Sri Sathya Sai Conversations with Lion Dance Students

December 9, 2001 (Sunday)

Morning

Swami : (To Warden) I have some costumes needed for the boys involved in the Lion Dance. The coach can come to Poornachandra Auditorium after Bhajans for the practice. (For this year’s Sports Meet, the Lion Dance was a special performance for which Swami was taking a lot of interest.)

That morning there were very few students who were waiting for Swami inside the Poornachandra Auditorium. Swami spoke to the students and asked them their names and their native places. Then, Swami instructed the students to go to the round buildings, pick up the Lion heads (costumes) and get them to the Poornachandra Auditorium. Swami instructed that the costumes should be covered properly while bringing them. He wanted the event to be a surprise for everybody. Swami had kept all the other costumes given by the Japanese people ready the previous day itself in the Poornachandra Auditorium for the Lion Dance practice. 

Inside Poornachandra Auditorium, after Bhajans, Swami blessed the coach, Mr. Goh from Singapore. To the coach…

Swami : Teach the boys right away.

The students learnt the basics of Lion Dance. After 90 minutes of practice, Swami came back to see the progress made by the students and was satisfied. He then called all the students near and asked nearly all of them their names, native places and the courses they were studying. Swami then distributed sweets to them. Swami gave permission for the Lions (costumes) to be kept in Poornachandra Auditorium itself and the practice to be resumed at 3.00 pm in the afternoon.

Evening: Inside Poornachandra Auditorium

Swami came to Poornachandra Auditorium and directed the students in wearing their costumes. He watched the practice session for sometime.

Swami : The distance between the boy at the head and the boy at the tail of each lion is not maintained properly, and has to be corrected. If the distance is not maintained properly, it looks like a lion with a broken back as there is a dip formed at the centre.

Swami then noticed that the costume, which was to be worn on the legs of the Lion, was not there and He instructed to get shining cloth material of different colours from inside. He personally distributed the cloth pieces to each of the students, according to the colour of their lions. He watched the practice session for some more time and before giving permission for the students to leave, He instructed them to come at 3.00 pm in the afternoon the next day, after classes.

Sri Sathya Sai with Students in the Poornachandra Auditorium

December 10, 2001 (Monday)

Inside Poornachandra Auditorium

As per Swami’s instructions, students had come to the Poornachandra Auditorium for the Lion Dance practice. Swami came after sometime along with some elders to see the practice. The students showed a costume stitched with the cloth given by Swami the previous day.

Swami corrected the mistakes committed by the students during the practice session. He again stressed on the mistake committed by the students the previous day – the distance between the student at the head of the Lion and the one at the tail was not being maintained. It looked like a Lion with a broken back as a dip was formed at the centre. Swami called some of the ‘Lions’ separately and made them do the steps individually. He was describing their movements to the elders present there. A wonderful interaction followed thereafter…

At around 4.45 pm when the practice was over, the Warden signalled to the boys to come and sit around Swami’s feet.

Swami : Who called you all here? I did not call. Did your Warden call you?

Swami was asking some of the students their names and the places they come from.

Swami : (To Arvind, a student of the first year M.Sc. (Physics) class) Which place? 

Student : Rajahmundry.

Swami : What is father’s name? (The student mentioned his father’s name. Then Swami mentioned his surname and asked) Is it not?

Student : Yes, Swami.

Warden : Swami, the student studied in Gurukulam. (Sri Sathya Sai Gurukulam is Swami’s school in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.)

Swami : Yes, I know, I know. (To Shashi Kiran, a student of first year M.Sc. (Mathematics) class) Where do you come from?

Student : Mysore.

(The following conversation between Swami and the student was in Kannada.)

Swami : How many years since you came?

Student : Swami, three years.

Swami : Where in Mysore (do you stay)?

Student : Swami, Vidyaranyapuram.

Swami : Do you want Vibhuti?

Student : Yes, Swami. (Swami created Vibhuti and gave him.)

Swami : (Pointing to another student) Telangana?

Student : No Swami. Anantapur.

Meanwhile a student showed Bhagavan two bowls of fried groundnuts.

Student : Will You eat, Swami?

Swami : No, I won’t eat. I do not eat at any odd time I want to. You all eat.

Another student also requested Bhagavan.

Student : Swami, if You take, we will be very happy.

(Then Swami took one groundnut, broke it into two and gave one piece each to two of the students.)

Student : Swami, at least take water.

Swami : Water is fine.

When this student showed the tumbler, Bhagavan dipped His finger a little into the water and placed a drop on His tongue. He then looked at a card that was held by a student.

Swami : What is this?

Student : Swami, Orchestra competition. (As part of the Annual Sports and Cultural Meet, various competitions are conducted within all the Campuses of the Institute.)

Warden : Swami, today evening there is a music competition. We have divided all the students into four houses.

Swami : How many are there?

Warden : Swami, approximately 20 students per group.

Swami : (Pointing to the students present there) No. How many among these? (Two boys raised their hands.) Only two!!

Warden : Swami, one plays Sitar. 

Student : Swami, I know only a little of Sitar. For competition, I am playing Tabla.

Swami : (To the other boy) You?

Student : Singer, Swami.

Swami : Sinner! (The boy nodded his head.)

Swami : (To the boys sitting nearby) What do you play?

Students : Swami, we do not play anything. (Swami then created Vibhuti for the two boys who were participating in the Orchestra competition.)

Swami : Do well. My blessings are there with you all. (To the Lion Dance coach) Kaisa Hai Hamaara Boys? (How are My boys?)

The coach did not understand, so the Warden translated it for him.

Coach : Backbone is weak, Swami.

Swami  : Boys should do exercises. Boy at the back of the lion should be taller than the one at the front. If necessary they can be exchanged. (Then after a pause.) No, no. Don’t exchange. If you keep on exchanging they will not be able to learn properly. Don’t worry. They will learn.

Warden  : Every morning boys do exercises.

Swami : What, don’t you go to Institute?

Warden : No, Swami. There is time after Suprabhatam and before breakfast.
Boys do during that time.

Swami : Till what time are you all there?

Warden : Swami, we are there till 6.30 am.
After a little while… 
Swami : Boys are tired. You all go now.

Swami then went inside and sent word for boys to wait. Then Swami got Prasadam to distribute. Referring to the Prasadam, which was a big Laddu (a sweet)…

Swami : (Smiling) This is not Tirupati Prasadam! (In the temple town of Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh, huge Laddus are given as Prasadam. They are very popular in South India for their taste.)

Swami enquired if everybody got Prasadam. He blessed all the students and went inside.

-Devotional India