Sri Sathya Sai Baba Articles

Professor Anil Kumar has presented this talk as an extra satsang. He has selected important messages Baba has imparted to the students gathered around Him during the afternoon sessions on the verandah at Prashanti Nilayam.

ANIL KUMAR'S SATSANG:
BABA'S CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS

“Sai Pearls of Wisdom”
Part Twenty-Four

Seva and Yoga

OM…OM…OM…

Sai Ram

With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

What is Yoga?

We are happy to hear that people are enjoying ‘Sai Pearls Of Wisdom’ and are eagerly looking forward to more and more information from us. Today, we will talk about the event that took place on 28 October, 2003 when there was a seminar in Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagavan wanted the students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning to organise a seminar on one of the days of the All India Vice-Chancellors’ Conference. That way the Vice-Chancellors would have some idea of what happens at the Institute under the Divine direction of Swami.

The seminar as its theme had the village project, a gram-seva (rural development) programme. All the students presented different perspectives of the rural development programme, and how Swami guided them at every moment.

I will try to draw your attention to some of the highlights conveyed by the students in this seminar. I give it the title “Seva-Yoga.” Seva is service; yoga is spiritual discipline, or the spiritual path. In other words, for Sai devotees, service is yoga; service is spiritual discipline. The spiritual path does not mean reciting a Name, chanting a Name, or doing meditation for a time, on your own. It is not simply that. The most important thing is service, and this service is true yoga. Yoga is the spiritual path, the spiritual discipline. So, service is the path that takes you to Swami.

The seminar started with this introduction by a student: “Swami is very impressed by our service activities. So the title of this seminar is ‘Seva and Yoga’. What is yoga? Yoga is the connecting link between the seeker and God. If devotion connects you with God, it is bhakti yoga. If wisdom connects you with God, it is jnana yoga. If action connects you with God, it is karma yoga. If pure Love connects you with God, it is prema yoga. If meditation establishes the link between you and God, it is dhyana yoga. In simple words, yoga is the connecting link between the seeker and God.”

“For us here, the seva, the service, is yoga. It is the connecting link between the one who serves and God.”

“Bhagavan also said, ‘Everything is yoga, if you offer your services to God’.”

‘O Lord! Let all my actions be pleasing unto Thee.
I offer the results of my actions to You.’

“If you do that, whatever you do, it is yoga. Then as Swami says, ‘Work is transformed into worship.’”

After those few words of introduction, the seminar started.

Holy days – not holidays

I collected some excerpts from the presentations. I will share with you the highlights or the summary, the quintessence or the essence of what was said.

Actually speaking, all the world over, students are eager to go home for vacation. Usually they go home because they miss their parents. They miss their brothers and sisters, and they miss home cooking. All over the world, students like to go back home during vacation.

The Sri Sathya Sai University is very unusual. It is very special in the sense that students don’t want to go home at vacation. They want to be with Swami. You might not believe it when I say that there are students here who have never gone home. They have been here for years and years and they say, “Swami is everything for us.” So instead of going home, their parents come here to see them every now and then. That is what is happening.

Elsewhere, we find students who like to rest at vacation because at term time, they are so busy with academic work. According to Swami, rest is not relaxation. Rest is not spending time being idle. Rest, according to Swami, is change of work.

Therefore this year, for vacation, Bhagavan blessed them to take up grama-seva or a rural service programme in the neighbouring villages around Puttaparthi. So, these were not holidays for the students. In other words, they were holy days.

Then the All India Vice-Chancellors’ Conference was held here from the 28 October to 30 October. The University Grants Commission and the top department Heads of all universities attended, and many of them participated. They were very excited and thrilled to see the hostels and the students, the classrooms and the laboratories. They appreciated all that was done here.

I decided to share this information with all our Sai devotees, with the idea that it will be of some help to you.

Bhagavan’s message at the age of 12

Bhagavan said the following lines in the form of a poem, a long while ago, when He was 12 years old. I will convey the English version.

One: “What is My determination? I am determined to spread bliss to the whole of humanity. That is My determination.”

Two: “What is the vow that I have undertaken, the pledge I have undertaken? It is to take people away from the wrong paths in which they have been till now, and put them on the right track. I pledge to see that they are put on the right path and that they will lead a righteous life from now on.”

