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PARTHI NEWS
Ugadi 2008 in Prasanthi Nilayam
7th April 2008 (Ugadi )
Om Sairam dearest Sai Family,
Wishing all the noble souls of our beloved Sai World a very happy
Telugu New Year UGADI as it is called in Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka and Gudi padva in Maharashtra and Sindhi community also
celebrates this day with festivity and gaiety.. According to the
epics this was the day when Brahma decided to script this world, It
was on this day when Rama chose to be coronate, it was this holy day
when Sri Krishna decided to leave His body and this day marked the
beginning of Kali age and it was this day when our Lord of this Kali
Age, decided to bless us with His divine darshan morning and evening
in His car chair..
It is a typical April atmosphere in Parthi.
Very less people in the streets of Puttaparthi during the
afternoons, many shops being closed, The huge tree facing Ganesha is
shedding leaves, the fresh smell of neem flowers…Students of Swami’s
school are on summer vacations.. Home Sick students have already
left Parthi and Sai Sick students enjoying this EXTENDED divine
opportunity, many rumours running around about Swami’s probable
visits to His summer abode and what not…
This Ugadi according to lunar calendar will be
called Sarvadhari.. Sarva Meaning everything, Dhari.. The one who
has taken upon Himself.. A universal cosmic form who is none other
than our Beloved Lord.. who is verily universal, cosmic and loving..
Last year was named Sarvajit.. the one who has
conquered everything.. True to the name He has won the hearts of
millions Puttaparthi witnessed many Human values centric programmes,
the world youth conference and to be precise everyday was a great
lesson learned. And its all His love and grace that is binding us
with this universal principle of love..
For the past week or so Swami has been blessing
us with His car chair darshan and today was no exception.
Surprisingly the hall was only half full till 8am and Swami blessed
us with His divine darshan at 8:45am. With His beautiful smile,
Majestic look, He entered the hall amidst chanting of Sai Gayatri by
His students.. Swami looked at every one with the world’s most
beautiful smile, keenly listening to every one’s prayers, requests
and complaints…
Swami blessed some gents by accepting letters
and the car chair was now right infront of the dias.. the students
who had a musical programme for this morning, started the same even
while Swami was still doing the darshan rounds.. Swami instead of
going on to the dias, preferred to be wheeled on His exit path.. He
made a full round again towards the ladies’ side.. every one were
thrilled in joy and especially elderly ladies’ seated on that side
were taken back by Swami’s kind gesture.. many of whom wouldn’t have
seen Swami so open and close and what a day it was for them.Every
one thought Swami would go back to his physical abode but surprising
all He took a right turn and again back to His entry path.. Everyone
were more happy and surprised when Swami came again towards the
gents’s side and took a full round before He settled on the dias
later on immersed in the sweet music rendered by His own chosen
children..
There were some short plays and commentaries by
students in various languages..Many students were excellent in their
commentaries and all of them asked Swami to bless this world with
prosperity and plenty to which Swami nodded in positive and it was a
treat to watch this one to one conversation with Swami and His
chosen ones.
To all of us who are in Sai Fold, every day is
a new day, every second is sanctified by His glorious name and if
there is anything that were are lacking in is putting our noble
thoughts into actions. Only when we realize how lucky and fortunate
we are to be born during this time when Lord of the Lords is around
in Human form.
During the Ugadi festival there is one
important part that every one looks forward to and that is Panchaga
sravanam.. Predicting the future done by experts in astrology and
numerology..
And Students were not less than any learned
priest and two students after bowing to Swami started their
PANCHANGA SRAVANAM..
Swami got more curious at this stage.. The Lord
who has scripted the world was keen to know what this so called
Panchangam has to say about His world..
They concluded that this year will be a year of
good harvest even though some part of the state would be devoid of
proper rains. It will be a good year for farmers who are growing
Wheat and other dry fruits. His glory will be sung every where and
there would be a positive change in the approach of the people.and
above all they concluded this year will be a very good one two which
Swami looked sweetly probably blessing SO BE IT…..
