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Akhanda Bhajan
Even as a child Swami sang
devotional songs about God, making them up for his friends and
teaching them to classmates, who then took them home to teach
their parents. When he announced his true identity as avatar
of Sai Baba, in 1940, he sang to those who had gathered about him
`Manase bhajare, guru charanam- dusthara bhava sagara tharanam...'
Since the beginning of his work, Swami has made bhajan an
important aspect of sadhana for his bhakthas. In 1942 there
were no large crowds around Swami as there are now, and every
Thursday those present would join together for bhajans under his
leadership. There is a story told about those days, and while I
don't know if it is true in every detail, I find it plausible, for
the people are real, and they say the story goes like this.
At that time when Swami was still a young boy, Sri Seshagiri Rao,
his daughter Sunderamma and her mother-in-law and her six-year old
daughter went to Puttaparthi to visit a relative named Karnam
Subbamma. This lady had figured prominently in Sri Sathya Sai
Baba's early life since it was she who had first helped to
organize bhajans when Swami first announced himself at the age of
14. The family was called in for interview and after materializing
vibhuti for the ladies, and sweets for the gents, Swami asked what
Sundaramma wanted. She was very shy, but Swami knew her heart, and
said `Ah, so you yet want a son? Yes, a son is coming. Be happy.'
That prediction soon came to pass, and the family became frequent
visitors to Parthi. On one of those trips to Puttaparthi,
Sunderamma was alone in her room with her baby boy who had a
slight tempearture. After the thermometer was inserted in his
mouth, she sat for a moment looking at the child, and recalling
what Swami had said at their first meeting. ~Yes a son is coming-
be happy.~ In that reverie, she turned her face to the light from
the window, and looked outside at the monkeys nearby. In that
quiet time alone she was thinking about Swami's recent
announcement that he would protect the devotee as the eyelid
protects the eye. Then suddenly she heard a sound of glass
breaking and turned to the child in his bed. The two-year
old baby boy had bitten through the thermometer and the mother saw
the shards being swallowed by the infant. Prying open the
tender mouth, she saw blood and screamed. The family was
frantic as they rushed in to help. As if from next door
Swami, without a word, came to them and massaged the baby's
stomach. He looked at the mother and smiled. `Like the
eyelid protects the eye,' she thought. As quickly as he had
come, Swami left. Picking up her child, the mother was astonished
to find the mercury and glass bits which she had seen in the mouth,
now under the baby boy's blanket in the bed!
After this, Sunderamma began regular weekly bhajan meetings in her
own native place, all with great dedication and without
interruption for an entire year. Her father, Sehagiri Rao, thought
they should celebrate the completion of the year of bhajan-singing
in suitable style. Each member of the family thought up a
different way to celebrate the anniversary in befitting manner,
but it was Seshagiri Rao's idea that was adopted: uninterrupted
bhajans for one whole day and one whole night. They would begin by
lighting a Jyothi in Swami's honour, and then sing nonstop for 24
hours.
The decision having been taken, they got down to planning the
performance at their house -- which songs to sing, what prasadam
to distribute, pooling of resources to obtain the ingredients of
the prasadam. (This was particularly difficult as, in those
days, there was rationing of rice and a system had to be worked
out for cash or kind to gain enough foodstuffs for the party).
After making all the preliminary arrangements, father and daughter
went to Puttaparthi to announce their intention to Sri Sathya Sai
Baba. He was very happy to hear of their plans and responded,
"I have come only for the sake of my devotees. Go ahead with
the AKHANDA BHAJANS. I myself will come, and be with you
throughout the singing."
