Guest guest Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Home FAQs Contact Us Search: Prasanthi Bulletin Index of earlier Bulletins Wednesday, August 6, 2008 This morning, an auspicious shower preceded the change of Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University at the Poornachandra Auditorium. As announced yesterday, the ceremony got underway at 10 o'clock with the students singing bhajans as Bhagawan arrived onstage. Swami sat there, flanked by the incumbent and outgoing VCs, with Mrs. Gokak beside her husband. Ten minutes of bhajans were followed by an invocatory Vedic hymn by the students. Mr. and Mrs. Gokak were garlanded by the principals of the Prasanthi Nilayam and Anantapur campuses respectively. Sri. Srinivasan Srirangarajan then gave a speech, outlining Mr. Gokak's term as VC, highlighting his transparency, helpful nature, and attention to detail. Sri. S. V. Giri, former Vice-Chancellor, spoke next, bringing out the contributions of both Sri. Anil Vinayak Gokak and his illustrious father, Dr. Vinayak Krishna Gokak, the first Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University. Sri. Gokak spoke next, praying for Swami's blessings in his next endeavour, which is to organise the centenary celebrations of his late father. Bhagawan stood up to deliver His Divine message after Sri. Gokak's speech. Swami stressed that He is always with each and every one of us, and that with Him, there are no "goodbye"s, only "welcome"s. He urged all of us to remember that we are divine, though we use different names for our bodies for worldly convenience. After His 45 minute Discourse, Bhagawan asked the incumbent, Prof. Vishwanath Pundit, to speak. Prof. Pundit humbly stated in his short speech that he was only an instrument in the Divine Hands. Swami blessed Mr. and Mrs. Gokak with bracelets. The function concluded with Arati ten minutes past noon while prasadam was distributed. The Himachal youth had another musical presentation this evening. Bhagawan came onstage at 5.15 pm and the concert for the evening got underway. Ms. Sunanda Sharma sang in Hindustani classical style for an hour. Bhagawan then called her up and blessed her with a chain. The students sang a bhajan while the lady members of the Himachal group readied themselves for a musical presentation, with a couple of group songs. Bhagawan blessed the performers with clothes and chocolates while the students sang a couple of Bhajans till Arati at 6.50 pm. Tuesday, August 5, 2008 The Sai youth from Himachal Pradesh presented a musical programme this evening. When Swami came onstage, the programme began with a short introduction praying to Bhagawan to visit their state. During the 45 minutes of songs, the young men formed vigorous tableaux with three rows of singers clapping and swaying to the beat. Bhagawan blessed one of the group with a chain, and then went down from the stage to take group photographs with them, standing up for the photos. Once He returned onstage, He sent chocolates, clothes and vibhuti prasadam for them. Swami listened to a few minutes of bhajans by the HP group, followed by a bhajan by the students before accepting Arati at 6 pm. Prof. Anil Kumar was then asked to make an announcement about the Vice-Chancellor change ceremony tomorrow at the Poornachandra Auditorium. Monday, August 4, 2008 Thls evening the devotees from the UK were once agaln seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant hall. Once Bhagawan arrived, He called a couple of devotees to the interview room. A few minutes later, He emerged and the program of speeches got underway when He came onstage at 4.50 pm. After a short speech by a lady from the UK, Mr. Ajit Popat, the group co-ordinator, spoke for half an hour about the qualities Sai youth must imbibe. A couple of bhajans by the students preceded Arati at 5.45 pm. Sunday, August 3, 2008 This evening, devotees from Kuwait presented a musical drama and a bhajan medley. They were seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall with their green scarves, with a picture of a mosque as a backdrop when Swami came for darshan. After Bhagawan reached the stage, the programme got underway at 4.50 pm. Children acted out the drama while the songs were sung by the older devotees. Swami came down from the stage to take pictures with the group, and when He returned onstage, the devotees sang Sarva Dharma bhajans in medley style, with no gaps between bhajans. After fifteen minutes of the Bhajan medley, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence. The Book Trust website has a report and images. Friday, August 1, 2008 Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair by 4.15 pm today, and moved to the interview room with the UK group ready in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall with another musical offering. Just before half-past four, Swami sent word that the programme could