Prashanti Diary: January 4, 2009 - By a Sai Devotee

January 4, 2009

January 4, 2009

The Olympic Sprint

A sunny morning, the boarding school children have come, the darshan hall is quiet and serene. Soon the three Om's come over the loudspeakers and bhajans commence. The darshan hall is largely full, and I see that huge Maharashtra-Goa group are seated nearby the front on both the ladies and the mens sides.

As the bhajans continue, I find myself translating some of them as they are sung, and consider how many facets of the Sai Avatar are sung, daya karo bhagavan, (fullness of compassion) kripa karo bhagavan (the Lord who receives all our prayers) and how the glories of divine self-giving are celebrated in song, and add to the glory that is Prashanti Nilayam, the abode of Highest Peace. I think of all the energy generated by the bhajans and consider what Swami will do with this energy, where he will send this in the world as grace to those who are calling out on God, kith and kin of all on Earth.

I took my darshan on the inner level and took padnamaskar on the inner level, in peace; Swami had not come, and I was simply " being there " if that means anything, taking in divine grace, and being present in this holy atmosphere.

Suddenly, people start shifting around in the darshan hall, bunching up, students move forward, and a large crowd get up and race forward to fill that space left behind the Maharashtra-Goa group. It's a bit untidy for a moment, then all settle down and look towards Yajur Mandir for Swami's entrance and darshan. And so Swami does enter the darshan hall, and proceeds right across the hall. I saw that he stopped on the men's side for something, and that was the last I saw of that; men got up everywhere. Swami did not come into sight again until he reached the top turn nearby the garage.

An old man with a walking stick was leaning around trying to see Swami, and I gestured to him to sit nearby me, and he would have darshan of Swami in the mandir receiving the bhajans. Several of us helped him move to that new seat; he was most grateful.

Arathi, and I departed the darshan hall to meet with Holly out the front (one of the Seva Dal Coordinators for the Christmas Choir) (she is leaving tomorrow) and of course, the assembled devotees wait to see Swami get in the grey car. So I was standing there nearby the Ganesh Temple, and thinking of the video I saw of the installation and prathistha of the Ganesh Idol, a event which took place many years ago. A devotee and I discussed the appearance of the ashram in those days.

Lo and behold, people were sprinting past at an almighty speed, and the Good Lord help anyone who got in their way. More and more people came out, it looked like the Olympic 400 metres sprint in Beijing, so fast they were going. Wow, people running past, some out the front gate, some up towards the gate to the meditation tree using that back pathway which runs behind the old State Bank building. Swami was coming out. Crowds rushed to the Ganesha Gate itself, and milled around. Police whistles peeped, and the Seva Dals closed the gate (as they usually do, principally to protect devotees from harm on the roadway as they spill all over the place).

I could hear the police sirens pass by, and then the gates were opened.

Thus concludeth morning darshan on this fine Sunday Morning.

January 4, 2009

Devi and the Feminine

It was the turn of the Ladies of Maharasthra-Goa this evening. When I arrived at the darshan hall there were many banners hanging in the centre of the darshan hall, and there were groups of men and ladies seated in the centre area where students normally sit. Chanting was going on in the mandiram, and the darshan hall was filled with waiting devotees; silence prevailed.

The New Year's Decorations have been removed.

I took a seat, maybe halfway down the hall and cast my attention to the banners hanging from the ceiling. There was one in the middle, crosswise, and three longwise on each side.

In the centre was a tasteful white banner with an impression of Easwaramma, and the script, Easwaramma, divya mata. The other six banners all had illustrations of women and citations from the Devi Stutram, I think it is, or is it the Devi Mahatmya?

The first banner had an illustration of Savitri, and the following from the Devi Prayer:

Yaa Devi Sarva BhuteshuShaktirupena SamsthitaNamastasyei NamastasyeiNamastasyei Namo NamahaSalutations to the Goddess who manifests as power in all beings

The next banner on that side had an illustration of Rani Lakshmibai on a horse, and

Yaa Devi Sarva BhuteshuShaktirupena SamsthitaNamastasyei NamastasyeiNamastasyei Namo NamahaSalutations to the Goddess who manifests as power in all beings

The next banner had illustrations of Putalibai and Mahatama Gandhi, and the following prayer:

Yaa Devi Sarva BhuteshuBhaktirupena SamsthitaNamastasyei NamastasyeiNamastasyei Namo NamahaSalutations to the Goddess who manifests as devotion in all beings

On the other side, the first banner had an illustration of Urmilla-Lakshman and the following prayer

Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshutyaggarupena SamsthitaNamastasyei NamastasyeiNamastasyei Namo NamahaSalutations to the Goddess who manifests as sacrifice and penance in all beings

The next, for the life of me, I cannot remember; the last banner was of Ratnavalli and Tulsidas, with the prayer,

Yaa Devi Sarva BhuteshuBhaktirupena SamsthitaNamastasyei NamastasyeiNamastasyei Namo NamahaSalutations to the Goddess who manifests as devotion in all beings

So there was a very strong Devi focus for the evening. When Swami came out to the front of the porch, the Ladies led the singing, and introduced the evening's program. I recall a Gayathri Mantra sung in four part harmony.

The Devi Stutram formed the focus of what was to follow; very young girls dressed as the characters in the banners performed skits very close to the front of the veranda; Swami was facing these girls, cent per cent attention and focus. The conclusion of each skit was the singing of the relevant strotra from the Devi Stutram (I don't know if I have this title right, so bear with me) which was a really neat way to conclude each skit. The girls were all nicely costumed and delivered their skits quite well.

When the skits were over, there was a very catchy song sung about Mother Easwaramma, and then some songs sung about Swami. There was then a presentation to Swami, a memorial plaque and prayer to Swami that these 2400 Sai Youth of Maharasthra and Goa would be worthy instruments in his mission.

The men then did a medley of songs with some very good musical accompaniments, and the most unusual backing I have ever heard for Kondama Rama, it was excellent. There was then a short medley of bhajans as Swami went inside the interview room. He returned shortly, and went down to the centre area of the darshan hall, and gave photo sessions to the young girl actresses, and gave them all padnamaskar. Much applause. Swami called for Shawls and Sarees to be distributed to all in the choir and in the acting complement. Swami then gave photo sessions to the Lady Singers, very good, and then moved over to the Men Singers, where there were many photo sessions.

Swami then stayed in the centre of the darshan hall and spent time answering questions from the Devotees of Maharashtra and Goa, and also spent some time accepting prayers and requests. After some time, Swami returned to the front of the porch and called for prasadum to be distributed to all. The lady singers then led bhajans during the distribution of prasad, and I quite enjoyed the ladies leading the singing. When the distribution of prasad was complete, Swami gestured to the students returning; there was quite some prasad left over, and Swami sent the students right down that centre walkway, out of the darshan all, to distribute all the prasad to the devotees down by the Gopuram Gate!

Then Swami called for arathi; the ladies led Om Jai Jagadeesha Hare; there were 8 waving the arathi flames, three men and three ladies from the Sai Youth, along with one student, and the Mandir Pujari. When it got to Mata Pita Guru Daivum, Swami gestured for the lamps to be placed on the ground, and the Ladies continued leading the singing. It was quite dark, the darshan hall lights were bright, and the Narayana, Narayana Om Sathya verses flew through the air as Swami sat there, right at the front of the porch, brilliant in his orange robe, and smoke rising all over the place from the many arathi lamps. A great conclusion to the evening of Devi and the Feminine, by favour of the Ladies of Maharasthra and Goa.

Courtesy: http://saieditor.com/spirit/