Three: “What is it that I love very much? I love to alleviate suffering; I love to see smiles on poor and needy people, from serving them. That is what I like.”

Four: “What kind of devotion should you have? True devotion is to maintain equal-mindedness both in times of pain and pleasure.”

This is the substance of the poem, which He rendered at the age of 12.

Service to Man is Service to God

So Bhagavan’s life is a message. He is the Embodiment of service and selfless Love. In fact, Swami has no desire whatsoever. Swami has nothing to achieve because all is His. Nothing is separate from Him. All the property, all the wealth, all human beings all over the world, belong to Him. We belong to Him and He belongs to us. There is no barrier between us.

So what is it that He is in want of, as He has everything! He has no desire; there is nothing to achieve.

In the Bhagavad Gita (Hindu scriptures), Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, “Look here, my boy, I do everything, though I would not have to do anything. I do, so that you may follow My example. If I am at rest, you will be lazy. I want to set an example to everybody. Therefore I do, though I don’t have to achieve anything. I don’t have any desires.”

Now Bhagavan says clearly, “Service to man is service to God.” Swami also said, “This human body is given to serve humanity.” The whole life of Bhagavan is the best example for an illustration of service. It is a continuous saga of giving and forgiving.

That is why Swami says,

Where there is confidence, there is Love.
Where there is Love, there is faith.
Where there is Love, there is peace.
Where there is peace, there is Truth
Where there is Truth, there is bliss.
Where there is bliss, there is God.

So, life starts with confidence and ends with the visualisation, the experience of God.

If we carefully follow a day’s schedule in Prashanti Nilayam, we see Swami giving darshan (the public appearance of Swami), smiling all the time, comforting people, consoling people and advising people. He is very, very busy throughout the day. He talks to the boys, and distributes sweets and fruits. Every moment of His is spent in service to spread joy and bliss to everybody. I think we have to emulate that in our life.

Swami’s hand or His body does not know what strain is. It does not know tiredness. The physical body of Swami never becomes strained or tired because His Love surpasses all, in spite of the day’s long work. His Love excels. His Love overcomes the strenuous, tiresome, laborious work that He does day in and day out.

Swami’s instructions for rural service

The whole rural development programme was carried out within fifteen days. It was such a stupendous, magnificent programme and on such a large scale. Three thousand students were involved, covering six hundred villages and five towns. It required fifty lorries, fifty trucks, carrying loads of stuff to different villages over a period of a week. These boys carried truckloads of foodstuff and clothes, sometimes by foot, since there was no approach road to some villages. It was no easy thing, no joke.

Bhagavan told them clearly, “Look here. First, distribute to the poor people, the old and the needy. Every member of the family should have food, prasadam (food sanctified by Swami) of Swami and new clothes.” Further, He said, “Give pants and shirts to the boys, frocks to the girls, and dhotis (cloth covering the lower half of the body) to the male villagers, and saris for the elderly women. Distribute clothes to everybody.” He also gave pencils, pens and notebooks to be presented to the school children. Really, that was wonderful for the children.

Bhagavan instructed the students to start from one place, with Veda chanting, followed by nagarsankirtan (the singing of spiritual songs through the streets) throughout the village, and then start distributing prasadam and clothes. As a result, the whole village was full of the resonance of namasankirtan, echoing Baba’s Name everywhere. The result is devotion, sincerity and steadfastness, in full.

The boys mentioned miracles they experienced

In their presentations, the boys mentioned miracles they experienced even before reaching their destinations. This convinced them of the unseen hand of Bhagavan. I will mention a few of them.

There is a town called Hindupur, about a two-hour journey from here. A colony of weavers lives there. The boys went there to distribute prasadam. They met a very old lady living by herself, with nobody to take care of her. The tragedy is that she had lost both her sons; both had died. So she had no children left to help her. Swami had requested the boys to give her a photograph of Himself, and also His prasadam. Then she said to the boys, “Since this morning, I have been waiting for this prasadam. In spite of the calamities in my family, which have left me all alone, I was able to continue with my life because of Sai’s matchless Name. The glorified Name of Sai has saved my life up to this day.”

