time His power is everywhere, like a generator that supplies current
all over.
Once Swami attended a very large function
in Bangalore, which went off very well, and Swami was happy. While moving among
the devotees, He said, “You seem to have forgotten Puttaparthi.”
Then they said, “Swami, since You are
here, how can we forget that?”
Baba said, “Come to Puttaparthi, stay
there for some time, enjoy that Divinity and enjoy those vibrations. Why do you
want to push each other and come for My darshan in a crowded place like
this? Why can’t you come?”
This statement says that this is
kshetra, that He is here and very much everywhere. At the same time,
however, this is the centre, and we should visit as many times as possible till
the end of our lives. (Applause) This is my appeal to you.
SWAMI MAKES THE EGO SURRENDER
I can also tell you another point He said
about Divine technology. We have heard of B.Tech., Bachelor of Technology. We
have heard of M.Tech., Master of Technology. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has a
degree, D.Tech., Divine Technology, but He is the only holder. That is all. No
one can get enrolled in the D.Tech. program!
Divine technology, what does it mean?
Sometimes we wonder why such an egoistic fellow is here. Why is such an arrogant
fellow here? Why is such a discourteous man here? Why is a man who is after
power here? Why don’t I find any love in him? I don’t find any smile on his
face, why? We feel like that because some people personify arrogance.
Suppose Swami says that you are in charge
of this carpet. That “in charge of the carpet” will make you feel bigger than an
IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officer. (Laughter) Carpet-in-charge!
Enna pannradh, Sir, indha madhiri? What is to be done with such types of
people? Paithyakaran madhiri pesarrappa. Anything makes us feel special,
very special.
“Swami, what is all this? Why is it
happening?”
Baba’s answers thus: “My technique is
this. I allow the fellow to be egoistic first, then more egoistic, then totally
egotistical. Then I bring him to My feet later.” When he arrives at the next
state, meaning pump the air into the balloon more and more and then thud, it
will come down. (Applause) Therefore, people with arrogance, pride, and
position are like a balloon full of ego, which may go thud at anytime.
He gives another example. When a football
is full of air, what do you do? You kick it with your feet from side to side.
When the air in the football is fully out and the ball has deflated, what
happens? The football, which was full, now becomes a chapati and you
cannot kick it. You have to lift with both your hands. Similarly, once the ego
is gone, people lift with both of their hands and do namaskar. That is
the example of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. (Applause)
ALL ARE EQUAL FOR SATHYA SAI BABA
We can spend time like this, thinking of
His beautiful messages for any number of hours, for any number of sessions. An
infinite number of days are not adequate to speak about His messages, and to
recall the Divine experiences from the life of every individual.
Let me not name the person who recently
said, “Mr. Anil Kumar, you are writing the names of so many people. Don’t write
everyone’s name; write down only the names of those people of the rank of a
district president, not other people.”
I said, “You are a hopeless fellow on
earth. All are devotees, not because they are district presidents. They are
devotees in spite of the district presidents.” A field in which there is no
cadre, a field in which there is no level, a field in which there is no colour,
gender, time, or space, a field which is common, uniform, and equal, that is
Sathya Sai Baba Divinity, understand that. (Applause) Let us not build
some ranks and files, and spoil our minds. We should not do that.
HEAD IN THE FOREST, HANDS IN SOCIETY
Therefore, what does Baba say? Arrey!
Arrey! Wonderful statement:
Dehamu Prapanchanaki Iyya Manasu Madhavuniki
The mind towards God
Manasu Madhavuniki
Your mind for Madhava, God
Deham Prapanchanaki
Body to the world
The body should be used for service to
society and the mind for meditation on Him. Previously, in English He said,
“Hands in society, head in the forest.” In this case, ‘forest’ means
renunciation, detachment, wisdom, and meditation. To quote Baba, “forest─for
rest.” That is Sathya Sai Baba.
We are not fools to run after Him, please
understand. The fools who think that we are fools are really double-fools
(Applause and Laughter). For rest is forest. The mind should be at rest
in meditation. The mind should be at rest in contemplation. The mind should be
at rest in singing His glory. The mind or head is in the forest. The ‘hands in
society’ does not mean in the anatomy theatre, to be cut into pieces and thrown
there, no, no. It means ‘service to the community’.
Manasu Madhavuniki
Mind is for Madhava, God
Dehamu Prapanchaniki Iyya
Body for the world
That is what Swami said.
SWAMI’S FRAGRANCE SPREADS EVERYWHERE
Long ago someone said, “Swami, we heard
that You are coming to Bangalore. My house is on the way, so why don’t You
come?”
Swami said, “Aha, aha! I will come, but
there are many, many people that follow Me. How will you accommodate them in
your small house?”
We think that Baba visits only the houses
of rich people. We are wrong. Even if He comes, we cannot accommodate all the
people who follow Him. They number at least thirty to forty people, or as many
as one hundred cars. It is very difficult to entertain Swami. So Swami says, “I
will come, but what about My gang? There are so many people, what shall I do?”
This clever lady said, “Swami, don’t worry
about it. I shall see to it that no one knows You are coming to our house.
(Laughter and Applause) No one will know.”
Then Baba laughed and said, “Look here,
arrey! You seem to be very innocent.” He gives an example. When you are
carrying a basket of jasmine flowers, you don’t need to say that there are
flowers. The smell is enough and people will come there. Similarly, when Swami
visits, the fragrance of Sai spreads everywhere, so you cannot hide it.
