Sai Baba Darshan Blog - June 15 - 23rd 2008

Monday, June 23, 2008: Today was the second day of the Ramayana Saptaham being held at Prasanthi Nilayam, and today's talk was on the Ayodhya Kandam. Bhagawan arrived for evening darshan at 4 pm, and after sitting onstage for a few minutes, moved to the interview room. He emerged after half an hour to move around the stage area and the verandah, going back onstage and starting the proceedings at 5 pm. After the stirring hour long Telugu speech by Mallapragada Srimannarayana Murthy garu, bhajans commenced at 6 pm. After half an hour of Rama bhajans, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence. Read more eye witness details of Ramayana Saptaham Yagnam sent by members of SBOI-Group: Om Sairam dear Sai Family, the second day of Ramayana Saptaham Yagnam was another interesting one. Swami came at 4pm and blessed us with His divine darshan to the thousand seated in the hall.. After going into interview room for 30 minutes, Swami came on stage.. He called upon some students, spoke to them and accepted letters from them. Today, unlike yesterday, there was an introduction about the speaker of this afternoon. Mr.Srimannarayana murthy from Guntur, a renowned scholar, great speaker and he had all the superlatives a person of his caliber has under his belt..Taking blessings from Swami, He started his talk, the second khandam (chapter) and it was AYODHYA kandam.. Mr. Murthy said, Ayodhya means that which cannot be won and that is why you wont see any victory in this particular part of Ramayana. There is failure and just failure every where, starting from King Dasaratha who loses the game and eventually sends his beloved Son Rama to the forest. Many people say it was a plot planned by Kaikeyi, to give the kingdom to her son Bharath, which in reality is not true.. It was all God's plan and the design of the Rama Avatar which had to undergo that stage otherwise, we wouldn't have known Ravana, the holy sages wouldn't have performed all the Yagnas and Yagas in the forests, as the demons were at their best to disturb the sages.. Rama was not at all unhappyy about the way he was being sent to the forest.. When the news came that Rama had to go, being a perfect son and an ideal son, he listened to his father without asking any question. Sita, who was just married then, asked Rama that she would follow him.. Rama, even though knew she has to be with Him, pretended to be reluctant... and Sita, the ideal wife she is, said, I wont follow you, but I will walk before you, cleaning the path, removing thorns and stones.. The speaker said, it is Sita who first reached Ravana, and Rama followed her, thus it was because of her that the world knew about Ravana.. Brother Lakshmana, who was very close to Rama, also followed Rama to the forest. King Dasaratha, after sending Rama to forest, started chanting Rama's name and breathed his last breath.. After the king left His body, the need for a new king arised. the next best choice was Bharath. Mother Kaikeyi told Bharath, you have got the chance of becoming the king of Ayodhya and your long desire for the hot seat has become reality.. This erred Bharatha and he very politely told his mother, Mother, you have given me birth but you didn't understand your son too well.. NOt even in my wildest dreams I thought of becoming king in the place of my brother Rama.. After persuasion from likes of sage Vashista and others, Bharatha became the king bit reluctantly. The speaker was of the feeling that Ayodhya kanda was designed in such a way that Rama, protects all the noble souls doing penance in the forest and also to set an example of PITHRU VAKYA PARIPALANA.. (listening to parents)... After 45 minutes, the speaker thanked Swami for the golden opportunity he bestowed on him and for the great fortune..Ater the talk, Swami asked for the bhajans to start and there was yet another round of Rama bhajans and Arathi was given around 6:25 thus ending the second day of Ramayana Saptaham Yagnam 28th June, will be the PATTABHISHEKAM, (coronation ceremony) of Lord Rama, holy water from all the holy rivers in the world is being brought and the abhishekam will be done with same water in the divine presence of our Sai Rama in the morning session which will mark the end of Ramayana Saptaham Yagnam....with humble pranams at the lotus feet of our beloved Lord click to enlarge picture Sunday, June 22, 2008 The seven-day Ramayana Saptaha Mahotsava got underway today. In the morning, the priests assembled for the occasion did Abhishekam to Lord Rama's idol at the altar readied on the Mandir Stage. The Bhajans did not start since the puja was scheduled. Bhagawan did not come for darshan, so the devotees in Sai Kulwant hall dispersed by 11.30 am. In the evening, the Rama-Sita-Lakshmana idols were brought to Sai Kulwant Hall in procession with traditional paraphernalia from Bhagawan's residence just before 4.30 pm, and Swami followed soon after. At 4.45, Bhagawan was seated onstage and asked for the programme to commence. A learned scholar spoke in Telugu for 45 minutes, introducing the Ramayana Saptaham, stating that each day, one Kandam of the Ramayanam would be expounded by a scholar, till the last day, which would be dedicated to the Pattabhishekam or Coronation ceremony. The scholar then spoke about the first part of the Ramayanam, the Bala Kandam and the inner significance of many events narrated there. Bhajans commenced after the speech and prasadam was distributed while the students sang Rama Bhajans. Bhagawan accepted Arati at 6.10 pm before returning to His residence. Read more Sai News - eye witness account 22nd June sent to SBOI group

