Cultural Program By Sathya Sai Baba Devotees From Tamil Nadu

Cultural Program By Sathya Sai Baba Devotees From Tamil Nadu
Music Program and a skit entitled, ‘Sri Sathya Sai Kavacham’
Main Reference With Pictures

August 26, 2008 – Curtesty RadioSai
This evening, the youth from Tamil Nadu presented a 45 minute drama, “Sathya Sai Kavacham”. Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall by 4.15 pm and moved to the interview room. After spending an hour there, He came onstage and began the proceedings after a few minutes. The drama had Narada and “Kali” – the embodiment of the Kali age – as onlookers, as a Sai youth displayed ideal behaviour and proved the Kali age to have been superseded by the Sai age. Bhagawan blessed one of the group with a chain and came down from the stage to take group photographs with the participants. Chocolates were distributed to the group and Arati was offered. Then Swami asked for clothes to be brought, and He gave safari pieces to each performer as he came up and interacted with Him. After the distribution, Bhagawan asked the group to sing Bhajans. They sang a couple of Bhajans before Swami accepted Arati once again and returned to His residence at 6.50 pm. (Reference).

August 26, 2008 -Curtesy SaiStudents:
As announced yesterday, the youth from Tamil Nadu were all set to put up a drama, Sathya Sai Kavacham, in the divine presence. Swami came out in the chair. The car seems to have been completely abandoned for quite some time now. There were times when Swami’s arrival in the chair sent shivers of pleasant surprise through everyone assembled. Now it has become part of the routine and people are shocked if He uses the car! Talk about familiarity! Many times, we miss grand and glorious things happening in our presence merely by getting used to it! The secret to happiness and peace lies in living the present moment fully and looking forward to every moment as if it is a new one for indeed it is a new one!

Moving through the ladies side, Swami reached the centre of the hall where He took a detour towards the interview room. The Primary school children were arriving in great hurry and Swami seemed to enjoy them rushing in. Anyway, rushing for God is a noble quality worth of emulation by anyone! Swami granted interviews to various devotees till 5:15 pm. He then came out and wanted the drama to begin. The initial offerings of the card and flowers were made. Once the Veda chanting stopped, flexible and foldable props erupted on the stage and created appropriate settings for the scenes to begin.

The storyline was very similar to many dramas put before but the presentation style was novel. The drama begins with a dialogue between Narada and Kali (the demigod in charge of the present age). Kali exults over his power and influence. Narada laughs at him and challenges him to influence a simple person. Kali uses all his powers to tempt that person into taking money – by ensuring that he loses his job, pressures from the family growing and finally with his mother falling very sick. But the person never yields and Kali surrenders as the hero’s mother is alloted a bed in a Super Speciality hospital under the Trust’s hospital collaboration scheme. Wondering where on earth the lad gets his sustenance and determination from, Kali discovers the power of the Sathya Sai kavacham (shield). He too desires to come to Parthi to see Swami and gives up his crown of ego.

Swami seemed very involved in the drama. He was very touched when the hero held on to his principles in the face of very stiff challenges. Swami was moved seeing the hero torn between options and was pleased to see him select the correct one over the easy one. As the drama concluded, Swami called one of the participants and told Him that He would move down for group photographs. He moved down and the boys clustered around Him. He materialised a gold chain for the Narada of the drama. He kept saying, “Romba Santosham” and His smile and beaming face conveyed the same to those who did not understand Tamil or could not catch those words. He moved up the stage and then brought Safari cloth pieces from inside. As Aarthi was performed and prasadam was distributed, He personally distributed white cloth pieces to each and every member of the performing troupe. The boys were all joy at this shower of Grace.

Icing up this cake of Grace, Swami asked the boys to sing some bhajans. The mikes were quickly transported to the youth from TN and they began singing. Swami kept rhythm as two bhajans were sung and everyone joyfully clapped and followed. After those bhajans, Aarthi was performed for a second time. Everyone seemed so happy because very rare are the days when Swami receives Aarthi twice. Swami raised both His hands in benediction and Love and told all the participants that He was very happy. Then He retired. (Reference)

Sathya Sai Baba – Buddha – Sai Buddha Gayathri Mantra

Sri Sathya Sai

Sathya Sai Baba – Buddha – Sai Buddha Gayathri
Bhagavaan Shree Sathya Sai Baba is the latest advent of the Divine in human form, just as Bhagavaan Buddha’s advent about 2500 years ago in order to uplift humanity in moral and spiritual terms. There are striking similarities between the two.

