A Most Memorable and Divine Maha Shivarathri - 2

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The next morning, it was about 7:10 am when along with the rising sun, the light and apple of every eye arrived into the Kulwant hall. Again, Swami chose to come on the chair. He gently coursed through the ladies side. As He came to the marble block, a plea was made to Him to bless the prasadam to be distributed in the orning. Swami went to the main gate where the idols of Rama, Lakshmana and Seeta are and blessed all the huge vessels holding the prasadam. He then came back and moved through the gents side granting darshan. He sat on stage listening to bhajans being sung. Needless to say, His presence brought a boost to the tempo and rhythm of the bhajans.

 

Swami sat for more than half an hour and that seemed to be the most fruitful portion of the holy songs being sung. After that, Swami asked for the Aarthi to be taken. He Himself lit the Aarthi (a rarity nowadays).After the Aarthi, the prasadam distribution began. Swami just sat silently watching. His eyes travelled almost over every soul sitting in the hall. Meanwhile, outside, the devotees were having a joyful time watching Swami on the giant screen. A lady even exclaimed, "I got the first line to see Swami in front of the screen!" Swami continued to sit and just kept seeing all around the hall. Prasadam distribution- laddoos and pulihora (tamarind rice)- went on smoothly and quickly. Brahmaarpanam was chanted, not once but twice as the tiny tots from Primary School outdid their senior brothers from the Institute. All the senses were in a state of bliss. As the prasadam was a

delight to the tongues, the ears heard the devotional strains, eyes beheld the beautiful form of Swami, there was a divine aroma in the air and the feeling on the whole was so charging. After a while, Swami slowly went back to Yajur Mandiram.In the evening, Swami came out at about 5:00 pm. The hall was still jam packed. Swami's darshan is something that you can never have too much of. Each time you see Him, you feel like seeing Him more and more. And today, it seemed that Swami too had decided that His devotees can never have enough of His darshan. He completed His darshan rounds and then came out again on the chair. He slowly moved through the gents side and from there to the ladies side. Every face had a joyous look and every palm folded in deepest reverence as Swami went about blessing everyone. Thrilling all the hearts with the beauty, auspiciousness and

Grace of His darshan, Swami went back to the stage. The bhajans for the evening were on in full flow.

 

 

Swami had decided to make the evening into another very special one. He called out to Mr.Ajit Popat and asked him to speak. He spoke in his well known enthusiastic way and spoke about how all of us should always be happy. He also mentioned on the importance of keeping good health. And then as he concluded, Swami filled everyone's cup of joy to the brim as He said that HE would speak. Sitting in the chair, Swami began the discourse the summary of which is presented below:-Birth,bondage and liberation; everything is a result of action. All must attempt to recognize the actions done from dawn to dusk. As is the action, so is the result. Good actions give good intellect. Actions prompted by bad thoughts give bad results. You must have seen bats. They keep flying in the air like all other birds. They also rest on trees. But its posture is upside down. Did anyone tie it that

way? No. But its karma is like that. Similarly when man does bad deeds and has bad thoughts, he reaps bad consequences. We just cannot escape the reactions of our actions. Just like a correct answer in the examination yields good marks and a wrong answer yields no marks, the way of life is also such. It is the foremost responsibility of man to do good deeds. Whenever any action is done, think, "I am MAN". Question whether what you are about to do is human or bestial. Otherwise, why God, People themselves will question, criticize and punish you. There is no need to go till God, the actions themselves will confer the consequences.Again, among the different birds, when some of them call out, people throw stones at them. But the cuckoo and the nightingale are welcomed. Our speech too determines the reactions we receive. Help ever hurt never. Many times, we knowingly hurt

people. To do it knowingly is the worst of sins. Man has a mind. It can be set on the right path or the wrong path. "Mana Eve Manushyanaam Kaaranam Bandha Mokshayoho". Accusing others, blindly following people and hurting - these are not the qualities that are natural to man.. Man should be free of these and help his fellowmen. When animals themselves help men, there is nothing great about helping your fellowmen. Do human actions based on human values.

 

 

Follow God's command. Not any external God. Follow the God within.. "Daivam Maanusha Roopena" - God is in human form. Just obey His command. You may have intimate friends. But do not follow them. Follow only God's command. Do not hurt anyone in thought, word or deed. Irrespective of caste, community or culture, be a good human being. If this humaneness is forgotten, all spiritual penance is useless. Do acts to please God. That is the fulfillment of human life. "Jantunaam Nara Janma Durlabham." - among all the creatures, human life is the most fortunate one. So do not waste this life by speaking untruth, doing injustice and having bad feelings. It is important to be good, do good and see good. Today you smile having bad looks and vision. That is not proper. There must be harmony of thoughts, words and deeds. If there is no unity in the first place, there can be no purity. If

anyone criticizes, think that it is for your good only. Everything is for the good. Be smiling always. That does not mean that you laugh unnecessarily. Have good thoughts. Let any property be lost but not humanness. True good health means developing good thoughts.

Do not eat everything that you come across. Whatever you eat, offer it uto God and then only eat it. Have pure saatwik food. Remember, whatever you offer, will come back to you. You cannot get good from wrong activities. Good food alone will give good health and then alone will good thoughts arise. Once a beggar went to a house and the lady there told him, "Have a bath and come. I will serve you food." He replied, "Govindeti sadaa snaanam." (Govinda's name is the holy bath) She then said, "The Govinda's name itself will be good food for you. Have it!" If bath is Govinda the food is also Govinda. Do not have double standards. Sometimes, we have very bad thoughts. The remedy for that is good company.

Satsangatve Nissangatvam Nissangatve Nirmohatvam Nirmohatve Nischalatatvam Nischalatatve Jeevan Mukti.

You cannot call yourself good if you have habits like drinking, smoking or eating non vegetarian. They should be totally absent. Human life is very sacred. It is a gift of past merit. Though you will get company in liquor houses and bars, you will never get good thoughts there. Give up jealousy, anger and ego. Have gratitude to those who have done even the most miniscule help to you. Then you will be successful. We get so much help and betray even those who help us.

Have gratitude even for the most simple help. Else all is vain. Treat even enemies with Love and respect. Then the reaction, reflection and resound will be good. You need not worship God. your goodness will support you. You are the witness for the mind, the foolishness is the witness for a fool. Follow the right path according to your heart. Self -satisfaction is very important. That will prepare you for Self- sacrifice.

 

 

Dear students, develop good thoughts.There is no use of reading big books. People think that you are reading the Mahabharata while on the sly you are reading all nasty things. You are Vidyarthi. Seek the knowledge of the Self. Do everything for Atma Trupti or Self satisfaction. First and foremost develop tolerance and give up anger. At this age, you have sacred hearts. It is not neede that you please the world. It is enough that you please God. If you want happiness, the only way is to sing God's glory. ( Bhajan Bina Sukh Shanti Nahi) It was Guru Nanak who emphasised the importance of bhajans. When we sing together, atleast one heart will go to God and that is enough. God will be ecstatic when you sing His praises. Everyday there are nights, but the night you think of God is Shivarathri. Do bhajans now. As Swami commanded, the bhajans began.

It was quite late already and everyone were so happy at this unexpected bounty. Swami then received Aarthi and retired bringing to an end one of the Most Memorable Shivarathri Festivals in Recent memory.

 

Om Sai Ram.

[Guest guest]

Sairam Dearest Sai Brother Mahadevan, Thanks a ton for sharing this valuable information. For a moment I felt as though I was sitting in Prashanthinilayam and listening to our Beloved Mother Sai. Thanks again May Sai Bless you ever Thankam Nair

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