8th July - 2006. Today morning swami came out for
darshans at 8 am. Swami took the full round and after reaching the
verandah, swami went to portico in front of Ganesha idol. Swami went up
to the portico in his mobile throne. Soon after taking the seat swami
called Maharashtra coordinator who showed swami the work being done by
the organisation. Famous bhajan singer Sri. Krishnamurthy, presented rose
to swami and sought permission from swami to sing bhajans.
Sri. Krishnamurthy sang bhajans which swami liked so much that swami
created a gold chain for him and put it in his neck. For Vinod Sehgal
the flutist
swami created a ring. Sri. Krishnamurthy sang bhajans mostly in classic and carnatic
style of music. Regular bhajans started at 8.55 am and continued till
9.25 am. Swami was given Aarthi and thereafter swami retired to his
abode. All through swami was sitting in the portico and did not enter
the interview room or bhajan mandir. Kulwant hall was packed to the full
and probably the rush of devotees is going to increase in view of coming
guru Purnima festival. Large Canadian group has arrived for guru
poornima festival. Swami gave a very smiling and acknowledging look to
the group of devotees who had come from Tibet.
8th July Evening darshan: Swami came out for evening darshans at
3.15pm.Swami took full round and took seat on the mobile throne in the
mandir portico in front of ganesha temple.Soon the instrumental music
programme started.The instruments used were mandoline,sitar and
tabla.This programme went upto 4 pm.After the programme, swami called
the person playing mandoline and materialised a ring for him.After this
programme,there was a quawaali programme.some lady devotee was the lead
singer.All the quawaalis were in praise of swami.Swami was so pleased
with the programme that after four quawaalies, swami called the lady and
created gold chain for her and put it in her neck.There after she went
back and sang one more quawaali.This programme came to end at
4.35pm.Thereafter swami went inside the interview room.Bhajans started
at 5 pm.Swami went inside the bhajan hall at around 5.05 pm and sat
there for some time.After listening to some bhajans swami came back to
interview room and was there for some time.Surprising everyone,aftersome
time swami again went back to bhajan mandir and enjoyed the
bhajans.Aarti was given to bhagwan at 5.30 pm and he retired for the
day.Prasad of sohan papdi was distributed to students and the group
which had come from maharashtra.
7th July 2006:- ASHADI EKADASHI - Detailed
Report -
Spiritual Rejuvenation that the Sai Mission is set into and Cultural
Renaissance that goes in tandem to attain the set goal were brought to
the fore by the devotees from Maharashtra and Goa on the auspicious
Ashadi morning, 7th July 2006 at Prasanthi Nilayam in the immediate
Divine Presence of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Reminiscing the past, rallying behind the great traditions set by two of
the greatest spiritual sons from the state, Sant Tukaram and Sant
Jnaneshwar, Sai fraternity from the two states of Maharashtra and Goa
thronged Prasanthi Nilayam, rekindled those golden spiritual memoirs,
suffused with the greater spiritual Truths imparted by Bhagawan over the
years.
Ashadi Ekadashi is the festival that marks the beginning of the
Chaturmasa and that ends with Kaarthik Ekadashi. It is celebrated during
the months of June - July (Ashad Shukla Paksha). People consider the two
eleventh days, “Ekadashi”, of every month to be of special significance.
The eleventh day (bright) of Ashad is known as the great Ekadashi or
Maha Ekadashi. This is the day on which people go walking in huge
processions to Pandharpur, the abode of Lord Vitthal singing the
abhangas (chanting hymns) of Sant Tukaram and Sant Jnaneshwar to have
the darshan of their Lord Vitthal. The Vaarkari sampada is a time
honoured cult and an important landmark in the colourful history in the
state of Maharashtra.
Large number of
devotees from the city of Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra and from
the state of Goa come every year to celebrate this festival at the
Divine Lotus Feet of Bhagawan at Prasanthi Nilayam.
Bhagawan who arrived in the fully packed Sai Kulwant Hall at 7:15 a.m.
was accorded a traditional welcome by the Maharashtra Bal Vikas, Mumbai
Youth Wing and devotees in general from both the States apart from
thousands present from other parts of the world. Sai Kulwant Hall was
aesthetically decked with flower hangings and one could see inscriptions
of Bhagawan’s teachings hanging from top serving silent reminder to man
of His ‘Final Reach’.
