Prashanti Diary
A Chronicle of Heaven on Earth.

OCTOBER 17th – 23rd, 2004: DASARA CELEBRATIONS IN PRASHANTI NILAYAM.

Over the past many years the festival of Dasara in Prashanti Nilayam, has been synonymous with the 'Veda Purusha Sapthaha Jnana Yagna', the week-long sacrificial ritual conducted every morning in the Divine Presence in Poornachandra Hall, for the welfare of the whole world.

The evening programmes under the auspices of the Prashanti Vidwan Mahasabha, usually sees many speakers, mainly students and staff of Bhagavan's institutions and elderly devotees, who address the august gathering in Sai Kulwant Hall. Following these talks, heeding to the prayers of the devotees, Bhagavan usually blesses everyone with His Divine Discourse.

The first day, October 17th, saw thousands gathered in Sai Kulwant Hall awaiting Bhagavan’s Darshan. Soon after the Darshan, a procession of the 18 priests and Swami’s students marched into Poornachandra Hall chanting the Vedas, lead by a richly caparisoned Sai Gita, Swami’s pet elephant. All the priests and students were clad in the traditional attire of a saffron coloured silk dhoti and a white angavastram (a cloth wrapped around the shoulders). At 9.00 a.m., the Yagnam commenced with the rubbing of wooden blocks to produce fire through friction. Thereafter, the sacred fire thus produced, was placed in the 'Yagna Kunda' (the sacrificial altar into which oblations are offered) and the Veda Purusha Sapthaha Jnana Yagna commenced.

The most important component of the Yagnam is the ‘Rudra Homam’, an invocation to Lord Siva, in which the oblations of clarified butter are poured into the Yagna Kunda while chanting hymns from the 'Sri Rudram'. Other rituals also take place simultaneously like the Surya Namaskar, or the worship of the Sun as the visible symbol of the Supreme. The Srimad Bhagavatham Parayana, and the Ramayana Parayana and the Devi Mahatmyam are simultaneously performed by noted scholars, and a few pundits and Bhagavan’s students simultaneously chant various hymns from the Vedas. Another priest worships the Sri Chakra, a mystic drawing representing the Supreme Mother. The first 6 days the Yagna follows this routine daily.

The Dasara Celebrations came to an auspicious close on 23rd October, Vijaya Dasami Day, the 7th day of the Yagna. That morning, the Poornahuthi or the Valedictory Offering is made. This year, the Yagnam took place at 8.10 a.m., after Bhagavan was seated in front of the Yagna Kunda amidst the priests. After seeking the blessings of Bhagavan, the priests made the final offering of clarified butter into the fire while chanting hymns from the 'Chamakam,' praying for the physical and spiritual welfare of all the beings of the world. Bhagavan blessed all the priests by sprinkling sacred water and akshada (turmeric coated rice) on them. Bhagavan also gave all the priests a silver bowl and a silver goblet as gifts. Everyone present was filled with reverence at the morning’s sublime scene.

In the afternoons, Swami gave four Discourses under the auspices of the Prashanti Vidhwan Maha Sabha. The Discourses are not included here, but the full text can be accessed at www.srisatysai.org.in

OCTOBER 18th: HYDERABAD BALA VIKAS DRAMA ‘ASHTA GUNA PUSHPAM’.

On the evening of 18th October, the Bal Vikas children from Hyderabad presented a drama entitled "Ashta Guna Pushpamulu", the eight flowers representing eight virtues that are to be offered to God. Swami has often said that worshipping God with the Eight Flowers of the Eight Virtues would please Him more than worshipping with worldly flowers that fade and wither away the next day. The flowers of virtues being perennial do not wither with the passage of time. The importance and value of worshipping God by the Eight Virtues are highlighted in this drama. In the drama a Guru explains this truth to his disciple by the illustrative examples of the lives of devotees who attained bliss and God’s blessings by offering these flowers in their lives. The Eight Flowers of Virtues are Ahimsa (Non-violence), Indriya Nigraham (Control of the senses), Daya Pushpam (Compassion or Universal Love), Kshama Pushpam (Forbearance or Forgiveness), Sathyam (Truth), Tapas (Praising the Glory of the Lord), Dhyana (Meditation) and finally Shanti (Peace or Equanimity).

OCTOBER 22nd: PANEL DISCUSSION BY THE ANANTAPUR CAMPUS AND A MUSIC PROGRAMME.

On 22nd evening, there was a panel discussion on ‘Upanishadic Messages in the light of Bhagavan’s Teachings’. The six-woman panel comprising of teachers and alumni of the Anantapur College of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, dealt with the message of the Vedas and the Upanishads and correlated them with Bhagavan’s teachings. The panelists had researched their subject extensively from the books written by Bhagavan like Dharma Vahini, Jnana Vahini, Upanishad Vahini etc. and Swami’s discourses over the years. The panelists said that the Vedas were not only a source of spiritual wisdom, but also a treasure trove of worldly knowledge pertaining to the day-to-day life of man. They amply corroborated their statements by quoting extensively from the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavan's Discourses. They concluded with a note of gratitude to Bhagavan for guiding us on the path back to God and for giving us the profound teachings of the Vedas and the Upanishads in simple terms.

