Guest guest Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 ACHYUTA’S ADVENT An offering on the anniversary of Avatar Declaration Day October 20, 2006 by Professor Anil Kumar NÄ“nu sÄyini teliyumu nikkamuganu. Mamata bÄyumu yatnamul mÄnukonumu. PÄse mÄ«ku nÄtÅdÌ£i sambandhaminka. KÄdu nanpaţţa yeţţi ghanunikaina. ~ Know that I am truly Sai. Cast off attachment! Give up your attempts! From now on your ties to Me are dead. Not even the greatest can bind Me. These are the words Baba spoke to His family roughly 66 years ago, on October 20, 1940, directly after discarding His books upon returning from school. In those days, none would have heard the name “Sai†in the whole state of Andhra Pradesh. In fact, it is only after our Baba’s declaration that He was the Avatar of Shirdi, that people became acquainted with the name “Shirdi Sai.†Now the name is well known in every nook and corner. The earlier Avatar is now very widely worshipped, and Shirdi Sai mandirs have come up in the hundreds and thousands. Baba’s amazing and marvellous declaration “Know that I am truly Sai†is indeed the prelude for all this. Baba decided who His parents and close associates should be, as also His lineage of descent, the Ratnakaras. To the delight of everyone, He began performing numerous amazing miracles right from the moment of His birth. Our revered Baba uttered these words on a supremely auspicious morning. This Declaration of the Avatar marks a new dawn for the Earth and a new era for the universe. For the human race, it is a beacon of hope, a gentle shower of love, a great gift of peace, a radiant truth, and a lamp of dharma. Prostrating at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan and offering my respectful salutations, I submit this article, a modest attempt to recapitulate revered Baba’s sweet teachings and poems. Reading this with devotion, diligence, and faith, and acknowledging our debt to Him for guiding us on the path of life, let us present to the Avatar our flower blossoms of gratitude for being His contemporaries. Let us bathe with tears of joy our Swami, who has always protected, nourished, and cared for us. Let us pray to Sai to make our lives meaningful by rededicating ourselves to fully understanding and implementing Sai’s message. Once Krishna had left behind His parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, He never returned to them again. Nor did Rama meet Kausalya and Dasaratha after leaving Ayodhya. History tells us that Bhagavan Buddha set out on His quest for nirvÄnÌ£a from the women’s apartments of the royal palace. It is well known that the Great Adi Sankara took leave of His mother and became the sovereign of the world of Advaita. It is common knowledge that Raman left home and acquired great fame as Ramana Maharshi. This is true of Sri Aurobindo as well. But the Avatar who declared at a very tender age “Know that I am truly Sai,†cautioned everyone to “Cast off attachment,†and added, “Give up your attempts [to bring me back],†asserted in no uncertain terms, “From now on your ties to me are dead,†and indicated that the nature of the Avatar is beyond enquiry and investigation, saying, “Not even the greatest can bind me,†is the matchless Avatar, the PÅ«rnÌ£ÄvatÄr, Sri Sathya Sai Avatar. Sri Sathya Sai is a unique, marvellous, and most urgently needed Divine Avatar. This great and glorious Avatar offers solace to four types of people: those in distress, those in quest of wealth, those in quest of knowledge, and those who are wise. Padi dinambulanundÌ£i pastunnavÄniki MancibhÅjanamu labhincinaÅ£lu CeruvubÄvula nīļļu karavaina yappudÌ£u VarusagÄ varshambu kurisinaÅ£lu Santati lÄ“kanu cintillu vÄniki PunÌ£ya suputrundÌ£u puţţinaÅ£lu KÅ«Å£iki lÄ“kanu allÄdÌ£ucunnaţţi PÄ“daku bhakshyambu dorikinaÅ£lu DharmanÄÅ›ana magucunna dharanÌ£iyandu Prabhavamandenu Å›rÄ« sÄyi partiyandu Intakannanu vÄ“reddi erukaparatu SÄdhusadgunÌ£aganÌ£yulau sabhyulÄra! ~ Like the chance of a good meal For one starving for ten days, Like a ceaseless downpour After a drought had left every tank and well dry, Like the birth of a good, pious son To one grieving without offspring, Like a few dainty dishes For a poor man in need of food, When dharma is declining in the world, Sri Sai took birth in Parthi. What else is there for Me to add, O Gentle, noble, honoured, cultured people! Rama, Krishna and the other Avatars destroyed the wicked, protected the virtuous, and revived dharma. Bhagavan Sri Krishna revealed this in the Bhagavad Gita, saying: "ParitrÄnÌ£Äya sÄdhÅ«nÄm / YinÄÅ›Äya ca dushkrÌ£tÄm/ DharmasamsthÄpanÄrthÄya/ SambhavÄmi yugÄ“ yugÄ“," meaning: “For the preservation of the righteous, the destruction of the wicked, and the establishment of dharma, I take birth age after age.†Revered Baba described his Avatarhood in these words: DurgunÌ£ambulu savarinci todÌ£aruÅ£akunu SÄdhusamrakshanÌ£ammunu salpuÅ£akunu Garbhaduhkha mokintayu kÄncakundÌ£a PuţţucundÌ£u svÄ“cchagÄ pudÌ£ami sÄyi. ~ To amend and reverse evil traits, To undertake the care of good men, Without even an iota of pain during birth Sai incarnates on Earth of His own will. The Lord’s declaration in the Bhagavad Gita, "YadÄ yadÄ hi dharmasya glÄnirbhavati bhÄrata abhyutthÄnamadharmasya tadÄtmÄnam srÌ£jÄmyaham," underscores the decline of dharma in the world. Swami has once again reminded us of the promise made by the Gitacharya. The Krishna of that time and the Sai of today are identical, and have the same mission for Their advent. Long ago Swami explained in detail the goals of the present Avatar, and these are being accomplished all the time. He is a siddhasankalpa -- one who can work miracles. He has clarified that the Sai Avatar descends to Earth not to punish, but to transform wicked people, to “amend and reverse evil traits.