Here is another very interesting story. That year we had rain in Prashanti Nilayam and all over the area. Let me tell you that the rain did not interrupt the work of the boys. They travelled by truck, visited all the villages, distributed prasadam to every family member, and the rain did not come towards them. That is a miracle.

Sometimes the whole sky was clouded. At any time, it could have rained, but it only rained after the work, not before and not during the work. Why? The boys commenced their work here in the mandir (temple) by doing pradakshina, circling around the temple and receiving blessings from Bhagavan. So the outcome could not be otherwise. There could be no obstacle, no problem; the whole project continued excellently. This is the strong unparalleled, irresistible Will of Bhagavan.

Another incident: There is another place called Kadiri, which is about an hour’s drive from here. Near Kadiri, there is a small village. The boys went there and tried to give food and clothes to a person. He said, “Sir, we live at the outskirts of this village. We are harijans (the caste previously known as the untouchables). Nobody will come and touch us. So, please don’t come and touch us. We live far away from the people. We are cut off from the higher classes of society. Don’t touch us.”

But the boys went. They hugged the man and said, “This is not what Baba said to us. Baba said, ‘There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is only one religion, the religion of Love.’ How can anybody be an untouchable? Impossible! No, my brother, please come. We are Baba’s devotees.”

That man could not believe what was happening. He said, “For generations, we have been the neglected class of society. To have post-graduate students come to my hut and shake hands with me, that is enough to convince me that Baba is God.” For all of us, it is a revelation to know that this is the effect of Sai’s message.

Then when they were returning, some of the villagers called the boys and said, “You know, Baba loves us very much. Look at that water tank, which was constructed by Bhagavan Baba for us. Every day we get enough water because Bhagavan Baba gave us the water tank. For years, this whole area suffered from shortage of water. Today there is no water shortage. Why? Baba gave the water tank for the benefit of the village. We are the recipients of His Love.” These are the feelings of gratitude and thankfulness, which have been shown.

For your information, I will tell you that in all the villages around there is either a temple, or a school, or a community hall exclusively constructed by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust under the presidentship of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. All the seven hundred villages benefit by Bhagavan’s service projects.

When these boys went to a small hut, they saw a very old lady who hadn’t had food for two days. She was very hungry. When they gave her food packets, she said, “I don’t know how you knew that I was very hungry, with no food for two days. God Bhagavan knows that I am hungry. He sent you to pass this food on to me. I am very grateful to Him.” While shedding tears, that is what she said.

There is another village by the name of Karnatakanagapalli. Eshwaramma, the mother of Bhagavan, came from there. A lady from far away came walking all the way to that village and said to the boys, “I knew that you would be coming today. I left about 3 o’clock in the morning, so that I could get here.” Then she said, “The sari I am now wearing was presented to me last year by Bhagavan Baba. I have come to receive that gift once more, because you have a sari, which you are sure to give to me.” She added, “My eyes were operated on in Baba’s hospital, so now I am able to see everything clearly.” The Love of Bhagavan and their Love for Him is really great, unparalleled.

And there is one place, as I said before, Kadiri, with a village called Kotharamapuram. The boys completed their work there. They noticed a lady standing in front, waiting for them. Perhaps she had been waiting for a couple of hours.

The boys said, “Amma (Mother), we gave you prasadam. For whom are you waiting?”

She said, “My house has just been built. You boys have come here and I think Baba sent you. There is a grihapravesha (a house-warming function). If you just step into my house, I will have the feeling as though Baba visited my home. You are the children of Swami. If you come to my house, I will have the same feeling as if Baba visited my house.” It was a small house with a small kitchen because they are poor people.

Imagine her happiness in requesting the boys to step into her house! It was as if Swami had inaugurated her house. That was really grand. She said, “Boys, the whole house is sanctified now because you have come from Puttaparthi. The dust of Puttaparthi, which you carry on the soles of your feet, has dropped onto the floor of my room. Yes, that is vibhuti! I am very happy. That is my feeling.” What a noble thought!

