Guest guest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 KANSAI. LIGHT FOR APRIL 2009 ISSUE NO-40--------------------------- KANSAI LIGHT , APRIL 2009. ISSUE NO.40 News letter of Sri Sathya Sai Organization Japan address: I.S.S, 2nd Fl, 1-3, Kumochi 5-Chome, Chuo Ku Kobe Tel: 078-222-1885, Email: rgcjp --------- PLEASE PRINT COPY FOR YOUR EASY REFERENCE --------- SWAMI'S TEACHINGS The Bhagavad Gita does not intend that you should pluck a leaf or a flower or a fruit from some plant or tree and place it before God. Nor does it ask you to bring water from a well or a river or a roadside tap. The Leaf that you have to offer is your own body, which like the leaf, sprouts green, fades, and finally falls off from the branch. The Flower is the heart freed from the pests of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, hate, etc. The Fruit is the mind, the consequence of its yearnings, which have to be dedicated to God. The Water is the stream of tears that flow from the eyes when one is in ecstatic bliss at the contemplation of God's glory. Offering these four is the real act of Sharanaagathi (total surrender ------------------------- the Dramas of Life Divine Dear readers, till the December 2008 issue, in this section we serialized for you " Shirdi Sai Parthi Sai " , the glorious saga of Shirdi Sai and the divine life of Sathya Sai till His early childhood. This series continued for 48 episodes, and we received very positive responses to this serial. In fact, now that the script is available, this television serial has been re-enacted as a play in many Sai centres. Encouraged with this, we decided to continue this section and offer something in a similar format. And now, after the Divine Life story of Bhagavan Baba, it is the innumerable dramas presented in the Divine Presence by the students of Bhagavan's Schools and University, as well as by the Bal Vikas students and Sai devotees from all corners of the world. We hope the current series, which is accompanied with lots of pictures and video stills/clips, will not only make an enriching and edifying reading experience, but also will help devotees everywhere to redo these inspiring plays in their own settings with little effort. So, enjoy these divine dramas where the Divine was a keen spectator and the hidden director! The following drama relives the tense and momentous period which precluded the start of the Kurukshetra War between the Pandava brothers, who were aided and beloved by Lord Krishna and the evil Kauravas clan, who were bent on their destruction. We join the fray when the Kauravas' emissary Duryodhana has arrived to seek Krishna 's help, just at the same time as Arjuna, the trusted confidant of Krishna , enters on the same purpose. FULL CAST 1) Lord Krishna; 2) Arjuna, the master archer among the Pandava brothers; 3) Suyodhana, the eldest of the Kaurava brothers; 4) King Virata, the king in whose court the Pandavas spent last year of their exile in concealment; 5) King Drupada, the king of Panchal and the father of Draupadi who was married to the Pandavas; 6) Nakula and Sahadeva, the 4 th and 5 th pandava brothers; 7) Bheema, the great uncle of both Pandavas and Kauravas who was one of the greatest warriors; 8) Dharmaja, also called as Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandavas; 9) Dhritarashtra, the father of the Kauravas and the blind king of Hastinapura; 10) Shakuni, the brother of Gandhari, the mother of the Kauravas; 11) Karna, a great archer and a friend of Suyodhana, who was actually the sixth brother of the Pandavas; 12) Vidura, the pious minister of King Dritharastra; 13) Drona, the teacher of Pandavas and the Kauravas; 14) Three characters representing the mind; 15) Three characters symbolizing the Conscience; 16) Kripa, the court priest of Hastinapura; 17) Vyasa, the author of the epic Mahabharata. Click here to go to Previous issue story > > KRISHNA - THE PEACE AMBASSADOR Sports Meet Drama, 2007 Clot " ¦clot " ¦clot " ¦ Vyaasa: Satya Sai Roopena Krishnaaya Namaha. The world recognizes me as Ved Vyaasa, the author of the greatest epic of all times. The Mahabharata that the Lord blessed me to compose is not just an ordinary story. The conflict between the forces of the good and the dark forces of evil is timeless and eternal - a daily battle going on within every being. The battle of Kurukshetra resulting ultimately in the victory of Dharma must be the fitting finale that one must seek to complete the Mahabharata of one's life. The manas is the powerful king who can lead the individual to either peace or utter ruin. Unfortunately, the mind gets blinded by mamakara, ahamkara, kama , krodha and lobha, and in relentless pursuit of their demands, becomes deaf to the unrelenting advice of the buddhi and viveka. It begins with the seed of attachment " ¦ " What can I do? Indraprastha is under Duryodhana's control. " " ¦and grows up nourished by pride and ego " ¦ " With my bow and arrows, I shall romp among the frightened Pandavas like a bloodthirsty tiger " Viveka or discrimination, the mind's eternal companion always guides it along the enlightened path of righteousness. " You may not listen to me but I am bound to you and I will always speak the truth, however harsh it might seem to your ears. " " Listen to the voice of your conscience in solemnity and reverence and pay heed to its advice. " " Let not wild ambition ascend the throne that rightfully belongs to wisdom. " Vinaashakaale vipareetha buddhi. Manas pays no heed to the wise counsel and chooses preyas over shreyas. It hurtles towards disaster fed by hatred and caressed by greed. " Tell them even a speck of land needed to place the tip of a needle will not be granted to them. " When the mind is lost in these dark alleys, the compassion of the Lord shines forth as the voice of the peace loving conscience. The onus lies on the mind to seek this light and redeem itself forever. The Mahabharata is not just an ordinary story " “it is your story, my story, everyone's story and most importantly, HIS story. SCENE 1 - ME OR MY ARMY? Preamble The Pandavas have completed their harsh exile and have sent a head priest as their emissary to Hastinapura seeking their kingdom back. The emissary has been disgraced by the Kauravas, and in turn the spineless Dhritarashtra has sent Sanjaya to tell the Pandavas to be happy where they are, making war the only option for both the sides. At the behest of the cunning Shakuni, Suyodhana has arrived at Dwarka to seek help from Krishna for the war. Krishna : Paartha, when did you come? You could have called Me. Arjuna: O Risikesha; having had Your Darshan my raging mind was benumbed into humble stillness and sitting in Your solemn presence I forgot all my worries. Krishna : But " ¦Kounteya you must have been waiting for so long " ¦ Suyodhana: Hmm " ¦hmm.. Krishna : Bava (brother-in-law) Suyodhana:Emi Mahanubhava (What, O great one) Krishna : (sings a couplet) Suyodhana: Now the war is imminent, I stand here to seek Your help, O Krishna! You are as dear to us as to the Pandavas. Krishna : But what about Arjuna? He too must have come to seek My help. Suyodhana: Vasudeva, it was me who arrived first. You should consider helping me before You help Arjuna. Krishna : But Suyodhana it was Arjuna whom I noticed first. Anyway, both of you seek all that you want and I promise not to disappoint anyone. Suyodhana: Disappointment " ¦.. disappointment is inevitable Keshava. In war you cannot fight on both sides. Krishna : Suyodhana! I spoke not of war but only of help. On one side, you have the invincible Narayani Sena in whose march the thunders roll, to whose shouts even the Gods shudder. I shall stand on the other side - alone and unarmed. Suyodhana: Unarmed!? Krishna : Both of you are equally dear to me. Against whom shall I raise my weapons? Choose then O Phalguna, either the mightiest of men or this solitary soul. Suyodhana: Vasudeva, I should have the first choice. Krishna :Bava Suyodhana, Arjuna is much younger to you in age. Will not the Pandavas later blot your immaculate character with the accusations of injustice? Let Arjuna make the first choice. Suyodhana:Kapata Naataka Sutradhaari (the mastermind behind all clever twists)! Yet another ploy to assign all His armies to His dear Arjuna. Arjuna: Vasudeva! Of what avail is that army in reckon with the Lord of the worlds. I have not come to seek the help of the Narayana Sena. I have come to seek Narayana Himself. I want thee alone my lord. Suyodhana: Ha Ha Ha (checks himself) Oh Krishna! Above all enmities, Arjuna is my brother. I shall abide by his decision. He has left me with no other choice. I will satisfy myself with Your army. And now if You permit, I will move on. " ¦ " ¦ " ¦.. You may now continue to take rest. Krishna : Arjuna, tell me why is it that you chose this unarmed soul leaving aside the fiercest of armies in the world. Arjuna: Madhava, You are the master of all men and matter. No knowledge, no secret, no passage lies unknown to You. My Lord, Your single glance can vanquish mighty multitudes in a trice. In Your hands lie the reins of my life itself, oh Sanatana Sarathi. You must guide me amidst the death, destruction and ruin to peace and victory during this war. SCENE 2 - VIRATA'S COURT : KRISHNA SALLIES FOR PEACE Preamble Cannot the Lord see the epic war is inevitable? Doesn't He know that Suyodhana and the blind Dhritarashtra are in no mood to give Indraprastha back to the Pandavas? He is the all knowing one yet to present before mankind an example, He is staging this drama. Moreover He is an extremely shrewd statesman. He wishes to inject a few doses of instability and insecurity in the minds of the Kauravas. Krishna has set forth on the historic mission to Hastinapura. Announcement is made that Drupada and Virata are arriving. Virata: O people of matchless valour! All the shastras and scriptures make it the obligation of every king to goad all mankind along the right path. Suggest the wise, teach the ignorant, guide the innocent, punish the wicked and ensure that dharma is upheld. If anyone resists its reign, hesitate not to draw his obedience through death. Drupada: It is in this injunction that the war with the Kauravas becomes our only resort to uphold dharma. Krishna : But oh king of Panchala! The solution for a headache is not in chopping off the head. My heart shudders to heap horrors of death and pain on humanity. I implore thee not to drown hearts in the wretchedness of a selfish revenge. Drupada: What selfishness is it to scathe those awful beasts that have slain dharma on the altar of greed and jealousy. Was it not their wretchedness that watched in shameless silence when my daughter was disrobed in the royal court? In the flames of their funeral pyres I shall pour my agony and unburden my heart. Krishna : Then dress not your revenge in the guise of dharma. Mingle not your ire in the obligations of a king. Let not your emotions cloud your wisdom. Oh wise men, all doors to peace are not yet shut. Nakula: Madhusudana, it is not that we have not tried peace before. The head priest was sent as our messenger, to convey that we have served the term of exile. But he was mocked and sent back. Sahadeva: Sanjaya too came from Hastinapura but alas the message of the king was, " Be wherever you are and be at peace. " Arjuna: Patience is of no avail. No matter how hard you try, Suyodhana would not yield. Krishna : It is not about Suyodhana. Forget not the noble men like Bheeshma and Drona. They should certainly be given a chance. Virata: Speak not of their nobility Krishna that dissolves into silence in the royal court. Krishna : O men of noble birth, let not the meanness of revenge, ignorance of logic, weakness of instinct and blindness of anger smite your souls. Place your discrimination on the pedestal of brotherhood. Let us talk only of peace and let them propose war. Bheema: We are not meek to beg them time and again for peace. The lances of Dharmaja have broken the bosoms of countless demons, the mace of Bheema mightier than the vajrayudha (the invisible weapon made of diamond), shall deport thousands to the portals of death in a single sweep, the Gandiva of Arjuna is the third eye of Mahadeva spitting fire, and the swords of Sahadeva and Nakula shall spell doom with every slice. Krishna : But history will not talk of your might Vayunandana. It weighs you by your values. Your valour is but a curse on humanity if it cannot usher peace to you fellowmen. Go, fan the storms of hatred and ravage the world and let history mock " ˜O how supremely foolish art thou men! Thou sold your souls to the wily anger's lust'. Drupada: What about the unfulfilled vows of the Pandavas and of my daughter's untied hair? Krishna : Is a droplet of blood, O King, on your daughter's hair much worthier than the tears of countless mothers? Transcend your petty selves and weigh them on the scales of greater good. Where hath