FEBRUARY 2010 - Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publication Trust

FEBRUARY 2010

S a n a t h a n a S a r a t h iDevoted to the Moral and Spiritual Uplift of Humanity throughSATHYA DHARMA SANTHI PREMA AHIMSAVol.: 53 Issue No. 2 Date of Publication: 1st February2 10FEBRUARY 0© Sri Sathya SaiSadhana Trust, Publications DivisionPrasanthi NilayamPrinted by K.S. RAJANPublished by K.S. RAJANOn behalf of the owner, Sri Sathya SaiSadhana Trust, Publications Division,Prasanthi Nilayam 515134, AnantapurDistrict (A.P.)And Printed at M/s Rajhans Enterprises,136, 4th Main Road, Industrial Town, RajajiNagar, Bangalore 560044, KarnatakaAnd Published at Sri Sathya Sai SadhanaTrust, Publications Division, PrasanthiNilayam 515134, Anantapur Dist., AndhraPradesh.Editor G.L. ANANDE-mail: subscriptions@sssbpt.orgeditor@sssbpt.orgFor Audio Visual / Book Orders: orders@sssbpt.orgISD Code : 0091STD Code : 08555Telephone : 287375Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Telefax : 287390General enquiry : 287164Sri Sathya Sai University -Administrative Office : 287191 / 287239Sri Sathya Sai HigherSecondary School : 287522Sri Sathya SaiPrimary School : 287237SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram,Puttaparthi : 287388SSSIHMS, Whitefield,Bangalore : 080 28411500Annual Subscriptionacceptable for 1, 2 or 3 years.English Inland (India):Rs 75/- (12 issues)Overseas: Rs 850/-or U.S. $19 or U.K. £13 or ¤13 orCAN $22, AUS $26Telugu Inland: Rs 60/- (12 issues)Overseas: Rs 550/- or £9 or US $13 or¤9, CAN $15 or AUS $17Note: Please do not send currency notesin postal covers. For the Attention of“Sanathana Sarathi” Subscribers.The month and year of expiry of yoursubscription is indicated next to thesubscription number on the mailingwrapper. Three asterisk marks (***)appearing after your subscription numberindicate that you should renew yoursubscription immediately. Please quoteyour present subscription numberwhile renewing the subscription. Allsubscriptions and other correspondenceshould be addressed to The Convener,Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, PublicationsDivision, Prasanthi Nilayam – 515 134.Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India.Cover Page Photograph: Mahabharata scene asportrayed in Bhajan Mandir, Prasanthi Nilayam.“This life is a drama. Body is likea costume that you have put on in thisdrama of life. You have to give upattachment to the costume that youhave put on. You should alwaysremind yourself that you are theembodiment of Atma.”C O N T E N T SKnow your True Self ...........................................34Bhagavan’s Christmas MessageCelebrations at Prasanthi Nilayam ...................38A ReportUnderstand the Divine Principle of Love ..........42Bhagavan’s Discourse: 23rd June 1996A Marvellous Show of Skill, Balanceand Bravery ......................................................51Annual Sports and Cultural Meet of Sri Sathya SaiEducational InstitutionsMiracle of Love ..................................................58Effulgence of Divine GloryThree Steps to Divinity .....................................60Chinna KathaOfficial Websites of Prasanthi NilayamSri Sathya Sai Central Trust: www.srisathyasai.org.inSri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division: www.sssbpt.orgRadio Sai Global Harmony: www.radiosai.orgBal Vikas Wing of Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, India: http://sssbalvikas.org/

B H A G A V A N’ S C H R I S T M A S M E S S A G EKNOW YOUR TRUE SELFThe sun appears serene and peaceful. The days have becomeshorter, and the cool wind is blowing.(Telugu Poem)C U T T I N G T H E L I T T L E I O F E G O S I G N I F I E S C R O S STHE FARMERS ARE SINGINGjoyous songs because of the richharvest they have reaped. Thisfestive season brings bumper crops and allessential food grains. It confers joy not only onfarmers but also on people in general.Bharat is the Birthplace of AvatarsPeople attribute happiness to God’s grace.Where is God? God is everywhere – in you,with you, above you, below you. But God hasno particular name and form, no birth andIn order to realise the Atma, youhave to cut the little I of yourego. This represents the sacredsymbol cross. This is what Jesustaught. It is the feeling of ‘I andmine’ that is the cause of man’sbondage. When you eliminatethis feeling, what remains is yourtrue Self. Now you are with thebody but tomorrow you haveto leave the body. At that time,who are you and where areyou? You do not know. Body islike a vesture; it is like a robe.When you give up attachmentto this vesture of body, you willunderstand your true Self.34 February 2010

death. Where there is birth, there will be death.Since God has no birth, He has no death. Heis present in every living being in the form ofAtmic principle. But the Bharatiyas today areunable to realise this truth.Bharat is a sacred land which is thebirthplace of many noble souls.This land of Bharat has given birth to manynoble women like Savitriwho brought her dead husband back tolife;Chandramati who extinguished wild fi rewith the power of truth;Sita who proved her chastity by coming outof blazing fi re unscathed. (Telugu Poem)Where else except in Bharat can you fi ndsuch chaste women who could bring theirdead husbands back to life? What a greatwoman Sita was! When she was subjected toAgni Pariksha (fi re test), the fire god himselfdeclared, “Oh Rama! Sita is a woman of greatchastity and nobility. She never looked at theface of any male though she was held captivein Lanka for ten months.” Consequently, Ramaaccepted her. Can you fi nd such virtuous menand women in any country other than Bharat?No, no. In ancient times, every man of Bharatwas a Purushottama (noble man) and everywoman was a Pativrata (chaste woman). Thatis why this sacred land has been the birthplaceof Avatars. Other countries might have givenbirth to prophets and noble souls but all Avatarsincarnated only in Bharat. Unfortunately, theBharatiyas today have craze for everythingexcept God. They even leave this country toearn more money. It is only greedy people wholeave the country for money. Those who arefree from such mental aberrations remain inBharat only. The Bharatiyas should not havegreed for money.Sanctify all your senses given to youby God by putting them to proper use.Offer this sacred body only to God. Donot put it to any abuse. Install God inthe altar of your heart. Then, He willgive you all that you require, and youwill find God wherever you see. Thesky is God, the earth is God and all theliving beings are God. He is immanent ineveryone. He is present in your breathin the form of Om. When you enquireinto this divine principle, you will attaintrue knowledge. You cannot acquire trueknowledge by merely reading books.Human Beings should haValuesve HumanPeople attribute various names and formsto God. But God has no name and no form.God is one. He assumes the form in which youworship Him. If you want to have the vision ofJesus and contemplate on his form, God willmanifest before you in that form. SarvatahPanipadam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham,Sarvatah Sruthimalloke SarvamavruthyaTishthati (with hands, feet, eyes, head,mouth and ears pervading everything, Hepermeates the entire universe). Every humanbeing is essentially divine. Daivam ManushaRupena (God is in the form of a humanbeing). Therefore, a human being shouldhave human values. There is no use if youmerely have a human form without the humanvalues of Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema andAhimsa. Under any circumstances, never tella lie. When you adhere to Sathya, Dharmawill follow you. Where there are Sathya andFebruary 2010 35

are not one person, but three: the one youthink you are, the one others think you are,the one you really are. True humanness liesin understanding this truth. When somebodyasks you your name, you say, “I am so andso.” But the name that you have is given toyou by your parents and not by God. Whenyou ask God, “Who are You?” He will reply,“Aham Brahmasmi. My name is Brahmanand I have no other name except Brahman.”When someone asks you your name, youshould also say, “I am Brahman.” Whenyou understand this truth, you will realisethe Atmic principle. If you realise this, thereis no need for any other spiritual practice.When you meet your friend, you greet him,saying, “Namaskar”. In fact, you are offeringNamaskar not to your friend, but to Brahmanwithin him. Therefore, do not entertain thenarrow feeling of ‘I and mine’.Everything in this world is your ownreaction, refl ection and resound. This lifeis a drama. Body is like a costume that youhave put on in this drama of life. You haveto give up attachment to the costume thatyou have put on. You should always remindyourself that you are the embodiment ofAtma. (At this point of time, Bhagavan askedthe audience) Do you still have any doubts?If anyone still has doubts, he is really anignoramus! When you do not know who youare, then how will you know God? Therefore,fi rst and foremost, know yourself. Alwaysask this question, “Who am I? Who am I? Whoam I?” Then you will realise, “I am I, I am Atma,I am I, I am Atma.” When you forget that youare divine, you will be drowned in deep wine!You should know that you are divine. That isyour real name.The same person is referred to by differentpeople in different ways on the basis of theirA human being should have humanvalues. There is no use if you merelyhave a human form without thehuman values of Sathya, Dharma,Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa. Under anycircumstances, never tell a lie. Whenyou adhere to Sathya, Dharma willfollow you. Where there are Sathya andDharma, peace manifests there.physical relationship with him. One personsays, “He is my son-in-law.” Then anothersays, “He is my son.” The third one says, “Heis my brother.” As man develops more andmore physical relationships, he is bound moreand more. Where has this bondage comefrom? It is all of your own making. After yourContinued on page 41...February 2010 37

