Where creation becomes a stage for God’s Puppet Show, with Bhagawan as the Puppetteer, The Director of the drama…His creation becomes a puppet in His hands. Holding aloft this theme,  acknowedging this greater wisdom, the Anantapur campus chose the right theme for the show, Swami’s Chinna Katha, airing some of the most profound messages of Bhagawan this evening.

Presenting the story of a King with three vital questions…what is the best time to do any act?… who are the most important persons to work with?… and what is the most important task one must engage in all the time?… the answer came to the King in the forest wherein he got to meet a hermit to work with.  Enlightening the king with practical wisdom the hermit opens up the King to greater realms of wisdom, advising him that the best time to work with is NOW… and the best person to work with is one’s Own Self… elaborating further the hermit advises the king, citing King’s own example in the forest, of serving a man in dire need, saving his life, that one needs to be vigilant in attending to the person next to him all the time… thus the most important person is the person next to you…and thus be attentive.

The second episode was based on the story involving King Janaka and Great Rishi Ashtavakra wherein Ashtavakra taught the real meaning of Scholarship to the august assembly of the so called scholars who had come to participate in a scholarly debate. Despised by the so called assembly of the learned, King Ashtavakra dares to call it an assembly of cobblers as real scholarship is the knowledge to look within and not to go by the external appearance.

The final episode was the story of  a little girl’s love for an old man, treating him selflessly, giving him food saving his life. Being grateful,when the old man attempts to reward the little girl and her parents with some monetary assistance, principled parents of the little one refuses to accept anything in return… even as the old man cunningly leaves the house, leaving the offering, a perplexed parents finally accepts money, deciding to help destitute children with the money.

A couple of fascinating Puppet Dances as interludes in the presentation turned out to be an added attraction. Colourful costumes, , lucid narration, crystal clear dialogue delivery, aesthetic movements of the Puppets and an elegant makeshift stage combined together made the show a most memorable one, leaving some of the most profund messages of Bhagawan for the august assembly to carry home. At the end, the Puppet Drama team was given a round of applause by the capacity audience in appreaciation of their brilliant show.

Bhajans continued and ended with Mangala Arathi at 1805 hrs.

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II