NEVER FORSAKE YOUR GURU
Long ago another incident happened. A lady
happened to follow a very famous guru, who gave her a mantra. One
day, the guru told the lady that she didn’t have to come hereafter. The
lady said, “What is it, have I done you any harm? Have I done any disservice to
you? Have I disobeyed you anytime? Please, Guru, why are you so angry
with me?”
Then the guruji told her, “I am not
angry with you. I am giving you a promotion, because you are following my
teaching, upadesha (instruction of higher awareness). I want to
tell you about a flower that is blossoming in Puttaparthi, so you should go
there.”
She came to Swami. Swami gave her an
interview and she enjoyed Swami’s presence. The lady asked Swami what
mantra she should repeat. Swami, the all-knowing, immediately said, “It
is enough if you repeat the mantra given by your previous guru.
You repeat that, it is enough.”
This is something great about Sathya Sai
Baba. He will never ask you to forsake your gurus. He will never ask you
to give up the upadesha you receive from any noble soul, or a saint. He
will never give a new prescription, a new formula, no! Hold on to the formula,
hold on to the mantra that has been taught to you, says Bhagavan Sri
Sathya Sai Baba.
ANGER STOPS THE FRUITS OF MEDITATION
Someone said, “Swami, I have not received
any upadesha from anyone. I have not started any sadhana until
now. Tell me and I will do it.”
Swami said, “Not now.” Then Swami said,
“You have family responsibilities. You have some family problems. You have some
professional problems. You lose your temper now and then because of that. Where
there is a temper, where there is anger, note this point, you will not enjoy the
fruits of meditation, the fruits of penance. First, cool down. Then I will tell
you to do something later.”
This is a lesson for all of us. Sometimes
we wonder why we do not see any results, even though we have been meditating.
Swami says, “You are not getting the results because of the temper and the anger
in you. As long as there are elements of anger and jealousy within you, you will
not get the fruits of penance and meditation.”
SIVALINGAMS RESIDE IN SWAMI’S STOMACH
Since we are coming close to Sivarathri, I
cannot help but make a reference to it. In the year 1954, the old Mandir was
built. When the foundation stone was laid by Bhagavan, and when all the workers
were digging and making preparations for the foundation, there was a worker, a
casual labourer, named Venkanna. When he was digging with a crow bar, he saw a
panavattam. I think all of us know what panavattam is. The upper
projecting part is the Sivalinga and the lower platform of the
Sivalinga is the panavattam. As he was digging, he saw many
panavattams, but only the horizontal parts.
He went to Swami and said that he had
found only panavattams, and then asked about the lingam. When you
find one slipper, you will be worried about the other slipper. The latest
technique followed by devotees (so as not to lose their slippers) is this: one
slipper in the ‘North Pole’ and the other in the ‘South Pole’. (It means
separating your slippers so they don’t disappear.) This is a management
technique. (Laughter)
Do you know what Baba said? “You found all
the panavattams, and you are asking Me about the lingams? They are
in my stomach now.”
That fellow did not understand what Baba
meant. The entire Sivalinga, with all its majestic grandeur and
resplendence, with all its radiation, is within Him. This is the emergence of
the Sivalinga, the lingodbhava.
FACE WORLDLY RESPONSIBILITIES AND THINK OF GOD
Once a lady told Swami that she was fed up
with her family. She wanted to leave them and be at the ashram. Aha!
Spirituality is not avoidance, and spirituality is not escapism. Baba said,
“Draupadi served five husbands, so can’t you serve one husband?
(Laughter) Why do you find it difficult? Krishna taught Arjuna to fight,
but also taught him to think of Him during the war.”
God’s message is to be in the world, but
not of the world. He gives a number of examples. A boat that is floating on
water is in the water, but the water is not in the boat. Similarly, someone
said, “Anil Kumar, sir, you don’t know. He is such a great man. He left his
family.” I doubted it and took the comment with a pinch of salt. He must have
left his family because the family asked him to get out, because of
irresponsibility, or because he has loans he cannot pay back!
Leaving the family is not religion.
Leaving your responsibility is not religion. It is only Sathya Sai Baba who
combines, who mixes, who joins, and who connects both the aspects, both the
sides of the coin—the world and God—indicating they are one and the same. That
is Sathya Sai Baba. (Applause)
That is why in the Sai mission we have no
sanyasis. There may be sannasis, hopeless fellows. Sannasi
is different from sanyasi. Sannasi is a ‘hopeless fellow’. So we
have no sanyasis, meaning ‘celibates’. You should equip yourself to face
the world, because you should be ready to face the world. You have all your
responsibilities and family ties, yet you should be in a position to think of
Him. That is spirituality.
There is a purpose for this incarnation,
which is very, very novel. Swami says, “Look here, Amma, you married your
husband with fire as the witness, Agnisakshi. So you should serve your
pathi, husband. At the same time, you will earn Atmapathi, the
husband of your Self, Bhagavan Himself.” Therefore, Swami says that serving your
pathi, husband, takes you to Atmapathi, the Lord of the spirit,
the Divine consciousness. “I will be pleased if your husband is pleased with
you, and I am happy if your children are happy with you.” That is what Bhagavan
has said.
YOU SHOULD WANT BABA, NOT MONEY AND FAMILY
Another point: most of us come with return
tickets. Most of my Hyderabad friends come in the morning, and want to go back
in the evening. In between, they expect Swami to give them a ring, a chain, an
interview, vibhuthi (sacred ash) and amritham (sacred nectar),
and if possible liberation also. They expect a package deal, it’s wholesale
business! (Laughter) Swami will keep the fellow waiting until he loses
the return ticket money. You cannot give an appointment to Swami; Swami should
give you the appointment.
