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Index of earlier Bulletins
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
This evening, the youth of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand presented a Hindi drama entitled 'Mahasu ki Mahima'. The 40 minute presentation got underway at 4.30 pm when Bhagawan came onstage. Earlier, Swami had come to the stage area after His darshan round, and after a few minutes, had gone into the interview room. The drama by the youth highlighted the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme and also presented several folk dances from Uttarakhand. Bhagawan Blessed the participants with clothes at the end of the drama. Prasadam was distributed while the youth sang Bhajans. A few minutes later, Bhagawan came down from the stage and had group photographs with the actors of the drama. The Sai Students website has a longer report, while the Book Trust website has pictures.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
The Union Home Minister was here yesterday, and had an audience with Bhagawan in the evening. This morning, Bhagawan went for a drive after the morning Bhajans, returning to the Ashram via the rear gate of the Ashram near the Deena Janodharana Pathakam. He arrived for evening darshan at 4.30 pm in His chair, and after a round of the Sai Kulwant Hall, moved to the Bhajan Hall. After a few minutes there, He went into the interview room for a few minutes before returning to the Bhajan Hall for the Bhajans.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan came at 9.15 to Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair as the Bhajans were going on. After a full darshan round in His chair, Swami reached the Bhajan Hall, sat there for a minute or two, then accepted Arati and returned to His residence in the car. In the evening, devotees from Mahbubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh were to present a programme, and a backdrop of their dance drama was erected at the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan arrived in His chair at 3.50 pm, and after a full darshan round, went into the interview room. He emerged a few minutes later, and coming onstage, sent word for the Primary School children to come and see the drama. Then He moved down from the stage and moved around Sai Kulwant Hall till 4.40 pm in His chair, talking to many devotees and accepting their letters. At 4.45, Swami returned to the stage after a brief visit to the interview room, and the programme got underway with Bhagawan Blessing many articles of worship like Shivalingams brought up to Him by the Mahbubnagar devotees. Distribution of articles of livelihood for needy beneficiaries followed - sewing machines, computers, grinding machines and electrical kits were among the items given away. An invocatory dance then preceded the Telugu dance-drama presented by Balvikas children, "Neti Yashoda Karnam Subbamma". After their 40 minute presentation, the children came up to Bhagawan and received clothes from Him. Swami moved to the interview room, and a few minutes later, came onstage, accepted Arati, and returned to His residence.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Bhagawan came for evening darshan at 4.45 pm in His chair today. Sai Kulwant Hall was filled with devotees from Mahbubnagar district wearing blue scarves. After His darshan round, Swami moved to the stage and sat there as the Vedam chanting went on. School students presented a card in the form of an ancient manuscript, commemorating four years of daily Vedam chanting in the Mandir! Bhagawan went through the card, which had the names of all the Vedam group students. Bhajans began as Swami went into the interview room at five o'clock. A few minutes later, He came into the Bhajan Hall, moved down the aisle, took a round of the upper verandah and came back to the front of Bhajan Hall. Arati was a few minutes after 5.30 pm.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
This afternoon, Bhagawan emerged from His residence by 2.30 pm! Calling a family for interviews, Swami went into the interview room and came out an hour later. He then sat onstage as the Vedam went on, Blessing some of the students who went up to Him with letters, and later again went into the interview room. Half an hour later, He came out, and moving down the upper verandah, took a round of the students in His chair. He then moved to the Bhajan Hall, went down the aisle and returned to the front of the Hall. Bhajans began just before five o'clock. Yesterday too, Swami had moved down the central aisle of the Bhajan Hall in His chair.
