November 1, 2002 (Friday)
After seeing some devotees and some organisation members, Swami came towards the students.
Swami : (To the Warden) Why is that side empty?
Warden : Swami, Brindavan boys will come after 4.00 pm.
Swami : (A student came to handover a letter to Swami after crossing the rows of teachers.) Dunnapota (He-buffalo), don’t you have this much sense that you should not cross elders? (To Prof. Anil Kumar) You may not mind boys doing that, but you should teach them the right things.
(To the Warden) Even you have to teach them how to behave with elders. (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Where is that Greek person? Did you see him?
Prof. A. K. : Swami, this morning I saw him while he was praying to Ganesha.
Swami : What is his name?
Prof. A. K. : I think his name is George.
Swami : George Chakravarthi! Go and call him. (Seeing Warden who was trying to hold the chair in place for Swami to sit) I won’t fall.
Warden : No Swami, it is rotating. (It was a revolving chair.)
Swami : Let it rotate, I will rotate along with it. (Spotting the Greek devotee who was coming from one side of the devotees’ lines) Anil Kumar is searching for him on that side while he is on this side.
(To the Greek devotee) Where were you?
Devotee : Swami, I am just coming from Chitravati.
Swami : Why did you go to Chitravati?
Devotee : I went to be present at Mohan Rao’s cremation. (Sri Mohan Rao had been a very old devotee and Mandir Bhajan singer for over four decades.)
Swami : When are you leaving?
Devotee : Swami, I am leaving on Tuesday.
Swami : Where is that tall boy? (Enquiring about another member of his group.)
Devotee : Swami, You mean the sports person? (Swami nods His head in affirmation.) He is practicing for Olympics 2004, which are going to be held in Greece.
After a while, Swami asked the devotee to sing a Bhajan. Swami corrected some words in the Bhajan that he was singing. Noticing that the devotee was out of breath to sing aloud.
Swami : You are tired because of too much of running. Take some rest. Do you sing daily while in Greece?
Devotee : Yes Swami, daily I sing along with my sister.
Swami : Where is her ‘band’? (As the devotee could not understand.) Your sister’s husband, not band. (There was laughter at the pun. After a pause)
Who was Socrates?
 |
| Socrates (Died 339 BC) |
Devotee : Swami, he was a philosopher.
Swami : He was a saint.
Devotee : Whatever Swami says.
Swami : Who were his disciples?
Devotee : Swami, Aristotle.
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| Plato and Aristotle |
Swami : No, Plato. Alexander was disciple of Aristotle. Was Alexander good?
Devotee : Swami, he was great.
Swami : He was a good person also. He took from India gold, some dust from Triveni Sangamam (the spot where the three holy rivers meet – Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) and the holy book – Bhagavad Gita. (After a pause) Sing a Bhajan. (Referring to one of the words in the Bhajan sung by the devotee) What is the meaning of ‘Charanam’?
Devotee : (Showing Swami’s feet) Charanam means feet.
Swami : Sing a Hindi Bhajan. (As he was singing) What is the meaning of ‘Salaam’?
Devotee : Salaam means Namaskar (salutations).
Swami : (To Prof. Anil Kumar) He is from Greece. He came from such a distant place and he doesn’t even know our languages. Yet he is singing so well. He practices every day. He has been coming here for the last 29 years.
He always repeats the name ‘Bhagavan, Bhagavan’.
(To the devotee) Are you married?
Devotee : No, Swami.
Swami : Are you happy now?
Devotee : Yes, of course, Swami. Swami, bless me so that I can come here four to five times in a year.
Swami : Come tomorrow morning along with your sister for Darshan. (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Whenever he comes here, he walks to Parthi from Bangalore chanting the name “Aum Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaya Namah” carrying his heavy luggage on his back. He offers a coconut and a banana every day. (Pointing to a student) Which class is he studying in?
Devotee : Swami, may be class two.
Swami : No, He is in 12th class. In India, boys usually join in 1st standard at the age of five. (After a pause) Sing a Hindi Bhajan. (As he was trying to recollect a Bhajan) Any other Bhajan? (After he finished singing) Very nice.
Devotee : Swami, there in Greece we sing only Prasanthi Bhajans. No American or European songs.
Swami : Do you like these Bhajans?
Devotee : Yes, Swami.
Swami : When do you sing Bhajans?
Devotee : Swami, every Thursday. I sing every day in my heart.
Swami : (Pointing to a student) He is a good singer.
Devotee : All the students are good, Swami.
Swami : He is a good play back singer. (As the devotee was kneeling down all the while…) Sit down. Your legs will pain.
Devotee : No Swami. I am in front of You for the last one hour. I am not having any discomfort.
Swami : What is your name? (The devotee tells his real name and another Indian name, by which he calls himself ever since he started coming here.)
Do you like the climate here?
Devotee : Yes, Swami.
Swami then went back into the interview room.
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