"Prema and Tyaaga can cure any disease..."

 September 21, 2002 (Saturday)

Swami came at around 3.45 pm and blessed the birthday boys.

Swami: (To a Music College student) How is your Principal?

Student: Swami, he is still not feeling well.

Swami: Learn Veena from your Madam, later, you can learn from your Principal. He has got a very high standard. You all can sit there (showing a place on the portico) and play. Your Principal can keep the Taalam (beat) sitting here. How many of you play the Veena?

Student: Swami, six of us.

Swami: You can all sit there comfortably and play.

Student: Swami, shall we play the Keertanas.

Swami: First you play simple tunes; then you can play the Keertanas. How many of you play the Mrudangam?

Student: Swami, eight of us.

Swami: And how many of you play the Tabla?

Student: Swami, six of us.

Swami: How many of you are learning vocal?

Student: Swami, fourteen of us.

Swami: Manchiga Cheyalli. Nidaanamuga (You have to perform nicely. Do it slowly). Quality important. 

(To Prof. Anil Kumar) Do you know the story of Rockefeller? His hospital is there in Kodaikanal. America Pillalu Foreign Lo Unnaru Kabatti, Vaallake Telusu (The America students know it since they were there in the foreign country). 

(They both come to the front.) Do you know the story of Rockefeller?

Student: Yes Swami, You had told us.

Swami: (To Prof. Anil Kumar) Do you know?

Prof. A. K.: I know it only in bits and pieces.

Swami: Pilliki Kooda Bhiksham Pettevaadu Kaadu (He would not give alms even to a cat)! He was one of the richest men in the world. He always used to think of money only because of which he never ate properly. Once he had got a terrible disease. He went to all the doctors but they told him that no medicine could cure him. Then he came to Me and I told him that two words could cure him. They are Tyaagam (sacrifice) and Prema (love). He then built a hospital in California. All doctors told him that he would not live beyond 50 years. But ultimately, he lived for 97 years.

John Rockefeller (1839-1937)

(Editor’s Note: John Rockefeller was an American business magnate and philanthropist who passed away in 1937. The Rockefeller University Hospital was built in 1910, many decades before Swami’s physical advent. There is no published account of his meeting with Swami. However, whenever Swami states that He guided someone, inspired someone, it is not necessarily in His physical form as Sri Sathya Sai. His cosmic guidance and inspiration has been experienced by people unware of Him and His Divinity during His Avataric sojourn and even decades before His advent. Just as He had mentioned to Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh about a spiritual experience that he was blessed with in the 1910s. Swami Sivananda exclaimed, “How did You know about it? You were not even born then!” Pat came the reply from Swami, “Am I ever born? Do I ever die?” 
This experience has been detailed in Swami’s biography Sathyam Sivam Sundaram.)

Prof. A. K.: Swami, that means Tyaagam can increase your life span! Do we find such people in the foreign land also?

Swami: Such people are there even today. They are there in every country. It is better to live for two days doing sacrifice, than to live years like a miser. Prema and Tyaaga can cure any disease. Prema Aushadham, Tyaagam Patyam (Love is like medicine, and sacrifice is like the prescribed diet). Edi Hindupur Vaadu? (Where is the Hindupur boy?) (The student came front.) Veena Anni Techukoni Pettukondi. Strings Pampistaanu. ‘Sa’ string Ekkuva Virigipotundi, Teesukuni Unchuko (Get your Veena and keep it ready. I will send the strings. The ‘Sa’ string breaks more often, so keep them more).

Prof. A. K.: Swami, will the string break even if this small boy plays?

Swami: It does not depend on who plays. It is because of the tightening of the string for tuning the Veena.

Prof. A. K.: But what will happen if the string breaks during the concert?

Swami: That is why they keep a spare Veena there. They even keep a Tabla. Everything has disease. Rathi Kuda Jabbu Undi. Kathinamaina Rati Rati Kuda Karigi Pravahinche Manishi Ga Marutundi (Even a rock has disease. A rock that is hard melts and becomes a human who flows). When it rains the rock gets melted and it gets dried in the sun. On that when birds droppings fall, a tree is born. The tree gives fruits which are consumed by humans. Based on what humans consume, a new human is born.

Prof. A. K.: So we should not look down upon anything.

Swami: (To one Music College student) How many songs do you know?

Student: Fifteen, Swami.

Swami: Yesterday you had told that you knew only eight. Why are you telling fifteen today? (To another student) How many do you know?

Student: Swami, ten.

Swami: You have to practise well. If you do not sing well, the students who sing well will also get a bad name. (To a student after taking his letter) English Koncham Manchiga Nerchukondi (Learn English properly). (Seeing a writing on one of the letters.) What is the meaning of “To my all in all.” “To my all” is enough. (Takes letters from few more students. To one of the Music College student) Are you practising?

Student: Yes Swami.

Swami: (Smiling) Swaram Tappite Stage Paine Kodataanu. Baaga Paadite Medal Istaanu (If you commit a mistake, I will beat you on the stage itself. If you sing well, I will give you a medal). One lady sang here, what is her name?

Warden: Kavita Krishnamurthy, Swami.

Swami: Who sang the song “Dayaku Premaku…”?

Warden: Chitra, Swami.

Chitra with Sri Sathya Sai at Prasanthi Nilayam

Swami: All these people are coming. So, you have to sing well. (To two students) Go day after tomorrow in the morning after 9 o’clock. (Swami starts going towards the interview room. To one student) Where do you come from?

Student: Swami, Kalpakkam.

Swami went inside interview room.

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (2001-2004)