"To realise, know and understand the formless God for human beings with forms is very difficult. In fact, the Lingam is a transition from the form to the formless. Through the Lingam, Shiva demonstrates and teaches this formless aspect of God. I am not the mind, I am not the intelligence, I am not the sub-conscious mind, I am not the ego, I am not this body, I am not the senses, birth and death do not affect me, no sin, no merit will affect me. What is my true form? Chidananda Rupam – the embodiment of awareness, beauty and bliss."
-Baba
With the Blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we are delighted to present our Sixty seventh issue of Ananda Vahini. The weekly newsletter includes interesting musings and short excerpts from the week's events.
In this issue, we bring you the final part of Bhagawan's visit along with the students of Centre of Human Excellence to Top Slip - Valparai and Ooty between March 3, 2017 and March 8, 2017.
In this week's INNER VIEW, Brother Madhusudan Naidu shares an interesting moment between the Lord and devotees from Kerala.
- Sathya Sai Grama Communications Team
INNER VIEW
- By Sri Madhusudan Naidu
Vamana Roopa to Vishwa Roopa
Over hundred devotees travelled all the way from God's own country Kerala, to God's own home, Sri Sathya Sai Anandam at Sathya Sai Grama to bask in the love of their lives.
Swami eagerly received all of them at Anandam and spoke to them very lovingly. As Swami reminded them about their great good fortune of belonging to a land that has been blessed by the Divine (Vamana Avatar), the demon (Bali Chakravarthi) and the devotees ( Bhaktha Prahalada), He said, "Lord Vishnu came in the form of a short statured Brahmin Vamana, but eventually grew in to a cosmic being who covered the earth and sky in two steps, and when he asked as where should he keep the third step, the great king Bali offered his head, and thus was sanctified and immortalised as the greatest devotee from Kerala. I am also like that. Though so far you saw My short statured 'Vamana Roopa' of 5 feet and 3 inches in the physical body, now I am expanding and growing in to the Vishwa Roopa which is going to cover the entire cosmos, and when I ask you where to keep My third step, don't be hesitant to offer Your head which means all your ego and attachments". Then with a chuckle He added, "Oh! Don't you worry I am not going to send you to the nether worlds below the earth, I will keep you close to Me. Before I place My foot on your head, you place your head on My feet and surrender, so that you can always be close to Me. Just like the fishes that stay close to the feet of the fisherman do not get caught in the fishing net, likewise those who stay at My feet will escape the web of worldly illusion (Maya)".
Today as we look on, Vamana Roopa Sai is expanding in to Vishwa Roopa Sai and before He asks, we must place our everything at His feet, so that we may find the ultimate fulfilment. This was the take home message for the devotees of Kerala!
DIVINE VISIT – MARCH 07, 2017 (MORNING) – OOTY
For the people of Ooty, it was a very significant day, as Bhagawan was going to bless the temple of the local deity Hethai Amman, revered Goddess of the Badaga tribe of the Nilgiris. One of the noteworthy aspects of the temple is the ‘Anna Dhanam’ or Narayana Seva which is conducted regularly.
Swami’s car stared a little after 9:30 a.m. from the residence. After driving through the busy roads of Ooty, Swami reached Coonor, and proceeded to the village where the temple is perched on a very beautiful locale, high up on the hills, from where one could see the valley of Coonor. Around 200 devotees had gathered to welcome Swami and bask in His love. As Swami’s car drove up the steep slopes of the hill and entered the temple premises, Bhajans by the students were in progress. About 100 elderly ladies of the Badaga community were seated separately, waiting to be blessed and honoured by Swami through the gift of Vastra Dhanam. A Maha Narayan Seva was also organised in the temple with delicacies of the local area, which was to be served to all who had gathered.
Swami ascended the temple steps, entered the shrine, looked around and appreciated the ritual of the free food being served to all the devotees. Thereafter, Swami took His seat in the Satsang area, while the devotees offered prayers to Him. The welcome talk was delivered by a long standing devotee from Ooty, who has also been responsible for the construction and maintenance of Swami’s Mandir in the Ooty-Coonor area. He said, “It is our greatest...
Morning Satsang at temple of the local deity Hethai Amman, revered Goddess of the Badaga tribe of the Nilgiris, Coonor, Ooty
Devotees, students and guests gathered for Satsang
Bhagawan blessing the elderly ladies of the Badaga community with clothes, fruits and gifts
Inauguration of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Kshetram by Bhagawan
Ms Prabhavati, a long standing devotee from Ooty addressing the gathering
DIVINE VISIT – MARCH 07, 2017 (EVENING) – OOTY
After the morning inauguration of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Kshetram, the students went for a stroll in the theme park. Swami returned to His residence in Ooty, only to start back to Conoor after a short while, to visit the very famous ‘Sai Nivas’ which is been looked after by Yashodamma. Yashodamma is an ardent devotee of Bhagawan who has been blessed with many experiences of Bhagawan’s presence in her home ‘Sai Nivas’. She is considered as mother to all in that area. She has been a messenger and instrument to Swami in promoting spiritual activities, Bhajans and Seva, amidst the people of her village. Many miracles in her home have been the reason for many devotees to visit her home from across the world. It is sheerly the credit of Yashodamma who stood all kinds of positions and threats, yet firmly believing in Swami’s Divine presence in her life, which undertook the construction of ‘Sai Nivas’, a home to Swami with a floor dedicated entirely to His residence. A special kitchen, dining area, interview room, living room, a bed room and a guest room, have been constructed and offered to Swami by Yashodamma. Swami stayed in ‘Sai Nivas’ last year when He had traveled to Ooty.
