Greater Heaven’s GIFT called Sathya Sai Darshan What is the supreme significance of Sri Sathya Sai Darshan??? God descends every time to help ascend man to his original state of Godhood. …And the ‘Supreme-Most’ Avatar’s descend in the most crucial phase of human history, in the history of time, when the Kalipurusha waging a stormy-battle in royal raging fume, is not just another descend… His was (is) The Descend Of All Descends… and He Is The Avatar Of All Ages… and The Avatar Of All Avatars…He Is The Supreme One Who has come to vanquish the evil, the almost unstoppable barrage of wicked propensities of Kali, to restore His creation back in the track…. and That One can only be expressed with the best of all superlatives… One Who Is InCredible… InExplicable… InScrutable… Catching a ‘glimpse’ of His Own saying about the superlative significance of His Darshan will make us ponder over… over and over again…… He says: “My walking amongst you is a Gift yearned for by the Gods of the Highest Heaven and here you are receiving this grace. Be Grateful.” A Gift yearned for by Gods of the Highest Heaven…and here we are, the folks, who experienced His Divine Love in the minutest detail as well in the monumental designs… Having had Him in the midst, Who chose to be ‘One’ among us, were we disillusioned, believing that we almost had ‘cakewalked’ into Him??? He remained so close… closer than humanity could have ever expected… He moved amongst us, almost like one among… while Being in everyone of us. He did it in His own inimitable style, even excelling His preceding ‘Descends’. Deliberating on the Divine Descend, strolling down ‘historylane’, down to the ages, we are aware that, Lord Sri Rama’s descend in the Treta gifted mankind with the sacred ‘Ramayana’, a Sacred Lore That runs into eternity, encapsulating the summum bonum of Supreme Truth. …And Lord Sri Krishna’s descend in the Dwapara presented us with the sacred ‘Mahabharata’, again a glorious spiritual marvel encapsulating the Supreme Wisdom… and there born the Song Celestial Bhagavad Gita, The Divine Treatise for everyone in all the worlds. Human history is replete with Godly ‘advents’, advents full of Supreme Love, Supreme Compassion… packed with tales of Ultimate Wisdom… Every single act of Him, be it as Lord Rama… Lord Krishna or Sri Sathya Sai, bore indefinite significance… and thus definitely has His ‘final act’ of disappearance as well… Let’s leave it for Him alone to answer… for, human understanding is just a mere spark of His Almighty Effulgence Supreme… It is only when the Jeevatma makes an attempt to realise its irrefutable connection, irresistable bondage with the Paramatma, The Suprme Brahmam, that, perhaps the little ‘i’ will get a glimpse of that secret. Until then, when we tread the path towards ‘Prasanthi’, let’s remind ourselves yet again, of the most beautiful Divine act of Sathya Sai Darshan – The Beauty Beyond Compare… Oh! Lord, The thoughts that flit through the mind upon viewing Thy Beloved Form, makes me realize that Thou Art that vital shade that soothes and refreshes even as life represents scorching rays of the Sun…Yet, when no longer visible, can we fathom what we have lost or comprehend what we have received or gained…?” The time that was to follow, the unfolding of His Divine plan and what necessitated it, was and is known only to The Beloved One…the unreserved shock, utter anguish and deep pain felt as He chose to hitherto withdraw the Cherished Form, could be overcome only by the downpour and surge of love His very Name brings forth.  As Beloved Bhagawan gave that most loving, lingering, everlasting, decisive and significant erstwhile darshan as yet, He made all know – You are never alone but God’s very own. Come, join in, reminisce, recall, relive and seek an encore, of that ultimate public darshan thus far, of the Formless Supreme. Listen to your heart – envisage creatively and receive wholeheartedly. …and before we close let’s remind ourselves what He Himself taught us: The play is His, The role is His gift, The lines are written by Him… He directs, He decides the dress and decoration, the gesture and the tone, the entrance and the exit.  You have to act well to receive His approbation. When the curtain falls earn by your efficiency and enthusiasm, the right to play higher and higher roles…that is the meaning and purpose of life. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