PILGRIMAGE OF BAL VIKASCHILDREN OF DELHI - NCRAGROUP OF BAL VIKAS CHILDRENof Delhi-National Capital Regionalong with their parents and Guruscame on a pilgrimage to Prasanthi Nilayamfrom 25th to 29th December 2009. 85 ofthese Bal Vikas children presented a danceand music programme in the Divine PresenceBal Vikas children. Meanwhile, Prasadamblessed by Bhagavan was distributed to all. Atthe conclusion of Bhajans, Bhagavan blessedthe children and posed for group photos withthem. He also materialised a gold chain for oneof the children. The programme which startedat 5.10 p.m. came to a close at 5.55 p.m. withArati to Bhagavan.PILGRIMAGE OF INDONESIANDEVOTEESBal Vikas children of Delhi-National CapitalRegion presenting a beautiful Rajasthani danceon 29th December 2009.of Bhagavan on 29th December 2009. Theprogramme started with a beautiful song anddance by Bal Vikas boys in praise of LordGanesh which was followed by a song anddance by Bal Vikas girls, describing the glory ofBhagavan. The next item was a Rajasthani songand dance by Bal Vikas boys who performedwith gusto in their colourful Rajasthani dress.The last song and dance performed by BalVikas girls conveyed the message of unity ofmankind as taught by Bhagavan. This wasfollowed by Bhajans which were also led byMore than 400 devotees came to PrasanthiNilayam on a pilgrimage from Indonesia from16th to 30th December 2009 and experiencedthe bliss of Bhagavan’s proximity. On 30thDecember 2009, a group of these devoteespresented a music programme in the DivinePresence of Bhagavan. The programme beganat 5.15 p.m. with prayer to Lord Ganesh whichwas followed by fi ve devotional songs by theladies singers. All the songs were marked bythe melody of singing and deep devotion of thesingers. This was followed by Bhajans whichwere led by both ladies and gents singers. AtDevotees of Indonesia presented a programme ofdevotional music surcharged with deep devotionon 30th December 2009.38 February 2010

the conclusion of Bhajans, Bhagavan blessedthe devotees, posed for group photos withthem and distributed clothes to them. He alsomaterialised a gold chain for one of the ladiessingers. The programme came to a close withArati to Bhagavan at 6.40 p.m.ALUMNI MEET 2010 :SRI SATHYA SAI UNIVERSITYMore than 1,300 alumni of Sri Sathya SaiUniversity came to Prasanthi Nilayam from allparts of the world to participate in the AlumniMeet 2010 and refresh the memories of thegolden days spent by them as students ofBhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The meetheld on the auspicious occasion of New YearDay coincided with New Year celebrationsat Prasanthi Nilayam and included manydelectable music and cultural programmes.Idiye Premabandhamu (this is therelationship of love) – A DramaOn the New Year eve, 31st December2009, the alumni staged a beautiful dramawhich showcased the eternal bond of lovebetween the students and their Beloved Lord,Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The story ofthe drama was unfolded through an innovativeand interesting dialogue between Lord Ganeshand Hanuman who as eternal witnesses ofthe saga of love between Bhagavan andHis students over the years recounted manytouching stories of this everlasting love. Asthe drama progressed, Narada, the celestialbard and Yama, the god of death also joinedHanuman and Ganesh to narrate some moresuch touching stories. Besides presentingthese episodes from the lives of students,the drama highlighted the unique system ofeducation of Sri Sathya Sai University whichA very innovative drama was presented bythe alumni of Sri Sathya Sai University whichrefreshed the memories of golden days spent bythem as students of Bhagavan.was producing not merely highly educatedintellectuals but men and women of highcharacter who were totally dedicated to theDivine Mission of Bhagavan of unity of mankindand selfl ess service of society. The drama gavethe message that Bhagavan was always withHis students, and every corner of the worldcould become Prasanthi Nilayam when thestudents performed service to society, keepingBhagavan constantly in their heart. A brilliantpresentation of an episode from the Ramayanaenhanced the value and impact of the drama.Above all, the innovative use of appropriatevideo clips on the screen made all the incidentscome alive. The audience expressed their joyand appreciation of the drama by a thunderousprolonged applause when it concluded. Thedrama which commenced at 5.45 p.m. cameto a close at 6.35 p.m. Bhagavan watched theentire drama, blessed the students and gavethem the coveted opportunity of group photoswith Him. After distribution of Prasadamblessed by Bhagavan, the programme cameto a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.50p.m.February 2010 39

Joyous New Year CelebrationsOn the joyous day of 1st January 2010,Bhagavan came to Sai Kulwant Hall in Hissparkling yellow robe at 10.15 a.m. amidstsinging of Bhajans by a huge gathering ofstudents and devotees. On reaching theverandah of the hall, Bhagavan lighted a candleon the New Year cake and performed the cakecutting ceremony. After Bhagavan was seatedon the dais, the brass band of Sri Sathya SaiUniversity made its devout musical offeringto Bhagavan by playing some scintillatingnumbers which included “Ganga Jathadhara”,“Gopala Radhalola”, “Durge Jai Jai Maa”and “Murali Krishna”. This excellent musicalpresentation of four instrumental numbers bythe band group of the university was followedby four Carnatic music vocal pieces by thesingers group of the university. Starting with“Vatapi Ganapatim Bhajeham”, the talentedstudents enthralled the audience with “EnthaBhagyamo” and “Mohe Lagi Lagan” andconcluded their presentation with a dazzlingpiece of Thillana (a classical composition).Ecstatic audience responded with a thunderousapplause at the conclusion of this soul-stirringmusical presentation of the students. Afterdistribution of Prasadam blessed by Bhagavan,the morning programme concluded with Aratito Bhagavan at 11.30 a.m.Music Programme by the AlumniBhagavan was offered traditional welcomewith Poornakumbham amidst Veda chantingby a group of alumni when He came to SaiKulwant Hall in a grand procession at 5.00p.m. on the afternoon of 1st January 2010.Besides the Veda chanting group, a groupof fl ag-bearing students, a student carrying acolourful parasol and two students carryingMusic group of the alumni made a thrilling banddisplay on the New Year Day, 1st January 2010.traditional fans formed part of this procession.After Bhagavan was seated on the dais,many of the alumni got cakes and other itemsblessed by Him. After this, the music groupof the alumni made a thrilling thematic banddisplay and offered a bouquet of selecteddevotional songs at Bhagavan’s Lotus Feet.The songs were interspersed with narration ofmany touching incidents which brought forththe Divine glory of Bhagavan and His limitlesslove for students. The entire presentation wasmade lively by showing video clippings ofrelevant incidents on the screen. In the middleof this presentation, Bhagavan also blessedvolumes 15 and 16 of the series of CDs entitled“A Bridge Across Time”, containing Bhajanssung by the alumni. This was followed by twosolo devotional songs, after which Bhajanswere started by the Bhajan singers group ofthe alumni. Thereafter, there was distributionof Prasadam to the entire gathering in the hall.The programme came to a close with Arati toBhagavan at 6.35 p.m.Showers of Blessings from BhagavanBhagavan showered His love and blessingson the alumni and their families in a specialmeeting held in Poornachandra Auditorium40 February 2010

on 2nd January 2010 before they returned totheir respective countries. Bhagavan came tothe auditorium at 4.40 p.m. amidst chantingof Vedic hymns by a group of alumni. At theoutset, two distinguished speakers addressedthe gathering. They were introduced by SriK. Chakravarthi, Secretary, Sri Sathya SaiCentral Trust. The fi rst speaker was Dr. G.Venkataraman, former Vice Chancellor of SriSathya Sai University. Illustrating his talk withslides and video clippings, Dr. Venkataramanexplained how such stupendous projects likeSuper Speciality Hospitals and houses forfl ood-affected people of Orissa were executedby the Divine Will of Bhagavan. Giving thelatest example of Bhagavan’s Will, the eminentspeaker remarked, amidst a prolongedapplause of the alumni, that Radio Sai wasthe only channel on air in Asia from 31stDecember 2009 after the recent WorldSpacefi nancial crisis. The next speaker was Sri V.Srinivasan, All India President of Sri SathyaSai Seva Organisation. Sri Srinivasan dwelton the salient features of Sri Sathya Sai SevaOrganisation of India and gave details of thepresent set-up of the organisation. The SaiOrganisation, the distinguished speaker said,was making remarkable progress in the areasof water purifi cation, organic agriculture, nonconventionalenergy system, low-cost buildingsand micro power projects. The projects onhand, he added, were National ArchivalSystem and Sri Sathya Sai National NarayanaSeva. Reminding the former students of theirresponsibility as students of Bhagavan, SriSrinivasan observed that it was from theirbehaviour, their speech and their service withlove that others should recognise them as thestudents of Bhagavan. After these speeches,many groups of the former students came tothe dais and showed to Bhagavan the serviceprojects they had undertaken in their countries.Bhagavan interacted with them and gavethem valuable advice. Bhajans commencedafter this. Meanwhile, Bhagavan went into therows of the alumni, accepted their letters andshowered His blessings on all. The meetingcame to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.50p.m. Thus concluded Alumni Meet 2010 of SriSathya Sai University, and these “fl owers inGod’s garden” and “stars in God’s sky” tookleave from Bhagavan to return next year withadded enthusiasm and greater dedication forBhagavan’s Divine Mission....Continued from page 37marriage, you say, “She is my wife.” But whois she before marriage? Prior to marriage,you do not know who is who. You also donot know what happens after one leaves thebody. The relationship is only for the period inbetween. Hence, do not brood over the past.Past is past. What lies in the future? That alsoyou do not know. You know only the present.Therefore, live in the present. That is the onlytruth.(Bhagavan concluded His Discourse withthe Bhajan, “Hari Bhajan Bina Sukha SanthiNahin…”)– From Bhagavan Christmas Discourse inSai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam on 25thDecember 2009.February 2010 41

