PRASHANTI DIARY Chronicles of Heaven on
Earth
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SKETCHES ON THE SAND - By Mr. Howard Murphet
“There are many a
miracles of course; I am not going to attempt to tell you all of them! I
want to tell you about one that I witnessed, which I found very
impressive and interesting. This one had to do with the production of
Amrita (nectar) from the sand ...read more
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Sai's kasturi... A
Phantasmagoric Fragrance Forever
The Lord did not just
hand over this poem to Professor Kasturi when he came for His
blessings on the dawn of the New Year day; on the contrary, the
Greeting Card came gleefully to Professor Kasturi searching for him.
The Sweet Lord had sent the card through someone to be dropped in
Bukkapatnam, five miles away the previous day, though the addressee
was living five metres away!
Recalling that momentous morning, Mr. Kasturi writes, “When the
Blessing was delivered by the postman along with other mail, the
surprise, the thrill, the gratitude and the yearning to express it
direct to Him, rendered me incapable of speech or movement.”read more
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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose...
Fiery Will
and Nerves of Steel
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If one looks at the
history of Indian Freedom Movement, after Mahatma
Gandhi, the name that stands out is of Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose. His contribution is no less than those
of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru...read more>> |
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In
Search of Infinity -
12
By Prof. G.
Venkataraman
However, to recall briefly the
essence of what we covered in the last few
issues, the big shift is that physicists
have now started building up a picture of
matter based on tiny strings rather than
particles...read
more>>
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In Russia with the Love of Sai
:
- How
dedicated Sai doctors and volunteers
offered love and healing to the needy in
Russia
In
Russia with the Love of Sai
Sai
Seva outside St. Petersburg
“It was an
absolutely humbling and
overwhelming experience!”
recalls Dr. Nikhila Pandya,
her eyes big with
exclamation and excitement,
who was part of this
enthusiastic group, serving
principally as a
pediatrician....read
more>>
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The
Sai Movement in
Switzerland
Despite their modest
numbers, the devotees of
Bhagavan Baba in Switzerland
have been blazing effective
and efficient trails, by
creating an appreciation for
His universal message of
love and harmony among
various sectors of the Swiss
society...read
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Precious
Association
By Mr.
Subhash Subramaniam
We are
living with a God who does not reside in some far off
heaven or Vaikuntam. We are living with a God who sits
right before us, each day of our lives at Prasanthi
Nilayam. And that is our life’s gift!....read
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How God Built the
Life of a ‘Little Builder’
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By Mr. Y. ArvindThis is the story of Bikas, the teenage son of
a poor
farmer from the state of Orissa, for whom life
had
become a hopeless end, until he came to Sri
Sathya
Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences,
Bangalore,
just a few weeks ago…read
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From - Heart2Heart Team - radoisai.org.
(Between You & Us)
Dear Reader,
Come December 25th and the character of Prasanthi changes. Like the
past few decades, the whole milieu of Puttaparthi acquires a
different aura with hanging bells, angels shining and stars
glistening all around the ashram. It was no different in the just
completed year too, or rather, it was more special than previous
years because the Divine Lord willed the celebrations to be spread
over three days, with He delivering His much-awaited and prayed for
discourse on the evening of December 26th. [We have detailed
accounts, accompanied by lots of pictures, of this joyous festival
in the Prasanthi Diary Section]. Bhagavan stressed that Jesus was no
ordinary mortal and everybody heard with rapt attention as the
Father hailed the Son.
While half the world celebrates on December 25th, the Birthday of
the favourite Son of God, very few are aware, let alone commemorate,
another story of His Glory that also had its genesis on this same
sacred day. It is not the story of a Son of God, but one of God’s
most precious, proficient and powerful instruments. It is the tale
of one whom God held in His Hand to pen the uplifting account of His
advent and mission; of one whose inner self was so pure and clear
that the Sweet Lord held Him unto His lips like a flute and out came
a surreal symphony of His miracles and manifestations in most
captivating notes and narrations; of one in whose company the Lord
was regaled with his repartees and rib-ticklers; of one who had
become an indispensable part of His entourage whether He went to
Ernakulam or East Africa; of one who assiduously assimilated every
syllable that slipped from the Divine lips and not only documented
it with great clarity and dexterity but also announced it with great
alacrity to as many people as possible; of one who was a perfect
conduit between the Lord and His message, rendering with ease and
finesse the language of the Avatar into not only the Anglo-Saxon
tongue but also into many Indian lingoes; of one whose speech was so
soft, soothing and comforting that the captivated listeners imagined
him to be the ‘pied piper of Hamlin’; of one whose nature was so
gentle and attitude so refined that one could never observe
scornfulness or a tinge of sadness, come what may, in his
countenance; of one who started his day by placing at His Lotus Feet
the sacred Tulsi and Bilva leaves for not one or two weeks, months,
or years, but for more than three decades; of one whose relationship
with Swami was so special and childlike that he could say anything
he wanted without any apprehension and after thought, and the Lord
too listened, punned and played, jeered and joked with him, and on
one occasion even asked for his lap to rest His Divine Self; of one
whom Prof. Anil Kumar describes as the one “whose communication with
Swami was celestial and the relationship he shared with Sai was rare
and without a parallel.”