My Task Is This… 67 years ago, when Bhagawan was just over twenty years of age, He wrote a very revealing and inspiring reply to a devotee, who was perturbed by adverse talk by aimless tattered tongues, attempting to tarnish the Divine image. Pacifying the agitating mind Bhagawan responded, explaining His Task and His Divinity. The letter was dated 25th May 1947. To Bhaktas! My dear Boy. I received your letter and I noted the flow of the current of Prema and the echo of Bhakti in every word. It is impossible to see into the hearts of Jnanis and Yogis; nor is it possible to understand their ways. So, naturally, people talk about them, just as their fancy prompts them. No amount of fault-finding indulged in by these people can affect us, so long as we act truly and well, keep our purpose steadily in view and so long as we do not lose hold of the values dictated by Jnana. Don’t you know that only those trees get stoned, which have fruit on their branches? The tree with no fruits is not noticed by passers-by. Good and bad co-exist; they are companions for ever. That is in the very nature of the world. And, why, let me ask, should these people be blamed? Poor fellows! What do they know? What can they know? They are caught by every gust of greed, anger, envy and hate. So, they become intolerant and have no control of mind or tongue; they indulge in loose talk and slander. Those that know will never talk like that. It is not wise to take such ignorance seriously. Truth alone can win, believe Me. Un-truth must fail. It might appear to win for some little while, but, as soon as Truth appears on the scene, un-truth does flee. It is not the nature of Mahatmas to exult when worshipped or droop when they are neglected or cal­umnied. No Gita has laid down rules and regulations for the behaviour of Mahatmas; but, Sathpravarthana and Sadbuddhi are the fundamental traits …Beneficial Activity and Beneficial Thoughts. Provided these are there,  whatever is done over and above this for the benefit of the Bhaktas and for their welfare according to their deserts, we can afford to be free. You should pay no heed to the talk you men­tion. The Mahatmas do not owe their greatness to others who recognise them as such; nor do they lose their great­ness if some one fails to recognise them. Their stature is not heightened by praise or lowered by blame. Of course there are some “Yogis” who suffer from blame and they have every reason to fear. I shall tell you who they are. They quaff their full, they swallow pills Of opium, and chew the bhang—these ‘noble’ folk! They drink, they eat their fill Of low unwholesome food—these `famous’ men! “Tis wrong to state ’tis false to say That anything dies, they never die,” They swear while (!) cutting throats and eat The living things they like—these `teachers’ grand! They preach the lessons of love and peace But hate and fight, all on the sly—these `gurus’ great! They fret and fume and speak for long On dry as dust philosophy! This wondrous gang of Yogis false They surely dread a fall. It is only such that have to be afraid. You must have read, in the lives of Mahatmas, how they were as­sailed by small men in even worse ways. It is all part of the scheme,: don’t worry. How long can the poor dogs bark at the star? How can they produce any effect on the star? All this will continue just for a little time; our integrity is the means to victory. I shall not slacken My Task, My Activity, My Determination. For Me, Reputation, Fame, Blame, Calumny—all are equally insignificant. I am quite unconcerned with the whole lot. I speak and act, only to help the world and for the sake of the people. But, let Me tell you, I have no name, no place, no possession. By whatever name I am called, I respond! To whichever place I am called, I go and make My appearance. I have this as My very first, My vow, My self-imposed task. I have not spoken of this to anyone so far; I am not a part of this world; I am far far away from it. But yet, I engage Myself in the uplift of its inhabitants. My Shakti, My Power, My Mystery can never be understood, whoever studies it, howsoever intensely and well. You can yourself witness the glory that will be manifested hereafter. Bhaktas must learn patience and await events. Then, you will yourself realize the absurdity of your fears. I wrote this reply to you, because I felt you will be sad, unless I wrote. Otherwise, I would not have replied at all, for it is not in Me to pay heed to such things. Thus…..Your Baba.

