Prasanthi Bulletin - 12th Feb

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Prasanthi Bulletin

 

 

 

 

February 12th, 2006

 

In the morning, being a Sunday, there was a huge gathering. A number

of devotees had also come from Parthi. At 9.15 a.m. itself the

chandelier came on indicating that Bhagavan had come out of Trayee.

Swami came out at 9.20 a.m., much earlier than He was doing for the

past few days. Sevadal Bhajans commenced as is the custom at

Brindavan on Sundays. While being wheeled in for Darshan, Swami

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.