Bhagawan went for a full round in the Sai Kulwant Hall, came on to the
dais blessing the occasion by lighting the lamp before taking His seat
on the specially decorated stage that had a beautiful picture of Lord
Vitthal, the Lord of Pandharpur set against a background of rainbow.
‘Phir Ashadi Aayi Hai…Swagat Tumhara Sai Hai…Kithni Kushiyan Laayi Hai…Puttaparthi
Nagariyan Hamari…Yahan Pandarpur Ki Sai Hai…(Ashadi has come
again…Welcome Lord Sai…How much joy it has brought to our
Puttaparthi…Sai of Pandharpur is present here) was the song that lit the
hearts of one and all, welcoming the Lord of Gods to the hearts suffused
with love and devotion.
Then the Vaarkaris performed a traditional dance bringing the deity of
Lord Vitthal in a palanquin to Sai Vitthal from Gopuram Gate side. (Vaarkari
in Marathi means travellers.) One among them offered his obeisance to
Bhagawan by offering a Tulasi (basil) garland. The Vaarkaris ended their
dance with a pyramid formation offering their collective salutations to
the Lord. It is worth mentioning here that the Vaarkaris came on foot
from Dharmavaram to Prasanthi Nilayam passing through many villages.
They did pre-medical check-up of children in about 35 villages. Narayana
Seva was performed for the villagers on all the days of the Yatra
(journey). Three tableaus formed part of the procession. They conducted
role plays in Telugu on topics such as National Integration,
Anti-tobacco, liquor and awareness about good health and hygiene in the
villages. There was continuous singing of the Name of the Lord during
the Yatra.
What followed was an enchanting musical – “The Divine Commandment “I am
I – AhamAsmi Aham”. The musical began with children offering their
Pranams (salutations) to Bhagawan through a dance.
THE DIVINE COMMANDMENT “ I am I – Aham Asmi Aham”
Who am I? Modern education teaches that man belongs to the animal
kingdom, but Bhagawan declares that man is Divyatma Swarupa (embodiments
of Divine). The animals question the very right of man’s claim of
greatness. How man is considered superior to animals is their
contention.
The king of the
forest exclaims that it is only because of them that balance exists on
the earth. A conversation between the lion and fox ensues. The fox says
that whenever man acts in a cunning manner, it is attributed that so and
so is cunning like a fox. But truly, it is man who is cunning and
selfish, says the fox. In a similar manner, man derogates buffalo by
calling a lazy person a buffalo. A person pretentiously shedding tears
is called as shedding crocodile tears. Similarly, frogs and pigs are
deprecated. The snake proclaims that it is considered an enemy to human
beings, but the same man makes it dance to their tunes and its venom is
used as a medicine. In the game of cricket, when a batsman is out
without scoring, it is said, “he is out for a duck.” So, the lion
commands the tiger to capture man and bring him to the forest. When he
is brought, he shows his arrogance and callous nature. But the lion
shows mercy and says that he will be given a chance to defend himself.
Meanwhile, the elephant bellows, “I can carry ten of you.” Man says, “I
have a great mind which you animals lack.” The horse proclaims that it
is made to pull carts and fight in battles; similarly, the dog says that
for all its acts of faithfulness to its master, it is given stale food.
The lion questions, “What is the use of all education you profess to
possess if you do not follow Dharma and have no contentment?” To this
argument, man counters that he has the power to know God. The lion says
that to serve God is the motto of their kingdom. The monkeys served as
Vanaras helping Lord Rama in His Divine Mission. The bulls perform a
dance extolling Siva and declare that they are the recipients of the
grace of Lord Siva because the Lord uses them as His vehicle. Similarly,
the lion is the vehicle of Goddess Durga, Swan, the vehicle of Goddess
Saraswathi, peacock, the vehicle of Lord Subramanya and the tiny
Mooshika (rat) acts as the vehicle of Lord Vinayaka. So, animals are
worthy of all honour. God Himself had taken the form of animals to teach
mankind. He took the form of Kurma (tortoise), Narasimha (lion), Varaha
(boar) and Matsya (fish) to transform man. Now, the lion puts the
question to man, “Can you defend yourself?” “Animals are superior to man
in all respects”, declares the lion.