A family says they want to leave because
of some business. Baba tells them that they are always thinking of money. When
Swami is angry, He will go to any extent. “You are money-minded, your mother is
money-minded, your grandmother is money-minded, your grandfather is
money-minded, and your clan is money-minded. The whole family is money-minded.
All of Madras is money-minded.” (Laughter)
If He is happy with you: “You are a very
good devotee, because your mother is a great devotee, and your grandmother is an
embodiment of devotion. You are from Madras, the land of culture and tradition.
Therefore, you are like that.”
Swami’s car has two gears, the forward
gear and the reverse gear. So He can also go backwards. He says that we are
constantly thinking of money, and that is why we want to go home. “When I am
here, why do you worry about money? When you stand by the side of a river, why
do you want cool drinks from elsewhere? Why do you ask someone to give you a
glass of water? You are by the side of the river. You are by the side of Sri
Mahalakshmi Bhagavan Baba. I can give you as much as you want.” Then out of
disgust, He says, “If you want money and family, get out. If you want Me and
God, stay here.”
Therefore, my friends, we are all here
because of our attachment to Swami, because of the Divine bliss that we draw
from Him, because of the comfort we have, and because of the Divine benediction
that we have enjoyed throughout.
CONSTRUCTION AND DESTRUCTION ARE GOD’S JOB
In this context, I would like to add this.
Swami is always for construction. You must have seen that some construction or
other is always going on in Puttaparthi. There is always some destruction and
construction, maybe to engage the local people and pay them!
Why does Swami do it? Someone asked,
“Swami, kattadam emiti, kottadam emiti, entie. Swami, what is all this?”
Kattadam means construction, and kottadam means demolition. Why
this construction and demolition?
Swami answered, “Kattadam, kottadam
unde. Construction and demolition are my job. Me job puttatam, gittatam,
puttatam, gittatam.” Puttatam means ‘birth’, and gittatam
means ‘death’. “Birth and death are your job; construction and destruction
are My job,” He said.
SURRENDER TO THE SPIRIT
Swami has beautifully told us a very
important point about Sivarathri. The microphone is here, I am talking and you
are able to hear me. This hearing is possible because of the combination of the
instrument (the microphone) and the power supply. Without a power supply, the
instrument is useless. So, two things are in operation.
Swami has said that the body, or the
microphone, is inert and passive matter. Baba calls it jada. In this
jada or body, is life or chaitanya, which means Divinity,
awareness, life, power supply. Therefore, I am the combination of two: one, the
body, and two, the life in it. Swami says the body is jada, while life is
chith, and together these make me functional.
This combination is called sangama.
Sangama means ‘union’. I, the individual, am here because of this
union. This anga─the body, this anga─the personality, this
anga─the hand, is
functional. Without life, it is paralysed. With this anga, we move in the
world, identify ourselves with the world, and become worldly. Total
identification with the world is jangama. Together it is sanga,
anga and janga.
The only refuge to come out of this
janga (worldliness) is to surrender to the linga.
(Applause)
Sangamuloni Angamu, Angamuloni Jangamu Tatwamu
Jangamuloni Oka Lingatatwamu Gurtinchi
Ee praapanchika Chintanu Adhigaminchi
Atma Tatwa Gurtinchutaye Shivaratri Oka Sandeshamu
That is what Baba says. (Applause)
This is the combination of Sivarathri.
Further, He says the panavattamu,
the horizontal part, is prakurthi, the world, the matter. The
linga is the spirit, or conscience, or consciousness. Therefore, the body
that is horizontal has to fall flat someday. But the spirit, the consciousness,
is urdhava, upward. Panavatta is the material, and the
linga, the spiritual, is Sivalinga, the cosmic Bhagavan.
(Applause)
SIVALINGAM IS A SIGN OF DIVINITY
Further, He says that linga means a
sign:
Leeyathe Gamyathe Ithi Lingaha
Lingam is
only a sign, like our national flag. The national flag is a piece of cloth, but
it is not the nation; it is only a sign of the nation. Am I not right? A
currency note is paper only, but it is currency. Similarly, a lingam is a
sign of Divinity, Divinity embodied in the form of a lingam.
The second meaning of the lingam is
that the whole universe emerged out of it and the whole universe is merged in
it. Emergence and merger, how? From the ocean, rivers are born, originate, and
then flow back into the ocean. The Sivalingam is the ocean from which the
rivers, which are ‘we’, flow, and then flow back into the ocean, God.
Baba says, “You are from God, in God, to
God. That is Sivalinga, Sivarathri.” Who else can explain
it like that?
Leeyathe Gamyathe Ithi Lingaha
RISE ABOVE DESIRE BY THINKING OF SIVA
If you pray to Siva, you will not have
desire. I have so many desires, and therefore I am miserable. I am miserable
because of desires. When I have no desires, I can be happy. By thinking of Siva,
who is desireless, you can be desireless. By being desireless, we can be
blissful and permanently happy. Therefore, Siva is called Kaamahaari.
Kaama is ‘desire’, and haari is ‘desirelessness’.
Then Swami explains that it is desire that
makes us take birth again. The cause for birth and rebirth is desire. A fellow
like me has many desires, including hot coffee and pickles, so I have no right
to speak about liberation. Forget about it. I am just repeating what Baba said.
It is desire that is the cause of birth and rebirth.
