Posted on 07-04-2004

Tuesday Update

sairam,

Swami came in around 8 AM and entered from the ladies wing.  He walked slowly around the devotees all along the center aisle right upto the end of the Ramesh Hall, and blessed many a devotees besides speaking with lots of them. He created Vibhuti for couple of devotees.

After crossing Ramesh Hall outside, He stood outside short of Saraswathi for a long time, looking deeply at the devotees gathered outside, and then signalled for His car to turn around and come facing Ramesh Hall.

So once again, He gave darshan to devotees sitting inside the car all along the center aisle before leaving the Ramesh Hall. This brought a huge cheer from the devotees, since people got double darshan. Baba was observed to be extremely cheerful waving out to devotees from inside the car for a long time.

Afternoon darshan was delayed. Swami came in around 4.25 PM and sat for about 25 minutes enjoying Bhajans. Then He left after blessing couple of ladies right from the Stage and looking at the men side for a long time.  I am given to understand that Trayee sessions were held for the boys for the last 2 or 3 days. Lucky are these young boys and the teaching faculty, who have the Grace of Swami constantly on them.

Jai sairam 

Raja

Sairam brothers and sisters, 

Sunday is always exciting at Whitefield, because crowds will be very huge, and Seva Dal will be available in maximum numbers.  Today was no exception.  Ramesh Hall as well as the entire extended portion outside was filled up to capacity today, in anticipation of Swami's Darshan. 

Since Swami walked right up to Saraswathi yesterday, what was foremost in everyone's mind was whether Swami would come up to the end of the newly added Hall and bless Devotees or not ! What is in store regarding "love my uncertainty ?" 

Swami arrived by car as usual on the ladies side by 8 AM. With the support, he walked through the ladies front side right into the student block, where he spent considerable time spending talking to teachers and faculty as well as students. Then he walked up slowly on to the stage and sat for the Bhajans that were going on. Remember, on Sundays bhajans start with Swami's arrival, and stops only in the evening when Swami departs a second time. 

After few bhajans Swami got up suddenly and got down from the stage to speak to the students, then he decided to come around the student block to the right aisle, where I was sitting on the 4th block. We were all highly excited and I was sure that today i am going to see Swami from real close.  All eyes were on Him.  Everyone was eager.  He talked to many students now forming the rear of the student block. 

But then suddenly He decided to give us all the slip. And turned around the back side of the student block and decided to talk to a few VIPs in the VIP block and also the students.  

Crossing the student block completely on the rear, he walked straight into the ladies side, briefly spoke to few ladies and decided to get into the car and depart. So the "love my uncertainty" continued today, at least for me. 

Once Swami was outside the Hall next to the Kalyan Mantap, he stopped and looked at two huge water tankers standing there decorated.  These tankers bore the name, Sri Sathyasai Free Water service project. 

Just to brief you on this, one of the devotees has been doing tremendous service of pressing into service a water tanker, into Slum areas and providing free water. He has been doing this free water service to slum areas, for the past two years, but today he added a second tanker to increase Seva efforts. There was no indication of his personal name anywhere on the tanker and that is real selfless service. 

Swami was extremely happy and pleased with the devotee's seva efforts and blessed him and his family profusely. I am told that the devotee's son also is a student in Swami's Institution. 

Swami thereafter departed for Trayee Brindavan. Prasadam was distributed to all in the morning today. 

As usual Bhajans continued throughout the day today.  The singing of Bhajans by Brindavan group consisting of dedicated male and female singers is excellent.  Many of them sang so well pouring their heart out with love for Swami. 

It was wonderful to observe that a huge number of international devotees sat routed to their seats on the floor of the Ramesh Hall, even after Swami had left, enjoying the bhajans and trying to sing the Bhajans along with the Bhajan group.  Many times I wonder who is really making spiritual progress - these devoted international devotees, or chaps like me.   

Inspite of the distance, the will of Swami has pulled these international devotees from far. And they have tuned themselves to the spiritual call of Swami and have come all the way spending their hard earned money, and adjusting themselves to the poor conditions of living here in these parts. My heart melts looking at them, putting up with these discomforts so beautifully.  I always think that they are far better devotees of our beloved Lord than me.   

Afternoon session also witnessed huge crowd turn up, and Swami elected to come late. He arrived around 4.10 PM and sat through the Bhajan for nearly 40 minutes. Excellent singing continued. Swami left at 5 PM and went out through the back stage after taking Aarti. 

