"Jaago Maa! Tumi Jaago!”
Sathya and Dharma was the centre
topic of Bhagawan’s Divine Discourse on the Vijaya Dasami day
on 21st October 2007. True Dharma is acting in accordance with
the feelings within; All are embodiments of Truth…all are
verily the form of Sathya Sai. For the world to unite as a
single large family Sathya and Dharma will have to get due
attention and reverence and for that one needs to awaken the
Divinity within, the Mother, and take refuge in Her, “Jaago
Maa, Tumi Jaago”
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 the
benevolence of Greater Heaven resulting in 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.
"This Prasanthi Nilayam is the Nilayam of
Nithya Shanthi - of the peace that cannot be disturbed -
because it is based on deep discrimination and on unshakable
renunciation of attachment to sense objects. To be here on
this sacred day is indeed a great piece of good fortune.
Thousands of aspirants and seekers have assembled here and
those who have come into this auspicious company have to make
the best use of this chance. Instead of celebrating this
Dasara festival in feasting and catering to the frailties of
the senses, I am happy that you have determined to spend it in
holy thoughts".
This is a piece of Divine Counselling
given by Bhagawan during the Dasara Festivity four decades
ago, in the year 1965 and these above lines herald the
significance of this grant Dasara festivity, also known as
'Devi Navarathri'. Over the years millions of devotees have
witnessed this festivity at Prasanthi Nilayam with the Lord in
His physical frame accepting the offering of Poornahuthi as
Veda Purusha, rarest of the good fortune bestowed upon by the
'Greater Heaven'.
Veda Purusha Saptaaha Jnana Yajna
2007 got underway on the 15th October in Prasanthi Nilayam in
the Divine Presence of Bhagawan. The Ritwiks officiating the
Yajna were exclusively blessed by Bhagawan in the Bhajan Hall
on that day that was followed by a procession wherein the
Kalasha blessed by Bhagawan on the previous day was taken by
the Rithwiks to the venue Yajna at Poornachandra Auditorium
witnessed by a capacity crowd, marking the beginning of the
weeklong Saptaaha Jnana Yajnam.
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. With Bhagawan presiding over the
Yajna as Veda Purusha, ritwiks lighted the sacred homam
creating fire by friction, by rubbing two sticks from churning
of two wooden pieces. The homam was carried on by pundits
chanting Vedic mantras and making offerings of ghee to the
sacred fire. Besides the homam, there were pundits engaged in
performing Suryanamaskar, reading holy epics, the Ramayana and
the Bhagavata, worshipping thousand lingas of Lord Siva,
worship to Lord Ganesha and the Hindu Trinity and other
rituals related to the Yajna.
As the Yajna had been
continuing every morning and with Bhagawan blessing the
occasion with brief darshan at the Poornachandra Auditorium,
evening sessions witnessed Prasanthi Vidhwaan Mahasabha, an
archetype assembly of the learned that got to share spiritual
and practical wisdom in the immediate Divine Presence, a
practice that has been there from the Dasara of olden days in
Prasanthi Nilayam wherein senior devotees, faculty members and
students from the three campuses of Sri Sathya Sai University
shared their thoughts in the Divine Presence.
Dr. G.
Venkataraman, former Vice Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai
University and Prof. M. Veerabhadraiah, faculty member, Dept.
of Telugu from the University were the two speakers for the
15th evening of Prasanthi Vidhwan Mahasabha. Dr. Venkataraman
who dwelt on the significance of the festivity in bit detail,
spoke about Bhagawan’s Pure Love; Bhagawan’s Love is the lone
hope for the new world. The world is full of problems and
these problems are so strongly interconnected that no solution
seemed comprehensive enough. Telling that Bhagawan's message
of Love alone is the solution for all problems ridding the
world, he urged the students to make the world conscious of
Bhagawan’s Love. Mother is not just one, but is a
comprehensive entity with core components and hence one should
remember not to forget his or her duty towards anyone, urged
the speaker concluding his speech. The second speaker, Prof.
M. Veerabhadraiah, who chose to speak in Telugu narrated how
all merciful Bhagawan has been showering His grace on him ever
since he came into His fold and how he considers Bhagawan as
the foremost parent. Talking about Bhagawan’s omnipresence,
the speaker narrated a beautiful incident happened very
recently in the United States. One fine morning, a friend of
the speaker who was in the United States, was passing by a
shop wherein he happened to see a big photograph of Bhagawan
in black and white hanging on the wall. Curious he was, upon
enquiry, to his utter amazement he was informed by the shop
owner that the person in the photograph had come to his shop
very recently with another person, spoke to him nicely with
compassion leaving lasting impression on him…and the other
person acknowledged the shop owner that the person with him
was a popular figure in the country…and to keep those who come
to his shop the shopkeeper had decided to keep the photo of
him hanging on the wall.
