Love Is ‘COOL’ like Ice-cream… Ice cream can be compared with Nirguna Brahmam…and the melting Ice cream can be called Saguna Brahmam… Using the imagery of Ice cream, Bhagawan, in His inimitable style of punning, taught the tiny tots from the Primary School the profound spiritual lesson of the ‘sixth-element’ called L – O – V – E. … Prof Kasturi’s son, Late Dr MVN Murthy chronicled the beautiful incident on an enchanting Sunday morning in ‘heavenly’ Prasanthi Nilayam… It was a Sunday morning at Prasanthi Nilayam. After finishing the morning ‘interviews’, Baba went to the western side of the Mandir where the children from the Primary School were seated. Baba does not like anybody, and certainly not the sweet little ones, to sit in the hot sun! He made them all sit in the shade in the porch very near the ‘interview’ room. The children beamed as they troop­ed in and sat in an orderly fashion, follow­ed by Baba who came behind them, glow­ing with a big smile! He came to the first row and all of a sudden started sing­ing, ‘Love is My Form! …… ‘ He asked the children to join. All of us who were fortunate to be present had this unexpect­ed gift of Grace! (I have found that grace always comes unexpectedly!). Half way, He stopped and asked the children, “What is Love?’, with a teasing smile. The children were taken by surprise at this question and smiled, non-plussed! He ‘minused’ their bewilderment by oblig­ing the answer! “Love is Ice cream!” I heard Baba say. He allowed the children’s laughter and the adults’ surprise to die down, before He explained further. Baba, the ideal teacher, is Master of the technique of teaching. A startling question to evoke attention, provoke curiosity and secure interested listening is The Master’s method! All ears were now alert, awaiting Baba’s explanation! ‘Love is sweet, like Ice cream; love is joy, like Ice cream; love cool, like Ice cream and love is pure, like white Ice cream!’ Baba explained. Apparently meant for the children, it was a gift from Baba to all of us, this extra-ordinarily original definition of Love from Love Incarnate! Images are sketched by poets to make the abstract concrete. Baba, The Poet of poets, gives images which have great spiritual depths, and uses the most modern of them to make us understand what He wants to convey. In the Krishna Avatar, it was milk, curds and butter; Sai Krishna uses the imagery of Ice cream! Who will not understand that Love is sweet like Ice cream? Baba had also said, Love is joy like Ice cream. We understand this best when Baba gives us a taste of what Love really is. The kind of Love that we experience with Baba is sweetness itself. “Rasovai sah” ‘He is the very Essence of sweetness,” says the Upanishad. I remembered the imagery of a cup of water with a spoonful of sugar added to it, given by Baba on another occasion. Baba said: “There is sugar in the cup, but the water is insipid, for you have not stirred it well. There is God in the world, and by stirring the Divine well into every drop and atom thereof, you can make the world a sweet thing to live by.” Life becomes sweet and joyful by stirring the Divine, whose most potent expression is Love, into every action of ours. I also recollected another illustration of Baba, viz., sugar candy. Baba had used this imagery to explain the apparently paradoxical Upanishadic statement, “That is full; this is also full”. Just as even a small particle of sugar candy is sweet like the larger lump, every bit of the ice cream is as sweet as the whole block. The part is as sweet as the whole. The quality of sweetness is not any the less in a small portion! Love is also like that; every act of love is complete, pure, full, nothing held back. Every act of love is a total act; love cannot be graded! Baba said: ‘Love is ‘cool’ like ice-cream!” This is so very different from the commonly understood meaning attach­ed to the word love. We somehow think that love is ‘hot’. Our popular conception of ‘love’ is that of a heated passionate emotion. This is what happens when people ‘fall in love’! But Baba is talking of a kind of love which belongs to a higher realm, more lasting and sustained than the passion that fluctuates! Like the finely dispersed globules of butter fat in milk, we all have within us little globules of love which do not be­come obvious. Like natural milk in which the fat content varies from cow to cow or between cow and buffalo, we also vary in our love potential. This can also be increased by appropriate feed! In our case, the feed is in the form of opportunities for manifesting our love. Love must be practised, until it becomes a natural habit ! However, to get the best out of life, we must get the cream out of the ‘milk of human kindness’, to use a common expression. The natural process is slow, but we must also be centrifuged to help the separation of love! We need the centrifuging force of challenging opportunities, which we must seek. Then the minute acts of love, compassion and kindness oft-repeated come together and float on top, above the otherwise insipid water of life. Love globules also must be forced to accrete! Ice cream makes people who taste it allowing it melt slowly on the tongue joyful, happy. The solid block of Ice cream loses its form by melting and finally disappears, fulfilling itself. Pure love springs from self-sacrifice; pure love is fulfilment. It is in losing that one gains everything. Like Ice cream, God also melts when the heart of the devotee displays the warmth of Love towards Him. Sri Ramakrishna compared the inactive snake curled up, as Nirguna Brahman, while the same

