June 4, 2008 – Bhagavan Visits the University Auditorium
and Senior Boys’ Hostel

On June 3, 2009, the Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University, Principal of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus along with other faculty members, prayed to Bhagavan to bless the students and staff by paying a visit to the college and addressing the students in the auditorium. And Bhagavan had indicated that He would come. It all happened so fast that at first anyone scarcely believed it!

At noon, there was some movement at Swami's residence and all of a sudden, Bhagavan emerged in the car. He moved to the University auditorium where He pleasantly surprised everyone involved in the preparations. The boys made a pathway lined with themselves as they knelt down in joy at this unexpected darshan of beloved Swami. He moved towards the stage to have a look and things were still getting ready.

Swami smiled and said that He had come only to have a look at the preparations and that He would come again at 4:00 p.m. for the function. The teachers in charge of the decorations explained to Swami all that had been planned and Swami seemed happy with that. The warden requested Swami that since a room for Him had been made in the hostel, it would be nice if He visits the hostel as well. Swami said that He would definitely do so after the day's programme. The registrar also spoke to Swami and then, after about 10 minutes, Swami left.

The mood in the auditorium after that was one of jubilation as everyone worked with added vigor to prepare for the Divine visit. Adding to the occasion was the fact that beautiful manicured lawns and lovely flowering plants had decorated the Institute gardens. A waterfall was also added as a new attraction.

Awaiting with the sound of Auspiciousness		The Vice-Chancellor of the University greets Swami with a flower

Swami arrived at the auditorium at about 4.15 p.m. with the welcome and reverberating tunes of the Panchavadyam played by the students of the University.  A fawn along with a few geese and peacocks also formed a part of the reception committee! Swami was greeted at the entrance by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Vishwanath Pandit, the Principal of the Prashanti Nilayam Campus, Prof. U.S. Rao and also by the newly appointed Registrar,  Dr. Naren Ramji and the Controller of Examinations, Mr. G.S. Srirangarajan. Swami moved to the stage from the rear entrance and the curtains of the stage parted to grant the waiting hundreds, their first glimpse of their beloved Swami.

The newly appointed Registrar,   Dr. Naren Ramji		The new Controller of Examinations, Mr. G.S. Srirangarajan

The day was historic for a very special reason. Swami always advocates the proper use of technology. The video-conferencing facility that exists between the three current campuses of the University was put to the best possible use - to relay the proceedings to the Brindavan under graduate campus and the Anantapur women's campus! Thus, as hundreds thrilled at Swami's beautiful darshan in the auditorium, hundreds were delighted in two other auditoriums as well- hundreds of kilometres away from Puttaparthi, at Bangalore and Anantapur.

The new academic year begins with the Presence and Blessings of the Divine Chancellor

The first part of the programme was the release of two books by the Divine hands. Both of these were a part of the Educare and Management Series of books of the School of Business Management, SSSU. The first book entitled ‘Soulful Corporations – Ushering in a Better World’ was presented to Bhagavan by the authors – Prof. V.E. Ramamoorthy and Shashank Shah (Doctoral Research Scholar).

Bhagavan very graciously pulled the strings of the ribbon covering the book and lovingly went through its contents making minor observations on a few occasions. He looked pleased with the work and blessed Prof. Ramamoorthy with a sweet smile and a pat on his back. The second book entitled ‘Corporate Stakeholders Management - Why, What & How – A Dharmic Approach’ was offered to Swami by the authors Shashank Shah and Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar. Swami very graciously glanced through the pages of the book and blessed both the authors lovingly.

Bhagavan graciously pulled the ribbon to inaugurate the books		Prof. V.E. Ramamoorthy and Shashank Shah (the authors)

		Thereafter, the VC, Prof. Pandit delivered the welcome address. He highlighted the achievements of the University and the extraordinary results of the students in the recently concluded exams. He also highlighted the recent developments in the University and the new strides made by it in various fields. He concluded with his observation on the important role of the University in the Avataric mission and the important role the alumni should and are playing in the world outside. He sought Swami’s blessings to be befitting instruments in the Divine mission.
Welcome speech by the Vice Chancellor of the University

Aman Jhaveri pours out his devotion to the Lord through his heartfelt speech		The Lord touches the heart of everybody without speaking a word