commence. Just as the first item got underway, Bhagawan arrived onstage. After an introductory song, a visually-challenged devotee presented a few songs and a couple of medleys on the accordion. As group songs followed, Swami called her up and interacted with her. Bhajans by the UK devotees was followed by Bhajans by the students at 5.30 pm till Bhagawan accepted Arati at 5.45 pm. Thursday, July 31, 2008 This evening, Bhagawan went on a second round of the verandah and the front part of Sai Kulwant Hall after He reached the interview room, and asked for chocolate-cream biscuits to be distributed as prasadam to all. As He moved back to the verandah, the UK group co-ordinator Sri. Ajit Popat got Bhagawan's permission to present their programme today. The students moved out of the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall, and the 170-strong UK youth group took their positions. Their musical programme began at 5.15, and after 20 minutes of songs, they started Bhajans. Bhagawan accepted Arati at 6.10 pm before returning to His residence. Monday, July 28, 2008 For the last few days, Bhagawan has been coming for darshan in His chair on most occasions, and going for a second round of the verandah, sitting onstage for a few minutes and then moving to the interview room. This evening, the group from the USA got a chance to present a musical programme with enactments by children in Sai Kulwant Hall. At 5.25 pm their programme got underway when Swami came onstage. Various religions were represented in the group songs for half an hour. Swami interacted with them, and after a few minutes, they began bhajans. Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.40 pm. The Book Trust website has a report and images. Wednesday, July 23, 2008 This evening, devotees from Italy presented a musical programme. Bhagawan came in His golden chair, reaching onstage at 5.25 pm to start the proceedings. After 45 minutes of traditional Italian music, Bhagawan asked them to sing Bhajans. At 6.30 pm, He accepted Arati and moved to the interview room. When He emerged a few minutes later, some students from the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School were waiting with a card and a tray of sweets, on the occasion of their Hostel anniversary. Swami asked the student with the tray of chocolates in the shape of gold coins to follow Him, and moving to the ladies' side, distributed the sweets to many devotees and even moved among the ladies on wheelchairs giving them the sweets personally. Then He returned to the centre of Sai Kulwant hall, had a set of photographs with the youngest member of their group who had recited Vedam and played a guitar solo, and asked the students to sing Bhajans. At a quarter past seven, Swami moved towards His residence, and the session concluded with Arati once again. Tuesday, July 22, 2008 This morning, the Bhajans began in Sai Kulwant Hall at 9 o'clock, and Bhagawan arrived in His chair at 9.50 am. After He sat onstage for a few minutes and interacted with the conference organisers, He moved to the interview room and called in a few lady delegates for an interview. Once He emerged from the interview, He came onstage and accepted Arati before returning to His residence at 11 o'clock. The final session of the conference got underway in the evening when Bhagawan came onstage just before five o'clock. The three speakers for the session were Dr. Narendra Reddy, Sri Nimish Pandya and Dr. Michael Goldstein. Once the speakers summed up the conference proceedings and outlined the course of future action, Bhagawan delivered His benedictory message. Swami stressed the importance of Unity and the feeling that all are the children of one Father. At the end of His Discourse, He went to the interview room briefly, and returned with Dr. Goldstein in tow. Bhagawan took the lingam He had given to Dr. Goldstein last evening and displayed it to everyone, then created vibhuti and sprinkled it on the lingam. He announced that He's giving the lingam to Dr. Goldstein for him to distribute the water from washing the lingam to those who are unwell. He then asked for the evening's cultural programme to begin. Children from the Sri Sai Vidya Vihar, Alwaye, Kerala, presented an hour-long dance drama on Bhaktha Jayadeva. Bhagawan's face was wreathed in smiles, watching the small children make their presentation. As they concluded, He got up from the stage and walked down to take group photographs with them. He then sat onstage and distributed laminated photographs to each of them as they came up one by one, while prasadam was distributed to all the devotees. He also threw a couple of sweets to some of the drama participants. It was 8 o'clock when Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence. Monday, July 21, 2008 This morning, the morning plenary session of the Education conference was to be held in the Sai Kulwant Hall, so the