Satsang Episode 1: The Miracle of Sathya Sai Baba - By Dr. T. Ravikumar

Swami's students are happy to share with all of you a new offering made at the Divine Lotus Feet on the 90th Birthday entitled Satsang: Experiences of Students and Teachers with Sathya Sai Baba.

As the name suggests, Satsang chronicles the unique and wonderful experiences that students and staff of Swami institutions have had with the Divine Master in His physical form. Each episode is a first-hand experience in Divine presence, with lessons for life for each one of us. 

Swami's students have offered 9 episodes of Satsang on the occasion of the 90th Birthday, and we will be uploading one new episode every Thursday.

We hope that this Sai Bhagavatam gives each one of us a glimpse of Divinity, and an experience of the nectarine bliss of being in the presence of our most beloved Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

The first episode captures the life-transforming experience of Dr. T. Ravikumar, Warden, Sri Sathya Sai Hostel, Brindavan.

   

Sri Sathya Sai on Meerabai: Part 2

Bhakta Meerabai praying to her Lord Krishna

... Continued from Part 1

Significance of Chanting the Divine Name

Spiritual attainments shun publicity. Spiritual practice is to be done in silence, away from public gaze. The name and form of God are extolled by Meera as precious gems; precious gems are not brought out as wares to the market place, only vegetables are so exhibited for all to see.

- “Faults and Failures”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 10, November 21, 1970, Prasanthi Nilayam

Meera chanted Krishna’s name at all times wherever she went. Alarmed by her condition, Maharana in many ways tried to cure her of the madness. As she made no distinction, she had neither attachment nor pride. She had neither ego nor ostentation. She walked on, chanting Krishna’s name among the royal peers and Sadhus, in public and in the streets. Singing the words, ‘Ram Ratan Dhan Payo’ (I have received the true wealth in the form of the name of Rama), she used to walk through the market places. Maharana saw this scene and thought, “I am the king and my wife is behaving like a mendicant strumming her Tambura (musical instrument) and singing among Sadhus and royals alike. Is it not a matter of dishonour to me?” On several occasions, Meera tried to explain to him thus, “Honour and dishonour do not matter when it comes to chanting the Lord’s name. In fact, it is always honourable to take God’s name. Not taking His name is indeed dishonour. If you give room to conceit and be overly concerned of what others will think about you then your Atmic nature diminishes. Be bold and courageous, give up your pride and attachment, declare that it is your duty or that it is your wish and take to chanting of God’s name”. When the bold and courageous Meera refused to change her nature (Swabhava) inspite of pressure from others, Maharana tried in vain to counsel her. He pleaded to her, “Meera! If you go on singing in this way, you will be branded as a mad woman and you will be scandalized by the crows among people”. To this Meera replied, “Maharana? Does the cuckoo stop its sweet singing threatened by the voices made by the crows? Crows are known for their offending cries. Why should a cuckoo be scared of them? Offenders are comparable to crows and chanting of God’s name is like the sweet song of a cuckoo. Similarly, dogs keep barking at the stars but that does not force the stars to drop to earth. Where are the dogs and where are the stars? Similarly, God’s name is up above the world so high! And the silly, ignorant and egoistic people of the world cannot deter us from chanting His name”. The king did not take kindly to her arguments. He was angry. Raja, the king embodies Rajasic nature. A devotee embodies pure Satvic nature. Rajasic and Satvic natures cannot get well. How can water and fire coexist? Where there is water there cannot be fire and vice versa, even though fire emanates from water. Such realities and relativities were brought out by Meera not only for the benefit of Maharana, but to serve as an eye-opener for all people.

Exorcise the fear of ghost and be fearless!
Have fear of sin, rather, why are you afraid of the world?
Afraid of all and sundry if you refrain from God’s adoration
You only deceive yourself.
When it is time to die and Yama comes to pull you away ruthlessly,
Who on earth will intervene for you and plead with him?

- “The Power of Chanting God’s Name”, Discourse 08,
My Dear Students, Volume 01

(Here Swami narrated the story of Meera, where her husband, the Maharana, was upset with her behaviour and devotion towards Krishna) Meera’s nature was as sweet as nectarine dates, whereas Maharana had the nature of a tamarind. Once you taste dates you don’t feel like tasting tamarind. In the same way, the person who likes the taste of tamarind does not like the taste of dates. One who has indigestion does not feel hungry. One who has a very good appetite does not know anything of indigestion. One who does not like God is like the one suffering from indigestion.
One who likes God and takes any amount of pain for Him is like, the one whose hunger is never satiated. There cannot be any compatibility between the two. Meera and Maharana were like that. 