Aman Jhaveri, the student speaker, a second year MBA student of the SSSU,  spoke on one of  Swami’s important messages: ‘Love for God, Fear of sin and Morality in Society.’ He shared examples from his own life as to how he has benefitted from this teaching of Bhagavan. Then came the moment that all had been waiting for. The Vice Chancellor requested The Chancellor to speak and He graciously agreed. The mikes were brought and Swami began His divine discourse. The detailed discourse is as follows:

Bhagavan during His exhilarating Divine Discourse

In the sacred land of Bharat, forbearance is the greatest wealth. The sweetest feeling is the feeling of motherhood. Today we have bid farewell to the great principle that one's honor is greater than one's life. There are women who lead good lives, earn grace and progress towards God. But today, many of them have also given up the above mentioned principle.

For a cultured woman, three things are most essential- Kattu (dress habits), Bottu (the dot on the forehead) and Juttu (proper hair). The ladies have given up such sacred habits and they wear pants and shirts like the men do! They give up putting the dot on the forehead and keep their hair short like boys! This is a total contradiction to the way of life taught by the Bharatiya culture which always grants great honor and bliss. Boys too will have to lead a respectable and honorable life, working hard, getting good marks and most importantly- making parents and society happy.

People today have forgotten the important principles of Daiva Preeti (love for God), Paapa Bheethi (fear of sin) and Sangha Neethi (morality in society). You may forget God, but God will never forget you, for God resides within you. To realize and understand God is difficult. You imagine God has a form. Painters draw images of Krishna and Rama, and you conclude that it is the form of the Lord. God has come in human form. But realize that the body is only a bag - a bag which contains the mind, intellect, ego and the senses. But they are not related to the body. Only the five elements constitute the body. If the inner contents of the body are gone, the body is of no use and it is burnt to ashes (in a pyre). So don't give undue importance to the body. 

Krishna, Rama, etc. are all mere symbols of divinity. Find out who is really Krishna. Don't worship the body. That will lead to fickleness of the mind. For that, all of you try to concentrate. When you persist in concentration, it becomes contemplation. Finally, the form dissolves and you forget yourself - that is Samadhi, meditation. We imagine that God will then manifest in a form. It is the Atmic principle that prompts you thus.

What actually manifests is not any form, but the Truth. Then depending on your imagination or vision, you see either Krishna or Vishnu. Give up the form and find the Truth. All these are gimmicks of the mind. You have to dissolve the mind because it keeps prompting you to proceed on these paths. Focus on the Atma which has neither name nor form. Everything has arisen out of Truth and to Truth it will return. Truth is there everywhere - in the birds, animals and even the tiny insects. That is why, whomsoever you meet, bow in salutation to them. That is not an obeisance to the body, but to the Atmic principle within. Even when you see beggars, salute to the Atma in them. God is one in all.

See, if there are a thousand pots of water, all of them reflect the Sun equally. Does that mean that there are a thousand suns? Bodies are like pots. Desires are like water in the pot. (When they exist we see so many suns!). In fact, everything is reaction, reflection and resound. Whenever we love anyone, we love ourselves. Do not think that you are doing something for God. Whatever you do, you are doing it for yourselves alone. God is present everywhere like the current that makes the fans move, bulbs light up and the mikes produce a sound. Switch off the current and everything goes off. If you forget divinity, you forget everything. Love God and conquer the demon of bad qualities. Only a person of such good character can develop the society. Love for God will automatically lead to morality in society. If there is no morality, there is no community. There is only one caste - that of humanity. The sections like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras are created by us and are not given by God.

The one thing that God has given to all is Prema (Love). When you don't have Love in your hearts you will hate. Love all, Serve all. If you uphold these principles, you will definitely prosper. Help others, especially the poor and the needy. Not only people, every animal is a reflection of God. Cheemalo Brahmalo sang the saint Thyagaraja. It means that God is there in everything - from the ant to the cosmos. So do not get angry or hate anything. If you lead such a life, you will know yourself. We always say, "I, I". That is the ego. To realize the real "I", cut the ego (body consciousness). Then you get the Cross (the holy Cross) too.  You become God.
		"To realize the real "I", cut the ego (body consciousness)"

The sense of mine and thine lead to duality. The Upanishads will never accept duality. It is for the sake of leading a life and doing your duties that you have been given a body. Duty is God. When you have a wife, treat her as a wife but remember that the same Atmic principle abounds in her. Even during the marraige of Rama with Sita, it was so. (At this point Swami sang a poem that depicted the festive mood at Mithila for the Divine marriage.) Sita represents the Atma. It was the marriage of Atma and Rama. So many people assembled for the marriage to see Rama and Atma.  In this hall too, all of you have assembled to have the darshan of Swami.  After the marriage, Vishwamitra saw Rama wherever he went.

