Vijaya Dasami in Prasanthi Nilayam…

The evening session commenced with invocatory Vedic chanting by the students of Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music, followed by an introductory talk by Ameya Deshpande, Doctoral Research Scholar at SSSIHL.

Commenting about Dasara and allied activities in Prasanthi Nilayam, as initiated by Bhagawan, Ameya said referring to the activities in Prasanthi that, it is a confluence of three yogas, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga with Sri Sathya Sai Grama Seva, Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha and Dasara Jnana Saptaha Yajnam going side by side during the festive occasion. Mentioning about the greater significance of the day, recalling incidents from the previous Yugas, with Shirdi Sai’s ‘seemolanghan’, Ameya further introduced the evening’s programme to the august assembly.

Prof Anil Kumar Kamaraju then addressed the assembly of devotees.

Bringing in rare tales of Bhagawan’s supreme glory, Prof Anil Kumar in his English speech with a mix of Telugu transported the audience for the next one hour to the wonderful world of Sai that has no parallels. Talking about Navaratri and the aspect of Mother Divine the erudite speaker emphasised that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai is verily Sri Maha Saraswathi, Sri Maha Lakshmi, Sri Maha Kali in one form, while explaining the aspects of Tripura Sundari, Tribhuvana Sundari and Triloka Sundari, as taught by Bhagawan Himself.

Bhagawan has often explained the inner meaning to make us understand the external rituals to turn them into spirituality, said Anil Kumar speaking of Dasara and its subtle significance. Lucidly explaining the celestial beauty of Bhagawan embodied in the physical as Sri Sathya Sai, narrating the supreme glory of the physical frame of Beloved Bhagawan Prof Anil Kumar in his witty style with a dose of humour, yet full of profundity declared that Bhagawan’s life story is the real Srimad Bhagavatam.

Bhagawan’s Divine discourse followed next. How can man plunge into misery when the Truth is that God alone is the Indweller of his heart, asked Bhagawan quoting the Bhagavad Gita saying, of Lord Krishna to Arjuna, “Mamaivamsho Jeevaloke Jeevabhuta Sanathanah” (all beings are an eternal part of My Self).

Crowning the twilight, marking the end of the week-long celebrations, renowned Shehnai artist Satish Prakash Qamar and Co presented a scintillating Shehnai cum Vocal recital entitled “Shehani Ki Goonj Sai Ke Naam” enthralling the audience for the next 40 mts.

Beginning with a piece in Raag Bihu, the Pt and Co presented a couple popular songs, “Sainath Terey Hazaaron Haath…” “Mera Pyaara Tuu Aaya Sai Ram Ka…” etc. to end with a Prasanthi Bhajan “Govind Bolo Gopala Bolo…”.  Pt Satish Kumar Qamar is a disciple of legendary Ustad Bismillah Khan. The Pandit was accompanied by Pt Sri Krishna Sharma on Guitar, Pt Anup Ghosh on Tabla, Chandan Sharma on Vocal, Jitendra Kumar on Harmonium and Vocal, Deva Prasad on Side Rhythm and Jialal with Shehnai support.

At the end of the programme, all the artistes were felicitated. Fast paced bhajans, sung in non-stop style, by devotees from Heart Valve Bank, the UK followed next that ended with Bhagawan singing “Sathyam Jnaanam Anantam Brahma…”

Mangala Arathi was offered at 1930 hrs. marking the end of the session.

Earlier, in the morning, the seven-day Dasara Jnana Saptaha Yajna was concluded at the Poornachandra Auditorium with the offering of Maha Poornahuthi at 0930 hrs. Even as the priests returned after the sacred bath the Poornahuthi offering began with the Yajna Purusha, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai, presiding over the session in His omnipresent form. To the holy chants of Vedic Mantras, with a packed audience watching reverentially the final Ahuti, Poornahuthi was offered at 0930 hrs.

Subsequently, sacred water was sprinkled over the assembly of devotees. Bhajans continued and prasadam was distributed. Mangala Arathi was offered at 1015 hrs.

Following this, the women students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute Of Higher Learning, Anantapur Campus distributed Bhagawan’s Grama Seva prasadam to the entire residents of Ashram as part of the concluding day of Sri Sathya Sai Grama Seva 2013.

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II