†Bhagavan has outlined the objectives of the Avatar in these lines: AkhilamÄnavulaku nÄnandamonagÅ«rci RakÅŸimcucumdutē dÄ«kÅŸa nÄku SanmÄrgamunu vÄ«dÌ£i cariyimcu vÄrala Patti kÄpÄdÌ£utē vratamu nÄku BÄ«dasÄdalakaina penubÄdha tolagimci LÄ“mini bÄputē prÄ“ma nÄku Manci ceddalu kÅ«da manasulÅ samamugÄ BhÄvimcucumduṭē bhakti nÄku Anaga bÄ“rondi nÄyandÌ£a nalaruvÄri NennadÌ£unu maruvani vÄdÌ£ananna mÄÅ£a Neţţi kucitamu madiki nÄ“nÄ“rpakundu Aţţi nÄ pÄ“ru cedÌ£uÅ£a yeÅ£lagunu bhuvini! ~ Bestowing on all men happiness And protecting them is My Vow; Bringing back those straying from the path of virtue And saving them is My Mission; For Me, wiping away agony and penury, And protecting the destitute is Love; For Me, holding both good and evil In the mind as equals is Devotion. Thus, I never forsake those under My care, Nor teach them any kind of meanness. That being so, how could My name ever be tarnished on this Earth! Giving us the reassurance of security with the words, “Bring your sorrows, leave them at My feet, and carry home happiness;†â€Your happiness is indeed My food;†“Be happy and Swami is happy;†and “Why fear, when I am here;†Swami adds, “Bestowing on all men happiness, and protecting them is My Vow.†The good fortune of Swami’s darÅ›an has brought about a transformation in so many people given to bad habits, corrupting ways, and sinful deeds. Many have reformed themselves, responding to Swami’s call to “Give up smoking, drinking, and eating meat.†This is why Swami observed, “Bringing back those straying from the path of virtue and saving them is My Mission.†Bhagavan Himself conducts numerous service and welfare activities. He demonstrates the ideal, and is “wiping away agony and penury, and protecting the destitute†all over the world through the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations. Counselling us to maintain equanimity, and not to be elated by success or be depressed by failure, Swami asserted, “For Me, holding both good and evil in the mind as equals is Devotion.†On another occasion Swami described the activities of the Avatar in these words: Yugadharmapaddhatul vigaļitamaiyundÌ£a NayamÄrgamuna trippi nadÌ£upukoraku LÅkambulella kallÅlamai cedÌ£iyundÌ£a Nishkalmashamu cÄ“si negadÌ£ukoraku DurmÄrgabuddhulai krungi dÄ«nata nundÌ£a SÄdhu samrakshanÌ£a salupukoraku KÄlasandigdhavigrahadÄ«ptulai yundÌ£u BhÄshyÄrthagÅpyamul palukukoraku KshmÄbhÄramu bÄpi bhÅ«dÄ“vi manupukoraku TrÄ“tanosagina kÅrkelu tÄ«rcukoraku Avatarincenu acyutu dÌ£avaniyandu SatyarÅ«pudÌ£ai partilÅ cÅ«dÌ£u dÌ£ipudÌ£u. ~ When modes of yugadharma tumble down, To reverse their course and to set them aright; When nations in turmoil head towards ruin, To remove the rot and to aid in their success; When, with evil minds, men droop dejected, To carry on the support of the meek and gentle; When time passes leaving doubts unillumined; To explain the secret keys of interpretation, To nourish the Earth, easing her burden, To fulfill the boons granted in Treta Yuga, The imperishable Achyuta came down to the Earth. Come! See Him in Parthi as Sathya. In this modern age when men move about despising the nation’s culture, traditions, and customs, bidding goodbye to her values, Bhagavan Baba is reviving and implementing the cherished values of dharma, morality, and spirituality. A clue to the way he guides Bharat’s progress is suggested in the description: “When modes of yugadharma tumble down, to reverse their course and to set them aright.†Swami announced an aspect of His mission in the passage: “When nations in turmoil head towards ruin, to remove the rot and to aid in their success.†Today mankind is lost and bogged down in jealousy, hatred, and ostentation. Through Education in Human Values (EHV), Swami holds out a new hope for humanity and will imbue it with truth, righteousness, peace, and love. Swami’s spiritual campaign, “to carry on the support of the meek and gentle,†is geared to the transformation of man through encouraging righteousness and inspiring righteous conduct and activities. As “time passes leaving doubts unillumined,†the truth and inner meaning of ancient scriptures such as the Vedas, the Upanshads, and Puranas, are lost and a variety of meanings for them are fabricated. This accounts for Baba’s remark, “to explain the secret keys of interpretation†and clarifies the meaning of the statement: “the imperishable Achyuta came down to the Earth.“ The concept of Avatar is a special feature of SanÄtanadharma. In other religions the mention of Avatar is not to be found. This is the speciality of Hinduism. As the Divine plan unfolds, the immutable Lord, without shape or form, takes on form and attributes as an Avatar in accordance with the time and the society. He uplifts mankind by demonstrating the truth of the ideals He proclaims. Swami has pointed out that the Divine Sathya Sai Avatar, moving amongst us and making us happy, as well as the earlier Avatars, are indeed part of the will of the one Supreme Spirit. Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u PrahlÄdu pÄlimpa paramapurushudu Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u PÄ“da kucÄ“lu brÅva vÄ“dacaritudu Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u Karini gÄcedÌ£u tari kamalanayanudu Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u Balicakravarti kÄvanga nÅrci Ä€ gunÌ£ambe ganÌ£inci yÄ« amaravandyudu ArtajananÄdhu ḍīnÄdÌ£u avatarince ÅšrÄ«nivasundÌ£u lÅkaikacinmayundÌ£u Velge partÄ«Å›udÌ£ai nÄ“dÌ£u prÌ£thiviyandu. ~ Which trait had the Supreme Spirit weighed, The day He came to protect Prahlada? Which trait had the very embodiment of the Vedas weighed, The day He came to save poor Kuchela? Which trait had the Lotus-Eyed One weighed, The day He came to rescue Gajendra? Which trait had the Lotus-Eyed One weighed, The day He came to bless Emperor Bali? That very trait this Adored of Gods weighed To descend, and relieve suffering mankind. Today the all-pervading Consciousness, Srinivasa, Manifests Himself on Earth as the Lord of Parthi. We should always keep in mind that Srinivasa, the all-pervading Consciousness, who out of His infinite compassion protected Prahlada, Kuchela, Gajendra and Emperor Bali, appears on Earth in visible form as the Lord of Parthi. On another occasion, echoing as it were, Krishna’s assurance, “I shall take birth in each yuga depending on the state of the yugadharma,†revered Baba remarked: "PalumÄru puţţu nÄ caluva yella," meaning: “My Beneficence manifests itself several times.