AMRITA DHARABHAGAVAN’S DISCOURSE:23RD JUNE 1996UNDERSTAND THE DIVINEPRINCIPLE OF LOVEIn His immense compassion, Bhagavan gave daily Discourses for nearly two months in SaiKulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam starting from 16th June 1996. These Discourses covera vast variety of spiritual topics of practical utility for modern man and highlight the richcultural heritage of Bharat which is rooted in the Vedas. As the readers themselves willsee, this is a rich treasure of soul-elevating spiritual knowledge which can enrich, illumineand transform mankind. This issue carries Bhagavan’s eighth Discourse given on 23rdJune 1996. Sanathana Sarathi will publish these Discourses from time to time which areappropriately named Amrita Dhara (ambrosial stream).A knotted gnarled tree trunk may be made straight as a pole,A shapeless hunk of rock may be carved to form a beautiful idol,But, is there anyone who can change human mind?(Telugu Poem)G O D A S S U M E S H U M A N F O R M T O D E V E L O P D I V I N I T Y I N M A NMIND IS EXTREMELY QUEERand fi ckle. It is very powerful andcan move very fast. A personmay be sitting at a certain place but his mindmay fl y away thousands of miles away fromhim in a moment, visualising something atsuch a long distance. That is what Arjunaalso said to Lord Krishna in the Bhagavadgita,Chanchalam Hi Manah Krishna PramathiBalavaddrudham (this mind is very unsteady,turbulent and powerful), and asked Him howhe should control such a powerful and fi cklemind.Associate yourself with Good CompanyMind has both animality and humanness.You should try to understand what is meantby animality and humanness. When the mindis overpowered by the six inner enemiesof man, viz., Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha,Mada and Matsarya (desire, anger, greed,delusion, pride and jealousy), man forgets hishumanness, takes to the path of animality anddegenerates to the level of an animal. On theother hand, when the mind follows the path ofhumanness and makes proper use of Mathi(mind), Gathi (destiny), Stithi (position) andSampatthi (wealth) given by God, man canrise to the level of divinity and do great goodto his country and society at large. Mind is theroot cause of good and bad. The nobility thatis there in the mind cannot be found anywhereelse. Similarly, the wickedness that is found inthe mind cannot be found anywhere else. Mindis as much good as it is wicked.42 February 2010

Mind by nature is absolutely pure. It isonly due to the infl uence of bad companythat it becomes wicked. Take, for example, anewspaper. If you wrap jasmine fl owers in it, itwill acquire the fragrance of jasmine fl owers.Similarly, if you wrap Pakodas (an Indiansavoury) in it, it will emit the smell of Pakodas.The newspaper on its own does not have anytype of smell. Whatever item is wrapped in it, itextremely wicked. In fact, it becomes demonic.There is nothing good or bad in the mind itself.It is only due to good or bad infl uences that itbecomes good or bad. If you want your mindto be good, you should associate yourself withgood company. At times, good appears to bebad and bad appears to be good. It becomesdiffi cult to decide what is good and what is bad.Good habits, good speech, good conduct andFirst of all, man should becomegood. Then, the whole world willbecome good. Therefore, first andforemost, man should conducthimself in a manner worthy of ahuman being and should lead a lifebefitting his status as a human being.This itself will transform the humaninto divine. But, on the other hand,if man becomes animal, how canhe do any good to the world? Thisis impossible. Hence, the first thingfor man to do is to lead a life worthyof a human being; he should notdegenerate to the level of an animalnor should he become a demon.will acquire the smell of that item. Similarly, ifthe mind follows noble path and you associatethe mind with everything good, the mind willalso become good. What is the noble path?How noble would the mind become when it isassociated with sacred feelings, good thoughts,noble behaviour, good company, spiritualactivities, moral values and righteous actions!On the other hand, when it is associatedwith wicked qualities, wicked thoughts, evilcompany and bad behaviour, it becomesgood behaviour will ultimately make us good.Therefore, good habits are very essential forevery human being. You should get rid of allyour evil qualities and develop good qualities.Shirdi Sai Baba’s Love for NanaOne day, Shirdi Sai Baba started laughingloudly all of a sudden. Nobody couldunderstand the reason. In those days, somepeople considered him a mendicant, othersconsidered him a fakir and a few othersFebruary 2010 43

considered him even a madcap. He appearedas fakir to those who considered him a fakirand as madcap to those who thought him tobe so. While laughing like this, Baba said,“Oh Kulkarni, come here.” Kulkarni was oneof those persons who lived with Baba. WhenKulkarni asked Baba what his command was,Baba took out two coins from his pocket andgave them to him, saying, “Go and bringNanasaheb Chandorkar with you.” Nana wasa Tahsildar. In those days, Tahsildar wasconsidered a very high offi cer. It was Tahsildarwho decided all revenue matters. Apart fromholding such a high post, Nana was also wellversedin Sanskrit. Besides being a high offi cerand a great scholar, he had a very impressivepersonality also. Because of all these, he wasvery proud.When Kulkarni went there, Nana asked him,“What brings you here?” Kulkarni said, “Babais calling you.” Enraged at this, Nana said tohim, “Fie on you! Don’t you have sense? I ama Tahsildar and a great scholar. If any fakircalls me, shall I go to him? Do you want meto go to a fakir? Go away from here.” WhenKulkarni informed Baba about the refusal ofNana, Baba asked him to go again and bringhim. In fact, Baba started shouting like a madman, “I want to see Nana, I want to see Nana.”Kulkarni was perplexed and thought, “What isthis! Nana is insulting me also. How come Babahas so much love for such a proud person thathe is asking me again and again to bring him?”Kulkarni went to Nana again, caught hold ofhis feet while shedding tears and pleaded withhim, “Baba wants to see you and you haveto come.” At last, Nana relented and said toKulkarni, “I will come for your sake and notfor Baba. I have nothing to do with him andthere is no need for me to see him.” KulkarniI have told the example of lock and keymany times to the children. When youturn the key towards right side, the lockopens. When you turn it to the left side, itcloses. Both the lock and the key are thesame. But the difference lies only in theturning. Heart is the lock and mind is thekey. When you turn your mind towardsGod, you develop detachment. When youturn it towards the world, you developattachment. When you see the world withworldly feelings, you see only the worldor Prakriti. On the other hand, if you seethe world with divine feelings, you see itas the manifestation of God.pleaded again, “Please accept my prayer anddo come.”Nana came to Shirdi and asked Baba, “Whyhave you called me here? Do I have anythingto do with you? I am a high offi cer and youare just a fakir. I have nothing to do with youand you have nothing to do with me.” Babacame near him and said, “Sit down. So muchexcitement and pride is not good. I don’t loseanything because of your pride. Only you willbe the loser. Be calm, I will tell you something.”When Nana sat down, Baba said to him, “Inthis birth, we have no relationship with eachother. But in previous births, there was anintimate relationship between us. On accountof this relationship, I wanted to see you.” Atthis, Nana was all the more enraged, “What isthis? When we have nothing to do with eachother in the present, why do you talk about ourpast relationship? Nobody knows what hashappened in the past. I don’t have faith in suchmatters.”44 February 2010

Baba got up and placed his hands onNana’s eyes. When Nana opened his eyes,he could see his past life. However, Nana wasnot convinced and said to Baba, “I am able tosee only my past. Should I not be able to seeyour past also?” Then Baba touched his owneyes fi rst and thereafter touched Nana’s eyes.After this, Nana could clearly see who he wasand who Baba was in the past. Immediately,he prostrated before Baba and said, “Baba!Out of my ignorance, I have behaved foolishly.We mortals act as if we know everything when,in fact, we know nothing. On the other hand,you act as if you do not know anything thoughyou know everything.” This is the differencebetween God and man. Man behaves as ifhe has all the knowledge without knowinganything, whereas God has all the knowledgebut behaves as if He knows nothing. Godappears to be knowing nothing and doingnothing but He does everything and attractseverybody. This is the difference betweenDeva and Jiva (God and man). In order tounderstand this truth, one should developsteady mind, sacred feelings and unwaveringvision. Do not give room to doubts under anycircumstances. Do not be bogged down anddepressed by doubts. At the same time, donot be elated when you receive God’s grace.Maintain equanimity in both the situations. Youcan attain this state only when you have totalfaith in God.Man can Experience God when HeComes in Human FormGod comes down on earth in human form.It is not possible for man to come close toHim when He assumes any form other thanthat of a human being. Purandaradasa said,“People offer sugar candy, do Pradakshina(circumambulation) and offer their salutationsMan is deluded when he sees God inhuman form. He thinks, “How can Godbe like this in human form? He is movingand talking like an ordinary humanbeing. How can God do like this? Heis supposed to be of transcendentalnature.” If you cannot understand Godwhen He comes in human form, how canyou understand the transcendental divineprinciple? That is impossible. Either youshould rise to the level of God or Godshould come down to your level. Onlythen can there be intimate relationshipbetween the two.to the stone idol of a snake. But when they seea snake, they throw stones at it and try to harmit.” God incarnates on earth in human formto provide opportunity to man to redeem hislife through Sameepya, Sarupya and Sayujya(proximity, identity and merger). Man can comeclose to God only when He is in human form.Man has the intelligence to understand anotherman and not God. Due to this limitation of hisintelligence, man can experience God onlywhen He comes down in human form. Man’sintelligence is below senses, whereas thedivine principle is beyond senses. Therefore,God has to come in human form to establishintimate relationship with man, to be closer tohim, to talk to him and ultimately to grant himthe direct experience of divinity. For example,if God comes down in the form of Vishnu withconch, discus, mace and lotus in His hands, manwill not be able to establish close relationshipwith Him. Such a form is not natural for humanbeings. Therefore, it is necessary that GodFebruary 2010 45

