Report on 79th Birthday Celebrations 2004

[Guest guest]

The Avatar descends for the ascent of man. In a myriad ways, by His teachings,

by His leelas (miraculous acts) and by His example, He gives man a taste of the

bliss that is Divine Love, and a glimpse of his own glorious Reality. As

Bhagawan says, the Avatar behaves in a human way so that mankind can feel

kinship with Him, but rises to His superhuman heights so that mankind too can

aspire to reach those heights. And Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been

tirelessly engaged in this very task for the past eight decades, applying the

soothing balm of His Love to alleviate human suffering and leading man on the

royal path to the Kingdom Of God. The 23rd of November, when we celebrate the

anniversary of the descent of our Lord Sai amongst us, is an opportunity for

mankind to pay homage to this embodiment of selfless love. This year, the

birthday celebrations at Prasanthi Nilayam were held from November 18th to

November 23rd.

18th November: Rathotsavam

The Rathotsavam (Chariot Festival) at Prasanthi Nilayam is a tradition that goes

back five decades to the early 1950's. On this day, the students of Bhagawan,

chanting Vedic incantations and singing Bhajans, lead a procession with the

idol of Lord Krishna on a rath (chariot) and the idols of Lord Rama, Lakshmana

and Mother Sita on a palanquin, to the Old Mandir or what is now the Kalyana

Mantapam, in the village of Puttaparthi. After worship is offered to the

deities, the idols of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita return to the Mandir. Later, in

the evening, the idols are taken out in a procession in the village of

Puttaparthi, amidst joyous celebration by the villagers.

19th November: Ladies Day

The 10th Ladies Day celebrations commenced on the morning of 19th November with

Bhagawan lighting a lamp in front of the portrait of Mother Eswaramma. A plaque

was then unveiled by Bhagawan, inaugurating the Eswaramma Women's Welfare

Project.

Dr. (Mrs.) Geeta Reddy, the Minister of Tourism & Sugar of the Government of

Andhra Pradesh, was then invited to speak to the gathering. She began by

expressing her gratitude on behalf of the State Government, for the Chennai

Water Supply Project undertaken by Bhagawan, which has benefited the farmers of

Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh, and hailed Bhagawan as the

champion of the poor. She also paid tribute to Bhagawan for championing the

cause of women and recalled that it was Bhagawan who had first started a

college for women in the economically backward district of Anantapur way back

in 1972. She exhorted everyone to follow Bhagawan's teachings so that we can

make His Life, our message.

This was followed by a talk by Dr. Helen, a cardiologist by profession, who

regularly heads relief teams to people in distress all over the world. She

related her astonishing experiences in Bosnia, Iraq and Sudan, where she felt

Bhagawan's hand protecting her and aiding her. In Bosnia, Dr. Helen had been

distributing food and relief material and also photos of Bhagawan to the war

refugees. She noticed that some of them were holding the photos and discussing

something among themselves. Through an interpreter she came to know that they

were saying that the man in the photo had been coming to them to comfort them

and had even been providing them with food! She expressed her amazement that

Bhagawan who stayed thousands of miles away in India had appeared to those

refugees in Bosnia and spoken to them. She concluded her talk with the message

that it is the duty of the youth of India to stay on and serve their

motherland and resist the lures of the materialistic West.

Morning of 19th November: Students of the Sri Sathya Sai Primary School presenting a dance programme

After the talks, there was a dance programme by the students of the Sri Sathya

Sai School, Prasanthi Nilayam based on Bhagawan's life story. This was followed

by a violin recital by sisters Lalita & Nandini who enthralled the audience with

their rendition of the compositions of Saint Thyagaraja and Saint Purandaradasa,

as well as Sai Bhajans. At the end of the morning programme, Bhagawan presented

the artistes and the participants of the dance programme with sarees and posed

for photographs with them.

Morning of 19th November: The students with Bhagawan after the dance programme

The evening programme at the Sai Kulwant Hall featured a music programme by the

members of the Sai Youth Organisation of United Kingdom. This was followed by a

concert by one of India's leading singers, Smt. Anuradha Paudwal, accompanied by

her son, Shri Aditya. She sang many popular devotional songs and compositions by

Tulsidas and Mirabai, and Sai Bhajans too. The mellifluous voice of Smt. Paudwal

had the gathering spellbound for the good part of an hour.

This was followed by a dance ballet by students of the Shri Rama Nataka Niketan,

Secunderabad. The little children gave a wonderful display of their immense

talent by performing such difficult routines as dancing with their feet wedged

on plates and with lamps balanced on their heads. The audience greeted this

programme with sustained ovation and Bhagawan too appreciated their performance

and presented the participants with mementos. After accepting arati Bhagawan

retired to His residence.

