"Good feelings come from the heart..."

Tuesday, November 7, 2000 (Evening)

Swami gave Darshan at 2.15 pm. After the interviews, Swami came to the Ganesh Portico.

Swami: (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Which village did you go to?

Prof. A. K.: Swami, I didn’t go today.

Swami: Why? You didn’t want to go or did they tell you not to?

Prof. A. K.: No Swami, I am always ready to go. 

Swami: (Swami enquired with the Brindavan Warden about today’s Seva.) Today, the girls did well. They served 20,000 people.

B. Warden : Swami, they did Nagar Sankeertan (congregational singing) and people poured water on the road. (It is a tradition to pour water whenever some religious procession is on the way.) Even Sathyanarayana Garu (Swami’s classmate) was waiting for us. They were saying, “Swami gave this water to us and we are giving it to His students”.

Swami: Earlier in Bukkapatnam there was no water. I built a tank on the top of the hill. 

B. Warden: Swami, on the way, small children waved their hands saying ‘Sairam’. They have developed a feeling that we are their people.

Swami: Yes, they should get that feeling.

Warden: Swami, girls (students of the Anantapur Campus) did the work with sacred feelings.

Swami: Yes, they did it with sacred feelings. But our boys have no feelings and no gratitude. Having no gratitude is being like an animal. The girls gave food packets to an old woman. In return, she gave them a few groundnuts that she had. That is gratitude. Good feelings come from the heart. The girls even went to the fields and gave food to the people working there. 

(Swami was feeling bad that excess food was ordered because of wrong estimation and was brought back. Swami enquired about tomorrow’s Seva programme.)

B. Warden: Swami, even drivers are working with enthusiasm. 

Swami: Yes, when there is enthusiasm, anything can be done. In the Anantapur Campus, there are 800 students and 100 teachers. They formed groups of ten students. All were wearing saris of the same colour. Each group was led by a teacher. They are also white washing a temple.

B. Warden: Swami, they worked very hard in the hot sun. 

Swami: If one has interest in Seva, one does not bother about the sun. They were packing from 12 in the night till morning. Then they went for distribution. (After a pause) Call the drama boys.

Prof. A. K.: Swami, now that work also starts for You.

Swami: (Swami smiled and went to the interview room with the Convocation Drama students. Swami came again around 4.40 pm. Swami enquired from the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Principal, Prof. U. S. Rao about why food was ordered in excess. About the Convocation Drama) The tunes of the songs are slow, there is no force in the songs. But, the dialogues are good. 

Prof. A. K.: Swami, music is very important. Even if people do not understand the drama, they will appreciate the music. 

Swami: What is the news? 

Prof. A. K.: I heard that the Birthday programme list has been released. 

Swami: Who told you?

Prof. A. K.: (With hesitation) Swami, D.S.P. (Deputy Superintendent of Police). 

Swami: Even I didn’t get. What did he tell you?

Prof. A. K.: Swami he mentioned Rathostavam, Ladies day, and other related dates.

Swami: Those are general dates. Only Convocation Invitation has been given. Hospital inauguration is on January 14th. Hence, sports functions (Prize Distribution Ceremony) will not be there.

B. Warden: Swami, will there be events on the 11th?

Swami: Yes, that will be there. Only the prize distribution will not be there. 

Prof. A. K.: Swami, are all the equipment installed in the Hospital? 

Swami: All equipment have come. Equipment alone costs ` 111 crores. There are 12 operation theatres. 

Warden: Swami, in the I.C.U. (Intensive Care Unit) itself, there are 35 beds. 

Swami: 50 operations must be performed on a single day. 96 doctors have been appointed. (Talking about the Grama Seva) Today, girls did very well. They packed from midnight to 4.00 am, and then went for distribution also. They do it (packing) very neatly.

Prof. A. K.: Swami, they are like that by birth. 

Swami: (Swami did not agree to his statement.) If you see without partiality, for past 11 years, I have not gone to Anantapur. Still they are dedicated. 

Our Brindavan and Prasanthi Nilayam boys, though I am with them always, they are not dedicated. Even when they (girls) go to foreign countries, they write letters to Me. But boys, even when they are here, they do not show interest. Boys have lot of freedom (Swechha). But girls do not have much freedom. Still they do so much work. They have Bhakti. Boys have Ahamkaram (ego).

Prof. A. K.: Swami, why is it like that?

Swami: Boys have Adambaram (show). Girls have a lot of determination. 

Prof. US Rao with Sri Sathya Sai

(Referring to Prof. U. S. Rao) One of his daughters is working in the Anantapur College (Dr. Suma Rao is a Faculty Member at the Anantapur Campus), and the other is a doctor in our Hospital (Dr. Uma Rao is a doctor serving in the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital in Prasanthi Nilayam). Both are dedicated and sincere. Everything is due to Samskaram (value systems). They are humble and do not have desires. Their only desire is to do Swami’s work. Boys do not have steady minds. Their minds rotate like a Chakram (wheel). Their (girls’) parents are fortunate to get such good children. All do not get. They do not talk unnecessarily, even with their parents. When I went to the Hospital, I asked her, “Would you like to continue work here or go to Bangalore Hospital?” She replied saying that the place did not matter. Such people work very sincerely with Shraddha (faith) and Bhakti (devotion). (Mentioning an incident in a famous Bangalore Hospital) One should wash one’s eyes to see the nurses there because they are very rude with the patients. When they turn their heads to speak, their hair will fall on our face. But our Hospital nurses are very good and polite. Even Adikesavalu (a senior devotee) underwent operation in our Hospital. When people asked him, “Why not in Bangalore?”, he replied, “Only here will I get well soon.” He got the doctors from there.

Prof. A. K.: In our Hospital, they take care with love. 

Swami: Both doctors and nurses do their work very sincerely. (One of the teachers mentioned about the Brindavan General Hospital.)

Prof. A. K.: Many Muslims come and take treatment there.

Swami: (Swami praised Dr. Savitri, who is working in the Hospital, for her hard work.) In all other Hospitals, there is only business and money. Delhi also same. Dr. Venugopal, who was working there is joining the Bangalore (Super Speciality) Hospital.

After Bhajans at 5.30 pm, Swami retired to His Poornachandra residence.

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