Why Ladies’ Day? Ms Rita Bruce, author of four fast selling books on Bhagawan including the popular “Sathya Sai Parenting”, has been a long time devotee. She has travelled to 18 countries overseas as a great speaker at public meetings, conferences and seminars on the Philosophy and Teachings of Bhagawan, besides being a facilitator for the material contained in her writings, especially Sathya Sai Parenting and Love of Conscience. In 1995, Sri Sathya Sai Baba inaugurated Ladies Day on November 19. Since then He has declared that every month 19th should be honoured as ladies day. We can ask ourselves, why did Sathya Sai Baba inaugurate Ladies Day? What was the purpose of this momentous occasion? Many ideas can come to our reasoning mind searching for an answer. Could it be that Swami thought ladies should have special recognition or perhaps, to bring awareness to the lack of equality that exists? I’m sure there are obvious and not so obvious, known and unknown reasons that Swami has called attention to ladies by celebrating this event. If we, ladies, look at the inner significance of this special day, perhaps in the transformation of the role of feminine energy on this planet. We need to re-evaluate, re-examine, re-structure, restore and resurrect the role of ladies that has sometimes been dishonoured to less than human in society. Are we disregarding the virtues that are attributed and exhibited to the Divine Mother? They are being lost, forgotten, unseen in the world at large and unless the Sai Organisation takes the lead and make the necessary changes how can Sai expect women who do not have the benefit of knowing Him change? We must be role models for the world but instead we are role modelling the world. Women are the fabric of the home. When their roles dramatically change it creates problems in our family’s valued tradition. In my overseas travels, I have listened to many heartfelt problems from devotees. These are few examples: There was an old Indian couple that was living with their son and his family. The son told them to leave his home and they were living in a hotel. They did not know what to do. Then there was a woman who told me that her 22 year old son was sitting at his computer all night most of the day, locked himself in his room and would not allow her to enter. In one of our young adult sessions a young man said that he would live with a girl before marrying her, to make sure she was the right one, if not he would find someone else. Devotees living abroad have spoken to me about children doing drugs, alcohol, attempted suicides, divorces, spoiled and disobedient children, enormous stress, and children telling me their parents have no time for them. The list is endless. They are seeking help from the Sai Family and their needs are not being met. We must remember that women have a major responsibility for future generations of Sai Children. A great number of new devotees are coming from children being born into the Sai family. And what are we doing to prepare these parents to mould the character of their children? The problem of raising children with the strong outside influence lacking values is a world consciousness that has arrived in the land of Bharat, the country of God. In India today you are experiencing changes in your culture that I experienced in the 50’s and 60’s in America. The drastic changing role of women is one of the main causes for the deterioration of the family. Women are the pillars of the home, and when the pillar is removed the roof collapses. The western societies have lost many of their family values and the same media influence that caused this deterioration is happening to India today. Throughout the last fifty years we have modelled our behaviour after men, trying to succeed in the avenues of the business world. Are we asleep? Can we see the extreme changes being made in the role of women, wife and mother? The basic identity of women is being lost. Thus confused we do not have a clear vision of who we are as women, and even a lesser view of who we are as Sai Ladies, the feminine energy of the Divine Mother. It is time for the Sai Ladies to begin a movement that can spark a new change in the manner in which women behave. The virtuous character of women, their precious gem, purity has been replaced with fake, imitation glamour. Female glamour is commercialised in all the advertisements, films, magazines and newspaper articles. The word virtue seems to have vanished, struck off from the worldly vocabulary. We are told to shape up, dress-up, make-up, sell yourself, pamper yourself, indulge yourself, and do everything you can…to catch a highly educated man. When looking for a bride for his son, does a father ask the girl, “Will you stay-at-home and raise my son’s children?” If looking for a husband for your daughter, will you ask the boy, “Can my daughter stay-at-home to raise your children?” Sathya Sai Baba says, “Some parents while trying to fix up marriage alliance ask, ‘My daughter has completed her post graduation. She is good looking. What about your son? Has he completed post graduation? Is he handsome?’ In fact, beauty is related to character, not to the physical appearance. Beauty of character is what one should aspire for.” Ladies, do we need a wake up call? The multi-media community is selling our female character with damaging marketing techniques. Why are we allowing ourselves to be sold in the market place? Even more tragic, we are not only buying the products they sell but we are conforming to their hidden message. We are being programmed in a very radical manner, so subtle that many are not even aware. And yet we find ourselves acting sometimes in a manner that is