Maharana realised that it was not possible to change Meera’s behaviour and that he would continue to suffer insults as long as Meera was alive. So the king decided to end Meera’s life. He, along with his sister, mixed poison in the milk and sent it to Meera. Meera used to offer the food to God before she partook of it. Unaware of the poison in it, Meera offered the milk given to her to Krishna and drank it. When the poisonous milk was offered to Krishna the idol became blue and the white milk, free of poison, became the share of Meera. At that moment Maharana came inside and shouted, “You can’t stay here anymore. I am the king and you are defaming me. I got this palace built. You can’t stay in the palace built by me”. But Meera was sad and was thinking about the change that had happened to the idol of Krishna. She gained courage and told Maharana, “It is true that you got this palace built and you got this idol installed here. But the temple inside my heart for Krishna is not built by you. It is built by my Krishna. He is inside me. No one has the right to tell the Krishna in my heart not to be with me”. She said, “Oh mind! Why do you have so much attachment? You suffer grief and sorrow only because of that attachment”. She then started singing a song telling the mind to go to Prayag, the place where the rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet (Chalo Re Man Ganga Yamuna Teer). She did not mean the geographical location. She meant the place where the two rivers merge in her, between the two eyebrows. The nerve ‘Ida’ is Ganga and the nerve ‘Pingala’ is Yamuna. The nerve between these two is ‘Sushumna’, which is Prayag. She fixed her mind on the place between the two eyebrows. Her mind remained steadfast at that place and that very moment she merged in Krishna. Meera gained such a pure position only because of ardent faith and chanting of God’s name.

- “Chant the Name of the Lord”, Discourse 17,
My Dear Students, Volume 04

The name has the association of all the special fragrance of the Leela (Divine play), the Mahima (Power) and the Upadesha (spiritual instruction). Each one has a special attachment to one Name out of many, suited to the temperament and the Samskara, the inherited instincts and tendencies shaped in previous births. Meera loved the name Giridhari (mountain-holder). To her, that Leela appealed as the most significant, as the most symbolic of the Lord’s glory. The name that pleases you, that arouses the sweetest and the purest love, is best for you.

- “Shivam, Not Shavam”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 03,
April 29, 1963, Prasanthi Nilayam

The woman Saint, Meera said, “Braving all hardships, I dived deep into the ocean of the worldly life and at last got hold of the precious pearl in the name of Krishna. If I lose hold of this pearl, I may not get it again. Therefore, Oh Lord! You are my sole refuge”.

- “The Mysteries of Creation”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 25, May 26, 1992, Brindavan

The name undoubtedly brings in the grace of God. Meerabai, the queen of Rajasthan, gave up status and riches, fortune and family and dedicated herself to the adoration of the Lord, Giridhara Gopala. Her husband brought a chalice of poison and she was ordered to drink it. She uttered the Name of Krishna while she drank it; it was transformed into nectar, by the grace the Divine Name evoked.

- “The Revelation”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 08, May 17, 1968, Mumbai

Whatever work you undertake, do it conscientiously. Develop purity of mind. If you undertake the work with that purity of mind and then pray to God, surely you will achieve the result. Meera did the same thing. She prayed to the Lord, “Swami, I delved deep into the ocean and could get the pearl of Your Divine name. Let not this valuable pearl slip from my hand and drop back into the ocean. Having been born in this world, let me sing the glory of the Divine name constantly and make my life sanctified”.

- “Akhanda Bhajan – Continuous Namasmarana is the Goal”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 40, November 13, 2007, Prasanthi Nilayam

Realise that God is not separate from you. Strive to strengthen this sense of oneness with the Divine. This was the way Meera experienced the presence of Krishna in her heart, when her husband, the Maharana, expelled her from the Krishna temple built by Him.

The light of the Divine is within you.
Why go seeking for it elsewhere?
This is the light of love and of bliss.
Never forget God, whatever may happen to you.

There is no greater form of meditation than constant remembrance of God at all places and on all occasions. God is the indweller in the heart. When you experience this you will lack nothing and will be ever blissful. You will commit no wrong and will fear none. Your conscience will be your guide.

- “Manifest the Divine Within You”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 30, July 20, 1997, Prasanthi Nilayam

Message for Humanity 

If in the Adhyatmic path we wish to attain the bliss of Brahman, we generally go to a pilgrimage centre or meet elders and learned people. It is not to be sought in a pilgrimage centre nor is it to be looked for in the teachings of elders. It is within you and can be known by controlling your own mind.
It is in this context that Meera sang:

Oh! Mind, travel to the banks of Ganga and Yamuna.
(Ganga and Yamuna represent the two Nadis (nerves), Ida and Pingala)
Move on to where these two Nadis, through which one inhales the
Breath and exhales the breath meet.
Move on and Locate yourself in the clear, clean and pure place,
The centre of your forehead.