Another important part of this Panchanga
Sravanam is reading the individual sun signs… After telling two sun
signs the students said why tell about every one’s sun signs lets
see what Swami’s sun sign has to say for this new year, for which
Swami got more curious again giving the look as if saying “LET ME
SEE WHAT MY BOYS HAVE FOR ME THIS YEAR” They concluded Swami’s sun
sign has the following Adayam (Profit) 11, Vyayam (Expenditure) 8,
Pujyatha (Fame) 3, Avamanam ( blame) 1 and the two boys at the end
concluded that this year Swami’s sun sign is very good to which
Swami gave a look as if saying “If you say so”….
One of the boys now asked the other one what
should be done to gain God’s blessings to which the other boy
replied chant the glory of Lord Lets start this year by offering
prayers at the Lord of the Lords Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and
nothing can harm us and everything can be changed by His grace..
Swami was so impressed with the two boys that He called them on the
stage.. After a small circular wave of His right hand, there came a
dazzling golden chain and Swami slowly slipped around a boy’s neck
as we all joined our hands for the kind gesture.. Swami spoke to the
two boys for more than 5 minutes posed for photos…
After 10 minutes the programme ended and Swami
asked the boys next to Him to bring the holy water .. There came a
huge silver bowl with Tulasi water I suppose.. Swami was wheeled
down the dias and Swami Slowly sprinkled the holy water on the
students… after few minutes Swami called upon the temple preist to
sprinkle the holy water on all of us and this was very special Ugadi
with the holy water…
As Prasad was distributed Swami asked for
Arathi and thus ended a beautiful Ugadi Morning in the immediate
presence of our beloved Lord…
7th April Afternoon darshan:
This after noon as we all waited for the
arrival of our beloved Lord, Swami blessed us with His divine
darshan at 4:45. He came again in His chair car amidst veda chanting
and loud applauds.. There were all smiles and it was a treat to
watch Swami for almost a week now in His chair car ….
After taking a full round, Swami went into the interview room. Swami
called upon a family for interview and after about 30 minutes, Swami
came out on to the dias.. This evening there was a musical programme
and after about 1 hour Swami blessed the Prasad to be distributed
and as we all were hoping for a Divine Discourse Swami signaled for
Arathi thus ending this beautiful and auspicious day of Ugadi.. Let
this day mark the dawn of Sainess in our hearts… smiles on our faces
.. one devotee next to me was saying to another devotee what
happened to Swami why is He not giving divine discourse?.. He didn’t
speak on His birthday last year and again on Ugadi which is a big
festival.. the uncle replied that’s because we are NOT listening to
His divine discourses we are just HEARING.. How true!mere hearing is
not enough.. we have to practice each word of Swami and lets hope
that urge of listening and practicing will germinate in our hearts
and as Swami said, don’t wait for the GOLDEN AGE to come as it wont
come unless your noble thoughts are put into action ….that day is
the dawn of Golden Age.. that day is the day for which Swami has
been looking forward to .. how soon we bring that day is in our
hands and He is always there to guide us..
Bless us all dear Lord, to be your darling
children, to be your instruments, to be your CHOSEN instruments..
With humble pranams at His lotus feet of our
loving Lord….
R.Satish Naik… reporting from the Abode of
Highest peace.. Prasanthi Nilayam…
Prasanthi Update - An Unforgettable Ugadi
Morning
Prasanthi Nilayam was beaming with the thousands who had come
celebrate the New Year at the Divine Lotus Feet. The Kulwant hall
was wonderfully decorated seldom seen in recent times with colourful
decorative pieces hanging all over the hall. The Center stage was
magnificently decorated with a great varities of flowers. The stage
was also decked with new bronze images of elephants.
Swami arrived in the Kulwant hall at almost exactly 5 minutes past
9.00 A.M in the chair right Yajur Manidram. Instructions were
already given that the Music programme may begin as soon as He
enters the hall. Accordingly, starting with Sai Gayathri, the Music
group of the University offered their salutations to His feet and
began their program.
