36th weekly posting of Saudi SAi activities - Oct 25

[Guest guest]

Sai-Satsang in 4 centers continued

(week ending 25th Oct, Thursday)

 

Sairam to all Children, Sisters and Sai Brothers

in all 4 Sai SatSanghs in Dammam, Jubail, Jeddah and

Riyadh.

 

We continue with the Thirty sixth (36) posting of the

activities of all 4 centers.

Summary:

1) Total Attendance all over Saudi above 120

2) Sai Baba seen on the moon (by some

devotees)

3) SAI Philosophy- Do we just sing it or follow it?

 

Details:

 

In Dammam the weekly satsangh was held on the evening

of Wednesday 24th Oct at Bro. Sooda Mani's residence

in Khobar. The attendance was by about 35 members with

Aarthi taken by Bro. Kaladeepan.

 

This was followed by study circle when many devotees

expressed their spiritual feelings on Swami's Viswa

Viratha Swaroopam of Swami in the moon on 22nd Oct.

Bro Prem provided the report. Thank you Prem.

 

Jubail center held the weekly Satsang on Sunday 26th

Oct at 11 AM attended by about 17 members including

one from Dammam at Bro Swamy Mahaden's residence.

Aarthi was taken by Bro Kosala.

 

Earlier 6 devotees attended Study Circle on 23.11.2007

held at Bro Swamy Mahadevan’s residence. Bros Wimal &

Swamy Mahadevan provided the report. Thank you both.

 

The Jeddah Sai Samithi did not send in their report,

at the time of this posting in spite of a reminder. I

am unable to comprehend what is the difficulty to send

in just 2 lines. Regular reports help the National

Chair to make Country wide reports to Dubai which is

our Regional center

 

Riyadh center held a Bhajan on Thursday evening from

7pm on 25th Oct, The Bhajan was attended by a full

house of about 60 members. Bro Ravi Chandran read the

Shirdi Sai Charithra and Bro Kham took the aarthi.

 

The Bhajan volume during this week was high as the

attendance was at a near record. Although our generous

host Packy has given a green light for more

“vibrations”, I venture to suggest that we do attempt

to keep the volume low, based on inputs from some

concerned members. One suggestion that can be

implemented immediately is to switch the sides of male

and female sitting arrangement, so that the

accompaniments are not adjacent to the external wall

but on other in-side. All we have to do is to move the

Swamy’s chair from the present position to the other

side.

 

During this week there were a number of web postings

mentioning that Swamy’s face was seen on the moon on

Monday 22nd Oct. I personally did not see it although

I do see the moon every night as I work late hours.

May be this matter can be discussed at next Study

circle meeting.

 

On Nov 8th Thursday, Riyadh center plans to hold a 24

hours Aganda Bhajan (continuous non-stop singing) from

6 am till Friday 9th morning 6 am. About 55 singers

have given their names making a total of about 550

songs (3 minutes each). We invite interested members

from other centers to Riyadh to join this event. Pl

give us advance notice so that we can host you.

 

One of the issues that becomes relevant when “Swami in

the moon” posts are seen is, what is SAI Philosophy

and movement? I am expressing here some personal

comments.

 

1) Sri Sathya Sai Baba main vision is to change all

humans behavior towards more Spiritual endeavors and

make them “Love” all life forms.

 

2) Swamy has instituted a three fold path by

“Devotion, Service and Knowledge” in tune with our

ancient philosophy of Vedanta and this he describes

during his lectures.

 

3) SAI movement is a disciplined organization and

followers are expected to demonstrate it in behavior,

the key aspects of his teachings.

 

4) SAI is not a new religion or new God. SAI is an

avatar of ancient Hindu Gods lineage such as Shiva,

Rama and Krishna.

 

5) Sai’s followers need not do publicity for him. His

fame spreads by the effect he has on devotees and

those on whom he chooses to shower grace from

different parts of the world.

 

6) Sai’s miracles are not the central part of the

movement, even as per him, are side shows to show his

divinity. They are natural occurrences.

 

Pl find below my Letter to Editor published today in

Arab news (27th Oct) as Letter of the Day related to

the founding a new Saudi University KAUST by King

Abdullah last week.

 

Long Vision

 

My hearty felicitations to all those involved in

setting up King Abdullah University for Science and

Technology. By establishing such a center of higher

learning, Saudis are showing their long vision. The

global community too is deeply involved as evidenced

by the presence of leading academics from various

parts of the world. We all hope to see the

research-oriented university playing the role of an

agent for positive change. Experience of countries

such as the US and India have shown how profitable is

such investments in the future. Institutions such as

the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the

Indian Institutes of Technology have shown their

ripple effects on the rest of the society. Their

students have a noticeable presence in several areas

of achievements.

 

The secret of ensuring that educational institutions

inspire original work is to have a faculty of creative

minds that can lead by example. The news that King

Saud University has recently engaged nine Nobel

laureates as staff shows that the Kingdom is already

well on its way on the road of intellectual

achievement.

 

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, it is the

students, not the faculty, that will make the vital

difference. The new policy of admitting best students

on a worldwide basis, if implemented, will be the key

to success.

 

Pranams

P.B.V.Rajan