| | | | | Text & photo source - copyrights: Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust - sssbpt.org - Radiosai.org Prasanthi Diary - theprasanthireporter.org | Web layout - Photo graphic design : saibabaofindia.com "SBOI" | - We gratefully acknowledge the publishers Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust & Sri Sathya Sai Media Foundation | | Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 | | Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality came to a close today with a Valedictory Address delivered by Prof (Ms) Madhu Kapani, Dept Of Economics & Humanities, SSSIHL, Anantapur Campus. Earlier the final day's session began with customary invocatory Vedam at 0830 hrs. An interactive Programme, "Situation Analysis Exercise" led by Dr N Siva Kumar, Associate Professor, Dept Of Commerce, Brindavan Campus followed, with Directors and Wardens from all the Campuses participating as expert panel. Next to come was a short video presentation, followed by another interactive session Study Circle on the theme "Summer Course Discourses – Global Presentation". Some of the senior outgoing faculty members were felicitated next before the Valedictory Address by Prof (Ms) Madhu Kapani marking the conclusion of the three-day Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality – 2013. At the end of the programme a sumptuous feast was organized for all the participants in the South Indian Canteen. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II | | | | Saturday, June 8th, 2013 Two speeches and a musical offering by the Anantapur Campus were the highlights of the second and penultimate evening of the ongoing Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality – 2013 here in Prasanthi Nilayam today. The proceedings for the evening commenced with invocatory Vedam by the students. A brief introduction by one of the faculty members of the Anantapur Campus followed, introducing the speakers and the programme to be followed. V. Sai Pramod, 12th standard student from Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi Nilayam had the onus of presenting the report of II Day proceedings from the Summer Course. The speakers for the evening were Ms Jasmine Rai and Sri Shravan Sai from the Anantapur and Muddenahalli campuses respectively. Beginning with a mention of the supreme benediction of being His properties, Ms Rai went on narrating the beauty and supreme importance of being at His Lotus Feet as His messengers. She concluded her short but structured speech saying, it is important to lead the life of Jesus, life of God, by Loving and Serving All…as preached and practised by Bhagawan. The next speaker, Sri Shravan Sai deliberated on the topic "Gratitude". Punctuating his speech with beautiful anecdotes, narrating experiences with Bhagawan and with tales from epics, the young speaker highlighted importance of being grateful in one's life, at every juncture. Before coming into the crux of his deliberations, being grateful to Bhagawan, the young speaker stressed on the importance of being grateful to the Five Elements, the 'essential root' of existence. Shri Shravan concluded his speech opining that the best way to offer gratitude to Bhagawan, Who has done, is doing everything to everyone is to follow at least some of His teachings. A musical bouquet, entitled 'Sai Smaranam' by the Anantapur Campus followed next. Bhajans continued at the end of the 35 minute concert and ended with 'Sunday Special' in Bhagawan's enchanting voice, "Hari Bhajana Binaa Sukha Shanthi Nahi…". Mangala Arathi was offered at 1850 hrs. marking the end of the proceedings. Earlier, the Summer Course proceedings on the II Day featured panel discussion, talk, study circle, quiz etc. After the invocatory Vedam chanting, further proceedings began with the Panel Discussion, on the theme "Ideal Sai Students and Their Role in Society", moderated by Miss Rani PL, Associate Professor, Dept Of English Language & Literature, Anantapur Campus. Four of the former students of SSSIHL, holding prestigious positions in various corporate participated in the discussions. This was followed by a short video presentation entitled, "The Message I Bring", on Bhagawan. Next to come was a talk by Sri S Sai Giridhar, Doctoral Research Scholar, Dept Of Chemistry at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus. Sri Sai Giridhar deliberated on the topic "Lessons From The Bhagavatham For Modern Society". A Quiz Programme on the theme "Life Of All Avatars" as narrated by Bhagawan followed next, ably hosted by Dr Shashank Shah, Post Doctoral Fellow, Dept Of Management Studies, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus. Post lunch session featured an interactive session, Study Circle, on Selected Summer Course Discourses. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II | The Unbelievable Prophecy
Saturday, June 8th, 2013
| | In the South Indian State of Andhra Pradesh, there happened the epochal Divine Advent – Sai Pravesh and the result was Prasanthi Pradesh (Prasanthi Nilayam). How, almost seven decades ago, a young Sathya of barely sixteen years granted a fantasy glimpse of the would be Prasanthi Nilayam to one lucky soul. Read on as Sri Pujari Lakshmaiah from Chennai narrates his maiden encounter with The Lord Walks The Earth. The article dates back to Aug/Sept 1972, Sanathana Sarathi.
Is it true? Can it be true? A boy calling himself Sai Baba! And consoling the dispirited, curing the ill, exorcising ghosts and teaching the old! I heard of this sixteen year old prodigy and entered Puttaparthi, with a woman, mad since two years, and her husband. That was in 1943. At Bukkapatnam, people laughed at us; they thought all of us were mad to believe in the miraculous powers of that boy. Yet, having come so far, we decided to complete the journey, instead of turning back. We engaged a bullock cart for twelve annas and came to the riverbed. I left them there and moved into the little haggard group of houses, along narrow tracks. I peeped into a Brahmin house (Karnam Subbamma's house); the verandah was full of groundnut heaps. Inside I found a charming young boy, with a bright, intelligent face, talking with the labourers. I accosted him and asked, "I heard there is a boy in this village who has become Sai Baba; it seems he cures madness. Which is his house, can you tell me?" The boy looked at me very lovingly and replied. "Poor fellow! The mad woman you brought with you is giving terrible trouble to her husband in the river! Go and take bath; and bring them also after their bath is over. I shall then show you the boy you are after." While returning from the river, the woman ran wildly hither and thither and it was a job to bring her to the Brahmin house. Sai Baba (for, it was none other than He) told me, "I'll call you one by one" and took me in, first. He created Vibhuti and applied it to my forehead. Then, He called in the couple. They had bought some bananas at Bukkapatnam for Sai Baba. He gave the woman to eat one banana out of the number. He also gave them both the materialised Vibhuti. It was six in the evening, by then. Coming out on the road, the wife told her husband "Well; what about our meal? Get some rice from the shop; and ask for vessels. I shall cook food for us, pretty quick." The husband was overjoyed; her madness had gone! But, Baba called us in and we sat with Him for the night meal. Baba mixed all the items served by Subbamma into tolerably big balls, and He gave one for each of us. It was tasty beyond words! That night, we slept in the verandah of that house. We were disturbed often, by the howling of packs of jackals, and the braying of donkeys. At about three, some woman shrieked, "I am dying"; she was stung by a scorpion! A few minutes later, some one cried, "Kill; Kill " and many ran in that direction. It was a cobra, this time. Early morning, we touched Baba's Feet and stood before Him. "No sleep? Too many snakes in this place. This is a very holy place; but, under a curse! Sai will save it" He said and then added, "The Sai Pravesh (Advent) will make it the Prasanthi Pradesh (Region). Upon that hill, I shall have a grand Bhavan. By that time, hundreds, (why hundreds?) thousands, (why thousands?) lakhs, All India will be here; The whole world will come and wait for Sai Darshan." I said, on hearing this, "What? I cannot believe this will happen." He laughed and said, "You will have to believe it when you will be standing at a great distance, trying to catch a glimpse of Me!" II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II | | | |
