Prashanthi Bulletin 2- 5th Feb

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Prashanthi Bulletin

 

 

February 2nd 2005

 

This evening, Swami came out for Darshan at 3.15 p.m. He went inside

the interview room and came out only for the Bhajans at 5.00 p.m.

However, Bhajans concluded early at 5.20 p.m. Swami took Aarti and

proceeded towards the Poornachandra Auditorium.

 

Swami's Golf Cart turned into the grill gate at the entrance of the

PC. All started dispersing. However, some of us stood in the Hall

discussing some academic matters. Lucky were those who were delayed

for some reason or the other! Within a few minutes, we heard a lot

of hush-hush! We turned and saw all people running towards the

middle of the Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan was likely to go out somewhere.

 

We hurriedly came and stood adjacent to the pathway with many others

peeping over our shoulders. Within seconds we saw Swami coming out

of the Poornachandra Entrance and getting into the Silver coloured

Benz car. The car proceeded towards us in a royal mien. We were

straining to see Swami's face but the glare on the windshield of the

car prevented us from having clear Darshan. The car stopped for a

while in the Kulwant Hall near the turning towards the Gopuram.

Swami was expecting the Vice Chancellor to be available at the

Institute. Instructions were given and the car went along further,

with devotees getting a brief glance at Bhagawan now and then,

through the windshield.

 

The moment students got a clue that Swami was visiting the

Institute, all of them made a dash to the College. The Athletic

spirit manifested itself in full in every student as he ran to the

College premises. As the main gate near the Ganesha Entrance was

closed, students and many others took the other exit from the

Ashram, near the General Hospital. In a few minutes Swami had

entered the College grounds.

 

The Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar had miraculously stationed

themselves there in time! Well, you may be wondering what could be

the reason for Swami's visit to the College. Let us reveal the

secret to you now. Very soon, two new building complexes will be

coming up in front of the Institute Library. Possibly, these

buildings will look just like the Library building - circular in

shape and will form a trio along with the Library. Once these are

ready, some departments are likely to be shifted over there. Well,

the actual details are not known yet.

 

It was in this context that Swami had come to the College. The car

parked in the empty ground that was already prepared quite a few

days back, in front of the Library. Swami remained seated inside the

car. The Vice-Chancellor came forward and started talking to Swami

with a plan of the building in his hand. It was nice to watch the

dialogue between the Divine Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor. High

Level Meeting indeed! After around 10 minutes of discussion, the

Vice-Chancellor got into the car next to Swami and they proceeded

back towards the Mandir.

 

All students and teachers were standing along the side of the road

and Bhagawan was waving to them as the car passed by slowly.

 

We eagerly await the commencement of the construction of these

buildings as a part of the Institute's celebration of the 80th year

Festival of the Divine Advent!

 

February 3rd 2005

 

This evening, Bhagawan came out for Darshan at 3.45 p.m. By 3.50

p.m. He was walking on the dais. As soon as He came close to the

sofa, Bhagawan spoke to Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar and instructed him to

pass on some message to somebody. Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar ran to the

other side of the dais and communicated the message to someone over

there. We could not see who it was. Maybe, some speaker for this

evening, we thought. But we did not know who it would be.

 

Swami sat down on the sofa and after a few minutes asked the Vedam

chanting to be stopped. And whom do we see coming over to the

Podium? Sri A.V.S. Raju Garu - Chairman of the Nagarjuna

Constructions Limited. You would know him better as the popular

poet! He has presented his poems a number of times in the Divine

Presence of Bhagawan. He composes poems extensively, spontaneously

and the list runs to thousands. It has already crossed a ten

thousand!! In his own words he says that just as other devotees are

Blessed with rings, chains or Vibhuti; Bhagawan has Blessed him with

the gift of poetry!

 

The next half an hour was a gushing waterfall of Raju Garu's poetry

which we are sure that Telugu speaking audience would have enjoyed

thoroughly. Swami then called for the Bhajan students. They took

their place in the front row and the Bhajans began at 4.30 p.m. At

5.00 p.m. Swami took Aarti and retired for the day.

 

February 4th 2005

 

After coming for the normal Darshan at 7.50 a.m., Swami went back to

the Poornachandra Auditorium at 8.00 a.m. Devotees thought that

Swami may possibly come back only for Bhajans. Therefore, most of

them had gone out for a while. Suddenly, Swami came in at 8.30 a.m.

and as the Golf Cart came half way through the Sai Kulwant Hall, it

took a left turn and went outside the main gate. All were taken for

a real surprise!

