Sai Kingdom Yatra Day 4: 29th July 2005 AM

Our Beloved Bhagawan arrived for Morning Darshan at approximately 8:20
am and Vedic recitals began. The Lord was sat in the front passenger
seat of His car and gave Darshan both to the sisters and the brothers.
His car stopped on the sisters? side and He called a sister devotee. He
spoke to her for a short while and then His car drove onto the Veranda
and stopped for a short while. He then went into the interview room.
Bhajans began at 9am. Some of the sisters from the Sai Kingdom (United
Kingdom) Group had the Grace of sitting in the Mandir while the melodious
Bhajans were being sung. After many days, Mangal Aarti was performed in
His divine presence in the Mandir. The Lord departed for His divine
abode at approximately 9:20am.
 

Sai Kingdom Yatra Day 4: 29th July 2005 PM

The Lord arrived at approximately 3:15pm for the Afternoon Darshan. The
Lord’s car went past the sisters’ side and straight onto the Veranda.
The Lord sat in His car for a short while and nobody knew whether He
wanted to come out of the car or not because His car door was open.
Suddenly Swami asked to be driven to the other side of the Veranda.

To the delight of the devotees, The Lord left the car in His Chair and
sat at His usual place at the front of the Veranda. The Lord spoke to
Professor Gokak, the Vice-Chancellor of the Sai Institutes, who then
announced that several of the Lord’s students would share with the
devotees gathered in Sai Kulwant Hall their personal transformation as a
result of Bhagavan’s teachings. Professor Gokak introduced the speakers, as
they came on stage, one after the other.

The first brother spoke about Swami’s Divine Nature as Sat-Chit-Ananda.
He is Truth, Consciousness and Bliss.

In relation to Consciousness, this brother related how one student had
said to Bhagawan that he could not feel His presence in New Delhi. The
Lord asked him if he could feel his own presence. The student said that
he could. The Lord then reminded the student that The Lord was that
very same presence. 

The first brother talked about a personal matter that The Lord was
aware about, even though he was not aware that He knew. When asked about
this, The Lord replied, “I know. I am Watching, Always.”

In relation to Bliss, another student had asked Swami if He was happier
in one place more than any other. He replied, “I am the Same,
Everywhere.”

In relation to truth, the first brother also gave a small example of
how important it is to convey the truth because The Lord is always
watching and knows everything.

These statements should remind all that The Beloved Bhagawan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba is not just his physical body but in reality He is the One
Supreme Consciousness and He is continually reminding us that that is also
our True identity.

Finally he then reminded the devotees of Brother Goldstein’s comment
upon the fact that all the Faiths of the World convey the same message,
that is, to encourage the devotee to realise their true nature and
reality, which is One with the Divine. To do this, humans must look beyond
sensual desired and discover the True Bliss that only lies within.

The next speaker (currently an MBA student) spoke about Shraddha &
Saburi (Faith & Patience).  He talked about how he overcame various
obstacles in applying for his MBA at the Sathya Sai Instutite in Puttaparthi,
by his Faith and Patience.

In relation to Patience, he gave an example of how he was ultimately
accepted into the Institute, not at the time of his choosing, but at the
time of The Lord’s choosing. In relation to Faith, he told the devotees
something that he had never previously told anybody. At the time of his
examinations he fell and fractured his spine. The doctors told him that
there was nothing that they could do and that the X-Ray reports showed
that his spine was badly damaged. However, our brother did not give up
his Faith. His mother gave him some Vibhutti and when he was X-rayed
for a second time, everyone was amazed to see that the injury had now
miraculously healed.

This last story was also a reminder on the nature of the Love of our
own mothers. Bhagawan has always said that unless and until you can
understand and sincerely appreciate the love of your own mother, the Love of
the Divine Mother cannot be understood.