On the 16th afternoon Sri Anil
Kumar Kamaraju who spoke in Telugu, narrated the three aspects
of Mother Divine Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Recounting his
personal experiences with Bhagawan where he has seen Bhagawan
granting supreme strength to His devotees as Maha Durga, Maha
Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati, the speaker went on narrating an
incident that had happened in Kodaikanal where Bhagawan
miraculously made vessels get filled up with food during
Narayana Seva and drawn attention into the magnetism of
Bhagawan that draws devotees from all corners of the world to
Prasanthi Nilayam.
On the 17th afternoon, the first
speaker was Sri Srinivasan SriRangarajan, faculty, School of
Business Management Accounting and Finance who spoke on grand
"Karma Yajna" that was happening simultaneously with the
“Jnana Yajna". Narrating an incident from the life of Prof. N.
Kasturi, the speaker highlighted Bhagawan’s revelation that
human life is the greatest miracle, the greatest gift that
Bhagawan has bestowed upon…and one should not take the same
for granted. In “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam”, conglomeration of
society in unison, we must offer our heart, mind, body and all
skills and talents bestowed upon by God for the society, for
humanity at large…and one need not wait for auspicious time to
initiate such an action…said the speaker referring to the
Grama Seva activities that was going on. Outlining the
essential features for every action to become Karma Yajna, he
listed out five quality standards that qualify ordinary action
into Karma Yajna, namely, offering should be done as an
offering to God…offering should be perfect…offering should be
done with a sense of equanimity…intend of the offering is
important and not the content…one must offer every act to God
and can never be selective…The speaker briefed all these
points with convincing anecdotes from the life of devotees.
Sri Rangarajan concluded his speech on a high note with a
prayer to initiate the process of Karma Yajna and harvest the
crop of peace and harmony in the hearts, in the society and
world at large. The second speaker, Sri Natesh Shankar Shetty,
2nd Year M.Sc. student of the University spoke on Bhagawan’s
Motherly Love. Revolving his talk around the bhajan, "Janani
Maa" the speaker narrated various aspects of Bhagawan as was
portrayed in the bhajan. Concluding his speech the student
expressed grateful thanks to Bhagawan saying that the
opportunity to speak was the best gift Bhagawan could give him
on a day happened to be his birthday.
Sri B.N.
Narasimha Murthy, Warden, Brindavan Hostel of Sri Sathya Sai
University, first speaker for the 18th evening, spoke about
the various phases of Bhagawan’s Divine Mission. Talking on
Sanathana Dharma, the supposedly sixth phase of Bhagawan’s
Mission, Mr. Murthy exhorted that Sanathana Dharma is not any
religion, but, is the eternal religion, the universal
religion. A speech suffused with an array of interesting
incidents from the lives of various devotees, the speaker took
the entire audience into an interesting ride on to various
facets of Bhagawan life and mission, tagging interesting
incidents in between, appropriately. Narrating a Kodaikanal
incident involving former caretaker of Prasanthi Nilayam Col.
Joga Rao and the setting up of the Super Speciality Hospital
at Prasanthigram in record time, whom Bhagawan had said, this
country of Bharat is a Karma Bhoomi, Thyaga Bhoomi, Yoga
Bhoomi, Punya Bhoomi…If any one takes up any work in this land
with a pure and selfless motive, all the men money required
for that work will come to him…
19th October was
Durgashtami and Ayudha Puja was performed on this morning in
the Divine Presence at Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan who came
into the hall bit late at around 11:00 p.m. blessed the
vehicles that were parked in line for the occasion, as a
symbolic gesture signifying the occasion, amidst veda
chanting, bhajans etc.
