December 28th, 2007 (source:http://saistudents.org/alumni/home/news.php)

[Guest guest]

December 28th, 2007 Today Swami had set aside the evening for a very dear devotee of His - Sri Gopal Rao - who had turned hundred yesterday. Swami had blessed him yesterday but He did not seem satisfied with that. He came and took a full round of darshan and then alighted near the interview room. Taking a round around the portico, He came out on the stage and very soon asked that Gopal Rao too be brought on stage. Sri. Gopal Rao was wheeled on to the stage. Swami then called Prof.G.Venkatraman and asiigned to him the pleasant task of speaking in felicitation of Gopal Rao. The

professor deemed it as a special privilege to speak on this occasion. He spoke of how Gopal Rao's life had been saturated with faith and Love for Swami. He had been cured of a cancer of the urinary bladder in 1960s simply by the force of a word from Swami. And now, in 2007, he was very fine and healthy. It was his steadfast faith in Swami's word that made him stand firm during the Andhra Bank strike during which he was thoroughly tested. from the age of eighty till late nineties, he served water for devotees in the canteen. The professor's talk was very well appreciated and naturally so for it was the description of a most loved and respected centurion. In the speech he also made public a revelation that Swami made, "As per the scriptures, Sri Gopal Rao is not 100 but 105 actually!" As he concluded, Swami asked Gopal Rao to speak. A mike was placed before the centurion and the mike volumes must have been turned very high in anticipation of a feeble voice. Sri

Gopal Rao boomed forth and his voice was surprisingly clear and loud considering his age. He started with a very recent anecdote. His eyes and ears were weakening and the doctors had prescribed operations. Swami came to him and told him,"Gopal Rao, you have seen enough, you have heard enough. No need of any operation now!" He then narrated of how he first came to Swami as a proposed translator and then was saved the blushes when Bhurugulu Ramakrishna Rao stepped in right in time. He expressed his deep sense of love and gratitude to Swami and also to RadioSai for giving him Swami throughout the day. He spoke for about 40 minutes and everyone listened with rapt attention as words of wisdom poured forth. "Swami has kept telling that we are all God. All the problems are only because we do not seem to listen how many ever times He tells. I try to follow that and it is so elevating." With that statement, he offered himself to Swami. Swami got Gopal Rao publicly

garlanded by Sri Chakravarthi and there was a thunderous applause. Then Swami came to him and put a shawl to felicitate him. Both of them had an intimate conversation. Gopal Rao told Swami that he had seen all in his life and that He was ready. He had no desires left. He said that the whole day, he could not step into his house for so many came to see him. It was all Swami's love and grace he said. Swami got up and posed for photographs with him and blessed him so many times by placing His hands on his head. Swami was smiling so sweetly and Gopal Rao chose to speak through his eyes which were now shedding drops of Love. God's love is so overwhelming and overpowering. None can resist its flow and grandeur. Swami gives up Himself completely to anyone who has said from the depths of his heart, "Lord, I am yours. I Love you." It was so touching to see Swami blessing and showering His Love on a dear devotee. After that was done, the time was around 6:40pm. Swami had

prasadam distributed and then sat in a joyous pose as Aarthi was performed. Then He retired for the evening. December 27th, 2007 Today Swami had permitted a group of devotees from USA to put up a programme on Christmas. The stage was set in a very cozy manner. It was a small backdrop and the devotees - on both the gents and ladies side sat close forming the borders of a stage to put up the play. Swami came out for darshan and saw the backdrop as He went on His rounds. Then as He came out of the car, He went straight to Sri Gopal Rao who was celebrating his 100th birthday today. Swami blessed him and showered him with akshatha grains. Then He came out and sat for the programme. The first part of the programme was a musical Christmas Play in One act taken from the Gospels of Luke, Matthew and Mark. It was entitled "The Boy Jesus." The play takes place in the day of the rule of Herod. Archangel Gabriel informs

Mary that she was chosen to bear Jesus. Joseph and Mary wander about in search of an inn and finally come to a shed where Jesus is born. It is then that, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar from Mesopotamia, Persia and Ethiopia reach the babe following a star and gift gold, frankincense and myrrh. Jesus grows into boyhood and impresses and inspires everyone with wisdom far beyond his age. Jesus reminds all that the kingdom of God is within one and all. The whole skit was interspersed with carols - Silent Night, O Little town of Bethlehem, We three kings of Orient, etc. The final song was Joy to the world and the children came front and sang out the final portions. Swami called the boy who acted as Jesus and spoke for a while with him asking his name, place etc. Then He materialized a chain for him. Swami took some time for opening the link to put the chain around his neck. The boy told Swami, "Swami please do not trouble yourself." Swami smiled and Himself put the

chain around his neck. Then the second part of the programme began. It was a musical program by the "Sathya Sai Singers of Southern California and Hawaii." For the next 40 minutes or so, they sang out wonderfully to the Lord. All the songs were with beautiful meaning and all directed towards Swami. After they concluded, Swami went into the interview room and came out with sarees and white cloth pieces. He gave gold coin chocolates to the kids who had performed in the drama and the clothes to the gents and ladies. After that, He blessed them all and receiving Aarthi, retired for the day.

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