 

Who can ever gauge the mysterious ways of the Lord! Perhaps the

thousands of devotees from Vizianagaram, who had assembled at

Prasanthinilayam for the last two days, were praying sincerely from

their hearts for a closer glimpse of Bhagawan. Swami went in the

Golf Cart along the road beside the South Indian Canteen. Hundreds

of devotees who stood in the queues there had a wonderful glimpse of

Bhagawan. A lovely Darshan, but a lovely opportunity for the

security people too! How could they stop the hundreds of devotees

from pouring forth their love and devotion by rushing forward - just

to catch a closer glimpse or maybe pass a letter into His loving

hands or just shed tears of joy standing face to face with God! For

them it would be just once in a life time opportunity!

 

The old students who were there in the Mandir came to the aid of the

security men. They all formed a chain around the Golf Cart and

facilitated the movement of the Cart further along the path amidst

the tidal waves of devotion!

 

Bhagawan went around the Poornachandra Auditorium and again entered

the Sai Kulwant Hall to be in the Bhajan Hall right in time! What a

Leela of the Lord! He alone knows how to delight His devotees.

Truly, businessmen ought to take clues from Him in the art

of 'Customer Delight'. However, here it is all free and just Love to

Love!!

 

This evening again, Swami came out just like yesterday evening, at

sharp 3.45 p.m. The Golf Cart took a turn at the centre of the

Kulwant Hall towards the dais. As the Golf Cart reached the centre

of the Hall, Swami looked at the four children standing with a flag

in their hands in front of the backdrop presenting a scene of a

gushing waterfall! Two more children standing at either end of the

backdrop carried a long banner with an 'offering message' written on

it.

 

Yes, there was to be a presentation this evening by the Balvikas

children of Vizianagaram. By the way, almost six thousand devotees

from Vizianagaram District which is close to Visakhapatnam, have

come to Prasanthinilayam to celebrate the 80th Year of the Avatar.

They have been here for the last two or three days and this evening

was their slot for the presentation.

 

Swami climbed down the Golf Cart at the centre of the dais, climbed

up the steps and sat down on the sofa. Instantly there was loud

applause - real loud as the Kulwant Hall was almost fully packed

with the Vizianagaram devotees! At 3.55 p.m. the Vedam chanting

stopped. Two young girl dancers came forward and offered roses to

Bhagawan. Swami Blessed the roses and returned them to the girls.

 

As the girls moved back facing Swami, our Loving Bhagawan

immediately cautioned them about the steps, which He does every time

when children come to offer Him a card or a rose and go back,

walking backwards but facing Him. That is Divine Sensitivity!

Bhagawan gave the command to begin the programme.

 

The presentation - a dance drama in Telugu - was titled "Sarva Mata

Sarame Sai Matamu" - "The essence of all religions is the Sai

religion. The first scene began with a sculptor carving a rock. As

he goes about his sculpting work, he hears the Omkaram sound

emanating from the rock. He is surprised. He is also in a dilemma as

he is not able to understand the significance of this. In the next

scene a group of dancers come in along with two Krishna adorers.

They tell the sculptor to sculpt an idol of Krishna as Omkaram was

the symbol of the Divine Lord Krishna. This is followed by a dance

including a short Raas with a little Krishna standing in front of

the rock.

 

In the next scene, the sculptor continues with his work of carving

an idol of Krishna, but now suddenly the chants of the Koran are

heard from the rock. What should he do now - he is puzzled. The

Muslims from the village come in and ask him to build a mosque over

there. A short Qawwali follows.

 

By now you would know what was to come next! Yes, it was the

Christian devotees from the village listening to the bell sounds

coming from the rock. This was followed by the Buddhist monks and

the Zoroastrians. In each case, the concerned deity or saint would

appear in front of the rock. The rock would part into two and he

would appear in front, for that scene.

 

By this time, the sculptor is fully confused and does not know what

to do. All the villagers come into the forefront, there begins a

fight amongst them - each one claiming his ownership over the rock.

After a few minutes of clashes with a song in the background, light

dawns on them through little girls coming in with lighted candles

and then follows a song describing the eternal truths of life

revealed by Bhagawan. All religions are one. Every religion teaches

us noble things. If the mind is good, then which religion is

bad .... and so on.