The Eternal Sphere Of Beloved Mother Sai Radiates – ‘God Is’ Formless Absolute Supreme descended in golden orange encapsulating Sathya Dharma Santhi Prema Ahima, paving the way for Cosmic Oneness…As the the beauty of His majestic orange continues to elude the blurred human vision, Prasanthi Nilayam, His chosen Abode is gradually meandering towards its rightful position on the world stage, as a beacon of hope, promising a United World. Reflecting on its glory and the grandeur of Bhagawan’s Avatarhood, commemorating the day He chose to move on from the physical terrain, Sri Jullie Chaudhuri writes, The Eternal Sphere Of Beloved Mother Sai Radiates  – ‘God Is’ reminding one and all that, the era of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai has precious more in store. Love is My form, Truth is My breath, Bliss is My food;My life is My message,Expansion is My life,No season for Love,No reason for Love;No Birth; No death…If anyone asks you to tell about Sai Baba, sing this song. It will convey the whole message. Tell them, Love is His form and His life is His message. Develop the feeling of brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God.” – Baba Prasanthi Nilayam, is gradually meandering towards its rightful position on the world stage – as the most sacrosanct place upon the globe – glowing, radiating and emitting that abundance of peace, love, harmony and oneness that is the atypical characteristic and timeless benediction in the eternal sphere of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Nestling in the arms of Puttaparthi, the conspicuously holy ‘Janma Bhoomi’ or birth place of Beloved Bhagawan, Prasanthi Nilayam is that rare jewel amongst several spiritual destinations that brings solace, succor and sanctity to millions. What exactly is it that sets Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi apart and makes it a blazing beacon, a veritable ‘all the time’ brilliantly lit lighthouse? To each soul a different perspective, a singular significance, an extraordinary pull, an unknown attraction, a ‘je ne sais quoi’, a tug at the heart-strings, a déjà vu, a deep knowing, an intense ‘I know You through lifetimes, I belong to You.” Is it the fact that not only did the Divine select this precious ground for an Advent, but that ethereal appeal and honour of rarity seldom bestowed upon any one place – He chose to live, to continue to spread His mission from the very region where He willed Himself to be born?Can we even begin to imagine how pure, potent and extremely revitalized Puttaparthi is? What a boon and a blessing for the blessed ones that do gather here – to tread the same earth, breathe in the same air as the source of all Avatars? So, what else sets Prasanthi Nilayam apart from other places of worship where thousands regularly assemble? Is it that amazing phenomenon – that the vast multitudes that do congregate and set foot upon these hallowed precincts, this one solitary place, at any given time, represent those countless souls that owe their allegiance to different faiths? Is it that distinct, diverse and exceptionally dynamic feature, an attribute exclusively pertaining to the domain of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai, for no other Avatar has made Himself so freely available to each and everyone…en masse – to the peasant; the lay person; the bourgeoisie; the business tycoons; the elite; men, women, children; the physically challenged; the mentally and emotionally wrecked; the lonely and despairing ones, the happy and the joyful too; the aggressive and the meek; the artist, the sportsperson, the politician, Kings, Maharanis, and Heads of States; sages, renunciates and seekers of truth; reptiles, birds and animals; plants, trees and insentient beings too…meting out the same loving treatment to all, sans barriers and boundaries of any kind, as would a Parent to a child? That remarkably pure, unsullied, boundless, limitlessly selfless love – noble and true; compassion, protection and guidance always within reach and experienced ‘simultaneously’ by different people in different places at different times! Perhaps it is the declaration that states -“All are One; be alike to everyone.”? Or is it the language that is propagated here by the Master – the language of the heart, the recognition of love as the only religion and the acceptance of humanity as the sole caste beyond any distinction?Or else, is it that unique feature that acts like a magnet, that goes further than the simple fulfilment of mere material desires and physical ailments to that which ails the soul, that search for the unanswered elusive truth, the individual purpose, role and goal?Or is it the axiomatic truth that Beloved Bhagawan’s unconditional love is that Mighty Ocean that caresses and effectuates the absolute attainment of the yearning of many a lonely shore; that Supreme River that quenches the spiritual thirst and resuscitates countless arid, acidic and acrid hearts, minds and tongues?Is it probably that evergreen message that His advent does perennially live out and proclaim – “I am in every heart, that is the temple where I dwell”; that goes on to gently yet firmly exhort one and all to put love into service and realize the goal of life? Simple yet profound words that over and over again exclaim – Love All, Serve All; Help Ever, Hurt Never, ensuring and setting an example with inestimable magnanimous acts of altruistic value, vis-a-vis institutions and projects that provide excellent health care, education and water supply, besides immeasurable other humane activities, at no cost. Where else can one find the presence of sincere selfless service, earnest love in action, noble endeavours…and the absence of cash counters?    The answer lies in each one of us as does that most elevated destiny.Since each individual being represents a temple within whom Bhagawan does reside, it is up to each one of us to create and sustain a Golden Prasanthi Nilayam wherever we may live or be; a harmonious co-existence, a cosmic brotherhood. We owe this to the Self within – to the Beloved One. After having seen that Most Dear form…do I want to set my eyes on anything else?After having heard that

