"If you have good concentration because of purity of mind, which is born out of devotion in heart, then an hour's work can be done in ten minutes. Therefore, devotion is the basis of purity, and purity is the basis of all achievements. Don’t think devotion and education have no relation. In fact, devotion is the basis of all education!"
-Baba
With the Blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we are delighted to present our Sixty third issue of Ananda Vahini. The weekly newsletter includes interesting musings and short excerpts from the week's events.
In this issue, we bring you Bhagawan's recent visits to two campuses - Sri Sathya Sai Vidyaniketanam, Gulbarga and Sri Sathya Sai Premaniketanam, Bijapur between February 9, 2017 and February 11, 2017.
We also take this opportunity to invite you for the Inauguration of the Sri Sathya Sai Saraswati High School and Sai Hrudayam Prayer Hall on February 22, 2017 at Sri Sathya Sai Sharadaniketanam, Mandya.
In this week's INNER VIEW, Brother Madhusudan Naidu shares an interesting moment between the Lord and His students.
- Sathya Sai Grama Communications Team
INNER VIEW
- By Sri Madhusudan Naidu
This morning (February 16, 2017) when Swami visited the Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Human Excellence after one year one month and fifteen days, as counted by Dr A R Manjunath the Director of the Institution, the students presented a song they had learnt from the devotees of Singapore called 'We Will Follow You'. This is a song which the devotees of Singapore often sing in Swami's presence, a song which He likes a lot, which says 'we will follow Swami where ever He goes, there is no mountain so high and so steep, there is no ocean so wide and so deep to keep us away; away from Your love.' Thereafter, a few students spoke and they also echoed the same feeling that they would follow Swami to the ends of the earth.
When it was the turn of Sri B N Narasimha Murthy to speak, he said “The boys are saying that they will follow Swami where ever He goes, but according to me it is definitely not possible to follow Swami, as we never know where all He goes, for He is beyond time, space and situations. "Quoting an instance from what happened in Fiji last year, Sri B N Narasimha Murthy said, “During Arati, Swami walked out of the room onto the balcony on the fourth floor, and into the skies to meet some strange beings that appeared like translucent jelly fishes, as described by Madhusudan. Is it possible to follow Swami out onto the balcony and into the skies? Therefore, it is better that Swami follows us wherever we go, as He can do that.”
It was Swami's turn to speak, and He began by saying, “Do not follow Me, I may not lead; do not lead Me, as I may not follow; walk with Me and be My friend.” Swami explained further and said, “The students said they will follow Me, but Narasimha Murthy said, ‘It may not be possible to follow Swami, for we never know where He goes. So it is better that Swami follows us.’ But truth is, I may also not follow you; for you go to places that I may not want to come! Therefore, the best way is to walk with Me, hand in hand and be My friend.” Swami then mentioned the nine types of devotion which starts with 'Shravanam' or listening to the name of the Lord, and ends with 'Atma Nivedanam' or surrender. Before surrender, there is another kind of the devotion called Sakhyam or friendship. So Swami said, "Be My friend, for that is just one step before becoming Me, through surrender. People think that I have trained you for three years. But, the truth is I have trained you for several births during which you have engaged in all kinds of devotional practises, and now it is time for you to practice Sakhyam or friendship, after which there is only one step left, and that is to become one with Me!”
A wonderful message indeed to the future messengers of Swami, who are going to spread His teachings through their words and actions throughout the world! Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Human Excellence was indeed blessed today with such beautiful divine moments.
SHIVARATRI CELEBRATIONS SATHYA SAI GRAMA, MUDDENAHALLI
FEBRUARY 23 TO FEBRUARY 26, 2017
February 23, Thursday (Evening) - Musical Offering by Sri Mandolin U Rajesh February 24, Morning (10 a.m.) - Lingam Abhisekham February 24, 6.00 p.m. to February 25, 6.00 a.m. - Akhanda Bhajan February 25, Saturday (Evening) - Musical Offering by Sri Sumeet Tappoo February 26, Sunday (Evening) - Dance Recital by Sri Parshwanath Upadhye
For LIVE telecast, visit www.saivrinda.org
or tune into www.sanathanavani.org for the LIVE Radio broadcast
DIVINE VISIT - HYDERABAD AND GULBARGA, FEBRUARY 09, 2017 (VISIT TO SRI KONDAL RAO GARU'S RESIDENCE AT HYDERABAD AND ARRIVAL AT GULBARGA CAMPUS)
After sumptuous breakfast prepared by the devotees so very lovingly, Swami blessed all and took Arati before leaving the home of Smt Aruna and Sri Pradeep Reddy to go to the house of Sri Kondal Rao, Retd Engineer-in-Chief and currently Advisor to the Government of Andhra Pradesh who was instrumental in executing the massive drinking water projects of Swami in Anantapur, Mehboob Nagar, Medak, Godavari districts and was also in charge of the Orissa housing project for the flood victims. (http://saivrinda.org/experiences/he-continues-in-the-light-form/)
Sri Kondal Rao and his wife, ardent devotees of Bhagawan, received Him with great joy at their residence which was blessed thrice earlier by Swami's visit over the last few years. A few devotees and the executive and management council members of Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Kendra being run under the auspices of Sai Seva Sangh, were present to receive Swami's guidance for the Prashantiniketanam P U College for girls that will be established in a year's time, on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
After taking His seat, Swami asked Sri B N Narasimha Murthy to talk about the need of the right kind of education in present times. He spoke eloquently about the plight of today's education system where the students buy education by paying exorbitant fees, and later sell their education and even themselves for money. He urged the members that the upcoming campus should be to the dignity and repute of Swami. It should therefore not only be exuding devotional and cultural appeal from its...