Evening of 19th November: Students of the Shri Rama Nataka Niketan, Secunderabad

presenting a dance programme

20th & 21st November

The evening of 20th November saw the students of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva

educational institution, Alike present a Yakshagana, a form of dance ballet

popular in the state of Karnataka. The students depicted various episodes from

the Ramayana culminating in the final vanquishment of the demon king Ravana.

On the evening of 21st November, Dr. Phil Heaton, the National Chairman of the

Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization (United Kingdom) spoke about the five-day

village service camp organized by 160 members of the Sai Youth Organization

(United Kingdom) in four villages near Puttaparthi which benefited about 2300

villagers. Apart from organizing a medical camp in these villages, they also

undertook community work such as renovation of temples, poor feeding and health

education progammes. The camp was wholly self-financed with the money saved by

the youth over the past nine months through the 'Ceiling on Desires' programme.

One of the youth members, Mr. Alexander Gifford, then spoke about the

transformation that Bhagawan had wrought in Him ever since he had first heard

of Him. His words, spoken straight from the heart, touched everyone gathered in

the hall and were quite inspiring.

This was followed by two music concerts, first by a group from Brazil and then

by Pandit Sri Narasimha who played a number of devotional songs in both

Hindustani and Carnatic styles, on the clarinet. Bhagawan blessed the musicians

and accepted arati before retiring to His Poornachandra residence.

22nd November: XXIII Convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

The programme commenced at 2.45 p.m. with the ceremonial procession of the

Academic Council of the university, with Bhagawan, the Chancellor of the

university at the head, led by the Institute Brass Band. After Bhagawan

inaugurated the convocation, gold medals and citations were presented by

Bhagawan to the students who had graduated with distinction in their subjects.

The Chief Guest Shri Maharaja Krishna Rasagothra, former Foreign Secretary to

the Government of India and former Indian High Commissioner to United Kingdom,

addressed the graduates. He opened his talk by declaring that Bhagawan's

university is one of its kind, there is none like it in India or anywhere in

the world. Nor is there any teacher, mentor and guide like Bhagawan. He

congratulated the graduates and gave them a short commentary on the political

and economic environment of the world into which they will be stepping after

they leave the

portals of the university. He exhorted them to be the catalysts of change to

transform the world and thus be worthy of their Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai

Baba.

Evening of 22nd November: Ceremonial procession of the Academic Council of the University

The Revered Chancellor, Bhagawan, in His benedictory address, said that God can

be realised only by the path of Love, for Love is God and God is love. The

transcendental Love that is not limited by name or form, that is Divinity,

Bhagawan said. He emphasised the value of silence, both verbal and mental, for

it is in the depths of silence that the voice of God can be heard. This

discipline will confer on us the equanimity that will allow us to see the

all-pervading Divinity.

Later that evening, in the Poornachandra Auditorium, the students of the

university presented a drama entitled, 'Chalo Re Man Apne Dham' (Oh Mind!

Return to your Source!), which conveyed the message that a life of sacrifice

that is spent in service of mankind is the one that is truly worth living.

Bhagawan presented the participants with mementos and memories to cherish

throughout their lives.

Evening of 22nd November: Bhagawan blessing the participants of the drama in the

Poornachandra Auditorium

On the morning of 23rd November, Bhagawan arrived in the Sai Kulwant Hall,

bedecked in a shining white robe, and after granting Darshan to the tens of

thousands who had gathered there, ascended the beautifully decorated dais. He

blessed Dr. Michael Goldstein, Chairman of the Prasanthi Council, to address

the assembly. He was followed by Dr. G. Venkataraman, former Vice-Chancellor of

the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, who praised the system of

education adopted in Bhagawan's educational institutions which stresses the all

round development of the student's personality and lays special emphasis on

character building.

Morning of 23rd November: Bhagawan delivering His Divine Discourse

Bhagawan, in His Divine Discourse, declared that without imbibing human values,

one's learning, wealth and position are all rendered worthless, for human

values are the pillars on which the mansion of life is built. He said that

every man must know the answer to three questions – Where has he come from?

Where is he now? Where is headed to? We must realise the true purpose of our

life and not allow ourselves to be swayed by circumstances and swerve from our

chosen path. Bhagawan said that by His own example He is demonstrating to the

world that the body has been given in order to serve society. He concluded His

discourse with the Bhajan, "Hari Bhajan Bina…"

The programme on the evening of 23rd November featured a concert by the renowned

Hindustani classical singer, Begum Parveen Sultana. She began with a Tarana in

raag Hamsadhvani. She then went on to sing a few devotional songs composed by

the musician saint Mirabai such as "Payo ji maine.." and "Mere to Giridhar

Gopal…" and concluded with a Sai bhajan composed by her husband, Shri Dilshad

Khan.