For Bhagawan And The Brahmand… What better offering can a devotee make than to pray for His entire creation, by chanting most selflessly His Cosmic Chant, Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu…How humans should understand that they are channels of abundance, channels of peace and channels of light, to light up the whole of His creation…working most selflessly with a expansive heart.. On this epochal year of 90th Year Of His Advent, let’s continue with His mission, chanting Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu…an inspiring writing from Sri Jullie Chaudhuri. God illumines the entire universe as the Atma Tatwa immanent in all the living beings and objects. Even though God may appear to be involved in so many activities in the world, it is only for the pleasure of His devotees. He has no desire of His own. He has only one desire – Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu!  – Baba (Dussehra Discourse -2009)

Now And Forever As humanity is passing through a crucially important phase in its history, man needs to attempt to reinvent his lost fervour, fervour for spirituality utilising all God-given agendas to the best… and thus comes the supreme importance of “Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu” – the Universal MahaMantra born of Sri Sathya Sai HimSelf. Dwelling upon the sublime living exemplified by Bhagawan, the Sri Sathya Sai Bhagavatham, writes Sri Jullie Chaudhuri about the supreme importance of the phase humanity is passing through… Easter Day 2011 the world received some excruciatingly devastating news.  Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba had chosen to aloof Himself from the Physical. Easter was on 24th April that year. This year Easter Day just passed us by on 27th March. Incidentally, 28th March, was the day The Lord selected to admit Himself into the SSSIHMS. Then on, each day every devoted heart experienced tremendous soreness and awaited any bit of news, each moment of the day about their Beloved Swami – their Centre of Adoration. The fervour for Bhagawan surpassed limits. And anxious thoughts flooded each cell of the being.What all has He taken upon Himself? What can we do to ‘ease’ things?  Are we not responsible in some way for all that was happening? How can we share in howsoever a minute manner the colossal expanse, the unimaginable magnitude, the almighty contamination the Almighty had thrust upon His most adorable Form? Bhagawan is beyond pain, yet, each heart was writhing, burning in agony. And still is.Prayers rented the ether…prayers to Him…for Him. On this day, on 28th March 2011, a pacemaker was fitted into the heart of the One Who is the Heart of the Universe…Who sets the pace of every atom in creation! Is there anyone Who can fathom the leelas, the sportive play, the mystical pronunciations, the transcendental acts of Bhagawan? The human mind is fixed in limitations, confined in conditions. Conversely, God is beyond conditions, beyond logic, beyond any and every limitation. There are no laws binding upon the One Who makes the Laws…for, even as the energy structure is being altered, transformed and amended as each person and the environment evolves…classifying a dynamic process…His Will too refines, redefines and decides the Cosmic Script and the laws that harmonise and fit the script. No one can comprehend the ways of God. They are beyond description. – Baba Avatars do not manifest to please or convince any mortal. The descent of God in the Physical is for the resuscitation of Dharma, for reviving Shanti, for escalating pristine Prema, for establishing Ahimsa, for the protection of the meek and downtrodden, to bless the helpless, fundamentally the Divine Being appears so as to facilitate the wellbeing of each being. The welfare of all beings attracts a Divine Incarnation. Consequently, the life, breath, message and mission of the Sathya Sai Avatar, the Source of Creation, the eternal spring of Compassion is essentially Samastha Lokaah Sukhino Bhavantu. Moreover, the essence of Samastha Lokaah was planted in each individual soul as it birthed itself from the Cosmic Womb…the womb of Mother Sai. Quite essentially and unknowingly all are silently exuding this Mantra. It is time enough to arise, awaken and be aware of this truth, this Dharma of our existence especially during this period of Sai Lent. Then on may it blend with every heartbeat, each inhalation that destiny has bestowed upon us. Isn’t this what pleases the ever blissful Supreme Father and Mother of Creation? Isn’t this the bliss of our Precious Lord? Come, let us dwell upon the sublime living exemplified by Sai…may Sathya Sai Bhagavatam continuously absorb our soul, may Samastha Lokaah/Jeeva Sukhino Bhavantu propel our thoughts, words and deeds. May His compassion be our everyday mission. Together let us offer allegiance to the breath of Sai. Every dawn guide us, Oh! Beloved Master,How may we reach out to all incessantly?How may we live to please only Thee?May the shimmering pink-gold Light of Thy Prema,Embrace our heart space,Help us to be kind to ourselves too,Strengthen our personal sadhana,Intensify our Aradhana,That we may  sychronise the five senses with each human value,In thoughts, words and deeds as they flow through,Deepen our understanding of Samastha Lokaah/Jeeva Sukhino Bhavantu,Whereby,We remain ensconced in the sphere of Sathya Sai,Enhance our link and association with You,You are Now, You are Forever,May we ever bask in the realm of forever with You.Now and Forever. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Poisoned Arrows Or Scented Blossoms…Sorrow or Celebration? All that, to which, our conscience whispers a firm “No” are most undesirable and to all which our conscience hums  a firm ‘Yes’ are the most desirable actions for man to follow. When man listens to his conscience, that is the Inner God, he moves in the right direction and thus pleases Him Who is The Indweller…and when he moves opposite, he is inflicting pain in Him, Whose directives he chooses to ignore. Every negaive thing, be it our lackadaisical attitude, actions that reeked of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya are arrows, darts, shafts, missiles that hit the Divinity Within us writes Sri Jullie Chaudhuri  quoting references from Prasnottara Vahini reminding the children of Sathya Sai to awake, exult and herald in the Golden Age following Him studiously…Read on… She lit the evening lamp,Watching the rays of the Sun bid adieu and disappear,Dusk pirouetted to the fore from the rear,Deep was her contemplation on the events of the past year,A colossal ‘why’ and many, many , many ‘why nots’,In the mind did churn and appear…With open eyes she saw that Effulgent Form,The mist lifted even as the heart did mourn,With delight she looked upon Him,Moist eyes in which teardrops did brim,Upon a closer look she couldn’t stifle a loud gasp,She ran over and the Beloved One’s hand she did clasp,Agony stabbed her aching heart,Her voice was a hoarse and painful rasp –‘My Lord, Beloved Mother, Oh! Baba, Baba…’Was all she could muster,Mind reeling, senses not at par,As grief did her nerves scar,And the flow of words completely debar…Up close,She saw that His frame was entirely covered with arrows…Slowly the meaning did unfold. Every thought, word and deed which was not in sync, that was negative, harmful in intent, thoughtless, uncaring, acutely insensitive, horrifyingly arrogant, cruel and abusive to any living being or the minutest part of creation, was indeed an arrow; each thought and word wrongly intended brought on a torrent of chain reaction in rapid succession. Every lackadaisical attitude, each action that reeked of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya was an arrow, a dart, a shaft, a missile, embedded in the lotus like frame of Beloved Bhagawan. Each arrow had a name on it. Countless arrows  pierced His gentle frame through the flaming orange robe. Arrows that came from all over the globe. Each and everyone was responsible for having pierced with toxic arrows and shafts, the Benevolent, Magnificent and Supreme Frame of God. Let us read excerpts from ‘Prasnottara Vahini’ by Beloved Bhagawan to get a clearer picture about these venomous and destructive weapons which lie either subtly, overtly or downright blatantly in every human persona. Q – Swami! What are the traits of character that we have to avoid, that is to say, which are the obstacles in the path of one who seeks liberation from the cycle of Birth and Death? Ans – The six, the Ari-shadvarga: Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya; these are to be avoided. Q – What exactly is Kama? Ans – Desire for riches, property, honour, status, fame, children; why list the lot? Attachment to all things of this sensory world – this false, temporary, impure world. Q – Krodha? Ans – Yearning to harm others and cause ruin to them. Q – And Lobha? Ans – Determination that no one else should partake of even a small fraction of what one has earned or what one has; also, that even in times of distress, one’s possessions should not be diminished by use. Q – What is the meaning of Moha? Ans – The delusion that some people are nearer to one than others and the desire to please them more than others, leading to exertions for earning and accumulating for their sake. Q – Mada? Ans – Mada means the swagger that develops when one feels that he has either scholarship or strength or riches or fame, more than others. Even when one has not got these, Mada makes men move about without reverence for elders and consideration for others’ feelings and craving only for one’s own comfort and security. Mada is extreme egoism. Q – The last that You mentioned is Matsarya. What does that mean, Swami? Ans – When others are as happy as yourself, Matsarya makes one miserable; one cannot tolerate it. Such lucid explanations about the excess baggage that we carry, weapons of self as well as social destruction in the psyche of each individual. Yet, we point fingers at disgruntled neighbours, street fights, terrorists and warring nations. Each arrow that falls off due to virtuous, ethical behavior continuously gets replaced when the worst in us gets the better of us.But these attempts at self transformation needs a Cosmic Boost, intense endeavour and an absolute one-pointed focus. The arrows on that Cherished Form have to be removed. They have to fall off, disintegrate, vanish, crumble. Since those arrows belong to us all, the remedy too lies with us. We need to replace those arrows cautiously, skillfully, carefully, being ever dexterous and vigilant so that they do not surface ever. These poisonous arrows need to be wiped out, their repeated recurrence barred.  