When you are without desire, you will not
have birth. When you are without birth, you are deathless. Where there is birth,
there is death. The lack of birth naturally leads to deathlessness,
Mrtyunjaya. You don’t have to be born again, deathless.
“Oh Kaamahaari, Siva, You have no
desires and You make me desireless. Oh, Siva, You are Mrtyunjaya. Therefore, let
me be deathless, meaning eternal and immortal.” See how well Siva naamas
have been explained by Him.
Siva is also called Digambara.
Digambara in the ordinary sense means ‘the one who is nude, or naked’. Do
you mean to say He has no suits to wear? He can’t afford Raymond suits? Why that
nudity, why? That is the meaning we know. Why should we come to Baba to know the
same meaning?
Samanyametat Pasubir Naranam
As a biological species, we have some
common features that we share with the animal world like food, sleep,
procreation, fear, et cetera. But when you think of God, you are above the
animal instincts; then you are called Pasupati, which is another name of Lord
Siva. By thinking of Him, you will rise above the animal instincts.
There are many more things to learn next
week, same day, same time. Thank you for being here. (Applause)
Om . . . Om . . . Om
Asato Maa Sadgamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotirgamaya
Mrityormaa Amrithamgamaya
Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu
Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu
Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
The Sunday Talk Given by Prof. Anil Kumar
“Where Am I in the Spiritual Journey?”
January 29, 2012
OM…OM…OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of our most beloved
Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
THE
SPIRITUAL LADDER
Welcome to this morning’s
Sunday satsang. I am so glad to have all of you here. Lest I forget, I
want to make an announcement to my friends.
Somehow a thought crossed my
mind, whether for good or bad, I do not know; only time will decide. The years
have passed by unnoticed, and the lifespan is getting shorter by each day. When I relax, I question
myself: “What is it I have gained? What is it I have gotten? Is it merely some
stories? Is it merely a couple of experiences? Where do I stand on the spiritual ladder? In the
spiritual journey, where am I?” Sometimes this feeling frustrates and depresses
me, even though people say, “Anil Kumar, you are so close to Swami . . . you have done this and you
have done that.”
Although I have authored about
twenty-five books, about five hundred DVD’s, the website
www.saiwisdom.com, and have been blessed to speak to different youth
groups all over India and abroad, I feel some lacuna, some emptiness, and
I do not know why! It has nothing to do with physical emptiness. If it were
physical, I could eat some more idlis and be
happy with it. If it were just psychological, I could read some more books, or
think some more until I turn mad! It is not psychological emptiness nor is it
intellectual emptiness either. Why? Because I can argue with people, build up
stories in support of my stand, and win an argument. I can cook up so many
things!
Therefore, I relax and think of
the bygone years, forty-two years of life with Swami, twenty years in the
organisation and twenty-two years right under His nose. As I think of my forty-
two years, I often question myself, “Where am I? In which direction is my life
going? How far am I towards the goal? What is the actual goal? What was the past
and what is the present?”
Attending bhajans,
eating prasadam which is distributed every day, telling stories,
listening to stories, and talking because there is nothing else to do, is that
all? Still I feel that something is wanting, something is demanding, something
is challenging, maybe something to face and something to realise.
SANATHANA SARATHI
I am writing a couple of
articles in Telugu for Sanathana Sarathi, explaining my journey of forty
years with God. The articles written for Sanathana Sarathi are in the
Telugu language. I know how you will react: “Why only Telugu?” I am not a
linguistic chauvinist, certainly not. I am not a linguistic leopard, and I will
never be. I can say only one thing: The articles published in Telugu in the
Sanathana Sarathi follow the journey with God for the last forty years or
so.
“Memories and Memoirs” are
being written in Telugu in the Sanathana Sarathi. So far, four articles
have been published. According to the Sanathana Sarathi standards, more
than four pages written by any one author cannot be published. Under that
limitation, I think the material I have given them is enough until August or
September. When I start writing, it won’t end. If any flash comes, I start
writing.
What is my purpose in writing
these articles? Is it publicity? I don’t think that there is any need for
publicity at this stage.
EXPERIENCES AND MIRACLES
So I thought in this way.
Number one: What are the experiences and miracles I have witnessed myself? So
far, I have been speaking of the experiences of others. About me, have I not
seen anything on my own? Am I only a tape recorder, or a DVD, or a news
reporter? I am not! My friends, God has given me many
opportunities to witness certain experiences and miracles. So I thought that
these should be recorded.
Number two: a miracle is not
just a miracle. An experience is not just an experience. An experience or
miracle, whatever you call it, has a purpose behind it, a message to be
conveyed. I should not just go on describing it, bragging, publicising it, and
make it an apology for propaganda or for bloating the ego. It’s not that, my
friends! Every experience and every miracle has a message behind it, Swami’s
message! I thought that the underlying message also has to be conveyed. That is
the second objective.
Now I go to the third
objective. People think that so-and-so is a great devotee. There are also books
published about eminent devotees, prominent devotees, and dominant devotees. I
don’t understand: a devotee is a devotee. Who is eminent, who is prominent, and
who is dominant? I wonder how you can give those titles to your own books. I
can’t say that I am an eminent devotee, nonsense! The fact that I say, “I am
eminent” actually means that I am not at all eminent! What are VIP devotees?
Horrible terminology! It is very difficult to listen to them and swallow.
I know many people, my friends,
thousands of them from across the globe. Naturally I came to know many people
over a period of forty years. Why me alone? Everyone in the village of
Puttaparthi knows them, because we see people coming and going. It’s not
anything special to Anil Kumar.