First, Buddha was known as Buddha the Compassionate. So is Sathya Sai who is compassion and kindness personified. Both of them epitomize the qualities of dhaya and dharma, i.e. compassion and righteousness based on love and non-violence. Love all, serve all. For both, Ahimsa is paramodharmah. Help ever, hurt never is the single most important motto.

Second, Buddha was so called because he was the enlightened person, and the cause of enlightenment of fellow human beings. Therefore, he is called Maha Maanava, a highly exalted human personality. Sri Sathya Sai is the quintessence of spiritual wisdom and practice of human values. He can be truly called Maanavatha Dharma Nirmaatha, the builder of the culture of human values. Both of them exemplify Buddhi Yoga, the yoga of creative intelligence for self-transformation and realization. Both are world preceptors (jagat gurus) of supreme wisdom. Aadhi Shankara calls the Buddha as the Prabuddha, the perfectly awakened one, and also as the emperor of all the yogis in Kali Yuga (Kalau Yoginaam Chakravarthi). Baba is acknowledged to be the emperor of Universal Spirituality, Prapancha Aaadhyaatmika Chakravarthi. Buddha or for that matter Buddhism is free from dogmas, it is not a proselytizing religion. So is Sanathana Dharma as expounded by Baba. It is a universal, ancient but ever new, eternal and pervasive moral and spiritual value system.

Third, Buddha’s form radiates ineffable peace in tranquility and serenity. He was called the prince of peace. So also Baba is the picture of Prashaanthi, perfect peace in contentment and bliss. Both combine supreme detachment within and Dhaarmik activism on the outside.

For peace, Baba says master your mind and become a master of the mind like Buddha. To control the mind control desires, and to control desires control the senses. Bliss is within one’s own-self and not outside, according to both the Buddha and Baba. It is only with the control of senses that one can reach the state of peace and bliss, as exemplified in the life of Buddha and Baba. Bhagavaan Baba also says where there is truth there is bliss, where there is bliss there is peace, and where there is peace there is God. Bhagavaan Buddha’s quest for peace led him to formulate the eight-fold path, which includes Samyak Dhristhi, total or good vision, Samyak Vaak, good speech, Samyak Shravanam, good listening, Samyak Bhabhaana, good thought and Samyak Karma, good actions. Similarly, Baba says watch your Words, Actions, Thoughts, Character and Heart. Both the Buddha and Baba stress silence to steady the mind. Truth (or God) is envisioned in the depth of silence, in deep contemplation.

Due to the divine inspiration of Baba on this Buddha Puurnima morning when He entered the Sai Ramesh Hall, filled with thousands of Buddhists and devotees from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan and India among others, in His resplendent deep orange coloured robes, my thoughts were so intensely focused on the two divine advents, that the Sai Buddha Gaayathree Manthra began to jell in my mind. This Manthra, in Vedhik Gaayathree format, is composed of 24 letters with three parts of 8 syllables each:

OM: DHAYATHMANAAYA VIDHMAHE
SAI BUDHHAAYA DHEEMAHI
THANNAH SHAANTHAH PRACHODHAYAATH

Meaning: We have come to know of this divine personality with supreme compassion. We wholeheartedly contemplate this divine Sai Buddha, the embodiment of supreme wisdom and spiritual power. We pray that this embodiment of divine PEACE and BLISS bestow on us the same felicity of peace and bliss and lead us to enlightenment and liberation.

The above Sai Buddha Gaayathree Manthra can be contemplated by anyone, at any time and at any place. Thereby a seeker gains the capacity to be kinder and more compassionate to all living beings; it also increases the power of discrimination between good and bad, and the permanent and transient as well as the power of determination to pursue righteous actions for human welfare. Furthermore, the Manthra yields inner peace and happiness and above all enlightenment, resulting in reaching the state of Sai Buddha-hood! Hail to Sai-Buddha!