Bhajans did not commence at 9 o'clock. Bhagawan arrived at 10.30 in His chair, and when He reached the stage, Prof. David Gries, the Zone I chairman of the Sathya Sai Organisation, introduced the speakers. Dr. Tom Scoville, Dr. B. G. Pitre, Dr. Dalton de Souza Amorim and Sri Srinivasan Srirangarajan were the speakers for the morning, representing the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation and the Sri Sathya Sai University. They spoke on the techniques and impact of Sathya Sai Education, with illustrative anecdotes. Bhagawan accepted Arati after the speeches and returned to His residence at noon. The delegates for the conference gathered at various venues in the Ashram for their respective post-lunch sessions and returned to the Sai Kulwant Hall for the afternoon plenary session. Bhagawan arrived in His chair and moved to the interview room after four o'clock. At 4.30 pm, the speeches for the afternoon commenced. Mr. Victor Krishna Kanu, Mr. Jeremy Hoffer, Mr. M. K. Kaw and Sri Sanjay Mahalingam spoke on the inspiration and activities of the Sathya Sai Education programme. Bhagawan then graciously consented to speak to the delegates. Bhagawan took the sheet of questions posed by the delegates and clarifications desired by them, and reading out the questions one by one, answered them for an hour till 6.30 pm. Swami stressed on the need for parents to take proper care of their children, and for the children to love, obey and respect their parents. The students sang Bhajans for 10 minutes after Bhagawan's Discourse while the delegates moved out from the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall to make way for the devotees from the CIS (former USSR) who were to make a musical presentation. Bhagawan returned to the stage after a brief visit to the interview room and the music program began with a brief introduction. Songs from Russia, Georgia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and so on kept the packed hall enthralled with their catchy tunes and lively beat. After their half-hour programme, Swami asked them to sing one more song, so they sang the popular "Kalinka" and had the audience clapping all through. Bhagawan interacted with the organisers, and then, waved His hands to materialise a large golden lingam. Wrapping it in a small bag, He handed it over to Dr. Goldstein with some instructions. Blessing all the devotees, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 7.30 pm while prasadam was distributed. The Book Trust website has a report with images. Sunday, July 20, 2008 Bhagawan opened the Sai Vidya Jyothi Educare exhibition this morning at 11 o'clock - the Book Trust website has a report with images. The Sri Sathya Sai World Education Conference 2008 was inaugurated this afternoon. Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair after four o'clock, and when He came onstage, He lit a lamp to begin the proceedings. Dr. Michael Goldstein spoke first, followed by Sri. V. Srinivasan. Their introductory remarks for forty minutes was followed by Bhagawan's Discourse at 5.20 pm. Swami spoke for fifty minutes, mentioning at the end that within twenty to thirty years, the whole world will be one, united in love. The Saisymphony orchestra was to perform next. The centre of Sai Kulwant Hall was cleared and the musicians arranged their places there, with more than seventy-five instruments. Bhagawan returned to the stage after visiting the interview room, and the musical session began just before 6.30. After forty minutes of the symphony, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence as prasadam was distributed. Saturday, July 19, 2008 This evening, devotees from Austria presented a choral programme. Swami came for darshan at 5 pm, and He took a round of the Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair before coming to the verandah. Before the programme commenced, He once again took a round of the ladies' side in His chair before moving up the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall and coming onstage to start the proceedings at 5.25 pm. Bhagawan asked them to sing some more after their half-hour of songs, so an encore followed. Swami asked the devotee who introduced the songs whether he wanted water, and referring to their tears of joy, he said, "Yes, Swami, so much water has come out, now some water must go in also!" The students supplied them with water followed by Prasadam distribution while Bhajans were sung for half an hour with Arati at seven o'clock. Friday, July 18, 2008 Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant hall at 8.50 am on this Gurupoornima morning resplendent in a yellow robe, in a special gold-coloured chair, preceded by His baby elephant which was bedecked in festival finery. After a full round of the Hall, He came to the veranda and blessed the Gurupoornima cake arrayed there. When He came onstage, He blessed the