June 22 and 23, 2008(SOURCE:http://saistudents.org/alumni/home/news.php)

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June 22 and 23, 2008

Sai Kulwant hall appeared in a different light altogether. It looked as

if the legendary "Rama Rajyam" had descended on earth. Sorry!

Correction please - not just looked that way, Raama Rajyam has indeed

descended! Sai Rama speaks a lot on Rama. More than anything else, as

He describes the qualities of the Lord then and the way Rama conducted

himself, one is always reminded of the daily activities of Swami

Himself.

The stage had been occupied by three beautiful statues - Rama,

Lakshmana and Sita. Hanuman was conspicuous by his absence. It came to

be known that these were only like a standby The actual idols would be

brought in a procession in the afternoon! In the afternoon, the Yajur

Mandir was bustling with activity. A gaily decorated procession stood

in readiness to escort the two Ramas from different Yugas! Swami came

out at about 4:30 pm and the procession started. The grandly decorated

palanquin bearing the idols of the Lord was being carried by priests

chanting hymns and mantras in praise and glory of the "perfect man" of

the Treta age. The Sanathana Dharma is so glorious and grand. While in

many places, God is reduced to a mere book, idol or picture, the

Sanathana Dharma, uplifts everything - idols, pictures and everything

to the level of God! The "GajaNade" as it is called is the traditional

elephant walk that the priests simulated while carrying the idols. This

meant that Rama seated atop the palanquin would have felt as though He

is seated on an elephant! The movements were such and the priests

undulated and gracefully twisted their bodies to exactly replicate that

walk. Swami in the meanwhile, sat just at the threshold of the Kulwant

hall entrance from Yajur Mandir and said that He would prefer to wait

for the idols to be taken in procession completely and then begin His

darshan round. That was so sweet and understanding of Swami. Imagine

the state of mind of people if both Swami and Rama came for darshan

together! The two eyes are not enough to drink in the beauty and glory

of both forms at the same time. What does one do when the tastiest of

dishes and the best of desserts are placed simultaneously in front for

the feast! So, as Swami sat sweetly allowing the palanquin to proceed.

All the assembled devotees had a wonderful darshan of Rama, Lakshmana,

Seeta and Hanuman. Towards the later part of the procession, the

"HamsaNade" or the gait of the majestic swan was adopted and the

palanquin proceeded and came to a halt at the stage.

Then sweet Swami began His darshan rounds. It was double

delight. For those not yet spiritually evolved to see the Lord in the

idols, here was the same Lord in flesh and blood. The thought that the

Avatar was in our midst in flesh and blood, heightened by the presence

of the idols atop the palanquin made hairs stand on their ends at the

great good fortune all of us privileged to enjoy being contemporaries

of Swami. Swami glided through the hall in the chair and was all smiles

towards the assembled devotees. He went through the gents side and then

came to the students section of the hall. Blessing the birthday boys

and collecting letters from many, Swami went on stage. There He lit the

lamp that had been placed and so the "Srimad Ramayana Sudha Pravachana

Saptaham" had been officially declared open! The Kalashasthapana and

Shodashopachara pooja to the idols were performed and everyone awaited

for the next part of the programme to begin looking at Swami. Swami sat

listening to Vedic chants as He gently fondled and played with a yellow

rose bud in His hand. He opened up the petals slowly. It was so

symbolic of what He was doing to all the children seated in front of

Him. The come to Him as buds and with His touch, He makes them bloom

into fully blossomed flowers.

At 4.45, Bhagawan, seated onstage, asked for the programme to

commence. A learned scholar, Sri. Vidwan Nidumamidi Srikanta Rao, spoke

in Telugu for about 45 minutes, introducing the Ramayana Saptaham,

stating that each day, one Kandam of the Ramayanam would be expounded

by a scholar, till the last day, which would be dedicated to the

Pattabhishekam or Coronation ceremony. The scholar then spoke about the

first part of the Ramayanam, the Bala Kandam and the inner significance

of many events narrated there. As he went about the narration of the

events of the planned coronation the intilal exploits of the young

princes, Swami listen appreciatively with rapt attention. At the end of

his talk, Swami looked at the bhajan group and signalled them to begin

with a hint word, "Shlokam". And so began "Shree Raghavam", the aalap

for the bhajan "Shree Raghunandana". Bhajans continued after that and

everyone clapped and sang enthusiastically. All the bhajans were on

Rama with special emphasis on the initial phases of Rama's life- to the

events of Baala Kanda in particular! Prasadam was distributed while the

bhajans went on. Bhagawan accepted Arati at 6.10 pm before returning to

His residence.

The afternoon of 23rd too began on the same auspicious note as

Swami came for darshan. Today however, Swami cut to the stage after the

ladies side. Bhagawan arrived for evening darshan at 4 pm, and after

sitting onstage for a few minutes, moved to the interview room. He

emerged after half an hour to move around the stage area and the

verandah, going back onstage and starting the proceedings at 5 pm.

Today's talk was on the Ayodhya kandam. The scholar speaking on it

today was Sri Malla Pragada Sriman Narayana Moorthy from Guntur. He

spoke very beautifully on the inner significance. Ayodhya means, "Where

no one wins". This part of the Ramayana, expounded the scholar, was the

portion where everyone- King Dasharatha, the queens, all the four

brothers and everyone in the family loses. Yet all of them lose so that

Dharma can win. And that was the significance of that Kanda. It also

highlights the beautiful congruence between Sathya and Dharma. Like the

two feet which are perfectly in sync and make movement possible, only

when Sathya and Dharma are in sync is progress possible.

Swami was very moved at many instances during the narration.

The speaker too spoke very powerfully on the Ayodhya Kanda and the

entire audience listened in rapt attention. After the stirring hour

long Telugu speech by Mallapragada Srimannarayana Murthy garu, bhajans

commenced at 6 pm. Swami too sang the lead for some of the bhajans and

that only catalysed a more devotional and enthusiastic singing by

everyone assembled! After bhajans for half an hour, Swami received

Aarthi and left.

 

Click here to view pictures of this event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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