		Swami had once written a song, Sathya Dharmamu Shanthi Premalatho, meaning that one must lead one’s life according to Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema. Once there is Sathya and Dharma, peace and Love will come. In any situation, do not utter lies. Love cannot stay where there is untruth. The essence of the teachings of all the Upanishads is that all are ultimately One. Beggars surround a rich man asking him for money, food and house. You go to God and ask the same. Don't beg. You will be provided everything. God is within you. Society gets spoilt by such "beggars". Do not become a beggar. Everything - the water, the air, the food -are getting polluted and spoilt.  The only solution to remove pollution is to develop a pure mind! When is the mind pure? When it is doubtless and has steady faith. What is the use of all the degrees that you get? Ph. D holders themselves are so full of sin! Everything is done to beg for money. If you go to a temple, a bus or even for a cup of coffee, people want money. MAN is the true wealth and not money.
The Divine Chancellor of the Universe and the University

Safeguard humaneness, then you get everything. Lead a life of humility without arrogance and pride. Man has emerged from the heart, not the physical one but the spiritual heart. That is like the pure breeze that pervades everything. Be helpful to all whatever be the action you do. Help ever, hurt never. Respect your parents even if they are unable to give you food. The mother faces great difficulties to bring you up, making sacrifices. Never distance your parents from yourselves.  All your education must be directed to satisfy your parents and then that will give you also satisfaction. All your friends are not true ones. They stay with you as long as you have money in the pocket. Do not love another for the material possessions. Love must be a mental one - not a material one.

Hari Bhajan Bina Sukha Shanthi Nahi...

Showering His bounty and grace on every brick in the Hostel		The students await to receive their Beloved in the dining hall

As the bhajan concluded, Swami indicated that He wanted to go out. He seemed to be in some sort of a hurry! As He neared the warden, He said, "Go, I am coming to the hostel!" This was like a sudden bolt. Swami, within a minute of completion of the concluding bhajan, was in the car headed towards the Senior Boys Hostel! All the students rushed from the auditorium towards the Hostel to be a part of this rare blessing. It’s true; God’s delays are not His denials. After a long gap, Bhagavan visited the hostel. There were long rows of boys lined on either side of the car as Swami moved into the hostel. Moving through the central lawn area, He seemed to be showering His bounty and Grace on every brick in the hostel!

He entered the dining hall of the Hostel in the car and then He was again requested to inaugurate the room, which had been called as the meditation room. Swami proceeded to this newly constructed room and inaugurated it by cutting the ribbon, sprinkling akshatas and lighting the lamp.

He moved through the different chambers there and complimented that it had been very well made. Through His gaze He charged the idol of Hanuman, the great devotee of Lord Rama which was placed in the center of the Altar and was in the ‘meditation posture’. He then went around the room and the adjoining rooms, and expressed His satisfaction at the construction and decoration of the premises. He then visited the Vaikuntha Narayana Vanam where the idol of Lord Ranganatha, lying on His divine bed, Adi Sesha, with His consorts has been installed. These idols were sent by Swami nearly twenty years ago and have since then been a prized possession of the Hostel. Swami had also sent in October 2007, special marble idols of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, Mother Sita and Hanuman especially for the Senior Students’ Hostel, which now adorn the central position in the Hostel altar.
		Swami inaugurates the Meditation Room

After showering His loving blessings on all around and spending precious 20 minutes in the hostel premises, Swami returned to the Mandir.

Perfect space for meditation where one can feel the Lord's physical proximity		Sai Himself sees His own Divine Form

		The bhajans had been on all the while and the devotees waited for a darshan of their Lord. Swami did not disappoint them as He immediately came out and sat on stage for the bhajans. The devotees' efforts literally found "fruition" as Swami blessed Alphonso mangoes to be distributed to all as prasadam! After three bhajans, Swami received aarthi and left. Before moving into His residence, He blessed the security guards who had served Him for the past month and would now be replaced by a fresh batch who had arrived to receive this great opportunity. After posing for a group photo with them Swami retired for the day.
The Universal Lord has time for everybody