Swami took the usual round, but instead of coming on to the stage,
He took another round near ladies side, came on to gents side and
entered the portico this time. Meanwhile the program was on, with
some introductory remarks on the importance of the Ugadi day. Swami
finally came on to the stage.
The Music program was not just a list of songs sung one after the
other. Interleaved with speeches, Bhagawan's message was conveyed in
a most striking and enriching way. Songs that were chosen for the
occasion were exceedingly apt, and to suit each of them, well
written scripts were delivered as intro. "Panchanga patanam" was the
pick of all. Explaining the meaning of "Panchangam", two students
read out the forecast for different sun-signs, particularly for
Swami's! Accordingly it turned out that it is a very auspicious and
pleasant year for that 'raashi'. Swami enjoyed the depiction and he
blessed one of the students with a gold chain.
The program continued with scintillating verses in telugu as intro
to the songs, and few skits and dialogues to convey messages. Every
singer gave himself to the song, enthralling the audience so much
that none realized that it was almost 10:30AM. The pinnacle of this
string of songs, as an icing on the cake, was the rendering of one
Hindi song sung by three Students starting with the word 'barso'.
Call it co-incidence or anything, Swami suddenly asked His boys to
take him down the stage, and called for something. What was in the
offing? As everyone wondered, one of them brought a bowl of 'theertham'
and with a bunch of leaves, Swami himself sprinkled that "kalasa
theertham" on the music group and vedam boys. He also went little
ahead and blessed few more group of students. Later Swami called for
the pandit and asked him to sprinkle the water on all devotees,
students and staff.
The program came to an end with that song and truly these three
singers mesmerized the congregation. The Rendering of the song was
beyond anyone's comprehension and was the most beautiful and
wonderful sung in recent times.
What could one ask more for on this Most Auspicious Day ?
As the memories of the "Sarvajit" fade away and fresh lease of life
begins on the Ugadi Day of "Sarvadhara", Let us all pray to HIM to
shower his infinite and everflowing grace so as to remain HIS for
ever.
Om Sai Ram
Courtesy: KM 07.04.2008
Prasanthi Update - Cool Divine Darshan in
the Summer Heat
The scorching Summer heat is increasing by the day and the
conditions are very Humid and Sultry. The Greatest Comfort in this
most opressive weather is Swami's Wonderful Divine Darshans.
For the last Three Sessions Swami chose to come in Chair rather than
the car for the last three sessions. Swami went around Kulwanth Hall
, took letters from many, spoke to many and gave joy to everyone.
Everyone was so very happy and did not feel the Heat.
Everyone is looking forward to the Ugadi Celebrations and possibly
Swami's Divine Discourse.
Swami's Divine Darshan - The Greatest Receipe in the Oppressive
Heat.
Om Sai Ram
Courtesy: KM 05.04.2008
Prasanthi Update - Beautiful are these
Days
Sent by a Dear Sai Brother from The Lord's Abode :
The sweltering summer has arrived at Puttaparthi. The breeze blowing
also seems to be carrying heat waves along with it. The summer
vacations have been declared at the impact of this declaration is
seen very prominently in the mandir. The students' number has
greatly dwindled. That is of some cheer to the devotees as they have
some more of the "prominent" places available for them to occupy!
There are still some who have decided to put away the summer heat at
the "heat of the moment" decisions to evacuate Puttaparthi at the
earliest. So though the mandir seems quite empty, it is full of
people braving many things simultaneously to see their beloved Lord.
In these hot conditions too, Swami makes His "warmth" felt to one
and all alike! As if as a bonus gift to those who have either
cancelled or postponed their summer trips to stay with Him, Swami
over the last three days has been coming on the chair and the car
has been unused for the period. The same script everyday in terms of
the route that Swami takes but so many different and touching
stories along the way. There is such an eager anticipation as Swami
gets ready to set out for the darshan rounds. The question in the
mind is whether its the chair or the car! And the last three days,
this question has been answered by thrilled, "Oohs" and "Aahs" as
Swami has always chosen the former.