all your compassion gone? Let not those words uttered in mindless rage be foolish bindings upon your actions. ( Krishna goes around " ¦) Dharmaja: Madhava, we know not what to do, smitten by failure, haunted my misery, confused, we stand. Lead us Oh lord, for you know what is right. We surrender to thee. Krishna : Thus we unanimously decide to be patient and make one last attempt for peace. Let me visit the royal court of Hastinapur. I shall be your messenger of peace. SCENE 3 - THE " ˜AMBASSADOR' ARRIVES Preamble The Lord's ways are subtle and profound. By choosing Vidura's abode as His residence, He has not only conveyed that He can be befriended by a pure heart alone, He has also blessed the lifelong penance of Vidura - the penance of upholding Dharma at any cost - even if that means mockery and disgrace. This is the moment Vidura has been waiting for all his life. [Vidura and Bheeshma welcome Krishna ] Dhritarashtra : O Ambassador of Peace, Vasudeva " “ pranams to you. Hastinapur welcomes you. [ Krishna greets everyone present] Dhritarashtra: Please accept this gift as a humble offering O Madhusudana. [Claps and a cow is brought on the stage.] Krishna : O Maharaja! I am honoured to receive such a gift. But in return, I am afraid I have got nothing but peace to offer. Bheeshma: O Kesava! You must be exhausted from the arduous journey, we can talk leisurely later. Please take rest now. Suyodhana: Krishna , I cordially invite You to dine at my place with me. Thereafter you can go ahead to rest at Dusyasana's palace. Krishna : Thank you for your request brother Suyodhan. But I will reside at Mahatma Vidura's home. Moreover, mother Kunti is also waiting for me there. Suyodhana: O Krishna ! Your refusal will hurt me forever. Krishna : Forever " ¦.. Forever is a very broad term brother. First let us come to a truce. Unless we reconcile, how can I accept your hospitality? Shakuni: Hey Kesava! I don't understand Your perspective. What does agreeing to be a guest have anything to do with the outcome of talks? Karna: Yes Madhava! We have no enmity with You. How can a perfect gentleman like You insult Your host? Krishna : O Angaraj! I cannot forsake Dharma at any cost. Moreover, one accepts an invitation only when one is either hungry, or when one is a friend. Neither am I hungry, nor am I dear to brother Suyodhana. Dusyasana : But Krishna , how can you say that You are not dear to us? Krishna : If I was dear to you, then Suyodhana would have fought with Arjuna for Me and not My monumental army. Shakuni: But that does not prove anything Madhusudana. Arjuna had already sought You and You had given Yourself to him. How then could dear Suyodhana get You? Krishna : Ah haa! If I have already given myself to Arjuna O King of Gandhar, how then can I partake the salt of his enemy? He who is not a friend of the Pandavas is not my friend either. Also don't forget, Dharma is on the Pandavas' side and where there is Dharma there I am. I am not only an ambassador of peace but also an ambassador of Dharma. If I break bread with Suyodhana I would have trespassed Dharma. Suyodhana:[trying to control his anger] Its time for food Vasudeva. My offer is still open. I am humbly requesting You " ¦ " ¦. Krishna : O Suyodhana! If you had really wanted to dine with Me, by now you would have accepted my peace proposal. Meal " ¦.. that I will have only at Vidura's place [ Krishna leaves the stage]. Suyodhana: Haah! What does this cowherd think of himself? He would have been honoured to have a meal with me. But it is fit that a cowherd dines with a son of a maid servant. Mamashri, I am telling you, if tomorrow He tries to act smart in the court I will make him my prisoner. SCENE 4 - VIDURA BHAKTI Preamble There are probably only two people who realize the significance of Krishna Himself coming as a peace messenger. Dhritarashtra's intense and blind attachment for his son has brought the Kuru race to the verge of destruction. The king is blind but at least he can hear. However a man who has stopped listening to the dictates of his conscience requires a stern prodding. And that needs to be done by Viveka (conscience) and Buddhi (intellect) symbolized by Bheeshma and Vidura. Vidura: Oh Compassionate one! What have You done? Instead of the comforts of the royal palace You chose this poor man's abode as Your residence. Krishna : It is not poverty of the abode but the richness of the heart that attracts Me. Know Me as Bhaavapriya (one who goes by the inner feeling)and not Baahyapriya (one who is attracted by external pomp and show). Oh Mahatma! We are bound, heart to heart, and love to love. (A verse in Hindi) Sabse Ooncbhi prem sagai Vidura: Duryodhan ka meva tyaaga Saag Vidur ghar khayo " ¦Sabse oonchi prem sagai (Animation and music piece) Vidura: We did not have an inkling of Your arrival Oh Keshava. Forgive us; the food is not a banquet worthy of You. Krishna :Hari to bas Prem ke bhooke Prem ka saag khilayo ( Krishna eats the banana peel) Vidura: O Premaswaroopa! Who can ever fathom You? Lost in the ecstasy of Your presence, I foolishly offered the peels throwing away the fruit! But You " ¦ Narayana Vaikuntha Ko Tyago Nara Ko prem Padhayo " ¦ Sabse oonchi prem sagai Krishna : Oh Vidura! Your bliss alone is My food. Indeed fruitful is Your life for it has been spent for God. Any call from the depths of the heart, rest assured that I will respond. Prem Ke Basa Ek Pag Leejo Sau Pag Daud Ke Aayo. (To be continued) OVERCOMING OF KARMA FOR SARANAGATA Bhimaji PatelAt Junner in Pune district was one Bjhimaji Patel. he had contracted Tuberculosis with continuous fever, ejecting bloody sputum and had gastric trouble also. All remedies he tried were in vain. All pujas were in vain. N.G. Chandorkar sent him to Sainath. Bhimaji came; and to alight from his tonga, four men had to support him. Shama conducted him to Baba. Baba: Shama, in bringing this thief to me, what a load of responsibility you are placing on my shoulders! Then Bhimaji (placing his head upon Baba's feet): Helper of the helpless. I am helpless. Pray, show thy pity and grace unto me. Baba changed his tone and spoke to him with a smiling face. Baba: Stay, cast off anxiety. the wise avoid anxiety. Your sufferings for your past karma have come to an end, as soon as you put your feet on Shirdi. Persons in great trouble, sunk in their misery, rise to joy and happiness as soon as they climb the steps of this mosque. That Fakir (God) is very kind and will eradicate your disease. He will show his love. He is kind to all. Go and stay at Bhima Bai's house. Accordingly Bhimaji stayed in Bhima Bai's house, using Baba's udhi only. On the first day Baba Himself applied the udhi to his forehead and placed His palm on his head. Baba: Bhimaji, walk to your quarters. Patel was at once able to walk up to his carriage, without being supported by any. Baba did not give him any medicine, but gave him something better and more effectual. Bhimaji had two dreams. In the first he had become a boy. His teacher in teaching a lesson, birched him vigorously and the man roared with pain in his sleep. In the next dream, Bhimaji found that some one had got upon his breast and rolled over it a heavy stone roller and he felt the pangs of death. Then he awoke with these dreams, his disease had fled. he slowly walked up to the Masjid and bowed to Baba. After a month's more stay with Baba, he went home hale and healthy. (Source Sai Baba Charters and Sayings) http://www.saileelas.org/books/babasayings -------------------------- Sathya Sai Speaks The Sai Way of Service Indulging in flimsy gossip and watching scenes of violence and cruelty, men today are wasting and missing a big portion of their precious lives. Time is condemned, because it is too little, or because it runs too fast to fulfill galloping greed. Men are not aware that time sanctified by service offers high rewards to themselves as well as those whom they serve. All acts of service are not equally sanctifying or uniform in the benefits they confer. All acts of service are not equally sanctifying or uniform in the benefits they confer. When service is undertaken by power-hungry people, or under compulsion or by imitative urges, it results in more harm than good. Self-aggrandizement or competition or ostentation, are motives that pollute the sacred spiritual practice of service. The candidate for this activity has to avoid ahamkara (egoism), adambara (exhibitionism) and abhimana (favouritism). Before embarking on a service project one must introspect and examine their equipment, which is, whether their heart is full of selfless love, humility and compassion; whether their head has an intelligent understanding and knowledge of the problem and its solution; whether their hands are eager to offer the healing touch; and finally whether he/she can gladly spare and share time, energy and skill to help others in dire need. How to Sublimate Service into Seva These qualities can sprout and grow only when the " ˜Reality of Unity' is implanted in the consciousness. All men, and all living beings, are cells in the Body of God. Their origin, continued existence, and progress are all in God, by God, and for God. The individual is a unit in this unity. There are no other aliens. When one is ill, all suffer. When one is happy, all are partners of that happiness. Faith in this truth is the fundamental equipment the sevak (volunteer)must acquire. Leaders and guides of service organisations offer charity, and claim that they are motivated by generosity and accept homage from recipients. This is the reason why such service all over the world does not yield lasting results. In order to deserve the sacred name, Seva, the activity must be freed from all attachment to the individual self and based on firm faith in the Divine resident in every being. Seva has to be considered as worshipping the form that God has assumed to give the volunteer the chance of worship. Before embarking on a service project one must introspect and examine their equipment, which is, whether their heart is full of selfless love, humility and compassion; whether their head has an intelligent understanding and knowledge of the problem and its solution; whether their hands are eager to offer the healing touch; and finally whether he/she can gladly spare and share time, energy and skill to help others in dire need. When a hungry nara(man) is served a hearty meal, what is being done is Narayana Seva (serving the supreme lord), for, nara(man) is only " ˜a form and a name' projected by maya (human ignorance) on Narayana (God). Do not allow your service activities to turn into shops which concentrate on window dressing, in order to attract attention and patronage. Service rendered to villagers, who are denied the ways and means of decent lives, draws Divine Grace, more than service elsewhere. Give a helping hand to the helpless, who are afflicted with many ailments and handicaps. The True Purpose of Human Birth But, before attempting to advise them, you must endeavour to advise yourselves; before venturing to reform them, reform yourselves. Care must be taken to avoid boasting before them about your superiority; it will hurt them and keep them away. Do not indulge in lectures. Action alone can inspire action. Example alone can instruct. Tall talk is a barren exercise. Service activities in all lands can thrive only through selfless dedication. Fanfare is a sign of insincerity. Silent, unsullied work alone can appeal. The villager has enough common sense to see through the show. Remember that, though illiterate, he is aware of the ideals propounded by the scriptures, saints and sages of the land. Clever propaganda may achieve some temporary results but, in the long run, it will bring disappointment and disillusion. Like the 'rockets' lit by children on Deepavali night, it will flare up and fizzle down. Today, we are confronted everywhere by statistics parading quantities and reports in glowing terms. Do not bother about adding to the number or achieving a target. I value quality, not quantity. Genuine and intensive devoted service offered in a few villages is more fruitful than casual contacts and superficial service offered to a large number. Convince yourselves that life cannot continue long without others serving you, and you serving others. Master-servant, ruler-ruled, guru-disciple, employer-employee, parents-children, all these are bound by mutual service. Convince yourselves that life cannot continue long without others serving you, and you serving others. Master-servant, ruler-ruled, guru-disciple, employer-employee, parents-children, all these are bound by mutual service. Every one is a sevak (servant). The farmer and labourer whom you serve produce by their toil your food and clothing as their service to you. Remember that the body, with its senses-mind-brain complex has been awarded to you to be used for helping the helpless. Seva is the highest