There is another village, Subbireddypalli. While the boys were there, the school children gathered and started shouting, “Jai Sai Ram, Jai Sai Ram, Jai Sai Ram.” They were jumping all around because they received pants and shirts, books, pencils and pens. That is why they shouted, “Sai Ram, Sai Ram” jumping in joy. Adults can control their joy, but children express their feelings naturally. That was a wonderful scene for all the boys.

They visited another village called Peddapalli. They tapped on the door of a house. A man came, and they said, “Here is prasadam for you and this is a sari for your wife.”

The man said, “I have one request.“

They asked, “What is that?”

“My parents are staying in the next room. Please give to them first and myself next.”

These days, because of urbanisation and city culture, people seem to have forgotten the ancient value of giving priority to the parents. This is one of the effects of modern civilisation. Bhagavan says repeatedly, “If the culture still exists, you will find it in the villages.” So this man said, “Go to the next room and give first to my parents. Then you can come to me.”

In another village, one lady came in a wheelchair, which had a little roof. She said, “This is my house. This is my everything. Bhagavan gave me this wheelchair, with the little roof. This is my whole property. I am so happy.” Then she said, “Bhagavan’s Love is more than that of a thousand mothers’ love. Look at me. Though I am helpless in a wheel chair, I am quite happy because of His blessings.”

These are all the miracles that the boys experienced during that period of service to villagers.

Service in the villages is a type of practical experience

Service in the villages is a type of practical experience, a sort of training given to the students. Bhagavan wants the students to learn service, not just merely school subjects. Anybody can learn subjects by heart; they should also learn how to serve.

It is a new experience. You know, thousands and thousands of people come to Prashanti Nilayam for every festival, on every important occasion. In those earlier days, Swami used to distribute saris and food here in Prashanti Nilayam. But from the year 2000, Swami started a rural service programme, which is done only by the students for the villagers in their own area, so they do not have to travel here. This is a new project and a new experience for the students.

Along with the unfoldment of their spiritual being, students could develop leadership qualities, managerial skills and the complete understanding of rural areas. In some aspects, they could attain social awareness, learn strategic planning and coordination. All the things they learned are really practical and very essential. It is not enough if they have a degree. A mere degree is useless without some practical training. So this training, which Bhagavan has given, has helped in a myriad of ways.

Anantapur Campus - Service of Girls

I am sure that you are aware that the girls from the Anantapur Campus of Sathya Sai University begin producing food packets from 10 o’clock at night. The work goes on until 6 in the morning. A thousand girls do that work. What is the work they do? Cooking the food and packing it. Every day, at least twenty-five thousand packets are needed. In certain places, like towns, seventy-five thousand packets are needed. Look at that!

They are doing all that work. How did they do it? By singing Baba’s Name, doing bhajans (devotional singing). It is a sight for the gods. We, too, feel like doing it; it is a thrilling experience for everybody.

Service should be one of quality and not of quantity

This awareness also came to the villagers. The boys, teachers and professors could see the innocent faces of the villagers and experience the love they had for Swami. In turn the villagers, could observe their devotion to Swami, their feelings of gratitude and thankfulness to Swami for all the help they received. Finally, they could arrive at the conclusion that the best way to God is through selfless service.

And service should be one of quality and not of quantity. As Bhagavan said, “All things that happen in our life are a matter of reaction, reflection and resound. If you love, you will be loved. If you serve, you will be served. If you respect, you will be respected.” Therefore, everything comes back to you as you do.

It is a grand celebration during that period

There is one village called Virampalli, which has no approach road. Buses, lorries or trucks cannot get into that village. So, some villagers came and organised bullock carts for the boys to go there. Then the foodstuff and saris could be carried in by bullock cart. It shows there is also participation from the villagers. They are not always at the receiving end.

It is a time of sensitivity, gaiety and grand celebration. The way we were all received with smiles by the householders…some had decorated the streets…some had decorated their residences. It is a grand celebration during that period. Bhagavan is the Embodiment of goodness and makes everyone good who comes close to Him. He will help every person who wishes to do good for society. Above all, if we have a feeling that we are the instruments of Swami, we will be able to do all that is given to us to do in humility, reverence and respect.

We find Bhagavan waiting for us with a smiling face

Let us also know a little of what happens from Bhagavan’s side in Prashanti Nilayam. Every day we are all supposed to return by 4 o’clock. We start from here by seven in the morning and return by 4 p.m.