The panel members were Dr. Dwaraka Rani Rao, Dr. K.P. Sai Leela, Dr. Sarada Subramanyam and Kum. Kiran Gupta, faculty members of the Anantapur Campus and Ms. Prasoona, teacher in the Sri Sathya Sai Primary School. The panel discussion was moderated by Smt. Chetana Raju, an alumnus of the Anantapur campus.

Following the panel discussion, there was a Carnatic music recital by Mrs. Anuradha Krishnamurthy, a renowned artist who has rendered concerts in many countries. She began with a performance of the famous composition of Saint Thyagaraja - "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" in Sree Ragam, and thereafter sang two more songs and concluded with the Bhajan - "Koti Pranam Shata Koti Pranam." After her presentation, Swami blessed her and her accompanying artists, as well as all the panelists, who had spoken earlier, with a grand silk sari each as a measure of His appreciation.

OCTOBER 23rd: A DRAMA BY HYDERABAD SAI YOUTH.

In the evening of October 23rd, the Youth Wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh presented a play entitled - "Lakshala? Lakshyaala?" (“Money or Ideals?”) that highlighted the conflicting questions faced by the youth of today. The play that started after the evening’s Divine Discourse ran till quite late in the evening.

The play highlights the dilemma faced by a graduate who is drawn by career and money but at the same time questions if life has a higher purpose. This dilemma is resolved through the teaching that true and lasting happiness lies in Seva or service to others. The play also had a strong undercurrent current of patriotism as its theme, containing vigorous dances, songs, very good Telugu dialogues and music, all blended into a fine tapestry that provided for an enjoyable evening. The play moved fairly quickly and picked up a very fast pace at the climax with firecrackers and showers of coloured paper that resonated well with the audience. At the end of the programme, Bhagavan posed for photographs with the participants.

OCTOBER 24th: A MUSIC PROGRAMME BY ANDHRA PRADESH SEVA ORGANIZATIONS.

About 24 people from Vishakapatnam, Vijayanagaram, and Srikakulam districts of Andhra Pradesh presented a music programme in Sai Kulwant Hall on the evening of October 24th. They sang haunting melodies like Parthi Ganesam Pranamamyaham, Maa Amman Neevamma, Unnara Yuvakulu, Andari Devudu Sai Ramudu, and Hindu Muslim Bhai Bhai and so on. The one hour programme with melodious tunes and unforgettable lyrics made the evening very enjoyable for all. These songs were then followed by Bhajans by the Institute boys.

OCTOBER 30th: A DRAMA ON RAMAKRISHNA BY THE BRINDAVAN CAMPUS OF THE SSSIHL.

The boys of the Brindavan campus of the SSSIHL presented a drama depicting some important scenes from the life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. The drama, which began with the appointment of Sri Ramakrishna as the temple priest in Dakshineshwar, presented the total surrender and devotion of Ramakrishna to the Divine Mother and His complete dependence on Her for everything in His life. Moving on, it also showed the meeting with Narendranath (later Swami Vivekananda) and Narendranath testing the renunciation of Ramakrishna by putting a coin under His pillow. The famous incident when Narendranath was reprimanded by Ramakrishna for showing belligerence instead of forbearance, when the fishermen on a boat ridiculed Ramakrishna was also shown. Earlier Ramakrishna had reprimanded another devotee for not showing enough spirit and remaining mute under the same circumstances. Thus the lesson that spiritual instruction is different for different persons based on their development and personal characteristics was forcefully brought out. Swami was most happy and posed for group pictures with the students and also materialized a ring for the student playing the part of Ramakrishna.

NOVEMBER 6th: ‘SRI KALAHASTI’, A DRAMA BY THE PRASHANTI NILAYAM CAMPUS OF SSSIHL.

On November 6, the undergraduate students of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prashanti Nilayam campus, presented a drama entitled ‘Sri Kalahasti’. This drama is a depiction of how this small pilgrim town in Andhra Pradesh, Sri Kalahasti, got its name. It is a story of Sri - a spider; Kala - a snake; and Hasti - an elephant, all of whom surrendered completely to Lord Shiva and exhibited intense devotion to Him for which the Lord granted them salvation.

A hunter and tribal King Thinna listens to this story of the spider’s, snake’s and elephant’s struggle against one another to please the Lord the most, from a sage. He is deeply moved and inspired to surrender himself completely to the Lord.

One day during the course of his prayers to Lord Shiva, he observes that the eyes of the Shiva Lingam are bleeding. Unable to bear the Lord’s plight, he offers his own eyes to the Lord. At this act of total selfless devotion, the Lord appears before him and blesses him profusely for his intense devotion and complete surrender.

NOVEMBER 8th: BURRA KATHA BY THE PRASHANTI NILAYAM STUDENTS.

Burra Katha is an ancient rural art form to spread the Leelas of the Lord to the common man. A burra katha is presented by three characters: a Kadakudu who narrates the main story in form of songs, a Rajakeeyam and a Hasyam who give various interpretations and hilarious interludes to the story as it unfolds.