Note: It is significant as in the case of the Sai Gaayathree that the number – equivalents of the letters contained in Sai Buddha Gaayathree total 109 according to the rules of Maharishi Vara Ruchi. On a par with the Sai (Eashwara) Gaayathree, it can be taken to mean that the recitation of this Manthra for 108 times will take the seeker to the final 109th step, as reaching the tassel (Sumeru) in the rosary (Japamala).

SAI BUDDHAM SHARANAM GACHHAAMI!

Brindavan Ashram, G. V. Subba Rao
White Field, Bangalore – Buddha Puurnima, 26 May, 2002

Buddha

How the Aerodome Officer’s Cancer Was Cancelled With Sathya Sai Baba’s Vibuthi

Sathya Sai Baba

How the Aerodome Officer’s Cancer Was Cancelled With Sathya Sai Baba’s Vibuthi

Captain Jagdish Oberoi retired as General Manager, Commercial, Indian Airlines. A devotee of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for many years, he settled down in Prasanthi Nilayam after retirement and Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba gave him the opportunity to serve as the Aerodrome Officer in the Sri Sathya Sai Airport, Puttaparthi for many years.

A lover of music, Captain Oberoi, used to sing Ghazals, a form of music popular in North India. He was advised by Swami to sing Bhajans. Towards the end of 1981, he developed a severe throat problem. Diagnosis showed it to be throat cancer. Oberoi came to Bangalore and found that Swami was flying from Bangalore to Hyderabad. Oberoi joined Swami on the flight. Capt. Oberoi describes what happened next:

During the flight, Swami called me and asked me to sit beside Him. When I was seated, Swami asked me about my health. I replied, “Swami is Antaryami [the In-dweller], and He knows my problem.”

Tears came to my eyes; I was moved. Swami wiped my tears and said, “I know, but I want you to tell Me. It will lighten your burden when you talk about it.”

I then told Him that the ENT specialist had diagnosed my ailment as throat cancer. Swami called for a glass of drinking water. He then materialized a blackish powder, dropped the powder into the glass, stirred the water with a spoon, and then gave the water to me to drink. The taste was very bitter but I drank it all.

Swami then rubbed the remainder of the black powder on His finger-tips and then on my throat. It was very soothing. The pain disappeared immediately, and the hitherto uncontrollable cough was almost gone!

Swami then asked me to consult Dr. Kameswar in Madras and get a second opinion about my problem. I pleaded that since I was now feeling better, I didn’t need to go through another painful physical examination. But, Swami insisted and said, “Apne Swami ka agya palan karo aur second opinion lo [Listen to the command of your Swami and seek a second opinion]”.

Oberoi went back to Madras and consulted Dr. Kameshwar, who after examination confirmed there was no trace of cancer – Swami had already cancelled it.

Reference: “Love All Serve All” published by Sathya Sai Publications of New Zealand. Page: 301-302.

How Sathya Sai Baba Saved Mr. Radhakrishna From A Watery Grave

Sathya Sai Baba

How Sathya Sai Baba Saved Mr. Radhakrishna From A Watery Grave
This incident concerns Sri. V. Radhakrishna of Kuppam, whom Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba had seven years earlier ‘raised from the dead’. This time, he was again sick and suffering a good deal of pain. The morphine injections administered by the doctors to subdue the pain had left him in a state of drowsiness. In that state, he happened to wander near a well near his house and fell into it. The well was about ten feet in diameter, and had thirty feet of water. It had smooth edges and no holds to raise oneself on. His daughter, Vijaya who was present in Kuppam at the time of the accident takes over the narration from here:

My mother awoke at about 3 a.m. and saw that father was missing from his bed, so she went to search for him. Outside she called his name and presently she heard a voice shout, ‘I’m in the well.’

She ran over and looked down with an electric torch. There he was. He seemed to be standing in the water, about up to his waist in it, but she knew that there was nothing there for him to stand on. She called down to him but he did not reply, just remained there in the water.