We are supposed to eat the same food served to the villagers. We are supposed to eat only in the village, and with the villagers. There is no special food for professors. There is no special food for students, no extra dishes for the volunteers. Nothing of that sort. Swami strictly instructed that all students and professors eat the same food as is distributed to the villagers, in the village.

After the day’s work when we return, we find Bhagavan waiting for us with a smiling face.

“When did you arrive? How was the day? How are you?”

When Swami says that, all the tiredness, stress, strain, they vanish. We are refreshed, very refreshed because Swami’s smile energises people. That is the role of a Divine Master. In the presence of another human being, we lose energy. In the presence of a Divine Master, we gain energy because that is the response to the Divine vibration. So, the boys are enthused and feeling full of life, just from the smile on the face of Bhagavan.

Swami knows everything

Before they start telling Swami about their day, He will look at a group and say, “Oh! You went to that village. Good! How was it? You met that man or this man?” He names the people. He turns to another group and says, “Oh! You went to those people. Was that the way there? Are these some other villages around there? Swami mentions the names. How did you like that day’s work?” Before they say anything, He starts to tell them all what happened there.

It was a very exciting experience for the students to realise that Swami knows everything, that they have nothing to tell Him. The students experience that they are only powerful instruments in His hands. There is no point in reading a book or in listening to somebody else’s experience. This is a direct experience where Swami tells you all what you have done, including the extra sweets that a certain boy swallowed. Every boy is expected to eat just one laddoo. Some boys had eaten three, four or six. (Laughter) After all, boys are boys, you know.

Swami says, “Arrey! (exclamation) How many have you eaten? Ten at least, I know.” (Laughter)

Or, “Arrey, boys, you had six (Laughter).”

Or, “Arrey, boy, you still have some in your pocket. (Laughter) Eat it.”

That is Swami. He loves them, so He says, “I love it if you eat. Come on, eat.“ It doesn’t matter. That is how Swami is.

One boy had his passport and visa, and was all ready to go to America for higher studies. After returning from the rural development service programme, he told his classmates, “I saw the villages around here. There is a lot of service to do in this country. There is no point in going abroad. There is no point in my being rich; I should help my community.” He dropped the idea of going abroad. That is the effect of this village service.

This is real service

To sum up the village programme will take three steps: “From I to We - from We to He”

One: I - the individual.

Two: We - the community.

Three: He - Bhagavan Baba. The students could experience these three levels.

Today in society, we find social service is just a show of service. S.H.O.W. This is not real service. We also find some organisations that declare they are dedicated and committed to service activities. We notice that the service is slow service. S.L.O.W. So we find either slow service, show service or no service. What we have done here is real service.

Bhagavan always says, “You should have concern for your fellowmen. You should love your people. Your body teaches you through a very good experience. What is the experience of your body? When there is a thorn in your foot, the hand will take out the thorn. Is it not? When the leg is hurt, the eyes starts shedding tears. It is not the leg that cries; the eye also shares that pain. All the limbs of our body work together in complete coordination, responding in total cooperation. That is the lesson we should learn from the body. It is similar to working co-operatively and unitedly, offering our services to the community.”

Therefore, this rural development service is an eye opener for Sai devotees and Sai students. This is a summary of the presentations made by the students on 28 October in Sai Kulwant Hall, coinciding with the Vice-Chancellors’ visit. That way they would know all that the Sai students do here.

Golden Jubilee Year of University grants Commission

This is the summary of the talks given by three outstanding Vice-Chancellors on 30 October, 2003, in Sai Kulwant Hall. Many Vice-Chancellors from all over India attended the conference. On concluding the valedictory function, three of them addressed the gathering, sharing their experiences. I noted the summary of their speeches to share with you, because as Sai devotees, we would like to know what they spoke about that day.

This year is the Golden Jubilee year of the University Grants Commission, the apex body in Delhi, which manages all the universities in India. The recognition of universities, the financial assistance to universities, the standard of the universities, all these aspects are controlled by the University Grants Commission. The top-level people from Delhi prayed to Bhagavan, “Swami, we want to have a meeting in the immediate Divine presence at Your Lotus Feet, because the Vice-Chancellors’ Conference coincides with the Golden Jubilee celebration of the University Grants Commission.”

