Baba is Everything To me Baba is everything; I am but an insignificant thing; I write because He holds my pen; He alone sings and teaches all men. I echo when He sings or talks; I am nothing but a chatterbox; He alone helps all, good or bad; He has come to make all people glad. I always think of Him for my good; I always think that He gives me food; I always pray that all may be happy Healthy, wealthy, wise, and free.                                                 ~K. VaidyanathanSource: Sanathana Sarathi, April 1962

At Thy Feet Let me pray at Thy feetFor, here are love, bliss and benevolence; Let me learn at Thy feetFor, here are truth, knowledge, and prudence. Let me ail at Thy feetFor, here is the great physician; Let me disappear at Thy feetFor, here is the omnipresent magician. Let me sing and dance at Thy feetFor, this is the center of every art; Let me grieve and weep at Thy feetFor, here resides the kindest heart. Let me rejoice at Thy feetFor, here is the priceless pleasure; Let me beg at Thy feetFor, here is the inexhaustible treasure. Let me work and struggle at Thy feetFor, here my efforts are secure; Let me play truant at Thy feetFor, here’s One who’ll all endure. Let me bathe my soul at Thy feetFor here rumbles the Ocean of sanctity; Let me `live’ and ‘rest’ at Thy feetFor, here exist both heaven and eternity. ~Donn Dungaji, JabalpurSource: Sanathana Sarathi, June 1964

Dearest Sai, We Seek Thy Solace In a personal interview with Bhagavan Baba in 1979, the author told Him that she wrote poems occasionally to pour out her love for Him. Swami blessed her and said, “Write more poems on me.” Later she was blessed to write 75 poems on our Lord for His 75th Birthday called ‘Seventy-Five Blossoms’. Oh Listen, Dearest Lord Sai,As a babe seeks its mother with tears dripping down,As a blind man stumbles and falls in the darkness around,As the blithe bird in the sky above totters down, cruelly shot,As the sun, covered fully, removes its brilliance in a trice,So, do we, one and all, stand shattered, mute and helpless,Beloved Sai, none to seek, we pray to Thee for Thy mercy. Oh Hearken, Dearest Lord Sai,Thou art everywhere in Thy full grandeur, shining splendidly with Thy halo,Here and there, up and down, all pervading, Thy glory exists,Lord of creation, nameless and formless, Thou art fullness itself,Thy love, so divine, brim with compassion, in full embrace of us all,Shocked and silenced by this demonic virus, we all bow down,Beloved Sai, none to seek, we pray to Thee for Thy mercy. Oh Awaken, Dearest Lord Sai,Shall I tell Thee the havoc wrought by this vicious virus, so elusive,With a name so strange to utter, only a tiny speck in a deadly shape,With a stealth hard to detect, with such a will to strike all in its path,Merciless and mute, it sprung on us all, it jumped, nay it gallopedUntil we trembled and tottered, breathless we hid in our space,Beloved Sai, none to seek, we pray to Thee for Thy mercy. Oh Listen, Dearest Lord Sai,Shall I recount tales of woe, sights so strange, suffering so intense,With this virus, so invincible in its track, began its journey far away,Slowly but surely, its tentacles grabbed all on its way, far and wide,In its sojourn every nook and corner, trampling rich and poor alike,We stood, bereft of all that we knew, lost the freedom we enjoyed,Beloved Sai, none to seek, we pray to Thee for Thy mercy. Oh Hearken, Dearest Lord Sai,Shall I tell Thee what I see day long, what I hear, washing and masking,Intent not to succumb to the threat around us, we hide in our homes,Hospitals aflutter with the sick and the dying, medical warriors fighting,Fighting with all their skills yet young and old, elderly too turn a prey,Dead with none to mourn, nor to bury, adds to the count, a scary number,Beloved Sai, none to seek, we pray to Thee for Thy mercy. Oh Awaken, Dearest Lord Sai,Bewildered, I ask Thee oft from our hiding spots of these harrowed times,Did we err so strong to upset life’s balance? Is karmic law astir to action?Looking through the window, nature unperturbed in its calmness I see,Birds hopping merrily, worms wriggling beneath the grassy spot, so wet,Divine grace, plenty to behold, ready to shatter karmic law, Sai is here,Beloved Sai, none to seek, we pray to Thee for Thy mercy. ~Kanaga Ranganathan, March 30, 2020