As Swami’s car went up the hill and towards the ‘Sai Nivas’ premises, many devotees had gathered on the road to greet Swami. By the shouts of typical Badaga welcome, and washing the road leading to His abode, devotees expressed their overflowing love...
Yashodamma addressing the audience about her experiences with Swami
Bhagawan visiting 'The Lord Rama' temple
Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, Lakshmana and Lord Hanuman idols installed in the temple
DIVINE VISIT – MARCH 08, 2017 - OOTY
Students and the devotees in the entourage had all gathered after breakfast in Swami's residence in Suraj Palace with a heavy heart, as this was the end of their holydays with Swami. As Swami emerged from His room, He enquired about the breakfast of all the students and those assembled. All of them replied in the affirmative. Thereafter a devotee offered home-grown tea packets and biscuits to all the students, which Swami handed over to them. Swami took His seat while Bhajans were being sung. He spoke briefly about the importance of good company that students must keep, especially during this age. He said "The four Mahavakyas namely Prajnanam Brahma, Aham Brahmaasmi, Tat Tvam Asi and Ayam Atma Brahma, are to be not merely repeated as parrots, but to be understood and experienced in one's life. He said, "If we pretend to be God, we will tend to be God and we will end up being God. So begin with developing Divine thoughts, it should transform into Divine words, which should further translate into Divine actions."
Swami advised the students to discriminate at every step whether the thought, word or deed is Divine or not, and do only that which is Divine and that which will take them close to God. Swami told them that this trip, they have all learnt about the first two parts of Ashtanga yoga namely Yamah and Niyamah and during the Kodaikanal trip He would...
Morning Satsang with students at Swami's residence in Suraj Palace before leaving to Muddenahalli
Arati being offered by the owner of Suraj Palace, Mr Dhanaraj to Bhagawan
DIVINE BOOKLETS
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.
DIVINE DISCOURSE SUMMARY – HOW TO LIVE IN THE AWARENESS OF OUR DIVINITY? – MARCH 12, 2017
Being Divine, if you forget the Divine, is it not akin to forgetting oneself? In the word ‘Manava’, the hidden meaning is that ‘he is not new’. He is the eternal one, the permanent one, who has no birth, no death, no beginning and no end. He shines forth in every being as the Atma. This Divine principle is in fact what is called Manava. This Divine principle is not new; it is ancient. Based on this, man has got this appellation, Manava.
But today’s man having forgotten his own Divinity, is subjecting himself to all kinds of sorrows and miseries. What is that great sentence or great utterance that was said by people who knew the Truth? They said, “Brahma is eternal; this world is an illusion. This Jeevatma or the individual soul is none other than God or Brahma. The same thing is said as body is the temple of God; the individual Atma is none other than God Himself. Why did God gift us this wonderful human body? This body is the temple and this individual soul is none other than God who resides inside. Only when we recognise this truth, we will be able to conquer fear, evil, anger and all kinds of bad things.
We should believe in the truth of Divinity in ourselves and that is how....
DIVINE DISCOURSE SUMMARY – WHAT IS DHARMA? – MARCH 09, 2017
In the Bhagavad Gita, it is stated that it is good if one dies in one’s own Svadharma rather than in another’s Dharma, Paradharma. To practise one’s own Dharma is the ultimate goal of our life. What is Dharma? Dharma is that which bears the world or creation. Dharma is that which is the basis of all our lives. For every individual who is born in the world, God has given a Dharma. If that individual practises the Dharma granted to him by God and finds fulfillment, there is nothing greater for him to achieve.
Dharma can be described in many ways. The first and foremost is the individual Dharma. The second is the family Dharma. The third is the societal Dharma. The fourth one is the national Dharma. The highest Dharma is the Dharma that every individual born in this world should practise – that is, Manava Dharma.The word ‘Manava’ means ‘he is not new’. All of us know that the body has come newly and mind keeps changing every moment. Therefore, it gets new thoughts and feelings every moment. So, we can easily understand what is not new does not apply to body and the mind. Therefore, Manava Dharma truly means the Divine Dharma. What is this Divine Dharma? It is nothing but Prema Dharma or Dharma of love. Therefore, the Dharma of love or Prema Dharma is higher than all types of Dharma. The basis of all Dharmas is this love or Prema.
Action which is bereft of love cannot become Dharma. If you are a teacher, that is your...
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