Monday, September 17, 2007
The Ganesha Immersion ceremony was held today, the Book Trust website has a report with pictures.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan Blessed some recipients of prosthetic limbs from West Godavari district, and the undergraduate students presented a drama entitled 'Ganesha Mahatmyam' in the evening. The Book Trust website has a report with pictures.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
This Ganesh Chaturthi morning, Bhagawan emerged from His residence at 9.35 am as the students sang Ganesha stotrams. When Swami arrived at the Mandir, He came into the Bhajan Hall and saw the puja done to a small Ganesha idol kept there. He then sat onstage while the songs by the students went on. After 45 minutes of songs, they sang Bhajans while prasadam was distributed. At 10.30, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence. In the evening, Bhagawan arrived just before the five o'clock Bhajans began, and Arati was at 5.35 pm.
Friday, September 14, 2007
The skies were cloudy today, and Bhagawan came to the Sai Kulwant Hall only after the five o'clock Bhajans commenced in the evening. As Swami went around, cool rains drenched Prasanti Nilayam. Bhagawan went down the verandah and sat outside for a while, then came into the Bhajan Hall for the Bhajans. After Arati, He had a few words with the Warden, the pujari and others about the arrangements they were making for Ganesh Chaturthi.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
This evening also, Swami sat onstage for a while, Blessing the Birthday boys and some other students who came up with letters. He materialized a chain for one of the school boys in the Vedam group and had an extended conversation with him. Swami asked about the chain He had given earlier to the same boy, and he showed both the chain and pendant to Swami. Swami also asked about his grandfather, who is one of the senior-most doctors at Prasanthi Nilayam.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
This evening, Bhagawan spent some time outside after His darshan round in the car. First He came down the upper verandah, interacting with a few people seated there. Then, moving through the Bhajan Hall, He came onstage and sat there for a while as the Vedam chanting went on, Blessing the Birthday boys and taking letters from some students. Prasadam was distributed, and Swami moved to the interview room. A few minutes after 4.30 pm, He moved to the Bhajan Hall and interacted with the Bhajan group students there. Bhajans began just before 5 pm.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The last few days have been fairly quiet at Prasanthi Nilayam, with no cultural programmes in Sai Kulwant Hall. Two ministers from Tamil Nadu were here over the weekend, and Bhagawan gave them an audience on Sunday morning. This afternoon, an invitational badminton tournament was held at the Sri Sathya Sai Centre for Sports, featuring India's top shuttle badminton players. The playoffs began earlier in the afternoon and Bhagawan arrived at the Indoor Stadium in time for the finals at 4 pm. After the doubles match, Swami Blessed the players and left for the Mandir at 5 pm. There, the Bhajans were going on without mics. After an interview, Swami came to the Bhajan Hall, sat for a few minutes, went outside and Blessed the players, came into the Bhajan Hall through the rear entrance, enjoyed the Bhajans till past six o'clock, and then returned to His residence after Arati.
Friday, September 7, 2007
As announced yesterday, the Balvikas children from Nellore staged a classical dance drama "Archana" this evening. The forty minute programme got underway at 4.10 pm when Bhagawan came onstage. The protagonist, who had the same name as the drama, offers her dance to Bhagawan, interacts with inspirational devotees of the Lord like Thyagaraja and Pundarika and ultimately ends up free of debilitating disease. Swami Blessed her with a chain at the end of the programme. Prasadam was distributed, and Bhajans were in the Sai Kulwant Hall itself. The Book Trust website has images of the Nellore programmes.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
After the Nalgonda district, it was the turn of Nellore district devotees to arrive in strength at Prasanthi Nilayam. Today, the Pandari Bhajan group of the Nellore devotees got a chance to perform in the Divine Presence. After His evening darshan round in the car, Swami asked for the group's performance, and the central part of Sai Kulwant Hall was quickly cleared for the programme to commence at 4 pm. After 45 minutes of vigorous and enthusiastic dancing around the accompanists at the centre of a circle, Bhagawan Blessed the group with clothes. One of the members was also Blessed with a chain. Prof. Anil Kumar was asked to speak briefly, and he announced the staging of a drama by the Nellore devotees tomorrow. Bhajans began in the Bhajan Hall, with Bhagawan seated there till Arati at 5.40 pm.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
This evening, after His darshan round in the chair, Bhagawan went around the verandah for nearly fifteen minutes and sat for a few minutes onstage while the Vedam went on. He went into the interview room, and later entered the Bhajan Hall at 4.40 pm. A few minutes later, He asked the students to sing Meera songs and other devotional songs. After half an hour of songs and ten minutes of Bhajans, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 5.30 pm.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
On this morning of Krishna Janmashtami, Bhagawan came for morning darshan resplendent in a yellow robe. The procession of cows from Gokulam had just reached the Sai Kulwant Hall when Swami arrived at 8.10 am; He stopped the car near the procession at the centre of the Hall and alighted there. Moving around in His chair, Swami fed bananas to the cows, apples and other goodies for the elephant calf, and moved to the stage area. The Music College students' nadaswaram band, the bhajan group that came along with the procession, Vedam chanting, all went on as Swami moved about, Blessing various members of the animal kingdom brought to Him by the students, like a peacock, doves and so on. Onstage, Swami sat for a while, then asked Sri. S. V. Giri to make an announcement, that the Krishnashtami programme would commence in the evening. Prasadam was distributed while Swami received Arati and returned to His residence by 8.50 am.
