February 28, 2002 (Thursday)
Today the Primary School students came for evening Darshan. After the interviews when Swami came out, two boys from the Primary School spoke before Swami. Swami sat down on the chair and listened to them. Both students spoke in English, after which they sang some songs. Swami then posed for photographs with the students. He blessed the students’ hall tickets for the Board Exams. Swami then came to the Institute students side and noticing the final year M.Tech. (Computer Science) students holding a card, Swami remarked…
Swami: Once in a while it is O.K. But you are bringing the card daily. (Saying so He asked them to sit down.) What is the Higher Secondary School Hostel’s lunch?
Students: Swami, Palak potato.
Swami: What is the Institute Hostel’s lunch?
Students: Swami, Potato.
Swami: (looking at Warden) You have adjusted the food.
Warden: Swami, tonight we will give them tomato soup and Puri.
After this, Swami asked Prof. Anil Kumar to share what the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu had written to Him.
Prof. A. K.: The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh sent a letter to Swami. He expressed his happiness and sentiments as Swami took up the Water Supply Project for the city of Chennai. On behalf of the Government and the Cabinet Ministers, he expressed his full support and co-operation. The water project was pending for the last 11 years and only Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba can complete it in a record time of six months. He told about the projects undertaken by Swami such as the Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi and Bangalore, the Sri Sathya Sai Water Project and others. He told this in the Assembly and all the people applauded to this. The letter was sent to Swami by a special person by the Chief Minister to be delivered to Swami only.
Swami asked the Vice-Chancellor to bring the letter sent by the Chief Minister and showed it to the students.
Prof. A. K.: It will be called as ‘Sri Sathya Sai Ganga’. The pipes were laid from Srisailam to Somashekaram by the then British rulers. Now it is Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba who is going to complete it.
Swami then started explaining how the water will be supplied to the project.
Swami: The Krishna River and Godavari River water will be together supplied to Chennai. The water purifier will be laid at Kandaleru. The water purifier machine will alone be costing about 300 crores. By this coming August, the project will be completed. By Shivaratri the machine will be installed. For the last 11 years it could not be completed, but in the next six months it will be completed. This is Divinity. In Godavari river there is surplus water. The water from Godavari river and Krishna river will be given to Chennai city. This will benefit many people.
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| The route of River Krishna towards Poondi Reservoir for water to Chennai |
Swami: 330 flats have been completed here. Today two lorries of cooking utensils came. There were 300 utensils in them. They are now kept in Poornachandra.
Prof. A. K.: Swami, devotees are taking very active part. Swami, when will the houses be ready?
Swami: They were ready long before. The painting, colouring, wiring everything is over. People are slowly coming. The houses should be given to people who have nobody to look after them, the orphans. Once people come and settle, then a school should be constructed for their children.
(Swami then enquired with a devotee about the two students who were sent to U.S.A. by Swami for Hospital Management course.) When are they coming?
Devotee: Swami, in a few months time.
Swami: How many months course?
Devotee: Swami, 15 months course, but they are completing it in 12 months.
(To Prof. Anil Kumar) Swami told me before itself that they will complete the course in one year.
Swami then asked Prof. Anil Kumar to enquire about them from a devotee.
Prof. A. K.: What are their classmates and teachers saying about them?
Devotee: They are very much pleased by their capabilities and are enquiring about Swami, about our University, about how things are taught in this place and other general things. They have finished their theory classes and are now doing their practicals. Their professors are very much pleased by them. They enquire about how operations are done in our hospitals, what kind of surgery can be performed, where the money comes from. They gave a slide show presentation in their College using the materials sent by Prof. G. Venkatraman (Former Vice-Chancellor). It covered the details of our hospitals, Institute, the Grama Seva and other activities performed by our students.
Prof. A. K.: Did some of them know about Swami before?
Devotee: Yes, some of them knew. Few of the students are Sai devotees. They visited this place before. They cook themselves.
Swami: Do you want to go to U.S.A., Anil Kumar?
Prof. A. K.: No, Swami. I have already been there.
Swami: I know. You went to California when you were young.
Prof. A. K.: When are they coming back?
Devotee: In a few months time. I shall take them to Disney World and other places and then bring them back.
Prof. A. K.: Are they wearing suits?
Devotee: No.
Swami: They wear pant and shirt with a tie, always.
Prof. A. K.: Do they attend Bhajans?
Devotee: On my son’s engagement both of them came and chanted Vedas and sang Bhajans in my house.
Prof. A. K.: Do they drive a car?
Devotee: No, they do not have a license. The college is at a walking distance from their place.
Swami: Emi Samacharamu? (What news?)
Warden: Swami, today in the Moral Class, students did a presentation on the life of Purandaradasa. (Purandaradasa (1484-1564) was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music.)
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| Sant Purandaradasa |
When Prof. Anil Kumar asked the devotee about the availability of Sai literature in the library. Then Swami mentioned the name of a library and said…
Swami: It has 5,00,000 books. (Speaking about a devotee, Swami said…) I arranged his son’s engagement. He also has a daughter. His son is a Cardiologist and his daughter is also a surgeon.
Devotee: Swami asked them to join our hospital after they complete their studies.
Swami: (Mentioning about the devotee) When he and his wife come from Bangalore airport, they directly come to Prasanthi Nilayam without stopping anywhere. They say that they have come for Sai Baba and not for anything else. He brought Maramaralu (puffed rice) for Me when he came from U.S.A., he was holding it in his lap all the while in the flight, thinking about Me. He did not have anything to eat in the flight. He got down and came straight to Me. He brought it only for Me. He did not eat it.
Swami then called a person and asked him to get the bottle containing the puffed rice from His room in Poornachandra. Swami then opened the lid and gave it to the students.
Prof. A. K.: (To the devotee) How is our hospital when compared to others?
Devotee: It is no way less than any hospital in the world. Our Bangalore Super Speciality Hospital contains machines, which even the hospitals in which I work, don’t have. Our hospital is the first in placing orders for most of the latest instruments.
Prof. A. K.: What is the average cost of an operation in U.S.A.?
Devotee: Anywhere between ₹15-20 lakh.
Swami enquired about the taste of the puffed rice from the students who have tasted it.
Swami: Is it hot?
Student: No, Swami.
Swami: He brought it only for Me.
Swami then got up and went near the Primary Students block. Swami then permitted two of the Primary School students to speak. After their short speeches, Swami blessed them and went inside.
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