of paths of devotion which wins the Grace of God. It promotes mental purity, diminishes egoism and enables one to experience, through sympathetic understanding, the unity of mankind. ~ Divine Discourse at the Poorna Chandra Auditorium on November 21, 1986. CONVERSATIONS WITH SAISatyopanishad - part 14:Direct Directions from the Divine Dear Reader, In response to your positive feedback to this section where we have a conversation with the Divine, we continue with Prof. Anil Kumar's " ˜Satyopanishad' following Dr. John Hislop's series " ˜Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba' that ended in January 2008. This series is also is in the question-answer format that many devotees prefer, and has answers from Bhagavan on topics as wide ranging as the origin of evil, the goals of human life, and aspects of God " “ embodied and formless, to price hikes, women's liberation, vegetarianism, and the generation gap among people of the present times. Published in two parts by the author, these volumes have 270 questions in all, which are neatly grouped under separate chapters. In this issue, we continue the fourth chapter: The Outer Door. CHAPTER 4 - THE OUTER DOOR (Continued from the previous issue) Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! In spite of a long period of desiring to be devoted to God, devotion somehow does not grow as intense as it should. What is essential to develop devotion of the magnitude and intensity expected of a true devotee? Bhagavan: Here it is not time that matters. An iron ball in a pond, however long it might stay there, will never change. It will remain as it is without any change in it. You should know that it is transformation that is important. It is the goal you set for yourself that matters most. Until then, you should pursue your goal not mindful of the time involved. You know a lamp has a container, a wick, and oil. With a wick kept for long in water, you can never light a lamp even if you use any number of matchsticks. Impossible! What you should do is, take the wick out of water, keep it in sunshine for some time and dry it. Then you will be able to light the wick easily. Here, the process of drying the wick in sunlight is renunciation. The procedure of lighting it with a matchstick is sadhana (spiritual practice) and the light you get thereby is devotion or intense Love for God. The procedure of lighting it with a matchstick is sadhana (spiritual practice) and the light you get thereby is devotion or intense Love for God. The lamp is the human body. The same process is applicable to those who are not devoted, as you have said. The more they are drenched and drowned in worldly life, the farther they are from God, the source of all light; they can never light the lamp of their life. Dry it in the sunshine of detachment so as to be benefited by the light of devotion. Some people, in spite of a prolonged period of stay (in the divine proximity) and divine association, are not devoted as much as they should be, for this simple reason: They lack detachment from worldly things. Therefore, intense devotion is not given to everybody. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! We beg you to suggest to us a spiritual path that can be followed in the present circumstances. The situation around us seems to be dispiriting. Kindly give us the direction? Bhagavan: It is said that man is the most precious being among all the living creatures. Therefore, it is imperative on your part to lead your lives in full realisation of the value of life. For example, in the kitchen you make dal (an Indian side dish) to eat for lunch. If salt is added in excess by mistake, the dal loses its taste; it is unfit for consumption anymore. Even though the dish, if taken, is going to be digested in three hours or so, still, it is kept aside once it is not tasty. Then, how about a long life? Should it not be tasty? Suppose you are waiting at the bus stand to board the bus that takes you to your office. If the vehicle is delayed, you lose your patience. You start complaining, "What is this! Drivers don't have a sense of responsibility in this country. Conductors too don't discharge their duties properly. The Road Transport Corporation is inefficient; the Government seems to be lenient towards them" and so on. A bus is lifeless; it is a vehicle and a means of transport. Man, on the other hand, is the embodiment of awareness: He is active and intelligent. If such a man forgets his human value, and leads life unbecoming of a human being, don't you know that society will blame him? Man has 85% of divinity in him while an animal has only 15%. It is only a human being who has a chance to realise and experience his divinity. Just as a stone dropped from above falls to the ground due to the unseen gravitational force, the unseen values and virtues should guide man. For this, however, determination is necessary. Here is another example. If a machine is not put to use, it gets rusted. Don't you think it is the same with the human body too if it is not used properly? It is because of dust that the machine gets rusted and loses its power. Once this happens, it is sent to a workshop and repaired. Isn't it so? Now, what should you do with yourself? You must ensure that the dust of bad thoughts do not get into you. Why? Otherwise your faith begins to shake and becomes unsteady. Take your mind to the workshop of surrender to God for rest. Then, you are the best. Hence, you should always preserve and maintain human values. In fact, no spiritual path can be practiced with a sense of ego. Since all the methods adopted by you are done with your mind, ego, or 'I'ness, you couldn't progress spiritually till now. You are the embodiment of love. Don't merely be a lover and narrow down the vistas of love. To feel and experience the same divinity in all living beings is true love. Some begin their spiritual practice, identifying themselves with the body - aham dehosmi. This will never take you to the true spiritual goal. The demons, Ravana, Kamsa, Bhasmasura, and others belong to this category. Some expect progress by changing even their faith and religion. It is not matamu, religion, which is to be changed. It is mati, the mind, that has to be transformed. You are the embodiment of love. Don't merely be a lover and narrow down the vistas of love. To feel and experience the same divinity in all living beings is true love. One day, Krishna decided to lead his cows to a nearby forest for grazing. He asked Mother Yashoda to permit him to do so. She said, "My dear son! All along the way to the forest, you find rocks, thorny bushes and stones. It is better you go tomorrow. I will get your footwear ready for you". The smiling Krishna said, "Mother! Do I need footwear? Why and for what? Cows don't have any footwear. Then, why should there be footwear for me alone?" Yashoda replied, "Look! They are animals. We are human beings. We need footwears." Krishna responded with a fitting reply, "Mother! You mean to say cows are ordinary and simple animals. Do we have as much gratitude as they have? They eat grass and yield milk. "The moment they hear any voice they stop grazing and run towards Me. Calves even stop sucking milk and come to Me. Their skin is useful after their death to make footwears." Cows are symbols of sacrifice and forbearance. Such noble qualities are very essential for spiritual seekers. In agriculture, the land is ploughed well, watered, manured, weeded, and finally the seeds are sown. The human heart, likewise, is a field. This has to be tilled and watered with love. You have to take the plough of self-enquiry to plough the field of the human heart. You have to raise the fence of discipline. Bad qualities are the weeds that have to be removed totally. Then you can cultivate the crop of bliss. It is enough if you have a small area of fertile land. Why have many acres of barren land? A small example: You see an orange fruit. It is covered with a green bitter rind or skin. This is ego or pomp. You find hard seeds inside; they are the wicked thoughts and bad actions. Then you find the fibrous soft pulp; this is attachment. In order to have the sweet juice you need to remove the outer bitter skin, the hard seeds and squeeze the soft fibrous pulp. The sweet juice is love that you need. This is the essence, raso vai sah. You need both the positive and the negative wires for the electric current to flow. The negative may be very powerful. It is powerless without joining the positive. The fan and bulb may be very good and of high voltage. But without power supply they are useless. This current is positive. Divinity is positive. The bulb and the fan are merely negative. All that pertains to the name and form is negative. Your journey on the spiritual path will be successful only if there is love. You have to reform yourself first. This transformation is not taking place today. All that pertains to the name and form is negative. Your journey on the spiritual path will be successful only if there is love. You have to reform yourself first. You can carve a statue out of a boulder. By removing the husk, you can have the grain. With the vegetables you bring from the market, you can cook well and make delicious items of food. Difficulties, pain, blame, loss, etc., will help to refine you, improve you, nurture faith and take you to spiritual heights. You have to face and resolve all problems of life and proceed in your sadhana. Follow your own experience and develop faith (visvasa) thereby. Can you breathe (svasa) on behalf of anybody? You see with your own eyes, don't you? The eyes of the other man may be bright and beautiful. You cannot see through his eyes. Can you close your eyes and see through the eyes of somebody else? You have to stand on your own legs and not on anybody else's. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! At times it appears that others may influence and lead us to a total change in our life style, making us ask ourselves the question, 'Why should we not be like others? Why should we adopt this special type of living?' I am afraid we may change! What is to be done now? Bhagavan: This is not proper and can't be justified either. In fact, it is your innate weakness that brings about change. If your faith is strong, and your values are deep-rooted, none can do anything to you. You will not change at any time. But if your faith is weak, then the values you speak about are only superficial. Under any circumstances, you should not change your moral and spiritual way of life. If anyone comes to you and says, "There is no God", how should you reply? You should say, "You may deny your God, but what right do you have to deny my God? How can you negate my faith and devotion?" You should never change your convictions. "There is no God", how should you reply? You should say, "You may deny your God, but what right do you have to deny my God? How can you negate my faith and devotion?" You should never change your convictions. A boy saw a scorpion that fell into a tank and was struggling to come out. He went and picked it up. The scorpion stung him. Immediately he dropped it back into the tank. On seeing it struggle there, he picked it up to save it. But it stung him again. The process went on and on. An elderly person watching the whole scene asked him, "Oh boy! Why do you want to save the scorpion when it is stinging you?" He replied, "Sir! The scorpion is teaching me a good lesson. When it is not giving up its own nature of stinging, why should I give up my nature of protecting one struggling for life?" So, you should not change your nature. Maitreyi, who felt very sad on hearing the difficulties that the Pandavas were passing through in the forest Kamyavana, started thinking like this: "It is true that noble people suffer! What a lesson does a parrot in a cage teach us! A crow flies freely, but it doesn't mean that we are prepared to lead the life of a crow rather than that of a parrot in a cage. Will a parrot ever become a crow?" Similarly, we should not change our path. In the army, we have thousands of soldiers. But, the Army Chief is the only one who commands. Captains are always a few while their followers are many. It is they, the few, who train the many. This is possible if you don't leave your path. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! You have complete faith in us. But, our faith in you is wavering; it is not consistently steady and deep. Why is this so? Bhagavan: Eko vasi sarvabh utantar atma - God is in everyone moving about with different names and forms. deho devalayah prokto ji vo devas sanatanah - the body is the temple. The individual jiva is none other than Deva, the ancient and eternal, sanatana. It is only one God who has manifested Himself as many. I am present in all of you. Since I know this truth, I have faith in you. But you consider yourself separate from me, and so your faith is not strong, deep, and unwavering. In fact, I can change you all by Myself. But I don't do it that way. I want to bring about your transformation through and by you. I am present in all of you. Since I know this truth, I have faith in you. But you consider yourself separate from me, and so your faith is not strong, deep, and unwavering. In fact, I can change you all by Myself. But I don't do it that way. I want to bring about your transformation through and by you. Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! We are dissatisfied and unhappy when our desires are not fulfilled. Why should it happen to devotees? Bhagavan: First, put a question to yourself. Can you call yourself a devotee if your sense of happiness and gratification depends on your fleeting desires? In fact, ask yourself, if you have followed the command of God, if you have made Him happy with your faith and devotion. When Swami is happy with you, the whole world will be happy with you. When you displease Swami by your conduct, everyone else will be displeased with you. Act according to Swami's teachings. Everything will then happen in your favour conferring peace and joy on you. (To be continued) - Illustrations: Ms. Vidya, Kuwait Reaching Out to the Stars Child of the Mountains Little Dorjee Sherpa and his mother From high up in the Himalayas where he stays, Dorjee Sherpa says the stars look pretty close. It is as if one could just stretch out a hand to the dark blanket above and scoop out a handful of them. The fascination with the night sky seems to have given the nine-year-old a desire to reach out to the stars and the unknown beyond. " When I become a rocket scientist one day, I will send many Indian rockets out there to the stars, " he says. Sitting next to him on the bed, caressing his parted hair, is his young mother, Lalita Sherpa. She smiles. She knows her son, a brilliant student, can do it now. A Fault Within The sutured wounds on Dorjee's chest are just healing. A deep red scar is still visible from in between the folds of his blue hospital gown. It runs right down the middle of his puny chest. But on Dorjee's fair, round face, right beneath his small nose, dances a gleeful pink smile. There is no more fear, just relief, and in his dark eyes is hope - the hope of a new tomorrow. Dorjee is from Lamata Sherpa Gaon, Darjeeling, West Bengal (East India). He has a sense of quick repartee, and the winsome impishness that children of his age naturally possess. What Dorjee did lack, however, was a normal human heart. He had a hole in the heart. A Mother's Anguish Lalita Sherpa suspected something amiss with her son's heart right from the start. " His heart would beat hard. I feared something was wrong, " she said. The concerned mother took a month-old Dorjee to a local doctor in Darjeeling. The doctor dismissed Lalita's fears. " It is nothing, just gas. After you feed him milk, put him on your shoulder and pat his back. He will belch, and he would be all right, " the doctor said. Lalita was not convinced, but she remained quiet. When Dorjee was one year old, his mother took him to a hospital in Darjeeling, this time, about 11km away from his home. Upon examining Dorjee, the doctors found that his heart did not function the way a normal human heart did. They heard the measured " lub dub " , but with a distinct murmur. The doctors confirmed Lalita's worst fears. Dorjee had a hole in the heart, in clinical terms, a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). " The sooner you get it operated, the better, " the doctors advised. A Parent's Privation The tiny hamlet of Lamata Sherpa Gaon, adjoining the famous Lopchu tea gardens, is wedged between the famous hill resort of Darjeeling on one side and the placid township of Kalimpong on the other side. The village folk depend primarily on manual labour and agriculture for subsistence. Education for children is not a liability in these parts. But health is. For any major ailment or surgery, the patients need to visit either Kolkata or Bangalore. Darjeeling is famous for its tea The hillside town of Kalimpong " Do not go to Kolkata, " the doctors told Lalita, " It would be better if you went straight to Bangalore. The surgery would be expensive, though. You may have to spend around Rs. 2 to 3 lakhs, " the doctors warned. Dorjee's father, Lacheling Sherpa, is a farmer. He grows carrots, potatoes, beet root, and cauliflower in the family's piece of land. The income from agriculture is too meagre to sustain the family. Dorjee's parents, therefore, work as manual labourers in others' fields. Their family income is irregular, scaling up in the harvest season, and slumping in the lean seasons. There was no way Dorjee's parents could afford a whopping sum of Rs. 3 lakh for the heart surgery. So they let things be. Crippling Cardiac As Dorjee grew up, he could not run, frolic or make merry, matters which came naturally to him. Instead, he watched, sitting on the edge of his school playground, as his friends romped about. With his ailment, it was hard for Dorjee to just be a kid He was also forced to take an exemption from physical training activities. " Even the slightest exertion would have me panting for breath, " Dorjee said. In Darjeeling, it is cold and rainy almost throughout the year. Summer comes to Darjeeling as an evanescent guest in April. By the end of June, it is already on its way out. But even when it is hot, it never gets beyond 15 degrees Celsius. The weather only worsened Dorjee's woes. According to the surgeon, due to the defect in his heart, more blood would enter Dorjee's lungs, which would make his lungs vulnerable to cold and cough. For Dorjee, the cold climes of Darjeeling made matters worse. He would frequently suffer from cough and cold. Needless to say, the cold climate of Darjeeling kept the perky chap frequently down with a debilitating cold and cough. Dorjee pulled on somehow till he was nine, but after that life started getting unmanageable. His heart would pound hard; he would be unable to even walk a few paces without getting tired. He coughed incessantly. A bright pupil, Dorjee, just in the fourth standard, could concentrate no longer on his studies. He would always be restless. Lalita and Lacheling desperately wanted their son treated, but could not think of a way out. They contacted several hospitals in Bangalore, but received the same reply, everywhere. " The surgery would cost at least Rs. 2 lakh to 3 lakhs. " The Benefactor Next Door Dorjee's neighbour was a devotee of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. On several occasions, Lalita had heard bhajans being sung in the house. Oftentimes, Lalita had seen men and women in blue and yellow scarves (Sevadals) assembling at her neighbour's house and then dispersing to clean the village roads. Not only that, Lalita had also heard something about a hospital in some remote part of Andhra Pradesh, associated with the Sai Samithi (Organization), which dispensed treatment wholly free of cost. Lalita had her doubts. Still she decided to ask. The reply Lalita got from her neighbour, whom she calls Sai bhaiyya (Sai brother), thrilled her immensely. She was told of a super-specialty hospital where an entire treatment, inclusive of the surgery, medicines, diet, and hospital stay, was free of cost. It was the first time that she had heard the name Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prashantigram. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthi Nilayam Completely taken by surprise, Lalita shared the news with her husband. He too received it with utter disbelief. " It is difficult for anyone to believe that there exists a hospital, which performs heart surgeries without charging even a single pie, " Lalita said. Both Lalita and Lacheling were so impressed that they wanted to know more about the various activities of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation. Sai bhaiyya, therefore, told them everything. Fixing Holes and Hearts The Sherpa family rushed to Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prashantigram, and admitted Dorjee. On December 12, 2008, Dorjee was operated upon. The moment Dr. Trushar Gajjar, the surgeon, cut open Dorjee's chest, he found the heart too large for the young lad's age. The hole had aggravated the pressure on the heart causing it to expand abnormally. This aspiring rocket scientist can nowreach for the stars! Yet, could the hole in the heart stand a chance when the Divine Physician had already set His heart on making Dorjee whole? The surgery was completed in one and a half hours, after which Dorjee remained in the Intensive Care Unit for three days. Dorjee's surgery was the 1,352nd hole in the heart to be operated upon successfully, ever since the inception of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prashantigram. " Though Dorjee had come late for the operation, the situation had not gone out of control yet. I am confident that Dorjee will be able to lead a perfectly normal life after the surgery, " the surgeon said. The hole in the heart was closed successfully. Elsewhere, another heart was opening to the magic of Bhagavan's Love. Filled with gratitude for the priceless gift of well-being Bhagavan had bestowed on his son, Lacheling, Dorjee's father, decided to, somehow, try and repay Bhagavan for His overwhelming grace in his own small way. He came as a part of the Darjeeling North Sevadal to Puttaparthi, and served at a sevadal point near Brahmanapalli village, while his son got treated at the hospital. Dreaming of the Stars Again Soon, Dorjee will be back in the mountains. And will be running and frolicking, verily reclaiming his childhood. Yes, he will be close to the stars again, dreaming of becoming a rocket scientist one day. Only this time, it will not just remain a dream. ~ Heart2Heart Team in association with SSSIH --------------------------- Simply a Miracle This month not only celebrates the 83rd year of the divine advent of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, but also the 17th anniversary of the inauguration of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram. Over the years this unique hospital has served millions of hapless patients on whom society closed its doors and who now owe their lives to this " ˜Temple of Healing'. It is a holy institution, not just because it was started by Bhagavan, or even for the reason that every treatment in this hospital from the day of its inception has been offered absolutely free of cost. This hospital is a trail-blazer because of its ability and ambience. Where else on earth can one find an ultra-modern hospital with no billing department and state-of-the-art facilities which heal everyone who steps into its premises not only physically, but also psychologically and spiritually? There is an invisible spirit that permeates this hospital which every patient and visitor feels, but cannot express. Have we ever been successful in describing the feeling of inner joy, bliss or love? Over the years, in this Healing Touch section, we have brought stories of patients who have returned heartily after their operation from the Department of Cardiology and Neuro-surgery from Baba's hospitals in Puttaparthi and Whitefield, Bangalore. Now, here is a story, nay a real life miracle, from the Department of Orthopaedics, which started functioning from June 2006. In fact, 2008 saw the opening of another section, that of Gastro-enterology; we will bring you stories from here too in the coming issues. Swami's love knows only expansion, for, as He says, " Expansion is life " . When you read the story below you will know why we call this tale a " ˜miracle'. In fact, the tale of every patient is extraordinary, but Jehangir's story was something which stunned not only the doctors, but also his family and his entire community. A poor mason from the outskirts of Kolkata, Jahangir is now a symbol of Divine love in action. A Walking Wonder A crowd of almost 300 men, women and children of Mohan Nagar village on the outskirts of Kolkata, India, had gathered around the yellow taxi, on a humid spring evening to witness a miracle. Jehangir Molla was going to walk. Mr. Jehangir Molla Jehangir, a short stout man with a round face, handle bar moustache and dried-wood complexion pushed the cab door open and put out his left leg, slowly. People watched curiously as his foot touched the ground. With a broad smile and twinkle in his eyes, he then put out his right leg and stood outside the cab on his two legs. A hush fell over the crowd. Then, Jehangir took his first step. The multitude stared incredulously; they looked at each other with raised eyebrows. When it finally dawned on them that Jehangir could actually walk, they broke into an instantaneous cheer. Amidst the shouting and rejoicing Jehangir casually walked home, where his wife, mother and sister were eagerly waiting for him. The mass followed, keenly