Thanks to Lord Sai, Hope Eternal Springs in Our Hearts To Thee, dear Lord of all creation, I surrender all my fears and hopes, In my struggle for sanity in times of tragic tales and torrential tears, I see Thy smiling face sending forth love, eternal divine love to all, Like a beacon streaming light to forlorn sailors tossed in a stormy sea, Thou art everywhere, brighter than million suns, showing the path. A path to tread, lighted with hope born of faith, a lantern to guide us, Thanks to Thee, Dear Lord Sai, Hope eternal springs in our hearts. To Thee, dear Lord of the vast cosmos, I pray for Thy divine rules, What cannot be changed, what destiny decrees, graciously accept it, With flapping wings and flailing arms, our fierce fight ends in naught, As you dive deep within, thoughts miraculously stilled, silence sweeps, In that stillness, in that vast expansiveness, listen to the voice of Sai, That voice whispers words of courage, words of wisdom and hope, Thanks to Thee, Dear Lord Sai, Hope eternal springs in our hearts. To Thee, dear Lord of effulgence, I oft seek Thy refuge and succor, With my seeking, an energy so soothing envelops me with hope, I see Thy divine hand at work, I open my eyes to enjoy Thy breath, I strain my hearing to listen to Thy invisible footsteps everywhere, I open my heart, wide to welcome Thy Love that flows so fast, I feel so content and peaceful with all dark thoughts chased off, Thanks to Thee, Dear Lord Sai, Hope eternal springs in our hearts. To Thee, dear Lord beyond names and forms, I turn to thee often, With Thy walking beside me to hold me in Thy embrace, I rejoice Now I see all the beauty around me, spring is here with its bloom, Cherry blossoms a pretty pink canopy in my yard, a beauty to behold, Daffodils dancing in the breeze, peonies with the dormant buds Hint of a glory yet to be seen, maple bush spreading its red mantle, Thanks to Thee, Dear Lord Sai, Hope eternal springs in our hearts. To Thee, dear Lord of infinite compassion, I see Thy golden touch In every bit of nature’s glory, a glory that drives these fears away, The sun in the horizon awakening to the birds’ symphony, so melodious, Red Robin sat motionless beneath the branches, as if in sync with us all, Sensing our sadness for awhile but its innate joy made it hop and sing, Regaining its motion, it hopped from bough to bough, twittering loud, Thanks to Thee, Dear Lord Sai, Hope eternal springs in our hearts. To Thee, dear Lord of our strength and hope, Thou art our sole refuge, Though seemingly vanquished by this invisible foe, we shall arise soon, A nightmare dream that engulfs us now shall soon fade into shadow, A terrible ordeal that binds humanity in a happy unison, strong in love, Divisions losing its grip, families united in strength, money with no hold, That is the glorious picture I envisage, with Thee by our side for survival, Thanks to Thee, Dear Lord Sai, Hope eternal springs in our hearts.               ~Kanaga Ranganathan, April 4, 2020

God is Love, Live in Love Here is another poem by Kanaga Ranganthan, who recollects her response to the Sai call to His devotees, and how in just one darshan her life was changed forever as He came near her, looking deeply into her eyes while she was seated in the first row. Waking up one fine morning, I was gifted with a gem so rare,It shone on me with its brilliance, darkening all else to fade.As its meaning dawned on me, my true soul danced in glee,My childish innocence and my later ignorance retreated full,My mind expanded with a glow, with freedom from bonds,My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, truly divine. His call from afar beckoned me, beckoned with an urgency,His voice chided me with love so gentle, wake up, He said,Do you realize the gift of a human birth? Why then this sloth?Why this utter waste of a life that is meant for a glorious goal?Why groan and grumble with no knowledge of what is within?My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, truly divine. Come to Me, my dear child, He said, I shall teach you the Truth,Free yourself from the darkness around to see beauty in all,Cast away your gloom acquired from birth to birth, sad indeed,You are divine truly full of love within, let it spring forth to all,I ran to Him breathless and