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Index of earlier Bulletins
Friday, August 31, 2007
The three day All-India conference of District Presidents and State Office Bearers of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations concluded today. The delegates had meetings at the Conference Hall next to the Book Trust building, and were seated together in the Sai Kulwant Hall for darshan sessions. Bhagawan chose to shower His benedictions on the delegates this valedictory day. In the evening, Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair as He has been doing often over the last few days. After His darshan round, He came onstage, and behind Him came students carrying His robes. Swami Blessed the State Presidents first with robes. All the delegates then lined up and came up to the stage, where they received robes from the Divine Hands. The distribution went on for nearly forty minutes till five o'clock, when Bhagawan moved towards the Bhajan Hall and the Bhajans began there.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Balvikas children from Wayanad, Kerala, presented tales from the Shiva Purana in dance form this evening. The half-hour programme concluded by 4.45 pm, and Swami went to the interview room. Later, He came to the Bhajan Hall and Bhajans began there at five o'clock. The Book Trust website has a report with pictureson the Onam celebrations.
Monday, August 27, 2007
On the Thiru Onam morning, Bhagawan was ushered into Sai Kulwant Hall with a colourful procession consisting of a band, small girls with ceremonial plates and Vedam chanting students. In the evening, the first programme was a drama on the life of poet-saint Thyagaraja by students of Sri Sai Vidya Vihar, Aluva, Kerala. After the drama which lasted nearly an hour, Bhagawan went down from the stage to grant group photographs for the children. Bhajans began by the devotees at five o'clock and prasadam of Banana chips was distributed.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
This evening, the Onam celebrations by the devotees from Kerala continued with musical programmes. At 4.15 pm, the proceedings got underway with a performance by Smt. Ambili and party, following which Prof. Raghunath Sarma gave a vocal concert. Bhagawan then gave a chance for the Telugu professor of the Sai University to give a Veena performance. The performances lasted about half an hour each. Bhagawan Blessed the performers with clothes. Balvikas children sang Bhajans for fifteen minutes before Bhagawan accepted Arati and retired to His residence.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
This evening, the central part of Sai Kulwant Hall was readied as the stage for a dance drama by Kerala Balvikas children. Bhagawan came onstage and the programme got underway a few minutes after four o'clock. The fifty minute dance drama entitled "Krishna Kripa" depicted the Krishna-Sudama story and was enacted by very small children with colourful dances. Bhagawan was pleased with their performance and came down from the stage to have a photograph session with them. The child who played Sudama's role was also Blessed with a chain. The devotees from Kerala then sang Bhajans with Bhagawan seated onstage till Arati at 5.20 pm.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Varalakshmi Vratam was observed at Prasanthi Nilayam today. More than a thousand ladies were seated in the front part of Sai Kulwant Hall with their puja materials, and the stage area had been decorated with an altar for Devi. Bhagawan arrived after 8.30 am in His chair, and coming onstage, started the proceedings. As the priest began the rituals onstage, Swami got into His car in the verandah and drove to the Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust building at the Southwestern end of the Ashram. Yesterday had been the fifth anniversary of the inauguration of the new building, and while Blessing some of His students working there, Swami had said that He would visit them the next day. Swami sat in the entrance hall of the Book Trust office and spoke to the small gathering there, exhorting them to work with unity and lauding their efforts. Before leaving at 10 o'clock, Swami went around all the rooms in the office. Bhagawan then returned to the Mandir, took a round of the Hall in His car, spoke to the organizers near the verandah, accepted Arati from the car itself and returned to His residence.
