Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part I

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planned to give Sathya a college education so that he might become an officer.

Hence they were prepared to part with him and send him to far off Kamalapur

where his studies could be continued. There he attended school regularly as he

had at Bukkapatnam. He was a quiet well-behaved boy, a favorite with the

teachers. Whenever a drama was performed in town, Sathya sang the opening

prayer before the curtain went up. Those who heard his sweet voice spread the

news that a fine singer had come to town. Soon he was the only one called on to

sing at all public functions.

Old Style'"> Even now Sathya Sai Baba speaks of a drill instructor there who

commanded the respect of the entire school by his instinctive love for

children. He was also the scoutmaster and was eager to have Sathya in his

troop. Through friends and directly, he began persuading the boy to join. There

were two other boys, children of the head of the Revenue Office, who sat at the

same desk with Sathya and who were very friendly to him. They pleaded with him

and even thrust a nice new scout uniform into Sathya's desk to encourage him to

join. They all knew that Sathya would be the life of the troop, and if he joined

it, the elders of the town would sponsor the troop. Otherwise they might mistake

it for a group of idlers and do-nothings intent only on hikes and picnics.

Sathya joined at last, just in time to attend the Fair and Cattle Show at

Pushpagiri where the scoutmaster planned to take his troop. There was

opportunity enough for the boys to earn merit because of the huge crowds that

attended. Children could get lost, pilgrims had to be supplied with drinking

water, sanitation had to be supervised, and first aid provided on the spot. The

camp fee was fixed at ten rupees per boy.

FONT-FAMILY: 'Bookman Old Style'">Sathya had no money! He had to demonstrate

that service is its own reward, that a loving heart conquers everything. He

decided that the chance to teach and inspire his companions should not be lost.

He determined to walk to Pushpagiri, thus saving bus fare. He told the

scoutmaster that his people were coming for the Fair and that they would look

after him. (The people who came for every pilgrimage were his people!) He

calculated that five rupees would be enough for him at Pushpagiri. He sold to a

needy boy the books of his previous year's class, which he had seldom read, and

which therefore were as good as new. He accepted not the twelve rupees the boy

offered but just the five rupees he required. Then he walked to Pushpagiri,

reaching there about 9:00

o'clock of the night previous to the inauguration of the Fair. (The Cattle

Fair To be Continued..) SaiRam.