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Sun Darshan
We all proclaim that Swami is God,
that He is Omnipresent etc. Yet, in practical terms, we scarcely
appreciate this Omnipresence in the real sense of the word. This
is a topic on which we have commented many times but for the
present we wish to present the story of a manifestation of Swami
in far off Central America, reported for us by John Behner of El
Salvador. Some of you may have heard an interview with him which
we have broadcast over Radio Sai.
Occasions are many when devotees are transported with joy when
Swami reveals Himself in subtle manner - like a flower falling
from His picture, for example. John’s account describes a more
spectacular manifestation. We present below the report that he
sent to us. In the Gita, the Lord is described as brighter than
a thousand Suns. But the Lord is also the Sun. But because we
fail to see the Lord in the Sun that daily shines for us with so
much consideration, Swami revealed Himself via the Sun in a most
unusual manner on two distinct occasions. Some may recall an
account by Hislop of another such manifestation via an unusual
natural phenomenon.
Hard-boiled sceptics would dismiss all explanations based on the
manifestation of the Divine. OK, but why did this happen just
when the Sai devotees were about to commence a major function?
“Oh, that’s a mere coincidence!” You know what Swami says about
coincidence? He says: “Coincidence is a miracle where I hide
Myself!”
So there it is! For the non-believers He is simply not there.
The doubting Thomases are left wondering: “Did Swami really
appear or was it a mere coincidence?” On the other hand those of
firm faith rejoice saying, “Our beloved Swami came here to tell
us that He is blessing what we are doing!”
Over
now to John Behner…….
Usually we receive Swami’s Darshan though His physical Form.
But He has many Forms. In 1991, a public meeting was organised
in Mexico City to tell newcomers about Sathya Sai and His
Message. The Sai Organisation of Mexico had hired a huge theatre
for the event which was to start at noon.
As
a prelude to the meeting, some devotional songs were sung by a
few of the people assembled. Suddenly, one of the volunteer
devotees posted for duty outside the theatre noticed an unusual
orange ring around the Sun, in an otherwise absolutely clear and
blue sky. Word quickly spread into the
theatre
and the 1200 or so members forming the audience quickly filed
out to see the unusual phenomenon. Such events are very rare and
it had to be more than a coincidence that this phenomenon
occurred just at this time, when a lot of people were being
introduced to Sai. Can you imagine 1200 people all looking at
the Sun on what was otherwise a normal day? No eclipse, no Venus
crossing the Sun etc.
One
young man driving past the theatre stopped the car, took a look
at the sky and then joined the audience – he had no idea of the
meeting and no plans to attend either. The singers inside were
not told about the phenomenon, and when they saw every one
leaving, they were aghast and depressed – they thought that
their singing was terrible and driven everyone outside!
Naturally
the newspapers carried news about the totally unexpected
phenomenon, but they had no clue about what exactly was
happening. For us in the Sai community, the signal is loud and
clear – that ring was Swami’s signature of His blessing.
The
same phenomenon occurred in April 2004, when Dr. Choudari Voleti
of
America came to El
Salvador to participate in a Sai Retreat and a Public Meeting
for doctors. Photos taken during the event seen in Mexico and
also a newsclip of the report that appeared in a El Salvador
newspaper following the of the local papers can be seen
alongside.
The stage for the Public Meeting in Mexico city in 1991
A close up of the stage and the panel of speakers in the Mexico
meeting
The group of Sai Sevaks doing volunteer duty outside the theatre
The awe-struck members of the audience looking at the sky
A Photo taken of the unusual Phenomenon that occurred in Mexico
in 1991
The report that appeared in a Newspaper Published in San
Salvador [capital city of El Salvador] on 15th April, 2004. The
photo shows the manifestation of Swami in San Salvador on that
day
Source:
http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_02/16Aug15/05_Moments_Memories/memories.htm
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