The speeches in the afternoon session continued today at 3.50 pm, but with a difference - both the speakers were elders. The first speaker was Prof. G. Venkataraman, former Vice-Chancellor of the Sai University. The second speech was in Telugu, by Dr. Veerabhadraiah, who is a member of the National Sahitya Academy and currently teaches Telugu at the Sai University. After seventy minutes of speeches, Bhajans began in the Sai Kulwant Hall itself at five o'clock.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
The speeches by students and teachers of the Sai University continued today. Bhagawan, seated onstage, began the proceedings at 4.10 pm. The speeches were by a student of the MBA (Finance) class and a faculty member who had earlier studied at the Sai University. Bhajans began in the Sai Kulwant Hall after the speeches concluded, and Swami accepted Arati after half an hour.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The Sai University students and teachers were asked to come to the Mandir for morning darshan today - ususally they come only for evening darshan except on holidays. Swami arrived on His chair and directly came onstage. The Vice-chancellor was asked to speak a few words, and he began at 8.30 am. In his speech, he mentioned how Bhagawan was very happy after yesterday's speeches and songs, and had called them all out of His boundless grace. After the Vice-Chancellor's ten minute address, Bhagawan conferred gifts of grace on the two research scholars who spoke yesterday, presenting them with chains and later with clothes. He stood up to address the students at 8.50 am.
In His Discourse, Swami exhorted the students to adhere to cultural values and always engage in fundamental discrimination - whether their actions were good or bad, right or wrong. Bhagawan deplored the current trend to add more and more institutions of higher education without regard to availability of teachers of the required standard. He advised the students that developing Self-confidence is more important than acquiring vast amounts of knowledge. He praised the overseas devotees who were leading blissful lives at Prasanthi Nilayam even though their accomodations were meagre, because of their faith and confidence.
After Bhagawan's 70 minute Discourse, the students sang the group song "Hum ko Tum se Pyar kitna...". Swami then accepted Arati and left for His residence.
In the evening, Bhagawan came to the stage area at 4.30 pm, and the Vice-Chancellor was asked to make some introductory remarks. He said that Bhagawan had asked for talks by students and teachers in the evenings and introduced the speakers for the evening, an MBA student and a senior member of the MBA faculty. Their speeches lasted till 5.15 pm, and Swami came into the Bhajan Hall for Bhajans. After forty minutes, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The School of Business Management and Finance of the Sri Sathya Sai University was founded 21 years ago on this day. To mark the occasion, talks were held in Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan came for evening darshan on His chair, and after a few minutes in the Bhajan Hall and in the interview room, came onstage to begin the proceedings. The Vice-Chancellor announced the speakers: the Dean of the Business School Prof. U. S. Rao, followed by two research scholars. The three speakers described the various aspects of the value-based education of the Business School, stressing Bhagawan's intimate involvement. The two student speakers also included many songs in their talks. Prasadam was distributed after the speeches while the students sang group songs for twenty minutes. The songs were followed by ten minutes of Bhajans till Bhagawan accepted Arati at 5.20 pm. As Swami left for His residence in His car, the heavens opened up in a brief shower of cooling rain.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Sai Kulwant Hall was filled to capacity on the gents' side, with five thousand youth from Tamil Nadu occupying most of the Hall. The central part of the Hall had more than fifty musicians with nadaswaram and tavil, whose music reached a crescendo as Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair at 3.40 pm. After His darshan round in the chair, Swami called in the chief minister of Maharashtra state for an audience. Later, He came into the Bhajan Hall for Bhajans at five o'clock, retiring after Arati at 5.35 pm.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
The members of Dhyanamandali, Vijayawada, who had been here for the last few days in large numbers, presented a cultural programme this evening in Sai Kulwant Hall. After Bhagawan's darshan round, He came onstage at 3.40 pm, and shortly thereafter, the programme got underway. It consisted of dances by children from the Yoga learning institution run by them. At the end of the 50 minute programme, Bhagawan blessed one of the children with a chain. Bhajans were in the Bhajan Hall as usual. After Arati, while returning to His residence, Bhagawan stopped near the new elephant calf who had come to Yajur Mandir and fed her before retiring.