“Brahman is Within You and is Realizable by an Unwavering Mind”, Summer Showers in Brindavan 1974, Brindavan

The Vedas have declared that in observing Dharma and doing one’s duty by (in the name of) the Divine, the opposing words of no one; father, mother, preceptor or anybody else should be heeded. Bharata, Prahlada, Meera and others are examples of those who went against the injunctions of mother, father, husband respectively in adhering to their devotion to the Lord. No one is entitled to be a barrier between the devotee and the Lord, whatever is his relationship with the devotee.

- “Experience Oneness with the Divine”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 22, September 12, 1989, Prasanthi Nilayam

Many devotees go on pilgrimages to Benares, Prayag or other sacred places in the hope that thereby they will be absolved of their sins. Pilgrimages are not the means to wipe out sins. What is required is purification of the heart and the mind. If the mind is cleansed through Sadhana (spiritual discipline), Divinity will reveal itself on its own accord. Saint Meera gave the same message, when she sang a Bhajan calling upon the mind to go to the Ganga and Yamuna. The Ganga and the Yamuna she had in mind are not the rivers in Northern India but the inhaling and exhaling breaths in each of us-the Ida and Pingala Nadis. The central spot between the brows is the Prayag, the place where the Ganga and the Yamuna converge and by concentrating on this spot Krishna can be discovered. This spot is described by Meera as cool, pure and undisturbed. Inhaling and exhaling symbolise what one should take in and what one should reject and the holding of the breath (Kumbhaka) signifies what one should hold on to namely, Divinity. One should take in the pure things and reject the impure.

- “Why the Avathaar Comes”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 16, August 31, 1983, Prasanthi Nilayam

(Bhagavan sang a Meera Bhajan and explained how Meera in this song, directs her mind towards Krishna and appeals to him to enter her heart and experience her pure love). It is only by fostering love you can win the grace of God. The Prema Rasa (sweet juice of love) will be drained away if you have holes in your heart (spiritual heart) in the form of bad feelings and evil thoughts. If you plug these holes by curbing the evil qualities, the juice of love will be retained to some extent.

        - “Time is God: Make Best Use of It”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 27, April 14, 1994, Kodaikanal

Prema (the highest Love) transcends the ego; it is pure; it is sweet, it is sacred and sanctifying. Prahlada had that Prema; so, whatever befell him; pain, grief, torture, disgrace, he bore them all, for he was unaware of anything except God whom he had enshrined in his heart. Meera too was so hungry for God and so agonised by separation from Him that she was always singing only of His charm, His might and His mystery. You must yearn to be blessed with that earnestness, that dedication and that devotion shown by Prahlada and Meera. That alone can give you the Supreme Bliss.

-“He Sings Ever”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 12,
June 10, 1974, Prasanthi Nilayam

Contentment gives all spiritual aspirants the enthusiasm and vigour necessary for treading the path that leads to realisation of God (Sakshatkara). Contented, the aspirant can ignore the dangers and difficulties of the path. The aspirant treats all the impermanent things of this life as poison and discards them as trash. Discrimination, renunciation, and the spirit of inquiry develop through contentment. The story of Meera is an example of this.

- “Innocence, Purity, and Humility”, 
Dhyana Vahini

Source: Sai Vani: Avatar on Mahapurushas

To Deserve more than to Desire – By Gaurav Kudtarkar

Gaurav Kudtarkar with Sri Sathya Sai

A very soulful Bhajan goes: “Deena Dukhiyo Se Prem Karo, Mera Sai Prasanna Hogaa” (Love the downtrodden and distressed, My Sai will be pleased). This Bhajan is insightful not only in the message of Love that it gives, but also has the personal reference to Swami as ‘My’ Sai. Indeed, the relationship between Swami and His devotees is so customized and personal that it would not be wrong to say that there is not one Sathya Sai Baba, but as many as there are His devotees. Swami is like a mirror in which our deepest need is reflected and shaped into an appropriate relationship that connects us to Him. Accordingly, for some He is ‘Mother Sai’, for others ‘Father Baba’, for still others ‘Friend Sathya’, ‘Teacher Swami’, ‘God Bhagavan’, and so on, with the nature of each relationship being further nuanced.

