Personal account of Sivarathri celebrations at Puttaparthy.

Dear friends

By Sri Sathya Sai Baba's grace I was able to attend the sivarathri function on 1-3-03 and a witness to many miracles.

The crowd was very high this time and estimated to be 3 lakhs.For the morning darshan.

The que was full by 4.30A.M.The token system were not there and it was first come first serve basis.By 6.AM the hall was full.At that time the que for the evening darshan started to form from the steps!!!. Swami came out at 7:10 a.m.15 Students played "Panchavadyam" (percussion from Kerala). Swami did not go to the mens side and went directly and sat in His throne in the lobby at Sai Kulwant Hall. At 7:20 a.m. Students started singing.

The songs included:Vishwanatha Ashtakam,Vilvashtakam,Lingashtakam etc. At 8:20 a.m. Bhajans started.

As soon as the Bhajans started, Swami got up from His chair and directed students to distribute sweets to all. Overseas devotees had prepared a cake resembling Himalayas with a Shiva Statue atop. Swami cut the cake at 8:30 a.m.

Swami accepted Aarathi at 8:40 a.m. During Aarathi, Swami gave Darshan to devotees. He continued to give Darshan to devotees even after Aarathi.

At 8:55 a.m. Swami went to the interview room and returned at 9:10 a.m.

As soon as Swami came out, once again the students started "Panchavadyam" in front of the Lion Statue.

Swami blessed them and started walking towards Poornachandra. At the entrance, the Anantapur Students welcomed Swami by playing Nadaswaram (auspicious music from South India). Swami blessed and spoke to them and proceeded to Poornachandra.

By 10.am the que for evening darshan were full.By 11a.M the devotted were allowed to enter the hall It was swami's kindness for the sun was really hot!!.I got into the second row.

since there were much time the time was spend speaking and hearing about swamis leelas.

By 2 .30 P.M entry to the hall was banned due to overcrowding. For us early bird devotees token were given to go outside for some light refreshment.

Three huge projection screens have been put up for the devotees to have a better view of Swami on the occasion of Shivarathri - One near East Prashanthi, another in the women's side facing Kulwant Hall and the third in between Sai Kulwant Hall and Poornachandra.

Swami came out at 3:00 p.m. and went straight to His room at the Mandir.At 3:10 p.m., He came out and sat in His chair at the lobby in Sai Kulwant Hall.

As soon as Swami came out, one Mr. Raju, who is the chairman of Nagarjuna Construction started reading poems he had composed on Swami and sports day. He recited the poems until 3:40 p.m. From 3:40 p.m., three speakers spoke. They were:

Mr. Sanjay Sahani - ex-student and principal of Brindavan Campus

Mr. Narasimha Murthy - Warden of Brindavan campus

Mr. S.V.Giri - Vice Chancellor of Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

During his talk, Narasimha murthy emplored Swami not to suffer the ordeal of bringing out a Lingam this year. He requested Swami to materialize the Lingam by waving his hands. Narasimha Murthy finished his talk around 4:35 p.m.

Soon after, Swami materialized a Lingam by waving His Hand in full view of devotees.

It was a big Golden Lingam 3 inches in length.this shows to us devotees that our swami will fullfill our sincere wishes if asked with a open heart.

Mr. S.V. Giri spoke till 4:50 p.m.From 4:50 - 5:50 Swami delivered His Divine Discourse

Main theme of the discourse was on how to conduct Satsang.

Swami said that Satsang is unity in thought word and deed.

Swami then spoke about Sathyam (truth) and Rhythm. How the two are connected. He said that Sathyam is very important and should always be followed. Swami said Rhythm can be called as Transcendental Truth in English. That is Truth that does not change at all in past, present or future.Swami ended the discourse with the Bhajans "Sathyam Jnanam Anantham Brahma..."As soon as the discourse was over, Swami asked the Bhajans to start. Swami went inside the Mandir and came back at 6:35 p.m.

After Swami came back, He started drinking lots of water.twice he coughed.

At 7:10 p.m. Swami manifested a lingam (Lingodhbhavam) from his mouth. The crowd were standind after the first lingodbhavam Then after 3 minutes he produced the second lingham from his mouth(Lingodhbhavam)

At 7:15 p.m. Swami retired to Poornachandra.

Bhajans were continuing overnight. lot of bhajan troops were there at half hour strech.

On 2-3-03 Swami came out at 5.20 am from Poornachandra Hall to Sai Kulwant Hall. He went to His room and came out at 5.35 am.

At 5.45 am He signaled the Akanda Bhajans to stop and started His discourse. He spoke till 6.45 am.

The main theme of His Discourse was unity in the family and that percolating to the society. He gave the example of Shiva family. He said Shiva;s vahana is Nandi which is a bull. Parvathi;s vahana is Simha, the lion. These two are normally at loggerheads. Similarly, Subramaniam;s vahana is peacock and that will not spare any snake while Shiva;s abarana is snake! Ganesha vahana is rat and the snakes would not spare the rat!

Yet all of them co-exist peacefully in Shivas family. People should draw lesson from this. Though there may be factors contradictory, one should live in unity and harmony. The basic need for this is the love and one should love everyone. It is wrong to say that God is within me. One should feel he is in fact in God. Everyone is in God and not the other way.

Swami concluded His discourse with two Bhajans Prema Mudhita and Hey Shiva Shankara Namami Shankara Afterwards He asked the Mangala aarathi to be performed. He blessed the Bhajan Singers (both men from PSN Complex, Brindavan Complex and women from ATP complex who were singing the bhajans in turn) by raising both His Hands.All devotees had Laddu and Puliyodarai Rice as Prasad. Swami happily enjoyed the sight of devotees being fed. At 7.20 am He went from the lobby straight towards the crowd assembled near the Rama Sita idols and blessed them. Then swami returned.

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sai Ram