And for this we need ‘zoomed in’ determination, a soul centered obsession with the Ultimate Goal, a burning passion for purification, a supreme will and complete absorption in the gigantic task at hand – unfurling and manifesting our inherent, latent divinity. If these words have touched your hearts, dear brothers and sisters, if they have created ripples of impression upon a mind ever ready to please the Beloved One, if they have evoked feelings of harmony and linked our thoughts…then we must not remain sanguine, nor must we procrastinate. Nothing else matters, no other call is more urgent, no trivial distraction need attract our attention. ‘That’ ever overflowing Ocean of Love, Compassion, Mercy and Truth deserves only petals of fragrant blossoms, perfumed and coloured with the myriad hues of goodness, purity, unity, divinity and the oneness of adoration. Beginning this very moment, the thought uppermost in our mind posthaste must be – ‘I

Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamayaa… Browsing through His ‘most mystifying’ Story from April 2011, we see a united Puttaparthi that stood united for a Cosmic Cause, her very own SOUL… HeartBeat, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai, Whom she ‘fondled’ with great care, right from the day-1 of His Story. With Bhagawan’s most mysterious Divine Leela on in the summer month of April, Puttaparthi  turned abuzz, with collective hearts beating for Him…for Him…for Him Alone… Recapping Parthi’s mood during the trial days, here is a report from the 13th and 14th days of April 2011, extracted from the book ‘Eternal Sanctity’ by the Pune Youth Wing. 13th April Millions flock to Him…they love Him for what He is, all that He is, for all that He has done and keeps doing for the individual, the society, the nation, the world and the universe too. For them that is proof enough of His divinity. They have experienced His magnanimity, His presence, His little and great acts of supreme grace, the miracle of His unconditional love and so are now expressing it in a befitting manner. For them, He deserves the best and they are bent upon offering their best. Unshakeable is their faith, heartfelt their gratitude, unmatched is their fervor, dedication, devotion and tenacity of purpose – to have their Lord amidst them at the earliest. This is how it is in Puttaparthi right now. This little township is alive with plentiful pageants that carry lifesize photographs of the Lord of Parthi, while singing devotional songs through the lanes and by lanes, the crisscrossing of various such groups charging the environment with piety. More than 200 women had a ‘coloured light’ procession of their own. A parade that glowed with the hues of adoration. Carrying plates of worship, that contained candles, flowers, coconut, turmeric, vermillion, betel nuts and betel leaves – phalam, pushpam, patram toyam – upon their heads and singing aloud hymns in worship of their Lord, these ladies carried out a special act of devotion past every temple of this holy village. Large groups of children too have taken to the streets, themselves pulling the huge chariot carrying garlanded pictures of Bhagawan – a Rath Yatra, even as they sing aloud in their tender voices, bhajans pure in their intent. Candle lights – that rekindled hope and faith. TamasoMaa Jyotir Gamayaa – leading away from the darkness arising out of the absence of their dear Lord to the radiance of His coveted darshan. It seemed the onus is on humanity to woo Beloved Bhagawan. Clearly devotion has swept into the sands of Parthi and the hearts of its inhabitants … “Parthipurishwar Jaya Mana Mohana”. 14th April Thursday was reserved for the men folk of Parthi to express their devotion. Hundreds gathered outside Ganesh gate with candles in their hands, a prayer in their hearts and hymns in praise of their Lord on their lips. Chants of ‘Om Sri Sai Ram’ rang out aloud and echoed in the ether. Accompanying this devoted gathering was a floral float drawn by a tractor. Colorful bouquets and flowers bedecked the gigantic photo frame of Beloved Bhagawan. They passed on their ‘candles of love, hope, faith and worship’, as an offering, which was collected by seva dal and devotees from inside the Ganesh gate and made to adorn the parapet surrounding the deities under the canopy of the peepal tree opposite Ganesha. A myriad candles glowed bright with unified prayers and collective harmony. Further down the main street of Puttaparthi, children sang and danced in circular formations, even as the elders of the village played the drums and cymbals with synchronized rhythm. The residents of the village, each one of them were leaving no stone unturned to coax and cajole their Beloved Lord to be amidst them again. Indeed a sustained spectacular effort with amazing dedication. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