The really enchanting burra katha essentially told Swami’s story. It related how He kept His word to Mother Easwaramma who asked Him for three boons. He responded in a magnificent way and there arose the University, the Super Speciality Hospitals and the Sri Sathya Sai Water Project in response to His mother’s request to provide a school, a small dispensary and drinking water for the village.

While in the Treta Yuga, the Lord chose Hanuman for His mission, in the Dwapara Yuga He chose Arjuna as His instrument to restore Dharma. In the Kali Yuga, however, our sweet Lord has chosen the youth for His mission. At the age of 14, Swami declared His Avatarhood and then began His mission: a mission to inspire the youth and motivate them to serve, to enable them to love and teach them to forgive. They spoke of the Grama Seva and the beneficial effect it has had. The three boys presenting the katha received a thunderous ovation at the conclusion of their presentation. Swami was immensely pleased and posed for treasured group photographs with all the boys who were involved in bringing out this very memorable programme.

NOVEMBER 12th & 13th: DIWALI CELEBRATIONS IN PRASHANTI NILAYAM.

Diwali, the Festival Of Lights, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil, was celebrated in a fitting manner in Prashanti Nilayam. Diwali also marks the beginning of the New Year for the people of Gujarat, so our Gujarati brothers consider it most auspicious to usher in the New Year at the Feet of the Lord. The mood for the celebration was set on Friday evening when they staged a short drama entitled “Transformation” to signify the theme of the victory of good over evil in one’s own heart.

“Transformation” is the story of a school headmaster who is a staunch follower of our Lord. Desisting from sending the students for tuition classes outside the school in order for them to score good marks, he instead convinces the teachers to spare some extra time to coach the students in certain subjects. He thus runs afoul of a Mr. Nagappa who runs a string of coaching classes. Mr. Nagappa meets the headmaster and offers him a monetary consideration to entice the students to joining his tuition classes. The headmaster does not change his mind. Mr. Nagappa now orders a physical assault on the Headmaster in an effort to intimidate him.

Though knowing full well the identity of the assailant, the Headmaster refuses to lodge a complaint with the police or take any other action, adhering to Swami’s dictum - “Condemn the crime and not the criminal”. This act has a profound effect on Mr. Nagappa who becomes Bhagavan’s devotee and commits to starting a new life by following Swami’s Teachings.

The morning of November 13th, Diwali Day, dawns bright and we enter to see Sai Kulwant Hall beautifully decorated. A floral arch around Ganesha in the veranda is the centrepiece and a floral pattern on the balcony proclaims the celebration of the Gujarati New Year. At the back of Sai Kulwant Hall there hangs a huge painting of a village scene that forms the backdrop for the drama to be staged that morning. On the steps of the verandah is arranged a stack of pots at various places to give an authentic Gujarati look. Swami is welcomed to Sai Kulwant Hall by a mellifluous song and He stops a moment to admire the backdrop. After He sits down, the Bal Vikas children perform a vigorous tribal garba dance followed by a drama.

The drama, “Shantinagar – The Sai Gram”, a true story, revolves around the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Dals who plan to carry out Grama Seva in the village of Shantinagar. Initially, the villagers are very suspicious and suspect their motives. They also resort to violence to drive them away. The Seva Dals persist in their endeavour and win the villagers over by their commitment. They clean the village, provide medicine to the sick and teach the children Sanskrit Slokas. They promote personal hygiene and even bathe the dirty children themselves. All these activities affect a miraculous transformation and Shantinagar becomes a Sai Gram or a Sai Village. The well rendered drama was very touching and poignant and well received by the crowd. Swami walked down the steps and posed for photographs with the children and then had chocolates and Prasadam distributed to them. A very enjoyable and appropriate Diwali celebration indeed!

NOVEMBER 13th – 14th: AKHANDA BHAJAN CELEBRATION.

The Akhanda Bhajan or the 24 hour non-stop singing of Bhajans for global harmony and peace was celebrated in Sai Kulwant Hall from 6 p.m. on the 13th to 6 p.m. on the 14th. A total of 433 Bhajans were sung in this 24 hour period, starting with the Ganapathi Bhajan “Vigna Vinashaka Gana Natha” and ending with the Bhajan “Aum Sivaya, Aum Sivaya”. The Akhanda Bhajan, which was well attended even during the late hours of the night and the early morning hours, kick-starts the birthday celebrations. Swami came into the Bhajan Hall early on the evening of the 13th and listened to some melodious flute music for about 20 minutes. Promptly at 6 p.m., the Bhajans were started. At the end of 24 hours of singing the Akhanda Bhajan was brought to a close by Swami and Arathi was taken. Before leaving the hall, Swami playfully threw some laddus to the lead singers on both sides of the aisle, to express His deep pleasure at their meritorious service. Prasadam was then served to all.

As we bring these chronicles to a close, the campus is abuzz preparing for the upcoming Convocation and the Birthday celebrations, which we will bring to you in the next Issue. Till then, we say Sai Ram and may Swami’s love and blessings pour in abundant measure on you and your family.