September 1, 2002 (Sunday)
Swami came out of the interview room, towards the students after giving interview to the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir – Sri Farooq Abdullah. Two students knelt down showing a card to Swami. Swami called the two students.
Swami: (Seeing the card) What is this?
Student: Swami, Krishnashtami card. You gave us opportunity to sing songs and get the cows to the Mandir. We are all very happy. (The students would use every opportunity to express their gratitude to Swami through a card. That would give them a chance to go close to Him and receive His Blessings.)
Swami: Manchidi (Good). (Seeing the card) Krishna is eating Patthi (cotton)! You are feeding Him Patthi? (In the card, cotton was pasted to represent butter.)
Student: No, Swami. That is butter in Krishna’s hands. Yesterday’s discourse was very nice.
Swami: Nee Thalakayi, Na Gontu Anta Poyindi. (Your head, My throat was totally gone.)
(Swami then came towards the chair. To the teachers in front) I told him (Farooq Abdullah) that he should spend the money in helping the needy. He then asked Me for suggestions. I told him that I wouldn’t tell him anything. It should come from within himself. (Swami takes a letter from one student. To that student) Where do you come from?
Student: Swami, Rajahmundry.
Swami: Whose son are you? (The student tells his father’s name.)
Student: Swami, what should I do after M.Sc.?
Swami: Do MRS. (Swami would often jovially pun on the word ‘M.Sc.’ by responding with ‘MRS’, which meant get married.)
Student: No, Swami. Please tell me what to do after M.Sc.?
Swami: Neeku Ishtamainadi Chesuko. (Do whatever you wish to.) (Swami takes letters from a few more students. After a pause, to Prof. Anil Kumar) Emiti, Ala Chustunnavu? (Why are you looking like that?)
Prof. A. K.: Swami there is a lot of Vibhuti on Your robe. (Swami searched on His robe for Vibhuti. One of the teachers goes forward to wipe it.)
Swami: (To the teacher) Voddu Bangaaru. (No dear.) (Swami creates Vibhuti and gives it to the teacher.) I was giving a lot of Vibhuti to the people inside. That is why some of it fell on My robe. (Swami while going back repeats it to one of the students.) While I was giving them Vibhuti, all of them stretched their palms, so I gave them with both my hands. There was lot of Vibhuti; some of it fell on My robe (Swami pointing to His robe).
(Swami went a little further, took letters from two students and created Vibhuti for them.) See, when there are so many boys here, only one of them is calling me to Hostel!
Students: (In chorus) Swami, please come to Hostel.
Swami: No, no, Tamaasha, Koorcho (Sit down, I was saying so just for fun).
(To a student.) Farooq Abdullah, Kashmir C.M. (Chief Minister), came today. He was telling that if Swami came to Kashmir, everything would become all right. I told him that I would come when there is unity. I told Vajpayee (the Prime Minister) that Kashmir is a high-altitude place and it is very important for India. It should never be given away.
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| Prime Minister Vajpayee with Sri Sathya Sai at Prasanthi Nilayam |
Student: Swami, Kashmir is very beautiful.
Swami: What is beautiful there? Parthi is more beautiful.
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| Sri Sathya Sai with His entourage in Kashmir, 1956 |
Student: Swami, Kashmir is having lot of problems. There is lot of fighting going on.
Swami: Yes, once a bomb fell right in front of the C.M.’s car. He told, “Swami, only You are keeping me alive. Swami, I offer my son at Your lotus feet. You should take care of him.”
Student: Swami, they are very old devotees.
Swami: Yes, I met his father (Sheikh Abdullah, Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1975-1982)) in Kashmir. He was arrested and kept in Kohinoor Mansion during emergency. I went there and conducted Bhajans.
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| Sheikh Abdullah and Begum Abdullah with Sri Sathya Sai in Kashmir, 1980 |
Student: Swami, it will take time for the problems in Kashmir to settle down.
Swami: Not time, but it needs prayer. All should pray sincerely.
(To a Primary School student) Where do you come from?
Student: Swami, U.S.A.
Swami: Where is your mother?
Student: Swami, You are my mother.
Swami: Where is your father?
Student: Swami, You are my father.
Swami: (To the Institute students) See, they have such good feelings.
Swami asks the Primary School students if they were ready to speak. Some students came and spoke before Swami. Swami went back to the interview room after listening to a few of them speak. He comes back after sometime and sits on the chair.
Swami: What is the next festival?
Warden: Swami, Vinayaka Chaturthi.
Swami: When is it?
Warden: Swami, it is on 10th September.
Swami: (To a teacher) Do you celebrate it in your house?
Teacher: Yes, Swami.
Swami: Do you make the Ganesha or buy it?
Teacher: Swami, we buy it.
Swami: No, you should make and worship. What is your full name? (The teacher, Prof. V. E. Ramamoorthy tells his full name – Vaidyanathapuram Easwaran Ramamoorthy.) Where do you get the idols from?
Teacher: Swami, we get it from outside.
Warden: Yes Swami, they sell it outside.
Swami: Is it made out of sand?
Teacher: Yes, Swami.
Swami: (Creates a beautiful golden Ganesha, which was about one and a half inches in size and gives it to the teacher.) Put it in your Puja room and worship it every day. (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Does anybody make Ganesha out of gold?
Prof. A. K.: No, Swami, they don’t make it.
Warden: Swami, some students are ready to speak.
Swami: When big boys speak, it is not so good. When the small boys speak it sounds very good.
Teacher: Swami, the small students spoke very well. Even though there was no mike, it was heard all over the hall.
Swami: Even My voice was like that previously. Now it is not like that. (Looking at an old doctor. To Prof. Anil Kumar) I only made him do the medical course. (After a pause) They have to play the music.
Saying so Swami got up and went to the interview room.
Gone are those golden moments for ever.
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