Swami starts down from the ladies side and moves down gently. He is
in no hurry at all and He seems to be taking letters from everyone!
Letters are so symbolic of desires! The more He takes, the more
there seem to remain to be taken! But over these days, the profusion
of letters being given and the overwhelming Love with which they are
being accepted has been such that on the 4th, the letters' number
seems to have reduced. Well, it is also a common practice,
especially among the students, to compose letters to their dear Lord
whenever there seems to be a good chance to hand it over to Him. So
from the students' side, there are always letters flowing. The
Primary School block is comparitively so empty. Instead of the
twittering and talking thousands, there are only a few tens left.
But these tiny tots rush down towards the rear end of the block to
have a close glimpse of Him as He passes by and then rush back to
their places in the front of the block to get another darshan when
He comes to the front! He knows all this and yet, so sweetly, He
chooses to be surprised when He sees them again for the second time.
His expression says, "Hey! Did I not see you there at the back a few
minutes back?"
It is a bonanza time for all the devotees too. When He comes in the
car, the people sitting on the driver's side crane their necks to
have a glimpse of His divine locks atleast. But now, it is such a
wonderful and fulfilling feeling to see His in all His grandeur. He
looks to both the sides and takes letters from both the sides. Many
of the devotees bend and get the opportunity to take Paadanamaskar.
The effect of the hot cuddapah slabs below and the scorching roof
above seems to just fade away with the cooling and refreshing
presence of Swami so close. The heat may seem to make it the worst
of times but His warmth makes it the best of times. Indeed blessed
are those being able to enjoy the bliss of this proximity that He
has decided to shower.
As He moves through the herd of eagerly crowding students, He
blesses many. A few words here, a tap on the shoulder there;
acceptance of a letter or a shower of the holy akshata grains. The
final result of all these is the same - a glowing smile on the face.
He completes the darshan rounds and then extends it into a round in
the bhajan hall and the veranda too! Everyone is happy and the waves
of Joy wash out the sweltering heat. The bhajans begin and there is
lot of gusto and enthusiasm. Swami exchanges a few words with the
singers in the bhajan hall. It is around 6:15 pm on an average when
He retires.
Beautiful indeed are these days.......
Om Sai Ram
Courtesy: KM 05.04.2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Borrowing time
Not many of us like summer. Besides the scorching heat, there’s a
burning grief, of separation of His beautiful form from our eyes.
While some of them have tears swelled up, some have even dried,
never to return again. Those eyes will forever look out into the
world for a reflection of our Mother’s love.
The past few days have been sober; Swami hasn’t come out as much as
our hearts would have yearned for. But when He did come, he made
sure to get the choicest blessings for us. On Sunday, the boys of
class 10 had put a drama on the theme “Follow the master”. Swami was
very gracious to follow the outpourings from their hearts and bless
them profusely.
The next day, students of Music College offered their prayers in the
form of a gratitude programme. Swami came pretty late; nevertheless
He was keen on giving them a memorable parting gift and stayed on
till sunset, accepting their love and prayers.
Yesterday, Swami came in chair and took a round towards the ladies
enclosure. He sat in the portico for a long time. Many boys got a
chance to give letters and speak to Him. One boy said, “Swami, my
sister is getting married and wants your blessings. Our Mother
replied, “good, what is your brother-in-law doing?” The boy spoke of
the details; Swami was satisfied with his answer and blessed him.
Many of the students who have graduated this year have borrowed some
time to stay back for a few days and seek His blessings. Since Swami
has been coming rarely for morning sessions now, it only adds to our
dejection. But today, Swami came out as late as 10 am and sat for an
entire hour during the bhajans, delighting us all. He came towards
us in the evening too, taking letters and blessing everyone. A boy
asked, “Swami, I completed my MBA. What should I do next?” Swami
said, “go home, think for sometime and get a good job.”
These beautiful moments give a message of succour, as He said, “You
may be this University’s student for a few years, but you will be a
Sai student forever.” Surely, a title we wouldn’t trade for anything
From A Sai Student Blog
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