Thus ended a great long bhajan singing day, and devotees immersed themselves basking in Swami's love.  It is understood that the college boys had special Trayee sessions with our Lord, both yesterday and today.  Blessed are these young Heros whom Swami loves so dearly.  How I wish I am one of them.  I am only 60 years old (approaching !). 

Jai sairam. 

Raja

(Posted by Raja on 03-04-2004)

Sairam to all,

Saturday dawned like any other day. The only difference is that ever since Swami arrived, there has been rain every single day at Brindavan, even though there has not been any rain in the town.  In fact it poured on Thursday for well over one hour, immediately after the afternoon Bhajan and all got stranded.  There was a natural excuse for everyone to run to the coffe shop !

Saturday is again a red letter day.  Swami arrived earlier than usual and was already in Ramesh Hall by 8 AM.  He arrived by car and got down at the entrance of Ladies side and walked with the help of the teacher holding his Hand.  He talked lovingly to many of the lady devotees, before getting amidst the students who were only too happy. 

He spent a lot of time with the students, talking to many of the students and teachers and counseling them.  The students are right now having their holidays, and most of them have not gone home even though the Holidays have started.  They want to be with their Swami.

Thereafter Swami started walking along the center aisle and started talking to many of the VIP devotees.  He took hundreds of letters from various devotees, both from the gents side and ladies side. Since He has been standing for a long time, during all these activities it was suggested to Him many a times, to get into the car, but Swami pretended that He did not hear it. He continued the walk, and made devotees very very happy.

There was an argument amongst couple of devotees with one devotee stating that Swami should walk the complete hall, all around in His usual fashion and the other devotee stating that He should stop walking and use His car.  Both got stuck with their own theories and somebody prevailed upon them to let Swami be the way He is ! He knows what He is doing and when He should do a particular thing.

Today Swami walked to the end of Ramesh hall and more into the extended portion and almost next to the Saraswathi statue. Couple of time He gave an indication that He is going to turn around the curve walking more to please the devotees but in the last minute changed His mind, and decided to please His escorts by getting into the car.

Very very slowly, he drove around in front of the Sathyasai Boys Hostel and via the ladies side pavement to Trayee Brindavan.

Thus ended an excellent morning session, because for the first time, many of the devotees could see Him from close, and could talk to Him and give their letters.  Swami smiled at many, created Vibhuti for one or the other, particularly spoke to some Sikh devotees and other international devotees, and enquired about the welfare of some of the devotees families etc.,

The afternoon session commenced at 3.45 PM and Swami arrived immediately as the Bhajan commenced entering through the back stage and looking at the devotees long and lovingly, before taking His chair.  He sat and enjoyed the Bhajans which were sung excellently well by the boys.  He sat for nearly 40 minutes before taking Aarti and leaving through the back stage.

Everyone was found to be happy. Happier than yesterday. Happier than the morning session.  Now people are excited about tomorrow, Sunday.  Will Swami come around the corner to the side aisles ?

Like Swami says "love my uncertainty", let us wait and "love His uncertainty" which will unfold in His own time, and on His own terms.

Jai sairam.

Raja

(Posted by Raja on 03-04-2004)

Sairam brothers and sisters,

My apologies that I could not send this update of Friday yesterday itself.

My ISP server is having some problem and so I simply could not have connectivity the whole of yesterday and until now.

Well, Friday was a great day again, because our beloved Lord, proved that He is for His Devotees ie., us.  Unlike the previous days, He came in earlier by car, but chose to get down between the Ladies and Gents intersection from the Car and elected to walk with the support of a teacher holding his hand.  Inspite of the pain that He must be experiencing because of the recent falls that He had, He showed no signs of discomfort and infact started moving faster amongst the devotees though with support.  Devotees were only too happy that our Beloved Swami was electing to walk amongst them, and all were falling head over heals to talk to Him, to touch Him, to give their letters etc.,

His compassion cannot be easily explained. His love for devotees is beyond comprehension. His radiance, His bewitching smile, His penetrating look, His side glance, His chat with selected devotees need, a personal experience to feel the bliss that is hidden beneath.  Swami is grand. Swami proves that He has come for us.  Those who are fortunate to have his darshan right now would readily agree with me.

There are many who do not want Swami to walk, because they know that Swami is in pain.  But many think that since He is God, he does not feel pain.  But this is not true. Swami Himself has many a time, has stated that none of us can bear the pain which He is going through. He had also stated that in the Human form that He has taken, He has to necessarily follow the rules of nature. The only difference is that Swami is not body conscious unlike us.  He is only conscious that He and We are one and the same.  He looks at Himself in everyone of us !  Are we able to do one millionth of that ?  I think we all should ponder over this in silent introspection.