comes in human form so that man can haveintimate relationship with Him in a natural way.That is why God descends on earth in humanform to develop divinity in man.God’s descent does not mean that Hecomes down from some place high above. It justmeans assuming human form. Just because Hecomes down to human level, there is absolutelyno defi ciency in His Divinity. When the child islying on the ground, the mother bends downto pick it up in her arms. Her status as motherdoes not become lower by thus bendingdown. In the same way, God’s glory does notsuffer any decline when He descends fromdivine level to human level for the protectionand redemption of His devotees. But man isdeluded when he sees God in human form.He thinks, “How can God be like this in humanform? He is moving and talking like an ordinaryhuman being. How can God do like this? Heis supposed to be of transcendental nature.” Ifyou cannot understand God when He comesin human form, how can you understandthe transcendental divine principle? Thatis impossible. Either you should rise to thelevel of God or God should come down toyour level. Only then can there be intimaterelationship between the two. Just because anAvatar behaves like an ordinary human being,you should not underestimate His Divinity. Allhumans are divine. Their names and forms varybut the Atmic principle is one and the same inall. First of all, you should try to understandthis truth.There can be no Tree without a SeedYour present birth carries the sum total of allthe Samskaras (inherent tendencies) of yourprevious births. You will not believe what yournames and forms were in your previous births.What is the reason? Since you identify yourselfwith your present name and form, you havetotally forgotten your previous births. Even ifyou are made aware of your previous births,you will still fi nd it diffi cult to believe. Here isa small example. You know both Telugu andEnglish. When you speak in Telugu, you do notuse English words. Simply because you arenot using English words in your speech, it doesnot mean that you do not know English. NowAnil Kumar is translating My Telugu Discourseinto English. In order to translate into English,he should know Telugu. Of course, he knowsTelugu. But while translating, he is using onlyEnglish words. In the same way, even if youknow your past life, you forget it because youconcentrate on your present life. When you areshown your past life, you will remember it.However, one need not worry about one’spast. Past is past. Future is not sure. Don’tbrood over the future. Present is very important.This is not ordinary present but omnipresent.First of all, you have to understand howpresent becomes omnipresent? Your presentholds your past results and your future resultsdepend upon your present. You will get thebelch of the same thing which you have eatenin the morning. What you eat now, you get thebelch of it later. Past and future are like treeswhile present is the seed. There can be no treewithout seed. The seed of present has comefrom the tree of past and the tree of futurewill come from the seed of present. It is withreference to this that Lord Krishna declaredin the Bhagavadgita, Beejam Maam SarvaBhutanam (I am the seed of all living beings).God has no birth but all names and forms areHis. Yesterday I told you in My Discourse,when the Chapatis brought by LakshmibaiShinde were eaten by a dog, Baba said it washe who ate them. God does not observe anydifference between high and low. The same46 February 2010

divinity is present in all names and forms. Thissignifi es the oneness of the entire creation.Purity of Heart is Essential to RealiseGodMind is the root cause of everything good andbad. That is why it has been said, Manah EvaManushyanam Karanam Bandhamokshayo(mind is the cause of bondage and liberation ofWhen you see the world with worldly feelings,you see only the world or Prakriti. On the otherhand, if you see the world with divine feelings,you see it as the manifestation of God.Mind is one but it assumes differentforms. What is the reason? Depending onthe types of Sankalpas (thought currents),its form undergoes change. Whatever formMan’s intelligence is below senses,whereas the divine principle is beyondsenses. Therefore, God has to comein human form to establish intimaterelationship with man, to be closerto him, to talk to him and ultimatelyto grant him the direct experience ofdivinity. For example, if God comesdown in the form of Vishnu withconch, discus, mace and lotus inHis hands, man will not be able toestablish close relationship with Him.Such a form is not natural for humanbeings. Therefore, it is necessary thatGod comes in human form so thatman can have intimate relationshipwith Him in a natural way. That is whyGod descends on earth in human formto develop divinity in man.man). I have told the example of lock and keymany times to the children. When you turn thekey towards right side, the lock opens. Whenyou turn it to the left side, it closes. Both the lockand the key are the same. But the difference liesonly in the turning. Heart is the lock and mindis the key. When you turn your mind towardsGod, you develop detachment. When you turnit towards the world, you develop attachment.it assumes, mind has to act in accordancewith it. Its action cannot be at variance withits form. For example, there was a great actorby name Nagayya. Once he enacted the roleof Thyagayya. After assuming the role ofThyagayya, he should act like Thyagayya. Onthe other hand, if he acts like Nagayya afterassuming the role of Thyagayya, people arelikely to pelt stones at him. He may be NagayyaFebruary 2010 47

ehind the stage, but once he is on the stage,he has to be Thyagayya. Similarly, you maybe different from Me from the worldly point ofview. Once you transcend your worldliness,you and I are one.You are seeing God all the time, yet you say,you desire to see God. All that you see is God.All the heads that you see belong to the CosmicForm of the Divine. Everything in this world isthe embodiment of divinity. Every individualis essentially divine. Every entity is divine innature. In spite of seeing the manifestation ofGod everywhere and in everything, you saythat you want to see God. How narrow-mindedand foolish you are! What according to youis the form of God? On seeing what will youbelieve it to be God? You do not know whois God and how He looks like. Then, how isit that you see something and believe it to beGod? This is sheer foolishness. Everything isthe manifestation of God. When you developfi rm faith in this truth, you will realise that thereis no faith greater than this.When King Parikshit came to know that hewas left with only seven days of life sojourn onearth due to the curse of a Rishi, he thought,“Why should I waste this precious time of sevendays? Let me spend it in the contemplationof God.” He prayed to Sage Suka to narrateto him the story of Bhagavata in seven days.Suka beautifully narrated Gopikas’ love forKrishna. There arose a doubt in the mind ofParikshit and he asked Suka, “Swami! Gopikaswere illiterate. They had no knowledge of theVedas, Sastras (scriptures), Itihasas (epics)and Puranas (mythologies), and did not doany spiritual practice. Then, how could theyattain the love of God?” Suka replied, “Are allthose who know the Vedas, Sastras, Itihasas,Puranas able to see God? The Vedas, Sastras,Itihasas, Puranas only describe variousattributes of God but to realise God, purity ofheart is most essential.” One may become alearned person by reading sacred texts, butthis is not divine knowledge. You cannot attaindivine knowledge by merely reading sacredtexts. They only bring about a change in yourmind. Suppose, a child turns the pages of theRamayana. A scholar also does the same. Thechild sees only the pictures given in it while thelearned man tries to grasp the essence of thesubject matter. The act of turning the pages isthe same in both the cases. But the differencelies in the approach. Even after turning thepages, the child remains as ignorant as hewas before while the scholar becomes a Jnaniand knower of the subject.Man should Lead Life Worthy of a HumanBeingOnce when a naughty boy started cryingand bothering his mother, she asked him tosit near his father. The father was doing hisoffi ce work. As the boy sat there, he startedplaying with his father’s offi ce papers. Thefather saw a world map nearby, cut it intopieces and asked him to join these pieces tomake the map again in order to keep the boybusy. But the boy did not understand whichcountry of the world was to be placed where.On seeing again, he found that there was ahuman fi gure on the reverse side of the map.This he could understand easily. He identifi edthe hands, head and other parts of the humanfi gure and joined all the pieces together tomake the human fi gure again. He set only thehuman fi gure correctly. But in this process, theworld map on the reverse of it, which he didnot understand, was also set right. How did theworld map become correct? It became correctby setting the human form correctly.48 February 2010

Hence, fi rst of all, man should becomegood. Then, the whole world will become good.Therefore, fi rst and foremost, man shouldconduct himself in a manner worthy of a humanbeing and should lead a life befi tting his statusas a human being. This itself will transform thehuman into divine. But, on the other hand, ifman becomes animal, how can he do any goodto the world? This is impossible. Hence, thefi rst thing for man to do is to lead a life worthyof a human being; he should not degenerateto the level of an animal nor should he becomea demon. If man lives like a human being, it isenough. This is the path that leads to divinity.It is the mind that is responsible for manto live like a man, to rise to the divine levelor to degenerate to the level of an animal.Humanness, animality and divinity do notexist separately. They all are present in man.When you lead your life with love, kindnessand compassion, you rise to the level of God.These are the attributes of Sattwa Guna(serene quality). On the other hand, if youbecome the slave of your senses and submityourself to their dictates, you become angryand excited from moment to moment. Theseare the attributes of Rajo Guna (quality ofpassion). Then you verily become a demon.Under the infl uence of Thamo Guna (qualityof sloth), man sees good as bad and bad asgood. Man is the combination of Sattwa Guna,Rajo Guna and Thamo Guna. The world alsois the combination of these three attributes.Man should transcend these three attributes.Only then can he experience Brahmananda(divine bliss). Obey the divine command andact according to it. Try to understand what Godexpects from you. Develop the sacred feelingthat though God is present in all, He assumeshuman form for man’s redemption. If you seeWhat is the noble path? How noblewould the mind become when it isassociated with sacred feelings, goodthoughts, noble behaviour, goodcompany, spiritual activities, moralvalues and righteous actions! On theother hand, when it is associated withwicked qualities, wicked thoughts,evil company and bad behaviour, itbecomes extremely wicked. In fact, itbecomes demonic.only His physical form and think that He islike any other human being, you don’t gainanything. The physical form of God may besimilar to any other human form. The differencelies in the feelings. God is Bhavapriya and notBahyapriya (lover of inner feelings, not outwardappearances), whereas man is Bahyapriya andnot Bhavapriya. You should transcend Bahya(outward appearances) and make efforts todevelop Bhava (divine feelings).Only God has Free WillThese were the doubts that Nana initiallyhad. Later on, Nana developed so much faithin Baba that he would not leave him even for amoment. If Baba wanted to smoke, it was Nanawho made Chillim (pipe) ready for him. Nanabecame a close devotee of Baba. There wassuch an intimate relationship between Babaand Nana that Baba would not eat food withoutNana and Nana would not eat food withoutBaba. Ordinary people could not understandthe mystery of this relationship. Some of themobjected why should Baba not eat his foodwithout Nana. Then Baba told them, “It is myFebruary 2010 49