panting, adored His brilliant beauty,My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine. As His eyes locked in mine with a gaze beyond time and space,I sat transfixed as His look seared my soul, deep into my depth,Unlocking the tight closed doors of my hidden soul open wide,Sending raptures of bliss in silence, He gazed and moved away.I sat enraptured with no sense of self, alone amongst so many,My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine. He truly taught the meaning of Love, God is Love, He thundered,Love is God, He said, live in love, God does not reside externally.Search not for Him in caves or mountain tops, nor anywhere else,Deep within you, in the sanctity of space, free of all dross and dirt,He resides, that pure gem of love exists, in one and all, unknown,My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine. As I set forth into the world, looked around, saw love in abundance,Saw the dazzling divine halo in everything I espied, I looked in wonder,The sun that arose tirelessly every morn to give love and light to all,The rain that splattered the roofs to grant life and energy to plants,The wind that embraced us all to give a cool breeze to all humanity,My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine. Walking further, I looked with amazing eyes, ocean alive and loving,Birds twittering merrily on the boughs, blooms in a jocund dance,Squirrel mounting the steps for crumbs, dog with its pleading love,Our home, the planet earth, abounding in a bewitching, green mantleAll send forth a joyous message of love and life, enough to suffuse us,My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine. Turning around, I saw the beauty and love in all I meet every day,My own children and their children united in a bond of deep love,Friends and companions whom I meet in the humdrum of daily life,The stranger who passes me with a smile after a day’s long work,In every single entity there awaits the joy of love eager for release,My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine. ~Kanaga Ranganthan, May 1, 2020

Golden Age Avatar   In the wide-open frontierThat I Ama hint of vastnessembraces me From a balcony in the heavensSai Avatar surveysHis luminous creationWinged worldsSpiraling galaxiesTimeless superluminallight yearsorbit His celestial finger I gaze wonderstruck……Swami’s fathomless eyeseclipse the dark nighta thousand suns rise inevery atom of my beingAnd the Earth turns….Golden ~Sonya Ki Tomlinson-Warren “There is no force on earth that can delay for an instant the mission for which this Avatar has come. You are all sacred souls, and you will have your parts to play in the unfolding drama of the new Golden Age, which is coming.” ~Sri Sathya Sai BabaSanathana Sarathi, October 1996, back cover

From the Form to the Formless Almost half a century ago, in the midst of my earthly life was a call,That persisted doggedly causing an uneasiness in my monotony,I listened, listened intently with rapt attention, an ethereal call,That was above my mortal chains of family and entwined bond,That set to naught the human ties of normalcy, it made me search,Search for books that held sacred teachings of this wondrous Form. Gazing at the Form sent shudders of thrill through my entire body,My long-lost soul trembled with joy at this discovery, a wakening,From a slumber that human birth firmly tends to hold in its grip,From a slumber that knows not the true goal of one’s human fate,I woke up, casting away the deep illusion gathered through births,I decided with my consort in joy to search for that beloved Form. I remember the day when all of us longing to see that holy Form,With all travel plans underway smoothly achieved as we alighted,In that sacred grounds, an oasis of serenity in a far remote valley,Tucked away from maddening crowds and dense populous places,The abode of peace stood rising in its majesty of supreme splendor,Joyfully housed in its lodgings, we joined the devotees for darshan. As we sat in orderly lines, bathed in the warmth of the tropical sun,My daughters by my side while my dear consort and son opposite,Looking around, I saw thousands thronged, varied and happy truly,Mothers and fathers, babes and children, rich and poor, all present,With one fixed mind, one goal, to see the glory of the Form, Lord