Truth of a Prophecy Muslims around the world believe the advent of a great leader and guide, known as Hazrat Mehdi. Amidst turbulent times engulfed by materialism, when religious practices take a beating in pursuit of greedy materialism, Prof. (Mrs.) Zeba Bashiruddin attempts to decipher the prophecies with the Advent of Her Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai. Extracted from Sanathana Sarathi, November 1990. O Mankind; there hath come To you a direction from your Lord And a healing for (the Disease) In your hearts, and for those Who believe, a Guidance And a Mercy.                               (The Quran: X‑57) This magnificent utterance not only relates to the immediate context in which it was said, but refers to a situation that may arise at anytime. Its wisdom, like all scriptural knowledge, comprehends infinity. It is with these thoughts that the writer of this article ventures to put in black and white that which the soul has received as a gift of Truth. When over a decade ago doubts assailed the mind, this author was led to the Fountain of Truth and the injunction reverberated clearly “You do not even know your own religion, how can you know ME?” With these words Baba guided me to an intense study of Sufism, the holy Quran and Islam. Therefore, what is conveyed through these words is undoubtedly His gift. It has come, like all other lessons in spirituality, in the form of a book. Later it has been checked and verified through inquiry from centres of Islamic Studies. Muslims all over the world believe in the advent of a great leader and a guide. They all know him as Mehdi (Master). The Prophet, Hazrat Mohammad, has in­dicated that Hazrat Mehdi will appear for the welfare of Muslims in the last decades of the fourteenth century Hijri (this cen­tury has just ended). It will be a time of trouble and materialism. The Quranic values and their practice will be ignored, and men’s hearts will turn to the worship of the world and its glamour, “the other Gods” of Quranic language. The prophecy goes on to postulate that Hazrat Mehdi will restore the Truth and “Islam” will be the religion of the entire world.  The Prophecy The signs regarding the time and the person of Hazrat Mehdi, more than 150 in number, were related by the holy Prophet to Hazrat Ali, the fourth Khalif and re­pository of Sufi secrets. These signs be­came a guarded treasure of the Imams, descendants of Hazrat Ali, and formed a part of the Shi’a tradition of the prophe­tic sayings. In the 17th century A.D., the well known scholar, Md. Baqir bin Md. Taqi‑Al Majlisi‑Al Isfahani (1627‑1698) collected them in his voluminous book, Bihar‑ul‑Anwar, written in Arabic. The two Persian translations that contained the Prophetic sayings about Hazrat Mehdi are Khas‑ul‑Anwar and Bihar‑ul‑Anwar (part Dwazdhum). A few of these selected sayings of the Prophet of Islam are listed here. It is left to the reader to recognise who the great Master is as seen by the holy Prophet in a vision, and described by him fourteen hundred years ago. The Master, commonly known as Hazrat Mehdi, will be seen by those who will search for Him. (page 240) (All subsequ­ent references in this article are to the Persian translation of Bihar‑ul‑Anwar). Imam Mohammad Baqir suggests that only “those who know the real meaning of `I’ will believe in Hazrat Mehdi.” The holy Prophet called Him as “Abu Abdullah”, (Father of the seekers of God). Much has been said about the name Father of Humanity in Bihar‑ul­-Anwar. He is also addressed as Saheb‑Asr (Master of Time), Walli‑Allah (Friend of God), Khalifat‑ullah (God’s Viceger­ent), “for surely He will follow the code of Moses, Joseph, Jesus and Mohammad.” (page 330). The Insignia of Hazrat Mehdi Other signs as stated in Mohammad Baqir’s work are: Many Mohammedans will not know about His advent for a long time. That Holy Spirit will wear two garments, one inner and the other outer (p. 239). The Robe, Orange in colour, will be of such a shape that the contours of His back will be seen clearly (p. 292, 777). His dress, Orange in colour, will spread Light among the people (p. 145). His dress will be of Light (229). His hair, thick and dark, will reach His shoulders (25). His eyebrows are joined in the centre (242). His other fea­tures are: Broad and clear forehead (263). Straight nose with a dip in the beginning; a mole on the cheek, reminding of Hazrat Moss, bright as a star; teeth with a part­ing in the two front ones (243); Black eyes (777); Average height, compared with the Jewish height (239). The colour of the face is described variously as shining like a gold‑bronze coin; so bright that it is impossible to recognize the real colour (263‑293). The general impression: full of compassion, dignified, exalted (239). Attributes and Qualities His attitude to everyone will be bro­therly, as if He knows them well (314). He will love all Prophets and Saints; and whatever He wants will be done. He will overcome all opposition (242). His devotees will find protection (342). People will find Him heavenly bliss per­sonified (341). He will be a shelter for the helpless and the rejected (235). He will distribute A’b‑e‑Tuhur Kausr (spirituality) to people in the morning and evening (343). (The reference is to Baba’s daily Darshans.) Divine Light will be manifested from Him (252). He will not bring a new religion (6). (Baba has stressed often that He is not preaching a new religion.) All knowledge and essence of all reli­gions will bloom in His heart like a new garden (238). He will fill the earth with peace. He will be a friend and an adviser (287). He will show the Straight Path (352).  The world scenario The world situation is summed up in a number of striking images, describing aptly the situation at present. The maj­ority of mankind will be like animals, devoid of discrimination (349). Evil, bad habits will be common order of the day. There will