congregation with both hands and sat for a while listening to the Vedam chanting along with the Nadaswaram and Panchavadyam performed by the students. Sri Shivraj Patil, the Union Home Minister, presented a book to Bhagawan for release. This tome on the Bhagawad Gita was written by him and was made available in English, Hindi, Marathi and other languages. Bhagawan asked Prof Anil Kumar to announce the details of the book and then Sri Shivraj Patil was asked to address the gathering. In his short speech, Sri Patil thanked Bhagawan for inspiring the book. Swami then indicated that His mics be brought. Bhagawan spoke for nearly an hour, seated onstage, outlining the story of Ekalavya and commending Sri Shivraj Patil on his book. He then mentioned that one of the lecturers of the Sai University was going to Hungary for a presentation, and that He wished that in this way, the ideals of the Sai University be propagated in all countries. The students sang a couple of songs after Swami's Discourse as prasadam was distributed. Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence in the chair after eleven o'clock after listening to a few more minutes to the students' Panchavadyam troupe. Thursday, July 17, 2008 This evening, Bhagawan arrived after the Bhajans began in the Bhajan Hall at 5.30 pm. He entered the Bhajan Hall in His chair from the rear door after moving around in the verandah, and moving up the aisle, went out of the front door. On the verandah, He interacted with Dr. Jum Sai of Thailand, and consented to have a violin recital by the boys from Sathya Sai School, Thailand. The boys moved to the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall where place had been left for them, and with the Bhajans coming to a halt, their programme commenced at six o'clock. After fifteen minutes of playing, their conductor arrived! So, they began playing the pieces once again. At 6.40, once the violins concluded, Swami asked for Bhajans to commence in the Sai Kulwant Hall. As the students sang Bhajans, Swami asked them to sing specific Bhajans, and also the songs which the Thailand boys had played on the violins. He also asked for a Meera Bhajan. At 7.10, He asked the Thailand boys also to sing a Bhajan, and they all sang in chorus. Bhagawan called them up for a group photo beside Him onstage, and interacted with them for nearly twenty minutes there before accepting Arati at 7.25 pm and returning to Yajur Mandir while prasadam was distributed. Wednesday, July 16, 2008 This evening, Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall just before 4.30 pm and moved to the interview room. The stage had been arranged for a concert by Dhrupad singer Sri Falguni Mitra. Once Swami came onstage, their programme commenced just before 5.30 pm. After an hour and more of songs, Swami accepted Arati at 6.30 pm after Blessing the artistes and returned to His residence while prasadam was distributed. Tuesday, July 15, 2008 This evening, Sri Kailash Kher the sufi artiste was to present a musical programme. Bhagawan arrived by 3.50 pm and moved straight to the interview room. Within ten minutes, He emerged and moved around the verandah, interacting with the organisers and the singer for the evening. He then sat onstage for a while as the Vedam went on, Blessing the 'Birthday Boys' from among the students. At 4.45. He again moved to the interview room, and when He returned to the stage area at 5.10 pm, the concert got underway. Sri Kailash Kher sang for an hour and ten minutes in his energetic style, and Bhagawan Blessed him with a chain and a ring, and the rest of his group with clothes. He accepted Arati at 6.20 pm before returning to His residence while prasadam was distributed. Monday, July 14, 2008 On this Ashadi Ekadasi morning, Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall at 8.50 am to a welcome song by the devotees from Maharashtra. As He reached the stage, their traditional Dindi programme began. After the ten minute Dindi, the drama for the morning, Atma Ramayana, got underway. The musical, presented by Pune Balvikas and youth, brought out the inner significance of the Rama story with a dialogue at a Balvikas class, based on the Eka-sloki Ramayana. Bhagawan went down from the stage to go amidst the performers after the hour-long programme, and then sat onstage while the devotees sang Bhajans for half an hour till eleven o'clock when He accepted Arati and returned to His residence. In the afternoon, Bhagawan arrived at 4.45, and the evening drama got underway soon after He came onstage at five o'clock. The hour-long programme by the Balvikas and youth of Maharashtra and Goa was based on the Tripura Rahasya, a text which stresses the ultimate truth beyond the Trinity, bringing out the way to be rid of ignorance through a series of parables. Bhagawan called up the protagonist of the play as the concluding song began, and Blessed him with a