Index of earlier Bulletins

August 12, 2006

By the Divine command, today's morning session was advanced by half an hour. The settings were the same, the dais, the pandal, the altars etc (as on the 10th Morning). The day opened with Mangala Vadyam belting out mellifluous music and spreading a feeling true to its name (Mangalam). The timetable was same as that of yesterday. The Aruna Parayanam began at 5:35 AM and towards its end at 5:45 AM the sunlight poured on through the dome as if to mark its attendance and have Darshan of the Lingam which stood with the vermillion and sandal paste across its forehead and the eye (which Swami Himself had materialized) in all beauty and consumed in the magnificence of Divinity.

The Aruna Parayanam was followed by the Mahanyasam Parayanam. This is Vedam chanting by the full group of rithwiks which surcharges the atmosphere, customary to the daily schedule of the Athi Rudra Maha Yagnam. The Mahanyasam was followed by the Panchamrutham Abhishekam at 6:10 AM. A series of Abhishekams are performed with honey, milk, curd and finally Panchamrutham. The Abhishekam (except for the Panchamrutham ) is done in a wonderful manner. A vessel with the contents of the abhishekam is suspended atop the lingam, it has a small opening at the bottom through which the milk, honey and water trickle and caress the Lingam, afterwards flowing down to be collected.

Around 6:50 the Rudrabhishekam began. Almost everyone in the Sai Kulwant Hall joined in the chants and the volume levels were quite high. But it is only in such occasions that such a high volume could render tranquility to the mind as one is tuned to the cosmic frequency.

At 7:32 AM, the Rudra Himself made His entry. Swami took his usual lap around amplifying the ambience that already held everyone in an exalted state of existence. The secret behind the Athi Rudra Maha Yagnam, magnitude mammothian, the source of every chant of the Rudram, the Infinite! The source, as relentless as the ocean's waves and as countless as the twinkling stars.

As Swami stepped out of the car, the greeting was splendorous. The Nadaswaram and Mangala Vadyam, played with all might and power. Swami came to the fore and sat on His chair (7:42AM) and personally monitored the proceedings. He called out to one of the members of the Prashanti Vedam group and asked,
Swami: What is the meaning of "Namaha"?
Boy: "Not me!!!" Swami!
Swami: Does that mean that the one who is performing the yagnam is not Me?
Boy: Swami, God is the doer of everything; therefore You are the doer Swami.

Swami then called out to the "Birthday boys", blessed them and continued to monitor the proceedings. It is to note that before the eighth iteration of the Rudra Parayanam, all the ragas of music were offered at the feet of Saieeshwara. The various combinations of the seven swaras (the ragas) are nothing but the manifestation of the Divine and therefore goes back to Him. Swami is the best patron of music and clearly an example of that was seen last evening.

Around, 8:15AM Swami called out for Prasadam to be distributed. Swami took keen interest in what the Prasadam was and showed a sign of approval when it was shown to him. Swami called out to one of the dance boys and enquired about the programme and costumes of the team. The boy very expressively (the wonderful dancer that he is) explained to Swami lucidly with the help of gesticulations.

The Rithwiks during the course of the chanting reiterated the fact that the Yagnam is performed for the good of humanity and to remove all the Doshas. Swami has also emphasized repeatedly in his last two discourses that this is for Loka Kalyanam. At around 8:45AM Swami retired to the interview room.

Swami came out at around 9:15 AM, exactly in time for the Rudra Homam. Swami sat through the homam, watching the golden flames that breathed life as ghee offered from a golden vessel with a wooden stick and the "samiths" (small wooden sticks) were poured and cast into the altars. He then went back to the Yajur Mandiram at around 9:45 AM when the Sai Gayatri homam was being performed. The morning's programme concluded on that note with a Mangala Aarathi to the Lingam.

In the afternoon, Swami arrived in the car at 3:28pm. He went from the ladies' side to the gents' side and gave darshan to all the people gathered in the Kulwant hall. After arriving at the interview room, He got down and walked all the way to the stage. With Swami's permission Sri Vinay Kumar introduced the speaker of the day, Dr. Kashyap, Director of the Aurobindo Kapali Sastry Institute of Vedic Culture.