Sai,Lost in thoughts of the events that led us here, I stirred, saw the Form. At the pull of my seven-year old offspring, I looked where she pointed,And saw at a distance a sacred sight, the holy Form draped in orange,With a head of hair that defies description, gliding forth amongst us,With a countenance fully radiant, more than the glow of million suns,With divine love that embraced all those present, love beyond barriers,He came, walked, smiled, touched, blessed us all with His mystical signs. As He approached me with a gaze so piercing that flung my soul open,I sat transfixed, mute and empty, struck with silence, I gazed in awe,Time stood still, space annihilated, mind fully emptied, I alone existed,Trees around stopped blowing, babes sat fixed in their mothers’ laps,Nature was motionless, the sun in the sky marveled at the scene below,Sitting there immersed in the energy radiating from Him, I felt peaceful. Lord Sai in His brilliant Form had entrapped us all in His magical net,Surrendering to His Lotus Feet, we felt in Him the source and origin,A Divine guru, a compassionate avatar, descended to save humanity,Lord of Lords to lead us from darkness to light, from sin to security,Our annual trips to the sacred Abode of Peace in that far-away valley,Filled us with a peace beyond human ken, a joy that knew no bounds. His teachings taught us how to cleanse our inner self, free from foes,The six enemies that gripped us firm, then to fill pure place with love,He stressed to us, look within the divine spark that shines in one and all,He taught us how to find unity in diversity and to find joy in serving all,When laid low with life’s blows, He gave us solace with warm wisdom,He appeared in our dreams to draw us closer to His divine proximity. The years rolled on, lulled in the lap of the Divine Mother, we grew,Grew in spiritual maturity, dependent on the Sai Form, we survived,Away or near His presence, with His Form flashing every moment,With Sai Ram ever on our lips, we ably managed life’s meanderings,One day, rudely snatched from this pleasant Sai existence, we wept,Sai had taken on Himself a physical ailment, so severe and alarming. The climax reached that awful Sunday, Easter Sunday, nine years ago,He, our Lord, our Beloved Sai, our serene Swami planning every move,Left us all, spiritual orphans, as He left the body, the dear Form He took,Yes, a human form to walk amongst us, to teach the path of Divine love.Lying resplendent even in that lifeless state, nations all over mourning,He still shone with the splendor that He carried all along, a smiling Savior. Left alone to fend our way with assurance of His presence still firm in us,We pondered, why did our Divine Master leave ere His promised time?Based on His teachings, understanding the essence, go beyond the form,With spiritual maturity it dawns on us to seek the formless within us all,Why just the Form when it is the mere visible expression of the essence?An essence, the supreme consciousness that took a form to be with us. Blessed are we in an age when the Creator Himself chose to be with us,Chose to lead us back to our native state of purity, to our own divine self,With His teachings embedded deep in us, He said, go beyond the Form,Don’t be deluded, within you lies the essence, formless and so blissful,The supreme energy took a Form to show us the formless, creative core,With this spiritual truth fixed at my life’s sunset, I relaxed to look within. ~Kanaga Ranganathan, July 18, 2020

Reflections from A Garden Chair Seated in the garden in the summer months, a cherished time,On a chair strong and sturdy, made of steel and sedately white,After a short walk of ten and five minutes, a welcome respite,Every morn and eve when the sun’s rays seem more friendly,I enjoy my solitude spent with nature with its green abundance,A time that is aligned with the blessings I received from Lord Sai. At these times of communion with nature, my mind is stilled,The mind that is in constant chatter, flitting from one to the next,Takes a pause and lets the silence of joy to enter its own domain,What a lesson taught by Sai! In the deep silence the divine enters,Fills one with peace that is beyond human perception and reach,As such are these precious moments in my garden chair every day. Seated on this white