 

The culmination comes with the declaration that the highest religion

is the religion of humanity. Manava Dharmamu. At this point a Sarva

Dharma Stupa is seen standing behind the rock, signifying the unity

of all religions. The grand finale is a song with the lyrics, Manava

Jati, Prema Matamu, Sai Daivamu.

 

The presentation came to a close amidst loud claps. The Vizianagaram

devotees were overjoyed witnessing their own district children

performing in the Divine Presence. It was 4.30 p.m. Bhagawan asked

the concerned in-charge, "Is it over?" He nodded and Swami gave a

broad smile and got up from the sofa. All the children had assembled

in a neat group half way from the dais. Bhagawan raised both His

hands and Blessed them profusely! He then moved towards the

interview room while the Vizianagaram devotee Bhajan singers started

singing Bhajans. Swami instructed Prasadam to be distributed. Besan

Laddus were offered to all.

 

Meanwhile, students rushed inside the Bhajan Hall and our Bhajan

boys took over the singing. We had a long Bhajan session until 5.20

p.m. Then Bhagawan took Aarti and retired for the day.

 

By the way, for the last two or three days, we have been seeing some

village women in their tribal dresses sitting for Darshan on the

Ladies side, right at the front. We were wondering who they could

be. They were so conspicuous by their attire! On enquiry, we found

that they were the Lambadis (a particular sect of Tribal folk from

the state of Andhra Pradesh). They have come here from Warangal and

are likely to be part of the celebrations on the 10th of February.

Oh! That reminds us, we have not told you anything about the

function on the 10th ! So here we go ...

 

On 21st December 2004, Bhagawan had asked Prof. Anil Kumar around

3.50 p.m. in the evening, to address the audience in Sai Kulwant

Hall. Swami also gave him some instructions regarding the content of

his talk. Following are the relevant excerpts of that talk :

 

Prof. Anil Kumar said that there are so many old people in

Prasanthinilayam. They have retired from worldly life but Bhagawan

has re-tyred them!! In fact, Prasanthinilayam is one place where you

will find maximum number of re-tyred people working and offering

their services selflessly. Bhagawan is taking care of all of them.

 

In His Mercy and Compassion, Bhagawan has decided to Bless all these

couples in a very grand way. All the couples in Prasanthinilayam,

whose husbands are above 70 and 75 years of age, are requested to

register their names in the office and be present here by January

10th. After the commencement of Uttarayana (Sankranti), the

celebration will take place. Bhagawan will perform the Shastipoorti

ceremony for these couples (Re-Marriage). This is a ritual where the

senior couples will be re-married in a ceremonious manner (just as

it is done in the regular marriage) to mark the entry into a new

phase of their life. This is a spiritual marriage for the couple!!

 

There will be no dearth of the gifts that are going to be showered

on them by Bhagawan. Gold ornaments, silk saris and dhotis and what

not! This is the Love and Compassion of the Lord. When young people

run to Swami, Swami runs to shower His Grace on the old people who

are unable to walk. The timing too is so appropriate as this year is

dedicated to old people.

 

Prof. Anil Kumar concluded his talk and took his seat next to Swami.

The next speaker was the Vice Chancellor, Sri S.V. Giri. Sri Giri

Garu also expressed his joy and gratitude at this most benedictory

act of Bhagawan. Old age is the time when people have physical and

mental problems. This is the period when they need support. Bhagawan

conducting this ceremony is symbolic of that support and concern for

them!!

 

Today, in the world, old people are ignored. In many families, sons

leave their parents to be on their own, without any hesitation. With

nuclear families proliferating rapidly old age homes have become the

need of the hour. Old people, though may not be deprived of

financial assistance, are thirsty for emotional and psychological

support. At such times, Bhagawan's Blessing in the form of this

ceremony has come as a Divine assurance of His Love and Concern.

Even if there is nobody else, God is always there to take care of

all of us.

 

Thus the 80th year of the Avataar is going to commence in such a

sacred and wonderful way by way of expression of gratitude to the

septuagenarians who have moulded and shaped the generation of

today!!

 

So, it is this function that is tentatively fixed on the 10th of

February. A lot of groundwork has been done by the organizers in

identifying the eligible couples, other preparations etc. The

Lambadi women whom we were talking about, usually participate in

marriage functions by performing a typical folk dance ahead of the

marriage procession. This is a common practice in the Telengana and

Rayalseema areas of Andhra Pradesh. That is possibly the reason why

they are here.

 

We all are eagerly looking forward to that event and hope that Swami

will give us some minor role to play as He deems fit, in the

preparations.