She rushed inside and awoke my two brothers and me. So we went over, but we did not know how to get him out. There was a stone slab across the top of the well with a gap on either side, through one of which he must have fallen. My eldest brother, Krishna Kumar, tried to reach my father from the slab, but father was too far below for this.

We must have been making a lot of noise because the Chief of Police suddenly appeared on the scene. He told us later that he just happened to be passing that way from the railway to his office when he heard us. It was not his usual nightly route home, and he does not know why he went that way. Incidentally, he was a friend of our family.

With ropes and a pulley and a basket they finally fished my father out. I’m not sure exactly how, because I kept out of the way. But it did seem to me at the time that Krishna Kumar had superhuman strength in pulling my father up. Yet now I believe that he was helped by a force from below. My father seemed half-conscious when they got him out. He was taken into the house and put on his bed. We sent for the doctor. Then as we waited, we heard father say, ‘When will I see you again, Baba?’ just as if Sai Baba was standing there in the room. No doubt He was, though we could not see Him.

When the doctor came and examined father, he would not believe the part about his being in the well, but the Chief of Police was still there and confirmed our unlikely story. The doctor said there was no shock and in fact the patient was much better than he had been before his misadventure. There was no need for any treatment or medicine, he said, just a cup of strong coffee was all father needed.

Radhakrishna himself narrated to Mr. Howard Murphet, his version of the events:

I knew that it was all Baba’s work, keeping me up in the water. So, on the same day I hired a car and we drove to Puttaparthi. As soon as we arrived, Baba greeted us from the balcony. Then, laughing, He called down, ‘My shoulders are aching with holding you up for so long last night, Radhakrishna!’ Indeed, earlier that morning Baba had told other devotees that He had been ‘away’ during the night helping Radhakrishna who was in trouble!

Reference: “Sai Baba: Man of Miracles” by Mr. Howard Murphet. Page: 144-145 (paperback edition, 1972). Published by Macmillan India Ltd.

How Sathya Sai Baba Saved Mrs. Sushila From Burns

Sathya Sai Baba

How Sathya Sai Baba Saved Mrs. Sushila From Burns
Prof. Kasturi relates the following incident:

At about 1.30 p.m. on June 21st 1959, Sathya Sai Baba‘s close disciples were alarmed because His temperature shot up suddenly to 104.5 degrees. About five minutes later the thermometer registered a fall to 99 degrees.

This was a mystery to them, and Baba did not at the time enlighten them. However, that evening He was having dinner with a number of His devotees on a terrace in the moonlight. Among them was a young man from Madras who had been for some time staying with Baba, but was leaving the next day. Suddenly Swami said to him: “When you go to your mother tomorrow, tell her that she should be more careful about fire.”

This aroused considerable curiosity and some anxiety. So Baba told them that the lady’s sari had caught fire that morning in Madras while, she was in her puja room but that the flames had been extinguished in time. The sari was ruined but she was unharmed.

After dinner one of the devotees thought of putting through a trunk call to Madras. Baba agreed, and it was done. The lady came to the phone herself and gave the enquirers more details of the accident.

Then Baba spoke to her, and the listening devotees heard him laugh and say, “Oh, no, I did not burn my hands. I just had an increase in temperature for a short while.”

Some years later I had first-hand confirmation of this story from Mr. G. Venkatamuni whose wife, Sushila, was the person concerned. Yes, her sari had caught fire while she was in the puja room, he said, and in a moment she was enveloped in flames.

Panic seized her, but she had long been a devotee, and the first words that sprang to her lips were “Sai Baba”. Immediately the flames died away and Sushila; knowing from experience the power of Baba at any distance, felt quite sure that He had somehow come to her aid in the crisis.

Forgetting for a moment that He had not come to her in His physical body she had asked Him on the telephone if He had burned His hands. Yet this is not such a foolish question as might at first sight appear. Psychic research workers have found many case histories of astral travel where a shock to the astral body has caused effects, such as wounds, burns and bruises, on the physical body. Baba’s sudden rise in temperature seems to have been a mild example of this.