Yes, I Am The Cosmic Christ Peggy Mason is a well known name in Sai circles…she was an actress in her young days, and a well-known writer later. During the second half of her life, she had been writing on spiritual and metaphysical themes, for renowned journals like Two Worlds. She and her husband Ron are spirit-minded and past seventy, they both came to India, to see Bhagawan in 1978. At the first private interview the Masons had, Baba materialized a rosary of 108 crystal beads and put it around Peggy’s neck. He also produced a Baba ring and put it to Ron’s finger. He let the aged couple to embrace Him, and spent almost a full hour with them, speaking kindly and enlightening them on many spiritual points. Man and wife were overwhelmed with His vast love. The realization that Baba was God they had been seeking for years gave them the ecstasy of spiritual joy. They were satisfied that their journey to India, so difficult at their age, had been more than fully rewarded. After that, they had many more private interviews with Baba, each one as thrilling as any other. How did the Masons come to merit such Grace? Some years ago, Peggy got ill. She felt great pain in her left leg, and was unable to walk more than a few yards at a time. Her doctor advised a major operation. He did not guarantee a cure by the operation; on the contrary, he told her frankly that, if it failed, her legs would have to be amputated. Peggy had a photograph of Baba, which she had cut out from an issue of Psychic News. It was always on the table by her bed. One night after the doctor’s advice, she sat contemplating on the photo. The photo suddenly jumped up an inch or so, to one side and back again. When it did so, a glimmer of light fell over the table with a strange iridescence. Peggy had the above experience on many following nights. Meantime, the pain in Peggy’s leg was getting worse. One night, when it became unbearable, she cried out: “Oh, Baba, I wish you could do something about my leg!” The next day, Peggy got a copy of the book, Sai Baba and the Psychiatrist. She was looking at the picture of Baba in it, when her telephone rang. A man’s voice came through: “I’m ringing on behalf of Swami Ganesha Ananda. She is very much interested in your writings, and would like to meet you.” Peggy told the caller that the Swami was welcome to her place any time. Three weeks later, Swami Ganesha Ananda came. She said she lived some fifteen miles away. She appeared to be a well-travelled person, and said that she had been to India and seen Sathya Sai Baba. And, quite simply, she gave Peggy a packet of Vibhuthi which she said would cure Peggy’s ailment. Peggy rubbed the Vibhuthi to the paining leg regularly every day, and prayed before Baba’s picture. In a few days, she was cured of the pain in her, leg, so well that she could dance all night at a ball. This established the Masons in their faith for Baba. They made a continuous study of Baba, reading all the available books on Him and questioning people who had seen Him. Before long, the desire which had been growing in their hearts to see Baba with their own eyes became uncontrollable and they had to come to Prasanthi Nilayam. The Masons knew that Jesus Christ had said: “I and my father are One. He will come.” At the last interview they had with Baba before leaving for their home, Ron asked Baba: “Are you the Cosmic Christ of Whom Jesus spoke?” Baba’s answer was instantaneous, and simple, “Yes.” The way He said it, the way He looked straight into Ron’s eyes while saying it, was enough to convince Ron, and Peggy too. They now say: “We are all very fortunate to have Him, the Cosmic Christ, with us, moving about like an ordinary man, giving us the chance to hear Him speak, sing and laugh. We are indeed blessed!” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

I Am The Air Raid Warden A tall claim! What does He mean by saving my life?… wondered Gogoi, perplexed, looking into Bhagawan’s Eyes…. and then He revealed… I Am The Air Raid Warden… an interesting episode from the life of Gogoi, from Prof N Kasturi’s book – Sathya Sai Baba – God In Action… There was a labour minister in England (at that time), who wanted to make India industrialised. He thought of collecting some young people from India, taking them over to England, putting them in some factories for training, developing in them a mechanical bent of mind, and then, sending them back to India. So, a few young people were taken over to England. One of them was Gogoi, a young man from Assam. They were all given scholarships and placed in different places for training. Then, the war against England started. German blitz every day. Every night, a series of planes came to blast London. Every night, sirens used to sound and the people had to rush to underground shelters. After the enemy planes left, sirens would be sounded again and people would come out of shelters. This young man from Assam, a poor fellow, could not pay a high rent and therefore, lived in an attic and cooked his food himself, because of his preference for vegetarian food. He was very earnest in his studies and was doing home work at night. Every night, when he was doing homework, sirens would be sounded and he would run to the shelter. He thought