The Secret Prasanthi Nilayam, The Haven Of Peace, The Chosen Abode Of The Almighty Supreme, boasts of ultimate unparalleled blessings… and how fortunate it is to be a part of the chosen land that did penance to win His ultimate grace?… Let’s tune into Sathya Sai Speaks revealing the supreme significance of being in close proximity to HIM… from Peddabottu’s Autobiography. “Of what use is so much learning?Is it possible to erase the fate, written on your forehead?If evil feelings are harboured in the head,It blunts the mind and dries it up to a trickle!”! These sentences are proved in our Prasanthi Nilayam. “Ksheene Punya Marthya Lokam Vishanthi.” (When merits are reduced we are sent back from heaven to earth?” If the merits were increased then whatever merit was in store would not decrease. Because of previous merits one gets close to Swami. For those who makes efforts to receive His grace by staying in His proximity, this merit too will be added to their store of previous ones, and they will get closer to Him. As they do not do that, they will stay in My proximity only until the previous merit is finished. As soon as that is over, they go away. This is the prapthi (destiny) of people in Prasanthi Nilayam. At least now they can realise and act accordingly. There is no barrier. If you think and make amendments now, it is good. If you have no luck then there is nothing else left to do. How foolish people are, who ruin their lives. “You can fill an empty head easilyWhen there is nothing inside.You cannot fill a head full of all sundry things.Is it possible to empty the head,Full of all sorts of things of the Kali age?Is it possible to fill the head with holy feelings,Unless it is emptied completely?” “Like trees that do not bear fruit andCows that do not yield milkWhat is the use of being born and of dying?You are born to realise the resultIf you die without realising it,Then what is it that you have realised, andWhat is it that you have gained?These are heartbreaking deedsTo Sai Who knows all your hearts.” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

OneNess – The Mantra Of True Truth Aspirants… Ekoham Bahusyami – the most authentic Indian scriptural declaration about the process of creation indicates that in the ‘beginningless’ beginning The One chose to become many. The Big Bang theory of the western philosophy also points towards the same truth, of The One multiplying into many. The term ‘Oneness’ points towards The One without any second, call it Totality or The Absolute. Isn’t it the beginning of the ‘beginningless’ beginning? If one subtly observes the created world around, the answer becomes quite clear that, there is no second thing, except The One. To understand this man has to exercise a reverse engineering process, turning himself inward, instead of being focused on the illusory, hallucinatory world around. With a ‘bit of inner perception’ one will be able to understand that every single act happening in Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam serves a pointer towards this unity, harmony, oneness. Umpteen times Bhagawan has personally asserted about Unity, Harmony, Cooperation, crowning it all with His Teachings on Love and Peace to all of creation. He has time and again exhorted that ‘Love’ is the undercurrent of everything, be it human or other forms of existence. The Lord Who has ever spoken in the most easily understandable language – the language of the heart, always referred to everyone as Divyatma Swarupulara, Premaswarupulara, meaning ‘Embodiments of Divine Atma’, ‘Embodiments of Love’, certainly serving an indicator towards man’s exalted position of Godhood. The theory of Ekoham Bahusyami has an interesting ‘tale’ wherein the Supreme Godhood, The One and Only Param Atma, Who, while manifesting HimSelf into many, creating countless ‘jeevatmas’, had given the promise to man that he is made in His Own Image with the same Essence, the essence being that of Oneness and the image being all the virtuous attributes, of Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love, Compassion, etc. Every single act endorsed by Bhagawan, be it in His ever alluring Physical Presence or now in His most astounding subtle omnipresence, is pointing towards this supreme truth of Oneness. He is preparing His loved ones towards this ‘Truth Beyond Truth’, enticing them in His most inimitable way to become ‘True Truth Aspirants’. Be it the everyday spiritual sadhana of Prasanthi Nilayam that includes Prasanthi’s own Sai Bhajans to the multifarious activities running through the calendar year, namely, the Dasara Jnana Saptaha Yajna, various functions and festivities, the Summer Course for students – the tailor-made educational curriculum of Sri Sathya Sai Institutions with its steadfast stress on human values, every single enterprise summits towards this goal of Oneness, script-writer being The Timeless Supreme Lord called Sri Sathya Sai. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai’s famous revelation on His creation is recorded thus: “There was no one to know Who I Am until I created the world at My Pleasure, with one word. Immediately mountains rose up, oceans, seas, lands and water shades, sun, moon and desert sands sprang out of nowhere to prove My Existence. Then came all forms of beings, men, beasts and birds, speaking, hearing, flying, all powers were bestowed upon them under My Orders. The first place was granted to mankind, and My Knowledge was placed in man’s mind.” The famous dictum of Bhagawan on Life, which begins with ‘Life is a Game Play It…’ and ends with ‘Life Is Awareness…’ indicates this subtle truth of Sri Sathya Sai that, He, Who has created this world as His past-time has definitely meant it to be a game. The same could be accepted with the spirit of challenge, so as to realise the dream, while blending it with love unsullied, finally to manifest the true truth that Life is an Awareness, that of Oneness. The epochal Divine discourse after Sri Sathya Sai ‘healed’ HimSelf of a paralytic stroke way back in 1963 has a subtle, yet profound pointer. This was the discourse wherein Bhagawan revealed to the world of believers the ‘Bharadwaja’ story involving Lord Shiva, revealing HimSelf as “Shiva-Shakthi’ Avatar. Shiva here stands for the Eternal Purusha, and Shakthi refers to Adi Parashakthi, moulding into One as Para Brahma Sri Sathya Sai, the Supreme Resolve. The subtle indicator here is, on 6th July 1963, while delivering His Divine discourse, His Voice had turned ‘feeble’, barely audible to the anxious, devout assemblage. He asked, again and again, over and over again, “Vinipisthundhaa?” meaning ‘do you hear Me?’ He, Who Is the Cosmic Canvas, keeps sending us gentle reminders, gentle taps from His Greater Heaven, reminding His dear ones of The True Truth Behind Truth. But, is man ready? It has to be accepted that He is loud and clear, loud enough to hear, but He can act ‘helpless’ if man turns a deaf ear, drooping in darkness, only to teach him a better lesson. Prasanthi Nilayam is a ‘workshop’ with a unique curriculum, teaching ‘Sai Yoga’ or the ‘Sai Path’, which is a fine blend of all the paths described in the scriptures, be it the Karma Yoga, the Bhakti Yoga or the Jnana Yoga. Every action here leads to ‘That Oneness’, be it the various service activities that come under the ‘Karma Yoga’ or the everyday bhajans that can be exemplarily classified as a mode of the ‘Bhakti Yoga’, every single activity here leads on to the Jnana Yoga of Oneness. The One Who has embodied as Sri Sathya Sai has His definite agenda, antidote for the world in Him, and His game is on… The Karma and Bhakti modes of worship promoted by Prasanthi Nilayam will definitely help man to expand, by practising to behold the Beloved One in every bit and being around him, and thus to expand to Infinity. When He becomes The Supreme Resolve, every single religion, every single scripture, every single master and teaching becomes His, belonging to Him, and thus this final quote credited to Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, one of the illustrious masters of India, an eternal beacon radiating the supreme reality of Oneness. “I Prostrate To MySelf Who Am Within All Beings, The Ever Free Self-Abiding As Inner Consciousness.” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Sri Sathya Sai Darshana Mahotsavam… For whom much is given, much will be demanded, thus ‘claimed’ our Lord Supreme! How many of us live and relive Him with every breath and beyond, The Beauty Beyond Compare, Bliss O’ Beauty, Sri Sathya Sai? He came, walked among and thus filled and fulfilled hearts infinite, withe incomparable beauty of His Darshan. Yet another Darshan Story from sacrosanct Prasanthi Nilayam, for you and me to live and relive.  Emerging at 1730 hrs, Bhagawan, after completing a full round of darshan, went for a repeat round, only to take a detour after finishing the ladies’ side to come onstage at 1752 hrs through the right of Ganesha. As bhajans went on, Bhagawan continued to sit presiding over the session. At 1805 hrs, Bhagawan gestured to stop the bhajans, indicating for the mike, after a pause of 3…4 minutes, at 1810 hrs. An impromptu Divine discourse was in the offing! What a surprising delight and delighting surprise! Delving on the greatness of Bharat’s ‘celebrated women’, Savitri, Chandramathi, Mother Sita, Draupadi and Damayanthi, Bhagawan discoursed for the next fifty-five minutes, translated by Prof Nanjundaiah, formerly, Controller of Examinations at SSSIHL (who was also His former translator) in the absence of the regular translator. Everyone is afraid of death; however Yama goes everywhere discharging his duties, said Bhagawan in an apparent reference to Savitri’s victory over the Lord of death, who, with the Power of her Chastity won the Lord’s grace to bring her dead husband back to life. Lavishly Nowhere else in the world, other than in Bharat, one could find such stories of revival of a dead person and hence God’s special love for the land of Bharath. Power of Chastity is equivalent to Power of Penance. Scary Lord of death, Lord Yama is scared of Chaste Woman, thundered Bhagawan emphasising on the Greatness and Power of Chastity. Shifting to the story of Raja Harischandra, Bhagawan continued in detail emphasising how Lord HimSelf was pleased with Harischandra’s adherence to Truth that finally won him everything. Harishchandra was totally selfless, said Bhagawan, urging one and all that ‘i’ and ‘mine’ should be eschewed to understand the Self. Delving on the story of Mother Sita and the Power of Her Chastity followed by mentions from the illustrious lives of Draupadi and Damayanthi, Bhagawan highlighted that, all of them who lived their lives for their ideal husbands were known for their Power of Chastity. With unity between husband and wife anything could be achieved, reminded Bhagawan. Power of Chastity and Dharma is not confined to women alone, man equally has to follow the same, but women should never transgress their limits, disobeying their husbands. On Bharat’s greatness, Bhagawan sent out a strong message that opting to those who leave the nation, moving out that He termed as a waste. Bhagawan concluded His Divine discourse at 1905 hrs with a promise to discourse in detail in the following day. A  Rama bhajan followed upon which Mangala Arathi was offered before Bhagawan moved off the stage at 1915 hrs. Spending the next five minutes inside the interview room, Bhagawan retired to Yajur Mandiram at 1920 hrs. As if celebrating the unexpected ‘bonus’, the Divine discourse, as Bhagawan moved off the stage after ending His Divine discourse, outside Sai Kulwant Hall, Wind God was in a celebrating mood, blowing across the hamlet with unusual enthusiasm. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Manasa Bhajare… With this first-ever message to humanity, He spilled out The Secret For Liberation… Now, man must remember that every recurrence of 20th Oct is a ‘SaiLent’ reminder to him to revisit His ‘first-ever’ message to make ‘’Manasa Bhajare…’ one’s life-breath and . . . beyond!!! Announcing the dismissal of Maya, announcing His True Truth, Sathya, The ‘little’ Divine at 14, bestowed upon the humanity the first blessing and in fact, the Ultimate Blessing… Prayer For Liberation, Manasa Bhajare… While revisiting the epochal happening on the 20th October 1940, man should ponder upon as to what does The Mantra entail? It is simpler than the simplest. The mind that serves as a mirror for the individual jeeva need to be purified with the everlasting presence of the Guru, The SadhGuru, Who Is nothing but the purest feeling of I Am…SAI…I Am… Bhagawan says, the ‘I’ represents The Brahmam, and He…Sathya Sai Is the very Source of this Brahmam…Para Brahmam…The True Truth, The Absolute!!! It is this Truth that the then 14 year old ‘Little Divine’ pronounced to you and me and to one and all, to His creation at large! The Mantra that becomes the essence of human life, that contains the Secret For Liberation! A recap of the epochal happening on the Annunciation Day, as penned by Prof N. Kasturi. On the 20th day of October, 1940, the day after they all returned from Hampi by special bus, Sathyanarayana started for school as usual. The Excise Inspector of the place, Sri Anjaneyulu who was very much attached to the little Baba, accompanied Him, as far as the school gate and went home, rather reluctantly. He seemed to see a superb halo, round the face of Baba that day and he could not take his eyes away from that enchantment. Within a few minutes, Baba too turned back to the house. Standing on the outer doorstep, he cast aside the books He was carrying and called out, “I Am no longer your Sathya.” “I Am Sai.” The sister-in-law came from the kitchen and peeped out; she was almost blinded by the splendour of the halo, which she saw around Baba’s head! She closed her eyes and shrieked. Baba addressed her, “I Am going; I don’t belong to you: Maya has gone; My bhaktas are calling Me; I have My Work; I can’t stay any longer.” And, so saying, He turned back and left in spite of her pleadings. The brother hurried home on hearing all this; but, Baba only told him, “Give up all your efforts to ‘cure’ Me; I Am Sai; I do not consider MySelf related to you.” Neighbour Sri Narayana Sastri heard the noise; he listened and realised that it was something serious; he ran in; he saw the splendour of the ‘halo’ and fell at Baba’s Feet. He too heard the Historic Declaration, “Maya has left; I Am going; My work is waiting.” Seshama Raju was nonplussed; he could scarce collect his wits to meet this new situation. A boy, just fourteen, talking of bhaktas, work, maya, and the philosophy of belonging! He could think of only one plan: Sathya was entrusted to him by the parents and it was therefore his task to inform them; Sathya could leave the house, only after they came to Uravakonda. But, Sathya would not step into that building again; He moved out into the garden of Excise Inspector’s Bungalow, and sat on a rock, in the midst of the trees. People came into the garden from all directions bringing flowers and fruits; the tope resounded to the voices of hundreds, singing in chorus the lines that Sathya Sai taught them. The first prayer that He taught them that day was, as many still remember, Maanasa bhajare GuruCharanamDusthara bhava saagara tharanam “Meditate in thy mind on The Feet of The Guru; that can take you across the difficult sea of samsara.” His classmates wept when they heard that Sathya will no longer attend school, that He was much beyond their reach, that His company was hereafter only for those upon whom He showers His Grace. Many came to the garden with incense and camphor, to worship Him. Some came to sympathise with the family, some to congratulate them. Some came to learn and some, alas, even to laugh! Three days passed thus in that garden; three days of bhajan and namasankirthan. A photographer came with a camera; he wanted Baba to remove a crude stone that was right in front of Him but Baba did not pay heed to that prayer. He clicked nevertheless and lo! As can be seen ‘above’, the stone had become an image of Shirdi Sai Baba! But only in the photograph, not for all assembled there. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II