Saturday, June 21, 2008 Om sairam dear Sai family, the atmosphere is serene, the streets filling up, the Kulwanth hall in particular is to its maximum since last week. this morning after bhajans surprising every one Swami came for His street darshan..every one was running behind Swami's car. Swami went up to the petrol station and took a U turn back to ashram...among many boys who run behind His car, one boy from Nepal drew His attention. The boy who happens to be my darshan mate also, had applied for admission in music college but couldn't get admission for reasons best known to Swami. since then the boy is not leaving a single opportunity to request Swami to give admission in His temple of music. this boy was running behind the car and Swami looking at this sweet boy signalled the boy to give the letter. It was right in the middle of the road that Swami accepted this MOST URGENT letter and it is second time that He took the boy's letter in a similar fashion. Swami wanted to tell something but in the mean time the crowd went crazy and the car moved on...the boy started running behind the car and this time swami showed the letter to this boy probably saying don't worry i will do the needful. AFTER NOON DARSHAN: this afternoon there were 2 ambulances parked in front of Swami's physical abode...initially i thought is every thing ok at His Abode? Later after taking a keen look they turned out to be new ambulances kept for His blessings.... sure enough at around 4.45pm Swami blessed the ambulances and blessed all of us with the mobile chair darshan which are always blissful and matchless.... from tomorrow 22nd June to 28 June there will be week long programme on Ramayana and priests from Karnataka are already here in Parthi for the programme...the news is that there will be talks by learned scholars on the topic and let us all pray to Swami to give us the essence of the holy epic....more news tomorrow. With humble pranams at the lotus feet of our beloved Lord.. submitted by Satish Naik.. Member SBOI-Group - Read more eye witness account 21st June sent to SBOI group

Friday, June15 - 17, 2008: The Union Home Minister was at Prasanthi Nilayam over the weekend. Bhagawan went all around the Sai Kulwant Hall accepting letters from many and speaking to some devotees yesterday in His chair after going into the interview room for a brief while at 4 pm. This morning He arrived as the Bhajans went on at 10.10 in His chair. During His darshan round, He Blessed the newly joined students of the I standard of the Primary School. He went into the Bhajan Hall and accepted Arati at 10.20 am, then entered His car. But after the car moved forward a few steps, He asked the car to reverse, alighted again near the interview room, and came onstage. There, He sat for five minutes, interacting briefly with one of the students and the Senior Hostel warden before again moving to the verandah. There, He called a couple for an interview, and after that returned to His residence at 11.10 am. In the evening, Bhagawan had permitted the students to present a Bhangra dance programme, for which they were praying for the last two days. At 4 pm, when Swami came for darshan in His car, He moved out of Sai Kulwant Hall for a drive and returned at around 4.40 via the Western Gate of the Ashram. He moved to the Bhajan Hall in His chair and saw the students there in costumes and interacted with them for five minutes before asking them to move to the Hall and start their programme. When their 20 minute programme concluded at 5.15 pm, Swami stood up and walked down from the stage to take group photos with them. Bhajans began in the Bhajan Hall just after 5.30 and Bhagawan accepted Arati there after half an hour. More darshan news from 15th sent by a devotee: On the 15th evening Swami came at around 4:10 p.m. As Swami reached the dasavatara gate, devotees on the gents side missed a heart beat , when He suddenly signaled the driver to turn right. Swami left the ashram from dasavatara gate towards airport road, many assumed that Swami would take the same route back i.e. while driving back to Prasanthi Nilayam. The roads were packed with devotees waiting to get an eye contact thru the car windows or perhaps a smile or blessings of Swami with His hand raised (Abhya Hasta mudra). The school children were also waiting and on the opposite side of the road Swami's elephant Sathya Geeta too came near the gate to greet her Lord. Many devotees tried following Swami’s car, but all returned shortly losing sight of His car. Swami after teasing us returned from His short jaunt after around half an hour. Once again He entered Sai Kulwant hall thru His residence gate. After His second arrival the students begin the preparations for a Bhangra and Gidha dance and song program. Students organized a very invigorating bhangra performance in the divine presence. Kulwant hall was filled with loud applause and even the lord was enjoying as we saw him spreading his usual catching smile in our hearts. After the play swami came down form the veranda for a short interaction amidst the students and also had a photo session with them. In the meantime swami signaled for bhajans to began and the evening bhajans continued till 6:10 after that He took arati and left for his abode .Bhangra Dance - Read more darshan news from 15th June: "The greatest fruition of any talent is, it being offered to the Lord", said a wise man once. He must have been really wise because that is exactly what even our Swami says. When on one occasion in Trayee Brindavan a teacher said, "Talent is a gift of God", Swami corrected him telling, "No! Talent is God."... A Dance Program by the students of the Sri Sathya Sai University, Prasanthi Nilayam June 15, 2008 This (16.6.08)morning Swami came when bhajans were going on at around 9:20 .Swami went straight to the interview room and after giving a couple of interviews, He returned and sat inside the bhajan hall at around 10:05 a.m., just after a bhajan He signaled for the Arati and returned to his abode. In the evening Swami arrived in His mobile throne at 4:45 , as we all know that chair darshan are very rare and undeniably an extra treat for all. After a long interview session , bhajans began at around 5:35 and continued till 6:10 when swami signaled for Aarti and returned to his abode . Click to enlarge the invitation picture Today (17.6.08) morning swami arrived majestically on his chair AGAIN at exactly 9:05 AM and gave blissful darshan to all devotees seated in the hall , He then went straight towards the store room with blue shutters on the left of VIP entrance to see some beautiful idols of various gods. The shutter was pulled down as soon as swami left for veranda and other devotees could not have glimpse of those idols . In the evening Swami came after 4 .00 p.m. and also evening darshan was a blissful 'chair darshan'. Swami gave an interview to about 12-13 devotees from Singapore after the interview Swami went inside the mandir. After the bhajans Swami accepted the evening Aarthi and drove back to His residence in His car. Click to enlarge the invitation picture Bhajans were going today when swami entered Kulwant hall and went till about 9:35 before swami signaled for Aarti to commence in between middle of a bhajan and returned to his abode. An important event is going to commence on the 22nd -28th though this event has not yet been announced - Srimadh Ramayana Shudha pravachana Sapthaham, click on the picture thumbnail to see the invitation.

