Prashanti Diary: January 7-8, 2009 - By a Sai Devotee

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January 7, 2009

 

Kia Ora from New Sailand!

 

(Welcome from New Zealand, Aotearoa, which Swami has called New Sailand!)

 

 

The madding crowd had lined up in the streets expecting Car Darshan. However, the inner voice told "Come at 5pm", so I ignored those lined up for Car Darshan and made my way up to the Ganesh Gate. The generator was going and I could hear chanting as I entered the Ashram.

 

When I got inside, I could see the video cameras on the porch so I knew there was a program on tonight. Inside the darshan hall, I observed the right hand side of the veranda-area (in front of the interview room) was populated by ladies wearing a blue garment of some kind. On the other side of the porch I saw that the space usually taken by Sai University Professors was filled with the New Zealand Men, with their distinctive scarves. 182 strong New Zealand choir, which, on the mens side, has spilled over off the porch and onto the steps in front of the veranda. The New Zealand Group has 254 members, many who have come for the first time.

 

Very shortly after I sat down, Swami came to the front of the porch and gave darshan. A forest of hands went up in pranams, and Swami looked over the assembled devotees. Swami then reversed and went down the path to the darshan hall and went across to a group of ladies in aquamarine blue sarees, where he paused and spoke to some. Then, Swami went to the ladies side of the darshan hall and spoke to some ladies in the front row; he was there for quite some time. I saw two ladies get up and approach Swami.

 

Swami then went along the ladies side for some distance, and turned in and went past all the chair ladies. At the top, he turned and spoke to some ladies right at that top corner area and accepted some letters. Swami then returned to the veranda, passing the New Zealand ladies, and returned to his place at the front of the porch.

 

The New Zealand Choirmaster approached Swami and offered him the evening's program of devotional singing. He then took his place just below the walkway off the centre of the porch, as half the choir was on Swami's left; the other half were on Swami's right.

 

Before I go any further, I think I would like to describe the dress of the New Zealand ladies; at first it looked like a blue and white saree, but closer examination revealed it was a traditional New Zealand garment, principally blue, with a white border and traditional markings in the white border; something a cross between an academic robe and a low backed traditional dress. It was a very attractive garment.

 

For the first song, the lady choir leader approached Swami and asked for permission to sing Karanga Mai. For this, the lady stood alone on the porch, and sang without a microphone, and made some traditional gesture with her hands as she sang.

 

 

Karanga Mai,Karanga Mai Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba,Karanga Mai ra

 

This song summonsed all the ancestors from Aotearoa (New Zealand) to the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The karanga draws the wairua (spirit) in all of us to join with Swami and Taranga Whenua (the people of India) in divine bliss. That the lady did this without a microphone, yet was heard throughout the darshan hall is testimony to the power of the Karanga Mai. Well done, I thought.

 

The next two songs involved the choir singing with hand actions. Most of you may have seen the Haka, where New Zealand sportsmen and women perform a chant with actions. These songs were somewhat similar to that, except every member in the choir was seated and performing hand actions as they sang. Swami was full attention to the ladies as they sang with their hand actions.

 

The first hand action song was E Nga Iwi, Listen to the people. The actions in the song depicted the calling of the people to return to God.

 

 

E nga iwiwE nga iwiw e karanga e te iwi

 

It is difficult to describe, but to observe the hand actions along with the singing gave it a profound sense of calling, a sensus plenior of being called; I find it hard to describe. But powerful.

 

The next song was Pai Ma, a hand action song offering greetings and love from Aotearoa, New Zealand.

 

 

Pai Ma to reo arohaI te pa o PuttaparthiNo nga iwi a AotearoaTena Koutou kia ora ra

 

The next two items from New Zealand were a traditional Poi Dance, and a Stick Dance. A Poi dance was originally a cultural action dance to teach young men and boys dexterity, but now Poi is primarily performed by women.

 

For the Poi dance, about a dozen ladies moved down to the main darshan hall floor; some knelt, some stood. They appeared to have a rope with pom-poms at each end which were waved and twirled at various points in the song. Quite interesting to watch. The ladies remained where they were for the stick dance, facing each other and making gestures with these blue-green coloured pairs of sticks. Ene Nga Kupu is a traditional stick dance performed by young teens to learn dexterity and concentration as they matured; this version was written for them to especially concentrate on God (Sai) as they learn.

 

 

Enei nga kupo o Sathya Sai, Sathya Sai, Sathya Sai,Mahi tika, te aroha, te rangimarieEnei nga kupo o Sathya SaiEnei nga kupo o Sathya SaiHari Hari te ponoTe Ariki nui

 

Several English songs followed, and thereafter, Swami moved over to the front of the seated ladies, and red sarees were distributed. The lead lady singer approached Swami, and there was applause, Swami materialised a necklace and placed it around the neck of that lady singer.

 

It took quite some time to distribute sarees to the New Zealand ladies; Swami remained there in front of the New Zealand lady until the very last lady had received her gift from Bhagavan.

 

Thereafter, Swami went across to the mens side, where there was conversation with the leader of the mens singers, and white shawls were distributed to these choir members. There was a lot of conversation for quite some time, and four men were called forward to speak with Swami.

 

Swami returned to the front of the porch, and one of the New Zealanders led Ganesha Sharanum, after which Swami called for Arathi.

 

So a lovely evening from the New Zealand devotees, and as they were singing I noted quite a few Indians and other devotees clapping along with these presentations; a joyful noise unto the Lord.

 

So it was Kia Ora from New Sailand!