own sweet will. Why are you bothered about it?Who are you to question me? I feel like eatingonly when Nana is with me.” God is the oceanof compassion. He is 100% compassion and100% love. There is none other who is moreloving and compassionate than Him. Youshould properly understand this divine principleof love. This love is present in all. Therefore,you should love all and hate none. If you hateothers, others will also hate you. Everything isreaction, refl ection and resound. Nobody cansay what was his previous birth like nor can hetell what lies ahead for him in the present birth.For people like Nana, whatever work theyundertake will be automatically accomplished.Even if they have no yearning for God, GodHimself will draw them towards Him. What isthe reason? The deservedness of their pastbirths is the main reason. The seed of theirprevious births becomes a tree and yields fruitin their present birth. It is not possible for thetree to grow without a seed.Suppose, you go to a beach one day in theevening. You will fi nd only sand everywhere.If there is a rainfall on the next day, you willsee many sprouts coming out of sand onthe following day. Yesterday, there were nosprouts but today you fi nd greenery. Whatis the reason? Yesterday, they were lying inthe sand in the form of seeds and today theseeds have germinated and become plants. Ifthere were no seeds yesterday, there wouldbe no plants today. The seeds cannot beseen whereas the plants become visible to us.Similarly, one’s past actions are not seen. Butthe results of all these actions will be visibleand one will have to experience them in thepresent birth. However, you should not worryabout your past life. Wait for the divine grace.When the time comes, it will be bestowed onyou. Don’t waste time. Time waste is life waste.Every individual has a unique relationship withdivinity, about which nobody can say anything.Only God knows about it.Many modern youth talk about free will.What is the meaning of free will and who hasfree will? None except God. You say, youhave free will to perform a particular task. Butthe very next moment you will have doubtswhether you can accomplish it or not. Then,how can you say you have free will? Neverentertain the feeling that you have free will. Itis only the Divine that has free will and noneelse. Even the President of a country is boundby certain rules and regulations. But God hasno such restrictions; He can do anything. Thatis free will. The word ‘free will’ should not beused with reference to human beings. OnlyGod has free will. This is the real power. Manshould lead his life like a true human beingand conduct himself like a human being whiledealing with his fellowmen. When you are livingin the society of human beings, you should notbehave like an animal. When you greet otherswith Namaskar, they will also reply to you inthe same manner. With whatever feelings youtalk to others, they will also talk to you with thesame feelings. Therefore, talk sweetly, behavecourteously, act righteously and earn a goodname. You should become ideal to others.Make efforts to develop humanness. Thenonly will you earn the praise of others.(Bhagavan brought His Discourse to a closewith the Bhajan “Govinda Krishna Jai…”)– From Bhagavan’s Divine Discourse inSai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam on 23rdJune 1996.50 February 2010

Annual Sports and Cultural Meet of Sri Sathya Sai Educational InstitutionsA MARVELLOUS SHOW OF SKILL,BALANCE AND BRAVERYTHE ANNUAL SPORTS ANDCultural Meet 2010 of Sri SathyaSai educational institutions washeld in the sprawling Hill View Stadium atPrasanthi Nilayam on 11th January 2010. Awide variety of breathtaking presentationsshowcased the qualities of head and heartlike self-confi dence, balance, bravery andskill of the students from the campuses of theuniversity and other Sathya Sai educationalinstitutions. Hill View Stadium, the venue ofthis display par excellence, was aestheticallydecorated with colourful fl ags, banners andphotographs of the Revered Chancellor of theuniversity, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.Besides the excellent seating arrangementfor the convenience of the huge gathering ofviewers, two giant LED screens were installedin the stadium to enable them to have a clearand close view of the events performed by thestudents.On the serene and sunny morning of 11thJanuary 2010, Bhagavan arrived at the stadiumat 9.30 a.m. As Bhagavan’s motorcade enteredthe stadium on its northern end, the AnantapurCampus brass band offered welcome toHim with joyous and sweet notes of music.Bhagavan was then led to Santhi Vedika ina grand procession led by the brass band ofPrasanthi Nilayam Campus, slow marchingsquad carrying colourful fl ags, horses squadand motorbike squad of the students. On Hisarrival at Santhi Vedika, Bhagavan was offeredreverential welcome by the Vice Chancellorand senior staff members of the university. At9.45 a.m., Bhagavan lighted the sacred lampat Santhi Vedika to inaugurate the sports andcultural meet.Spectacular March PastAs soon as Bhagavan was seated on themagnifi cently decorated dais, an impressiveMarch Past of the contingents of various SathyaSai educational institutions began. While thebrass band of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campusof the university provided the marching tunes,brilliantly and colourfully dressed contingentsA contingent of Sri Sathya Sai Primary School,Prasanthi Nilayam offering reverential salute toBhagavan at Santhi Vedika.of Sri Sathya Sai Primary School, AnantapurCampus of the university and Sri Sathya SaiJunior College for Women, Sri Sathya SaiHigher Secondary School, Sathya Sai MirpuriCollege of Music, Brindavan Campus of theuniversity and Prasanthi Nilayam Campus ofthe university in that order came marchingsprightly and briskly to Santhi Vedika andoffered their reverential salute to Bhagavan.After this most disciplined and brilliantMarch Past, Bhagavan hoisted the fl ag of theFebruary 2010 51

university and released bunches of balloonsand a few white pigeons. The participantswere then administered the oath to take partin the sports events in fair competition for theglory of sports and their Beloved Bhagavan.Thereafter, Bhagavan lighted the sports torchwhich was carried by a mascot in the shape ofa swan to the hill top where it lighted the sportsurn.Daring Feats of Brindavan CampusStudentsThe sports events began with the performanceof Brindavan Campus students. Commencingwith the portrayal of ten incarnations of God,they celebrated the Advent of Bhagavan SriA vibrant Bhangra dance by the students ofBrindavan Campus of the University delightedone and all.Sathya Sai Baba as the Avatar of Kali Yugawith a beautiful dance and followed it up witha vibrant Bhangra dance. Their next item wasa rhythmic group dance which they performedwith perfect synchronisation. After this, theyshowed their skill in equestrian events byhandling horses which crossed many types ofhurdles with consummate ease. But their mostbreathtakingly stunning event was stunts onmotorbikes. The spectators held their breathwhen motorbike riders criss-crossed each otherat blinding speed and when they jumped nearlysix metres high in the air. They concluded theirdisplay with a wonderful pyramid formation onDaredevilry of the students of Brindavan Campuswas demonstrated in their motorbike stunts.motorbikes. At the end of their performance,all the students made a beautiful formation infront of Santhi Vedika and offered salutationsto Bhagavan.Display of Balance, Rhythm and Acumenby Prasanthi Nilayam StudentsThe next performance came from thePrasanthi Nilayam Campus and Sri Sathya SaiHigher Secondary School. Before commencingtheir sports events, they brought before SanthiVedika a giant idol of Lord Subramanya whichthey themselves had prepared. This formed thebackdrop of their display. Their events includedThe students of Sri Sathya Sai Higher SecondarySchool making a colourful formation. The giant idolof Lord Subramanya is seen in the background.52 February 2010

hythmic dances, acrobatics and gymnasticswhich showed their acumen, balance, controland sychronisation. They started with acolourful rhythmic dance and made beautifulformations. One of the interesting events ofA spectacular show of skill and acumen was seenin the basketball game played by the students ofPrasanthi Nilayam.their display was a basketball game, in whichthe students dunked the ball in the basketafter getting elevation from a ramp and atrampoline. An innovative item of their displaywas acrobatics on chairs, with which they mademany beautiful formations. Another display ofacrobatics was on large rings suspended witha rope from a high stand. Next, they producedfi ne music by playing on Chinese drums alongwith balancing a fl ag with a long pole on chin,on a palm and an arm. As these acts of greatbalance were displayed, large kites in the shapeof various birds rose high up in the sky. Theirlast item was jeep stunts which included crisscrossing,smashing obstacles and passingthrough fi re ring. After their performance, all thestudents made a beautiful formation in front ofSanthi Vedika and offered their salutations toBhagavan. The morning programme came toa close with Arati to Bhagavan at about 12.00noon.The Splendour of Primary SchoolStudents’ PerformanceIn the afternoon, Bhagavan was led to HillView Stadium by motorbike escorts when Hecame to the stadium at 4.35 p.m. The sportsand cultural events began soon after this withthe presentation of the students of Sri SathyaSai Primary School, Prasanthi Nilayam. Thetheme of their presentation was the Advent ofBhagavan as Sathyam, Sivam, Sundaram forthe transformation of man. This was shown ona huge screen which formed the backdrop oftheir presentation. Their fi rst item was a vibrantdance by girls students which hailed the Adventof Bhagavan. What followed this was a numberof beautiful dances both by boys and girls inThe students of Sri Sathya Sai Primary School,Prasanthi Nilayam won the hearts of thespectators by their vibrant dances incolourful costumes.their colourful costumes which enraptured thespectators for nearly one hour. The beautifulformations they made in the performing areawere a treat to the eyes and a spectacle worthtreasuring in memory. One of their colourfuldances was a dance by girls with designs ofdifferent colour petals strapped to their back.The dances were interspersed with gymnasticfeats on a semi-circular structure and crawlingout of rubber tubes like a worm. But perhapstheir most spectacular performance was thelast item which was a dance by girls withcolourful umbrellas. As their magnifi centFebruary 2010 53