it was a nuisance and argued within himself, “Why should I run to a shelter, when the siren is sounded? After all, the German planes may not come at all and even if they come, they may not bomb this area, and even if they bomb this area, it may not fall on this building, and even if it falls on this building, I may not die!” and thought his chances of dying were remote. In India, we believe in karma, in destiny and if your karma is such, you cannot escape death. You may not die of a German bomb, but die because of a cat! …And this young man, Gogoi, stuck to karmic theory and decided, “Today, when the sirens sound, I will not go out!” There used to be air-raid wardens and when the sirens sounded, they would go round and see whether everyone had gone to the shelter, and whether lights in the houses had been switched off. On that day, when Gogoi had decided not to go to the shelter, the siren sounded as usual. He switched off the lights, pulled a rug over him, and lay silently, so that not even the sound of his breath could be heard outside! Soon, he heard the sound of boot steps of someone coming up the staircase. It was the air-raid warden! He banged the door and shouted, “Man! You in there! Come out. I know you are there! I am the air-raid warden, the police.” Gogoi was frightened. “Don’t wait to get dressed, come as you are, hurry!” shouted the air-raid warden again. Gogoi had to come out and ran to the shelter. He was the last person to go to the shelter. The air-raid warden followed him and stood at the entrance of the shelter, so that people inside may not come out, until the siren sounded again. When the siren sounded again, Gogoi came out of the shelter, went towards his building, and saw that it had been bombed and there was a heap of dust. He searched for the air-raid warden and didn’t find him anywhere. “Probably, he too has become dust,” he thought and was sad. Gogoi stayed in England for some time and then, returned to India. He got some job, but was not satisfied with it. He left it to join Mahatma Gandhi’s movement, specialised in co-operative institutions, became a senior officer in the co-operative department, and later, retired. Then, when he was in Bombay, he heard of Sathya Sai Baba and went to Dharmakshetra. He was one of the fifty thousand people there. Because he went late, he was seated somewhere on the edge of the gathering. Then, a volunteer came running towards him. Baba had sent him. He had told that volunteer, “Look here! Right behind that last line, there is a person so and so and of such and such description. Ask him to come and sit in the first line.” The volunteer brought him to the first line. Gogoi was surprised, “I just wanted to have a distant glimpse of Him out of sheer curiosity and He wants me to come and sit in the front line!” He was wondering what he was in for? Swami came and stood right in front of him, and said, “You must come and settle down in Prasanthi Nilayam. That is why I saved your life!” Gogoi thought, “What is it? A tall claim! What does He mean by saving my life? He Is seeing me for the first time!” Swami asked him, “Do you know the air-raid warden?” Gogoi answered, “Yes, I remember. He insisted on my going to the shelter. Otherwise, I would have died. He saved my life, but poor fellow, he died.” Swami said, “No. I Am The Air-Raid Warden!” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

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

The Soul Is Aware Only Of This… HE Is verily The Breath Of Prasnthi… The Breath of entire humanity… The Breath of all beings… The Breath of entire creation… as HE Is verily The Source Of Eternity… Sri Sathya Sai Who chose to withdraw His physical frame hitherto on this day, 24th April, four years ago, is living with us… in us as our Soul Entity, guiding and guarding us… in seeking this Sri Sathya Sai one is sure seeking his or her own redemption, for Sathya Sai is verily THAT!!! Sri Jullie Chaudhuri reflects on the Beauty Beyond Compare, seeking many encores of the everlasting enchanting Divine beauty… 24th April 2011…What does this day mean to you…what does it mean to me…?What import does it have cosmically…?Different sentiments felt by different folks…yet, underlying it all is the fact that a colossal void is left behind…quite obvious, totally inescapable and utterly unavoidable is the oft gnashing pain to see the Beloved One again… That agony of separation that was experienced by Dasharath for Lord Rama…and that painful parting which was the cause of Ma Kaushalya’s supreme grief…so too, during the age of Dwapar…similar was the angst borne by Mother Yashoda and Nand Maharaj… What about the sorrow and distress that plagued the being of Brindavan…the forests, the trees, tulsi/basil shrubs, the birds, the cows, calves and other animals…along with the woe of the mountain Govardhan and the humble anguish of the river Yamuna…?