Reference: “Sai Baba: Man of Miracles” by Mr. Howard Murphet. Page: 138-139 (paperback edition, 1972). Published by Macmillan India Ltd.

Krishnashtami Celebrations – Prashanti Nilayam

Birth Of Lord Krishna

Krishnashtami Celebrations – Prashanti Nilayam
Procession of Gopalas, Flute Orchestra and Music programme
August 24, 2008

Enchanting Little Krishna has been the most endearing Divine form for millions and billions of hearts over past many millennia, cutting across borders and barriers set by religion, caste and nationality…And His song celestial Bhagavad Gita has been the right recipe for the human minds to reach their final destination. His legacy continuous even after five thousand years of His Divine Advent, as this Divine Being, fondled and nurtured by Mother Yasoda – epitome of Motherly love and compassion, continues to be the stealer of hearts, as is often sung in Prasanthi Nilayam, Chitha Chora Yasoda Ke Bal… Navaneeta Chora Gopal…

The land known for its rich cultural and mythical heritage, land that has given birth to umpteen number of saints and sages, the land that has spread the glory of Lord to the entire world was the only fortunate land that was blessed by Incarnations. Lord Rama in Treta Yuga, Bhagawan Sri Krishna in Dwapara Yuga and now Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Kali Yuga…Bharat is the chosen land of God.

Krishna Janmashtami marks the birth of Bhagawan Sri Krishna. Bhagawan Krishna was born in the Dwapara Yuga, over five thousand years ago, in Mathura, India on the eight day (Rohini star on Ashtami day) of the dark half (new moon fortnight) of Shravana.

“I am the conscience in the heart
of all creatures
I am their beginning, their being,
their end
I am the mind of the senses,
I am the radiant sun among lights
I am the song in sacred lore,
I am the king of deities
I am the priest of great seers…”

In India, traditionally Krishnashtami is celebrated with much pomp and splendour by devotees. Celebrations are held on a grand scale in all Krishna temples, especially the ones in Vrindavan, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Dwaraka (Gujarat), and other regionally famous temples.

Janmashtami is observed on the day when the ashtami tithi occurs at midnight. If the ashtami tithi and the Rohini nakshatra occur on the same day, then the observance is considered to be most auspicious; otherwise the observance is held on the day on which the ashtami prevails at midnight. The vrata mainly consists of fasting, spending the whole night in the worship of Krishna, reciting hymns of praise and Krishna’s pastimes, reciting prayers from the Bhagavata, offering arghya to Krishna, and the parana or the ceremonial breaking of the fast. The next day is celebrated as Krishna Jayanti.

On this auspicious Krishnashtami morning, Prasanthi Nilayam was filled to capacity, as over three thousand devotees from Vizag have been camping as part of their Parthi Yaatra followed by a huge contingent of over 4000 devotees from Tamil Nadu was slowly pouring in. It was a long wait, for the brimming devotees, who have been waiting from the early hours. The red rays of the early morning sun turned golden and began to filter and beam into the Kulwant hall as if to catch a glimpse of the Lord. But, He being the one beyond time knew when to make it and the thus the waiting continued…

Vishnu Stuthi, the compendium in praise of Lord Vishnu has a line describing the Lord thus:

I salute that God of all Gods
Who wears yellow coloured silk…

…and Bhagawan does recreate the scene invariably in Prasanthi Nilayam, reliving the nostalgic memoirs of Dwapara, by wearing an yellow robe…In Resplendent Yellow, came the Lord with His hallowed Divine Aura, at the stroke of 9:20 to the hall that had been waiting for the moment from the early hours…And there was a special contingent of ‘devotees’, a group of animals specially brought in a procession from Bhagawan’s Sathya Sai Gokulam waiting to receive the Lord. Heading the procession was the little princess, Sathya Geeta who received Bhagawan raising her trunk, reminding one of the elegant, gorgeous and devoted Sai Geeta, who would do the same most majestically during her heydays. Cows and little calves, peacock, doves all were there to receive His blessings and Bhagawan moved around them feeding, blessing them spending quality time near the block leading from the central entrance. Symbolising Peace and Unity, Bhagawan released two doves before returning to the main dais…As the doves soared skywards, the decibel levels in the hall also soared as people joyously clapped at the happy sight. A bouquet of songs specially composed rendered the air giving twists and turns to the spiritual dimension already prevailing, raising the spiritual ambience in the hall, that was already at its zenith with the Lord sitting right in the middle…after couple of songs, first one being “Pandurangaashtakam” followed by “Govardhana Giridhara” the stage was set for a group of flute boys to take over who have been getting trained in the art for past more than two years…a rare opportunity to perform in the Divine Presence…Melodious rendition of some of the famous bhajans was followed by yet another song before Bhagawan called for Managa Arathi…

