Prasanthi Bulletin - February 12th, 2006 (Kavi Sammelan by the students at Brindavan.... )

[Guest guest]

blessed a card made by the Brindavan students - they were going to present a

Kavi Sammelan this evening. Swami walked onto the stage from the centre door of

the Sai Ramesh Hall stage, stood for a few minutes and then sat for around half

an hour of Bhajans. At 10 a.m. Swami signaled for Aarti. After taking Arati

standing up, He walked backstage as He has been doing for the last few days.

The Sevadals continued the Bhajans as they do on Sundays. In the evening also

Swami came earlier than usual, by 4.50 p.m. The Brindavan students who were the

poets assembled for the Kavi Sammelan, in the presence of Kaveenam Kavi - the

Poet of poets as the scriptures describe God, were sitting in front of the

Bhajan group, right next to the stage. The poets were in costumes appropriate

to the regions from which they hail. After Swami came onstage, He walked right

upto the front of the stage, caught the railing there and Blessed all with His

benign glance, specially noticing the 'Kavis' seated

in the front. Swami sat down and then asked for the programme card that two

students were holding. Taking the card from them Swami read it and asked them

how long the program would last and in how many languages poems were written.

At 5.15 p.m., Bhagawan indicated with a nod that the Kavi Sammelan may

commence. The first poem was in classical Telugu and Swami was very happy with

the sentiments expressed. Then, one after another, poems in Kannada, Malayalam,

Tulu, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarathi, Sanskrit, English, Oriya, Marathi, Hindi and

Nepali were read out. As the boy who introduced the program put it -'the

languages may sound different but all these poems have been written in the

language of the heart'. Swami listened keenly to each and every poem; He

clapped for some, Blessed some others with Abhaya Hasta and nodded in the

affirmative when a few poets prayed for some blessing or the other. He

expressed His appreciation for the Sanskrit poem as soon as it was over by

clapping His hands. When the Gujarati poet ,dressed in Rajasthani turban got up,

Swami with a sweet smile commented 'Pagdiwala marriage ko jatha hai' much to

everyone's delight!! As the concluding part of the program, it had been decided

that five of the poets would get up together and speak a couple of sentences

each and all the students would sing 'Humko Tumse Pyar Kithna'. But even before

the first student could finish, Swami called all the poets onto the stage.

Surrounded by all the poets, Swami asked "Aren't all of you students of our

Institute? How will the audience know? You should have announced it at the

beginning. Also, your poems were all in different languages. I can understand

all of them but many in the audience would have understood poems only in a few

languages, you should have translated it into English for their benefit, so

that all could appreciate and enjoy all the poems." Swami talked to each of the

poets. He told the English poet that his

language was good, He told the Malayalam poet that he was nervous in the

beginning. "Why should you be afraid? Speak confidently." He encouraged. He

surprised another poet by telling him "You have changed the last two lines of

your poem since last night". Indeed it was so. When the student had read out

his poem to a fellow classmate the previous night, the classmate had expressed

that the last two lines ending with 'Kaho Na Pyar' did not sound appropriate

and so he had changed the last two lines! One of the poets prayed, "Swami

please bless all of us" (Andariki Anugraham Prasadinchandi). Swami lovingly

looked into his eyes and said "(My Blessings are) There in abundance (on all of

you) Bangaroo" Swami then stood up and took photos with all the poets. He

Blessed each of them individually by placing His palm on each of their heads

stretching to make sure that even those at the back were not left out. Swami

spoke to each and every one of the poets asking them from which place

they hailed. One of the students who had read the Bengali poem was tongue tied

as he was unable to decide on the spur of the moment whether to mention the

place where his parents were presently stationed, or his native place. Swami

Himself answered the question by saying 'Bihar - Jamalpur district' leaving him

stunned! Swami then signaled for the Aarti. As the student whose chance it was,

offered the rose and moved closer hoping that Swami would keep it in his shirt

pocket, Swami mischievously held it on top of his head! As Swami turned to go

inside, the poets knelt on either side and as He passed by them they held on to

His hand and kissed it. As they said, "Swami we love you", Swami said "I too

Love you". Swami patted them on their shoulders, and for some He pinched their

cheeks. Being overwhelmed by His love, when some students said "Thank you

Swami", He said "Aiye, don't thank Me" (Yes, dearest Swami, how can we ever

thank you enough for all that you have and continue to

do for all of us!!!!). As Swami walked in behind the curtain, He expressed his

happiness to the Vice-chancellor, Mr. Anil Gokak, "See, how many languages our

boys can speak in!" As Swami went near the gate, He asked the gurkha "Did you

hear the Nepali poem? Did you understand it?" It was 6 p.m. when Bhagawan

returned to Trayee. You can see an illustrated version of happenings at

Prasanthi Nilayam in the Prasanthi Diary of our monthly e-Journal Heart to

Heart. The previous issue of Prasanthi Bulletin is available here. The Photo

album contains photos of events of

past Prasanthi Bulletins. Index of past Prasanthi Bulletins... Source: Radio Sai

Websitehttp://www.radiosai.org/pages/PB.htm