TRUE
DEVOTEES
As I see many people come and
go, please kindly believe me, I see that devotees who sit at the back are 100%
devotees—please take it from me, 100%. Why? They never say, “We didn’t we get
padanamskar!” They never say, “I did not
get a chain; I did not get a ring; I had no chance to give a letter; I had no
chance to give a flower.” The back benches are the forward ones in Kulwant Hall.
I can tell you, they are closer. I know that, my friends. I purposefully go
there (in the back) to get charged, because when I move closer and closer to the
front, I get discharged. I am telling you that this is a fact, so I go back and
talk to them.
They are silent devotees who
have nothing to ask. “Do you want an interview?”
“I cannot ask for an interview
while sitting in the hundredth row, so I have no desire for an interview.”
“Do you want to give a letter?”
“How can I? Can I jump all the
lines like Hanuman? Impossible.”
“You want to sit close to Him?”
“Impossible, I am far away.”
But still, they hold on to His
feet. That is the sign of an eminent, prominent, dominant, glaringly
conspicuous, more than apparent, great, noble, and ideal devotee. To that extent
my vocabulary permits me to speak, though I would like to say even more.
HUMBLE DEVOTEES
The second thing is this: They
have only love, love to share, eagerness to hear others, and the inquisitiveness
to learn. Therefore, my friends, they have been forgotten.
My experience is nothing for
you, whereas a governor’s experience is important. I don’t know. A governor’s
experience is important as a governor, not as a devotee. A governor and I are
the same as other devotees, don’t you think? In Sai ‘darbar’, all are the same; there they are not a governor and
not a president.
Therefore, my friends, over
forty years I have met many devotees and illiterate villagers, you may say
‘rustics’ (ru-stics), who are better than
lip-sticks (e.g. those who speak only, but don’t practice). These people
are not known, and do not care to be known either. They have no desire, nothing!
They work for an organisation, or work for the Sai movement, silently.
Two rivers flow through Andhra
Pradesh. One is the Krishna River, and the other is the Godavari. As the Krishna
River flows, you hear the sound. As the Godavari flows, we do not know that it
is flowing. Such Godavari devotion is there among those people: silent, calm,
serene, dignified, steady, spiritual, constant, integrated, meditative,
contemplative, and devotional. I wanted to mention the names of devotees who are
exemplary, who are idealistic, which is another reason I am writing “Memories
and Memoirs”.
FOUNDATION OF THE SAI MOVEMENT
In the field of politics, there
are people in the Sai organisation who say, “Sir, do you know what we are doing
in our Sai centre? Do you know what is happening in our district centre?” Please
keep quiet. Think of the foundation (the origins).
First, know your father,
grandfather, and great grandfather, and then speak about yourself. Without them,
you would have no existence at all. The heroes of previous days—by heroes I mean
the warriors hailing from villages who struggled hard for the Sai movement—had
just a hand-to-mouth income, that’s all. They sacrificed everything for the
organisation in prior decades.
Today, if you are not a Sai
devotee, the world will laugh at you. Today, if you say, “I don’t know Sai
Baba,” people will think that the planet Earth is not meant for you. Baba is
known everywhere and to everyone today. When I say, “I know Baba, I am a
devotee,” it is a status symbol, carrying dignity, respectability, honour,
credibility, accountability, simplicity, and humility. They all go in perfect
precision, once you say that you are a Sai devotee today.
DEVOTEES IN DECADES PAST
But thirty or forty years ago,
would you believe me, my friends, when I say that when devotees first started to
visit this place, many people were discouraged from coming here. When you would
get down at the first stop, at Anantapur, people would ask, “Where are you
going?”
“Puttaparthi.”
“Puttaparthi? What sort of fellow are you?
Are you mad or what? Go back.”
At Anantapur they would make
fun of you. When you came to Dharmavaram, they would say, “It’s not too late for
you to go back.”
In those days, you became the
object of mockery or criticism, and you were heckled by the public. Some
housewives visited this place without their husband’s knowledge. They would tell
their husbands that they were going to their mother’s house, because they felt
Swami was their Mother.
Those were the days when
devotees lived under the trees, not in the North 1 or North 2 buildings, with
geysers and sinks in every room, ‘sinking’ spiritually. No facilities were
built; nothing was provided. The rain god would favour them when the ashram was
full. Yes, so there was no need to wash them, that’s all. The rain god would
make them wet and the sun god would dry them.
If you wanted, you could stay
in the hotels outside. I stayed there the first time, a long time back in the
70’s, in one of the hotels owned by a saree shop owner. “You stay here,”
he said. The first time I went with the children and stayed there. It really was
a wonderful accommodation indeed! You could remove the window and keep it there,
remove the door and keep it there. Everything was replaceable or collapsible.
It was also ‘air-conditioned’,
so that hot air could not enter (no windows). You would have to search
for people inside (because it was so dark inside). All things were
collapsible. The accommodations had a bath with hot water. You would have to pay
twenty-five naya paisa, or in the old
coins, pavala (Telugu term for 25 paise). For just four anas, you would be given hot water, then you would
have to mix it with cold water, and you could take a bath anywhere.
”MEMORIES AND MEMOIRS”
Nature is the best teacher.
Those were the times! What made the devotees repeat their visits? We are no
match to them, my friends, no match, because of the kind of faith that they had
in Swami. That was the Himalayan dimension of the faith of those devotees of
yester-years.
I wanted to bring them to the
notice of the general public, the names of the devotees I know all over Andhra
Pradesh, twenty-three districts plus many of the districts from Orissa outward. I wanted to mention those names, and I
wanted to convey the type of exemplary lives they led to inspire us.