watching his steps. "The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), Prashantigram gave me a new life," Jehangir said, while on a revisit for a check up to the Orthopaedics Department of the hospital after a year. A mason by profession, Jehangir had been paralysed waist down and confined to the bed with a fractured backbone after a fall from the second floor of a building under renovation. He was then taken to some of the well known hospitals of Kolkata; they either refused to operate, or demanded an exorbitant sum for the surgery, yet did not promise complete recovery. He was then brought to SSSIHMS, Prashantigram on a stretcher. Seven months later, he ambled home. "Had it not been for the doctors at this hospital, I would not have been able to walk again," he said, quite moved by the care he has received. The residents of Mohan Nagar had received the message that Jehangir had started walking again and they reacted with disbelief. They could never imagine that he could actually be on his toes again. They knew how Jehangir had remained confined to his bed after that perilous fall. In fact, his situation was so bad that lying on the bed, he could not even turn on his side, let alone sit up. He experienced excruciating pain in the back, and his legs had gone numb. He was forced to eat, drink, speak and even attend to nature's calls lying down. All this, however, changed within a span of seven months! According to the Head of Department, Orthopaedics, SSSIHMS, Prashantigram, Dr Kailash Rao, Jehangir's case is unique. It is a rare situation of complete recovery. According to Dr V.R. Vasuki, one of the surgeons who had operated upon him, his revival was no less than a miracle. A Near-Fatal Fall; All Hopes Lost Jehangir remembers August 6, 2007 well. It was the day, which had threatened to snatch his life away from him. "I started from my home as usual at 6:30 AM. Being a mason, my job mainly involved laying bricks and plastering walls. The contractor, under whom I was working, had taken up the job of renovating an old school building near Diamond Harbour, Kolkata. I had my breakfast and cycled to the place by 8:30 AM," he said. He was soon on the second storey of the school building supporting himself on the bamboo scaffolding. A swift swipe into the cement and sand mixture with the brick trowel, a splat on the wall and the concrete spread evenly. Next was the delicate job of evening out the cement with a plastering trowel. It was clockwork - swipe, splat and spread. Again, swipe, splat, spread. At around 10:00 AM Jehangir moved to a different part of the wall. "I put my right leg on a section of the bamboo; it felt as strong as any other. I resumed my job. " Jehangir's fall caused a broken L1 vertebrate which injured his spinal cord and caused his paralysis But suddenly, Jehangir's swift movements were interrupted when he heard a crack under his feet. An experienced hand, he knew what that meant. He looked down in horror, his face drenched in perspiration. People below looked tiny. Jehangir's mind raced. A grab at the vertical bamboo could save him. In those moments of tense anticipation, the plastering trowel tumbled out his hand and he heard a distant clang as it hit the ground. As he stood still and shocked, Jehangir's world collapsed under his feet. "As I fell, my head reeled and then everything went black," he said, recollecting that disastrous moment. There was a big thud, which brought Jehangir's fellow masons and school children rushing to the spot. They saw him flat on his back, unable to move. "My lower back killed me with pain," he said. Jehangir's backbone had been fractured; he was paralysed waist down. "The doctors in Kolkata's hospitals, which I visited, told me it was a difficult case. If an operation was to be performed, it would cost Rs. 6 lakh (US $ 15,000), they said. With my income of Rs. 3,000 (US $ 25) a month, I could never pay such an exorbitant amount. They also told me the operation would be risky. Other hospitals flatly refused to operate," he added. Shifted from one stretcher to another, transferred from one vehicle to another, moving from one hospital to another, without hope, devoid of any assurance, Jehangir and his family of five saw his life slipping away, moment by moment. "A fellow villager then told me about the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prashantigram. He had come here to receive treatment for a urological ailment. He suggested that I should also visit SSSIHMS where cases such as mine were also treated," Jehangir said continuing his story. "I came to know from that person that the treatment was free. I could not believe it! When I came here, I found out that I need not spend any money at all on anything! Be it the X-ray, my diet and medicines, or anything else; everything was free," he said, naturally excited. " I mistook it for a temple, it is indeed one " - Jehangir On September 11, 2007, about a month after the accident, Jehangir, along with his brother came to SSSIHMS, Prashantigram, on a stretcher. He and his brother, Zakir Hussain Molla boarded the East Coast Express from Howrah. They had to change trains at Vijaywada. From Vijaywada, they took the Prashanti Express, which dropped them at Sri Sathya Sai Prashanti Nilayam station. All this while Jehangir lay on a wooden frame, calling his brother to bring the pot, whenever he wanted to answer nature's calls. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), Prasanthigram, Puttaparthi All the while he experienced excruciating pain in the back with both his legs being absolutely numb. The moment the doctors at the Department of Orthopaedics saw Jehangir's condition, they immediately admitted him. It was then decided to operate upon him on October 5, 2007. "I was elated when the doctors here said they would operate upon me," Jehangir said, a smile bursting on his face. "Five people came from Puttaparthi town to donate blood for me. I did not know them; they did not know me either. I asked my brother to provide food for them and pay for their conveyance. But the donors refused to take anything from me. They said, " ˜It is our duty'. I was completely humbled," he said, his eyes now watery. "This place is just not a hospital, this is a temple. The people here - the doctors, nurses and the staff are so honest. They speak softly and take perfect care of the patients. The hospital is kept spick and span, the floor is always shining, the staffs are so disciplined " ¦ Actually, I can go on and on praising the hospital. I was here for seven months, so I could see everything from close quarters," he added. " In fact, when I came here first, I mistook it for a temple, and it is indeed a temple! " he continued. " When it was time for me to go back, I felt like staying back here, " Jehangir added. One could see the genuineness of his feelings on his face. A Shattered Spine According to Dr Rao who attended on him, Jehangir had suffered from a burst fracture in the L1 vertebrae, the first vertebrae in the lumbar region of the backbone, which meant that Jehangir's L1 vertebrate had all but disintegrated. The shattered vertebrate had injured the spinal cord. The injury to the spinal cord had resulted in paraplegia. A 10-hour operation was performed on him. In the surgery, the broken vertebrate was removed and in its place, metal rods and screws were inserted. This made sure that the spinal cord was not put under any pressure. The broken vertebrate was removed... ....and metal rods and screws replaced it Jehangir's perfect recovery surprised everybody. On December 12, 2007, he was able to get up from bed for the first time after the fall. He then went through regular physiotherapy for three months. On March 10, 2008, to everybody's surprise, he just walked out of the cab and went home. " I have never seen or read anything such as this anywhere! " " “ Dr. Vasuki A wonderful walking Jehangir "Before leaving for my hometown, I bent down to touch Dr Vasuki's feet, " Jehangir recollected, " but the doctor asked me to thank Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He told me that it was due to Sai Baba that I had been cured and was able to walk again. He also said that he and the other staff were only instruments. It was His grace, which helped in my complete recovery." According to Dr. Vasuki, Jehangir's case was one of its kind, in which the recovery had been total. "Let me put it this way, I have never seen or read anything such as this anywhere! One will not find such a case even in the medical journals anywhere in the world. His case could be one in 100,000 or even greater," he added. Normally in such cases, after surgery, there is a partial recovery, but Jehangir recovered completely. He does not even limp when he walks, the doctor added. "All I can say is in Bhagavan's temple of healing, miracles happen time and again, and Jehangir's case is one such. It gives me immense pleasure to treat a patient and give him a new life. This feeling can only be experienced. We doctors are ever grateful to Bhagavan Baba for having selected us as His tools to deliver His message effectively. What more can I say, as a doctor, we have the immense fortune of being here and doing His work, " Dr Vasuki concluded. Bhagavan Baba says the power of pure love is immeasurable. True, one can never comprehend this incredible ocean of pure love, but to have a glimpse of one drop, one visit to this " ˜Temple of Healing', the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, is enough! - Heart2Heart Teamin association with SSSIHMS --------------------------- You cannot know My Reality...SSS vol-5 It was a beautiful morning i the month of early May in Kodai Kanal. Bhagavan was sutting in the hall in Sai Sruti, surrounded by s few by a few of his fortunate students, teachers , and chosen devotees to accompany Him to the enchanting, hill station that summer. It was one of those lovely sessions after breakfast. Bhagavan annouced to the students, " I will give a special prize to anyone who answers My question correctely!" Every one there especially the students, were agog with expections and excitment. Generally on such occations, Bhagavan wpild ask questions on events or personalities from Indian epics or mythology. But the questions that day was a very unique one. Baba asked the boys pointing to Himself' "Who am I ? The answer came almost immediately; "God ! " Shouted many boys simulataneously. They had thought that the question was very simple. But Baba smiled and said, "Not correct" Everyone was puzzled. One of the boys said, "Swami You are Shiva Shakti Swaroopa!" All looked at Bhagavan expectantly. A beautiful smile bloomed on His joyful face He said "Not correct !" Many felt that one of His pranks was unfolding. One of the students made bold to say, "Swami You are Sri Krishna came again!" Baba laughed aloid and repeated, "Not Correct!" Swami , You are Serva Devata Swaroopa! " said one of ederly devotee. "Not Correct" Both the young and old were nonplussed and the situation were intriguing. One of the devotee pleaded, "Swami, please tel us who You are" "I am I" declared Bhagavan. Everyone laughed and there was a mood of merriment all over...But Swami continued to be serious, Sensing Swami's seriousness every one become serious. The atmospere turned completely sublime as Swami explained, " I ' is the basis of everything. To say 'I am this or that, is dwaita bhavam- duality,-' I am I', means adwaitam or ekatwam- oneness. That is the ultimate truth. It is this ' I ' which is called bt various names--God, Atma , Bhahman, Krishna , Rama , Shiva , Allah or Yahweh." An Avatar is an enigma wrapped in mystery. To us human. He will remain a riddle forever. Bhagavan Baba has declared. " You cannot know My Reality eighte today or even after thousands of years of austerity or enquiry, even all mankind joined that effort!... "An avatar is aware not only of His previoua and future lives. But also about the past, present and future of all creatures. But man does not know his own past or future lives, and not even future in the present life itself. How he ubderstand the Avatar! "I am beyound the reach of the most intensive enquiry and the most meticulius measurement. Only those who have recognized My love and experienced it can aspire to have a glimpse of My divine nature. In the Bhagaved Geeta we have similar revelations by Bhagavan Sri Krishna. "Neighter the hosts of Devas nor the great rishis know My origin, for in every aspect I am the source of the Devas and the rishis. " O Arjuna. I know all the beings of the past, the present and the future, but no one know Me!" ----------------------- "sairam gurukulam" <sairam.gurukulamView contact details I CAN WIPE YOUR OLD KARMA AND WRITE NEW ONE, IF YOU HAVE FAITH! By Sri K. Suresh - A Former Student of Swami's Institute. It was a serene evening in the Mandir during the rainy season of 1990. Swami had completed His usual