Article of the week - Swami and His Students

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Article of the week

Monday, November 3, 2003

 

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SWAMI AND HIS STUDENTS

 

(Article written by Prof. G.Venkataraman, Former Vice Chancellor of

Swami's University, on the occasion of Bhagavan's seventy-fifth

Birthday.)

 

Three times thus far in the history of mankind, Lord God Almighty

has come down in human form as a Poorna Avatar. The age we live in

happens to be one of them, and blessed indeed are we to be able to

have the Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan of the Lord. Drawn by His

Divine Magnetic Power or Aakarshana Shakti as He calls it, people of

all kinds and from all walks of life flock to Him. Swami loves all

His devotees and showers His Divine Grace equally on everyone. Yet,

there is something extra-ordinarily unique about Swami's involvement

with His students. This relationship is not what meets the eye of a

casual observer. Students should really appreciate what they are

enjoying. Only those privileged to have a ring-side view, like I

have had, can understand, even if it be rather feebly, how

remarkable is the Love that Swami showers on students.

 

In a formal sense, Swami is the Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai

Institute of Higher Learning, but the role He plays is anything but

that of the run-of-the-mill Chancellor. The role may vary from

moment to moment and over a wide spectrum, but the constant and

unwavering under-current is Prema. Students often describe Swami's

Love as equal to that of a thousand mothers but this, I feel, is a

gross understatement. Swami's Love is equal only to Swami's Love;

there is nothing else that can match it.

 

People normally try to measure Swami's Love for students in terms of

the gifts that He constantly showers on them - incidentally, there

seems to be no limit to what He gives; I have seen Him distribute

everything from T-shirts to cameras and films. However, material

gifts form just the tip of an infinite iceberg. It is the constant

concern that Swami feels about their welfare, both worldly and

spiritual, that in some measure reflects His infinite Love. Like a

mother, He worries whether they are eating enough and getting enough

of nutritious food. At the same time, like a father, He wants to

make sure they are studying well. He is also their Guru, which makes

Him concerned about their spiritual development; so on it goes. He

is at one stroke, mother, father, teacher, friend philosopher,

guide, and everything else one can think of and much more. When

cases of jaundice are reported in the village, He wants to be sure

that boiled drinking water is available in the hostel. As exams

approach, He constantly checks with the Warden whether students are

getting enough rest and are not staying awake for unduly long

periods. While the exams are in progress, He wants to know how the

students have answered and whether the question papers were stiff.

It is not just the students but also their families that receive

attention and care, especially when there is a medical problem. As

the Institute Convocation approaches, one sees Bhagavan in an

entirely new role, which I doubt if He enacted in His earlier Poorna

Avatars. Swami becomes very much interested and also involved in the

drama that the Institute boys stage on the night of the Convocation.

There are sessions galore in the Interview Room, every evening after

Darshan. He begins by asking the boys what they are planning. When

they hesitantly unfold the theme, He listens carefully and advises

on how the play should be developed. The script is now prepared and

He goes over it carefully, offering critical remarks and suggestions

for improvement. Then come the songs. He first studies the lyrics

and thereafter calls for the musical rendering. This is when one

sees God as Ganapriyudu or the Lover of Music. Gently, but

meticulously, He coaches the singers, instructing them how precisely

the song must be sung, how proper feelings must be injected, how the

action must be in harmony with the singing etc. For Swami, not only

must the tune and the beat be right, but, more than anything else,

the feeling or Bhava must be perfect. Until it comes out the way it

should be, He would insist on rehearsing the song again and again.

Meanwhile, He would get other people busy with the costumes.

Especially when historical or mythological characters are involved,

Swami wants to have a preview of the dress and how it fits the actor

concerned. Often, He would Himself do the adjustments so that the

right look is achieved. All this might make it seem that Swami is

the greatest taskmaster ever. Yes indeed. Swami undoubtedly demands

perfection and will never compromise on quality or accept sub-

standard performance; after all, is not God the acme of perfection?

However, in the midst of all this grind, the Mother in Him surfaces;

suddenly He would disappear inside for a couple of minutes, and when

He returns, apples, snacks, fruit juice and such other goodies would

follow! He knows how and when to inject relaxation and put the

nervous actors and singers at ease. After weeks of such

preliminaries come the full-scale rehearsals, which take place in

the Institute Auditorium. For the boys it is often a tense affair

because pleasing Swami is not an easy task.