However, the one role that is most significant and held so by Bhagavan Himself, is His role as the Guru. Swami began His incessant flow of nectarine wisdom to the world with the message: ‘Maanasa Bhajare Gurucharanam’ (O mind, dwell on the feet of the Guru). Do not the Upanishads also etymologically mean knowledge gained by sitting at the feet of the Guru? I believe this is why Swami gives a lot of importance to Padanamaskar. Moreover, while the larger devotee community is the Sai family, the subset that studies at the Sai educational institutions are ‘His Students’ who share a bond nonpareil with Swami. Indeed, He is first and foremost, a Guru to us. The word ‘Guru’, Swami explains, is a composite of two syllables that describe His/Her nature: ‘Gu’ – standing for Guna-teeta (one who has transcended the three Gunas), and ‘Ru’ – standing for Roopa-varjita (one who has grasped the formless aspect of God). ‘Gu’ also means darkness and ‘Ru’– dispelling, making ‘Guru’ the person who dispels darkness. Indeed, 

Ajnaana Timiraandhasya Jnaanaanjana Shalaakayaa
Chakshurunmeelitam Yena Tasmai Sri Gurave Namah

(I was born in the darkest ignorance and my Guru opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisance unto Him.)

Kahlil Gibran has said that, a wise teacher does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind. Indeed, being Wisdom personified, Swami has always exhorted us to realise our own innate Divinity and thus, activate the Sadguru latent in us, for the voice of God within us is the greatest Guru. And to initiate us on this path, Swami plays the role of the Jagadguru (Teacher of the World). In fact, of all the major Avatars, none had as predominant a teaching role as does the Poornavatar Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He has not only taught all possible subjects, in all possible ways and through all possible media, but He has illumined us.

During my ten years as a Sai student (2001-2011), I was a witness to many instances of Swami as a Guru, and was blessed on one occasion to directly receive tutelage from Him. I was in my eleventh standard in 2005, studying in the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. It was my first year being a ‘direct’ Sai student. During the three years before that, when I was studying at the Alike Sai School, I had heard of many instances where students had got gold chains and rings materialised by Swami. Now as I was a student myself, the desire for the same was intensified. What was more; I would often fancy getting a chain, a ring and a bracelet – all at once! Silly as they may seem to me now, I am thankful for those fanciful thoughts, for they were responsible for Swami teaching me an indelible lesson – ‘Deserve more than Desire’.

The date of the ‘class’ was February 10, 2005, and it was the day when the Bhima Ratha Shanti Ceremony (where elderly couples are symbolically remarried) was being conducted in the Sai Kulwant Hall. It had been my birthday a few days back, and I had been sitting in the Birthday boys’ line in the Sai Kulwant Hall during Darshan to get my birthday tray blessed by Swami. It was a practice, then, for Birthday boys to take nuts, sweets, Vibhuti and Akshantulu (auspicious yellow rice) in a tray to be blessed by the Lord. Not having been called by Swami on the preceding days, my wait extended to the 10th of February. On that day, there were two other students who were waiting with their birthday trays. I felt that, it being a ceremony day, our best chance of being blessed would be if Swami called us while He was taking His initial round along the Darshan path. Swami, dressed in a yellow robe, soon entered the Sai Kulwant Hall. Coming to the central area of the Hall, Swami moved slowly looking at the arrangements and the eager elderly couples. When He did pass in front of us, the birthday boys, we gently thrust our trays in His direction, eager to capture the tiny window of opportunity available. But the only thing that came in through that window was a gentle smile from the Lord, which, although was as bright as the colour of His robe, did not satisfy us. Swami finished the Darshan round and went and sat in the portico. We still had a sliver of a chance of being called, which duly dissipated when Swami directed the ceremony to begin. Now our chances were all over.

After the ceremony, Swami called for the mike indicating that He intended to give a discourse. The excitement around was starkly in contrast to the relative gloom among us birthday boys, because that meant further slimming our chances. As the discourse began, I lazily placed my tray on my lap and decided to focus on the discourse, instead of trying to draw Swami’s attention in vain. After speaking on the importance of respecting and taking care of elderly people, Swami started expounding on the topic of Divine energy being present in all things. Midway, He suddenly looked in our direction and beckoned the three of us. It was a jolt of me. I clumsily came out of my stupor, picked up my tray, and heart pounding with excitement, made my way to Swami. As I was the second in line, I watched as Swami picked the Akshantulu (sacred rice) from the first boy’s tray and sprinkled the same on his head. And then, it was my turn. My eyes were transfixed on Swami’s hand as they moved across my tray, first touching the bowl of raisins, then the bowl of almonds, and then the cloves. Finally, Swami picked up the Akshantulu and I braced myself for a shower of blessed love. But it did not come, yet. Swami, for some reason, held the Akshantulu in His palm with His last two fingers. Then, He picked Akshantulu from my tray for a second time and this time dropped them gently on my head. It was the first time Swami had blessed me on the occasion of my birthday.