Darshan rounds and had called some devotees for interview. All the students were eagerly waiting for Swami to come out and spend some time with them. It was the time when the Sai Kulwant Hall had not yet been built. I was then in my second year of the MBA program. Along with another brother of mine I was blessed to secure a strategic spot in the front portico. From here we had a clear view of Swami's throne in the Bhajan Hall. I began reading a book on Swami's miracles in Africa. I was particularly drawn to an incident where two of the devotees who were driving a car on an express way at speeds over 110 km/h suddenly met with an accident. Their car was thrown out of the express way and into the bushes. The car was totally smashed and there was no chance that its occupants would survive such a crash. The devotees in the car however had taken the Lord's Name on their lips at the critical juncture and had escaped unscathed. They were nonplussed and thanked Swami for His Omnipresence. I was quite overwhelmed by this incident and happened to share it with the brother beside me. I couldn't but help remark " “ 'Look Swami is in Africa also'. Some moments later the interview room door opened. Swami came out and stood on the upper portico of the verandah in the Mandir. He paused and looked at me and my brother for a few seconds. I looked at Swami with reverence. Suddenly Swami asked the students sitting in front of me to make way. A path was made for Swami in the tightly packed verandah. Before I could realize Swami walked straight up to me and then paused. Gazing into my eyes He remarked " “"You were talking in the verandah!!!" Then after a small pause He continued, "I am here. I am in Africa. I am everywhere." Saying this, He walked away with a nonchalant gait!!! Six years later while I was in search for a job, a Singapore based multinational company hired me and sent me on my first assignment to guess where: West Africa! It has been six sweet years in Africa. I have been blessed to get involved in the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation here as an office bearer. Many times it happened that Swami would refuse to accept a letter from me and I used to feel completely dejected. On one such occasion, Swami gave me the 'cold storage' treatment by not accepting my letter for many days at a stretch. One fine day, He suddenly called me and literally grabbed the letter from my hands. Even without opening the letter, He went on to reveal its contents and concluded with a great revelation, 'I need not go through your letter to know its contents. The prayer in your heart reaches me instantaneously, even before you pen down your thoughts.' On another occasion, Swami walked up to where I was seated, looked into my eyes and said 'You need Faith'. Putting His hand on His forehead He went on 'If you have faith in Me, I shall wipe out your old Karma and write a new one. But faith is required.' http://media. radiosai. org/Journals/ Vol_04/01FEB06/ Sweet-memories. htm ---------------------- Test My Omnipresence ------------------------------- Once, when my husband was on a tour - he had to tour the whole of Madhya Pradesh " “ my son became very ill, and had 103-104 degrees fever for 5 days! One doctor came and saw him, and at first he thought that it was malaria, and then he said it was influenza; he couldn't find the precise cause. So he went on treating, but my son didn't respond to any medicine!Then, on the 4th day, he came and told me, "I suspect it could be typhoid." My son was maybe 5 or 6 years old, and his fever was not coming down at all! He became delirious! His brain was a muddle. He could not recognize people; he didn't know what was happening. He would say all sorts of irrelevant things! He didn't recognize I was his mother; he just looked at me and was running away from the bed and was babbling! I was trying to put him into bed, but he wanted to run! I was worried and wondered what had happened to him!Then immediately, Baba's thought came in my mind: 'I told you to test My Omnipresence! Now is the time for you to test! Go and pray to me.' Not that I heard a Voice or something; it just came into my own mind. I told the maid to somehow manage and look after the child, and I will just go and pray, and return.So I went to my shrine - it was 9 o'clock - and I talked to Swami: "Swami, You said to test Your Omnipresence. Today I need Your Omnipresence, because this child is behaving so queerly! I can't even understand what is happening! I want your help! You must fulfill 3 conditions of mine! One, when I go back now, he should be fast asleep; he shouldn't be running and saying all sorts of things! Then I will know you are Omnipresent."The 2nd is, when I get up in the morning, and when I check his temperature, it should be normal " “ exactly 98.4 " “ I will not even accept a 99! The temperature usually goes up again in the afternoon. So when I will test again in the afternoon, and in the evening, it should be continuously 98.4! He should be absolutely normal in every sense! Then I will believe you have helped him."Swami had told us that to contact Him, you have to do japa, chant His Name. He is hridayavaasi, the Indweller and He is listening not just to me, but everybody else too, because He is within everybody. So the message will reach Him. Then I got up and returned to the bedroom, and I found him fast asleep! Then I asked my maid: "When did he go to sleep?" She said: "Amma, a few minutes after you went, he went off to sleep." And in the morning too, he got up very normal! None of that babbling was there! He recognized me as he has always been! I took his temperature in the afternoon and evening " “ it was 98.4! What more did I need?Apparently at that time, Swami was in Venkatagiri, with the Maharaja of Venkatagiri and He was talking to them at 9 o'clock. He used to stay with Venkatagiri and Kumara Raja (the King's son) during the festival of Sri Rama Navami. Maharaja used to take Swami by car to Venkatagiri. So at that time, when I prayed at 9 o'clock, Swami was talking to Maharaja of Venkatagiri, and He went into a trance! He just fell back and they couldn't understand what happened! When He came around, they asked Him: "Swami, what happened?" They had heard about HIS trance but had not witnessed one till then. So they asked Him: "Was it a trance? Did you go anywhere?" Swami confirmed this. Swami replied: "One of My devotees, Rani Maa, was in great trouble" - He told them my name! He said, "Her husband has gone on a tour; he is not there, she is alone with her two children. Her boy has got delirium from high fever. She is very worried and troubled. So she prayed to me: 'Swami, come and show me Your Omnipresence!' So, I went and saved the boy. Now the boy is alright!!!"A devout and dedicated devotee for nearly 60 years, Mrs. Rani Subramanian, came to Bhagavan Baba as early as 1950. 85 years old now and fondly called 'Rani Maa' by Bhagavan, her life is a treasure-chest of scintillating experiences from yester years. PS: Spiritual life is a Divine life where you are connecting yourself with the Source all the time! That is, thinking, talking and functioning from the level of Divinity. You must test My Omnipresence." You have earned My Grace only because you have worked with your Self, but you have to pass a very big exam " “ the Ph. D; the last one. Look at 1 step only! Don't look ahead! Just look 1 step forward!" - SWAMI http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_06/01MAY08/14-h2h_special -------------------- He Lived His Message... And Shared His Love Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 A humble tribute to Prof. D. S. Habbu, the chosen instrument of the divine for a number of missions, the most significant of them being spearheading the moulding of young minds of the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School during its fledging years. " I have brought the best principal to the Higher Secondary School, " Bhagavan said, nay declared, as He lovingly held the arm of Prof. D. S. Habbu and introduced him to the dignitaries seated in the Prasanthi Nilayam Mandir. It was the initial months of 1983, the first year of Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. For many, who were witness to this episode, it was another beautiful evening with the Lord; but for the bespectacled and humble professor, it was a bolt from the blue. He did not know how to react, but to bend down with folded hands, and express how beholden he was to the Lord for granting him such a precious opportunity to play a part in His mission. Swami loved the trusted principal of His schooland Prof. Habbu too had his focus only on Him Sai was truly always in his heart...guiding, goading and always guarding " It was the chance of a lifetime, no doubt, but a great challenge too, " Prof. Habbu recalled speaking to the H2H Team in July 2008. " In the next nine years, I toiled day and night, and gave my time, energy, everything, to live up to that word of Bhagavan. I have no idea to what extent I matched His expectations, but this much I do know " “ I tried my very best. That is my only plus point. " And today, 26 years after Swami unfurled this school which has become one of the best in the country offering high quality, secondary school education completely free of cost, the alumni of this esteemed institution find it hard to articulate their heartfelt feelings for their very dear and revered Principal. Prof. Habbu " “ An Exemplary Teacher Who Walked His Talk " Habbu Sir was not just our principal; he was truly our unmistakable friend, philosopher and guide. Though a strict disciplinarian, he had a heart of gold. He left an indelible impression on me, " says Mr. P. Satyanarayan, currently a Credit Review Analyst in the Commercial Bank of Kuwait. " Habbu Sir is my legend, " says Mr. Ajishnu Sharma, another alumnus who graduated in the year 1988. He adds, " He was not just an efficient teacher, but a very kind man; he had a smile that could melt even the sternest of hearts. " "He taught us to be spiritual, not religious. He inspired us to achieve, not for self- aggrandizement, but to please the Lord for the talent He has bestowed us with. Indubitably, he was a true Sai jewel! He had a personal relationship with each and every student. Bhagavan could not have entrusted those impressionable years of our lives to another better person; I feel so fortunate. " For Mr. Partish Kumar Dubey, who completed his XII grade in the school in 1990 and is currently an Asset Manager with Barclays Capital, London, " Habbu Sir was a man of principles who taught us values by His own example. What a fine personality he was! His life had a fine balance between the inner world of self-discovery and outer world of achievement. "He taught us to be spiritual, not religious. He inspired us to achieve, not for self- aggrandizement, but to please the Lord for the talent He has bestowed us with. Indubitably, he was a true Sai jewel! He had a personal relationship with each and every student. Bhagavan could not have entrusted those impressionable years of our lives to another better person; I feel so fortunate. " The sweet relationship that Swami had with Prof. Habbuwas always a joy to behold The dedicated Principal sincerely presented every school report to Sai That is how many of the former students of Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi Nilayam, love their first principal. If there is one virtue of Prof. Habbu, which was like a formidable foundation on which was built the solid mansion of his sterling character, it was his absolute dedication to Swami's word and mission. Prof. Anil Kumar, the former Principal of the Brindavan campus of Sri Sathya Sai University, says, " One facet of Prof. Habbu, which is matchless, is his devotion to Swami. He never complained about anything and was extremely positive in his outlook. Even if there was an adverse remark from any quarter, whether genuine or false, all he used to say was, " ˜We may not have lived up to His vision'. He judged his every emotion and act, sentiment and decision with the touchstone of Swami's direction and mission. He was truly a role model for all administrators. " The Most Memorable Turning Point - Prof. Habbu's First Meeting With Bhagavan It is little surprise that Swami picked such a personality to oversee the blossoming of the characters of the children of His own school. In fact, the Lord, after choosing to reward him a place at His lotus feet in 1973, lovingly guided and chiseled him for nine years before assigning him the prized responsibility of spearheading a part of His education mission. " It was in 1965 that someone told me about Bhagavan and placed in my hand one of His photos... I saw the picture and immediately developed 100% faith in Him; something within me strongly said that He was divine. I never had a doubt since then." ~ Prof. D. S. Habbu " It was in 