Boys from all institutions were waiting on their knees for their turn with colour greeting cards to take their chance with the Lord…and they took the centre stage…Lord was completely covered with these boys who went in a disciplined turn…one after one…touching His feet, interacting with Him…reminding one of the days of yore, wherein Sri Krishna moved freely with His devotees…

It was indeed a most memorable occasion when the Lord graciously bestowed upon the devotees a great boon to celebrate the advent of Lord in Dwapara in His immediate presence, whose advent was attributed to the fmed Bhagavad Gita verse:

“Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya Glanirbhavathi Bharatha
Abhyukthanam adharmasya Thadathmanam Srujamyaham.”
“Parithranaya Sadhunam Vinashaya cha Dhushkrutham
Dharma samsthapanarthaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge”

(Whenever there is a decline in Righteousness and rise of evil, the Lord incarnates from time to time to uphold Righteousness, to protect the Virtuous and to uproot the evil).

Reference (With Pictures)

Cultural Program By Sri Sathya Sai Seva Institution Alike

Cultural Program By Sri Sathya Sai Seva Institution Alike
“Choodamani Pradanam”, a YakshaGana (Folk Art form) Presentation
August 23, 2008

The students of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institutions, Alike put up a grand and vibrant presentation of Yakshagana and enthralled one and all by the sheer power of their performance.

The Yakshagana is a combination of musical narration, dance and drama and it is a unique folk art form of coastal Karnataka. Here the characters give expression to their thoughts and feelings through their dance and actions. The actors enact the song sung by Bhagavatha (Singer).

Bhagawan encouraged the students before the programme by interacting with them on the backstage charging them up for the presentation.

The story chosen by the students for this presentation was “Choodamani Pradanam” (literally translated as ‘the gift of the crest jewel’). It was predominantly drawn from the Sundara Kanda of the Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam though some scenes where from Kishkinda Kandam and Yudha Kandam as well.

The most significant factor about this presentation was the wonderful characterisation of Lord Hanuman, whom Bhagawan repeatedly advises His students to consider as their role model. Hanuman was shown alternatively as a devout servant, humble soldier, powerful adversary, confident warrior and witty messenger. The student performed all the roles with utmost dexterity and captured the imagination of the audience.

The other students also effectively complimented the protagonist which resulted in a power packed performance. Here a special mention has to be given to the music group which was the voice behind the whole presentation. The singer with his sonorous voice gave a fitting gravity to the presentation.

As extremely pleased mother that He was, He immediately proceeded towards the boys and gifted them with group photographs. He interacted with most of them and blessed two of the participants with chains. Not yet contended, He then instructed that T-shirts be given to all the boys and safari clothes and silk dhotis for the musicians and organisers.

Bhagawan once again expressed happiness and complemented the actors after accepting Aarathi.

Reference (With Pictures)

Experiencing The Divinity Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba

Experiencing The Divinity Of Sathya Sai Baba
Recounting a near death experience
Last year some time, I ate some food that I became allergic to. I had a reaction that came in the form of Anaphylactic Shock.

After ingesting the food in question, I started breaking out in a mild rash. The rash is experienced inside the skin. It feels like an itching/ burning sensation. The burning started in the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet. I was scratching this burning sensation but it kept getting worse. Then the skin on my stomach broke out and I was in an itching frenzy. The burning sensation started getting so bad…one hour later that I tried taking a cold shower.

About this time, I started getting shortness of breath and a stabbing pain in my heart. Finally, the pain got so bad that I called a neighbour, and asked him to come over and take me to the hospital. Before my neighbour could come over, I was lying on the floor rolling around in great pain.