As I returned to my seat, the joy was so immense that it precluded curiosity as to why Swami had taken Akshantulu twice from my tray. Soon, the third student also returned after having been blessed, and Swami continued His discourse. Though my eyes were on Swami, not a word entered my head, as I was still lost in savouring the blessed moment. What brought me back to the present was Swami moving His hand in a circular motion indicating that He was materialising something. The next moment, there was a gold chain dangling from Swami’s hand. Pausing His discourse, gold chain in hand, Swami turned in our direction and looked briefly at each one of us. When He looked at me, it seemed as if the pounding of my heart had not only cut out my hearing but had also blurred my vision. Normalcy returned when Swami passed me over and looked at the third student.

Fixing His gaze on him for a while longer, He asked the student, “From where has this chain come?” The student was totally flustered. Getting up with folded and tremulous hands, he managed to bring out the words, “From God, Swami”. To have answered something in that moment was itself great, but Swami obviously did not think so, for, His face took on a stern expression and He said, “No. It has come from Akshantulu”. Then He called the student and put the chain around his neck, and I joined the entire hall in rejoicing over the shower of Swami’s love. Swami then reiterated the point that everything contains Divine energy, and His statement that the chain was from the Akshantulu fell into perspective, it was the power inherent in the Akshantulu which was responsible for the creation of the chain. And then it struck me. Akshantulu? From where did that come? My mind literally swirled and rewound to a few minutes back and I could see Swami picking the Akshantulu from my tray for the first time and holding them in His palm.

Soon after the Darshan, as I was returning to the Hostel, all my castles in the air of getting a materialisation from Swami came crashing down and I was left staring at the seeming injustice of it all. Prima facie, or so I thought, it was a tight case in my favour. It is my Akshantulu from which chain materialized, therefore, it’s my chain. Why should the other student get it? However, on reflecting further, I realised that Swami had given me something more important and precious than any gold chain, a lesson for life. I, firstly, realised that it was not ‘my’ Akshantulu. So what if it had come from my tray? I myself had got it a few days back from some other source. Secondly, I realised that I did not know anything about the deservedness of the student who got the chain. Lastly, I understood most clearly that I was totally not deserving of the chain. What I was deserving of was a lesson, and Swami gave it to me in the best possible way.

Indeed Swami is the greatest Guru for this very reason, He not only knows what lessons we need (even better than we ourselves know), but also knows the best way to drive them home. The biggest Gurudakshina (Offering to the Guru) that we can give Him is to cherish those lessons and keep relearning them. In my case, I have had ample time to dwell on the lesson I received. I don’t know if I have become more deserving, but I have definitely become less desiring.

-    Gaurav Kudtarkar
Student (2009-2011), Department of Management Studies
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Prasanthi Nilayam Campus

Source: Sai Nandana 2015 (90th Birthday Offering)

“Newspapers always blow up wrong issues…”

Sunday, November 5, 2000

In the evening, in the third block…

Swami    :    (Regarding the Grama Seva) Newspapers always blow up issues, especially the wrong ones. Students are doing so much of good work, they don’t even make a mention about it. Anantapur Campus people want to go to Bukkapatnam town. They are even ready to go in lorries.

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, they can go and do Seva. But we may not be able to make food packets from 12.00 pm to 5.00 am (the time during which every night, the students and staff from the Anantapur Campus packed the food for Grama Seva).

Swami    :    You all should do that also.

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, today the Laddus were big. Tamarind rice was also good.

Swami    :    Chiranjeevi Rao said that lemon rice would be made tomorrow.
        (To a student who was showing a letter) What is there in the letter?

Student    :    Swami, I have poured out my heart in the letter.

Swami    :    You poured out your heart! Even if the ocean becomes the ink and sky becomes the paper, it can’t be emptied. (Swami read the letter and materialised a ring for him. Talking about the amount of food people eat)

I don’t like eating too much. I take only when it is required. I don’t have two things – sleep and hunger. (Narrating the earlier years) Those days,  I used to go to Bombay from Bangalore (by car) during night. I used to joke and tell stories so that the driver remained awake. We would start at six in the evening and reach Bombay by 6.30 am in the morning… Grama Seva Prasadam should be given at the staff quarters also.

Prof. A. K.    :    Swami, we gave there on the first day.

Swami    :    One day, Prasadam should be given inside Prasanthi Nilayam too. When are you going to give Me?

Warden    :    Swami, when we give the villagers, we give with the feeling that we are giving You.

Swami    :    (Smiling) Abho! Abho! (Oh! Oh!)

After Bhajans, Swami retired to the Poornachandra residence.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2000-2001)

Spirit of Unity Music Concert in Prashanti Nilayam

Saturday, November 19, 1994

P.V. Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister of India with Sri Sathya Sai at the Concert in Prasanthi Nilayam

A three-day programme of music and dance, ‘Spirit of Unity Concerts,’ had been arranged at Prashanti Nilayam by the Bharat Cultural Integration Committee. This was the 23rd programmme organised by the committee since its inception, with Bhagavan’s blessings in 1981. Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi, one of the foremost carnatic musicians of South India, presented the inaugural concert.