chair made of steel and strength, in deep silence,In the front garden which bears so many lovely trees and floral bushesThat we had planted so lovingly with so much care and a warm touch,That which brings the nostalgic memories of my dear erstwhile partner,Whose loving labor entwined with mine, too, wove this garden’s magic,I let these memories pass undisturbed, leaving me with precious peace. I watch as the little seed buried in the ground sprouting in its birth,A gift from mother earth to all, a promise of a strong future floral bush,I watch the flowers already in bloom displaying their beauty in all hues,Didn’t Sai teach us the divine source that created all the wonderful glory?I watch the towering trees, maples, double cherries with its greenery,All displaying enchanting colors, all these, the creator’s divine charm. I watch as the birds fly from branch to branch, finally finding the feeder,Wherein the bird seeds entice them for a flitting feed to suffice their need,I hear their twittering sounds of songs from all directions far far above,Some melodious reaching loved ones, some querulous with a complaint,I watch the squirrels with a stealthy look hopping beneath the bushes,As they look for the seeds fallen on the grass, contented they run off. I watch as the passers-by walk on the road facing me, mask-covered,Sometimes with their family, sometimes alone jogging for a physical,At times walking a dog or two on a leash, waving me as they pass by,Mostly from the neighboring residence, drawing my attention to them,I see in them, as our Beloved Sai taught, that spark, that divine spark.Isn’t it a wonder that those under Sai charm learn this basic divine law? At times my child from the neighboring house, grown up with her family,Joins me for a maternal time as an offspring, a delightful time amidst all,Yes, amidst all my solitary reverie, a welcome interlude warmly offered,Makes life richer, more blessed with such divine gifts, more varied joy,Seated in my white garden chair, strong and sturdy, time ticks on and on,As I rise up from the chair, calm and contented, to wend my way back.            ~Kanaga Ranganathan, July 16, 2020.

The Advent of Sai Avatar With just three more days to celebrate the advent of Sai Avatar,My memory recalls the joyous day of His glorious, divine form,The multitude of eager devotees who came in droves to attend,Jostling with each other to catch a glimpse of our Dear Lord SaiAs He was feted and honored by all with pomp and divine gloryOn the twenty third of November with reverential pious worship,What a miracle, what a lucky destiny to be with Sai on that day!I bowed my head in gratitude to be alive to see heaven on earth. As the world plunged in darkness, losing ever its pristine purity,As the evil form of wickedness stalked humanity in hot pursuit,As hunger, disease, negative passions held full sway all around,As humans, the crown of creation, floundered in terrible agony,The supreme consciousness, the mighty Creator Himself stirredIn His divine compassion, at the earnest pleas of yogis and saintsMade His sankalpa [will] to appear amongst us to dispel the darkness,He appeared in the far, remote village five and ninety years ago. Nature rejoiced at the birth of the Divine descent, a sweet form,That drew with a magnetic charm all seekers of the eternal Truth,At the tender age of thirteen drew a multitude of eager devotees,Renouncing the worldly kith and kin, to teach all, poor and rich,He spent all His life on earth teaching us the path to pure Love,Showed us the glory of service, to find joy in the joy of others,His holy brightness cast its benevolent rays all around the world,Then on Easter day, nine years ago, His task done, He was gone. His life amongst us left an impact, unparalleled in its Divine nature,He taught us all, seekers and non-seekers as well, what true life is,To us who searched for Truth in places of worship, in scriptures too,Who went on arduous pilgrimages on hill tops and cavernous spots,He said, look within, deep within you, hidden under layers of sheathsLies that Atma, your own divine spark, that part of eternal brilliance,Once you find it, then all around you temples and scriptures of yore,Places of worship, birds and beasts, every atom shines in Divine aura.What a divine teaching sorely