The whole time I was talking to Sathya Sai Baba aloud asking him to help me help myself. I was alone at home. I tried drinking some baking soda to alleviate the reaction my system was having to the severe allergic reaction. Then I finally remembered the Vibhuti that I kept in my room. So I stole into my room and sat in front of my picture of Baba hanging on the wall. By this time, I was crying. The chest pain combined with the severe burning under my skin was too much for me to handle. My skin was almost bleeding from the constant scratching. I took the Vibhuti and said a small prayer to Baba as I looked into the eyes of Baba’s picture. Immediately the burning under my skin went away. Then the pain in my chest started to diminish. I realised at that time that I had never truly surrendered my will to Baba and did so at that time.

In 30 seconds, the attack was completely gone except for my scratched skin. I cried a bit after the experience as I realised that Sai is always with me and is protecting me. It is just a matter of faith. It was a real awakening of Swami’s omnipresent spirit and love.

I died a small death that late afternoon as I realised Sai is the totality of who I want to become.

I will one day be born again into His love. His love is available to all, if we are open to it. And his love can heal all, if we are open to receive it. I know who Swami is and I know He truly lives in my heart! God is with us on earth. He resides in every inch of the universe. He is most perfectly expressed at this time in the physical body of Sri Sathya Sai Baba!

We are so blessed to share this truth!

Mike Gebhardt

Sathya Sai Human Values Debate

Sathya Sai Human Values Debate
The Star Online
Sunday August 24, 2008

THE Sathya Sai Baba Centres of Perak recently organised the ninth annual Sathya Sai Human Values Debate.

The debates, which aimed to promote good values amongst youths, were conducted in the English Language and followed the Austral-Asian format.

They were open to universities, colleges and sixth form students in Perak between the ages of 17 and 25.

This year’s programme was one with a difference. Firstly, all arguments had to be supported by sound statements of human values. Secondly, all participants including teacher advisors, were required to do community service prior to the debate.

The service project was carried out at the Batu Gajah Handicapped Children’s home. Participants carried out gotong royong activities including cleaning the home and compound, washing cooking utensils, and bathing and dressing the inmates.

The aim was to enhance awareness on the importance of service to the less fortunate.

Seven teams from institutions in and around Ipoh took part in the debates which focused on thought-provoking topics relevant to the students’ lives. The participating institutions were Olympia College, Ipoh; SMK St Michael’s, Ipoh; Institut Perguruan Ipoh, Hulu Kinta; SMJK Shing Chung, Sungei Siput; SMK Anderson; SMK Methodist ACS; and SMK Sultan Yussuf, Batu Gajah.

The first preliminary round, held at Olympia College, saw students debating on the topic “Juveniles should be charged as adults for violent crimes committed”.

The topic for the second preliminary round was “It is morally wrong to place our parents in care centres”, while the semi-finals saw students arguing that “Poverty in the third world is the fault of the first world”.

The grand finals pitched SMK Methodist ACS, Ipoh, against Institute Perguruan Ipoh on the topic “Global warming is avoidable”. Both teams were very vocal.

Among the 300 people present was Perak State Education Department deputy director Mohd Yasin Mohamod, who gave away the prizes.

The opposing team from Institute Perguruan Ipoh — comprising Wee Vee Vien, Charlene Anak Charles Banyi, Shoba Andiappan and Nik Khairina Balqis Nik Mohd Asri — won the day and walked away with RM600 and the Dr P. Palani Velu challenge shield.

Reference

Education In Human Values

Let Us Thank God For Not Granting All Our Prayers

Sathya Sai Baba

Let Us Thank God For Not Granting All Our Prayers
Learning To Rely On God’s Choices

It is said that about fifty years ago, some men from a village adjacent to Puttaparthi visited Sathya Sai Baba. With them was a young boy. They told Baba that the boy had suddenly become an orphan due to the unexpected demise of his parents. They had heard of the extraordinarily philanthropic nature of Baba and sought his help for the boy’s education and livelihood.