When all is said and done, the
objective of “Memories and Memoirs” is not to blow my own trumpet. Enough is
enough, and the objective is not to dance to another tune either. It is only to
narrate the experiences I have seen personally, to convey the underlying message
of Baba in every experience, and to bring to light the leaders of the
organisation and the villagers’ innocence of those years. Those devotees are
forgotten and less cared for today.
With that objective I am
writing. I do not know how long it will take, but Baba has already sent another
man to translate the Telugu articles into English. The articles are also
published in English, so you can certainly read the “Memories and Memoirs” which
will be covering these four aspects. Mr. Satish, the
video man, is translating all the articles into English, and these articles are
available on the website www.saiwisdom.com.
I repeat again, the website www.saiwisdom.com has all the articles called
“Memories and Memoirs,” where you can read this story.
SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE REQUIRED
Coming back to the point, a
like-minded set of people is required. If you speak of your personal agenda, you
may be interested in making money or in purchasing flats or plots of land
outside. If you are interested in the politics inside, then you can spread
rumours faster than wind, water, or insects. While insects carry pollen, we
carry stories so we can spread rumours.
But I am not at all interested
in rumours. If anyone says it seems that so-and-so is replaced or so-and-so is
appointed, I tell that person that both of them will be displaced tomorrow. What
is this? After all, here we are, working at some place or other, but we are not
here for work, no! We are not here for work’s sake.
We are here for the spiritual
ambience, for a spiritual atmosphere to prevail so that we can think together
and grow together. As Baba often says, the spiritual journey is togetherness,
joining together, singing together, and exchanging views together, with the
common objective of being closer and closer to Bhagavan, with no superiority or
inferiority complex.
GRATEFULNESS FOR THE SUNDAY SATSANG
Suddenly intuitively, I got a
feeling. What I say every Sunday is uploaded to the website
www.saiwisdom.com. All of the talks are on the website, and printouts are
made and compiled into books. As of today, twenty-five books have been
published, by the Divine grace of Bhagavan and with your co-operation.
Please believe me, I am grateful to my Sunday satsang group for a
lifetime! Had you not been here, I would not have prepared any subject at all.
Had you not been here, it would have not been possible to talk and exchange our
views. Had you not been here, five hundred DVD’s would not have been made as of
today. Had you not been here, the website would not have been in existence at
all. So Sunday satsang group, please believe me, I am eternally grateful
to each and every one of you, with prayers to Bhagavan to bless you and your
families forever and ever, so that our journey towards Baba will be onward and
forward for years to come.
With the same feeling, I
thought, ‘Why can’t we have another session, not merely on Sunday, but some
other extra session?’
Why? Life is coming to a close.
After all, I am not going to be here for another seventy years or more, no. Who
knows? Life need not be a comma; it might be a full-stop anytime. There are so
many things to be done, so many thoughts to share, so many things to write
about. With all I have written, I am not satisfied. Much more has to be written.
SAI
GROUP MUST BE STRONG
Sai is an ocean. From that
ocean you can collect a glass of water and say, “Aha, I have tasted the ocean.”
You are not Sage Agastya, who swallowed all the water
in the oceans, impossible!
So there is so much work still
to be done in the field of writing, and in the field of talking and sharing
views. More public talks have to be made now than ever before because Baba, in
His physical form, has been impressing everyone, has been close to everyone
externally; but now that He is not in His external appearance, we have to be
closer. We have to be more intimate. We have to be more loving, more
affectionate, more concerned, and share with each other, so that the Sai group
will be very strong, like an iron beam.
We all say that Baba represents
the unity of religions, good. Can I link Christ with
Baba? No. Can I correlate Islam with Baba? No. Can I speak of parallels within
Buddha’s teachings and Baba’s teachings? No. Can I speak of parallels within the
teachings of Zoroastra and Baba? No. Can I bring up
links between Swami and Krishna? No. Rama and Sai? No.
What do I know? I know my
dreams, my experiences, how He named my son, and how He cut the first growth of
hair on my grandchild. It is better if ‘you’ (the ego) are cut up totally, I
tell you. We are fed up with those stories.
How about the deeper
spirituality, how about the basic fundamental spiritual awareness, for which
Baba has come down on earth? All these things are undeniable. I accept that they
are true. No one can doubt that the underlying motive behind all this Sai action
is to bring about awareness amongst all of us.
What awareness? That I am God,
I am God . . . but how godly am I? You know me better. How godly are people
around? But some people are ‘deadly’, not godly!
THE
SPIRITUAL PHILOSOPHY OF BABA
We speak about human values.
What are they? How are they practised? If we ask someone for an extra spoon of
sambar, he loses his shanthi or peace.
If we change our seat in Kulwant Hall, we will taste what prema or love
is. Arey! Where are we?
I put these questions to
myself; I am not criticising anyone. Where am I in the midst of all these
contradictions, in the midst of all differences, in the midst of all thoughts
and counter-thoughts? Where am I when Swami says, “Who am I?”
I am not able to know where I
am. Therefore, to discuss the crux of spirituality, the spiritual philosophy of
Baba, which is to remain for ages to come (not your dream or individual
experiences), that is philosophy.
A devotee from Vietnam has
written this much of a book (showing the size with fingers) about Buddha, which
I donated to one of the schools here. Buddha’s life is full of miracles, the
same as Bhagavan Baba, but do we speak of them? No. We speak of Buddha’s
teachings, Christ’s love, and Prophet Mohamed’s feelings of fraternity today.
