Sunday, Oct 17, 2010 -
Sai News Photo & Video Updates - Sai Darshan today:
Continuing with the changing phase of evening schedules, today, Prasanthi
witnessed the grand finale of the Dasara Jnana Saptaaha Yajna, Maha Poornahuthi,
in a different colour, with the beautiful twilight setting the backdrop for the
most auspicious occasion!
In the evening, Poornachandra Auditorium was filled to capacity and hundreds and
thousands of devotees were waiting outside for a glimpse of the Divine. Huge
screens, one each on either side, ladies and gents, set up in the Sai Kulwant
captured the sacred moments serving another thousands, relaying the proceedings
live.
Bhagawan came onstage at 1805 hrs. and the proceedings began immediately. No
sooner Bhagawan assumed His seat, the Seat of The Yajna Purusha, than He was
surrounded by the group of officiating priests, seeking blessing before the
final rituals. Blessing a green bundle containing sacred offerings, Bhagawan sat
facing the Sacrificial Pit, witnessing the proceedings.
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Poornachandra Auditorium
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"...Poornachandra Auditorium was filled to capacity and hundreds and
thousands of devotees were waiting outside for a glimpse of the
Divine..." |
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Source
& credits: copyrights-Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust,sssbpt.org
Picture graphic layout - Saibabaofindia.com "SBOI" |
Continuing with the rituals, as the priests offered the green sacred bundle into
the sacrificial fire, the fire rose into sparks to flames as if enlivened with
the touch of The Divine. Adding His special sanctifying touch, Bhagawan
sprinkled sacred yellow rice, followed by the priests with the final offering of
ghee. Stimulated by the stream of ghee that went dripping through the wooden
pole, red hot engulfing flames rose up enlivening the dais, witnessed by the
multitudes flocked to Prasanthi blurring caste and religious differences. In
tandem with the ghee (clarified butter) offering, Divine Hand went on pouring
sacred akshata grains into the holy fire.
After accepting Poornahuthi at 1820 hrs., Bhagawan moved towards the western
corner of the dais. He was offered a flower garland and soon it was time for
Mangala Arathi. Arathi bell rang and Bhagawan sat, accepting the same at 1820
hrs. Spending some time around Bhagawan returned to the centre-stage, to bless
the priests. Squatting around The Lord, the group of priests chanted Vedas for
sometime, before students took over, continuing with chanting of Durga Suktam,
Shivopansana Mantra and Mantra Pushpam. As blessed Prasadam went for
distribution, Bhagawan moved behind the curtains, at 1837 hrs., bringing
curtains down on Dasara Yajna 2010.
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Source
& credits: copyrights-Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust,sssbpt.org
Picture graphic layout - Saibabaofindia.com "SBOI" |
Earlier, in the evening, Bhagawan was ushered into the Sai Kulwant Hall at 1745
hrs. to the notes of Nadaswaram and Bhajans. Students were still in the hall and
bhajans were on
. Many of the students were seen dotting the sacred red mark on
their forehead, a custom during Dasara festivity. Completing a full round,
blessing some Dasara cards by students, Bhagawan moved into the bhajan hall
where officiating priests along with Vedam boys gathered awaiting The Divine
nod. Blessing the group, Bhagawan asked the priests and boys to move on.
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Video: |
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Procession began and as indicated by Bhagawan, students also joined moving
towards the auditorium. At 1800 hrs. Bhagawan moved off, gliding into the
ladies' side moving towards Poornachandra.
In the morning, after an hour long bhajan session, Mangala Arathi was offered at
10:00 hrs. and soon after the Arathi, women students went for a circumambulation
of the Mandir commencing the final day's proceedings of Grama Seva 2010.
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Source
& credits: copyrights-Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust,sssbpt.org
Picture graphic layout - Saibabaofindia.com "SBOI" |
Entire
Ashram was served by the students along with faculty members, ably assisted by
students and staff from Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan Campus.
More
photos click here |
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Thursday, Oct 16, 2010
The Seven Day Ritual coinciding the Navarathri Festival, Veda
Purusha Saptaaha Jnana Yajna got underway in Prasanthi Nilayam on 12
October morning at Poornachandra Auditorium in the immediate Divine
Presence.