Baba immediately agreed to bear all his expenses right upto the end of his school education. After a few years, the boy visited Baba and happily announced that he had passed his final school examinations.

Bhagawan reciprocated his happiness and was about to move on to the next person in the gathering. But the boy plaintively sought his audience for some more time and prayed that he might be helped to pursue higher education in a college. Baba hesitated for a moment and agreed to his prayer with a smile. After four years the boy returned and announcing his successful graduation, prayed earnestly for help in securing a job of his choice. This prayer was also granted.

Soon he was back and prayed for divine help in marrying a girl who worked as his college and who was not evidently interested in linking her fortunes with his. Bhagawan advised him to seek the hand of some other girl. But the boy was adamant and begged for help in marrying the girl of his own choice. That prayer was also granted.

In the succeeding years, his visits became more frequent and his prayers more insistent for a promotion, for the birth of a boy and then of a girl, for the prevention of a transfer, for the cure of the illnesses of the children, for a better residence and so on. The Lord granted all his prayers. But the man now seemed to be less and less happy and peaceful.

At last, obviously in great tension due to problems in office and at home he came to the ashram and when Sathya Sai Baba came near him, he fell at His feet like a log and cried out “Oh! Swami! The python of samsara (worldly life) has caught me in its suffocating coils! Please liberate me from its grip.” Baba laughed and looking at him keenly, slowly asked, “My dear boy! Did the python catch you first or did you catch it by its tail first?” How the man must have wished that he had not piled up prayers after prayers in spite of Bhagawan’s hesitations and resistances most of the time!

We allow the ophthalmologist, the dentist, the barber, the physician, the college counselor and a host of others to decide what is best for us but not God! The physician or the psychologist is supposed to know about our bodies and minds better than us, but not God! Restrictions, sacrifices and expenses are okay when advised by doctors. But when God advises similar things, we agree to abide by them to ‘the extent possible’ and seek alibis to make them appear impossible. When the consequences trouble or terrify us, we grumble and blame the cruel hand of fate or of the creator. We will be pleased to teach Him a thing or two about framing the laws governing Life.

However, there are a number of occasions when we do wish that some of our prayers had not been granted! We might have prayed for success in getting a particular jobs and got it. But later we wish that our prayer could have been ignored because we realise a better job would have been tried for and obtained, had the first one been denied. Similarly we may feel about the wife or husband or the house we have now. Slowly in the course of our life, we realise that God’s own choices for us are more beneficial and satisfying in the end than our own.

Having said that I am reminded of a clever little girl who used to go with her father to the general stores for getting the provisions for the month. The shopkeeper was a kind man and used to give a handful of cashew nuts or chocolates to the children accompanying his customers. One day he was busy talking to some one on the phone and when the girl’s father was about to leave with the things purchased and paid for, he just placed a tray containing the chocolates in front of the girl and asked her to help herself and resumed his talk on the phone. The girl refused and insisted that “Uncle” himself should give her the chocolates; otherwise, she was not interested in taking them. This surprised and pleased the shopkeeper who took a handful of the chocolates as usual and gave them to her. While returning home the father rebuked her for her insistence and for troubling the shopkeeper and forcing him to interrupt his talk. The girl said, “Daddy, if I had myself taken a handful I would have obtained much less because my hand is small! But uncle’s hand is much bigger and I get more than double the number when he gives his handful!” So, it is with God. What He chooses to give us is more beneficial and useful than what we may choose for ourselves.

So let us thank God for not granting all our prayers! For, what appears like a curse may prove to be a blessing and sorrows may turn out to be sources of great joy. What is required are Sraddha and Saburi to use the words of Shirdi Sai Avatar i.e., faith and patience. Any number of examples to prove this may be given from Sai literature in particular and from spiritual and religious literature in general – but one’s own experience alone can be the best evidence. Let us therefore follow the teachings, do our duties and wait and watch God’s plans for us unfold as we live on. He is eager to satisfy all our good desires but waits for the best time and place and manner in which they can be satisfied, taking into account our deeds in the past and our needs in the future as the ninety-first and ninety-second names in the one hundred and eight names of Sri Sathya Sai proclaim.

O. P. Vidyakar