One of the most charming display of thePrimary School students was their dance withcolourful umbrellas.show ended, the children released bunchesof balloons in the air which rose high up likethe splendour of their performance. After this,they made their fi nal formation before SanthiVedika and offered their reverential Pranamsto Bhagavan.Dedicated Performance of AnantapurCampus StudentsThe fi rst item of the students of AnantapurCampus was a dance with red fl ags withwhich they made beautiful formations. Thiswas followed by a wonderful display ofbalance and control on monocycles. TheyThe students of Anantapur Campus of theuniversity displayed amazing dexterity in theirmonocycle show.made various formations on monocycleswith amazing dexterity to the delight of thespectators. Equally delightful were their stuntson bicycles which they performed with greatease. Their concluding item was a beautifuldisplay with roll like structures with whichOne of the colourful formations made by thestudents of Anantapur Campus of the university.they made wonderful formations. At the endof their display, the students made a beautifulformation with glowing lights in their handsand the Name of Mother Sai on their lips whenthey sang the song “Sai Maa Praanam…” (Saiis our life-breath). This grand spectacle ofadventure, beauty and dedication came to ahappy conclusion with this glowing tribute toBhagavan who profusely blessed the studentsfor their performance made with love anddevotion. The programme came to a closewith Arati to Bhagavan at about 6.00 p.m.MAKARA SANKRANTICELEBRATIONSThe joyous festival of Makara Sankrantiwas celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam on14th January 2010. On this auspicious day,Sri Sathya Sai University organised its prizedistribution function for the Sports and CulturalMeet 2010 which made the celebrations all themore rewarding. Two excellent dramas werealso presented as part of these celebrationson 13th and 14th January 2010. The drama on13th January 2010 entitled “Bhakta Tukaram”was presented by the students of BrindavanCampus and on 14th January 2010 entitled“Mrityunjaya” by the students of PrasanthiNilayam Campus of the university.Bhakta Tukaram: A DramaOn 13th January 2010, the brass bandof Brindavan Campus of the university led54 February 2010

The drama “Bhakta Tukaram” enacted by thestudents of Brindavan Campus of the universityshowcased the nobility of character of this greatdevotee of Lord Vitthala.Bhagavan to Sai Kulwant Hall when He cameto grant the bliss of His Darshan to devoteesin the hall at 5.30 p.m. The drama began atabout 6.00 p.m. after Bhagavan was seatedon the dais. In this drama, main incidents fromthe life of Tukaram, an ardent devotee of LordVitthala, were presented which highlightedthe nobility of Tukaram’s character and hisdeep yearning for the Lord. It also showcasedhis main teachings contained in his immortalAbhangs (verses) which taught how mancould make his life noble and sublime andovercome all trials and tribulations of life bydeep love and unfl inching faith in God. Theopening scene itself, set in the backdrop of amagnifi cent temple, created an aura of divinitywhich enveloped the entire proceedings of thiswell-enacted and well-directed drama on thelife of this illustrious devotee of Maharashtra.Interspersed with thrilling dances and wellrenderedAbhangs of Tukaram, the dramacreated a lasting impression on the audienceand showed how Lord Vitthal himself cameto the rescue of Tukaram when he wassubjected to injustice by evil doers. Fabuloussets, excellent make-up, colourful costumesand perfect choreography added to the valueof the drama. At the conclusion of the drama,Bhagavan blessed the cast, rewarded themwith a photo session and distributed clothesto them. The drama came to a close at 7.15p.m. with Arati to Bhagavan after distributionof Prasadam.Makara Sankranti and Prize DistributionFunctionsOn 14th January 2010, the auspicious dayof Makara Sankranti, Bhagavan came to SaiKulwant Hall at 4.45 p.m. in a grand processionled by the fl ag bearers squad of students andbrass band of Prasanthi Nilayam Campus ofthe university. The hall on this occasion wasbeautifully decorated and a large number oftrophies and prizes were displayed on the daisfor awarding to the winners of various eventsin the Sports and Cultural Meet 2010 of theuniversity. The function began after Bhagavaninaugurated it by lighting the sacred lamp onthe dais at 5.00 p.m.At the outset, Sri Sanjay Sahni, Principal,Brindavan Campus of the university offeredSankranti greetings to all and welcomedthem to the prize distribution function of theuniversity. Referring to Makara Sankranti as animportant festival in Indian calendar, Sri Sahniobserved that Sankranti signifi ed not only thechange in the direction of the sun towards northbut change of man’s mind towards God. Thenext speaker was Prof. Vishwanath Pandit,Vice Chancellor, Sri Sathya Sai University.Referring to the sports and cultural events of11th January 2010, Prof. Pandit observed thatthese events not only showed the remarkablequalities of courage, confi dence and skill of thestudents but also their love and dedication fortheir Revered Chancellor, Bhagavan Sri SathyaSai Baba who has made sports and culturalevents as part and parcel of the curriculumof the university. In conclusion, Prof. PanditFebruary 2010 55

expressed gratitude to Bhagavan for Hiscontinued guidance in the sports events andthe large number of costly prizes which werebeing awarded to students. Prof. Pandit alsoannounced amidst a thunderous applause ofthe gathering that Bhagavan was immenselypleased with the performance of PrimarySchool students. After the conclusion of Prof.the students of Prasanthi Nilayam Campus ofthe university.Mrityunjaya: A DramaThe drama began at 7.05 p.m. with abeautiful dance by the students in worshipof Lord Siva. As the name of the drama“Mrityunjaya” (victory over death) suggested,the theme of the drama was man’s yearningfor immortality. The drama fi rst portrayedrelevant incidents from the life of Ravana whoworshipped Lord Siva to attain immortalitywith the selfi sh motive of ruling over earthand heaven. Thereafter, the drama depictedthe story of Markandeya who worshippedLord Siva with total dedication without anydesire for fruits. Lord Siva granted the boonof immortality to both. However, Ravana lostit because of his ego and Markandeya got itwithout asking for it. The drama, in this way,taught the valuable lesson that total devotionand surrender to the Lord was the only way toThe students of Sri Sathya Sai Primary Schoolreceiving trophy from Bhagavan.Pandit’s speech, Bhagavan awarded trophiesto the students of all educational institutionswhich participated in the sports and culturalevents and blessed a large number of gold andsilver medals as well as prizes for distribution tothe students. Bhagavan also distributed prizesto Primary School students with His DivineHands. In their brief speeches that followedprize distribution, three faculty members ofthe university, viz., Dr. Pallav Baruah, Dr. SivaShankar Sai and Dr. T. Ravikumar expresseddeep gratitude to Bhagavan for giving bountifulprizes to students and for His valuableguidance during the course of the preparationsfor sports and cultural events. This grandfunction concluded with a drama enacted byA scene from the drama “Mrityunjaya” enacted bythe students of Prasanthi Nilayam Campus of theuniversity on 14th January 2010.immortality. Excellent dances of the students,thrilling music and powerful dialogues madethe drama an impressive presentation. At theconclusion of the drama, Bhagavan blessedthe students and posed for group photos withthem. The programme came to a close withArati to Bhagavan at 8.15 p.m.56 February 2010

Effulgence of Divine GloryMIRACLE OF LOVEPROF. NARENDER’S MESSAGEto me proved to be that I was tospeak in Sathya Sai Baba’s collegeon Friday afternoon. Eight hundred studentsand later one hundred teachers listened tomy lecture. As I stood next to Sathya SaiBaba, I could see His aura reach beyond theplatform. It surrounded allthe people in the room.Soon His love – and that’sthe only word I can use forthe warm, buoyant, totallyimmersingemotion weexperienced that evening– reached each and everyperson in that room, andthey began to sing andchant devotional songsdedicated to Him.The word “Avatar” isoften used when referringto Sathya Sai Baba,meaning one who hasChrist-like powers or Godlikepowers; one who mayeven be God Himself. Now,I am a devout Catholic.Yet I would be a fool if I did not recognise thepowers Sai Baba has.Amidst the singing and chanting, the Avatarturned to me and said, “Because you are a manof such great love…” and He showed me theempty palm of His hand. He circled His handin the air three times and produced a ring withnine precious gems of the world embedded ingold. He said, “It will fi t only the fi rst finger ofthe right hand.”And, indeed, that is the only fi nger it fits. Ihave had this ring appraised by jewellers aroundthe world, and they agree the ring is worthbetween $950 and $1100. It’s magnifi cent! It’s“Perhaps of all the miracles I witnessed in my ten days in India, nomiracle is as great as the miracle of one man giving so much love toso many people”, said Dr. Frank G. Baronowski of Arizona (U.S.A.),describing his experiences with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.a beautiful ring! But it holds special meaningto me because this great man, this Avatar,graced me with His words: “Because you are aman of great love…”The next day, I was once again honouredby Sathya Sai Baba as I was granted a privateaudience with Him. I was anxious to discuss58 February 2010

not only reincarnation with Him, but also mygrandson. The boy was born with a heartdefect. At the age of one year, he weighedslightly less than seven pounds. Numerousoperations left him with little hope for a normallife – IF he survived at all.But before I could mention this to SathyaSai Baba, He told me that there would be anoperation on the day I arrived home (in Arizona)and that the baby would be well. I said, “Youmust be wrong. The baby is not old enoughto have this operation. The physicians said,the minimum age for the operation would betwo or even two and a half years.” Sathya SaiBaba just smiled, and said, “No, it will be onthe day you arrive home.”He was right. On the day I arrived inArizona, the baby was operated on. The doctorwho performed the surgery gave my grandsonlittle hope of survival. When my daughterintroduced the doctor to me, I discovered hewas from India. I told him I had just returnedfrom there, and mentioned some of the placesI’d been to. When I mentioned Whitefi eld, heinterrupted me and asked, “That’s Sathya SaiBaba’s country, isn’t it?”I said yes, and showed him the ring I hadbeen blessed with. The doctor looked at mewith his eyes glowing, and said, “The child willlive,” as if what was needed was the mentionof Sathya Sai Baba’s name.The child did survive.Perhaps of all the miracles I witnessed inmy ten days in India, no miracle is as great asthe miracle of one man giving so much love toso many people. His own words say it best,“Love. Continue to love and all will be well.”– Excerpted from “The Aura of Love” byDr. Frank G. Baronowski,published in Golden Age, 1979.Note: You can send a photocopy of the subscription form.February 2010 59