1965 that someone told me about Bhagavan and placed in my hand one of His photos, " Prof. Habbu said recalling the initial days of his journey to Sai. " I saw the picture and immediately developed 100% faith in Him; something within me strongly said that He was divine. I never had a doubt since then. That photo of Bhagavan straight away adorned our altar and we worshipped Him everyday. In those days, I was working in SDL College in Hannavar, in the state of Karnataka, as a Reader in History. And every minute of my spare time was spent in Sai work. "And in 1970, when the local Sai devotees in that region started a Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi (Sai Centre), they chose me to be the president of the organization, and I served in this position as best as I could. We undertook many service activities, started Bal Vikas classes to train young minds, soon there were pre-sevadal courses, and I was very much involved in teaching not only many Vedic and spiritual hymns to the students but also instilling in them noble values of truth, integrity and reverence for one's culture. I engaged myself completely in this sacred work for three years, till I moved to His physical proximity in Brindavan. " 'He didn't speak a word... ....but truly said so much' Prof. Habbu physically saw Bhagavan for the first time only in May of 1973. Reminiscing that sweet memory, he said, " My first beautiful moment with the Lord unfolded at nine in the morning that memorable day. I was seated in the lines in the " ˜Sai Ram' shed at 8.30 and there were not many people those days, probably a hundred. After about half an hour, the gates opened, and I saw, to my delight, the sublime form of Swami walking gently towards us. I remember having a letter in my hand, and Swami, to my surprise, walked straight to me, lovingly picked the letter, and then moved away. He didn't speak a word, but truly said so much. I was spellbound. " Always at His lotus feet It was this first encounter which intensified his love for Bhagavan and the dedicated professor now longed to be in His physical presence as often as he could. It was at this time that he heard of a vacancy in the department of history in the Sri Sathya Sai Arts, Science and Commerce College, Brindavan (when the Sri Sathya Sai University opened in 1981, this college became one of its campuses). Fortunately, the then Vice Principal of this college, Mr. R. J. Kulkarni was known to him, and suggested to Prof. Habbu that he could apply to Swami's college. Without any delay, Prof. Habbu wrote a letter to Swami praying for an opportunity to serve in His institution. Just like the first letter, the Lord accepted this one too very lovingly from his hands. Emboldened by this, once the professors returned home, he sent his application letter to the college. Soon, he received a positive response and was called for an interview. " Two stalwarts, Prof. V. K. Gokak and Dr. S. Bhagavantham, interviewed me. " Prof. Habbu continued the story. " After the 15 minute interview, I was asked to return to my hometown. Within a week, I received the call: " ˜Join on Thursday, July 19, 1973'. From that day, I never looked back. I resigned right away and came to Brindavan; I was on duty on that appointed date. " Luckily for Prof. Habbu, within a week Swami came to Brindavan. " When we heard about His arrival, we rushed to the Mandir, " He recalled. " At that time, the Trayee Brindavan building, that we see now, did not exist; in its place was the Old Bungalow. We were standing in line at the portico, and after Swami alighted from His car, He came near us and looked at each one of us keenly. And when His eyes met mine, He smiled, and said in Kannada (my mother tongue), Enu, Habbu anuva? ( " ˜Are you not Habbu?') I said, " ˜Yes, Swami!' At this moment, I was happy and sad; happy because I had finally come to His lotus feet, but, at the same time, sad, as I had taken 46 long years. " P-1------------------- From Puttaparthi... The Sindhi Advocate ! The joy and satisfaction on Swami's face is beautiful to behold Once an advocate, who was a chronic smoker arrived at PRASANTHI NILAYAM. Due to his habit, Cancer had afflicted his throat. Doctors advised surgery along with radiation and chemotherapy. This advocate wanted SWAMI's permission before beginning the treatment.The ever merciful BHAGAVAN invited him into the interview room & asked him to hold his palms together to form a bowl.Then SWAMI materialized and poured a large quantity of VIBHUTHI into them & asked him to eat it all!!! It was dark in color & tasted like bitter gourd! SWAMI affectionately cajoled & persuaded him to finish it.After the interview, the advocate went into the canteen to have a cup of coffee. When he was there, his eyes fell on nearby 'PAKODAS' (A savory crisply fried in oil) & unable to resist, he ate a plateful.For a long time, due to the pain in his throat, he had not been able to eat properly despite his strong taste for food. But now he was able to comfortably eat, taste & relish the food!!! When he probed with his finger inside his mouth at the cancer affected spot, he FELT NO PAIN AT ALL!!!He realized that the cancer had gone & was totally overwhelmed. Tears flooded his eyes as he remembered SWAMI's mercy.When he was again called for interview the next day by SWAMI, the advocate fell on his feet & expressed his gratitude to BHAGAVAN. He told SWAMI that he was proficient in SINDHI Language & begged to be permitted to translate & publish the SINDHI edition of SANATHANA SARATHI, the monthly magazine from Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust from PRASANTHI NILAYAM.SWAMI replied, "It's only for that purpose that I've made you come to PUTTAPARTHI!!!"From then on the blessed person has been translating & publishing SANATHANA SARATHI in SINDHI!PS: Your mission has begun. Only those whom I have called can serve me. I have prepared you for this work over many incarnations. I have drawn you to me. As you perform your silent work, I will embrace you to my heart & henceforth your soul shall be lifted up & your eyes will reveal my presence within. Your example will be that of ANGELS!!! " “ SRI SATHYA SAI BABA REF: SRI SATHYA SAI SATHCHARITHRA - TAPOVANAM================================================================= Lord Shiva is Bhola Nath, one who is easily pleased. Intense yearning suffused with devotion and faith wins His heart. Every devotee who flocks to Prasanthi Nilayam to celebrate the The Sacred Vigil on Shivarathri Night in the Divine Presence will have his or her version of this immense mercy and bounteous Love of Lord Shiva. Read on for an account by Dr. A. Ranga Rao whose family was tested thoroughly of their yearning and devotion before being given the taste of the nectarous Divine Presence of Lord Shiva in Prasanthi Nilayam, as published in Sanathana Sarathi. Feb 1969. We yearned long to witness the Sivaratri Festival and last year, we started from Madras, in the early hours of the previous day itself, in our car. We thought we could reach the Presence of the Lord, Prasanthi Nilayam by 5. P. M., and have His Darshan in the evening. To our bad luck, the car started giving trouble. The engine was getting too hot and every ten miles, the car came to a stop! We had to wait in the hot sun for hours, every time, for the engine to cool down. Imagine our plight when we realised at 10 P. M., that we had covered only 70 miles, through that hapless vehicle! Fortunately, we were able to secure the services of a good mechanic, who set to work, pretty quick; but, he too could not set the car on her wheels again, before 5 A. M., on Sivaratri day! We were at Ranipet, then; all hopes of being present at the magnificent and inspiring flag Hoisting Function at the Nilayam were blown away. Nevertheless, from the smooth running of our car, we were confident we could be at the Holy Kshetra by 11 A. M., in time for the Vibhuti Abhishekam, if all goes well. The milestones were flying past quite fast. We were in quite a happy mood, singing Bhajan. Then, the petrol pump gave us the slip; it failed. Twelve miles after Chikballapur the car came to a halt! The poor thing had taken us merrily on many occasions to the Nilayam from Madras; but, this day, it was haunted by a series of mishaps. Other cars were racing along the road, with devotees anxious to reach the Lord's Presence. Some noticed us; many did not. One car stopped; the chauffeur walked towards our car and attempted to set it right in all earnestness. Suddenly, to our utter consternation, the petrol caught fire. Big tongues of flame were rising to the skies. The friendly driver was caught in the flames, but, he jumped out in the nick of time, and saved himself. His dhoti was on fire; he managed to scotch the flames and get back to his car. I lost all hope of the vehicle, I was all in a shiver. It was impossible to put out the fire. But, my friend, Kameswara Rao, called out Sai Ram, Sai Ram, most piteously. He threw three handfuls of road dust on the ghastly flames. And, the miracle happened. The fire became extinct and the car was free from any sign of fire! Master of all the Elements, Baba heard the agony and ordered the Fire to leave the car alone! It obeyed. We gave the driver some money and a Dhoti to wear; he was too dazed at the miraculous extinction of petrol flames, for, he knew that the tank was full of the combustible stuff. I boarded a bus that took me back, twelve miles and I got a mechanic from there, to repair the petrol pump. He brought all the implements necessary for the operation, and started his work, promising to restore the car to perfection, in half an hour. But, his treatment went on, endlessly. It was 3 o' clock already and he was still twiddling. By 3-30 P. M., we got desperate again. Cars sped past us, towards the Nilayam. One party took pity on us and gave us some coffee from their flasks, saying, "Take this; it is sent by Baba!" It was such a welcome refresher. For, we were really very thirsty and very hungry. They offered to take us along with them and pressed us to get into their car; but, there was no one except a milestone to whom we could entrust that car of ours! I told those kind friends, just to persuade them to proceed, "Don't worry; Baba will not start the evening meeting, until we arrive. He would certainly take us there to witness His Glory, the Lingodbhava." They left us, with a heavy heart. Meanwhile, time was flying. It was 5 P. M. It was 5-30 P. M. And, there were still a little over 50 miles to go, driving that recalcitrant car. All hopes of seeing the Lingodbhava Vanished. Suddenly, the pump began working. The mechanic smiled, though it was working only intermittently. I requested him to sit in the dicky, and shake the pump, whenever it stopped working. I sat at the wheel, and the car moved. It was a fine show, for all we met on road! Nevertheless, in spells of spurts tossed between hope and despair, the car brought us to Prasanthi Nilayam, racing over the 50 miles in -would you believe it? - sixty minutes! Another miracle of Baba! With tears of joy, we ran towards the Shanti Vedika.... Yes. Baba was waiting for us to arrive, in order to come Himself to the meeting! When we reached the Lotus Circle in front of the Porch, Sai Ram was proceeding to the Shanti Vedika! What Compassion! We could press forward, with folded hands. He smiled at us, showered Grace with His blissful Eyes, and said, "Santosham! You have come, at last.'' As we sat in the front rows facing Baba, tears of gratitude welled from my heart. "Lord," I said within myself, "while thousands and, thousands of devotees were singing and adoring You here, You heard our anguish, and stopped the fire to save the car, and brought us in time to see Your Glory. We were feeling Your Presence and Grace, every inch of the road". The friends who brought the Coffee for us and who had tried to bring us to the Nilayam were sitting just behind us; they congratulated us with their meaningful gestures. We saw the Lingodbhava, from our Lord; we sang enthusiastically and with a contented heart, for within minutes, the mechanic came to us and said that, the car was perfectly O. K ------------------------ Swami.jpg Swami - 1.jpg Swami - 2.jpg Swami - 3.jpg Swami - 4.jpg Swami - 5.jpg Mr G S Srirangarajan was a former student and currently a faculty member in the School of Business Management, Accounting and Finance of Sri Sathya Sai University. He spoke in the Divine Presence in Prasanthi Nilayam on August 23, 2007 1. This happened in the Brindavan Campus college auditorium. Swami had just completed delivering His Discourse on the valedictory day of the Summer Course. Towards the end, He had materialized a beautiful diamond swan, which He related to the mythological story of Nala and Damyanti. But what was more joyous was that, Swami came walking across the auditorium, between every row of chairs, holding the diamond swan in His hand for all to see. What compassion and love - the Lord walking across every row of chairs in an auditorium. But would He waste this opportunity without giving one of His roars? Impossible. As He came closer to where we all were seated, He stood for a while at one point. All of us craned our necks to catch a glimpse of that beautiful swan. Well, this was the right moment for Bhagavan. He withdrew the swan and as we all suddenly turned towards Him, He said, "That is only creation - who is the creator? You all are interested only in the creation, not the creator." Wow! That was like a lightning from the blue! Immediately, our mind did a summersault and went inwards to appreciate and feast on this wonderful statement made by Bhagavan. Do we all not get caught in this pretty trap of His? Bhagavan compares this to an aircraft and the pilot. He says that when a plane flies across the sky, we get so enamored by its majesty, that we forget that there is a pilot who is inside the cockpit driving the aircraft. Bhagavan is the Cosmic Pilot who is driving the entire Universe. Again and again, Swami propels our mind to turn inwards and again and again we bring it out and let it loose among the temptations of this attractive world. How painful must this task be for Him? As Bhagavan Himself says, "I alone know the agony of teaching you every step of the dance." 