Therefore, without disturbing
the Sunday schedule, we want to start another session to highlight the basic and
fundamental teaching of the Sai philosophy of life, the Sai views of Divinity,
and the ways to explore within ourselves in order to touch the fringes of
Divinity lying within us. We can have one session every week, but I don’t want
to disturb this Sunday satsang schedule.
My participation every Sunday
will continue, except on the day when you don’t come, or on the day when they
say, “We don’t want you”, or on the day when I am away from the area. So Sunday
talks will continue. But I also want to share some more thoughts, publish some
more books, and reach out to the large number of visitors who come to our
website www.saiwisdom.com more and more. About fifty thousand or more
people visit the website regularly to gain more Sai information and Sai
knowledge.
THURSDAY MORNING SATSANG
So we want to start another
session on Thursday mornings at 10:30 am. Where? Do you know the Gopuram? Just
opposite the Gopuram is the HDFC bank. There are two lifts. One lift is in
disrepair now, but the other lift is functional. Go to the functional lift,
which will take you to the sixth floor. The penthouse is a huge hall, and can
accommodate around one hundred fifty to two hundred people. We can have our
satsangs there every Thursday at 10.30 am. Those of you who want the
actual address can get it from me at the end of this session.
That is all for this day. We
will commence Thursday sessions from this Thursday, the second of February
onwards, at 10:30 am every Thursday. The schedule will be chanting Omkar,
three bhajans, meditation, meditation exercises, followed by a brief
satsang. We will also have video showings of Swami’s cassettes. Some of
my talks and CD’s will be played also.
This way we will be more
engaged in Sai thought. After having Samadhi darshan, where will most of
the people go? What are we doing? We go straight to the canteen or the stores.
How long can we eat? How much can we buy? Until lunch time, we go for
darshan, then come back to have some snacks, but for how long . . . until
dinnertime?
As Baba jokes quite often, life
has become a process of loading and unloading, but for how long? Enough is
enough. We have spent decades like this. How long? Many new people will be
coming; a new generation will be coming. What is it they will learn from us?
If I call a newcomer and tell
him that forty years ago I came, he will say “So what, so what?” If I say Swami
has given me a ring, he will say, “He has not given me one, so what?” So you
cannot exhibit all the gifts of grace from Bhagavan Baba anymore. I cannot
simply speak about myself anymore. I didn’t do it so far nor will I do it in the
future, unless the context demands it. These are the common things we must
recognise.
All, all, all are welcome! I
pray to Bhagavan to bless our new venture, the new experiment of Thursday
exercises and spiritual satsang, to make it possible and successful.
Thank you very much. I extend this invitation to everyone.
BABA’S WILL OF STEEL
In the time left, I am happy to
find a group here from Visakhapatnam, the steel city. Would you please get up?
Welcome to all of you. Please be seated, thank you. Why did I ask them to get
up? The reason, my friends, is that there is a government-managed steel plant in
Visakhapatnam. They can correct me if I am wrong.
The steel plant was running
into losses, heavy losses, which led to a situation of closure or merger with
another steel plant, which had been doing well in another part of the country.
At that time, Baba gave them an interview and said, “It will run well.” It is
still running and making great profits today. What is Baba? Baba’s will is as
hard as the steel certified by the steel plant in Visakhapatnam. May God bless
you! We are happy to have you!
SAI
MISSION IN INDONESIA AND MALAYSIA
We are also happy to have some
friends from Zone Four of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation here
today. Zone Four includes Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei.
Yesterday, I made the remark
that it is very strange and unbelievable to find the magnitude of Sai work going
on in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, which are ruled by Muslim officials
and ministers. The government belongs to the Islamic faith. Yet in those
countries, these people are spreading the Sai message and carrying out the Sai
mission far and wide.
It is also very strange to know
that they have Garuda Airlines in Indonesia. Garuda
Airlines? (For those who don’t know, Garuda is the name of the
mythical eagle vehicle of Lord Narayana, a Hindu god.) So, they have Garuda!
Why do they have some names
such as Vijaya, Malaysia Jayaputra? Putra-Jaya: Putra and Jaya are Sanskrit words.
If you go to places like Bali in Indonesia, they have a forty foot tall statue
of Garukman, a forty foot tall Krishna, and a forty
foot tall Arjuna. In Muslim countries!
Where is Baba? Baba is there,
where there is no possibility of Baba’s name getting in. Where is Baba? Baba is
there, where there were no devotees at all, but He could make them centres of
activity today. That is Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
My friends, to my knowledge,
believe me or not, there are one hundred and eight water tanks built by the Sai
youth in Indonesia, one hundred and eight water tanks! I visited the places to
which pure drinking water is supplied. Earlier in forested areas, far from the
maddening crowds, they drank gutter water. We can’t even look at that water!
Then the residents would fall sick. Also they had to pay money for this impure
water! Even that dirty water was not freely available. Now pure drinking water
is supplied to those forested areas with the hundred and eight water tanks. That
is Sathya Sai, marvellous!
When you think of Malaysia, all
the top ministers, like President, Vice President, and Cabinet ministers, know
the Sai organisation and what its activities are. They participate in Sai
organisational activities. The maximum amount of Sai literature for youth is
published in Malaysia.
We must learn from the
Malaysian organisation their techniques of drawing and attracting youth to the
Sai organisation. How youth are inspired by brothers like Jagadeeshan! How can Jagadeeshan
attract youngsters into the Sai-fold? He is not an ordinary man. To me he looks
like a spiritual radical, a spiritual fanatic! He can infuse any man with Sai
spirit and Sai love. Can we believe that?
