When Sri Sathya Sai Inaugurated the Poornachandra Auditorium…

Sunday, October 08, 1972 to 
Wednesday, October 18, 1972 

Swami hoisted the Prashanti Flag at 7.30 am on 8th October, 1972, to inaugurate the Dasera Celebrations at Prashanti Nilayam between the 8th and the 18th of October, 1972. After a speech by Prof. V. K. Gokak on the 8th, Swami delivered His Discourse. Swami then proceeded in a procession to the New Residential Blocks in Prashanti Nilayam and inaugurated the 70 newly constructed flats. He entered each one of the 70 flats and gave immense joy to the allottees. About 10,000 poor were fed during Narayana Seva at noon, and Swami distributed sweets. The Rajmata of Sirohi and Sri Bhavaraju Sathyanarayana, the aged engineer, distributed clothes. 

The Anniversary of Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital was celebrated that evening with Dr. Nallainathan of Colombo, as Chairman. Swami gave a Discourse on this occasion.  

The stage is set for the All India Conference for Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization at the new Poornachandra Auditorium

Swami inaugurated the Second All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Dal Conference on 9th morning. Sri Nakul Sen, Lieutenant Governor of Goa, presided over the conference. Prof. Gokak offered at the Lotus Feet his new book - ‘Narahari, Prophet of New India’ on this occasion. Swami then delivered His Inaugural Address. 

Swami addressed the delegates on 10th morning also. At the evening session, Swami elaborated on the final resolutions arrived at during the conference which He approved of The Annual Session of the All India Prashanti Vidwan Maha Sabha was held in the spacious new auditorium on 11th evening. Brahmasri Gandikota Subramanya Sastry spoke about the significance of Yajna. Swami then explained the vast complexities of Vedic literature in His simple and unique way. Sri Mohanlal Sukhadia inaugurated the 7 day Veda Pususha Saptaha Jnana Yajna on 12th October. After the Governor’s speech, Swami delivered His Inaugural Discourse. From 12th to the 17th, Swami blessed the devotees with His Darshan at Yajna Mantap in the mornings, and Discourses in the evenings. Vedic scholars expounded significantly on various topics prior to Swami evening Discourses. Swami materialised precious gems for the Poornahuti on the 17th. He created a head ornament in gemset gold during the Vibhuti Abhishekam for the Shirdi Sai idol. The continuous stream of Vibhuti covered the idol and showered precious stones around. Swami then sprinkled the holy Yajna Tirtha on all the devotees. In the evening meeting on the 17th, Col. Joga Rao and Swami Karunyananda addressed the gathering. Swami appreciated the efforts of Col. Joga Rao and Sri Bhavaraju Sathyanarayana, the 82 year old engineer, and their young assistants, who toiled hard to redesign Prashanti Nilayam and the Auditorium. Swami remembered the sincere devotion of the late Poonamchand Kamani and his involvement in the erection of the Auditorium. Swami announced that this Auditorium would be called ‘Poorna Chandra Auditorium’ in memory of the late Poonamchand Kamani. 

In the Divine Discourse, Swami said:

“A bubble is born on water, from water and merges in water! Man is born in God and merges in God! This is the lesson India has been teaching her children as well as all men anywhere for centuries. She gave the message of Divinity to humanity. Festivals like Dasara are designed to make man aware of his Divinity, to endow him with purity to become aware of his holiness, to imprint on his heart the wisdom won by the sages after years of yearning. The monastic heads, hereditary gurus, the leaders and rulers of the land are not inspiring people to awaken to this truth. Though millions get a glimpse of the ecstasy of union with the Divine Beauty and Divine Majesty from these festivals and pilgrimages, the real purpose of the festivals and the benefit one has to derive from the concourse of like-minded people is not understood or explained by any one. The holy teachings of our land are not being implemented by the so-called custodians of culture - the educationists, the preceptors and the gurus. 

Pilgrimages impress on people the lesson of unity; they bring together people from all corners of the world, irrespective of language or locality. The places of pilgrimage are also distributed all over the land. Festivals like the Dasara at Prasanthi Nilayam bring together Sadhakas from all the continents, irrespective of religion, caste, creed, and colour; they are all motivated by the same urge, to involve themselves more and more in attempts to realise their innate Divinity. They have met here to enjoy the supreme delight in the Holy presence of the Lord and to recognise the unity of all in the Divine Atmic splendour. 

