Prasanthi Update - October 7th and 8th.

October 9, 2008

The eighth or ninth day in Dusshera is celebrated as Durga pooja or Ayudh pooja. The festival is replete with many practices and rituals. For instance, there is a legend related to the exhibition of toys that is known as Golu (spelled Kolu in some regions). Since the goddess Durga needed tremendous power, all other gods and goddesses transferred their power to Goddess Durga and they all stood still as toys. To respect the self-sacrifice of these deities during the festival days, Hindus revere toys that are in shape of particular gods and goddesses.

After the slaying of Mahishasura and other demons by Durga or Chamundeshwari, there was no more use for her weapons. So the weapons were kept aside and worshipped. This Ayudha puja is being celebrated since ancient times. The Ayudha Puja is a worship of whatever implements one may use in one's livelihood. On the preceding evening, it is traditional to place these implements on an altar to the Divine. If one can make a conscious effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses each day, it will help one to see one's work as an offering to God. It will also help one to maintain constant remembrance of the divine. In India it is customary for one to prostrate before the tools one will use before starting one's work each day; this is an expression of gratitude to God for helping one to fulfil one's duties.

And so, in Puttaparthi too, all vehicles and implements are worshipped and revered this day. The Saab, Merc, BMW and Toyota stood beside each other awaiting their Lord! In this place, not only the devotees from all parts of the world sit with each other, machines and vehicles from everywhere too rest side by side! An altar had been made amidst the cars and the whole place was spotless clean.

A few minutes after 9:30am Swami arrived for darshan rounds. There was a Mangalavadyam team standing in readiness to welcome Swami.. Swami was not accepting letters and understandably so for today was the day of the machines! As He crossed the students' area and entered the gents side, the Mangalavadyam escorted Him. With Swami, the wonderful thing is anything looks beautiful and thrilling for He is the one who lends beauty and Grace to anything. The escort group that led Swami for a short distance erupted wonderful feelings within every heart nevertheless. As Swami neared the cars area, all the members of the escort party grabbed the opportunity to place prostrations at His Lotus feet.

Swami then moved to the altar that had been made specially for the occasion. He sat in front of it looking and gazing at it. And for those few moments, amidst all the noise and celebrations, a kind of silence enveloped all those standing near Him. His silence is so powerful and it stills even the most turbulent of minds into placid calmness. Trays and bowls holding chocolates and coconuts were brought to Him for blessings. He placed His palms over all of them and blessed them to be broken in front of the decorated vehicles in the traditional manner. As Swami watched on, coconuts were broken in front of each of the cars. Then bowls of prasadam and chocolates were blessed for distribution. Having done that, Swami continued His darshan rounds through the Veda chanting area and the Primary school blocks. Then He arrived to the stage where He sat listening to the Veda chanting going on The Rudram began and everyone vociferously joined in the

chanting.

Swami then moved towards the Poornachandra Auditorium. As He moved out of Kulwant hall, everyone else to rushed for places in the auditorium. In the meanwhile, there were two more garages and cars there too had been worshipped. Swami blessed coconuts to be broken. The first coconut hurled did not seem to have force enough to shatter. Swami smiled and told the person to take the coconut and break it properly That smile reminded one of the days when Swami Himself would break the coconuts. He would hold one in each hand and collide them against each other. The coconut on the left would always be left as it never broke but the coconut in the right hand would break exactly into half! This would go on till the last pair of coconuts were left. This time however, when He would crack them against each other, both the nuts would crack! Leaving all the witnesses with nostalgic memories, Swami moved into the auditorium.

Swami sat on the stage as the yajna progressed. The "Suryanamaskar priest" once again did his prostrations and prayers at the Lotus feet by placing a lotus there. All the various priests were deeply engrossed in the worship. We have often heard Swami say, "Work is worship". For these priests, it is so apt as literally worship is their work! After a while, Swami moved across all the students chanting on the stage to the western end of the stage and recieved Aarthi and the chantings of all the priests who gathered there in a single file. Swami was there for about 10 minutes after which He moved back across the stage and then retired for the morning.

In the evening, Swami arrived a few minutes after five o'clock. Once He came onstage after His darshan round, He asked the All India Sai Organisation President, Sri. V. Srinivasan to speak at 5.15 pm. The speaker dwelt on what Swami meant to everyone in all parts of the world.. Talking about the relationships that one adopts with Swami, the speaker stated that they can be as diverse as that between a mother and her child to that between friends! As he concluded his talk, Swami called him and told something in his ears. A kind of anticipative thrill spread across the hall and slowly the speaker came back to the podium. He stood still for a while, obviously contemplating and gathering thoughts and words on the magnificence and munificence of the words that the Lord had whispered to him.

And then he spoke with surging joy, "The people of Orissa have been struck by floods and about 7 districts have thousands of homeless. Swami's heart has gone out to them. He is immediately sanctioning 10 crores for their relief." The applause was deafening. While people in power were busy playing the blame game and trying to find the fault, the Lord had planned massive relief! Swami has directed that houses be rebuilt by the Sai organisation along with building Primary Schools for the villagers. And these shelters will not be permanent. Like Swami's glory, they also would be permanent - not mere tents or wooden structures, but sturdy concrete homes. Swami didn't want mere houses to be built, His intention was that homes be rebuilt! Swami also said that He would sell away the hilltop house in Kodaikanal and the Sri Sathya Sai airport at Puttaparthi and direct those funds for service.

For the Lord, only the present moment exists. Right now there is help needed and that will be rendered. Financial estimates and practical difficulties are not to be given prominence when people are suffering for everyone belongs to Him and as He has said, "If you need me, you deserve me." As the speaker narrated the troubled conditions of Orissa which he ascertained during his recent trip, Swami seemed deeply moved. The Lord seemed to be shedding a tear, feeling fully for His children. For the One who initiated everyone into chanting, "Samastha Loka Sukhino Bhavanthu" since He wanted not only the people of this world but all the worlds to be peaceful and happy, any suffering melts the heart. As the speaker went on, Swami called him and issued another command, "Right after Vijayadashami, you, Sri Kondal Rao of the AP government and Sri Ramakrishna, the director of L & T leave for Orissa and make plans so that in 2 months time, those

people have homes!" If the previous applause was deafening, this one was such that even the deaf would hear!

After these announcements, Swami asked for Bhajans. Very aptly the bhajan chosen by the students was, "Deena Dukhiyon Se prem karo". Prasadam was blessed and distributed to all. As that was done, Swami recieved Aarthi and left.

The 8th morning was quite uneventful as Swami remained indoors. The Yajnam went on and all the devotees attended it. In the evening, Swami arrived and completed the darshan rounds. After coming on the stage, He blessed Sri.S.V.Giri, the former vice chancellor of the Institute to speak. Sri Giri spoke on the significance of Navarathri and Dusshera. The greater part of his speech however was dedicated to what we should do in order to express our love and gratitude to Swami. He listed an eight point plan which was simple yet effective in its approach and implementation. Faith, respect for elders, love for children, good complany and positive thoughts were some of them. Swami too applauded as he concluded. Then there were bhajans. After about 4 bhajans, Swami subtly indicated to a student to sing the "Allahu Akbar" bhajan! And so the next bhajan was powerfully rendered with the introductory Aalaap.

Swami blessed prasadam to be distributed to all and then received Aarthi. He then went into the interview room for a short while. He retired as the announcement, that the next day would be Poornahuthi for the Yajna, was on.

Om Sai Ram