Friday, August 17, 2007
This evening, Bhagawan came for darshan on His chair instead of in His car. After reaching the interview room, He continued down the verandah and took a second round near the students. The former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Chandrababu Naidu, had an audience with Swami before the five o'clock Bhajans.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
This evening, Bhagawan came for darshan at 4.30 pm. After His darshan round, He sat onstage for nealy half an hour while the Vedam chanting went on, granting a long darshan and Blessing several students who came up to Him with letters. As He moved towards the Bhajan Hall, He interacted with several devotees on the way, and the five o'clock Bhajans began.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
The 60th anniversary of Indian Independence dawned with the students of the Sri Sathya Sai University, the Music College and the Higher Secondary School saluting the national flag at their respective institutions before coming to the Mandir for morning darshan. In the evening, several programmes were ready. Bhagawan went into the interview room after His darshan round, and at 4 pm the Vice Chancellor came onstage with an announcement. He introduced three speakers for the evening, the former Vice-Chancellors Dr. Venkataraman and Sri Giri, followed by the all-India Sai Organisations President Sri V. Srinivasan. Bhagawan came to the dais as the first speaker began, and heard through the three speakers' talks on the Nation's independence or Swarajya vis-a-vis the rule of the Inner Self, Swaarajya. Then, at five o'clock, Bhagawan stood up to speak.
Swami said that He was pained that the august name of Subash Chandra Bose was being forgotten in all the speech-making, hence He was speaking a few words out of love and regard for Bose. Bhagawan mentioned that Bose had come up to Bukkapatnam and had met Swami in His young days, and that later, Bose had sent his daughter to Prasanthi Nilayam. Bhagawan noted that Bose had not died in any accident. Exhorting the youth to live up to Bose's ideals, Bhagawan concluded in fifteen minutes. Swami had spoken without leaving time for any translation. After He concluded, Prof Anil Kumar took Bhagawan's permission to give a ten-minute English summary to the audience.
The next item in the evening's programme was a musical presentation by the Sai students. After twenty minutes of patriotic and devotional songs, the drama prepared by the West Bengal Youth was staged. The West Bengal Youth are at Parthi for a retreat, and their 30 minute play depicted the ideals of five great leaders of the Indian nationalist movement presented by the narrator who personified Time. Bhagawan was pleased with their performance, called up the main characters and gave them vibhuti, and stood up for group photographs. Soon after, Arati was offered, and Bhagawan left for His residence at 6.30 pm.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
This evening, after reaching the Verandah after His darshan round in the car, Bhagawan indicated that He would be going to the college campus to view the preparations by the students for Independence day celebrations tomorrow. The post-graduate students had prepared a drama, and Bhagawan watched a rehearsal of the entire drama at the College auditorium. Some elements of the drama were not to Bhagawan's liking - He wanted the amount of violence in the drama to be toned down. He gave the students a blueprint they could work on, and told them to practise for a few more days. Swami returned to the Mandir around fifteen minutes before the five o'clock bhajans commenced.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
The XII class students of the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School presented a play this evening. Bhagawan came to the Bhajan Hall after His darshan round and seeing the students there with costumes, had a brief interaction with them. Shortly thereafter, He went to the stage and the programme got underway just before four o'clock. The forty minute play had the Conscience of Humanity as the main character, and depicted how the karmic consequences of actions of the past can affect us. Swami had a photo session with the students after the drama and then moved to the Bhajan Hall, starting the Bhajans there and accepting Arati after 40 minutes at 5.30 pm.
Friday, August 10, 2007
This evening, the devotees from Karimnagar district got an opportunity to present their programmes. They began with a Telugu drama called "Chaduvu" - Education. The twenty minute play depicted the misguided ambitions of modern parents, and how Bhagawan's teachings on true education bring about a reform in the students. After the drama, the programme continued with a musical presentation. Bhagawan went into the interview room and returned with clothes for the performers, and distributed them even as the songs went on. Bhagawan then moved to the Bhajan Hall, and starting the Bhajans there by the students, accepted Arati after half an hour at 5.30 pm.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan went to the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences at Prasanthi gram and inaugurated the newly constructed Screening and Registration Block. Starting from the Mandir at around 8.45 am, Bhagawan returned after more than an hour. At the Hospital, Swami first lit a lamp and then went into the new block, where He spoke to a few doctors, went around and Blessed the facilities and the doctors and nurses seated there. Just before leaving, He visited the patients' canteen where Narayana seva for the construction workers had been arranged. When Swami returned to the Mandir, the Primary School children were seated there waiting for Him. Alighting from the car at the verandah, Swami sat onstage while prasadam was distributed to the children, and returned to His residence in the chair.