Desire knows no justification and has no end 

But man is caught in low desires. Desire is the sole cause of sorrow and distress. Sacrifice is the best means of avoiding desire and the consequent grief and disappointment. Several devotees come to Me and complain, "Lord! I am suffering from this problem," "I am suffering from some headache," "I am suffering from stomach ache." I give all of them the same reply, "Santosham" (I am happy), to everyone. When a bereaved wife tells Me that her husband has departed, then also I say Santosham. You may wonder why I give the same reply to all such persons. Santosham is not the common type of joy or happiness, the transient, trivial pleasure you get from worldly success or material gain. "San" means anything gained through fair means, honourable methods. Tosham is sacred, holy, exaltation, ecstasy. Of all the gifts that you receive from God, the greatest gift is Santosham. The opposite of Santosham is 'Sorrow', which is the fruit of Asha (desire) that arouses hope and almost always results in disappointment or despair. One Asha engenders another: one desire proliferates into a hundred, even when it is fulfilled. Asha is like the shadow caused by the morning Sun---it gets longer when you run to catch it. It tantalises you and makes you a fool. It knows, no justification and has no end. So, Santosham is the supreme blessing of the Lord, who in His infinite Love, puts an end to that unquenchable thirst. No wealth or other attainment can equal it in efficacy. Santosham is the culmination of Desire in full contentment and sacred satiety. 

The sacred texts of India have abiding, vitality 

The culture of India has been exhorting people to learn this lesson and practise this discipline but, the glitter of the West with its scientific advance and technological superiority have enslaved the brain and hems of Indians and they pay no heed to the Voice of the Mother which warns and teaches. They are like the dull-witted inhabitants of the Gangetic basin who dig wells on the banks of the holy river---instead of drawing the sacred water itself for their needs! You should pledge yourself to protect, practise and promote the ancient time-tested culture of your country. 

It is not an accident that you are born in this land. A sacred responsibility is resting on your shoulders. The greatness of India is something unique; so is your good fortune to be living at a time when it is being fast recognised all over the world by anxiety ridden, fear torn, humans. A word about; Poets who read poems now. According to tradition only the Rishis who had intuitively cognised the hymns in. praise of God and the Divine in man were revered as Poets or kavis. Of course, rishis or sages were honoured as poets, and the appellation rishis was not given to 'poets.' Rishis could be called Kavis, because, 'Kavi' meant he who understood the past, realized the present and educated people for the future. Since the poet has a purified consciousness, he could pronounce impartial judgement on the past, he could lay his finger on the ills and 'wells' of the present and he could recommend the paths for progress in the future. People could place faith in their words and listen to their call. They would not mislead or misinterpret. 

Genuine poets are aware of the three periods of time, can roam in their imagination over the three worlds and be ever fixed in consciousness with the three Divine Entities of the Trinity. The Shastras, Puranas, Epics and other sacred texts of India have abiding vitality and validity, only because their authors had such unquestioned authority to guide and interpret the Age 'in which they lived and composed their works. 

The sages of India desired to establish peace on earth 

Vyasa and Valmiki underwent a long process of asceticism and study, as well as experience 'of spiritual bliss and thus lifted themselves up to the heights of Rishihood, before they composed the epics and texts bearing their name. The question may be asked, "Why should they compose poetry, however exalted, after attaining Rishihood? What was the urge that prompted them?" The answer is: "They were overcome with compassion, for the fellow-pilgrims struggling along the path they had-traversed; they were full of agony at the plight of fellow-beings who were sweltering in the heat of worldly entanglements." They desired to establish peace on earth and good-will among mankind. Their attention was ever on the Vedic message, "Swayam Theernah, Paraan Thaarayathi." "Themselves having crossed the Sea of' Samsara (change), they help others to do likewise." Themselves risen to the Divine, they helped others to rise. 

Nature has no beginning and no end 

One of the stages of development of beings into Divinity is Manavattva (Humanness), being endowed with Manas (mind), which is an instrument for bondage to, as well as for liberation from, physical shackles. Some people define 'Prakriti' (the objective world) as a mere fancy of the mind. But, it 'is as valid, as real, as the Lord Himself. God has no beginning and no end. Nature or Prakriti too has no beginning and no end. Prakriti is a stream that flows from beyond time into the timeless future. The individual is the Purusha, the person who resides in this Pura (Body or Castle or Fort). There are two Purushas – the Kshara Purusha, and the Akshara Purusha. The Kshara Purusha is bound up with material life and so is subject to change. He is entangled with the five Koshas (Sheaths), the five Pranas (Vital Airs) the five Indriyas (senses of perception). The Akshara Purusha is the Saakshi (Witness). There is another over-all Purusha, the Purushottama, who is beyond the three segments of time, the three Universes and is everywhere at the same moment and all moments. His Glory is evident in all things and beings. You should strive to escape from the identification with the body and feel that you are only the residents of the Body – the Kshara Purushas. Then, by Sadhana you are able to cognise the Akshara Purusha, the Witness of even the Kshara Purusha, the Jeeva. By practising the unbroken presence of the Purushottama (Supreme person) who is resplendent in all creation, you can ultimately merge in Him, as the consummation of all the lives you have spent here below. 