At one point, Swami told the Teacher holding his hand in Telugu, to continue to hold the hand, but the teacher who is a non telugu understood it differently and left the hand.  So Swami jokingly chided the teacher, to take hold of the hand once again.  Everyone laughed.  The teacher knows Telugu definitely having studied in Sathyasai University. But then, he cannot be expected to know the Telugu the way a person born in Andhra would know.

And Swamy walked not just a little. He walked four full blocks.  Even though the car followed and the teacher every now and then suggested that Swami get into the car, Swamy elected to walk, making the devotees happy and happier.  Then finally He got into the car and blessing the devotees drove slowly away. Thus ended the Friday morning session.

Friday afternoon session commenced a little earlier than previous 2 days.  But even though the Bhajan started Swamy did not enter the Ramesh Hall until almost the 6th or 7th Bhajan was going on !  Then just for the sake of devotees He stayed on for another 10 Bhajans almost. Then He gave a long long look, at the devotees assembled, and then slowly went through the back of the stage.

I think everyone was very happy that Swamy walked.  Everyone is excited that Swamy is going to walk more soon.  They know it, they feel it in their blood that Swami is going to walk more and they talk about it excitedly, and Swami is going to do it, just to thrill the devotees.

Devotees were equally happy to get Tea and coffee and snacks that were available in abundance at the store.  Now the Sathyasai Cooperative store has been made available to the devotees upto  12 noon, starting immediately after Darshan.  The international devotees were found to be very happy with the CD-ROMs and various other CDs that were on display. Book shop too attracted huge crowds.

Devotees were found to be continuing to register their names for catalogue and CD-ROMs and I watched the demo of "My Life - My Message" CD-ROM (Multimedia).  Super creation is how I felt.  Everyone must have this CD-ROM if only to fully understand what exactly has our beloved Baba done to mankind.  It clearly spells out what each one of us could do as Seva (service). This CD-ROM tells you everything from beginning and has been interspaced with Bhajans, Swami's seva projects etc.,  Excellent product.

I also saw the demo of "Chinna Katha" and "Life is a Game" CD-ROM.  Children of our home would love these. The parents would love these, because of the values that are clear when you see the CD-ROMs.  This is a must to train the young minds, and also to introspect for the older minds, so that it becomes easy to know where lies our path ahead in the remaining years of our sojourn on this earth. 

If you have not already ordered this CD-ROM, then "do-it" is my recommendation.  After all the proceeds would go to the Sathyasai Trust, who is doing tremendous service to lift mankind from the clutches of evil, by the will of our Lord.

Please await the Saturday news within the next one hour.  You will have it.

Let us daily pray for the blessings and grace of our beloved Sairam.

with sai regards

Raja

Swamy in Brindavan
 

Swami reached Brindavan at 10:50 AM. There were lot of speculations by the devotees about the gate Swami would take to enter into the ashram.

In Trayee VIP's and Students were changing positions till last minute. Swami's Convoy entered ashram through the State Bank Gate, but Swami's Car came through the Ashram's main entrance. Swami's Car was taken to the newly constructed extension of Trayee building. Swami got down and came to the newly constructed balcony (facing the Krisha Idol) and gave Darshan to all present in Trayee.

Yesterday it rained heavily in and around Brindavan and in some places of Bangalore (Summer showers in Brindavan).

Sairam,

Kalyan

Lovingly consented by Raja

01-04-2004

Sairam to brothers and sisters of the sai family,  

Today was an unforgettable day. Swami arrived finally in Brindavan in His physical form, for the summer time.  

There have been talk of Swami arriving on the 31st, and everyone thought that it was unlikely because of the election fever that is beginning to grip this region.  Many said that He won't come until around 15th April. 

Each day visitors to the asram would discuss the possibilities of Swami coming, but gradually it began to unfold from the events that were taking place at the Asram that Swami would infact to be expected on the 31st.

What were those events ? Well, a good facelift to the main mandir (Ramesh Hall). Cordoning off the gardening area around the Stores and the book shop. Painting work etc., etc.,  Each day these works would progress at tremendous pace.

Then came Ramanavami on the 30th.  The asram was beautifully decorated with mango leaves and banana plants and the like and there was a 90 minutes bhajans mostly on Rama and His Glory and of course Sairam too. Prasadam was distributed to all the devotees and visitors alike.

It was wonderful to watch the swelling of crowds day by day and particularly foreign devotees were beginning to arrive in large numbers.