The central part of Sai Kulwant Hall was set up as a stage for the evening programmes. Swami arrived by 3.45 and came onstage after a full round of Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair. The Sri Sathya Sai University Brass Band presented an innovative programme first, with tableux of Krishna's life being acted out as they played the pieces "The Tempest", "Murali Krishna" and so on. Devotees from Nalgonda, assembled at Prasanthi Nilayam in large numbers on their Parthi Yatra, presented the next programme, which was a twenty-five minute Telugu drama highlighting the need for compassion towards the differently abled and less fortunate members of society. Some songs by the Nalgonda devotees followed, with the students singing some bhajans on Bhagawan's command. After a brief visit to the interview room, Swami returned to the stage, stopped the Bhajans, and stood up to speak at 5 pm.
Bhagawan materialized a golden lingam, and mentioned in the Discourse that this is the concrete form of Pure Satwa. Briefly touching upon the purity of Krishna who was only seven years old at the time He sported with the Gopis who were of the age of His "mother", Bhagawan narrated various incidents in the Ramayana which brought out the sacredness and purity of the characters in that immortal epic. At the end of His seventy minute Discourse, Bhagawan underscored the oneness of Rama and Krishna, telling all of us to Chant the Name of Rama, Chant the Name of Krishna, if you like this Form, Chant Sai Rama, Sai Krishna, but never forget God's name.
The students sang bhajans for ten minutes after Bhagawan's Discourse before He took Arati and returned to His residence.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust was founded 35 years ago on this day. To mark the occasion, all of Bhagawan's students working in His various institutions assembled at Prasanthi Nilayam and sat together in the Bhajan Hall in the morning. Swami came into the Bhajan Hall at 8.15 after His darshan round. Some group songs were sung, after which Swami conversed informally with some of the boys. The session lasted till nearly ten o'clock, when Swami accepted Arati after some more group songs.
The afternoon session was in the Sai Kulwant Hall. The programme got underway at four o'clock with Bhagawan seated onstage, with four elders and two former students being introduced as the speakers for the day. Sri V. Srinivasan, Sri S. V. Giri, Sri Chakravarthy and Sri G. Venkataraman followed two speeches by Sri N. Sudhindran and Dr. T. Ravi Kumar. After these speeches, Bhagawan stood up to speak at 5.35 pm.
Swami praised His students working in the Central Trust and allied institutions for their unselfish and pure-hearted approach. He exhorted them to be ideals in their respective fields. He said that Faith and confidence on the Self will tide over any problems. Bhagawan said, "What We desire is not money, but Virtues". After speaking for half an hour, Swami started distributing watches to all the 150 former students working at Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan - as He sat onstage, they went up one by one and accepted the watches from His hands. Then prasadam distribution began, with Sri. Harishankar Bhat giving the vote of thanks, followed by Arati at 6.20 pm.
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