Bhagavan addressed the evening meetings at Poornchandra Auditorium on all the three days. Sri B. D. Jatti, President of the Bharat Cultural Integration Committee, Sri T. V. K. Sastri, Sri T. N. Seshan, Chief Election Commissioner, Sri K. P. Singh Deo, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sri Shivaraj Patil, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Sri Arjun Singh, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Sri P. V. Narasimha Rao, the Prime Minister of India, and Sri Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, addressed the devotees during the three day festival.

A rare photo of Sri Sathya Sai with leading musicians from North and South India
(Including Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Yesudas, Pandit Ravi Shankar and Anup Jalota)

Bhimsen Joshi, Birju Maharaj, Ustad Mohammad Dilshad Khan, Begum Parveen Sultana, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Pandit Jasraj and Sri Anup Jalota presented musical programmes at the festival.

Bhagavan, in His Valedictory Address, described Bharat as a great country that has given birth to great saints and sages, who have in turn given the world a rich legacy of fine arts, music, dance, painting, sculpture, and literature, of a high degree of excellence, and produced many intellectual giants. Bhagavan also stated that it is the responsibility of the present generation to protect Bharat’s sacred traditions and culture. 

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1986 – 2005)

Sri Sathya Sai on Meerabai – Part 1

DEVOTION FOR KRISHNA

Meera derived supreme satisfaction when she experienced the Divine in the form of Giridhara Gopala, the cowherd boy Krishna, who raised the Govardhana peak, as an umbrella to protect the people and cattle of Gokul against the ravaging rains sent down by the angry rain God, Indra. 

- “Jumping to Conclusions”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 07, October 13, 1967, Prasanthi Nilayam 

In worshipping Krishna, devotees have their own individual partiality for certain names. Meerabai always hailed Him as ‘Giridhara Gopala’. 

- “From Annam to Ananda”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 21, March 13, 1988, Brindavan 

Meera was a devotee who had completely merged herself in Krishna consciousness. After Her marriage, she requested her husband to build a temple for Krishna. The Rana built for her a temple in marble. Meera spent all the time in the temple singing Bhajans (devotional songs) oblivious of the outside world. The Rana, who allowed Meera to carry on her worship of Krishna, as agreed by him before the marriage, got vexed with her complete absorption in Krishna; prohibited her from going to the temple and closed its doors. Meera felt, “The Rana may bar Me from the temple which he has built. But who can bar Me from seeking the Krishna who resides in the temple of My heart?” Meera’s thoughts were centred on Krishna installed in Dwaraka.

She ran towards Dwaraka through forests and hills, defying storm and rain, singing all the way and calling on “Krishna! Krishna!” Reaching Dwaraka, she entered the temple but found the doors of the sanctum closed. Despite all her efforts, the doors would not open. She cried out “Oh Krishna ! Do you think with the cymbals in one hand and Tambura in the other how can I hold your lotus feet? See, I am throwing them away. I shall not give You up and You cannot get away from me. Abandoning everything, I will cling to your feet”. Crying in anguish, Meera knocked her head against the door of the sanctum. That very moment she fell into a swoon. An effulgent flame emerged from her body and merged into the Krishna idol. Few can understand the ways in which devotion manifests itself among the lovers of God. Human relations come and go. But the association with God is eternal.

- “The Lord and the Devotee”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 20, May 3, 1987, Brindavan 

Meera asked her mother, as a tiny girl, “Mother! We are playing a game. The other girls have all given out the names of the man each will wed; who will be my husband? Tell me, I must tell them his name”. When she prodded her for some time, the mother blurted out, “This Giridhara, installed in this shrine, He is your husband. Go”. Meera dedicated herself to the Lord Giridhara (Krishna) from that moment and saw everywhere, at all times, only His complexion and His compassion. The body is the bridegroom for the Life principle which is the bride; this is the wedlock in every life.

- “Acquire Me as Charioteer”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 08, August 18, 1968, Prasanthi Nilayam 

Meera was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. She had the habit of offering everything to the Lord before partaking it. Those days it was a custom and people observed such rules. She was the wife of the Maharana. A queen never used to move in the midst of men in those days. However, Meera did not have any differences. What was her feeling? Her belief was that the entire nature is feminine and only Lord Krishna was the masculine principle. When she was among people, she used to mingle with them as though they were women. Just because one is wearing shirt and pant one should not think that one is a man. Nature is associated with the feminine quality.