Dr. Kashyap spoke on the Rudra mantras as the means for inner yagna. He spoke on Rudra as the god who moves the world. This scholar with a degree from the Harvard University quoted from the yajur veda on the significance of Namakam and Chamakam. Rudra, he opined, is described as "Manyu" which means the intense power of the mind. All the hymns that we chant are to channelize this power to attain the goal of life. In the Chamakam we ask God to confer everything upon us because this life is meant to achieve perfection in all spheres. But in all this we must realize that we are not the doers but the instrument alone. There is a lot in common between the Veda and the Upanishad said the scholar. In the word yagna, ya means, to strive and gna means knowledge. Yagna means to strive for knowledge said the erudite speaker. The scholar exhorted the audience to take to vedic learning. He then concluded and as he was leaving the stage Swami called him close and very graciously spoke to him before he materialized vibhuti for him. Then Swami himself very considerately packed the holy-ash in a paper before handing it to him.

Swami then asked Sri S V Giri (former vice chancellor SSSIHL) to speak. Sri Giri said that the purpose of the yagnam was to internalize knowledge. From thought, we reap action leading on to habit and then to tendency and thereupon to character and destiny. He quoted some paragraphs of the rudram the essence of which was to sacrifice hate at the altar. He noted that this yagnam is far powerful than just Ati Rudra Yagnam because nearly hundred nay thousand voices chant the rudram along with the priests. He said that Swami's projects are all exemplars and so was this yagnam. This must be taken as a standard and implemented elsewhere. With Swami, money is not a consideration. Swami gives free education from KG to PG. The learned speaker then recounted the story of Sankara and the Chandala before he spoke on how this yagnam could be implemented like the gramaseva in all the states.

After he had finished, Swami called him and told him to speak for some more time. He continued by congratulating the Karnataka youth for the wonderful work they had done in organizing this Yagnam. The speaker then exhorted the youth to take to such noble activity before he wound up at 4:30pm.

At 4:30pm Swami signaled for the discourse table to be brought. The discourse for the afternoon was as follows:

Deham Paanchabhoutikam
Deham koolaka......

The body is constituted of the five elements. It is bound to collapse one day. It is the indweller who is permanent. He has no bondage or liberation, no life nor death. He is eternal. That indweller is verily god.

This body is like a 'godrej' safe that is used to safeguard the treasures of Sathya(truth), Dharma(righteousness), Shanti(peace), Prema(love). Many affluent people come to Swami and pray, "Swami I have everything in life but I don't have peace". True peace lies in giving up desire. There is no peace for one with desires. Today man has so many ambitions. True sacrifice is in giving up these ambitions.

Sathya Dharma Shanti Premalu lekunna...
Without the values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema all the knowledge acquired is a void. Without these values, all the meritorious actions sum up to a null and all the positions that one attains, the rewards therein sum to a zero.

These values are the foundation for life. What is the use of the safe (body) if it does not treasure valuables (values)? The body bereft of these values is a water bubble or an empty box which no one desires. It is our responsibility to safeguard these jewels. What is this jewel; Sathyam (truth). Truth is valuable and changeless. One can never be free from truth. Though we know truth as the principle, we try to keep away from it. We must realize that we can never escape from the reality that is truth. Next is Dharma (righteousness), which is the foundation for life. There is no Dharma greater than the practice of truth. Without the foundation of Dharma the walls of life wouldn't stand. There are two Dharmas namely: Bhoutika(worldly) and Adhyatmika(spiritual). The worldly Dharma is in motion(changes) and the spiritual Dharma is constant and changeless. If the foundation were to move, the walls would collapse. Dharma is the path that is to be followed. Then comes Shanti(peace). It is the light of life. When there is no Shanti in life man gropes in darkness and faces risk and danger. Prema(love) can be compared to brilliance. This love cannot be described. Take for example this story of love between a mother and her son. When there was a war in Rangoon(Burma) a mother and her son managed to escape and came all the way to Madras. Here the mother begged for food to feed her son. The son noticed that his mother was getting thin and emaciated. Upon enquiry he understood that all the food that his mother gathered from begging was just enough for him and she had no food left to eat. Realizing his folly the son set out to beg for food giving rest to his mother. In the process he too became thin and weak. On one such round of begging he happened to come to a house where the master of the house was sitting in an easy chair in the verandah. Standing at the doorstep he called out, "Bhavati bhikshaan dehi, (O noble one give me food) I am hungry". The master of the house noting that the boy was weak from hunger went inside and got for him a plate of rice and sambar(thick soup). The boy would have none of it and collapsed on the floor saying something in a meek voice. When the person put his ear to his lips he heard the boy whisper, "First give this to my mother". He then passed away. When his body was taken to his mother she too passed away learning what had happened. In this manner both of them died in their love for each other. This was the love that existed in the ancient times. But today such love is on the decline, instead there is only Swartham(selfishness). Love is life and there must exist intimate love between the mother and child. Even a monkey exhibits so much love for its little one that it keeps it close to itself and moves about. Such is the love that must be treasured in the safe of the body. When there is this love peace will manifest itself. This peace is not of the pieces but true peace. Then comes Ahimsa(non-violence). Ahimsa is the greatest of Dharma. Buddha gave up his family, kingdom and all other comforts for non-violence.