†Thus, the connection with earlier Avatars has been suggested. Makara pÄ«dÌ£ita mattÄ“bhamunu nÄdÌ£u VÄ«kshinci brÅcu nÄ prÄ“maphalamu ValuvalÅ«dÌ£cedÌ£inÄdÌ£u vaidarbhi vadinanu VadÌ£i gÄcinaţţi yavyÄjakarunÌ£a Ä€hlÄdamoppa nÄ prahlÄdu saragunan PÄlincinaţţi yapÄra krÌ£payu DushÅ£ulan degaţūrci Å›ishÅ£ulan dari jÄ“rca PalumÄru puţţu nÄ caluva yella Telisikommu kastÅ«ri nÄ Å£Ä“ne manasu Janmadinamuna nÄ dÄ«venala nandukommu. ~ Seeing the elephant king tormented by the crocodile, My Love it was, which that day came to His rescue. That day when Draupadi was being disrobed, My free Grace it was, which flew to save her honour. When Prahlada was protected in a trice, It was but my infinite Compassion sporting merrily. Drawing close the good, and humbling the wicked My Beneficence manifests itself several times. Realise now, Kasturi, how tender my heart is And receive on your birthday these blessings of mine. The “Love†which rescued the elephant king, Gajendra, the “free Grace†which saved Draupadi’s honour in the royal palace, the “infinite Compassion†which protected Prahlada, and the “Beneficence†which ceaselessly manifests to humble the pride of the wicked ---- all point to His tender heart. Bhagavan Baba, the BhÅlÄÅ›ankar (Easily Pleased Sankara), Abhayankar (Granter of Fearlessness) is verily the embodiment of Siva. The Paramasiva, who has vibhÅ«ti daubed all over himself, became Sathya Sai to bless devotees with the most sacred vibhÅ«ti, which fulfils all our earthly desires and grants salvation too. In Kodaikanal once it so happened that I could see Swami’s feet at close quarters. On the left foot I saw the marks of anklets, and the right foot appeared normal. I asked Swami, “What is this, Swami? This is so amazing.†Swami replied, “Don’t you know even this much? This is the form of Ardhanariswara.†Bhagavan is indeed aparaÅ›ankara, another Sankara. Let us note what He said on another occasion: Mauļi gulkedÌ£u candra makhandÌ£a kaļatÅdÌ£a BedÌ£agÄru gulkedÌ£u jadÌ£alatÅdÌ£a JadÌ£alatÅ pravahincu cadalÄ“Å£i jigitÅdÌ£a Dambaina phÄla nÄ“trambu vÄdÌ£u NallanÄ“redÌ£u vanÅ£i nallani medÌ£amÄ«da Karamuna nÄgakankanÌ£amutÅdÌ£a NadÌ£umuna cuţţina nÄgacarmamutÅdÌ£a MainindÌ£a naladu bhasmambutÅdÌ£a NuduÅ£a cÄ“rcina dodÌ£dÌ£a kumkuma boÅ£tutÅ TÄmbÅ«la rÄgÄdharambutÅdÌ£a Ä€ru Å›Ästrambulanduna nandaginci Nallakaluvala hasiyinci kollalÄdÌ£u Merugu cÄmanacÄya mÄ“nitÅdÌ£a PartivÄsudÌ£u nÄ“dÌ£u sÄkshÄtkarince. ~ With a bright moon beaming over the top-knot, With locks of bright hair playfully stirring, With dazzling Ganges gushing down matted locks, With a gorgeous third eye adorning the forehead, With a bracelet of snakes Over the neck and arms dark as black plums, With snakeskin winding round the waist, With sacred ash smeared all over the body, With a charming vermilion mark gracing the brow, With lips reddened by chewing betel, Elegantly sketched in all the six sciences, With a smile making the blue lotuses blush, And a body swarthy and lustrous This day the Lord of Parthi appeared in visible form. Looking at the pupils from our revered Baba’s institutions, we feel they might have been the cowherd friends of Krishna. Swami’s mandir in Bangalore is indeed Brindavan. Puttaparthi strikes one as though it once was Repalle with its own Gokulam started by Swami. Lord Krishna, the son of Nanda, turning Himself into Sai, the embodiment of Bliss, has come down to identify His kith and kin. That Ramachandra became this Sai Ram and is looking after His former “soldiers.†The child Sai Isa is busy playing with His band of friends. MahaVishnu, the Great Vishnu himself had come down as Mahivishnu, Vishnu on Earth, and got possession of His weapons. What else do we want besides watching, rejoicing, and recalling how the Supreme Spirit is at play now with His puppets on this world stage as He did in the past! Ä€ nanda bÄluḍē Änanda bÄludÌ£ai Tana vÄri gurtimpa tarali vacce Ä€ rÄmacandruḍē ÄrÄmacandrudÌ£ai Tana banÅ£ulanu kangonaga vacce Ä€ yÄ«Å›uḍē bÄla sÄyÄ«Å›udÌ£ai Tana gumputÅ ÄdÌ£ukonaga vacce Ä€ mahÄvishnÌ£uvÄ“ Ä« mahÄ«vishnÌ£uvai Tana Äyudhamulu cÄ“gonaga vacce Aţţi paramÄtmayanu bommalÄtagÄdÌ£u TÄnu jÄ«vula rangasthalÄna nilipi Ä€dÌ£u ÄnÄÅ£i Ä«nÄÅ£i ÄÅ£a jÅ«ci Sunta varnÌ£inci konta santasamu ganudÌ£i! ~ To recognise His former kith and kin, That son of Nanda set out as this Blissful Child. To spot His erstwhile troops, That Ramachandra descended as this Sylvan Moon, For some fun with His previous playmates, That Isa arrived here as Bala Sai Isa, To once again take up arms, That Mahavishnu turned into this Vishnu on Earth. That puppeteer, also known as the Supreme Spirit, Himself assigns each creature a role on this world stage. Now go, watch His old familiar game, Recount it a little, rejoice a little! Bhagavan Baba is ever subservient to the devotees. If you call out, “Sai,†he answers, “ŌyÄ«! Yes!†When you address Him saying, “Swami!†His reply is, “ĒmÄ«! What now!†These instant responses confer immeasurable solace, relief, and courage. Sai Sarvesvara and no other, grants Divine experiences and protects even those living in far-flung areas of the Earth. That is why the poem runs: Kalata dÄ«rcu nokaÅ£a kalalÅna kanipinci DhyÄna manduna tÅci dariki pilucu ManasulÅna yundÌ£i manciki nadÌ£ipincu ÅšautisaukhyadÄyi satyasÄyi! ~ Appearing in a dream, He removes worry at one place. In dhyana at another, He beckons you to come closer. From within our mind He guides us for our good. Bestower of peace and comfort, O Sathya Sai! Once a pilot lost control of his plane and direction too. While he was utterly helpless, suddenly there emerged from the sky clear, loud instructions and directions saying, “right,†“left,†and “straightâ€. The plane landed safely at an airport. He thought to himself, “Oh God! What a lucky escape!†Nobody knows who gave the instructions and directions. Eventually the pilot reached Prasanthi Nilayam. A few days later, Swami gave him an interview and remarked, “I am the one who saved your plane that day.†Guess who the pilot was? He is none other than the well-known James Sinclair, an American from Connecticut. Once a gentleman and his grandson went to Darjeeling. The boy was playing with some friends. It was getting dark. The grandfather wanted to go catch a bus all by himself and lost his way. Now everyone knows how some young lad appeared there and led him to the bus. Well, that lad was no other than our Swami. On another occasion, many years ago, a somewhat stout lady, a devotee from our town (Guntur) came to Parthi for Swami’s darÅ›an. She slipped and fell down from the top of the hill. Fortunately, nothing happened to her. That evening during the darÅ›an hour, Swami was joking with her saying, “What? Did you mean to break the rocks of the hill?