Then dawned the 31st. There were whispers in the air that Swami would come by plane, would come by car, would arrive at the asram by 7 AM (before the boys went to college), etc., 

Today(31st March), devotees were already lined up by 7 AM to have the darshan and glimpse of our dear beloved lord.

Every 15 minutes there would be some whisper that He has left puttaparthy, and is on his way.  But by 9 AM it was evident that Swami would not be there for somemore time. It is beautiful to see in action, when swamy says "love my uncertainty".

There were Banners both at the Canara Bank Gate as well as the Main gate, each one facing the opposite side welcoming Swamy to Brindavan. Inside the Brindavan, one such big banner read "Prayerful Welcome to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Saibaba Garu".

Then around 9 AM the pipe music accompanied by "thavil" - a type of drum(it is called Nadaswaram music locally), began to play at the gate. So everyone's neck was craned towards the gate looking for Swami's car. But nothing happened. 

Then someone actually turned the main gate road banner to turn towards the railyway gate indicating that now swami is to be expected from the ITPL side (Superspeciality hospital side).

Then there were lot of people rushing inside the Trayee Brindavan, making others believe that Swami had already arrived via the Canara Bank Gate whereas most of the devotees had lined up adjoining the main entrance at the book stores area.  Everyone rushed to the Trayee Gate only to find that there is no Swami.

Then finally around 10.50 AM Swami made a grand entrance through the main gates. There were continuous shouts of "Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba ki Jai" as also loud chanting of "Sayeeshwaraya Vidmahe, Sathya Devaya Deemahi" Swami  was blissfully blessing everyone sitting inside a ash colour benz car.  The car was fully covered with the flowers thrown by the devotees and the police and other seva dal were running beside the car cleaning the front wind shield so that the driver can see outside and the devotees can have a glimpse of our dear beloved Lord.  Lot of devotees managed to hide the cocanuts from the Seva dal and succeeded in breaking the coconut in front of the car and beloved lord.

Of course except for a few, most reported that they could just catch a glimpse of the curly hair (the beautiful hair of Swamy). And then many dispersed. But Swamy gave a big surprise.

After sometime, Swamy was found emerging on the newly built balcony at Trayee Brindavan.  The lucky devotees who refused to leave the area and who had waited patiently were rewarded indeed with Swamy blessing them from the balcony.  There was a wonderful shouting cheer from everyone those were present.

Then devotees dispersed.  And one expected that there would be afternoon darshan, even though no formal announcement was made. Devotees began to arrive by 2 PM and took up their places and were finally ushered inside the Ramesh hall by 3.45 PM.  There must have been nearly a thousand plus devotees today.  However Swamy did not come. everyone waited patiently, but it became 4 PM, 4.15 PM, 4.30 PM, 4.45 PM and even 5 PM and everyone was impatient and thought that there is not going to be any darshan and they are going announce cancellation of darshan any moment now.

It became 5.15 PM.  There was total silence at the Ramesh Hall.  Suddenly the instrumental music started indicating that Swami is on His way.  Everyone was happy indeed.

Swamy entered through the stage gate, and Wow ! How great He looked !  Just like Krishna - Pale blue in the face, fresh as a rose and took tentative slow steps with some support and walked to the Chair and the Bhajan started.

Swamy enjoyed the bhajans sung by the College boys. They must have sung about 6 Bhajans when Swami got up, took Aarti and left through the stage gate.

Thus ended a great day with everyone praying for wonderful days ahead at Brindavan.  Brindavan is live now - are you all able to feel and visualise the pulse ?.  It is not necessary that you should be physically present here.  With Swami, when we pass on these messages to our brothers and sisters, it is as if Swami is Himself taking these messages to the hearts of each and every dear brother and sister devotee.

May all of you have wonderful Sai news in the days ahead.

with sai pranams and love

Raja

PS:  At the store good number of sales was going on  Multimedia CD-ROMs  of "my life - My Message", and "Chinna Katha" in particular.  There were huge enquiries for Veda casettes, CDs and books.  Many devotees were physically registering their names to get the Books and VCD, CD-ROM catalogue list.

In case you have not yet registered your name to receive the latest catalogue list, please send an email to

srisathyasaisociety@yahoo.co.in   or srisathyasaisociety@lovelyindia.com

and register your name.  The Sathyasai Book Center and Brindavan, Bangalore, would directly send you the catalogue and other information through email and you can order them directly through email.

PPS:  I apologise, due to ISP problem, this mail just did not go yesterday.