Three thousand devotees from Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh have come to Prasanthi Nilayam on a Parthi Yatra. In the evening, Sai Kulwant Hall was dominated by the pink-scarved Karimnagar group. After His darshan round, Bhagawan chose to once again enter His car and go on a drive. He went up to the Planetarium, fed the elephant calf there and returned after half an hour, taking another round of the gents' side in His car. As He passed the Karimnagar group, they prayed for a chance to present their programme, and Swami saw their card twice as He passed by them. Reaching the verandah, Swami came onstage and sat there for nearly twenty minutes while the Vedam chanting went on, and the thousands of devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall were blessed with a long darshan. Later, Bhajans were in the Bhajan Hall as usual.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The Northeast Region devotees from the United States were blessed to perform this evening. After Swami finished His darshan round, the devotees were asked to come to the central part of Sai Kulwant Hall and their programme began at 3.45 pm when Bhagawan came onstage. After their 40 minute song presentation, Bhagawan went to the interview room and emerged a few minutes later with gifts of love for the group - sarees, watches, gift boxes... He went down to where they were seated, they came up one by one and received the items from His hands. After the distribution, at five o'clock, the group sang bhajans for twenty minutes, then the students continued for another ten minutes before Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
The Himachal Pradesh youth had gathered at Prasanthi Nilayam for a retreat, and they were ready with a dance and song programme. Since they had not yet got direct word from Swami, the performers with costumes were seated among the others in the darshan lines in Sai Kulwant Hall when Swami came for evening darshan. Passing by in His car, Bhagawan paused near the Himachal group and had a brief interaction, and after reaching the interview room, sent word for them to be ready with their programme. The centre area of Sai Kulwant Hall was cleared and the Himachal youth took their places, Bhagawan came onstage and the programme got underway immediately at 4.10 pm.
The first item was a Bhangra dance with young men in colourful costumes energetically performing for twenty minutes. Songs to the Lord followed. Bhagawan was pleased with their performance and blessed one of them with a chain. He then gave all of them clothes, calling them up one by one and speaking a few words, and also having a photo session with the group. The Himachal group sang bhajans as chocolates were distributed as prasadam, following which Bhagawan accepted Arati and retired to His residence after a brief trip to the interview room.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
This evening, the Leipzig Philharmonic Chamber orchestra performed at Prasanthi Nilayam. The musicians were seated on chairs at the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall and the programme got underway at 4.20 pm with Bhagawan arriving onstage. The Leipzig Philharmonic has been touring India, and this is the last concert of their two week tour. The concert lasted an hour and ten minutes, and included the first two movements of "Spring Rhapsody" by Indian violinist L. Subramaniam who was at Prasanthi Nilayam yesterday. Swami went into the interview room as the last piece commenced, and emerged after 10 minutes to come onstage and present the performers with clothes. He went down amongst them in His chair, and later stood among them with their instruments for group photographs, interacting with them for nearly twenty minutes before accepting Arati at 6 pm.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Bhagawan's bounty of grace for the youth continued today. Some youth from the USA were blessed to perform in the Divine presence, at very short notice. The performers scrambled to get ready at 3 o'clock, and Bhagawan arrived for darshan by four. Bhagawan came in His chair instead of the car, and collected a large number of letters on His darshan round. At 4.15, Swami came onstage and the programme commenced. The group sang songs in English, Hindi and Telugu, in classical and modern styles. Near the end of the programme was a very impressive "Shiva-Tandavam" dance by a couple of youth to the song "Bho Shambho". Swami was very pleased with the performance and Blessed the dancers with a chain and a ring. Later, He asked for Bhajans, and the same group sang Bhajans till Swami accepted Arati at 5.20 and retired to His residence.
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