On introspection, the lion comes to the conclusion that the very God
they adore is in human form. So, the animals decide to help man to
realise his true nature. The scene now shifts to a
modern day school
where the students are taught that they belong to animal kingdom. A Bal
Vikas teacher then teaches the most important lesson of life to students
that God resides in everyone. Man does not belong to animal kingdom, he
belongs to God. When man is born, he cries Koham, Koham (Who am I?). He
should realise his true nature – Aham Asmi Aham (I am I).
All the participants of the musical converged to have the blessings of
Bhagawan. After Prasadam and Arati, Bhagawan went to the site near the
Planetarium, where a sprawling indoor stadium is going to be built.
Bhagawan blessed the construction materials and broke coconuts -
Photos: Bhoomi Puja
- as a mark of auspiciousness.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
A musical drama “The Ten Commandments” was presented by the children of
Sri 
Sathya
Sai Bal Vikas from the districts of Buldana, Akola and Sri Sathya Sai
Vidya Mandir, Dharmakshetra. Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall at 3.20
p.m. The musical drama was the story of the birth of freedom – freedom
from bonded slavery from the clutches of the Pharaoh of Egypt. The
Hebrews were being persecuted by the Egyptians. On hearing the prophecy
that a deliverer would be born to liberate the Hebrews, the Pharaoh
passed a decree that all new born babies in the kingdom be put to death.
To save Moses his mother made a plan. She hid him in a basket by the
side of the River Nile. Moses’ sister Miriam watched over him until
Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to wash. She found Moses in his
basket. Pharaoh’s daughter took him to live with her as though he were
her son. Moses grew up as an Egyptian prince. One day a slave was in
danger of getting crushed under a stone. Moses saved her life. This act
of kindness endeared him to the slaves. On learning about his true
origins, Moses spurned the throne of Egypt to fight for the slaves. One
day Moses lost his temper and killed an Egyptian who was cruel to a
slave. He was produced in front of the Pharaoh who passed an order that
Moses should be banished to a lonely desert to die.
Many years later, God spoke to him from a burning bush and told him that
he must go back and free the Hebrews from slavery. When he asked who He
was, God replied, “I am that I am”. Moses went to the Pharaoh to ask him
to set the Hebrews free. The Pharaoh did not want to lose his slaves.
Awful things began to happen in Egypt as a consequence. There were ten
plagues. Before each one, Moses had warned the Pharaoh what would
happen. Moses told him the disasters had been sent by God. The last
plague was the worst. The eldest son in every Egyptian family, including
Pharaoh’s died. The Pharaoh was so upset by losing his son that he said
the Hebrews could leave Egypt. The Hebrews knew they must leave Egypt
quickly. But the Pharaoh suddenly changed his mind again and sent his
army after them to bring them back. The army chased the Hebrews to the
banks of the Red Sea. They would have been trapped but a miracle
happened. God told Moses to lift up his staff and as he did so the
waters parted to make a dry path. They were able to make their escape.
When all the Hebrews were safely at the other shore, Moses lifted up his
staff again and the waters of the sea closed on Pharaoh’s army who had
been chasing them. God had saved the Hebrews. Even though the Hebrews
were free, they were still in the desert. The journey was long and they
soon ran out of food. They were very hungry and blamed Moses for taking
them out of Egypt. Moses told them that God would give them food. God
told Moses, “I will give the people food.” After three months of
travelling the Hebrews came to the foot of Mount Sinai. God called Moses
to meet him on the mountain. As he climbed, there was thunder and
lightning. When he was up the mountain God gave Moses ten laws which
told the people how to live. These Ten Commandments were written on two
tablets of stone. He stayed there in the mountain for days. When he
returned, he found his people indulging in evil. As a punishment, the
tablets disappeared. Then Moses pleaded for forgiveness from God and the
tablets reappeared.
The drama ended with the declaration that now God Himself has descended
on earth. He is the One who has declared, “I am that I am”. He is
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and each of us is His chosen messenger. It
is our right to spread the love of Bhagawan. After the drama, Prasadam
was distributed to all. After Bhajans Bhagawan was offered Arati and
then He retired to His abode for the day.
.
Images
& report from 6th July - Ashadi
Ekadashi 2006
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