 

 

January 8, 2009

 

On Darshan

 

We were having a discussion in the Western Canteen during lunch yesterday, and the subject of darshan came up, and people told their favourite darshan stories. I suppose all of us have our favourite darshan stories which we tell again and again. The human story is nothing but the story of God. But now, God is actually here in a human form with superhuman powers, to lead us to the paths of blessedness. Swami uses a metaphor, just as a bird flying over the ocean sooner or later has to find a ships mast to rest, so too, sooner or later, we have to find the path to peace.

 

 

We tell our darshan stories because they are precious moments for us, when we are taken in the Lord's glance, seen, blessed, and transformed, as HE tells us. We tell our darshan stories for they are moments we recall when we were in the very presence of God, and whenever we remember those moments, God is with us again. That is the significance of what Swami told in His Divine Discourse on New Year's Day, "If you recall me, you will have me, you will ALWAYS have me, nothing can come between us, he told, again and again.

 

The skies are grey, heavy with rain clouds. I predicted rain yesterday, and some Prashanti Nilayam regulars pooh-poohed the idea. Well, light rain is falling now, as I write. The breeze is cool, the climate is pleasant both day and night (although the sun has a bit of a bite in it… I notice I can go out in the sun here in Prashanti Nilayam, but not at home; there is a hole in the ozone layer over home, and I can feel the sunlight eating into my skin). Not here, not at the abode of highest peace, although.

 

What is it that makes us sit patiently and wait, wait, wait, for so long, just to have the vision of Sai? Why do people line up, and wait patiently for hours? What is it about darshan that makes it so longed for within us? These are the thoughts that roamed through my mind as I waited for car darshan this morning.

 

Swami came about 9.30am, just as he told on the inner level; the car was garlanded, and the roof bedecked with more garlands and rose buds. The skies were grey, there was a cool breeze. Rows of seva dal ran beside the car, security before and behind. Car came closer. Swami is looking out the window at the crowds, his eyes roaming over the collected devotees, villagers, shopkeepers, beggars, schoolchildren, they were all standing with hands joined in pranams. Swami's eyes move back and forth, he is looking at everybody, his hand slightly raised, giving blessing, blessing, blessing, yes, our eyes made contact for one brief moment, and for one moment, is it in time?, is it out of time?, there is only Sai and I, the heart's longing to be seen and known in the heart of God. Silence, just for that brief, timeless moment, looking into infinity and beyond, beholding those liquid eyes, yes, a moment of Love when the mind stops.

 

The crowds surge closer to the car, everyone has their hands joined in pranams, Swami is glancing here and there, blessing, blessing. The car moves along Main Road slowly. Villagers turn and smile, "Abhayahasta!" they exclaim with smiles. Abhayahasta, blessing!!!, they exclaim, "very good car darshan" the locals are saying. There is Love everywhere, there are smiles all over. Bliss billows down Main Road, Prashanti Nilayam as Swami's car proceeds towards Hillview Stadium, ever so slowly.

 

Alack, we waited again and again, for Swami to return. He returned to the ashram by the back gate … he has done this on quite a few occasions.

 

 

January 8, 2009

 

A Museum to come …

 

This morning I met with Chandrasekhar Rao. Bear with me as I explain.

 

 

In his early days, Swami had two foster mothers and spent much of his time in their home, particularly after his return from Uravakonda (where he declared his avatarhood). This was the Kannam's house, Lakshminarayana Rao, who was the village "chieftain", so to speak, what we would now call the village Mayor; he had two wives, Subbamma and Kamalamma. The story of Subbamma is quite well known, where Swami called her back to life, gave her a glass of tulsi water, and sent her on to the blessed loka. Kamalamma resided in the ashram in her later years and passed away last year. Meanwhile, back to the point, the Kannam had no issue, and adopted Gopal Rao, who was a playmate of Swami's, and had little time for Swami and his divine phenomena. Gopal Rao married and had seven sons, one of whom is Chandrasekhar Rao, who now administers the estate.

 

The Kannam's house adjoined the Siva Temple, which marks the spot of Swami's birthplace. That house was the scene of many miracles and Swami was so small, Subbamma or Kamalamma used to pick him up and put him on the table so that people could have his darshan. People used to fill the foyer of the house, and sit out on the road for bhajans. This was an unsatisfactory state of affairs, so Subbamma reminded her husband of his promise to make a temple for God, and built one small hut for Swami on their land, nearby where the Sathyabhamma temple is, now. This hut, which preceeds Partha Mandir, is long gone.

 

Enough history, let us come to the present moment. Chandrasekhar Rao took me down to the site of the old house, which has been pulled down. All that remains is the front wall:

 

 

 

The house, which was a lime and brick mortar construction, had two storeys. Now, there is just open space, a lot of hay and two cows in a shed at the rear.

 

 

 

There is not much of a separation between this land and the Siva Temple. Do you recall that Kamalamma used to feed Sathyanarayana through a window?

 

 

 

A two storey structure will come, the ground floor being a museum with photographs and artefacts of Swami's early days in His avatarhood. There will also be space for singing of bhajans in the Museum.

 

 

 

This will be directly adjacent to the Siva Temple.

 

 

 

Chandrasekhar Rao told me Swami has blessed the project, and it is scheduled for completion during Dassera of 2010, which is a most auspicious time, he advised me.

 

And lastly, here is an image of the old village of Puttaparthi. You can see mosque on the top right which Swami had constructed for the villagers.

 

 

 

Courtesy: http://saieditor.com/spirit/