Friday, October 13, 2000
After the evening interview, Swami came to the Ganesh portico and sat on the chair.
Prof. A. K. : Swami, the Music College building is very good. Yesterday I had a chance to see it.
Swami : How was it?
Prof. A. K. : Very good, Swami. The music instruments (concrete structures in front of the building in the shape of various Indian and western instruments) were very beautiful. Swami, this time Dasera was very unique, because of the young Purohits (Vedam students) on the stage.
Swami : This time they chanted. Next time they will do all the other things that the Vedic scholars do, like Parayanam, Vedic chanting and Surya Namaskar.
Prof. A. K. : Everything Swami!
Swami : Everything boys will do. May be the Yajnam will be done by others.
Warden : Swami, we need a Vedic Pandit. We will be grateful if Swami provides one. Boys can learn more.
(Editor’s Note: In the earlier years of the Ashram, great Vedic scholars like Sri Kamavadhani, who were doyens of Vedic literature and Vedam chanting were staying in the Prasanthi Nilayam Ashram and teaching the students of Swami’s Institute Vedam chanting. Infact, the Warden – Dr. Siva Sankara Sai himself was a beneficiary of such learning from the Vedic scholars during his student days. Hence, he was making this request to Swami so that the next generation of students could learn from an authority in the field. The current practice of Vedam teaching and learning in Swami’s Institutions was as in the Gurukulam system of yore. The senior students in the Hostel learnt from the teachers, who in turn had learnt from these Vedic scholars in their student days. The senior students in turn taught the junior students. In this way, the tradition continued.)
Swami : I will see. Somebody chants Vedam regularly after Bhajans.
Warden : Swami, Brindavan students chant here. There are number of batches. All batches practice regularly after Bhajans in the Sai Kulwant hall. Prasanthi Nilayam Institute students practice in the Institute and the Higher Secondary School students in the School premises.
Swami : Sama Veda need not be chanted as an invocation Mantra in front of such big assembly. (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Now it is raining. It is cool like in Kodaikanal. Birthday time also it may rain.
Prof. A. K. : Since it is raining now, I think it may not rain during Birthday, Swami.
Swami : Why? It may rain then also. Some functions have to be held here itself.
(The flute music started inside the Bhajan Hall. For many years, the tradition was that for about 15 minutes from 5.00 pm to 5.15 pm, the flute or the Sitar instrumental music would be played live inside the Bhajan Hall. This was like an indication that the Bhajans would commence shortly.) You like flute or Sitar?
Prof. A. K. : Sitar, Swami.
Swami : Why?
Prof. A. K. : Swami there are many varieties of Bhajans that are played on the Sitar. It is nice to listen to them.
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