8th Jan. DEVOTEES DARSHAN ACCOUNT - PHOTOS

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.

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.

source: http://saieditor.com/