Chinna KathaThree Steps to DivinityONCE THERE LIVED A COWHERDin a village. Though he was illiterate,he was a great devotee of God.He took the cattle out for grazing early in themorning and brought them back in the evening.At night, he used to attend a devotionalcongregation where a Pauranik (expounderof mythological texts) of the village used tonarrate mythological stories and teach the pathThe cowherd listened to the description of LordVishnu with great devotion so that the form of theLord got imprinted on his heart.of devotion to the villagers. One day, whilegiving the description of Lord Vishnu, he toldthe listeners that Vishnu is dark-complexioned,he rides on white Garuda (eagle), bears awhite sacred mark on his forehead, acceptsNaivedyam (food offerings) of his devotees,fulfi ls their desires and grants Darshan to thosewho have fi rm faith. The cowherd listened toall this with great devotion so that the form ofLord Vishnu as described by the learned mangot imprinted on his heart. He also heard fromthe learned man that Lord Vishnu listens to theprayers of his devotees and can be pleased bysinging his glories. After hearing all this, theredeveloped a deep yearning in the cowherd,and he made a fi rm determination to have thedirect vision of the Lord, come what may.The cowherd used to carry with him everydayhis lunch in a cloth packet from his house whenhe went out for grazing the cattle. Since theday he made the fi rm resolve to have Lord’sDarshan, the cowherd offered buttermilk riceto Lord Narayana as Naivedyam, and startedsinging this prayer daily:“Oh dark-complexioned Lord!Come riding on white Garuda,And drink this buttermilk.”Leaving the cattle for grazing in a fi eld, heused to sit in the shade of a tree and sing thissong. He used to become so engrossed in hissinging that he even forgot to eat his own foodwhich he brought from his house. After somedays, he decided that he would not eat thefood which God did not accept and returnedtotally hungry without any food or drink.Ten-eleven days passed like this, with theresult that the cowherd became very thin andweak. But he did not stop contemplating on theLord. He felt miserable, thinking that perhapshis song was not good enough to please theLord or his way of singing was not up to themark. He shook with exhaustion while takingthe cattle out to the forest for grazing. In spiteof suffering from pangs of hunger, he didnot want to eat anything till the Lord ate the60 February 2010

Naivedyam offered by him and kept singingthe song daily to please the Lord:“Oh dark-complexioned Lord!Come riding on white GarudaAnd drink this buttermilk.”One day when the cowherd was singing thissong, Lord Vishnu, moved with compassion byhis constant contemplation and unblemisheddevotion, manifested before him in the formof an old Brahmin. On seeing him, there didnot develop in the cowherd the feeling that hewas Lord Vishnu. He therefore asked him, “Sir,who are you and where have you come from?”The old Brahmin replied, “I am Lord Narayanaand I have come in answer to your prayer.” Butthe cowherd did not fi nd any resemblance ofthe old Brahmin with the form of Lord Vishnuwhich the Pauranik had described to him sincehe was neither dark complexioned nor rode onwhite eagle. Every Sadhaka (spiritual seeker)wishes to see the Lord in the form which isdescribed to him. The cowherd therefore sangthis song:“You do not have the formThat has been described to meNor is your form beautiful like that of theLord.”The cowherd then said to the old Brahmin,“Please come here tomorrow at 7 o’clock inthe morning.” Lord Narayana replied that hewould come. The cowherd thought it properto call on the Pauranik and understand fromhim whether the old Brahmin was indeed LordVishnu or not. He at once went to his house,narrated all that had happened and prayed tohim, “Swami! Please come to the bank of theriver tomorrow at 7 o’clock in the morning.”Making fun of the cowherd, the Pauranik said,“I have not yet caught the madness that hasseized you. Get lost, I will not come.” Whenthe poor cowherd pleaded hard before thePauranik with great humility, the Pauranikagreed to go to the river bank at 7 o’clock inthe morning, fi nding no other way to get ridof him. Soon this news spread in the entirevillage. Who was that Brahmin and what wasthis story all about? Out of curiosity, all thevillagers reached the river bank before eventhe break of dawn.As the much-awaited moment approached,everybody eagerly looked for the appearanceof the old Brahmin. Ultimately, the old Brahminappeared. The cowherd said spiritedly to all.“Look! It was he who came yesterday. He isthe same Brahmin.” But except the cowherd,Lord Vishnu did come in the form of an oldBrahmin but he was visible only to the cowherd.the Brahmin was not visible to anyone of thevillagers who had come there. None couldunderstand anything. Everybody thought thatit was all a hoax played by this madcap. Theymade fun of him and even started beatinghim out of anger. Enraged by the beating ofthe villagers, the cowherd gave a hard slap onthe cheek of the Brahmin and shouted loudly,“Have you come to put me into this pitiablecondition? When you are visible to me, whydon’t you reveal yourself to all?” At once, LordFebruary 2010 61

Vishnu in his most loving form with a charmingsmile on his face, adorned with glitteringjewels, wearing yellow attire and riding onGaruda manifested there. Jumping with joy,the cowherd burst into a joyous song:“Oh dark-complexioned Lord riding on thewhite eagle!Oh my Beloved Father!Out of your compassion, you have come!”Singing this song, he offered his salutationsto the Lord. In the meantime, a celestial chariotdescended from heaven. At the command ofthe Lord, the cowherd ascended the chariotand fl ew away. All those present there werewonderstruck to see this grand spectacle.God always listens to the devotees’ prayersmade with deep devotion and total faith, andgrants their wishes. He perceives the deepyearning hidden behind their prayers. He doesnot take notice of external show of devotion.The spiritual practitioner fi rst of all learnsabout the form and attributes of God by readingThe cowherd burst into a joyous song whenLord Vishnu manifested before him in hismost loving form.sacred texts or by hearing from his Guru. This iscalled Jnatum, meaning knowing. By refl ectingand contemplating on the form or attributesover a period of time, he can have the directvision of God and can attain satisfaction. Thisis called Drashtum, meaning seeing. But fullsatisfaction is derived only by total mergerwith God. This is called Praveshtum, meaningmerger.62 February 2010

SRI SATHYA SAI SADHANA TRUST (Publications Division)P R A S A N T H I N I L A Y A M 515 134,ANANTAPUR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIAWebsite: www.sssbpt.orgIMPORTER / EXPORTER CODE NO. 0990001032RESERVE BANK OF INDIA EXPORTER CODE NO. HS-2001198AUDIO CD (Rs 49 each)Aum (continuous chant of Aum)Prayers for Daily ChantingBaba Sings 1Baba Sings 2 & 3 (Telugu Songs)Baba Sings 4 (Sai Rama Sings on Sri Rama)Baba Sings 5 (Shiva Panchakshari)Baba Sings 6 (Gayathri Manthra)Vedic Chants from Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana YajnaVeda Parayanam 1 & 2Prasanthi Vedic ChantsSri Sathya Sai Sahasra NamavaliGuru VandanaSai Gayatri (Sumeet Tappoo)Sai Dhun (Sumeet Tappoo)Sathya Sai Chalisa (Sumeet Tappoo)Sabka Malik Sai (Sumeet Tappoo)A Musical Tribute (Sonu Nigam) Rs 80Sanathana Sarathi (Sept., Oct., Nov. 2009)Live Recording of Bhajans Sung in Divine PresencePrasanthi Mandir Bhajans 1 to 6Prasanthi Mandir Bhajans 7 (Lord Ganesha)Prasanthi Mandir Bhajans 8 (Lord Shiva)Prasanthi Mandir Bhajans 9 (Lord Rama)Prasanthi Mandir Bhajans 10 (Divine Mother)Prasanthi Mandir Bhajans 11 (Lord Krishna)Bhajans Sung by Alumni of SSSUA Bridge Across Time 1 to 14Instrumental BhajansSathyam 1 & 2 (Twin Pack) Rs 80Sathyam 3 & 4 (Twin Pack) Rs 80Sathyam 5 & 6 (Twin Pack) Rs 80Sathyam 7 & 8 (Twin Pack) Rs 80Close to YouShivam 1 (Thyagaraja Kritis)Shivam 2Sai Bhajans on Mandolin 1, 2 & 3Meditative MelodiesDevotional SongsRama Bhakthi Samrajyam,Thyagaraja Kritis sung by Students of Music CollegeSri Sathya Sai Geethamulu 1 to 12,Telugu devotionals composed by Bhagavan, sung by devoteesSai Undan Thirunamam, Tamil devotionals sung by devoteesSai Surya Samaan (Anup Jalota & Sumeet Tappoo)Sai Geetha (Sumeet Tappoo)Shanti Deep (Raviraj Nasery)Bhakthi Samarpan (Raviraj Nasery)Sai Vandana (Raviraj Nasery)Sai Sharanam Sathya Sai Sharanam (Telugu Devotionals)English Devotional SongsGod Lives in India (Bailey Sisters)My Sweet Lord (Cass Smith)The Second Coming is Here (Cass Smith)I Keep Feeling Your Love in Me (Cass Smith)Christmas Musicmp3 CD (Rs 100 each)Summer Showers 1973 (7 Discourses on ‘Bhajagovindam’ )SSSU- Sri Sathya Sai UniversityRecent Titles are shown in REDSummer Showers 2000 (14 Discourses)Dasara 2001 (7 Discourses)Dasara 2002 (6 Discourses & 2 Music Concerts)Sri Sathya Sai Educare (6 Discourses)Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 1996, Part 1Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 1996, Part 2Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 1996, Part 3Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 1996, Part 4Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 1996, Part 5Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 2001 (12 Discourses)Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 2002 (22 Discourses)Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 2003 (15 Discourses)Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 2004 (8 Discourses)Sri Sathya Sai Speaks 2005 (18 Discourses)Krishna-Arjuna Dialogue (Gita for Young Adults)Transformation of the Heart 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 (Experiences of Devotees)Prasanthi Mandir Bhajans Vol. 1 - 11 (2 Discs) Rs 200The Bhagavad Gita 1 (Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s14 Discourses, 1984)The Bhagavad Gita 2 (Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s20 Discourses, 1984)Ramayana (Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 12 Discourses, 1996)The Bhagavad Gita (Jack Hawley)Sathya Sai Geetanjali, (Duration: 4 Hr) Rs 150Sri Sathya Sai Geethamulu, (2 Discs) (Duration: 12 Hr) Rs 150VIDEO CD (Rs 75 each)Baba Talks To Westerners 1991 (Divine Discourse)BhajansBrahmanandamImagineSpiritual Blossoms 1, 2 & 3English Documentaries - VIDEO CD (Rs 75 each)Pure Love (Peter Rae)Aura of Divinity (Richard Bock)His Life is His Message -The Message I Bring (Richard Bock)The Endless Stream (Richard Bock)Truth Is My Name (Richard Bock)The Universal Teacher (Richard Bock)Love in ActionSri Sathya Sai Ganga - Water for ChennaiThe Beauty of Truth (Cosby Powell)A Message of Love (Cosby Powell)The Avatar (Cosby Powell)60 th Birthday Celebrations (Richard Bock)Advent of The Avatar (Richard Bock)LingodbhavamWith the Lord in The Mountains (Bhagavan’s Visit to Kodaikanal,April 2006)Sri Sathya Sai International Centre for SportsSanathana Sarathi - 50 Glorious Years (English & Telugu)English Documentaries - DVDPure Love (Peter Rae) Rs 100Love in Action Rs 100With The Lord in The Mountains (Bhagavan’s Visit toKodaikanal, April 2006) Rs 125Sanathana Sarathi - 50 Glorious Years (English & Telugu) Rs 100Anil Kumar Talks 1 Rs 100February 2010 63