chain. He once again went among the participants in His chair and interacted with them. As Bhajans went on, Swami sat onstage and called up members of the cast one by one for photographs with Him. After twenty minutes of Bhajans, Swami accepted Arati at 6.30 pm and returned to His residence. Sunday, July 13, 2008 This morning, Bhagawan came just as the Bhajans began at nine o'clock, and left after Arati at 9.40 am. In the evening, devotees from Maharashtra were seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall, and a musical programme was arranged onstage. Bhagawan arrived at four o'clock, and after a round of Sai Kulwant Hall in the car, moved out again for a drive inside the ashram, returning to the Hall in ten minutes. When He arrived onstage, the artistes for the day, Sri. Kunal Ganjawala and Smt. Gayatri Ganjawala, along with their accompanists, came onstage and began their performance at 4.20 pm. As their hour-long performance concluded, Bhagawan materialised a chain and a ring, giving the chain to Kunal to put around Gayatri's neck and the ring to Gayatri to put on Kunal's finger. After another Bhajan sung by them, Swami granted them group photographs, after which He accepted Arati while prasadam was distributed. Prof. Anil Kumar was asked to announce tomorrow's cultural programmes scheduled for the morning and the evening. Bhagawan returned to His residence at 5.45 pm. Saturday, July 12, 2008 Over the last few days, Bhagawan has been coming to Sai Kulwant Hall and moving to the interview room after crossing the ladies' side. He has also been moving about on the verandah and sitting for a brief while onstage with prasadam being distributed. This evening at 3.40 pm, He went to the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences to inaugurate the Gastrointestinal Unit there. He also Blessed the ongoing conference of Orthopedic specialists there before returning to the Mandir at 4.40 pm. Monday, July 7, 2008 This evening, the devotees from Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh had prepared a programme of distribution of items of livelihood to the needy. Many devotees from the surrounding villages and from other rural areas of Anantapur had gathered for the occasion. Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall by 3.40 pm, and within ten minutes, came onstage to begin the proceedings. The District President of the Sai Organisation began with an introductory talk in Telugu. Prof Anil Kumar gave a short introduction in English and Telugu, and then started to read out the names of the recipients and the implements they were being gifted. Sewing machines, bicycles, push-carts, grinding machines, electrical kits and other such items were duly passed on to the beneficiaries from the rural areas of the district. A forty-minute cultural presentation by Balvikas children from Anantapur followed. Swami went into the interview room, and emerged after a few minutes to come down from the stage in His chair and distribute saris to the children who participated. After Blessing the participants with group photos, the Balvikas children began bhajans. Prasadam was distributed, and Swami accepted Arati at six o'clock. Sunday, July 6, 2008 This evening, the first year post-graduate students of the University were gathered in the Bhajan Hall, ready with some group songs. Swami came into the Bhajan Hall after His darshan round, and seeing them ready there, said He would return, and went to the Poornachandra auditorium, where the group from the US had arranged an exhibition. After Blessing the exhibition, Swami returned to the Bhajan Hall and asked the students to commence their programme. Their hour-long song programme was marked with short speeches by students speaking a few heart-felt lines in their mother-tongues. They prayed to Swami to visit the Hostel, and in-between songs showed various cards and other items to Swami. While Swami accepted Arati at 6.20, He watched a video presentation of His previous Hostel visits on a laptop and Blessed the students who prepared the show. Saturday, July 5, 2008 Bhagawan had permitted a group from the USA - around 200 strong - to perform music in the Sai Kulwant Hall this evening. The programme got underway just before five o'clock. Their songs were interspersed with a few lines of commentary and the programme concluded in half an hour. Bhajans then commenced, and after twenty minutes of their Bhajans, the students sang some more bhajans while prasadam was distributed. Bhagawan returned to His residence after Arati at 6.15 pm. You can see an illustrated version of happenings at Prasanthi Nilayam in the Prasanthi Diary of our monthly e-Journal Heart to Heart. The previous issue of Prasanthi Bulletin is available here.. Index of past Prasanthi Bulletins... top Share files, take polls, and make new friends - all under one roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.