Devotees who worked with a spirit of dedication 

Members of the Sai Organisation and those who adhere to the Universal path to Sai should not be carried away by ideas of inferiority or superiority based on differences of religion, caste or creed. They should honour Faith, Steadfastness, Sincerity, Purity, wherever found. There are some people who ascribe all the ills of Society to the prevalence of religion and the importance given to social divisions. They say all the unrest and turmoil prevalent today are the direct results of this system. This is not true. Diversity of religion and faith is conducive to the welfare of mankind. Division of labour is a genuinely beneficial social need. Life can be sanctified and elevated to a worshipful pilgrimage if only everyone clings to his way and sees it in its proper perspective. Idle brains exaggerate matters and cynics cause great social damage. Gulfs are widened by thoughtless criticism. If only all of you remember the twin principles of cohesion, the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man, mankind will soon become a mighty family full of peace and joy. 

I must mention one instance of good work done by people who are actuated by sense of duty. This spacious shed, these lines of three storeyed flats, this addition and artistic alterations which are made in the Prashanti Mandir are all examples of work done in the spirit of worship. Swami confers blessings on the engineers whom He has called up to sit on the dais---for they have done signal service to provide more facilities for the streams of devotees who long to stay in Swami's Presence. 

We have here the 82-year old engineer B. Sathyanarayana of Andhra Pradesh, who has held positions of great responsibility and high usefulness in the past. He has worked with full fervor and enthusiasm using all skills for the works allotted to him. Joga Rao has shouldered the responsibilities laid on him as an Engineer by Swami admirably well. He has worked night and day in a spirit of dedication. I bless them and their families. May they enjoy peace, health and happiness. 

Become free from the taint of selfishness 

This vastly spacious shed with all amenities of lighting and sound equipment where you are sitting comfortably in thousands, with this platform so broad and deep, and so impressively designed are the products of the dedication and sense of duly of another individual about whom I want to tell you. Keeping in mind the target date set by Swami, Sri P.R. Kamani, one of the greatest of Swami's Devotees, has personally supervised the erection of this shed. Supplying scarce articles like iron and cement and also the technical guidance and skill, with a smiling face and an exuberant heart, he sought to fulfil Swami's Sankalpa and succeeded. Sri P.R. Kamani is responsible for giving you all so much delight. His devotion and the loving care and steady attention that he bestows on any work connected with Swami is really remarkable. It is decided that this great auditorium shall be consecrated to the memory of Sri P. R. Kamani. From this day, it shall be known as Poornachandra Auditorium. Poornachandra, where we derive all this Ananda is like the Full Moon, the embodiment and symbol of a full mind that is free from the taint of selfishness and wavering. It is my intention and desire that all those who use this Auditorium and who listen to and are inspired by the discourses and Special Programmes that happen here should also become 'Full Moons'. 

Sri Sathya Speaks at the Poornachandra Auditorium

Sometimes, we pursue this or that fragment of the mind and derive some little Ananda, spending our lives this way and that, but the highest fulfilment is to have the full expansion of the pure mind, which is symbolised by the Full Moon - Poornachandra. The mind is the Moon, the Buddhi (intelligence) is the Sun and both are interacting with each other, rotating in the heart, which is the sky! In the sky, clouds of pleasure and sorrow, disappointment and success, joys and griefs, may be rolling along. But, in spite of these, the Sun and Moon carry on their allotted duties. So man too must carry on in a spirit of dedication, as P. R. Kamani did. We can assert; that there is no fulfilment greater than that, there is no merit higher than that, to be acquired by man. Because this great devotee has always cherished Swami in his heart and was ceaselessly engaged in the thought of Swami only, he is ever with Swami and in Swami. This Auditorium shall be known as Poornachandra – His memory, enshrined in that name, will live forever.” 

Swami gifted clothes to 3,000 Seva Dal members at 11 am on the 18th, and instructed them on their duties and responsibilities. Swami presided over a Kavi Sammelan (a gathering of poets) in the evening. He gifted shawls to the poets and gave a Discourse. Swami gave Darshan to the devotees seated on the Jhoola that same night. Many renowned artistes and Bal Vikas students presented cultural programmes during the festival. The Bal Vikas Wing put up an Arts and Crafts Exhibition based on Swami’s Teachings. 

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1926-1985)