 

>From now on, it is rehearsals over and over again. The practice

sessions soon move to the Poornachandra Auditorium and whenever

possible, Swami drops in to make sure that all loose ends are

properly tied up. Comes then the great moment when the play is

actually staged before a crowded audience. Swami is now like the

proverbial mother, there He is in the 'pit' scanning the faces of

those around to see if they are enjoying the play; and when they do,

how proud He seems! And how He shows His satisfaction when He comes

up the stage at the end, and how gloriously the Love-feast continues

later in the backstage when dignitaries shower praise on the boys

for their superb performance! But one must not get the impression

that that is all there to it. For Bhagavan, the Convocation Drama is

not just routine cultural entertainment. Rather, it is an expression

of His Divine Message, communicated in drama form by His beloved

students. Life itself is a drama in which the Lord coming down as an

Avatar, plays as it were a cameo role. And, as a part of this play,

He literally produces and directs a play - a play within a play!

Altogether, it is absolutely fascinating.

 

After the Convocation comes the annual sports festival, and once

again it is a glorious opportunity for delightful Divine intimacy,

but of an altogether different kind. Swami wants the event to be a

gala success, not for His sake but for the sake of the students. And

so He fusses about all the various details, the band, the march

past, the flag hoisting, and the various individual items. He makes

sudden and unexpected visits to the sports field to inspect the

arrangements and watch the rehearsals. When His car is sighted, the

cry goes around, "Hey! Swami's car!" And what a change it brings

about on the playground!

 

There is one particular visit of this nature that I must recall at

this point. It was not during the usual sports season but a few days

before that extra-ordinarily unique event, the Sri Sathya Sai Unity

Cup Cricket Match. As the big day was nearing, we would often be in

the cricket ground doing something or the other, missing the evening

Darshan in the process. As if to recompense us, Swami came to the

ground almost every evening for a round of inspection and

supervision. One evening, as He was about to return, He decided to

step into the Pavilion that had just been completed. He asked His

car to be stopped in front of the Pavilion Block, got down, climbed

up the few stairs, and went round the various rooms examining the

fittings, the plumbing, the curtains, the chairs - the whole works

one might say. Only a handful of us went inside with Bhagavan. After

doing the round, He came to the Pavilion verandah. Meanwhile, all

the boys who were involved with various chores in and around the

ground gathered on the road by the side of Swami's car. There were a

few hundred students there. Swami just stood on the veranda giving

Darshan, hands folded behind and gently rocking. He made no effort

to go down and get into His car. I was behind Bhagavan and therefore

could not see His face but from the looks and the effulgent glow on

the faces of the boys below, it was abundantly clear to me that

Swami was simply pouring out His Divine Love in infinite measure.

Truly, it was a sight for the gods! Time stood still for all of us.

There was Swami in total Bliss, and there were the students lost and

drenched in the downpour of Prema. For me, it was not only an

unforgettable but also a unique experience; among other things, it

taught me what Swami means when He says, "Students are My only

property!"

 

If there are ups, then there also must be downs - that is the law of

life, and so it is between Bhagavan and students. Sometimes, Swami

seems "upset" and the whole lot gets flung into the "workshop" as

one says in Prasanthi. Swami is never really angry but pretends to

be, so that the students realise their shortcomings and rectify

their errors. When Swami seemingly distances Himself from the

students, there is a tense drama of sorts. The boys are in deep

distress; they cannot give letters and give vocal vent to their

feelings because 'Swami is not coming their side'. If students are

in agony, the Mother in Swami too seems anxious for an early

restoration of normalcy. But the Father in Swami seems to hold back!

The fascinating drama continues till one day Swami walks past near

the students during Darshan. They now cry out loud and in deep

anguish. Swami appears to pause; a small dialogue begins. We are too

far to hear the actual words, but it seems that Swami is gently

reprimanding the students. Suddenly there are cries of "No,

Swami", "Please Swami", and so on. Looks like there is going to be a

thaw after all. Yes there is, and boys want to make sure; they burst

into songs. Swami stands there listening; there is one song, then

two, and then a third one as well. Hurrah! Swami has been 'won

over'! Everyone heaves a sigh of relief, and, as if to make up for

lost time, Swami now showers more Grace than even before!

