You can’t borrow the knowledge of God and say, ‘I know God.’ The more a person says, ‘I know God’, all the more you know he doesn’t know God! Because, God is an experience and not an object or knowledge to know. And the experience can be best described as sweeter than the sweetest thing on earth, or more happier than the happiest experience on earth! - Baba
With the Blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we are delighted to present our One Hundred and Seventieth issue of Ananda Vahini. The weekly newsletter includes interesting musings and short excerpts from the week's events.
In this issue, we present you the updates of the ongoing glorious celebrations of Maha Rudra Yajna, Navaratri Homa, Durga Puja and Chaturveda Parayana at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli.
In this week's INNER VIEW, Sadhguru Sri Madhusudan Sai shares about an interesting moment between Him and a student.
- Sathya Sai Grama Communications Team.
INNER VIEW
By Sri Madhusudan Sai
Let God Not Repeat
A young student was right outside the interview room of Premamrutham when Swami noticed that his hair had overgrown a bit.
Catching hold of his long hair, Swami chided, “Aye! You need a haircut.”
The boy sheepishly agreed.
The next morning when Swami arrived, this boy was right there again but this time with a proper haircut. This did not escape Swami’s attention who showered the boy with praises for carrying out the divine instruction immediately.
“See, I said only once and this boy has gone and had a haircut. This is how one should be with God. Just one command and you should do it; making God repeat His instructions without obeying them is insulting God”, Swami said sternly.
Let’s honour Him and His words by not allowing Him to repeat Himself!
DUSSEHRA CELEBRATIONS, DAY ONE - SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
Morning:
The festival of Dussehra, dedicated to the Mother Goddess, is one of the most celebrated and festive occasions of the year throughout India. Every year, the ten days of rituals and rites in homage to the Divine Mother in Her various manifestations, fill the atmosphere of Sathya Sai Grama with powerful vibrations. Each morning, Yajnas and Homas are performed to propitiate the Mother Goddess and thereafter, Arati is offered in traditional Bengali style to the beautiful images of Mother Durga and other deities Lord Ganesha, Lord Kartikeya, Mother Lakshmi and Mother Saraswati, which are specially made and brought from West Bengal. This year too, devotees gathered from all over India and the world, to participate in this most magnificent event and offer their love and gratitude to their Divine Mother Sai.
The first day is dedicated to the Mother in her manifestation as Shailaputri, or ‘daughter of the mountains’ and the morning’s proceedings saw the performance of the Sahasra Modaka Ganapati Homa, Navagraha Homa and Shani Shanti Homa.
As the Homas and Pujas were underway, Swami arrived into the specially erected Pandal where the Yajnas will be held for the duration of the Celebrations. Welcomed by the regal sounds of Nadaswaram and Dhak drums, Swami proceeded straight to the Yagashala to see the Havan Kunda or sacred fire and the beautiful Rangoli of Lord Ganesha, prepared by the Ritwiks. As Bhajans were in progress, Swami then ascended His throne and the final part of the Homa was performed.
Thereafter, an explanation of the Yajnas that had been performed was provided in Kannada and English. Through worshipping Lord Ganapati and earning His grace, it becomes possible to rein in sensory desires. Since He is also the symbol of attainment, worshipping Maha Ganapati allows each person to attain....
Idols of Mother Durga, Lord Ganesha, Lord Kartikeya, Mother Lakshmi and Mother Saraswati, which are specially made and brought from West Bengal
Sahasra Modaka Ganapati Homa being performed
Navagraha Homa and Shani Shanti Homa being performed
Arati being offered to Goddess Durga accompanied by the Dhakis and the Dhunuchi dance ritual
DUSSEHRA CELEBRATIONS, DAY TWO - SEPTEMBER 30, 2019
Morning:
The second day of Dussehra celebrations began in the morning with Pavamana Homa and Ashlesha Bali Homa that were performed in the presence of Bhagawan. The Governor of Uttarakhand among other diginitaries were also in attendance. Chaturveda Parayana started from this day with Rig Veda being chanted by priests who had come from Tirupathi Devasthanam.
Children from West Bengal performed an endearing dance depicting the joys of the Durga Puja called ‘The festival of Joy’.
The programme concluded with the grand Arati to Maa Durga.
Evening:
The evening programme of Day two of Dussehra Celebrations at Muddenahalli had eminent guests in attendance including Sri Vidyaprasanna Teertha Swamiji from the Subrahmanya Math at Kukke in Karnataka; Pandit Sri Yogendra Mahant from Madhya Pradesh, Former minister in the State Legislature; Sri KH Muniyappa, Former Union Minister, Government of India
The proceedings commenced with Veda chanting by girls of Grade seven and eight of the Sri Sathya Sai Vaniniketanam, Gadag, who chanted the Purusha Suktam.
The first address by Sri B N Narasimha Murthy, Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence, spoke of the miracles one can witness today. The Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi, in his inaugural address during the inauguration of Sanjeevani Hospital had highlighted that, though there are several miracles that Baba performed during his lifetime, the biggest miracles were gift of Education and Health that He gave to several thousands of people. The same work continues to this day, on a greater scale.
The next address was by Pandit Sri Yogendra Mahant, who is known for the Krithrim Anga Kendra....
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