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HariHaran, 24 July ‘07 Duration: 1 hr 30 min Rs 20082 nd Birthday Celebrations, Music Concert byPankaj Udhas, 20 Nov. ‘07 Duration: 1 hr 53 min Rs 15082 nd Birthday Celebrations, Music Concert byT. M. Krishna, 21 Nov. ‘07 Duration: Rs 15082 nd Birthday Celebrations, Music Concert byPadmashri Sri A. HariHaran, 23 Nov. ‘07 Duration: 1 hr 08 min Rs 150Festivals & Functions - VIDEO CD (Rs 75 each)Holi, Bihar & Jharkhand, 11 March ‘09 Rs 50Holi, Bihar & Jharkhand, 14 March ‘09 Rs 50Vishu, Kerala, 12-13 April ‘09Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshana Shanthi Mahotsavam,15 Nov. ‘08 Part 1&2 Morn. Rs 100Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshana Shanthi Mahotsavam,16 Nov. ‘08 Morn.Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshana Shanthi Mahotsavam,17 Nov. ‘08 Morn. Rs 10083 rd Birthday Celebrations, 23 Nov. ‘08Festivals & Functions - DVD (Rs 100 each)New Year, 1 Jan. ‘09 Morn. Rs. 150Annual Sports and Cultural Meet, 11 Jan. ‘09 Morn.Annual Sports and Cultural Meet, 11 Jan. ‘09 Even.Maha Shivarathri, 23-24 Feb. ‘09Buddha Purnima, 8-9 May ‘09Varalakshmi Vratam, 31 July ‘09 Rs 150Ladies Day, 19 Nov. ‘09, Morn. Rs 12584th Birthday Celebraions, 23 Nov. ‘09 Rs 125Christmas Eve, 24 Dec. ‘09 Rs 150Christmas 2009, 25 Dec. ‘09 Rs 150Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshana Shanthi Mahotsavam,15-17 Nov.‘08 Rs 250Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshana Shanthi Mahotsavam,15 Nov.‘08 Morn. Rs 150Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshana Shanthi Mahotsavam,16 Nov.‘08 Morn.Sahasra Poorna Chandra Darshana Shanthi Mahotsavam,17 Nov.‘08 Morn. Rs 150Highlights 2007 Duration: 3 hr 42 min Rs 250Highlights 2006 Duration: 2 hr Rs 250Festivals at Prasanthi Nilayam 2005 Parts 1 & 2(7 hr each) Rs 250 eachFestivals at Prasanthi Nilayam 2004 Parts 1, 2 & 3(7 hr each) Rs 250 eachSPECIAL OFFERSFestivals at Prasanthi Nilayam 2005 Parts 1&2(sets of 7 VCDs each)Rs 325 each(for overseas Rs. 1050 for parts 1&2 incl. of airmail postage)Festivals at Prasanthi Nilayam 2004 Parts 1&2(sets of 10 VCDs each)Rs 450 each(for overseas Rs. 1400 for parts 1&2 incl. of airmail postage)Prasanthi Mandir Bhajans(set of 10 ACDs) Rs 350(for overseas order Rs. 705 inclusive of airmail postage)Sathyam Volumes 1 - 8(sets of 8 ACDs) Rs 250Higlights 2006 (set of 4 VCDs) Rs 200Higlights 2007 (set of 4 VCDs) Rs 200Interactive CD-ROMVeda Manjari 1 (Vedam Tutor) Rs 150Bhajanavali (Flip Album) Rs 99ORDERS should be sent to the Convener, Sri Sathya SaiSadhana Trust, Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam515 134, Andhra Pradesh, India, along with full address,pin / zip code, and country, in capital letters enclosing therequired remittance. Email address, if available, may alsobe furnished.REMITTANCE: Remittances must be in favour of theConvener, Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, PublicationsDivision, Prasanthi Nilayam. Personal cheques, Bankdrafts, money orders, and Indian or British Postal Ordersare acceptable. For overseas orders payment should comefrom abroad either (a) in convertible foreign exchangelike $, £, Aus. $, Can. $, U.S. $, Euro etc. (eg., US $ draftpayable in New York, £ pound cheque payable in London)or (b) in Indian Rupee draft payable in India, or (c) NRIcheques. Do not send currency notes by post.For further information, Kindly visit our Website www.sssbpt.orgOnline orders can be placed through this website.Back Titles (2002 - 2008) can be supplied on request.

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical SciencesPrasanthigram - 515134, Anantapur Dist. (A.P.) IndiaFax: 08555-287544 Email: humanresourcespg@sssihms.org.inApplications, with complete bio-data and a passport size photograph, are invited fromqualified persons for the following post in Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher MedicalSciences, Prasanthigram – 515134. Candidates should be below the age of 30 years. Lastdate of receipt of applications is 20/02/2010.Department Category of post Qualification and ExperienceDietaryDietician M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition / Home Science)Two years experience in the line / preferablyin a large teaching hospital.– DirectorSri Sathya Sai General HospitalWhitefield, Bangalore, Pin – 560 066Telephone: 080 – 28452330, Ext. 221, Fax: 080-2843059.E-mail: hr.ghwfd@sssihms.org.inSri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore is a 80-bedded hospital providingcompletely free medical and surgical care in the field of General Medicine, Gynaecology,Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, E.N.T., Dental, General Surgery and Plastic Surgery.Applications are invited for Grade II - Nursing Staff (Female)Eligibility: DGNM qualification with 2 to 3 years of experienceMinimum qualification:S.S.C. (Tenth standard) or its equivalent from a recognised university / board.Certificate in General Nursing and Midwifery from a recognised Institution.Should be a registered ‘A’ grade Nurse and Midwife with a State Nursing Council.Basic knowledge of working with computers.Interested candidates may send their applications by post to Human Resource Department,Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Bangalore 560066 with full bio-data and a photographimmediately.– Medical Superintendent

REGD. WITH REGISTRAR OF NEWSPAPERS R.NO.10774/1958REGN.NO. HDP/002/2009-2011Licenced to post without prepayment No. HDP/002/2009-11Undertake Sacred ActionsHuman life is the combination of body,mind and Atma. Body is the basis forattaining wisdom. Therefore, it shouldnot be misused. One has to purify one’sbody and mind by undertaking sacredactions. The principle of Atma is alwayspure and unsullied. Human life is highlysacred. Jantunam Nara Janma Durlabham(of all living beings, human birth is therarest). Sareeramadyam Khalu DharmaSadhanam (body is meant to undertakerighteous actions). Do not underestimatethe potentialities of human body. In fact,human body is the basis for attaining thegoal of life.– BabaAnnual Subscription English (Inland) Rs 75(12 issues). Overseas Rs 850 or US $19 orUK £13 or ¤13, CAN $22, AUS $26Acceptable for 1, 2 or 3 years.Printed by K.S. RAJAN Published by K.S. RAJAN On behalf of the owner Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust,Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam 515134, Anantapur District (A.P.) And Printed at M/s Rajhans Enterprises,136, 4th Main Road, Industrial Town, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore - 560 044, Karnataka And published at Sri SathyaSai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam 515134, Anantapur Dist., Andhra Pradesh.Editor: G.L. ANAND