The legend has it that Dasara signifies the victory of Devas over
Asuras, i.e., Righteousness over the forces of evil. Vouching for
this mythical belief, thousands have gathered at Prasanthi Nilayam
to celebrate the festivity in the very Divine Presence of Bhagawan,
Beloved Mother Sai.
The festival of Dasara, atypical in Prasanthi Nilayam by its conduct
and style, brings nostalgic memoirs of the grand festivity of olden
days in the immediate Divine Presence.
The festivity would get much
deserved majesty and grandeur those days with an array of activities
tagged to it, apart from the Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yajna that
has been a traditional practice once the same was a revived after a
short breakage. Dasara of olden days would be a grand spectacle with
the spiritual fervour of tens and thousands of devotees thronged to
Prasanthi Nilayam met with shower of Supreme Benediction. Hoisting
of Prasanthi Flag, a symbolic representation of Harmony and
Regeneration and Reconstruction of Humanity, annual conferences of
All India Prasanthi Vidhwaan Maha Sabha, where scholars would speak
on various spiritual topics, grand feast to tens and thousands
thronged to Prasanthi, and not the least, series of Divine
Discourses suffused with Ultimate Wisdom allied with an array of
other activities, all would render resplendence to the week-long
affair.
The beginning of Vasanta Ritu (spring) and Sharath Ritu (autumn) are
two very important events in the Bharatiya Calendar, for they not
only signify the change of season but their consequent effect on the
human body and mind. These two periods are taken as sacred
opportunities for the worship of the Divine Mother in the form of
Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi in India. That is why the festival of
Dasara (ten days) or Navaratri (nine nights) is an important
festival celebrated all over India with piety and grandeur.
At Prasanthi Nilayam, especially during the Sharath-Navaratri that
falls every year in or around September - October, people gather in
thousands to pay their homage to the Divine Mother incarnated as
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Over the past many years, the festival
of Dasara in Prasanthi Nilayam has been closely associated with the
‘Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yagna’, the week-long sacrificial ritual
conducted in the Divine Presence, for the welfare of the whole
world.
Yajna Commences…
At the venue in Poornachandra Auditorium, at 11:00 hrs., the dais
wore a most solemnising picture, with the Yajna proceedings had just
begun. The hall was resonating with the holy vedic chants and
students were just filing in.
Bhagawan arrived onstage at 11:00 hrs. and sat on watching over the
proceedings. With onstage, the priests lit the sacred homam creating
fire by friction, by rubbing two sticks from churning of two wooden
pieces. The fire produced was blessed by Bhagawan and shown to the
audience before depositing in the sacred sacrificial pit, marking
the beginning of the Yajna. Soon other rituals commenced. As one
priest went on doing Surya Namaskar, different groups of priests got
into holy reading of the scriptures and chanting of the four Vedas.
After sitting for half-an-hour, Bhagawan moved towards the western
end of the dais where special Kumkum Archana along with Lalitha
Sahasranama Parayanam was commenced by the Head Priest and wife.
After receiving Mangala Arathi, Veda chanting was paused for a while
when one of the priests offered a bhajan at His Lotus Feet, singing
aloud, "Easwaramma Priya Tanaya..."
Soon Bhagawan moved down the aisle at the ladies' end, moving
through the centre pathway for the entire length blessing the packed
assembly with His close darshan. Turning about, Bhagawan moved along
the pathway coming onstage before retiring at 1142 hrs.
Earlier, Bhagawan came into the Sai Kulwant Hall at 1035 hrs. for a
full round of darshan. Moving into the bhajan hall, Bhagawan blessed
the priests who were engaged in Veda chanting, anticipating and
invoking Bhagawan. As commanded by Bhagawan the procession began
with the priest carrying the sanctified Kalasha moved to the
Poornachandra Venue. Vedam group by the students followed suit.
Bhagawan came out and instructed the boys to move on. He sat for a
while watching the students who were filing past to the Yajna venue.
Soon, at 10:55 hrs., Bhagawan glided into the ladies' side moving
towards the Poornachandra.
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