Finally he told how he had asked The Lord if he could give a discourse
on Guru Poornima (the 21st July). He prepared a discourse but, such is
The Lord’s Leela, he was not given the opportunity on that day.
However, as all in the Sai Kulwant Hall could see with their own eyes, he had
on this day been given that blessing. Thus our brother exhorted the
devotees never to give up Faith and always to have patience.  If we
dedicate our lives in this way, everyday will be a Guru Poornima in which our
own actions are a celebration of the teachings of our Master. Our lives
will then truly become His message. The sooner this can happen, the
sooner The Golden Age will arrive. At the end of his beautiful talk, The
Lord materialised a ring for our brother.

The third speaker enchanted everyone with his personal experiences and
told how The Lord is proud of His devotees by their character, when
they all their actions are in adherence to His Teachings. Then, their
lives become His Message. This can only happen with practise, but the only
when people start doing this will the Golden Age arrive. As Bhagawan
has quoted on many occasions, if you want to experience Divinity, one has
to act in that manner.

The fourth speaker related how he speaks to The Lord all the time and
this reminds him of His Universal presence. This all began when our
brother wrote a letter to Bhagawan but this was not taken for four days in
a row. He then resolved not to communicate with the Lord. However, in
his dream The Lord asked our brother to go to the park with Him. As they
crossed the road, some traffic was coming from the opposite side so The
Lord asked him to take a different route. When they were walking down
the road they saw some devotees. The Lord asked him to take a different
route otherwise our brother would not be able to speak with Him because
there would be too many people. When he awoke, these events took place
in his waking state and from that moment he realised that the Lord is
constantly with him and he regularly talks to him. This deepens his
experience of The Lord’s omnipresence.

At 4.55pm as the programme concluded and The Lord’s students rushed to
the Mandir to get their musical instruments to commence the afternoon
Bhajans. Whilst the instruments were being set up, Ganesh Bhajan had
already commenced.

During this time, Swami demonstrated his tender Care and Love for one
and all by asking the students to distribute Prasadam to all the
devotees seated in Sai Kulwant Hall.

Mangal Aarti was performed to Bhagawan in His Divine Presence and, to
the sheer delight of all the devotees gathered, performed in their
presence as well.

The Lord left for His Divine Abode at 5.25pm
 

 

Sai Kingdom Yatra Day 5: Saturday 30th July

Morning Darshan

Swami arrived in His car into the Sai Kulwant Hall at 8:15 am. Vedic
Recitals commenced and Swami gave Darshan to the sisters’ side and
brothers’ side.
Swami went onto the Veranda and then turned His car so that the
driver’s side was on the brothers’ side.  Swami then went into the Mandir and
Bhajans commenced at 9:00 am and concluded at 9:30 am, followed by
Mangal Aarti.

Afternoon Darshan

Swami arrived after 3:00 pm and gave Darshan to the sisters’ side and
brothers’ side. He then went onto the Veranda and then stopped for a
short while. Swami’s car then reversed and went back past the brothers’
side and out through the Middle Entrance.
Swami later returned through the Middle Entrance and went past the
brothers’ side again and up onto the Veranda. He then went into the Mandir.
Bhajans commenced a while later and then Swami left for His Divine
Abode at approximately 5:30pm
 

 

Sai Kingdom Yatra Day 6: Sunday 31st July 2005

Morning Darshan

Swami glided in His car at 8:30 am. He gave Darshan to the sisters and
to the brothers and then went onto the Veranda. The Vedic Recitals
continued in the background. Swami left the Veranda via the brothers’ area
and departed from the Sai Kulwant Hall through the Middle Entrance.
Devotees ran after His car.

At 9:00 am Bhajans commenced and then Swami returned in His car through
the Middle Entrance and then around the brothers’ side and onto the
Veranda.
He then went into the Mandir.

Swami left at 9:20 am and the Bhajans were followed by Mangal Aarti.

Afternoon Darshan

Swami came into the Sai Kulwant Hall at 3:20 pm in His car. He took a
letter from a sister and then went past the brothers’ side. He then went
past the students’ area and out through the Middle Entrance. Once again
devotees ran after His car.