These five values are the five life principles (pancha pranas). There exist only five and not six of them. All the activities (yagnas, yagas, tapas and so on) that man undertakes, it is to safeguard these five values. He who has treasured these five values, has his life redeemed. Even if one of these is missing, his life is in vain. One must lead a life of truth and grow in Dharma. These values can be compared to life wherein Truth is the foundation, Dharma the walls, Prema is the roof and the life within is one of Shanti. Today these values are missing. Whatever the riches man may acquire, without these values he has no roof over his head. He is always drenched by rain and exposed to the sun. Today it is the Dharma of money. Even old people crave for money. This money leads to desires and thus the Kaliyuga has become Kalahayuga (one of conflict).

This body is the safe which is useless without the treasures. What is the use of such a life bereft of values? Even animals lead such a life. Man today has excess desires. If he has five buildings he is not satisfied and wants ten more when just one is enough. This desire makes man cheat his fellowmen. We must control our desires for less luggage gives more comfort and makes travel a pleasure. Swami does not desire anything. He has no house of His own. He stays in whatever is provided by his devotees. We must decrease desires but increase our love for God. When we have love for God, all our desires are taken care of. You have listened to many learned people and you must put into practice what they have said.

(Swami then pointed to the senior students and research scholars sitting in the front). These boys are highly qualified: many of them doing research having completed their MA, MSc and MBA. They are capable of drawing a salary of one to two lakhs a month. But they do not want any of that. They want to do work that is worship and perform duty that is god. Boys should have strong faith instead of desires. When one has desires he ends up in ruin. These desires in the form of responsibilities are a burden and encumber the progress of man. He initially has two legs which then become four when he acquires a wife. Then he gets six legs with the arrival of a child. Ironically his speed decreases, more the number of legs. The message of Dakshina moorthy is to reduce ones' desires. Why is Dakshina moorthy always smiling? It is because He has no responsibilities. With one child a person can have enough difficulty (Swami mentioned the story of the mother and child from Rangoon). Both of them died out of love for one another. We may die but we must not give up that love. We must lead a life to acquire a good name. There is no use in getting a great name. Even a millionaire must eat only rice and not gold.

We must not limit our love to our family but express our love for all. Be selfless. A fish is better than a selfish person. A fish moves about effortlessly because it has no responsibilities or burden. But man today carries these responsibilities till his death. This load puts a low profile onto him. We must reduce these desires and increase the love for God. God is there to shoulder our responsibilities. Though we know that, we worry unnecessarily. Once we offer everything to God, we can lead a peaceful life. We may forget anything in life but we must never forget God. This is Swami's message for today.

With this Swami sat down. He then sang the song "Bhaja Govindam". Swami then indicated for prasadam in the form of apples to be distributed. After that Swami instructed the bhajan-boys to start bhajans and the evening was filled with melodious devotional singing. Many of the singers began their bhajans with aalaps (solo singing with lot of variety by the lead singer prior to the bhajan). Swami at the end of seven bhajans asked for the arathi and with the head priest offering arathi to Swami and the lingam, accompanied by the nadaswaram, the conches, the gong and the entire Sai Kulwant hall singing in unison, Swami retired at 6:00pm.

Images from 12th August are available at the Book Trust site.

During the Ati Rudra Maha Yagnam, Radio Sai will be broadcasting special half-hour capsules daily: The schedule page lists this programme as "Sounds from the Ati Rudra Maha Yagnam being conducted at Prasanthi Nilayam."

top