†Even today her family recounts this event and bursts out laughing. And once there was in the Foreign Ministry a certain gentleman, Anantaraman. He did not have much faith. Yielding to the insistence of his mother, he accompanied her to Brindavan for Baba’s darÅ›an. His son had been playing in the swimming pool of the hotel. Suddenly they discovered the dead body of the boy floating there. In utter desperation, they moaned and prayed to Bhagavan, and attempted to revive him. The boy came back to life, and their faith was strengthened. Irrespective of time and place, Sri Sai saves us and grants us freedom from fear. AdÌ£avilÅnunna ÄkÄÅ›amunanunna PaţţanÌ£amuna nunna palle nunna Guţţa nunna naţţēţa nunna Madini sÄyi ninnu maruvadÌ£epudÌ£u. ~ In the forest or the sky, In a town or a village, wherever you may be, On a hill or in the middle of a stream, Sai, the resident of your heart, will never forsake you. Go anywhere, and ask any devotee, whatever his nationality or language may be, “What is your experience?†He begins to roll his eyes, raise his eyebrows and, shedding tears of joy, becomes instantly voluble. Even if the sea were to turn into ink, the trees into pens, and the Earth into a book, we doubt whether these would be sufficient to record all the experiences of every devotee. After all, how many can be recorded? Each of them has a novel feature, a unique touch to it. What matters most to the devotee is experience. That explains the song: Ä’ dÄ“Å›amÄ“ginÄ yÄ« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SatyasÄyi yanucu nitya paÅ£hana Ä’ Å«ra jÅ«cinÄ Ä« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SatyasÄyi yanucu nitya japamu Ä’ nÅÅ£a vinnanu Ä« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SÄyi rÄma yanucu satya japamu Ä’ cÅÅ£a cÅ«cinÄ Ä« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SatyasÄyi yanucu nitya bhajana ViÅ›va melladÌ£a vyÄptiyai baraguvÄdÌ£u Bhakta janulaku prÄptudÌ£ai paraguvÄdÌ£u Bhakti nosagi rakshincedÌ£ivÄdÌ£u PartivÄsudÌ£u mimmÄ“la hattukonadÌ£u? ~ Whichever be the country we visit, this name alone, "O Sathya Sai!" thus runs the constant refrain. Whichever be the town we visit, this name alone, "O Sathya Sai!" thus runs the unending chant. Whomever we meet, this name alone, "Sai Rama!" thus runs the daily greeting. Whichever place we look, this name alone, "O Sathya Sai!" is the daily bhajan He who pervades the universe entire, He who is ever the prop of devotees, Who, instilling faith, protects us, Why won’t He, the Lord of Parthi, clasp you? When I was in Brindavan I read out this poem. Swami said, “Read it again†and enquired, “What did you say towards the end?†I replied, “Swami, I concluded, ‘Why won’t the Lord of Parthi clasp you?’†“No, no,†Swami said. “Correct it to read, 'PartivÄsudÌ£u mimmÄ“la ettukonadÌ£u,' ('Why won’t the Lord of Parthi pick you up and hold you, like a child, in His arms?')†Swami’s love is lofty like the Himalayas. Swami remarked, “Even if you leave Me, I shall not abandon you.†When, after my retirement, I sought permission to leave for my native town, Swami remarked, “There or anywhere else, I myself have to look after you. Who is there for you?†Isn’t that true? Wherever I look, here, there, or elsewhere, there is only One, Bhagavan. ÅšrÄ« puţţaparti nilayudÌ£u KÄpadÌ£unu ninnu nepudÌ£u karunÌ£ÄkarudÌ£ai CÄ“paţţi ninnu brÅcucu Ä’ paţţuna vidÌ£uvaka Ä“lunu ninnun. ~ The Lord of Parthi, the Compassionate Sai, Looks after you for ever and ever. Holding you by the hand, He watches over you, And never letting go, He guides you. For us, who struggle, drown, float, and choke in this ocean of worldly life, the boat that can lead us to the shore happily and safely is indeed Bhagavan Sathya Sai. He says, “With faith in Me, patiently wait a little and your own experience will teach you.†SÄramu lÄ“ni yaţţi bhavsÄgaramandu muningi tÄ“lucun DÄriyu tennunu ganaka tattara mandedÌ£i VÅrimi yincukanta madi nÅ«nucu bhaktini kalgicudÌ£u Å›ri KÄrudÌ£u satyasÄyi ninu kÄvaga vaccina nÄva gÄncavÄ“! ~ Why sink and float in this dull ocean of earthly ties, And become agitated, lacking means and method? Have a little patience, and with devotion, watch! Behold the rescue boat, the giver of plenty, Sathya Sai! Swami says, “Do not try to understand me. Experience me.†Understanding, explaining, clarifying – all these have to do with the mind. The amazing thing to note is that Divinity is not accessible to the mind; it transcends the mind. In fact, we should say that it is beyond the reach of language and thought, but directly accessible through experience. Speech, writing, memory, intellect, and erudition are all linked to the mind. That is why Bhagavan has been described as avÄÅ‹mÄnasagÅcara -- not cognisable by speech or thought. The Upanishad declares, “The one who says, ‘I know,’ does not know.†As experience is the only evidence, nothing more is required. If we place our trust in the mind, we will be ruined. Centa cÄ“rce naÅ£ancu santasinceda ranna VenÅ£anÄ“ edÌ£abÄpi cinta gÅ«rcu Ä’dÌ£ipincuÅ£a sÄyi vÄ“dÌ£uka yandurÄ KadÌ£upubba navvincu nadÌ£uma nadÌ£uma PogadÌ£ucunnÄdÌ£ani pongi pÅyeda rÄ“mo Tappa kappudÌ£e egatÄļi sÄ“yu Abhaya miccenu gÄna hÄyiga nundÌ£eda nanna PadÌ£u bÄdhalaku antu paţţakundÌ£u Venuka kÄ“ga nÄ«dÌ£u cana nÄ«dÌ£u mundnku Manasu marulu golpi madhana beţţu Iţţi cinni sÄyi cinmaya mÅ«rtini Eţţu tiruga galaru ilanu mÄ«ru? ~ When you want to rejoice over a little nearness, At once distancing Himself, He makes you sad. If you think your grief is fun for Sai, From time to time He makes you burst with laughter, If you are ever elated over His words of praise, Certain it is, He will tease and mock you next. If you relax, as He assured you freedom from fear, You learn your troubles have no end. He does not permit any retreat, or advance either. Enthralling your heart, He leaves it agitated. How can you possibly manage with This little Sai, this Embodied Consciousness? Offering our humble salutations at Swami’s Lotus Feet during the Declaration of Avatar celebrations, let us earnestly pray that all of us may receive His boundless grace and blessings, and bear in mind that Sai’s protection is the salvation of the world. SaiSewak, Bear all and do nothing;Hear all and say nothing;Give all and take nothing;Serve all and be nothing. Chat on a cool, new interface. No download required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Respected Jitendra ji, Thanks for the e-letter. Helped to understand Satya Sai BABA more. I have been experiencing BABA's caring LOVE in my