Sunderamma was startled at that, since up to that moment they had
planned only a very simple celebration. But, if Sri Sathya
Sai Baba was himself going to attend, then she felt she ought to
make more elaborate arrangements. But Swami told her not to
fear, he himself would see that all went well. He asked where she
had planned the meeting, and then suggested instead she book a
place in town for the `akhanda bhajan', so that all those who
wanted to attend could do so more conveniently. He also
advised her to ask other devotees to assist in helping her make
the arrangements. Sunderamma was in a quandary at this
unexpected turn of events. To cope with an occasion such as
it was turning out to be was a gigantic task in those days when
even transportation was very difficult.
She did contact other devotees and together all arranged for the
hall, but she herself felt it was her responsibility to prepare
the food for the group. She calculated that about a hundred
regular devotees might turn up for bhajans and so had PRASADAM
prepared for that number. Little did she know that the crowd would
continue to grow as the hours passed. As the crowd passed two
hundred persons, Sunderamma became anxious about how she would
provide enough PRASADAM to go round. At that late date it was
impossible to acquire more food, all her friends had already used
what rations were available, and since rationing was so strictly
enforced, she feared that nothing could be done.
As the hour approached to begin the festivity, Swami entered the
hall. In his presence, PUJA to Sri Shirdi Sai Baba's and Sri
Sathya Sai Baba's images was performed under a gaily bedecked
floral canopy. Sri Sathya Sai Baba materialised a silver
figurine of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba to keep beside a large bust of Sri
Shirdi Sai Baba especially made for that occasion. Then,
with circular movements of his hand, He produced 108 golden
flowers for the PUJA. After ARCHANA (Offering with MANTRAS) of
rare flowers, Seshagiri Rao performed PAADA PUJA (worship of the
feet) to Sri Sathya Sai Bba and lighted the AKHAND JYOTI (everlasting
flame) at that first ever akhanda BHAJAN meeting.
Sunderamma then touched his feet and Swami sensed she had a
question. He lowered his head to her ear and said `Yes Daughter,
what is troubling you?' She requested Sri Sathya Sai Baba to come
into the kitchen. He did as she asked and in the kitchen he
carefully looked at each dish she had prepared, and so realized
her concern that there was not enough food for all those who had
come. He then smiled at her and loudly said "AKSHAYA" thrice,
sprinkled water on the food and simply left the kitchen. Bhajans
began immediately. Sunderamma did not know what to think, but
realizing she had done all she could do, she surrendered to what
must come.
Bhajans continued for several hours and as the evening progressed,
devotees would come into the kitchen for refreshment, and be
served by Sunderamma. That day from the food she herself had
prepared for a hundred pesons, she easily fed several thousand
people, even generously. The pots containing the PRASADAM
simply never became empty! At last as the 24 hours came to a
close, Sunderamma entreated Sri Sathya Sai Baba to let the pots be
empty and only then did the food supply decrease.
Later when she told this story, Sunderamma said "Such was the
nature of Swami's blessing that it ensured an unending stream of
food". The event was truly remarkable. Many of the guests
were totally unaware of this miracle, and assumed foodstuffs had
been provided by some wealthy devotee. That first meeting where
the Jyothi lighting was organized by Seshagiri Rao, has led to the
lighting of thousands of other JYOTIS on AKHANDA BHAJAN day in SAI
SAMITHIBHAJAN centers throughout the world. Though Seshagiri
Rao is no more, Sri Sathya Sai Baba Himself recalled his
contribution on one such occasion, by referring to him as "the
devotee who was the first to light a JYOTI to Swami."
Even today Swami begins a discourse with a spontaneous poem which
he sings in Telgu. This love of song is reflected by devotees, who
sing bhajans at all Sai meetings. In memory of this long past
event, once a year devotees around the world sing together nonstop
for 24 hours, glorifying all the Names of God- from Siva to Allah,
from Elohim to Ahura Mazda. Today is such a day. Starting at
6PM your time, 24 hours of bhajans will be sung by Sai devotees in
centers around the world.
Jai Sai Ram!
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(with thanks to Michael Goldberger for telling the tale so well)
Source:
http://www.hindunet.org/alt_hindu/1994/msg00938.htm |