In the drama of the world, everyone takes a certain role to play. When a person faces sorrow whether it is a woman or a man, both cry. Similarly, whether man or woman, both partake food when they are hungry. Both of them get angry. Therefore, in reference to the six qualities of desire, all are the same. We may possess physical and mental strengths but in terms of strengths of virtue, all are same. Hence, all of you are feminine. It is only the Lord who has the power of control. Therefore, He alone is masculine. 

Meera drinking the poison after offering to Krishna

Meera had this sort of feeling. Thus, she used to move about in the midst of all people, whether it was Emperor Akbar or anyone else. This feeling of devotion of Meera pleased Akbar. Akbar offered a garland to Meera asking her to offer it to Lord Krishna. Maharana, who considered Akbar as his enemy, came to know about it and developed hatred against Meera. He thought that in the pretext of devotion to Lord Krishna, she was forgetting the difference between men and women. He asked his associates to give poisoned milk to Meera. The poison was so severe that even a drop could kill a person. Such a poison was mixed with the milk and sent through a servant to Meera. As was her habit, she offered the milk to Lord Krishna, prayed and then took the milk. As she was drinking the milk, all the servants of the king were watching intently. But she did not show any signs of the effects of poison. Why? The reason was that she offered it to God. This poison might have turned the complexion of Lord Krishna into blue but it never reached Meera. Thus, any type of food once offered to the Lord will turn nectarine even if it is poisonous.

- “Consume only Satvic Food”, Discourse 02, My Dear Students, Volume 02 

Once Meera was singing, ‘Giridhara Gopala, Giridhara Gopala.’ Hearing this, Maharana, her husband, became very angry. Out of fury and anger, he caught hold of her hair and dragged her out of the temple. Meera felt very sad. She said, “Krishna, can I leave You? God is everywhere. My heart is Your temple. Not this temple which is built by Maharana. The temple You built is permanent. You cannot give up my heart. That is my temple. Let the mind travel where Ganga and Yamuna meet. Prayag is the place where Ganga and Yamuna merge. Ganga is devotion. Yamuna is action. The inner current is Saraswati. All the three are at the centre of the Tirtha. There, You are present. Oh mind! Travel to that place. The water of Ganga and Yamuna are very pure. It is pleading to the mind so that it might travel to that place and it may find God. Go there. Don’t go anywhere”. Where is this Tirtha (place of pilgrimage– the confluence of rivers)? It is within you. It is not the outer world or outer place. God is in your heart. However, if you experience Him, see Him directly, you will be happy. 

- “Always Remember the Lord”, Discourse 07, My Dear Students, Volume 04 

When Meera was in the Krishna temple, she was put to trouble in various ways by Maharana. Tulsidas was her contemporary. She sent a letter to Tulsidas in which she asked him as to what she should do. She wrote, “Devotion to husband is necessary. But he is standing in between the Lord and me. In such a situation, please let me know, whom should I leave – my husband or God?” Then Tulsidas replied from there, “Your husband is only the master of your body. But God is Jagatpati, Lokapati, Vishwapati, Pranapati and Dehapati (Lord of the three worlds, of all the people and creation, of the very life breath and of your body too). Why do you worry of your husband’s reaction? If he is coming in way of your reaching the goal – God, leave him. God is the Lord of the universe. He was there with you before your birth and will be with you after your death. Your husband is like a passing cloud, which comes in between only in this life. God is present with you in all the three periods of time. Then why do you think about all this?” Why should you go for a paltry plant in the backyard?When you have the very Kalpavriksha (wish fulfilling tree) that grants all your wishes? Why should you buy a cow for money? When you have the Kamadhenu (the celestial cow) ready to give you milk in plenty? 

God is like a wish-fulfilling tree, then why do you go after banana trees! After receiving the letter, she took her Tambura and left the palace for Dwaraka. Then she prayed to Giridhari, “You are the only refuge of the forlorn, I have none else”. With this feeling in her, she merged in Krishna. 

- “Unity of Thought, Word and Deed”, Discourse 02, My Dear Students, Volume 05 

Note: Meerabai is the most famous of the women devotional poets of North India. Born as a princess in 1498 in Rajasthan, she was an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. Known for her active involvement in the Vaishnava Bhakti Movement, hundreds of Bhajans in Hindi and Gujarati languages, sung in the praise of Lord Krishna and some even on Lord Rama, have been attributed to her. Though born as a princess in a royal Rajput clan, and married to Prince Bhoj Raj of the royal clan of Chittor, she lived her life in simplicity, austerity and total surrender to her Lord Krishna. She has been immortalized for her devotion towards Lord Krishna, and finally merged in Him at the Dwarka temple in Gujarat in 1557.