day to day life and recognize more and more of BABA being in my life makes me happy for no obvious reason. Er, I am wrong, BABA is the reason of my happiness. Jai Sai Ram. Meera --- Jitender Verma <saisewak02 wrote: ACHYUTA’S ADVENT An offering on the anniversary of Avatar Declaration Day October 20, 2006 by Professor Anil Kumar NÄ“nu sÄyini teliyumu nikkamuganu. Mamata bÄyumu yatnamul mÄnukonumu. PÄse mÄ«ku nÄtÅdÌ£i sambandhaminka. KÄdu nanpaţţa yeţţi ghanunikaina. ~ Know that I am truly Sai. Cast off attachment! Give up your attempts! From now on your ties to Me are dead. Not even the greatest can bind Me. These are the words Baba spoke to His family roughly 66 years ago, on October 20, 1940, directly after discarding His books upon returning from school. In those days, none would have heard the name “Sai†in the whole state of Andhra Pradesh. In fact, it is only after our Baba’s declaration that He was the Avatar of Shirdi, that people became acquainted with the name “Shirdi Sai.†Now the name is well known in every nook and corner. The earlier Avatar is now very widely worshipped, and Shirdi Sai mandirs have come up in the hundreds and thousands. Baba’s amazing and marvellous declaration “Know that I am truly Sai†is indeed the prelude for all this. Baba decided who His parents and close associates should be, as also His lineage of descent, the Ratnakaras. To the delight of everyone,He began performing numerous amazing miracles right from the moment of His birth. Our revered Baba uttered these words on a supremely auspicious morning. This Declaration of the Avatar marks a new dawn for theEarth and a new era for the universe. For the human race, it is a beacon of hope, a gentle shower of love, a great gift of peace, a radiant truth,and a lamp of dharma. Prostrating at the LotusFeet of Bhagavan and offering my respectful salutations, I submit this article, a modest attempt to recapitulate revered Baba’s sweet teachings and poems. Reading this with devotion, diligence, and faith, and acknowledging our debt to Him for guiding us on the path of life, let us present to the Avatar our flowerblossoms of gratitude for being His contemporaries. Let us bathe with tears of joy our Swami, who has always protected, nourished, and cared for us. Let us pray to Sai to make our lives meaningful by rededicating ourselves to fully understanding and implementing Sai’s message. Once Krishna had left behindHis parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, He never returned to them again. Nor did Rama meet Kausalya and Dasaratha after leaving Ayodhya. History tells us that Bhagavan Buddha set out on His quest for nirvÄnÌ£a from the women’s apartments of the royal palace. It is well known that the Great Adi Sankara took leave of His mother and became the sovereign of the world of Advaita. It is common knowledge that Raman left home and acquired great fame as Ramana Maharshi. This is true of Sri Aurobindo as well. But the Avatar who declared at a very tender age “Know that I am truly Sai,†cautioned everyone to “Cast off attachment,†and added, “Give up your attempts [to bring me back],†asserted in no uncertain terms, “From now on your ties to me are dead,†and indicated that the nature of the Avatar is beyond enquiry and investigation, saying, “Not even the greatest can bind me,†is the matchless Avatar, the PÅ«rnÌ£ÄvatÄr,Sri Sathya Sai Avatar. Sri Sathya Sai is a unique, marvellous, and most urgently needed DivineAvatar. This great and glorious Avatar offers solace to four types of people: those in distress, those in quest of wealth, those in quest of knowledge, and those who are wise. Padi dinambulanundÌ£i pastunnavÄniki MancibhÅjanamu labhincinaÅ£lu CeruvubÄvula nīļļu karavaina yappudÌ£u VarusagÄ varshambu kurisinaÅ£lu Santati lÄ“kanu cintillu vÄniki PunÌ£ya suputrundÌ£u puţţinaÅ£lu KÅ«Å£iki lÄ“kanu allÄdÌ£ucunnaţţi PÄ“daku bhakshyambu dorikinaÅ£lu DharmanÄÅ›ana magucunna dharanÌ£iyandu Prabhavamandenu Å›rÄ« sÄyi partiyandu Intakannanu vÄ“reddi erukaparatu SÄdhusadgunÌ£aganÌ£yulau sabhyulÄra! ~ Like the chance of a good meal For one starving for ten days, Like a ceaseless downpour After a drought had left every tank and well dry, Like the birth of a good, pious son To one grieving without offspring, Like a few dainty dishes For a poor man in need of food, When dharma is declining in the world, Sri Sai took birth in Parthi. What else is there for Me to add, O Gentle, noble, honoured, cultured people! Rama, Krishna and the otherAvatars destroyed the wicked, protected the virtuous, and revived dharma. Bhagavan Sri Krishna revealed this in the BhagavadGita, saying: " ParitrÄnÌ£Äya sÄdhÅ«nÄm / YinÄÅ›Äya ca dushkrÌ£tÄm/ DharmasamsthÄpanÄrthÄya/SambhavÄmi yugÄ“ yugÄ“, " meaning:“For the preservation of the righteous, the destruction of the wicked, and the establishment of dharma, I take birth age after age.†Revered Baba described his Avatarhood in these words: DurgunÌ£ambulu savarinci todÌ£aruÅ£akunu SÄdhusamrakshanÌ£ammunu salpuÅ£akunu Garbhaduhkha mokintayu kÄncakundÌ£a PuţţucundÌ£u svÄ“cchagÄ pudÌ£ami sÄyi. ~ To amend and reverse evil traits, To undertake the care of good men, Without even an iota of pain during birth Sai incarnates on Earth of His own will. The Lord’s declaration in theBhagavad Gita, " YadÄ yadÄ hi dharmasya glÄnirbhavati bhÄrata abhyutthÄnamadharmasya tadÄtmÄnam srÌ£jÄmyaham, " underscores the decline of dharma in the world. Swami has once again reminded us of the promise made by the Gitacharya. The Krishna of that time and the Sai of today are identical, and have the same mission for Their advent. Long ago Swami explained in detail the goals of the present Avatar, and these are being accomplished all the time. He is a siddhasankalpa -- one who can work miracles. He has clarified that the Sai Avatar descends to Earth not to punish, but to transform wicked people, to “amend and reverse evil traits.