But at the same time, this special devotee of the Lord was the first
postmaster of Prasanthi Nilayam, who at one time even was the
accommodation in charge looking after the well-being of devotees and
acting as their guide, counselor and comforter, who also saw to it
that the canteen in the Ashram fed all the pilgrims without any
problems, who was a type-setter, binder, writer and editor – all
rolled into one – of the Ashram monthly magazine, who religiously
made the announcements during every major festival in Puttaparthi in
six Indian languages, who always traveled in public buses and not in
a private car even though he was a State President of the Sai
Organization, who knew no stranger and had a warm hello oozing from
his being on whoever his eyes fell, and who knew no worship other
than serving His Master through sharing the tales of His Grandeur,
Greatness and Glory.
That was Prof. Kasturi, the Lord’s ambassador, emissary, effective
instrument, efficient translator, brilliant biographer, charismatic
orator, fascinating playwright, gifted writer, master story-teller,
an incomparable comrade and most importantly, a beloved devotee like
no other. In fact, Prof. Kasturi is one of those rare souls to whom
in a letter before his final mergence with Him, the Lord addressed
as “Bhaktha” or devotee. In that letter He said, “Know this, O
devotee! The Resident of Puttaparthi, the Compassionate One, will
guard you always, and ever hold your hand, to save you ever,
everywhere. Forget it not.”
What facet of Kasturi’s personality endeared him to the Lord? Was it
his literary and oratory skills? Or his special sense of spontaneous
humour? Or, the respect he commanded as a great intellectual and
luminary in Kanada literature? Or, his credentials as a capable
educator and administrator, having turned around a notable and
formerly notorious college during his tenure as principal?
Or, was it his association with the Ramakrishna Mission having
served as a secretary there for many years? What was so unique about
him that every devotee looked up to him with awe, admiration and
love, and Swami held him so close to his heart, virtually carrying
him in His arms every moment of his life until his last breath? And
how did He finally embrace him into Himself for eternity? The cover
story of this issue will not only be an eye-opener for you into the
life of this great devotee of the Lord but also instruct and
illumine you as to what it means being a true devotee of the Lord -
what are the responsibilities and rules, characteristics and
challenges.
Basking in the divine proximity of the Lord did not mean the life of
Kasturi was a bed of roses - still the fragrance of his smile never
faded. Whether rock or sand, gorges or grass, he never grumbled in
the least and just like the river, always steadfast towards its goal
with willpower and vigour, Kasturi was unassailable. “He was like
the Rock of Gibraltar”, recalls Sri B. V. Raja Reddy. “His faith in
Swami was unassailable.” In fact, when you read our comprehensive
cover story and contemplate, you will realize that the life of
Kasturi epitomizes the life of every sincere spiritual aspirant.
There is no glory of God without the story of His devotees, and Sri
Kasturi’s life is one such golden chapter in the grand epic of the
Sai Avatar.
In fact, the Lord Himself had prompted Kasturi to write his own
life’s story which he titled as “Loving God” and placed it at His
Lotus Feet on his 85th Birthday. Just like Bhagavan’s Schools and
Colleges, and Institutes of Higher Medical Sciences are models to be
appreciated and emulated, Prof. Kasturi’s life too is an
'university' by itself from which every sincere Sai worker should
learn, imbibe and fortify his love and faith for Baba. It is for
this reason that we have this cover story on this New Year month,
besides commemorating the hundred and tenth birth anniversary of
this great soul, which happened the day the lovers of God sang
“Silent Night..." a few weeks ago.
Kasturi’s story, by Divine design, is fortunately intertwined with
the story of Sai Avatar, he being a blessed recipient of His divine
proximity for nearly four decades. But there are many other deeply
inspiring souls in recent times who may not have had any physical
contact with the present Incarnation, but the Lord fondly remembers
them for their purity, sincerity and nobility. And one such is the
fiery patriot of India, Sri Subhas Chandra Bose.
During India’s Independence Day in 2007, Swami surprised everyone
when He rose to give an unscheduled discourse and said, “Never
forget Bose… such glorious personalities are not to be forgotten.”
And that triggered us to tell the tale of this great son of Mother
India, and we are happy to offer it to you this month which happens
to be his birthday month. If only we look around and have the eyes
to see, there are many personalities whose lives are filled with
devotion and dedication, but for the most part they are silent,
letting their deeds do the talking.
But God never forgets such sincere selfless souls. A case in point
is Sri Gopal Rao, who has been living in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram
for nearly four decades. Though a champion in the banking industry
who served as the chairman of the Andhra Bank besides being on the
board of many other prestigious companies, when he settled down in
Puttaparthi in late sixties, serving water in the canteen was the
task Sri Gopal Rao undertook with great joy and sincerity.
This spirit of service is what has touched the Lord, but more than
this, for what Bhagavan always remembers him is his undeterred
faith. At one time, when Sri Gopal Rao was under pressure from the
powers that be of the country to act against his conscience, he
stood firm and did not yield even a little. And this is what, Swami
says, is the hallmark of every true devotee of the Lord. He honored
and blessed this dear devotee profusely on his 100th birthday a few
days ago. (See Prasanthi Diary).
In the most recent Christmas Discourse, Swami said, “Everyone must
have Masterfaith (a superlative of faith). The rest is useless. You
can achieve anything with it. So, develop faith. Without faith,
there is no life.” In this New Year, when we are busy contemplating
how we can redirect ourselves to make the most out of our lives, let
us not forget to incorporate this essential element in our lives,
thoughts and actions. For, without this, all else might be like
walls without a firm foundation.
Let unflinching faith at His Feet be our resolution in 2008. For,
the power of His Love is great!
Loving Regards,
Heart2Heart Team
Source:media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_06/01JAN08 - Layout SBOI
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