Continued in Part 2…


Source: Sai Vani: Avatar on Mahapurushas

“The Speaker of the Indian Parliament came to see Me…”

November 2, 1998

Swami was taking letters from students and reading them out. In one such letter…

Swami        : Dearest… Dear-rest. (In another letter Swami noticed a figure of a heart) Heart should be inside, not on this. (To Brindavan Warden) Nowadays, boys are leading an artificial life. Yemi Samacharam? (What is the news?)

Warden       : Swami, Brindavan students are having classes in the afternoon.

Swami        : Where are the Prashanti Nilayam boys? They went off to classes.
(To a student) Are you all Bangalore boys?

Student       : Yes, Swami.

Swami        : Go to Bangalore.

Student      : Swami, parents have come.

Swami        : (Jokingly) You have become mental. There is one more boy also. (Swami called       that boy) Both of you go to mental hospital for some days!
 
Swami went towards the interview room. After interviews…

G.M.C. Balayogi, Lok Sabha Speaker (1998-2002)

Swami        : Balayogi, the Parliament Speaker came. He went to Russia. In Russia, there are  many Sai centres. There, he attended one of the Sai Conferences. They told him, “God is in India.”  They also gave the address as, Prashanti Nilayam, Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. As soon as he returned from Russia, he directly came here. Four of our old boys also came. They are the 1st batch students of our College. They are now MLAs. They want to build a bridge across Chitravati. It will be a shortcut to Kadiri. They were seeking My permission. I told them that I would give permission under one condition that they should not indulge in   corruption. They should not ask anybody for donation. If they want money let them ask Me, I will give. You are Sai students. Sai students do not ask anybody for donation. Sai students are not beggars. You are bigger.
(To a student) Santhanam. (Means children) How many children do you have? (A student laughed aloud. Swami imitated his laughter and everyone laughed.) Tamasha in laughing also.

Student         : Swami, we are Your lions.

Swami          : (Pointing to the bronze lion statues) These lions?

Student         : No Swami, Your lions.

Swami          : I don’t want lions. (To a visiting Professor) How are you?

Prof          : Swami, My son is being operated upon. You should save him. He has sent a letter.

Swami          : What are you going to do after retirement?

Prof          : Swami, I want to serve You.

Swami          : I don’t want any service. Do work in our Institute. Which subject?

Prof          : Swami, Physics.

Swami          : Everything is Physics. This floor, that book, that pillow. What is matter? Matter gets converted into energy and energy into matter. Where do you work?

Prof          : Benaras, Swami.

Swami          : What is the meaning of Benaras? Kashi. (To a student) Is it your birthday    today?

Student         : Swami, 31st.

Swami          : How old are you?

Student          : Swami, 19 years.

Swami           : 90 years! Tamasha… (Joke) What is the meaning of Lord?

Student         : Swami, ‘who is everything’.

Swami          : No. Lord means Master. Like landlord…
 
Student         : Swami, like Lord of our life.

Swami           : No. Lord is like landlord. It just means master. (To another student) Yemi         Samacharam (What is the news?) When is your brother coming?

Student           : Swami, he is coming this evening.

Swami            : College has reopened. Why has he not come yet?

Student           : Swami, he did not get ticket.

Swami            : If you pay, you will get ticket. You are telling lies. Something else is there.
             (To a devotee) When are you going?

Devotee            : Tomorrow.

Swami             : Two Maaro (Literally meaning - Hit twice)!! Do you come from Russia?

Devotee            : Yes, Swami

Swami             : Where is your wife? (He pointed towards ladies side.) Not wife. Friend. (To students)  Russian marriage. (To a Student) You also go to Russia.

Student            : Swami, India Hee Achha Hai (India is good).

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (1991-2000)

Birthday Celebrations as per the Indian Calendar

                       Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Prof. Jayalakshmi Gopinath (Warden) and Prof. Poornasridevi (Principal), Anantapur Campus, SSSIHL, with Sri Sathya Sai

The star Birthday of Bhagavan was celebrated on 12th November 2003, according to the Indian almanac. On this auspicious day, 78 physically challenged persons were blessed by Bhagavan in Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagavan lit the lamps and cut the Birthday cake to inaugurate the function that morning. He blessed each one of the patients and gifted to them tricycles, crutches, callipers, artificial limbs, wheel chairs, walking sticks and clothes. Bhagavan commanded Prof. Jayalakshmi Gopinath, to give a talk to the patients in Telugu, so that the patients would understand. Bhagavan delighted everyone with His sudden Discourse for 20 minutes without any translation. The students of Anantapur Campus presented some songs. The patients were offered sumptuous meal in the canteen as Prasadam. This programme was organised by the staff and students of the Anantapur Campus, as part of the 78th Birthday celebrations of Bhagavan. 


Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1986-2005)