missed in our ignorance! We learnt anew,We dipped into the silence in our hearts, in that silence lost ourselves,We felt a peace beyond our understanding, saw such dazzling energy,That embraced all creation, our horizon vastly expanded to the beyond,He taught us how to purify our hearts within before the spiritual journey,Get rid of the internal enemies that bind you with iron fetters mercilessly,Anger, jealousy, hatred, and such poisonous traits that held you in sway,Cleanse yourself and in the space so purified, so sanctified, let love enter. Let your love expand, Sai taught us, a love without barriers and bonds,A love beyond your own kith and kin, a love that soars in the joy of all,A love that embraces the birds on the trees, the animals in the jungle,The plants and the blossoms that shed beauty around, all that crawl,Yes, He, our Lord Sai taught all this and more, Love is God, God is Love,“Experience the joy and grief of others, He taught, help ever, hurt never,See unity in diversity, our hearts cleansed with the teaching of Lord Sai,We saw and felt a new world, saw only the beauty and joy in one and all. Nine long years have passed since He withdrew His physical form forever,He taught us to seek Him formless in all the supreme Divine energy around,The beloved form had gone but true to His teachings we learn ourselves,To see and experience the formless Divine energy, the basis of all creation,In my life, my Divine Savior, Beloved Lord Sai, was the true goal of my life,He changed my life’s path to one of seeking always His sacred proximity,He taught me, my late spouse, and my four children ways to live righteouslyWith tears welling up in me, I thank Lord Sai for His sacred blessings to all.            ~ Kanaga Ranganathan, November 21, 2020

A Bouquet for Our Beloved Sai I start this Prayer to Sri Ganesha, whokeeps us from all harm and sin:Dear Ganesha, Sri Ganesha, bless thisJourney we begin.Sweet Ganesha. Sai Ganesha, Lead usto Lord Sai our King. …. To Sathya Sai our Divine King: Om to Earth and Heaven above,Om to the dawning Sun within.Sai has come to light our Heart,Illumine love and peace therein.Om to Earth and Heaven above, toSathya Sai, our Lord, we sing.His light and goodness fill our heart,Illumine love and peace therein. O God beautiful, O God beautiful,Thank You for each perfect day.Thank You for Your gracious gifts,You care for us in every way.Dearest Lord, we feel Your presence inour Heart where You reside.May all our words, and all our deeds,and all our thoughts on You abide. At Your Lotus Feet we pray that neverwe from dharma stray.Help us, Lord, to see Your form inevery creature that is born.You’re our beacon, You’re our shelter,You’re our hope, we bow to You.Show us how to serve all mankind,Love all, seeing only You. Lord, we want no wealth or fame,Just give us strength to sing Your name.When we search our heart, our mind,Beloved Sai, You’re all we find.You’re our mother, You’re our father,You’re our brother, sister, too.You’re our friend, and You’re our guru,You’re our God, we worship You. Brothers, sisters, near and far,Come listen to the Avatar.When we share the love we feel,His Golden Age He’ll soon reveal.Start the day, spend the day,End the day with love, sweet love.That’s the way to come to Baba,Merge with Him who’s purely love.Start the day. Fill the day, end theDay with love, sweet love.That’s the way to reach Lord Sai, mergewith Him who’s purely love. Praise God, remember God,Rejoice in God, Be One with God.Let every breath be filled with God,within us is the loving God.… Sri Sathya Sai our living God.Lord, we want You. Lord, we need You.Lord, we give our lives to You.Lord, our hearts are filled with prema.Lord, our eyes see only You. Asatoma Tamasoma, from theDarkness lead us home.Always shine Your light upon us,Give us peace, Lord Hari Om.We open wide our Temple door,Voice and heart to heaven soar;Glory to the blessed One,Whose love is deep within our core.…We have His love forevermore. Joyfully we sing God’s name,Proclaim God’s truth, extol His fame.Our hearts receive the arthi flame,and taste the sweetness of His name.We’re happy that on earth He came.We’re ever grateful that He came.…. Dear Lord Sai, we’re glad You came.Om ‑ Shanti ‑ Shanti ‑ Shanti. ~A. N. DruckerSource: Sanathana Sarathi, Sept 1981.