Our merciful Bhagavan accepted. So the Vice-Chancellors’ Conference was held from the 28th to the 30th of October. The following text relates to the details of the 30th valedictory function.

Sri Sathya University is the best

The first speaker of the day was V.S Prasad. He is known at the national level and is in charge of the supervisory body that evaluates and assesses the standard of all universities in this country. He heads an autonomous body, which controls the universities. In education, he is a very important person, particularly at the university level. He made some very interesting statements, which I want to share with you.

Quote: “We visited Sri Sathya Sai University and we visited colleges affiliated to Sri Sathya Sai University. We have been to the laboratories, seen the campuses and the vast stadium. We were also privileged to visit the hostels. We could interact with students and staff members. We could also discuss certain details with members of the administration. Following all this, we unanimously feel that a visit to Sri Sathya Sai University is a privilege and a blessing. This would not have been possible but for the Divine Grace of Bhagavan.”

“Having been around the campus and having had discussions with everybody, we understand the devotion, the duty and the dedication of the professors and teachers working here in the university. We also feel the love of students for Swami. We all appreciated and observed their interest in academic study and standards.”

“We had the opportunity to visit the Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital. In the hospital, we saw past students of Sri Sathya University working as technicians, in administration, as para-medical staff and so on. We observed the employees in the Super Speciality Hospital practicing all the human values, which they studied while they were students here in the Institute. “

“We were very thrilled listening to the presentations made by the students on the 28th of October about the rural service programme that was so efficiently organised. The apex body in India declares that Sri Sathya University is the best among all the universities in the country. We call it the crown jewel of this country.”

“We also believe that other universities in this country should emulate this example of the best. It is very necessary. The integrated education offered here in Sri Sathya University is not present anywhere else in this country. The syllabus and the teaching of values are so nicely blended and integrated in the regular curriculum and the regular classroom work. This system is wonderful and exemplary. In fact, there could be harmony in society if we had the Sathya Sai system of education all over the country.”

He also said, “We feel (we, meaning the Vice-Chancellors) that the rest of the universities all over the country should follow that same syllabus adopted by Sri Sathya Sai University. We also feel that examinations should be conducted in human values and the score must be added in the awarding of grades to students in their final examination. The array of science, or the array of biology, the way they are coupled with human values as taught in the Sathya Sai University, is the best we can recommend for the other universities. We all humbly pray to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Baba that He should start a National Institute of Excellence in Human Values to be attended by batches of professors from all over the country. They can be trained in the integrated system of education in human values so that they can follow this university’s example. We pray to Bhagavan to bless our efforts and our proposals.”

Sri Sathya University is not merely a university

The second speaker was Professor K. Sudha Rao. She is the Vice-Chancellor of the Open University in the State of Karnatake, Mysore. She made certain important statements, which I want to share with you.

Quote: “Sri Sathya University is not merely a university. No! The surroundings, the ambience, the atmosphere is so sacred, that every department in this institution is quite independent, each as an institution in itself; and every student is himself an institution.”

“I feel that personality development can only take place in a university of this type because I feel that the integrated system of education is exemplary and best. Not only this, today we find people everywhere speaking about values, but they do not practice them. To my surprise, as I listened to the conversation of the students, as I talked to them and watched their activities, I can say that they are filled with the values according to Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In their daily life, they are practising them the way that He taught them. The values are not limited and restricted to books and book reading. No! They are translated into action, which is very much reflected in their daily life. Values, which are not practised, are useless. Therefore, there is only one university - the Sri Sathya Sai University; it is an example of values taught and practised. There is no other university, which is better. Swami, we thank you very much for giving us this chance to attend this conference and to spend time at Your Lotus Feet.”

Our visit to this University is a pilgrimage

Now I present the speech given by N Jayasankaran. He is the Vice-Chancellor of Sri Chandrasekara Saraswati Vishwa Mahavidhyalaya, Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu. He made his speech, which was very well applauded by the assembled congregation.

Here are a few points collected from his talk: “In this vast gathering at Sai Kulwant Hall, (there were about twenty thousand present that day) I see in the faces of everyone assembled here, the face of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The faces of the entire congregation are as a mirror in which I see the very reflection of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.”