†Bhagavan has outlined the objectives of the Avatar in these lines: AkhilamÄnavulaku nÄnandamonagÅ«rci RakÅŸimcucumdutē dÄ«kÅŸa nÄku SanmÄrgamunu vÄ«dÌ£i cariyimcu vÄrala Patti kÄpÄdÌ£utē vratamu nÄku BÄ«dasÄdalakaina penubÄdha tolagimci LÄ“mini bÄputē prÄ“ma nÄku Manci ceddalu kÅ«da manasulÅ samamugÄ BhÄvimcucumduṭē bhakti nÄku Anaga bÄ“rondi nÄyandÌ£a nalaruvÄri NennadÌ£unu maruvani vÄdÌ£ananna mÄÅ£a Neţţi kucitamu madiki nÄ“nÄ“rpakundu Aţţi nÄ pÄ“ru cedÌ£uÅ£a yeÅ£lagunu bhuvini! ~ Bestowing on all men happiness And protecting them is My Vow; Bringing back those straying from the path of virtue And saving them is My Mission; For Me, wiping away agony and penury, And protecting the destitute is Love; For Me, holding both good and evil In the mind as equals isDevotion. Thus, I never forsake those under My care, Nor teach them any kind of meanness. That being so, how couldMy name ever be tarnished on this Earth! Giving us the reassurance of security with the words, “Bring your sorrows, leave them atMy feet, and carry home happiness;†â€Your happiness is indeed My food;†“Be happy and Swami is happy;†and “Why fear, when I am here;†Swami adds, “Bestowing on all men happiness, and protecting them is My Vow.†The good fortune of Swami’s darÅ›an has brought about a transformation in so many people given to bad habits, corrupting ways, and sinful deeds. Many have reformed themselves, responding to Swami’s call to “Give up smoking, drinking, and eating meat.†This is why Swami observed, “Bringing back those straying from the path of virtue and saving them is My Mission.†Bhagavan Himself conducts numerous service and welfare activities. He demonstrates the ideal, and is “wiping away agony and penury, and protecting the destitute†all over the world through the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations. Counselling us to maintain equanimity, and not to be elated by success or be depressed by failure, Swami asserted, “For Me, holding both good and evil in the mind as equals is Devotion.†On another occasion Swami described the activities of the Avatar in these words: Yugadharmapaddhatul vigaļitamaiyundÌ£a NayamÄrgamuna trippi nadÌ£upukoraku LÅkambulella kallÅlamai cedÌ£iyundÌ£a Nishkalmashamu cÄ“si negadÌ£ukoraku DurmÄrgabuddhulai krungi dÄ«nata nundÌ£a SÄdhu samrakshanÌ£a salupukoraku KÄlasandigdhavigrahadÄ«ptulai yundÌ£u BhÄshyÄrthagÅpyamul palukukoraku KshmÄbhÄramu bÄpi bhÅ«dÄ“vi manupukoraku TrÄ“tanosagina kÅrkelu tÄ«rcukoraku Avatarincenu acyutu dÌ£avaniyandu SatyarÅ«pudÌ£ai partilÅ cÅ«dÌ£u dÌ£ipudÌ£u. ~ When modes of yugadharma tumble down, To reverse their course and to set them aright; When nations in turmoil head towards ruin, To remove the rot and to aid in their success; When, with evil minds, men droop dejected, To carry on the support of the meek and gentle; When time passes leaving doubts unillumined; To explain the secret keys of interpretation, To nourish the Earth, easing her burden, To fulfill the boons granted in Treta Yuga, The imperishable Achyuta came down to the Earth. Come! See Him in Parthi as Sathya. In this modern age when men move about despising the nation’s culture, traditions, and customs, bidding goodbye to her values, Bhagavan Baba is reviving and implementing the cherished values of dharma, morality, and spirituality. A clue to the way he guides Bharat’s progress is suggested in the description: “When modes of yugadharma tumble down, to reverse their course and to set them aright.†Swami announced an aspect of His mission in the passage: “When nations in turmoil head towards ruin, to remove the rot and to aid in their success.†Today mankind is lost and bogged down in jealousy, hatred, and ostentation. Through Education in Human Values (EHV), Swami holds out a new hope for humanity and will imbue it with truth,righteousness, peace, andlove. Swami’s spiritual campaign,“to carry on the support of the meek and gentle,†is geared to the transformation of man through encouraging righteousness and inspiring righteous conduct and activities. As “time passes leaving doubts unillumined,†the truth and inner meaning of ancient scriptures such as the Vedas, the Upanshads, and Puranas, are lost and a variety of meanings for them are fabricated. This accounts for Baba’s remark, “to explain the secret keys of interpretation†and clarifies the meaning of the statement: “the imperishable Achyuta came down to the Earth.“ The concept of Avatar is a special feature of SanÄtanadharma. In other religions the mention of Avatar is not to be found. This is the speciality of Hinduism. As the Divine plan unfolds, the immutable Lord, without shape or form, takes on form and attributes as an Avatar in accordance with the time and the society. He uplifts mankind by demonstrating the truth of the idealsHe proclaims. Swami has pointed out that the Divine Sathya Sai Avatar, moving amongst us and making us happy, as well as the earlier Avatars, are indeed part of the will of the one Supreme Spirit. Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u PrahlÄdu pÄlimpa paramapurushudu Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u PÄ“da kucÄ“lu brÅva vÄ“dacaritudu Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u Karini gÄcedÌ£u tari kamalanayanudu Ä’ gunÌ£ambu ganÌ£inci Ä“tencenÅ nÄdÌ£u Balicakravarti kÄvanga nÅrci Ä€ gunÌ£ambe ganÌ£inci yÄ« amaravandyudu ArtajananÄdhu ḍīnÄdÌ£u avatarince ÅšrÄ«nivasundÌ£u lÅkaikacinmayundÌ£u Velge partÄ«Å›udÌ£ai nÄ“dÌ£u prÌ£thiviyandu. ~ Which trait had the Supreme Spirit weighed, The dayHe came to protect Prahlada? Which trait had the very embodiment of the Vedas weighed, The dayHe came to save poor Kuchela? Which trait had the Lotus-Eyed One weighed, The dayHe came to rescue Gajendra? Which trait had the Lotus-Eyed One weighed, The dayHe came to bless Emperor Bali? That very trait this Adored of Gods weighed To descend, and relieve suffering mankind. Today the all-pervading Consciousness, Srinivasa, ManifestsHimself on Earth as the Lord of Parthi. We should always keep in mind that Srinivasa, the all-pervading Consciousness, who out ofHis infinite compassion protected Prahlada, Kuchela, Gajendra and Emperor Bali, appears on Earth in visible form as the Lord of Parthi. On another occasion, echoing as it were, Krishna’s assurance, “I shall take birth in each yuga depending on the state of the yugadharma,†revered Baba remarked: " PalumÄru puţţu nÄ caluva yella, " meaning: “My Beneficence manifests itself several times.