Friday, June 13, 2008: Today evening Swami went out for a drive near the Hanuman temple after His return Swami went directly to His abode Yajur mandir. After some time Swami came out on His mobile throne and took a darshan round of Sai Kulwant hall. After the Bhajans Swami accepted the evening Arati at 6.15. On His way back to the Yajur Mandir, Swami stopped near His residnece gate where His pet Elephant Sathya Geetha was eagerly waiting to greet Her Lord. Swami gave sathya Geetha few fruits etc, & spent nearly 10 minutes with her. At around 6.30 p.m. Swami returned to His residence.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008: After His return from Brindavan Swami has been blessing His devotees in Sai kulwant hall with beautiful daily darshan. Today Swami came both in the morning and evening. After the Bhajans Swami accepted the evening Arati at 6.10 and returned to His residence.

Bhagawan Returns to Prasanthi Nilayam

Sunday, June 08, 2008: Om Sai ram dearest Sai family, apparently past few days 'talks' among devotees of Swami leaving for Puttaparthi were correct! After a wonderful summer session in Brindavan Swami returned back to His Puttaparthi Ashram. Swami left Brindavan at around 7. 30. a.m. and reached Puttaparthi at 11.30 a.m. to a wondrous & loving welcome by Puttaparthians. Also, On the way to Puttaparthi Swami made a stopover (10.a.m.) at Muddaenahalli and Bagepalli.. at Bhagawan's Schools Swami briefly watched a drama performance by the students. Bhagawan Returns to Prasanthi Nilayam: Today was another sweet "surprise" day for Puttaparthians. News came as early as 7.30 a.m to Puttaparthi that Swami had left whitefield ashram and is on His way to Puttaparthi. Puttaparthy gets a desserted look in Swami's absence but today everyone seemed busy, shining and smiling; the ladies were busy drawing beautiful rangolis and mango leaves toranams were tied on either side of the main road. Also many places e.g on the main crossings Puttaparthians had adorned the asphalt with Rangoli & flowers. At around 11.15 a.m. Swami's car entered Puttaparthi. The sidewalks of all the roads leading to Prasanthi Nilayam were filled with devotees. Everyone desiring to catch a qucik glimpse of Swami thru His car window. Swami with all His affection for His devotees looked from His car window with the Love & smiles. At around 11.30 a.m. Swami's car enterd Prasanthi Nilayam thru Gopurum gate and went towards gents side. The vedam singning, Swagatam song and a welcome dance performance welcomed the Lord of the Universe inside the Sai Kulwant Hall. At 11.35 a.m. Swami accepted the Aarthi and retired back to His abode Yajur Mandir. In the evening, Bhagawan arrived in the chair at 5.20 pm and made a full darshan round of Sai Kulwant Hall. As the Bhajans began at 5.30, Swami sat onstage for fifteen minutes before moving to the Bhajan Hall. He accepted Arati at 6.10 and returned to His residence.