2. This was right here at one corner of the Mandir verandah. It was 5.15 pm and the flute recital had just begun. It was those days when before evening Bhajans, there would a 15 minutes flute recital inside the Bhajan Hall. One of my brothers was seated at the corner. Swami came walking towards him. The student folded his hands and knelt down. Swami asked him, "Where is this sound coming from?" Pointing to the speaker above, the student replied, "Swami the speaker is up here." Bhagavan smiled and said in a voice that all of us could hear " “ for the message was meant for all of us " “ "The speaker is outside here, but the actual player is inside." Saying so, He smiled and went further. The message was loud and clear. The real doer is within, and the body is just the instrument. 3. Bhagavan was talking about the Mahabharata and the episode where Lord Krishna reveals to Karna the truth that he was actually the brother of the Pandavas. We had heard Swami narrating this story before and hence we were anticipating further details from the Mahabharata story. But most stunningly, Bhagavan gave a sudden twist to the story and said, "Understand that after Karna realized that the Pandavas were his brothers, he felt so sorry that he was fighting and causing them pain for so long. He was filled with uncontrollable grief." My dear ones, one day you too will realize that there is only One Self and that all the others around you are none other than your own reflections " “ reflections of the one Divine Self. At that moment, you too will feel immeasurable pain for having hated and caused harm to so many of your own reflections. Therefore, to avoid such a situation, realize now and at this moment that there only one Divine self everywhere." http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_05/01OCT07/07-Srirangarajan.htm DSC01126 PHOTO FROM SHIRO SAKAMA.--------------- REPORT FROM BR. JAGDISH YOKOHAMA CENTEROm Sai Ram10th Yokohama Sai Center Youth Anniversary on 15th February, 2009 combined with Chiba Sai Center Youth Anniversary Dramas small description is as under :-QUOTEThe theme of Shanakarcharya's Drama is " message of life".******************************************Shanakara was traveling with his disciples all around India, conducting Dialogue and debates.Sureshwara challenged to Shankara if he was criticized and envied by others what he would do.Shankara replied that in Kali Yuga, we shouldn't think about evil, we should focus on good, We should associate ourselves with sathsang which is the first step to Mukthi, liberation.The following is Shankara's message.1. Satsangatve SissangatvamGood company, Sathsang leads to Detachment.2. Nissangatve Nirmohatvam　Detachment removes illusion, Maya.3. Nirmohatve Nishtaratatvam　 If illusion, Maya is removed we are fulfilled with Shanthi, Peace.4. Nishcaratatve Jivanmuktih If there is Shanthi, Peace, Mukthi, Liberation is accomplished."Sureshwara was astonished by Shankara's explanation and became Shankara's discipline.After some time Shankara received news that his mother's was very sick and he recalls his promise which he gave to this mother when he was renouncing worldly things to become Sanyasi that he will come back to his mother.Shankara along with his disciples Sureshwara, Padmapada, Totakato goes to his village, Shankara's mother Aryamba is very very happy that his son has come back to stay with him but Shankara says he has only come to fulfill his promise given to himin his last days and mother is sad that after with his son again they have to be separated.After his mother Aryamba merges with God he asks villagers for help in the last rites of his mother, but villagers refuse, saying that you are Sanyasi and Sannyasins do not perform any of the rites or ceremonies which are enjoined on the householders so Shankara does the last rites with his disciples".At the End, Shankara gives his message.Bhaja Govindam Sing Govinda's gloryBhaja Govindam　 Chant Govinda's nameGovindam Bhaja Mudhamate　Ah ignorance, Live with chanting God's nameMudhamateWho is ignorance?It is those who doesn't believe God,As long as man forgets God, man is overwhelmed with worries and troubles.Bhaja Govindam Sing Govinda's GloryBhaja Govindam　 Chant Govinda's nameGovindam Bhaja Mudhamate　Ah ignorance, Live with chanting God's name!"UNQUOTEIn the Satya Yuga Brahma was the teacher of the world. in the Treta Yuga, it was Vashista. In Dwapara, Vedavyasa was the great teacher. For Kaliyuga, Baba is the world's teacher".Shankara's life and message are not set down in the pages of history alone, they have shed a soft radiance on the inner significance of Vedic Dharma.From Shankara's life- message, we have to find the means and inspiration of resolving the many conflicts of life in the knowledge of the self. Salutations to the greatest teacher of the universe, the teacher of the humanity. ------------- REPORT FROM JAPAN CENTERS ----------------- Sai RamPlease find the attached photos of Kansai Joint Veda Seminar. The below E-mail message from Bro. Sonu san. I have reached safely and wish His grace for you and everyone around you. Thanks for the photos of the veda seminar. i feel overwhelmed by the love i have received from all of you in Japan during my stay. About my educational record. I am giving it to you in detail. I know this detail will not be needed but you can prune the information as per the need. I got admission in Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School in 1995 and pursued my education for two years (till 1997) before moving to continue my bachelor course in Brindavan, Whitefield (1997-2000). After that I move to Puttaparthy for my masters in science with major in Chemistry (2000-2002). After that I pursued a diploma course in Indian Culture and Philosophy (2002-2003). Then for two years I was research scholar at National Chemical Lab, Pune India (2003-2005). I got admission in Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu, Japan for my doctoral studies in field of Chemistry (2005-2009). Mitsuyo Enda ------------------------- Sunday 1st march 2009 Program starded at 11.00 --17.30 11.00 --11.15 Chant Om 3 times & Jyoti Chant Ganapathi Prathana & Ganesh Bhajan Opening Speech by Bro Sonu Ram 11:15--12.30 Practice Namakan 12.30--13.30 Lunch 13:30--14.40 Practice Namakam 14:40--15.00 Tea Time 15.00-- 16.00 Practice Namakam 16.00---16-20 Q & A anad closing speech by Bro Sonu Ram 16-30---17.30 Bhajans Light Refreshmantt were served after Bhajans. The whole center was filled with devotees, who had to learn Veda and Practise. Some photographs were taken and placed for Kansai Light News letter for April issue. DSC_0847_resized.JPG DSC_0853_resized.JPG DSC_0860_resized.JPG DSC_0862_resized.JPG DSC_0873 Many devotees participated this activity. Bro.sonu leaded many devotees Thank you very much for leading us. ---------------------- IN SIDE THIS ISSUE:1. SWAMI'S TEACHINGS 2. THE DRAMA OF LIFE 3. SHIRDI BABA...OVER COMING KARMA 4. SATHYA SAI SPEAKS "THE WAY OF SERVICE" 5. CONVERSATIONS WITH SAI "SATYOPANISHED" 6. REACHING OUT TO STAR 7.SIMPLY MIRACLE 8. YOU CANNOT KNOW MY REALITY..."WHO AM I" SSS-VOL-5 9. I CAN WIPE OUT YOUR OLD KARMA & WRITE NEW ONE 10.THE POWER OF FAIH...THREE HANDFUL OF DUST 11. TEXT MY OMNI-PRESENCE 12. HE LIVED HIS MESSAGE & SHARED WITH LOVE 13,THE SINDHI ADVOCATE 14.THREE HANDFUL OF DUST 15.MR.G.S.SRI RANGARAJAN FORMER STUDENT 16. ANNIVERSARY OF YOKOHAMA CENTER 17. VEDA PROGRAM IN KOBE CENTER ----------------------- KOBE CENTERS PROGRAM SCHEDULE Place : l.S.S. 2nd Fl. 1-3, Kumochi 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Kobe (Tel: 078-222-1885) Home Page MAP Bhajans Bhajan Practice Study Circle every Sun 4:00-5:00pmevery Thur 7:30-830pm 1st,5th Sun 2:00-3:40pm 2nd Sun 2:00-3:20pm3rd,4th Sun 2:30-3:40pm every Thur 7:00-7:20pm 2nd Sun 5:30-6:30pm (English)4th Sun 5:30-6:30 (Japanese) 2nd Sun 3:40-3:55 (Gayatri Chanting) Ladies Programme 3rd,5th Sun 5:30-6:30pm Youth Programme 3rd Sun 0:30-2:20pm 2nd Sun in odd months 5:30-6:15pm(Study Circle)1st Sun in even months 0:30-1:50 Seva Aisei-en (Orphanage home): 3rd Sun 9:30-11:30amNarayana Seva: 2nd,4th Sun 10:00-11:30am, 1st, 3rd Thur 9:00-10:00pm Veda Club Veda clup is held on every 4th Sunday after Bhajans. Study Circle in (Japanese) is held on every 2nd Sunday on 1st fl. Subscribe/Un information: (Free copy) To , please send your request to rgcjp To , please type " REMOVE " on the subject line and send to rgcjp ----------------------- SAI CENTERS: KOBE, YOKOHAMA, OSAKA, SAPPORE,HAMAMATSU OKINAWA, CHIBA, NAGOYA, TOKYO & KYOTO.' SAI BHAJAN GROUPS.: OBIHIRO, SAITAMA, SHIZUOKA, KITAKYUSHU, MORIOKA TAMA, NARA, FUKUOKA, TOHOKU, NAGANO, IWAKUNI, HIROSHIMA, KAGOSHIMA, GUNMA, KANAZAWA, KAGAWA. Note: Some schedules are subject to change. Please contact respective centers and groups for information. ..................................................................................................... GLOBAL KANSAI LIGHT READERS CORNERS" In This issue we share our readers responses received from our readers. Since er have allowed a limited space for acknowlegements, we can print a few of these letters in every issue. Sai Ram -- Radha Nandkumar <radha_nandkumar> Info on Zone 5 Sai Centers> "Ramchand Chugani" <rgcjp> Cc: radha_nandkumar Monday, March 9, 2009, 12:10 AM> > Dear Dr. Chugani, SaiRam.> I read all your posts to Saibabanews on with great interest. Thank you very much for this wonderful Seva of bringing Swami's Love to all of us. I will be traveling on business to South Korea (Seoul and Daejon) during March 20th-26th, 2009. I know you are in Japan, but I was wondering if you would know of any contacts or about Sai Centers in Korea, since both Japan and Korea are in Zone 5 of International Sai Organization. I would like to attend Satsangs in Korea if there is any on Sunday or Thursday during my visit to Korea. Hence this request.> Thank you very much in advance for your help and response.> With best regards and in Swami's Love,> Your Sister in Sai,> Mrs. Radha Nandkumar> Sathya Sai Center of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA> --------------------------- FROM DEEPAK SHANANI Thanks for your "Kansai Light" received for March issue and enjoy every articles and Swami's Love. Please keep on postingg us Sai Ram ------------------------- From Sudheer Kumar, Sai Ram I love to read these postings on Swami...and "Kansai Light" Good work dear keep it up. Sudheer kumar Pisay ------------------------ Fron Kalpana heb Respected Brother Sri Ram.Chugani Thank you very much for sending the 39th edition of "Kansai Light" i was overwhelmed to see Swami on my computer and you know to show His presence to me, as i wad sruck up with a problem I am student of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learling Annatapur Please forward me some of your experiences. I want to get is touch with women wing in your country so that we share more sai experiences. Thanks and Best Regards Mrs Kalpana Heblekar 8/2 1st main 2nd block tyagaraja nagar Bangalore ------------------------ From Geetha Anjali Dear Sai Ram I am very happy to receive your mail "Kansai Light" Sairam speeches, Miracles and Articles . many thanks .Please keep sending me Sairam mails. My Brother seravanan is suffering from liver problem and I am sending this mail from hospital and seek Bhagavans grace on my Brother. Thank you & Sai Ram Geethanjali ------------------------ Ram.Chugani Kobe Japan. Ram ChuganiKobe, Japan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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