†Thus, the connection with earlierAvatars has been suggested. Makara pÄ«dÌ£ita mattÄ“bhamunu nÄdÌ£u VÄ«kshinci brÅcu nÄ prÄ“maphalamu ValuvalÅ«dÌ£cedÌ£inÄdÌ£u vaidarbhi vadinanu VadÌ£i gÄcinaţţi yavyÄjakarunÌ£a Ä€hlÄdamoppa nÄ prahlÄdu saragunan PÄlincinaţţi yapÄra krÌ£payu DushÅ£ulan degaţūrci Å›ishÅ£ulan dari jÄ“rca PalumÄru puţţu nÄ caluva yella Telisikommu kastÅ«ri nÄ Å£Ä“ne manasu Janmadinamuna nÄ dÄ«venala nandukommu. ~ Seeing the elephant king tormented by the crocodile, My Love it was, which that day came to His rescue. That day when Draupadi was being disrobed, My free Grace it was, which flew to save her honour. When Prahlada was protected in a trice, It was but my infinite Compassion sporting merrily. Drawing close the good, and humbling the wicked My Beneficence manifests itself several times. Realise now, Kasturi, how tender my heart is And receive on your birthday these blessings of mine. The “Love†which rescued the elephant king, Gajendra, the “free Grace†which saved Draupadi’s honour in the royal palace, the “infinite Compassion†which protected Prahlada, and the “Beneficence†which ceaselessly manifests to humble the pride of the wicked ---- all point to His tender heart. Bhagavan Baba, theBhÅlÄÅ›ankar (Easily Pleased Sankara), Abhayankar (Granter of Fearlessness) is verily the embodiment of Siva. The Paramasiva, who has vibhÅ«ti daubed all over himself, became Sathya Sai to bless devotees with the most sacred vibhÅ«ti, which fulfils all our earthly desires and grants salvation too. In Kodaikanal once it so happened that I could see Swami’s feet at close quarters. On the left foot I saw the marks of anklets, and the right foot appeared normal. I asked Swami, “What is this, Swami? This is so amazing.†Swami replied, “Don’t you know even this much? This is the form of Ardhanariswara.†Bhagavan is indeedaparaÅ›ankara, another Sankara. Let us note what He said on another occasion: Mauļi gulkedÌ£u candra makhandÌ£a kaļatÅdÌ£a BedÌ£agÄru gulkedÌ£u jadÌ£alatÅdÌ£a JadÌ£alatÅ pravahincu cadalÄ“Å£i jigitÅdÌ£a Dambaina phÄla nÄ“trambu vÄdÌ£u NallanÄ“redÌ£u vanÅ£i nallani medÌ£amÄ«da Karamuna nÄgakankanÌ£amutÅdÌ£a NadÌ£umuna cuţţina nÄgacarmamutÅdÌ£a MainindÌ£a naladu bhasmambutÅdÌ£a NuduÅ£a cÄ“rcina dodÌ£dÌ£a kumkuma boÅ£tutÅ TÄmbÅ«la rÄgÄdharambutÅdÌ£a Ä€ru Å›Ästrambulanduna nandaginci Nallakaluvala hasiyinci kollalÄdÌ£u Merugu cÄmanacÄya mÄ“nitÅdÌ£a PartivÄsudÌ£u nÄ“dÌ£u sÄkshÄtkarince. ~ With a bright moon beaming over the top-knot, With locks of bright hair playfully stirring, With dazzling Ganges gushing down matted locks, With a gorgeous third eye adorning the forehead, With a bracelet of snakes Over the neck and arms dark as black plums, With snakeskin winding round the waist, With sacred ash smeared all over the body, With a charming vermilion mark gracing the brow, With lips reddened by chewing betel, Elegantly sketched in all the six sciences, With a smile making the blue lotuses blush, And a body swarthy and lustrous This day the Lord of Parthi appeared in visible form. Looking at the pupils from our revered Baba’s institutions, we feel they might have been the cowherd friends of Krishna. Swami’s mandir in Bangalore is indeed Brindavan. Puttaparthi strikes one as though it once was Repalle with its own Gokulam started by Swami. Lord Krishna, the son of Nanda, turning Himself into Sai, the embodiment of Bliss, has come down to identify His kith and kin. That Ramachandra became this Sai Ram and is looking after His former “soldiers.†The child Sai Isa is busy playing with His band of friends. MahaVishnu, the Great Vishnu himself had come down as Mahivishnu, Vishnu on Earth, and got possession ofHis weapons. What else do we want besides watching, rejoicing, and recalling how the Supreme Spirit is at play now with His puppets on this world stage as He did in the past! Ä€ nanda bÄluḍē Änanda bÄludÌ£ai Tana vÄri gurtimpa tarali vacce Ä€ rÄmacandruḍē ÄrÄmacandrudÌ£ai Tana banÅ£ulanu kangonaga vacce Ä€ yÄ«Å›uḍē bÄla sÄyÄ«Å›udÌ£ai Tana gumputÅ ÄdÌ£ukonaga vacce Ä€ mahÄvishnÌ£uvÄ“ Ä«mahÄ«vishnÌ£uvai Tana Äyudhamulu cÄ“gonaga vacce Aţţi paramÄtmayanu bommalÄtagÄdÌ£u TÄnu jÄ«vula rangasthalÄna nilipi Ä€dÌ£u ÄnÄÅ£i Ä«nÄÅ£i ÄÅ£a jÅ«ci Sunta varnÌ£inci konta santasamu ganudÌ£i! ~ To recognise His former kith and kin, That son of Nanda set out as this Blissful Child. To spotHis erstwhile troops, That Ramachandra descended as this Sylvan Moon, For some fun with His previous playmates, That Isa arrived here as Bala Sai Isa, To once again take up arms, That Mahavishnu turned into this Vishnu on Earth. That puppeteer, also known as the Supreme Spirit, Himself assigns each creature a role on this world stage. Now go, watch His old familiar game, Recount it a little, rejoice a little! Bhagavan Baba is ever subservient to the devotees. If you call out, “Sai,†he answers, “ŌyÄ«! Yes!†When you address Him saying, “Swami!†His reply is, “ĒmÄ«! What now!†These instant responses confer immeasurable solace, relief, and courage. Sai Sarvesvara and no other, grants Divine experiences and protects even those living in far-flung areas of the Earth. That is why the poem runs: Kalata dÄ«rcu nokaÅ£a kalalÅna kanipinci DhyÄna manduna tÅci dariki pilucu ManasulÅna yundÌ£i manciki nadÌ£ipincu ÅšautisaukhyadÄyi satyasÄyi! ~ Appearing in a dream, He removes worry at one place. In dhyana at another, He beckons you to come closer. From within our mind He guides us for our good. Bestower of peace and comfort, O Sathya Sai! Once a pilot lost control of his plane and direction too. While he was utterly helpless, suddenly there emerged from the sky clear, loud instructions and directions saying, “right,†“left,†and “straightâ€. The plane landed safely at an airport. He thought to himself, “Oh God! What a lucky escape!†Nobody knows who gave the instructions and directions. Eventually the pilot reached Prasanthi Nilayam. A few days later, Swami gave him an interview and remarked, “I am the one who saved your plane that day.†Guess who the pilot was? He is none other than the well-known James Sinclair, an American from Connecticut. Once a gentleman and his grandson went to Darjeeling. The boy was playing with some friends. It was getting dark. The grandfather wanted to go catch a bus all by himself and lost his way. Now everyone knows how some young lad appeared there and led him to the bus. Well, that lad was no other than our Swami. On another occasion, many years ago, a somewhat stout lady, a devotee from our town (Guntur) came to Parthi for Swami’s darÅ›an. She slipped and fell down from the top of the hill. Fortunately, nothing happened to her. That evening during the darÅ›an hour, Swami was joking with her saying, “What? Did you mean to break the rocks of the hill?