Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part I

[Guest guest]

to God was done in His Presence not only on Thursday evenings, but gradually on

every day and sometimes even twice a day, for the pilgrims who began to arrive

could not wait until the ensuing Thursday to pay their homage to Him. At first

a small room, eight feet by eight, facing the road that led to the house of

Pedda Venkapa Raju was utilized as a Hall of Prayer. But it could accommodate

only a dozen at the most. Even the road was overflowing with people. A

Recruiting Officer from Hindupur came in a jeep for Baba's Darshan (Holy

Vision), giving the villagers their first contact with a motor vehicle. Others

too came in large numbers. The village accountant's family put up a shed which

was enlarged as the months passed. A tent also was rigged up, and some devotees

who came from

Style'">Bangalore and Anantapur pitched their own tents. Finally even the

spacious house of the accountant became insufficient, because Sai Baba insisted

on feeding all who came to see Him; huge dining halls became necessary.

An old lady who was in the accountant's house during those months said that

very often when the food cooked threatened to be insufficient. Baba was quietly

informed and He asked that two coconuts be brought. When they were given to Him,

He struck one against the other and both broke exactly

into halves. He then sprinkled the coconut water on little heaps of rice and the

vessels containing other items and gave the signal to proceed with the task of

serving all who came that day! Sai Baba has spoken about the

untiring devotion of Subbamma, the accountant's wife. This aged lady looked

after the comforts of the pilgrims and had Baba Himself in her house for some

years until the building now called "Old Mandir" (or Old

Style'"> Temple) was built in 1944. Sai Baba composed a number of

songs and verses of praise to be used for the occasions of singing and

chanting, for Sai Baba of Shirdi was unknown in those areas; these songs refer

to Dwarakamayi, Puti

Temple, Udi and the Margosa tree, and other details which were strange to the

devotees who assembled at Puttaparthi. Many of them are sung even today at the

Prasanthi Nilayam, "Place of Peace," the name of the Center of Prayer now in

Puttaparthi directed by Sathya Sai Baba.

FONT-FAMILY: 'Bookman Old Style'"> He used to complain off and on of

the "family atmosphere" in the places where He stayed. Young boy that He was,

He would disappear during day or night into the mountains that surround the

village. Whenever He was found absent, Subbamma and others would search every

hill and dale within walking distance. They generally found Him sitting quietly

on a rock overlooking the valley, in a cave like hollow or crevice, or on the

sands of the river. These disappearances and wanderings gave the people

anxiety, for they were ignorant of the true significance of His absences. Some

of them were afraid that He would go away to the

Style'">Himalayas or waste Himself in asceticism, for they did not understand

the Nature of the Incarnation or the Purpose for which It had come. Even today,

these people continue talking of the spiritual practices of the young boy on the

hills, not knowing that He has come to restore the inner path of the Spirit in

Man! (Sai Baba Again To be

continued..) SaiRam