Om Sri Sai Ram
Sri Sathya Sai Diviya
Akanda Anantha Jyothi from
Sri Sathya Sai Anandha
Nilayam Madurai to
Mauritius
Along the
Earth, and then over the water, Sai Jyothi, the fire principle,
is presently moving on, towards the tiny island country,
Mauritius. The Jyothi Yaatra, the movement of Sai Jyothi,
originated from Sri Sathya Sai Ananda Nilayam the second
Abode of Divine Bhagawan next to Prashanthi Nilayam at
Madurai, where Bhagawan Sri
Sathya Sai Baba had lit the eternal Lamps, during the Divine
visit, in May 2003. Two tall Brass lamps are still emanating the
Sri Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi in the altar of Sri
Sathya Sai Aanantha Nilayam, which is attracting many Sai
devotees from many parts of India and abroad.
A group of Sai
devotees, from Mauritius had visited Sri Sathya Sai
Ananda Nilayam recently, and they wished that the Divine Jyothi
should reach various homes in their country. These devotees
numbering about 1200 members had formed into an association and
all these 1200 devotees wished to have Jyothi brought to their
homes, and keep it burning all around the year, and further
eternally.
Sri
PSAS. Srinivasan Chettiar, President of Sri Sai Padhuga Trust,
Madurai, submitted their prayers to Bhagawan Baba, who
graciously permitted and blessed the mission of taking Divine
flames to Mauritius,. Various options were worked out.
It was a near
impossible task to take the Jyothi across the sea, and even
difficult to reach the Jyothi to the Port over the land.
Apparently, Swami was very much impressed by the sincere
devotion of those devotees from Mauritius and Swami
had willed that the Sri Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi
should the reach their homes. But for the Grace of Swami, this
transfer of Jyothi to Mauritius was almost
impossible. Swami’s blessings had made it possible for the
Jyothi board a vessel sailing towards Mauritius. As
this report is being typed, happy news is coming over the phone
that the Jyothi had just arrived the port of Mauritius
on the 29th Feb. 2004, bringing joy to
thousands of devotees over there.
A coastal
guard ship belonging to Mauritius Government was in the Naval
Dockyard, Bombay undergoing repairs and service.
A couple of Sai devotees, who are part of the 1200
group, were working in that ship. They agreed to take
the Jyothi with them, provided they are delivered at Bombay.
Now it was a question of transporting the Jyothi, the lamps
which are to be lit at Madurai from those two eternal
burning lamps. Airplanes and Trains do not permit carrying
inflammable materials; leave alone the live flames through their
carriages. The only option available was that the Jyothi
has to travel by road, all the way from Madurai, a city deep
down in the south India, to the city of Bombay by road, a
distance of over 1800 kilometers, where the vessel had been
berthed.. All arrangements were made, and the task was
entrusted to two devotees, Sri. Bombay Srinivasan and Sri Veera
Raghavan, who are honorable members of Sri Sai Padhuga Trust
with deep devotion to Bhagawan.
Elaborate Pooja was offered to the Sri Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda
Anantha Jyothi at Sri Sathya Sai Ananda Nilayam,
Madurai. Many Mahila devotees
took part in the Pooja, when the Jyothi was lit from the main
lamps to the smaller ones, which were to embark on the journey.
It was the holiest of the Holy day, the day of Maha
Shivarathri. As the devotees all over the world, were engaged
in nightlong Bhajans, the Jyothi was majestically moving on by
land, to wards its destination. There was no stoppage and the
journey continued through out that holy light.
The land route
journey was a memorable experience. The two tiny brass lamps
could not hold much oil. Every two hour, the oil has to
be replenished and the wick has to be trimmed. This exercise was
a continuous Sadhana. Constant vigil has to be maintained over
the Jyothi so that it was not burnt off due to any unexpected
developments on the way. So there was no possibility
of any sleep for those volunteers during the 40-hour non-stop
drive from Madurai to Bombay. Since the
lamps are to be boarded on ship, which was scheduled to sail
away within the next 48 hours, there was no question of breaking
the journey on the way to take rest and refreshments. By
kind grace of Swami, the Jyothi reached the city of
Bombay on 20th
February, and awaited instruction from the volunteers in the
ship. By evening, the Jyothi started its journey again
to the Naval dockyard, but could not enter inside. The Jyothi
returned back.
However, Bhagawan’s Sri Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi
gave joy for many, before it found its way on board the ship.
After a
five-hour drive from Madurai, the Jyothi reached a
city, Salem in Tamilnadu, where devotees were engaged
in Shivarathri Bhajans. The time was 10.00 P.M. The
Jyothi was received reverentially and kept in the altar where
the Bhajans were going on. After an hour’s rest, the journey
continued.
The devotees
living in Borivali, a distant suburb, in the northwestern
Bombay yearned that a chance be given to them to receive
the Divine Jyothi in their area. The Jyothi could reach Borivali
by about 11.00 Pm late in the next night. The
devotees were waiting for over two hours singing Bhajans and
chanting Vedas. They received the Jyothi at the gate and moved
further into the home of devotee, where over 140 devotees had
gathered. Devotional songs and Veda chanting continued for
some more time and in the end Arathi was taken. Almost
all devotees lit the Jyothi in small brass lamps brought by
them, and carried the Jyothi to their homes. They are praying
that this Jyothi should burn in their homes continuously,
eternally. A week had passed now and many of them are phoning up
to convey that they are enthusiastically keeping the Jyothi
burning in their homes, and that many more devotees had lit the
Jyothi in their own lamps from these blessed homes. (Jyothise
Jyothi Jalavo….) The Jyothi returned to the base by
2.30 AM.
In the
meanwhile, an unexpected development took place. While
returning, from the gates or Naval dockyard, the driver, who is
new to Bombay road, missed their way, and had taken a
wrong road, which took the Jyothi along the streets in Malabar
Hills. Before it was realized, the vehicle was standing
just in front of the Official residence of the
Maharashtra Chief Minister.
