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