…and what about the stinging soreness in the hearts of the gopikas…and their copious tears?Can any mortal measure the excruciating extent of their ordeal…? Can anyone count the stars in the sky…or the leaves upon the branches of the evergreen trees…or the drops of water that makeup the mighty oceans or the grains of sand upon the bosom of Mother Earth…? Can one weigh the amount of snow that make up the majestic Himalayas…? Thus, what each devoted heart feels at the physical separation from the Supreme Being can never be gauged, determined or estimated…? We all are a part of the Source…of Beloved Bhagawan, however, does life have any lustre, any flavour…when we are away and…apart from Him…? Inexplicable was the torment in each brijvasi’s soul…ever so colossal…then, where does this partition place us all…? Treta, Dwapar and Kaliyug…Rama, Krishna and Sathya Sai…Who can gauge the woe of a devoted heart…of an aspirant, of a devotee…of any person who was aware of Beloved Bhagawan as the solitary Mother and Father …the sole Parent – a gleeful child…up until 24th April 2011. His Omnipresence notwithstanding, even in midst of a crowd, surrounded by friends and family…the ‘gleeful child’ now faces life often alone as an orphan alone.The lines from the qawwali often sung in the Divine Presence – Sai bin raha na jaaye…jabsey hai dekha Tujhko Sai merey…darsh ke pyase nayana saanjh saverey… chaen na aaye mohe chaen na aaye…Sai bin raha na jae…keep resounding… Oh! Beloved Sai…we can’t live without You… ever since these eyes first rested upon You…they have solely sought glimpses of You through each moment of dusk and day… immensely restless are we…for Thee…do not  turn away from us…Sai, we can’t live without You… Having experienced the Lord’s wondrous Presence,…that mystique,…that graceful gait,…that charm,…that compassion and sweet motherly interaction,…that stern fatherly concern,…that exclusive attention,…that twinkling creative gaze and flow of inspiration,…that personal loving touch,…that pat on the back,…that distinctly made up for any and every kind of lack……that Vision of Glory……that glorious vision…of the petal soft Lotus Feet……of the coveted abhaya hasta…the hand raised in bountiful  blessing……that unforgettable voice…the songs He did sing……the unparalleled joy it brings……that melody that pierces the depths…the core……who doesn’t want more…much, much, much, more…?Unabashedly i do say – i do…i do…i do…want more…! Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence is eternal…it always is and always will be…the intangible does give delight…we all experience it in perhaps every bit that does vibrate around us and that does swirl and surround us…yet, the joy of His Presence is matchless…Beauty Beyond Compare…such is the bliss of the Beloved One’s Darshans.So have we recovered…? Has Prashanti recovered…can one ever ‘recover’…from an ‘episode’ of such a massive magnitude as this…? So, what does Prashanti’s stoic calm belie…do we ever get to hear her wishful sigh…for the soft footfall of Beloved Sathya Sai…?…and what of Puttaparthi…? Mother Devaki and Mother Yashoda…both adored their Krishna. Puttaparthi and Prassanthi…what do these ‘mothers’ feel for their precious ‘Sai…their little Sathya…their Sai Rama…their very own Sathya Sai Krishna…? So many thoughts…feelings flow on……gushing forth like a never-ending stream…Memories swirl and beam…choosing to remain evergreen……and the heart does constantly, continuously reminisce…Right now, the soul is aware of only this……His unfathomable mystery, mystique and mission is known to none…His charismatic Persona endears Him to all…His transcendental ways do baffle, amaze and stun…He is the Creator and…His script for the benefit of creation is supremely precise……intricately…ever so finely spun…Right now, the soul is aware of only this…His Will is that indomitable, absolute Power……that brought about creation……and…His Word is the word of Sathya…of Truth……the Sathya of Sathya Sai always holds true… …for His Word, you see, is the Word of God Almighty…His Will, His Power, His Word……propels us on…shepherds us into……stimulating, fructifying, inducing a Glorious Genesis…Right now, the soul is aware of only this……though the cosmic realms of the intangible renders bliss……without His Darshans……there is an invariable ‘something is amiss’…Right now, the soul is aware of only this……the era of Sathya Sai has much more in store……a refrain reverberates in the depths of the core…He is…and we are His…He is eternal and infinite…and eternally, infinitely we are His… II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Grace Mid-Air… There are lessons galore for man if only he is tuned to His Inner Self, connecting every single happening around, surrendering to God’s Will. “I have learnt it is not when He saves your life that He saves you; it is when He fills your heart with love, compassion, forgiveness and tolerance that He really saves you…” writes Sri Jullie Chaudhuri, narrating a ‘life-saving’ incident airborne, attributing the same to the Unceasing Grace of Beloved Mother Sai… an account from the book of poems by Sri Jullie Chaudhuri, “Mother Sai”. What I am about to relate has a bearing on Shirdi Sai ‘Samadhi’ Day. Around 5 pm on 15th October, 2006, we took off from Mumbai for Jeddah via Hyderabad in an Airbus 310. There was a ground halt at Hyderabad for an hour. While the aircraft was being serviced, I stepped out into the jetty and made a call to someone very dear to remind her to dedicate that evening’s bhajans to Shirdi Sai and to reminisce about His glories. My mind too seemed to fly to Shirdi, as I stepped back into the plane to check on the cleaning before welcoming passengers on board. The flight was not too full and the take-off was smooth and on time. It being Ramzan time, we decided to serve dinner immediately on leveling off, as most of our passengers had been fasting. After clearing the cabin, and seeing to passenger comfort, I sat down in the crew rest area – the last row of seats on the right hand side – to eat my meal. My colleague was sitting near the window and I was on the aisle seat. As she chatted, my mind sped off to Dwarkamai, the dhuni, the boulder that Baba sat on, His Samadhi, and so on… My dinner and mental pilgrimage over, I excused myself and stood up with the dinner tray in my hand. And that was it. The aircraft shook sideways vigorously and then kept losing height rapidly. The tray went flying out of my hands and I lost all sense of gravity and was flung about like a rag doll or perhaps like a tiny leaf in a mighty storm – completely