Then N Jayasankaran said, “I address several meetings and I speak at several gatherings. However, you must have seen my legs shaking. You must have also noticed me drinking three glasses of water. (Laughter) I am totally nervous (Laughter) because I am conscious of standing by the side of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I don’t know what is happening, therefore, I may not be able to express all that I really want to say.”

“Particularly, I am thrilled by the students’ speeches made yesterday in four languages. I tell you all here, please know this…none of the Vice-Chancellors here can make a speech up to the standard of Sai students. The students are better than all of the Vice-Chancellors who attended the conference today and gave presentations.”

Furthermore, he said, “This country is known for excellent speakers, particularly from Tamilnadu, like Lakshman Swamy Mudaliar, Ramaswamy Mudaliar, Rt. Hon. Sreenivasa Shastry, the former President of this country and Dr. S Radhakrishnan. They are all well known for their oratory skills. Yes! The students of Sathya Sai University will be of that order, of that standard. I have not seen students before make speeches of that calibre, and of that distinction. Let me tell you, the skill, the talent, the articulation, the gestures and content are all gifts of Bhagavan to those speakers. That is the devotion of the students towards Swami. I want all the students of Sathya Sai Institution to spread Baba’s message all over the country, and abroad.”

N Jayasankaran related how he came to Swami for the first time two years ago. It seems the daughter of his maidservant had a heart problem. The little girl’s parents consulted doctors working in the Apollo Hospital in Chennai, known before as Madras. They said, “You need three lakhs (one hundred thousand) of rupees for surgery and for the girl’s treatment.”

Because she is a daughter of the maidservant, her parents are very poor. They gave up hope. The little girl was bound to die. They were helpless.

At that time, N Jayasankaran, on official duty, happened to visit Bangalore. Somebody said, “Why don’t you go to Sri Sathya Sai Baba about the daughter of your maidservant?”

He went and Baba granted him an interview. In the interview, he said, “Swami, this is the situation. The daughter of my maidservant needs Your intervention; she needs Your blessing. Please save her life.”

Baba immediately materialised vibhuti for the girl and called Dr. Saffaya, the Director of Bangalore Super Speciality Hospital. He said to him, “Treat this little girl at once. Do the operation and give all treatment free of cost.” Swami gave immediate instructions and materialised a ring with three diamonds for this Vice-Chancellor.

Then the Vice-Chancellor said, “I paid my debt of gratitude and the girl had the operation here. This happened three years ago; now the girl is hale, healthy and back to normal. The doctors had said that she would not survive for more than three months. Three years have passed and her health today is fine.”

He made a further remark. “Swami, I can tell you, the way that the Vice-Chancellors are treated here while attending this Conference, it is as if we were bridegrooms. A royal treatment is accorded to us. Swami, our visit to this university is not a simple visit; it is a pilgrimage.”

He then stated, “The future leaders of this country, I am sure, will be from the Sri Sathya Sai University.” Then he observed that the serenity, the silence and calmness that he experienced here is not seen elsewhere.

Finally, he made a funny statement, “Baba, there are three hundred universities in this country. We want them blessed by You and for them to be like this university. We pray that You take three hundred Forms and be present in every university. Then all three hundred universities can be under Your Divine guidance, like this university.”

He added, “Nowhere else would Vice-Chancellors sit for three days continuously, actively participating, and enthusiastic. Sometime or another, they go to the city and make purchases for their family members because the government pays them money. They go sightseeing as a break from the routine. However, this conference held at Prashanti Nilayam was attended by all the Vice-Chancellors, 100% attendance for all sessions. This is something unique. People utilised the time in the best way possible. This is the miracle of Baba.”

That is how the valedictory function ended that day. Thank you very much.

God Bless you. Sai Ram! (Applause)

JAI BOLO BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA JI KI JAI!

Source: http://www.internety.com/saipearls/15.12.2003(E)central.htm
© Anil Kumar Kamaraju 2004 - Here reproduced for personal use of the devotees for the purpose of seva.
Anil Kumar website: http://www.internety.com/anilkhome/ - http://www.internety.com/saipearls/
 

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