Sathya Sai with Students: The Enthusiasm before a Festival at Prasanthi Nilayam

Saturday, October 21, 2000

Swami gave Darshan at 2:45 pm. After giving two interviews, Swami came to the Ganesh portico.

Swami : Very busy, very busy. Today, a group of people representing the Railway Ministry came to Me and asked Me to inaugurate the railway station. I told them that the railways are too dangerous and I will not enter into such matters. If you want, you can come and inaugurate the railway station yourself. A group of people from Indonesia came to ask permission for building a Super Speciality Hospital. I told them that if they can provide its services free of cost, then they can use My name for it, (jokingly) otherwise I will knock them on their heads.

Prof. A. K. : Swami, who can make an entire Hospital free of cost other than You? Today, You came to the Mandir at 11.30 am and since then You have been working.

Swami : No, I came at 11.05 am to see some work after which I went back at

11.30 am. (To the Warden, Dr. Siva Sankara Sai) Is the drama going on well?

Warden : Yes, Swami. Boys are having practice. The teacher in-charge is not feeling well. Yesterday he had fever.

Swami : What else?

Warden : Today, one student had hernia operation in our Hospital. By Swami’s grace he is fine now.

Swami : I do not know why boys get diseases. They are all young boys, bubbling with enthusiasm. Because of wrong habits and food, they are falling prey to such diseases. I feel pity and wonderstruck at this situation. (After a pause, to Prof. Anil Kumar) On 15th, the inauguration of the railway station (at Prasanthi Nilayam) is going to take place.

Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam Railway Station

Prof. A. K. : It is very fast by Government standards.

Swami : From Dharmavaram all trains will be routed to Parthi. Ramakrishna Rao said that trains would shake like a Jhoola. (Imitating the action) Why does this happen?

Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam Railway Station Platform

Prof. A. K. : Maybe it is because of the speed.

Swami : What is the advantage of trains over buses?

Prof. A. K. : Swami, in trains there will be berths where one can lie down and also there is lot of place in the train when compared to buses.

After a while…

Warden : Swami one road parallel to the main road is made which goes through our compound.

Swami : That will be used on one day only i.e. on the Birthday morning.

Warden : Even to go to the Institute or the Mandir we can use this road.

Swami : (To the Brindavan Warden) 75 Pandits and their families are coming for the Birthday. They may have to be accomodated in the Old Hostel. Maybe the Bangalore boys (Brindavan Campus students) can shift to a place near the Punjabi Canteen.

B. Warden : No, Swami! We will adjust here. Pandits can stay on the ground floor.

Warden : Swami, only one more week of classes are left. After that the boys will be free. All boys are very enthusiastic about the Grama Seva.

Swami : How many teachers are there?

Warden : In Prasanthi Nilayam Campus there are 54 teachers.

Swami : Each teacher will be assigned ten boys to go and distribute Prasadam and clothes to the small villages. It will be distributed in their houses itself. They need not assemble anywhere. We ourselves can go and give Swami’s Prasadam to each family.