weightless. As I was being tossed about, my head hitting the bins on top and my body against the seat handles, I recollect my first thoughts being: “This is no ordinary turbulence, it can’t be happening.” Then, instinctively, I started chanting ‘SaiRam’ slowly and loudly. Just a simple ‘SaiRam’. Each ‘SaiRam’ was elongated. I tried clutching the handles of the seats on either side but I could not, though the aisle was narrow. I kept being flung about. By the 9th or the 10th ‘SaiRam’ or so it seemed, the aircraft somewhat stabilised and I got into the seat on my left but I was gasping and could not breathe or speak for a few seconds and my right ribs hurt. I would later learn that two right ribs were fractured in that incident, but at that time, my thoughts were on the passengers and as soon as I could breathe properly, I shouted out to all in the cabin to remain seated and keep their seat belts on. One of my colleagues had gone to the front of the cabin just prior to this incident and so she had slipped into an empty seat and was saved. But much later, after we had given first aid to all the passengers, she almost collapsed and had to be revived. A kind of a delayed shock perhaps! The colleague, who had sat by my side, hit her head on the side lights on the ceiling several times and fractured her right knee too. Besides being jolted around, nothing much happened to the crew in the forward section as the rear of the aircraft always takes the brunt. As I was loudly instructing the passengers, since many do not leave their seat belts on, a passenger, who was flung about in the toilet through this time and was bleeding profusely as he had a cut in his mouth, came into the cabin. Looking absolutely shocked and aghast, he was wondering what to do. I made him sit next to me and reached out to the beverage cart, which was fortunately within reach, got some ice, wrapped it in a headrest cover and put it on his mouth to stem the bleeding. This tall, young boy later told me that he was tossed about like a football in the toilet! It was time for action now as many passengers were hurt and wounded. There was this young passenger who had annoyed the crew by continuously using his cell phone even as we taxied out, knowing it interferes with the aircraft navigation and communication systems. It was this same youngster who came to our rescue as he turned out to be a dental surgeon! Unceasing grace… Some of the crew assisted this doctor in suturing and giving anesthesia to those wounded while the rest got busy administering first aid to other passengers. While doing so, some concerned passengers reminded me to clean up my face and uniform sari, as I had food all over me. Since there were so many calls for help, and immediate action was necessary, this had taken a backseat till things were somewhat under control… There was food and broken crockery all over the galley floor and it looked tornado hit. We could only clear this up just before landing into Jeddah, as till then we were attending to passengers who were mentally shocked or physically wounded or a bit of both. One elderly lady had to be immobilised. As a consequence of not having fastened her seat belt, she had been flung about, up and down and had fractured her right leg. Her seat handle, which must have borne her weight, was completely mangled. She seemed shaken and cold and as I hugged and reassured her, I asked if she would

Hadshi – A Destiny Ornate…Eternally Portrayed… It was October 28, 2009… the day when Hadshi ‘earned’ a date with Destiny… a date with Divinity Supreme…. Avatar Incarnate Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai set His Foot on the Pune – Hadshi soil on that wondrously – Divinely – filled day… The long waiting of the blushing bride, for the Supreme One to embrace ‘her’… it is time to relive the momentous moments in the history of the Peshwa City, Pune and Hadshi…  Reliving those moments, writes Sri Jullie Chaudhuri from Pune… Up until October 2009,This land was just a microscopic speck……in the Cosmic Wilderness…Nevertheless,The Supreme Absolute finally chose to shower,His Ultimate Largesse…And so,Even as Hadshi fervently prayed…So too……the hills and the valleys……flora and fauna……the lakes and rivulets……each grain of soil,…sang on an irresistible song……meandering through the ether…… gushing along……of feelings a magnificent cascade…Joyous sentiments did parade……settling at the Lotus Feet in a sublime embrace… Indeed eloquent were the lines of the invite –‘We wait with bated breath and eager eyes,To feel Your Presence, to worship Your every stride,We strive for Your blessing, Your Divine Grace,We long to hear Your sweet Voice,And catch a glimpse of Your loving Face,Please come, Bhagawan and answer our intense call,Come, Oh! Mother Sai and be one with us all…’ Many Decades……had witnessed Pune pine and persistently persuade…Now,Myriad appeals within adoring hearts……did once again Mother Sai cajole and serenade,Emotions brimming over were openly displayed,The invitation for a visit was fragrantly sprayed,It reached the ever Effulgent One,And with intense clarity explicitly conveyed –‘Come, Oh! Supreme Beloved,Oh! Cherished One…You must know,It is You we have always longed for…It is only You……Whom we await…’The Source of Compassionate graciously acquiesced……and Hadshi exulted feeling so blessed……at this rare boon of fate…Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate,This joy, this elation, this bliss will never evaporate,Oh! To be linked with the Cosmic Beloved,Whom the Universe did adore and venerate,A destiny so ornate……divinely chiseled and engraved,In the pages of history……in letters of gold……eternally portrayed… II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II