Smt. Anjali Devi, an ardent long
time devotee of Bhagawan and a veteran actress of fame from
South India was the first speaker for the evening. She had
come to Bhagawan’s Lotus Feet 46 years ago, she said, 46 years
ago, but said 46 years have passed like 46 minutes. Referring
to Mr. V. Srinivasan’s introduction to her, wherein he made a
mention about her contribution to Sundaram, Chennai, she
asked: Who am I to contribute anything? Everything belongs to
Bhagawan. When we (with husband) suffered a heavy loss out of
a movie we produced, it was Bhagawan who saved us. He has been
protecting us in a number of ways. There are many experiences
to narrate. I am sure, each one of you will have an experience
of Bhagawan's Divinity. Or else, how can lakhs and lakhs of
people from all parts of the world gather here? paused the
veteran devotee. Talking about Bhagawan’s recent visit to
Chennai she said, the whole city was sanctified by the Divine
Visit. Mentioning about her much famed serial Shirdi Sai
Parthi Sai, she revealed that it was after twenty years of
repeated prayers, that Bhagawan granted her permission to make
the movie. She was fortunate to play the role of Mother
Easwaramma and also that of Mother of Shirid Sai in the serial
which brought her great name and fame and a great sense of
fulfilment.
Prof. Anantaraman, faculty, Dept. of
Business Management Accounting and Finance in his rhetoric
excellence coupled with beautiful tales of experiences of Sai
fraternity, spoke of various hues of Bhagawan’s all conquering
love narrating each one in detail. “The day I became a teacher
here, I also became a student. You can drink in the esoteric
wisdom presented in the afternoon so creatively by several of
the students and you can watch Swami and observe this many
faceted gem shed hues in the colours of the rainbow, each hue
more resplendent than the others…” Emphasising the point that
under the umbrella of One God there should not be any scope
for the feeling of individual ego in the hearts, and the
greater need to understand and internalise His teachings,
Prof. Anantaraman exhorted the audience to live with the
teachings of Bhagawan, reading at least one page or volume of
Sathya Sai Speaks, and resolving to live the rest of the lives
as per the tenet of that page or volume. Ending his speech on
a high note, referring to Arjuna’s predicament during the
Dwapara, the speaker made the audience to do a repeat of
Arjuna’s promise to Lord Krishna, ‘Karishye Vachanam Tava’…I
will give You my word, to Lord Sai Krishna.
Earlier,
commencing his speech with a reference to the humbling
experience of listening to a veteran long time devotee, the
learned speaker, Prof. Anantaraman with rich corporate and
academic experience said: “over the last few years that I have
been staying here one of the most resounding experiences that
I have had is rather than what Swami was Swami’s devotees.
Calling Smt. Anjali Devi’s devotion a humbling experience, he
went on…as the Avatar reaches another threshold each one of us
carry His message and we may find eminent devotees carrying
His message with all their eminence and humility and devotion
they have for Bhagawan, as a standing example for other
mortals to follow.
The 20th evening, there was an
enthralling clarinet concert by Pandit Narasimhulu. Bhagawan
came onstage at 5.45 pm and the concert began after a few
minutes. At the end of the programme Bhagawan blessed the
artiste with a chain and clothes.
It was on a Vijaya
Dasami day the previous body of the Avatar, Shirdi Sai Baba
left His mortal coil popularly known as Seemollanghan. And
Bhagawan aptly made a mention of the same commencing His
Divine Discourse.
Recalling Bhagawan Shirdi Sai’s final
day before His popularly known Seemollanghan on a Vijaya
Dasami day Bhagawan made a mention of an incident, wherein
Bhagawan had called Lakshmi Bhai, an ardent devotee and gave
her two coins on which the date of His passing was inscribed,
commencing His Divine Discourse. In an enriching Divine
Discourse where Sathya and Dharma took the centre stage,
Bhagawan exhorted the jam packed audience to do one’s duty
based on the principle of Truth; Sathya and Dharma are the
true Sadhana; never give up Sathya and Dharma. True Dharma is
acting in accordance with the feelings within; All are
embodiments of Truth…all are very form of Sathya Sai. This was
preceded by two speeches by Sri Ajit Popat and Mr. S.V. Giri,
former Vice Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai University.
Earlier in the morning, the seven day long Yajna came
to a grand finale with Bhagawan receiving Poornahuthi as Yajna
Purusha, witnessed by thousands in a jam-packed Poornachandra
Auditorium. Bhagawan who presided over the Yajna blessed the
occasion while the final offering were being made in to the
pit; later, blessing the pundits, Bhagawan sprinkled the
sanctified holy water on each one of them that was followed by
Prasadam distribution to all devotees.
This was
followed by the final lap of Grama Seva 2007, wherein women
students of Sathya Sai University along with staff members
from the University and Primary School distributed Prasadam to
all inmates at their door step inside the ashram. …Yet another
memorable occasion in the annals of Prasanthi
Nilayam!!!