Krishnashtami 2004 in Parthi

[Guest guest]

06 Sept 2004

This morning we entered the Sai Kulwant Hall to find it decorated with a variety

of colours. It looked gorgeous! On the stage, Bhagawan’s sofa was kept in the

centre and on either side were a set of pots kept one on the other – yellow and

white in colour – with a flute and a peacock feather adoring the top most pot.

Next to it was an idol of Lord Krishna kept on a pedestal.

As we awaited the arrival of Lord Sai Krishna, the Naadaswaram played tunes from

our rich cultural collections. At quarter past seven, the golf cart was seen

emerging from the Poorna Chandra Hall. The Vedic chants began. What do we see?

We rubbed our eyes to make sure it was true. How compassionate our Lord is. To

give us joy and Bliss, Swami had worn the Pitambaram – yellow coloured robe. He

looked just great!! This gave us all some feeling of compensation for not having

the cow procession this time.

Swami took a full round of the hall and came and sat on the sofa. He asked the

Vice-chancellor about the programme for the day. The VC explained to Swami that

students were ready with a Music programme blended with commentary – elaborating

on the inner significance of various aspects of Krishna’s life as expounded by

Bhagawan. However, Swami had other plans of which we were not aware. He called

the boys who were going to make the presentation (the commentary part of it).

Two of them went forward and Swami told them to sit down next to Him. After a

few minutes, Swami asked if there were anybody else. Two more students went

forward who were going to present the Telugu module of the presentation. Swami

spoke to them and asked them also to sit next to Him.

After a few minutes, Bhagawan asked the Vice-chancellor to introduce the

programme. The VC spoke for a few minutes and asked the boys to commence their

presentation. However, instead of the Music Programme, Swami asked each of

these boys to give a short talk to the audience. One by one, all the boys took

their position in front of the podium and gathering from the material they were

to use as part of their presentation and adding few spontaneous remarks and

instances, each one got through with an inspiring and interesting talk. By the

time they all completed, it was around 8.05 a.m. One student spoke in Telugu,

the rest in English, interspersed with verses in Tamil, Telugu, etc.

Bhagawan gave a signal to arrange the Discourse table. It was 8.10 a.m. and

Bhagawan started His Divine Discourse.

Highlights of the Discourse:

Human life has its limitations but God has no limitations. King Bali after

performing hundreds of Yajnas and still not attaining mental peace performed

the Ashvamedha Yajna. At that time Lord Krishna appeared in the form of short

Vamana. The Guru of king Bali, Sukracharya cautioned the king against offering

any alms to this apparently innocent and short Brahmin. However, the king had

given a word and would not go back on his word. Upon asking what the Brahmin

wanted, Vamana revealed his request of just three steps. The Guru again warned

the king not to take this matter lightly for the consequences would be dire.

But king Bali being a man of character refused to take back his word. He prayed

to Vamana to accept the garland strung together using the rewards of his

hundreds of rituals. Vamana accepted this offering. (Saying so Bhagawan

materialized this golden garland (necklace) – a huge one – having hundred plus

coin like shapes linked together. As Bhagawan materialized the chain, it

emerged with a jingling sound and appeared to be very heavy! Swami held it up

and then placed it down. After a few minutes He hung it on the mike stand so

that all could see!!)

Vamana then assumed a mighty form and covered all the three worlds with His

three steps. All people praised and glorified Vamana. Thus God has no

limitations. All the mighty powers of Lord Krishna are for the welfare of

humanity. For example, the sun rises everyday. Who controls it? The sun

automatically follows its own duty. The light dispels the darkness. The stars

that are seen so clearly in the night sky are hidden during the day. Scientists

think that this is only on account of the light of the sun. However, they are

not able to discover the Divine Mystery.

Who is the designer of the freely flowing rivers? All the five elements have

emerged from God and behave in accordance with the dictates of His Will. They

all discharge their respective duties impeccably. This is how it was in the

Dwapara age. The Dwapara age set an ideal for all the ages to come. However,

the power of Divinity is not limited by age.

Each one must perform his duty scrupulously. But it should not be done out of

force. Rivers flow so spontaneously. Scientists are unable to discover the

mystery behind all this. The moment the child is born it starts crying. Nobody

knows why this happens. When the child cries, if you place milk or honey in its

mouth, it stops crying. Thus people concluded that man is born basically to

satiate his hunger. Day and night man struggles to eke out a livelihood but why

does he not think of the Lord?

When two branches in the forest rub against each other, it starts a fire. It may

be difficult to burn the same branch otherwise, but due to friction, it triggers

off a fire. There is fire in the wood but this fire does not burn it from

within!! How? There are so many mysteries in Nature. Nobody understands all

this. Man is in search of God to unravel the mysteries of Nature. God is not an

object that can be discovered in this manner. Morning to night humans struggle

hard just to fill their stomachs, eating food to their full without any limit.

Forgetting the Lotus eyed One, what great pleasure do they achieve?

>Everything in this world happens by God’s Will. People think that these powers

are acquired from some strange source. No, these are all powers of Nature. You

throw a stone at somebody and it hurts. You rub two stones against each other

and it gives sparks of fire. But when you see a stone do you see the fire in

it? No. Because it is latent. The latent becomes patent (manifest) at the

appropriate time.