Sri Sanjeev Shetty, Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust and Managing Trustee of Alike Campus addressing the students about the life and mission of Madiyal Narayan Bhat Anna
Satsang with students
DIVINE VISIT - GULBARGA, FEBRUARY 10, 2017
All the students of Gulbarga woke up to an exciting sunrise on February 10, as the new hostel building, 'Ananda Sadana', was all decked up and awaited its eager inmates. The hostel is by far the largest hostel in the history of the Sathya Sai educational campuses, and stands tall next to the pentagon and is the home to the precious children of Swami.
The hostel quadrangle with a magnificent inbuilt stage was to be the venue for the evening public function, while the Bhajan hall at school served as the meeting place for the Divine and the humans.
The morning began with Bhajans at 9.30 am after all had finished their delicious breakfast. Swami descended from His room in to the heart of the hall and the hearts of all. He first proceeded to the library which was upgraded and enriched by the alumni. As Swami walked past a counter that carried many books, He opened an encyclopaedia, the page that came up had the pictures of Seven Wonders of the World. Looking at them Swami commented, "Oh these are the seven wonders of the past, but in these modern times not seven or seventh but seven hundred wonders will come up (referring to the Sathya Sai Educational Institutions around the country that would come up in every district in the future!). As He was walking out of the room one of the alumnus prayed for guidance. Swami turned around and said, "Just like we breathe in and also have to breathe out to survive and should not hold back the air within, likewise alumni should give back what they have received...
The Lord looking at the various books in the library
Morning Satsang in the Bhajan hall of the Gulbarga Campus
Evening Satsang at 'Ánanda Sadhana', new hostel quadrangle
Bhagawan along wiith the dignaries on the dais
Sri Govind Reddy addressing the students
Dance recital by a student
DIVINE VISIT - GULBARGA AND ARRIVAL AT BIJAPUR CAMPUS - FEBRUARY 11, 2017
As Swami descended down from His room to the Anand Nilayam hall, the students and staff were waiting to see Him off with heavy hearts. A young boy wrote a letter to Swami that his heart aches when he thinks of Swami leaving Gulbarga. Swami was very touched but said, "I have to look after your other brothers and sisters too."
He called for the Grade 10 boys and said that He will soon build a Pre University College and a degree college at Gulbarga, but in the meantime they can study in other PU colleges around and also in Muddenehalli, and later join the University. Hearing this, the children were extremely happy! Many alumni who had gathered there also expressed their desire to join the Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Human Excellence in Muddenahalli, which Swami graciously permitted.
Swami has been saying that it's the students who become teachers will look after these Institutions, and the very first initiative in this direction was the establishment of the Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Human Excellence three years ago at Muddenahalli, and now Swami plans to upgrade it in to a University with five colleges for boys and girls separately, in all the four directions of Karnataka and in the centre too. (http://www.sssche.org). These Institutions will bring forth a whole new breed of teachers and administrators, engineers and doctors, accountants and lawyers who would eventually look....
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been travelling all over the world in the Subtle to keep His promise of visiting the countries. Below is the link to the Google Drive library of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s divine visits overseas.
If you would like to subscribe to receive the new Booklets of Bhagawan’s overseas travels in 2016, as soon as they are available, kindly email bhagawanspeaksglobal@gmail.com.
And as Swami continues travelling in 2016 and beyond, and new Booklets are created, they will be added to the Google Drive Library.
Sanathana Vani is a platform to invite, associate, speak, listen, contemplate, seek, practise and realise the truth, taught by all the great beings that ever walked the face of our planet.
A new show 'My Lord and I’has been launched, which is a series of stimulating conversations, cutting across boundaries and barriers. Sweet stories of the Lord and His devotees from different walks of life, which are refreshing, inspiring and scintillating will be On Air every week. These will be a beautiful amalgamation of an individual’s journey from 'I' to 'We' to 'He'.
Come, let’s listen, contemplate and bask in the divine bliss of the Voice Eternal, every Thursday at 1500 hrs IST and repeat at 2200 hrs IST. This week our guests on show is Mr Cass Smith from United States of America,sharing his experiences with his Lord.
A repeat broadcast of the interview with Sri Kunal Ganjawala, a popular playback singer (Part II), will be aired on Monday, February 20, 2017 at 0900 hrs IST and 1900 hrs IST.
Subscribe to 'Amruta Vahini', the monthly magazine from Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli today! From Divine Discourses to event updates, from photo features to travelogues, from book excerpts to news updates, 'Amruta Vahini' is a must-have monthly magazine!
Amruta Vahini also features the series, 'Sri Sathya Sai Divya Anandam', the continuing biography of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the subtle form, by Sri B N Narasimha Murthy.
To subscribe to 'Amruta Vahini' mail us at commsmdh@gmail.com
We will be happy to assist you with the subscription formalities, and deliver to your home or office!
Tune in to Sanathana Vani every Thursday (IST 5:30pm), Sunday (IST 6pm), and during festivals, to listen to the LIVE satsang, streamed directly from Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli.
