Watch Out! We Are The Pacemakers…The Torch Bearers…

Watch Out! We Are The Pacemakers…The Torch Bearers…

Addressing the Balvikas Convention, Dr Rajan Anand, a Balvikas alumnus and currently working as a junior consultant anaesthesiologist at Bhagawan’s Super Speciality Hospital delivered an enlivening speech on 13th January, sharing the story of his journey as a Balvikas student, practising His teachings all along…Dr. Rajan Anand hails from the State of Himachal Pradesh, done his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of  Surgery from IGMC Shimla.

Om Sri Sai Ram!

My most humble Pranams at the Divine Lotus Feet of our most beloved Bhagawan and my loving SaiRam to one and all.

Maa or mother is the first word that every child utters transcending the barrier of language, race and country. When in pain, the first person we think of and call spontaneously is ‘Maa’. Listening to this call of a child – no mother can wait – her heart melts. Setting aside everything else, she rushes to help and shower love.

More than 40 years ago, the Divine Mother’s heart melted to the cries of her many children. Yes, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Whose love is more than that of a million mothers responded to the prayers of Her children. In 1969, Swami launched the Balvikas movement to blossom His children into citizens and leaders of tomorrow. Swami invested something more powerful than money – it was SELFLESS LOVE. It is His love that has blossomed millions of children into youth of character. There are hundreds of teachers known as Balvikas gurus guiding these young aspiring minds to follow the Divine  Teachings and guidance of Bhagawan. I am fortunate to have my mother as my Balvikas guru.  She made sure that each and every moment of my life – I surrender all my thoughts, words and deeds to Him. I always felt the unseen hand of our loving Lord – guiding and guarding me in every step of my life. I am grateful to Swami for blessing me with my physical mother who persistently taught me to do my best and surrender to Him.

I was in year 8 when Swami started the Super Speciality hospital in Puttaparthi. One day while returning from Bhajan with my mother – she said – I pray to Bhagawan to bless someone from our family to become a doctor and serve Him in His hospital. At that very moment, I promised myself that I would make every effort to fulfil this wish of hers. As the years rolled by and time finally came, I was unable to qualify the medical entrance examination. I felt lonely and lost. I did not know what to do. To be on the safer side, my father asked me to start preparing for engineering entrance examination as well. I was totally confused and was not able to decide on what to do. My mother understood my plight and she told me to pray sincerely for Divine guidance.

Dear brothers and sisters, ice also take sometime to melt, but my Divine Mother’s heart melted in no time to my sincere prayers. In a dream one night, I was crying and poring out my woes to Bhagawan. He hugged and assured me that He would take care of everything. He directed me to start preparing for medical entrance and not for engineering. At the same time He instructed me to keep maths book on my study table just to satisfy my father.

On the night of my medical entrance – to silence my sceptical mind – Swami re-assured me in a dream that I would definitely pass this time. With Swami’s blessings, I got sixth rank in the state medical entrance examination. When I joined the medical school in Shimla, I was going to be away from my physical mother for the first time. She was wondering who would help me at the time of despair, who would guide me – what is the correct path? What if I fall into bad company. She prayed to Swami to be with me. Fortunately, the Divine Mother has been my constant guide and companion, nurturing me into a beautiful flower in his Divine garden.

While in medical school, Swami gave me some clear cut instructions through His dreams – some of which I would like to share with all the students present here. I quote – ‘Do not engage yourself in unnecessary conversations with your colleagues; Avoid bad company; Don’t go from room to room in the hostel; Constantly chant the Gayatri Mantra;  Watch your Thoughts, Words and Deeds; Do not hurt anyone.’

Swami is a hard task master and whenever I faltered, He would remind me and helped me to implement these instructions in my day to day activities.

My sister’s wedding ceremony was fixed when I was in 2nd year MBBS. I was overjoyed but was worried at the same time as my final exams were scheduled immediately after the wedding. With a wedding excitement all over the house, it was impossible for me to prepare for the medical exams. After the wedding with just few days left for the exam, I started revising the text – Knowing very well that I would never be able to complete the syllabus. On a Thursday evening, with just three days for the exams, something prompted me from within, to go for bhajan that evening. My friends who were drenched in books, discouraged me but I knew that only bhajans would help my disturbed mind. I went for bhajan and prayed with all my mind – Dear Lord! I have wasted three precious hours, attending your bhajan – I am neither asking you to write my exam nor dictate the questions and answers to me. Oh dear Creator of this universe, please create a little time so that I may revise my syllabus. When I got back to the hostel, I was amazed to find all my friends playing cricket. they welcomed me with exciting words – Rajan, your Swami has postponed the exams by a month. I then realised that three hours had not been wasted, but invested with an interest rate of 10 days per hour. Needless to say, I passed with flying colours.

Years in medical college flew by and then came the struggle for the post-graduate degree seat. I prayed to Swami to bless me with any PG seat in His Super Speciality Hospital. My beloved Lord again came to my rescue in a dream. He said – and I quote – ‘Your stars are very bad. You are not going to be selected anywhere this year. But Swami can do anything. You are 100% selected for My hospital. ‘ The Almighty Will prevailed. I got selected in the Shri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital and went on to  become an anaesthesiologist.

Swami has helped me to realise my dream and now it is my duty to realise His dream and serve Him forever and ever.

On behalf of all the Balvikas students here and across the globe, I pray to you Sai Maa – Please bless us with your infinite grace, so that all of us become the ideal instrument in your Divine mission. Holding hands, we move in a determined stride, nothing can stop us with Mother Sai on our side. Deeply touching the lives of many, without asking for a single penny, by the spell binding radiance of love in our hearts and the essence of wisdom that pure knowledge imparts, uplifting the consciousness of the nations to the beauty and awe of the entire creation… Nothing can stop us.

Whole world, watch out – we will shine Swami’s light on every doubt. Through these bodies, Sai current will flow and fear…hatred and ignorance will gradually go. World peace and harmony will grow and love on the faces of all will glow. The golden age will gleam and beam in all its story and another chapter will be started in universal story. We will continue, we will proceed and with Swami’s blessings, we  will succeed. No stone left unturned, no lesson left unlearnt, in performing our role and doing our share. Whole world – watch out – it is Swami’s love that we share. We are the pacemakers, the torch bearers of truth. Whole world – watch out – we are Swami’s Balvikas children, we are Swami’s youth.

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

-Devotional India

Watch Out! We Are The PacemakersThe Torch Bearers