The next day,
there were more demands to get chances to receive Jyothi from
other suburban areas, such as Chembur and Matunga. The prayers
of these devotees were also fulfilled, and as on now
over 500 homes across Bombay
are having the eternal Jyothi lit from the Jyothi brought from
Sri Sathya Sai Ananda Nilayam, Madurai.
On the 21st
day of February, the Jyothi could ultimately gain entry into the
Naval Dockyards without much fuss. As the vehicle carrying the
Jyothi was entering the Dockyard gates, the volunteers
who had taken the pain to bring the Jyothi on the land route,
were mentally offering their gratitude to Bhagawan for making
this possible. Within ten minutes call came from inside the ship
that the Jyothi had already on board the ship. The volunteers in
the ships who took over the responsibility of taking care of the
Jyothi assured that they will take turns and to keep the Jyothi
burning all the days when they are expected in the high sea.
A devotee of
Borivali, in whose home, the Jyothi was received wished that the
Jyothi kept in his home, be taken to Poona where his
sister lived. A trip to Poona
was planned. A huge crowd of devotees received the Jyothi and
the volunteers, enthusiastically and with great
devotion. The ladies washed the feet of the volunteer devotees,
and wiped off with end of the Sari, which they were wearing.
After applying Kumkum an haldi on their fore heads, they waived
lamps in front of them. On the way to wards the home, flowers
petals were strewn on the path. After more Bhajans, Arathi was
offered. Few more lamps were lit in Pune, the Jyothi from
Borivali continued its journey back.
A
large temple complex had been built by a Sai devotee, near
Lonavala, a hill station, between Bombay
and Pune. The complex is waiting for the Divine Visit of
Bhagawan Baba. Sri Srinivasan Chettiar wished that a Jyothi be
installed in that temple, which can be maintained to burn
eternally. On way back to Madurai,
a lamp lit from the Jyothi was carried and installed in this new
temple. Even before Swami’s physical presence is felt in that
temple, the eternal Jyothi had already been installed there.
“Thamasomaa
Jyothir Gamaya…” The Divine Jyothi removes darkness of
Ignorance in the minds of people. A nice from Bhagavatha, as
narrated by Bhagavan Baba comes to our mind. Lord Sri
Krishna was growing up in the palace of
Sri Nanda and Yashoda. In those villager,
the Gopies used to light lamps from the lamp kept in the home of
Lord Krishna every day by sunset and carry them towards their
own homes. Akin to that event, we could witness hundreds of
devotees, lit the lamps from the main Jyothi lit from Sri Sathya
Ananda Nilayam, and carry them to be kept in their
homes. Swami’s Sri Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi will
remove darkness of ignorance in the minds of these devotees, and
bring Joy, Peace and prosperity wherever the Divine Jyothies are
kept burning eternally. More homes are bound to receive the
Jyothi lit from one to another and so on. “Jyothise Jyothi
jaalavo…”…
Very soon
thousands of devotees in Mauritius will have Sai
Jyothi in their Homes. The main Jyothi lit from Sri Sathya Sai
Ananda Nilayam; Madurai had already reached the
shores of Mauritius!!!
What was
astonishing was that the Jyothi could travel from Madurai
by road, covering Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra
states. Ultimately the Jyothi cris-crossing the city of
Bombay for more than two days! It is firmly believed that
Jyothi had also taken up the purification job in these states,
especially, the city of Bombay, the capital city of
Maharashtra.
The Sri Sathya
Sai Divine Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi reached the shores the
city of Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius
on Sunday the 29th of Feb 04 in the early morning
hours. The Divine Diviya Akanda Jyothi was devotionally
and warmly welcomed by Mr. Sanjiva N. Appadoo the President of
Mauritius Sri
Sathya Sai Padhuga Samithi and a huge number of Sai
devotees who reached the Port in 15 Motor vehicles. A Nagara
Sankeerthan was performed in the city of Port Louis.
After this Sri Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda Aanantha Jyothi was
taken reverentially to the residences of Mr. Sanjiva N. Appadoo
located in the St PIERRE. A big concourse of
Sai devotees assembled in the house of Mr. Sanjiva N. Appadoo to
seek the Dharshan of Diviya Jyothi. Another Naga
Sankeerthan was performed by the devotees at St PIERRE
city. The Divine Jyothi was carried from Port Louis
to St PIERRE under a traditional umbrella. Mr.
Sanjiva N. Appadoo and other devotees performed Aarathi and
Pooja to Sri Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi will all
rituals. All the Sai devotees of Mauritius consider
this 29th day of Feb 04 as a Historic day,
which will be never forgotten.
May the Sri
Sathya Sai Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi spread the divinity the
glory and the compassionate Love of Bhagawan to the entire city
of Mauritius dispelling the darkness of ignorance.
It is certain
that the Sri Sathya Sai Divine Diviya Akanda Anantha Jyothi
while traveling in the ship might have driven away the
impurities both in the Air and in the Sea stretching from Mumbai
to Mauritius through the Divine vibrations emitted
from the Diviya Jyothi.