Report on Shivaratri Celebrations 2004

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Aum Sri Sai Ram.

The festival of Maha Shivaratri is one of the most significant events in the

Prasanthi Nilayam calendar. According to Hindu belief, the moon is the

presiding deity of the mind and the 16 phases of the moon represent the 16

aspects of the mind. On the Shivaratri day, which falls a day prior to the new

moon, only a streak of the moon is visible. This is symbolic of the waning

influence of the mind when 15 aspects have already merged in the self and only

one aspect remains. Hence on this day, it is easier to control the mind and

direct it towards God. Therefore, the night is spent in contemplation and

adoration of God, so that the vagaries of the mind can be totally subdued and

transcended to attain realization of the Atman.

On the 18th of February, it was the good fortune of thousands of devotees of

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba to spend this sacred night in contemplation of the

Divine in His very Presence. Such was the eager anticipation of the devotees

that they began to assemble in Sai Kulwant Hall as early as 10.30 a.m.

completely unmindful of hunger and sleep. Their yearning found fulfillment when

our dear Lord arrived just after 3.00 p.m., resplendent in a bright yellow robe.

As He entered, the hall reverberated to the tunes of Nadaswaram and the

Panchavadyam and also Vedic chanting by the students.

The programme commenced at 4.00 p.m. Bhagawan blessed three speakers to address

the assembly before he delivered His Divine Discourse. First to speak was Sri

Sanjay Mahalingam, a final year student of the MBA course at the Sri Sathya Sai

Institute of Higher Learning. He was followed by Sri Sanjay Sahni, the Principal

of the Brindavan Campus of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. The

last speaker was Sri S.V. Giri, the Vice-Chancellor of the Institute. The

learned speaker dwelt on the importance of Vedic chanting and the benefits of

chanting and listening to the Vedic hymns.

Bhagawan then yielded to the prayers of His devotees and rose to deliver His

Divine Discourse. He stressed the need to preserve our ancient culture as many

of the traditions and beliefs of our ancestors have great inner significance.

But, even as the vast gathering was drinking of the sweet nectar of the Lord’s

message, Bhagawan’s voice suddenly choked and he began to hiccup – the first

signs that the Lingam was beginning to emerge!

Bhagawan then signalled the students to begin singing bhajans. As the singing

proceeded with great fervour, Bhagawan seated Himself in the chair. Then began

the painful process which is familiar to all devotees, as Bhagawan began to rub

His chest and continually sip water as if to ease the passage of the Lingam from

within His body. This continued for a few minutes and just as it seemed that the

devotees could not longer bear to see the agony, the Lingam emerged from His

mouth to the immense relief and joy of one and all. Bhagawan held up the

golden-hued Hiranyagarbha Lingam for all to see.

Bhagawan then explained that He does not undergo any strain to produce the

Lingam as He does this solely to give joy to all His devotees. He also said

that this Lingam would give rise to many other Lingams later. Even as He said

this, He began to hiccup again and the anticipation of the assembly grew as

they realized that another Lingam was on its way. Suddenly, to the dismay of

all devotees, Bhagawan’s body went limp and He was taken into the Interview

room. But, the anxiety and fear in the hearts of devotees was soon assuaged,

when Bhagawan first had it announced that two more Lingams had manifested and

when He Himself emerged a few minutes later, raising His Hands in benediction

and reassurance.

Bhagawan declared that though it may apparently seem that His body undergoes

suffering, He will never come to any harm. He declared that His body was for

the sake of His devotees. He then exhorted the gathering to refresh themselves

and then return to the Mandir to spend the night in devotional singing. Before

Bhagawan retired to His residence, He added that He would come again later that

night.

The bhajans continued thereafter. Through the night, groups of devotees from

India and abroad had the good fortune of leading Bhajans on this sacred night.

At around 1:30 a.m., to the great delight of all, Bhagawan arrived in the

Mandir. He spent about an hour, seated on the dais, listening to the Bhajans,

while His fingers moved rhythmically with the beat.

The following morning, at around 7:15 a.m., arati was offered to Bhagawan and

the Akhand Bhajan drew to a close. Bhagawan then blessed Sri B.N.

Narasimhamurthy, Warden, Sri Sathya Sai Hostel at Brindavan, to address the

gathering. The erudite speaker based his talk on the Kathopanishad, which

narrates the episode where a young lad named Nachiketha receives the highest

knowledge from the God of death, Yama himself.

Bhagawan then delivered his discourse where he exhorted devotees on the need to

transcend body consciousness and develop detachment towards the world. He

narrated an episode from the life of Adi Shankaracharya which beautifully

illustrates this teaching. Once when Shankaracharya was walking along with his

disciples, he found his way blocked by a Chandala (a person of lower caste and

an untouchable). The master ordered the man to move out of his path so that

they could proceed. The man then questioned Shankaracharya whether he was

addressing the body or the Indweller of the body, the Atman. If he was

referring to the body, he had no identification with it, and was therefore not

concerned with it. If it was for the Atman, the Atman is the same in all. Then

Shankaracharya realized that this was no ordinary person and fell at his feet.

Then Lord Shiva revealed Himself and said that He had come in the form of the

Chandala in order to teach him this great

lesson.

After the discourse concluded, prasadam was distributed to all the devotees.

Swami watched on lovingly as all the devotees partook of the prasadam and only

afterwards did He go for His repast. Bhagawan then retired to His Poornachandra

residence. Thus concluded the holy festival of Maha Shivaratri leaving all happy

and blessed.

Jai Sai Ram.

Source: http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/pages/shivaratri.htm

 

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