Thus culminated the 79th birthday celebrations of our beloved Bhagawan. The many

thousands of devotees who had gathered in Prasanthi Nilayam for the festivities

imbibed of the Divine Nectar of His Presence and Message and filled themselves

with the joy and bliss that only God can give. The memories of these cherished

moments with the Lord shall remain with us forever.

Jai Sai Ram!

Source:

http://srisathyasai.org.in/pages/79th_Birthday_report.htmDo

You ?

 

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram All ,

 

Swami's birthday celebration news was coming from all corner-Thank you so much

for providing detail information about the cleebration.May swami bless you all and also

I want to know how fortunate those who are with swami-people like -chief guest

Rasagotra,Prof Anil Kumar,Indulal Shah-oh how fortunate they are, what punya

deeds they have done? How to achieve this kind of merits?what we have to do?so

we can have close proxmity with our Beloved lord Sri Sathya Sai-When I see

these fortunate souls pictures I cannot control my tears- Also i want to see

sister Bhgya Devi picture who received all round student award(gold medal)

this year ,has anyone took picture of her because Swami praised her a lot as

she is diabetic from childhood ,in spite of her odds she achieved highest

marks.So if there is picture of her we can also see as she received award from

Bhagavan.How fortunate these people?All are part of his story which becomes

History.I thiink this birth I will not achieve but for next birth could anyone

please tell me how to be close to Swami-what prayer or what deeds we have to do

so that I can be close to Swami.I want to be with

Bhagavan always always always.

 

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu

 

At the feet of Sai

 

Soumendra

[Guest guest]

"Nimish Thakkar" <nimish

Sat Nov 27, 2004 6:49pm

RE: [saibabanews] Re: Report on 79th Birthday Celebrations

2004

 

Soumendra,

 

I share your feelings as well. I am also propelled by a very strong

desire to be at his feet, but over the past few years he has been

making me realize, his feet are not only in Parthi, but expand over

the entire cosmos and even permeate each and every individual's

heart.

 

The devotees, you mention, are indeed fortunate; however, Swami has

often said that if you follow his teachings and practice his

commandments, physical distance is not an issue. He will always be

with you. He has said that those who sincerely practice his message,

He Himself visits them. I also remember reading that far more

fortunate are those devotees who are physically afar and yet

practice his teachings, instead of those who are near him and yet

not understand the importance of the avatar and his message. He has

also said that those who follow his teachings are "dear" to him, and

being "near" becomes secondary for he will always beset such

devotees from all directions.

 

While I completely understand your yearning to be near him-and

equally share the fervor-you need not be disappointed for your noble

desire has made you "dear" to him. Please do not think of another

birth, nor pray for one. We all have Swami's grace and we will all

be liberated in this birth itself, for Swami has assured us so. Just

keep following his teachings and you will be able to become

both "near" and "dear."

 

May Swami bless you and fulfill your noble yearning.

 

- nimish

 

----------

 

Arvind Sherigar <arvind1180

Sat Nov 27, 2004 8:59pm

Re: [saibabanews] Re: Report on 79th Birthday Celebrations

2004

 

Sairam bro,

from ur mail i can already see that u r close to Swami!! Swami is

all pervading, all beautiful, full of bliss...he has already told us

that he is in, around, above, behind us...he is waiting for u to

recognize him..

regards,

bye

 

 

 

 

 

 

saibabanews, Soumendra Bhattacharjee

<soumendra_toronto> wrote:

> Sai Ram All ,

>

> Swami's birthday celebration news was coming from all corner-Thank

> you so much for providing detail information about the cleebration.

...........

[Guest guest]

Swami says-

N-E-A-R: Never Enlightened, Always repeating (the mistakes)

F-A-R: Father Always Ready (if you call on Him)

So that should explain all. What use is physical proximity if you are not able

to dig out the love you have for Him in your heart.And if you are receptive,

even a very far place is only physically far. He wants us to keep Him in our

thoughts,words and deeds every minute.We should strive for that and nothing

else.Even physical nearness is temporary and fleeting. Why waste time pursuing

something which is 'maya' in itself? So do not worry. Whatever Swami wills is

good for us. Love Him and see Him in everybody. That's all he expects from each

and every person in this world irrespective of

status,position,caste,creed,religion etc.This is what i feel in my heart.Hope

it's good for you too.

Love,

Sandhya

 

The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven.

India Matrimony: Find your life partner

online.

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for your heart rendering messages-thanks a lot.

Brother Nimish , Brother Arvind and Sister sandhya thank yu so much.

 

You all are right perhaps I got emotional anyway Bro Nimish what yu said is so true

I shouldn't crave for any birth as Swami said we all be liberated.

 

Anyway i have to be content what ever I Have received from the Lord and craving for

nearness to Lord at Parthi have to be eliminated from my mind.

 

 

Thanks a lot

 

May Swami bless you all profusely and may you all have Shanti and Ananda.

 

At the feet of Sai

 

Soumendra