SATHYA SAI BABA IS THE DIVINE MOTIVATOR
In Thailand, the fraternity of
devotees is extremely committed. Recently, Thailand suffered from flood damage.
I know many people who left their families to perform seva. They passed
just an hour or two at home, and then spent the rest of their time in the
flood-affected areas supplying water, food, and clothes.
That is Sathya Sai Baba. Sathya
Sai Baba is not an idol. Sathya Sai Baba is not a temple. Sathya Sai Baba is not
a person or an object. Sathya Sai Baba is a vibrant force. Sathya Sai Baba is
the Divine motivator in everyone, compelling each to undertake service
activities. That is Sathya Sai Baba.
I have seen the work they have
been doing in Thailand with my own eyes. When the floods were at very high
levels, they still wanted me to speak. With folded hands I said, “This is not
the occasion for speech-making, because they will harm the speaker in their
eagerness to get water and food. I want to live for some more time!” They were
so good, so kind, so loving to extend their invitation again, so I visited a
second time later on.
THAI
CULTURE
Thailand has Bangkok city, and
Bangkok has got quite a culture, arey!
(Wow!) The city displays the love that Thai people have for their
monuments and their temples. We see the entire Ramayana depicted on the
walls in the royal palace, and we are made aware of Buddha’s status by a huge,
reclining Buddha, which extends from this end to that end (indicating the
entire length of the room). You cannot just see it in its entirety like this
(holding his head still), you have to see it
like that (moving his head from one side to the other).
Anantha Padmanabha Swamy (a huge
reclining Vishnu statue in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala) is smaller than that Buddha. Buddha’s feet—just His feet—are my
whole size, so big! I have seen such Buddhist temples in Thailand, ayya yoo! Hats off
to their tradition, hats off to their culture!
I went to a theatre for films
on Thai culture. We too had certain films showing our culture in documentaries,
which were headache number one! We don’t see our documentaries, which used to be
shown in earlier days, though now it’s discontinued. In every theatre before
they started a film, if they showed five to ten minutes of a documentary about
our country, please believe me, the hall would be empty. People started arriving
after the documentary was over. Why? People were bored and not at all
interested. They had to distribute Anacin tablets as prasadam,
chi!
But what I have seen in
Thailand theatres fills the whole stage, arey!
How interesting it was! For two or three hours, about three hundred people must
have participated in dances and music, even arranging sets with flowing water on
stage! You feel that water; you feel the sunlight, the moonlight, and the
mountains. Different kinds of dances, including different kinds of gods, are
presented on stage with such wonderful music that you do not know how three
hours could have passed so quickly. This is their technique.
I enjoyed every second, but I
was crying within. Why? Baba, if we have such skilled people in this land, if we
have such committed people in this land, if we have such scientists,
technologists, and the funds and time to do it, there
is no other country other than India that has so much to show to the whole
world. We have so many things here, but we take it in a casual, usual, and
routine matter.
EXPANDING THE SAI FAMILY
If you talk to anyone who is
settled here, if you go and tell them that Swami did this to you, aha,
you see no reaction on their face. “Sir, Swami gave a job to my son.” Oh ho,
their reaction is like in chemistry—a colourless, odourless, and tasteless
reaction. Why? Those fellows take it as a matter of routine.
However, a newcomer devotee
says, “Haaaa, is that so? That is Swami.” They go on
shedding tears while listening to your experience. That is the sign of a
devotee. We seniors will cry because of an experience, but our tears are
different; our tears are born out of jealousy. Those newcomer tears are born out
of love and devotion. These tears are out of competition, while those tears are
out of sharing and caring. We take things for granted. Maybe I don’t know.
Watching all that in Thailand,
I felt as though it is a national curse that we don’t care for our own rich
cultural heritage. Every village has a monument here, do you know that? You know
about the Ajanta and Ellora
caves, and that every temple has thousands of years of history. Alright,
alright, let us accept things as they are.
Therefore, my friends, I liked
Thailand very much. Thailand has a Sai school, which is a model school. The Sai
school is a centre of learning, spreading the Sai
philosophy of education, and training teachers from all over the world for the
past seven years. That is Thailand, Sai-land!
Now let me have this honour of
showing them to you, as some few members are here. I request the devotees from
Zone Four to stand up so that our brothers and sisters can see you. Please,
please, please kindly stand (devotees stand up). Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, God bless you. Sai bless you, God bless you, thank
you very much.
I end on this pleasant note,
with a word of prayer to Bhagavan to bless all our brothers and sisters, to
encourage all of us as we go forward along the Sai path. We have two roles to
play now. One role is not to lose our faith under any circumstances, come what may. The second role is to expand the Sai family,
inviting new people and new blood into the Sai organisation, to experience the
Sai mission and message.
So let these two roles be the
two eyes, two ears, and two lungs for everyone. My prayer to all seniors of my
age: let us meet and encourage as many people as possible. Let us see that they
are introduced into the Sai organisation in every way. That will make the Sai
organisation very strong, which will make our Lord, the Avatar of our age, feel
happy. He will continue to show His magnificent grace and blessings for many
years to come.
Sai Ram, Sai Ram!
Om . . . Om . . . Om
Asato Maa Sadgamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotirgamaya
Mrityormaa Amrithamgamaya
Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu
Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu
Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavantu
Om
Shanti Shanti Shanti
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
Jai
Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
Aum Sri Sai Ram
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