There used to be a lamp at Nanda’s house in Gokul. Every evening, it was a

practice that the daughter-in-law of every household would come over to Nanda’s

house and light the lamp from this burning lamp. It was their faith that this

would spread prosperity and happiness – as in Nanda’s house - in all their

houses. One day, a new daughter-in-law named Suguna came to Nanda’s house to

light the lamp. As she was lighting her lamp from the flame, she saw the tiny

form of Lord Krishna in the flame. She was so enthralled by the attractive form

of the Lord, that she stood there enraptured by His form.

Slowly, her finger started burning in the flame. But she was not at all aware of

her body. She just kept watching His Form!!

The other Gopikas seeing this were so enthralled themselves that they started

singing with joy about Suguna witnessing the Form of the Lord. They sang,

“Sugunuku Kanipinchenanta…”. Mother Yashoda came running out and witnessed the

scene. She saw the finger of Suguna burning and she immediately pushed her hand

aside. She chided her asking her whether she wanted to bring a bad name to the

family of Nanda. Did she want people to say that she burnt her finger at

Nanda’s house? In fact when Suguna’s in-laws did come over there, they were

very upset and decided not to send Suguna anymore to Nanda’s house. So many

such mysterious episodes took place in Yashoda’s house!

Once, all Gopikas were waiting for Lord Krishna. They came to Yashoda’s house

and asked her about Krishna. They asked her whether she was hiding Him

anywhere. Then a great miracle happened. Each one could see Krishna in the

choice of their form!! All could not see the same Krishna but each one

witnessed their own Krishna. As one of the students mentioned in his talk, once

Swami appeared to this student as Krishna in Brindavan. The student then asked

Swami, “Swami, I am able to see you in this magnificent form, but what about

all the other boys. They cannot see, nor will they believe me.” I told him,

“Your Prapti (deservedness) is yours. Their Prapti is theirs.” Do not worry.

Mother Yashoda kept asking her Krishna, “Krishna, why don’t you eat the butter

which is at home? Why do run after the butter in other’s houses and earn the

title of a thief. There is so much butter at home but you do not relish it.” In

fact, this is true elsewhere too. Nobody likes the tasty food made at home, but

they cherish the food made outside. However, Krishna had a different reason!

Butter signifies a pure heart! Soft and sweet! Krishna accepted butter from

those who had a sweet and pure heart. But in the process He earned the title of

a thief.

Here again, it depends on how you say it. If we sing with love – Chita Chora –

we all like it. But if we just say it in words, we feel very unpleasant. (At

this point, Swami sang the Bhajan – Chita Chora Yashoda Ke Bal…..People

followed with gusto). That is why people sing the glory of the Lord with music.

Mere verbal ex-pressions will not please God. A combination of Bhava, Raaga and

Taala will please Him. Even in the Krita and Treta Yuga when people recited all

the four Vedas day and night, they could still not attain God. But when they

expressed the same in the form of music, they were able to attain God.

>But then what about people who do not have knowledge of music? No problem. Sing

in your own way. You need not be music experts. For example, if you just utter

the words – Rama Nannu Kapaadu – it sounds very dry. But when you sing it with

love – Rama Nannu Kapaadu – (Swami sang the line), it sounds so melodious.

(There was a loud clap from the audience).

Therefore sing with feelings. It is music that takes you closer to God. Offer

your heart with music wholeheartedly to God. You will certainly find Him.

However, some get disappointed. Why? Because of prior appointment. Do not have

any appointment. Then there will be no disappointment!!

No one else has enjoyed the Bliss that Gopikas enjoyed at the time of Lord

Krishna. Think of those days and sing the glory of God today. It is music that

melts the heart and God is only after the heart!! In the times of Lord Krishna

so many devotees merged with Krishna. He is Gaana Priyudu!

Krishna!! Just one word is enough – with feelings. No other Avataar has shown

the Leelas and Mahimas as shown in the Krishna Avataar. If you want to enjoy

that Bliss, sing with your heart and with Raaga. If there is no Raaga (tune)

then there will be Roga (sickness).

Students, you all do Bhajans. Each one sings in his own way. If all of you truly

sing in harmony, you will find God in your heart. Therefore, sing with

perfection and God will manifest in your heart!!

Devotees have had so many experiences in times of Lord Krishna. Today people are

attracted to songs in theater drama and films. But what about music for God? Any

person of any age will get carried away by good music. For example, babies are

put to sleep by singing a lullaby! Though the baby cannot understand the

meaning, it responds to the music and goes to sleep! Whether you know the

techniques and science of music or not, it does not matter. Go ahead and sing

with all your heart!!

It is the Gopikas who have really experienced God. Suguna, the Gopika sang so

well. Nanduni Inta, Gopaluduanta, Deepalu Kanipinchenanta, Sugunuku

Kanipinchenanta …. There is so much of rhythm and beat. The word ‘Anta’ adds so

much beauty to this verse. (Swami sang the verse). Only when we add the Divine

feelings to the Bhajans we sing, we will experience Divinity!!

Bhagawan concluded His Discourse at 8.50 a.m. Students started singing Bhajans.

Prasadam was distributed to all devotees. Swami gave the materialized chain to

Arun and asked him to keep it on the lid that covered the glass of water kept

for Swami. By 9.15 a.m. Swami took Aarti. Throughout the Aarti Swami sat on the

sofa giving beautiful Darshan! Then He got up and got into the golf cart. He

stood in the golf cart giving a clearer Darshan to all. As the cart approached

the Poornachandra Hall, He sat down. Thus we had a wonderful morning basking in

the Benign Presence of our Sai Krishna!