 

Students hardly realise to what extent Swami goes out of the way to

confer favours upon them. They are the ones privileged to lead the

Bhajans both in Prasanthinilayam and Brindavan. They are the ones

who are permitted to present special musical programmes on festival

mornings. They are the ones who chant the Vedas before the Divine

Discourse, and also on other important occasions. For their sake

Swami comes many times to the Institute to witness special

programmes and also to speak to them. He even answers specific

questions. On occasions, on Sunday afternoons, He spends some time

with them in the Poornachandra Auditorium, before coming out for the

regular Darshan. It is for their spiritual advancement that He

organises the Summer Courses. It is to encourage them that He takes

them to Kodaikanal; and my word, what an experience that is! It is

to give them the delectable taste of Divine intimacy that He holds

the famous 'Trayee Sessions' while in Brindavan.

 

Students may forget Swami after they leave His portals but the Lord

never does. When Swami went to Delhi and Mumbai last year, Bhagavan

not only singled out the alumni from the crowd, but also made kind

enquiries. And to those around Him, He lovingly recalled all

particulars about the student concerned, even though the Student had

graduated over a decade or so ago. The list of examples of Swami's

Prema is endless. As if all this is not enough, on Sports Day, 1999,

Swami, in an unparalleled act of extra-ordinary and infinite

compassion, took upon Himself a serious injury in order to avert

disaster to students who were to later perform dare-devil stunts.

Barring just a handful, no one knew about this Divine act of

sacrifice till several days later when Swami Himself revealed the

details in a Discourse.

 

Is there any particular reason why Swami appears to single out

students for showering His Love in such abundance? Speaking in

Trayee, an elderly devotee reported that he once asked Bhagavan to

explain this mystery. According to this devotee, Swami replied that

those who are today enrolled as students are really Rishis of the

past, receiving their due in this Kali Age. Hearing this, Swami, in

Whose Divine presence this talk was being given, laughed as if to

say, "What! Are you suggesting that these fellows with whom I am

struggling all the time are Rishis?" Swami may have made light of

the devotee's remark but there surely must be some deeper meaning

underlying Swami's most compassionate relationship with the

students, particularly when one recalls Krishna's association with

Gopalas on the one hand and with Gopis on the other. Quite possibly

it is all a part of the same drama and an extension of that glorious

chapter of Srimad Bhagavatham, now being enacted in a different

format and under the settings of the Kali Age. It is my personal

belief that this indeed is the case.

 

According to the Bhagavatham, not knowing who Krishna really was,

Brahma the Creator once tried to embarrass Bala Krishna. But soon he

learnt his bitter lesson, and as he was about to withdraw to his

celestial abode, he saw Krishna playing merrily with the Gopalas.

Brahma then mused, "These little boys do not have any idea of how

lucky they are to have the very Lord as their playmate." Quite

possibly, Brahma is saying something similar even now. I hope our

students do really appreciate, value, and treasure the priceless

gift of Divine intimacy that they are receiving, which is

exclusively reserved only for them. Although Swami does not expect

anything in return, I believe students owe it to Bhagavan to be the

best exemplars of those who seriously put into practice Swami's

teachings. For Swami, Aacharanam, or observance of His teachings in

daily life is far more important than being able to discourse on

them. Students should unwaveringly aim at Trikaranasuddhi. And,

under no circumstance, should they permit themselves to fall into

the category of Aarthi [the seeker of wealth] or Arthaarthee [one

who wants the Lord to solve his problems]; instead, they should

constantly endeavour to be counted among those who have realised

their intrinsic Divine nature. Having recognised this truth, they

must gear up for the higher duty that beckons them. They should

appreciate that if twelve Apostles of the Son of God could do so

much to spread the Message of their master, how much they, in their

hundreds and thousands, could do to spread the Message of the Lord

Himself. Humanity looks up to them, and they should not disappoint

humanity. To disappoint mankind would in a certain sense amount to

disappointing Swami Himself.

 

Before I conclude, it is appropriate that I recall a touching prayer

once addressed to Bhagavan by Prof. Sampath, an illustrious

predecessor of mine. He said: "Swami, it is my prayer that when I am

reborn, I would be blessed to be a student of Your School and Your

Institute, and one day receive my degree directly from Your Divine

Hands. It is only when I become a student of the Institute that my

life would be complete." Those of us who have missed the opportunity

of being a student of the Institute in this lifetime, might well

consider addressing such a prayer ourselves.

 

Prof. G.Venkataraman

 

Source:

http://www.radiosai.org/Journals/05NOV01/TemplesLearning/SwamiStudent

s.htm