†Even today her family recounts this event and bursts out laughing. And once there was in the Foreign Ministry a certain gentleman, Anantaraman. He did not have much faith. Yielding to the insistence of his mother, he accompanied her to Brindavan for Baba’s darÅ›an. His son had been playing in the swimming pool of the hotel. Suddenly they discovered the dead body of the boy floating there. In utter desperation, they moaned and prayedto Bhagavan, and attempted to revive him. The boy came back to life, and their faith was strengthened. Irrespective of time and place, Sri Sai saves us and grants us freedom from fear. AdÌ£avilÅnunna ÄkÄÅ›amunanunna PaţţanÌ£amuna nunna palle nunna Guţţa nunna naţţēţa nunna Madini sÄyi ninnu maruvadÌ£epudÌ£u. ~ In the forest or the sky, In a town or a village, wherever you may be, On a hill or in the middle of a stream, Sai, the resident of your heart, will never forsake you. Go anywhere, and ask any devotee, whatever his nationality or language may be, “What is your experience?†He begins to roll his eyes, raise his eyebrows and, shedding tears of joy, becomes instantly voluble. Even if the sea were to turn into ink, the trees into pens, and the Earth into a book, we doubt whether these would be sufficient to record all the experiences of every devotee. After all, how many can be recorded? Each of them has a novel feature, a unique touch to it. What matters most to the devotee is experience. That explains the song: Ä’ dÄ“Å›amÄ“ginÄ yÄ« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SatyasÄyi yanucu nitya paÅ£hana Ä’ Å«ra jÅ«cinÄ Ä« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SatyasÄyi yanucu nitya japamu Ä’ nÅÅ£a vinnanu Ä« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SÄyi rÄma yanucu satya japamu Ä’ cÅÅ£a cÅ«cinÄ Ä« nÄmamÄ“ sumÄ« SatyasÄyi yanucu nitya bhajana ViÅ›va melladÌ£a vyÄptiyai baraguvÄdÌ£u Bhakta janulaku prÄptudÌ£ai paraguvÄdÌ£u Bhakti nosagi rakshincedÌ£ivÄdÌ£u PartivÄsudÌ£u mimmÄ“la hattukonadÌ£u? ~ Whichever be the country we visit, this name alone, " O Sathya Sai! " thus runs the constant refrain. Whichever be the town we visit, this name alone, " O Sathya Sai! " thus runs the unending chant. Whomever we meet, this name alone, " Sai Rama! " thus runs the daily greeting. Whichever place we look, this name alone, " O Sathya Sai! " is the daily bhajan He who pervades the universe entire, He who is ever the prop of devotees, Who, instilling faith, protects us, Why won’tHe, the Lord of Parthi, clasp you? When I was in Brindavan I read out this poem. Swami said, “Read it again†and enquired, “What did you say towards the end?†I replied, “Swami, I concluded, ‘Why won’t the Lord of Parthi clasp you?’†“No, no,†Swami said. “Correct it to read, 'PartivÄsudÌ£u mimmÄ“la ettukonadÌ£u,' ('Why won’t the Lord of Parthi pick you up and hold you, like a child, in His arms?')†Swami’s love is lofty like the Himalayas. Swami remarked, “Even if you leave Me, I shall not abandon you.†When, after my retirement, I sought permission to leave for my native town, Swami remarked, “There or anywhere else, I myself have to look after you. Who is there for you?†Isn’t that true? Wherever I look, here, there, or elsewhere, there is only One, Bhagavan. ÅšrÄ« puţţaparti nilayudÌ£u KÄpadÌ£unu ninnu nepudÌ£u karunÌ£ÄkarudÌ£ai CÄ“paţţi ninnu brÅcucu Ä’paţţuna vidÌ£uvaka Ä“lunu ninnun. ~ The Lord of Parthi, the Compassionate Sai, Looks after you for ever and ever. Holding you by the hand, He watches over you, And never letting go, He guides you. For us, who struggle, drown, float, and choke in this ocean of worldly life, the boat that can lead us to the shore happily and safely is indeed Bhagavan Sathya Sai. He says, “With faith in Me, patiently wait a little and your own experience will teach you.†SÄramu lÄ“ni yaţţi bhavsÄgaramandu muningi tÄ“lucun DÄriyu tennunu ganaka tattara mandedÌ£i VÅrimi yincukanta madi nÅ«nucu bhaktini kalgicudÌ£u Å›ri KÄrudÌ£u satyasÄyi ninu kÄvaga vaccina nÄva gÄncavÄ“! ~ Why sink and float in this dull ocean of earthly ties, And become agitated, lacking means and method? Have a little patience, and with devotion, watch! Behold the rescue boat, the giver of plenty, Sathya Sai! Swami says, “Do not try to understand me. Experience me.†Understanding, explaining, clarifying – all these have to do with the mind. The amazing thing to note is that Divinity is not accessible to the mind; it transcends the mind. In fact, we should say that it is beyond the reach of language and thought, but directly accessible through experience. Speech, writing, memory, intellect, and erudition are all linked to the mind. That is why Bhagavan has been described as avÄÅ‹mÄnasagÅcara -- not cognisable by speech or thought. The Upanishad declares, “The one who says, ‘I know,’ does not know.†As experience is the only evidence, nothing more is required. If we place our trust in the mind, we will be ruined. Centa cÄ“rce naÅ£ancu santasinceda ranna VenÅ£anÄ“ edÌ£abÄpi cinta gÅ«rcu Ä’dÌ£ipincuÅ£a sÄyi vÄ“dÌ£uka yandurÄ KadÌ£upubba navvincu nadÌ£uma nadÌ£uma PogadÌ£ucunnÄdÌ£ani pongi pÅyeda rÄ“mo Tappa kappudÌ£e egatÄļi sÄ“yu Abhaya miccenu gÄna hÄyiga nundÌ£eda nanna PadÌ£u bÄdhalaku antu paţţakundÌ£u Venuka kÄ“ga nÄ«dÌ£u cana nÄ«dÌ£u mundnku Manasu marulu golpi madhana beţţu Iţţi cinni sÄyi cinmaya mÅ«rtini Eţţu tiruga galaru ilanu mÄ«ru? ~ When you want to rejoice over a little nearness, At once distancing Himself, He makes you sad. If you think your grief is fun for Sai, From time to time He makes you burst with laughter, If you are ever elated over His words of praise, Certain it is, He will tease and mock you next. If you relax, as He assured you freedom from fear, You learn your troubles have no end. He does not permit any retreat, or advance either. Enthralling your heart, He leaves it agitated. How can you possibly manage with This little Sai, this Embodied Consciousness? Offering our humble salutations at Swami’s Lotus Feet during the Declaration of Avatar celebrations, let us earnestly pray that all of us may receive His boundless grace and blessings, and bear in mind that Sai’s protection is the salvation of the world. SaiSewak, Bear all and do nothing; Hear all and say nothing; Give all and take nothing; Serve all and be nothing. Chat on a cool, new interface. No download required. ______________________________\ ____ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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