Darshan News: June 15, 2008

June 16, 2008

June 15, 2008 "The greatest fruition of any talent is, it being offered to the Lord", said a wise man once. He must have been really wise because that is exactly what even our Swami says. When on one occasion in Trayee Brindavan a teacher said, "Talent is a gift of God", Swami corrected him telling, "No! Talent is God." And so, it can be easily understood why each and every bit of talent latent in anyone tries its best to become patent in front of the Lord. The talent bustling in the students of the University is no exception to this!Today, the students were all ready and geared up with a Bhangra dance programme to present before Swami. The bhajan hall was filled with students in their costumes

awaiting the command to go out and dance to their and Lord's hearts content! Swami came for darshan at about 4:10 pm and drove straight out of the main gate into the Puttaparthi township. He came back and then went straight to the bhajan hall even without going for the complete darshan round. In the bhajan hall, He collected letters and spoke to the participants. When Swami enquires into the details of the programme, it is definitely not His inquisitiveness to know about the programme. What is there that He does not know? It is only an enthusing dose of Love and affection that charges the participants to give better than their best for the programme. After the short interaction, Swami told the boys to go and start the programme. He too moved to the stage.As soon as Swami asked for the Veda chanting to be stopped, two students came to Swami with card and the planned programme proceedings. Swami blessed them and they took the much sought after

Paadanamaskar. The programme began with a Nagar Sankeertan where the holy Guru Granth Sahib was carried in a procession of singing Sikhs. Two comperes held the show together with the teachings of Guru Nanak and the other Sikh gurus. One of the comperes was a disciple of the Sikh gurus while the other was a disciple of Swami! So beautiful comparisons and blend in the teachings were brought about. The atmosphere in a Gurudwara was also very well depicted and the sheer numbers of the participants - 64 in all - was enough to make all feel as if they were seated in the heart of Punjab. There was a singer and an accompanying person who provided the audio for the entire programme. But that was only the audio over the PA system. The chorus of the 64 students energetically exercising their lungs in the heights of excitement and feverish devotion was so loud that at times it overpowered the blast of the Bose speakers hanging high above in the hall.Bhangra

is a dance with a lot of colour, energy and life. The swirling turbans added the colour, the boys gave the energy and a sweetly smiling and engrossed Swami lent Life to the performance. The tempo and rhythm went on building up as is the wont of a Bhangra performance. Huge formations, criss crosses and human pyramids came up. Various instruments and tools used in Punjab were on display too. Swirling wheels, wooden stretches, poles and bare hands and legs combined in an amazing array of sequences to add spice to the fervour of the dances. Many of the more visually attractive steps and items were performed right in front of Swami, close to the stage. Once the dance concluded, all of them came right up in the front and collected in front of Swami. Swami was all smiles as He watched them.Any art form needs patronage to survive and more importantly thrive. Who can give better patronage than the mother? And what more loving mother than the Divine

Mother? Swami said that He would come down to be with all the boys. And what more, He stood up and walked down the stage. All the students thronged around Him. Like a lotus surrounded by buzzing bees, Swami blossomed as cameras clicked and videos whirred. He told all of them more than once, "Very very good programme." When in a burst of emotion, the boys thundered, "Swami we Love you.", He smiled and whispered back, "I love you too." One was reminded of the statement, "In the depths of silence, the voice of God is heard." And here, in the deafening enthusiasm of the boys too, the sweet mellifluous voice, "I love you too" was heard so well. Clearly, the silence in that statement refers to something deeper than mere absence of sound! It is more a 'sound' state of perfect harmony with oneself - the way one is when in the Presence of Swami.Swami spoke to the boys as He posed for pictures and went up back on the stage. He took letters from a few

other boys. He also called and spoke to some of the freshers. The end result of the interaction was 64 beaming faces after receiving the divine outpouring and so many other happy faces after witnessing the divine outpour! Swami then moved into the bhajan hall for the bhajans. At about 6:10 pm He received Aarthi and left.

http://www.saistudents.org