Swami returned through the Middle Entrance at 3:50 pm and went up onto
the Veranda. He came out of His car on His chair and sat in His usual
place at the front of the Veranda and gave Darshan to one and all.

Professor Gokak came to speak to Swami upon Swami’s instructions.  Both
Professor Gokak and the Ex-Vice Chancellor were seated behind Swami’s
chair.

Suddenly Swami’s students dressed in drama clothes came to Him asked
Him something, most likely getting His blessings to allow them to perform
their drama. Swami gave His blessing and the Ganesh Mantra was sung,
which commenced the programme.

The theme of the performance was Seva (Service) and there was first of
all a beautiful dance by 6 students. Then several short plays were
performed in Telugu, English and Hindi.

The plays included a scene from Shridi Sai Baba’s Avartar Hood. The
theme of this play was that in order to obtain Parahmagyan, one needs
forgo material comforts, especially money. In the scene, Ganpat Rai came to
get Brahmagyana but could not give even 5 Rupees when he had 500 Rupees
in his pocket.

The message of Seva came from the quotations of various sages including
Khaleel Kibran, Swami Vivekananda. The essential message was that the
body is given to us for the service of others (Paropkraya Idam Sariram)
and that we should feel grateful for being given the opportunity to
serve. When we serve others, it is in reality our own self that we are
serving. We should not serve for the sake of show or ego but rather out of
compassion to alleviate the suffering of others. The Lord could relieve
the suffering of all in an instant but He with His precious grace has
given us the opportunity to make our lives worthwhile and to realise the
purpose of our lives by doing Seva. Most importantly sacrifice is
central to Seva.

The Beautiful messages were depicted including: “Hands that Serve are
Holier than Lips that Pray,” “Service should be of Quality not
Quantity,” “Social Service not Showcial Service, nor Slowcial Service.”

The play ended with Bhajans and Mangal Aarti in the presence of Swami.

 

 

Sai Kingdom Yatra Day 7: Monday 1st August 2005

Morning Darshan

Swami came in His car at 8:20 am. Vedic Recitals began and He passed
the sisters’ side and spoke to one lady from Italy (Western Canteen
Group) and accepted a small offering from her (small red bag).  He went by
the brothers’ side and then onto the Veranda. After a brief stop His car
turned around and went back past the brothers’ side and down through
the middle entrance. When He returned He went straight to the Mandir. 
Bhajans commenced at 9 am and Swami left at 9:25 am whilst Bhajans
continued. Whilst leaving Sai Kulwant Hall, Swami blessed from His car a 9
week old baby who was on the front row of the Sai Kingdom (United
Kingdom) Group. Aarti was concluded at 9:40 am

Afternoon Darshan

Swami arrived at 3:20 pm. Vedic Recitals and beautiful background music
serenaded Sai Maa’s entrance.  He went past the brothers’ side and up
onto the Veranda.  His car stopped and then a lot of discussion went on
between  Sri Chakravarthi and Swami. Swami then gave the opportunity to
the North-East Region, USA to perform their program of summer songs.
There was then a 30-minute wait whilst the group gathered their
instruments and their team into the appropriate seating area in front of the
Veranda.  All this time, Swami showed beautiful patience as He awaited His
children’s performance. Swami was then brought on His chair to the
front of the Veranda.

The sister conductor began the programme by introducing two of the
youngest brothers and sisters to Swami who each presented Him with a gift.
The programme then began which consisted of 13 songs which included Hum
Ko Tumse, There is Only One Caste, Start the Day and others. The music
was simple yet profound and full of love. With some of the songs, other
devotees joined in the singing and clapping.

After the U.S. group programme was concluded, Swami’s students
continued the evening cultural programme. During this melodious time Swami
called the sister conductor up to His chair. He materialised a beautiful
necklace and pendant for her and placed it around her neck.  After a few
minutes, He called the brother from the U.S. group, had a conversation
with him. He then materialised a beautiful 13 stone ring.

Mangal Aarti was started in front of Swami and He left for His Divine
Abode at about 5:20 pm.