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Index of earlier Bulletins
Monday, October 29, 2007
This evening, it was the turn of the devotees from Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh to present a cultural programme at Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan came onstage at 5.30 pm, and the programme began after the devotees got various items Blessed, and had a lamp lit by Bhagawan. The Telugu dance drama presented by the Balvikas children brought out Bhagawan's message of service to Humanity through His own example, as Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Shirdi Sai and Parthi Sai. Stories of Sabari, Kuchela, and that of Baba saving an infant from the flames at Dwarakamayi were presented. Swami Blessed the participants with group photographs after the half hour presentation, walking down from the stage to stand among the children. He then asked the devotees to sing a few songs, while prasadam was distributed. After ten minutes of songs, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Friday, October 26, 2007
This evening, Bhagawan gave an extended darshan session in His chair. After a round of Sai Kulwant Hall in the car at 4.15 pm, Swami went around once again in His chair for half an hour, moving down the upper verandah, then through the ladies' side to complete a full round via the gents' side. He then moved to the Bhajan Hall, and Bhajans began there just after 5 pm.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Youth from Assam, Manipur and the North-Eastern States are here on their Parthi pilgrimage. This evening, they presented a programme of dances in Sai Kulwant Hall. The first dance was Bhortal Nritya from Assam, featuring large cymbals. Next was Dhol Dholok Cholom from Manipur, with vigorous drummers. Bhagawan Blessed the main drummer with a ring after the performance and took group photos with the participants, granting them padanamaskar. The devotees from the North-Eastern states then sang bhajans with Bhagawan seated onstage till He accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.15 pm. The Book Trust website has pictures of the event.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The devotees from Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh were ready with a programme this evening in Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan arrived for darshan at 3.30 pm and went into the interview room. After 4.30, He came into the Bhajan Hall, and after a brief interaction there with some faculty members, moved to the stage area. The devotees from Prakasam brought up many items for Swami's Blessings, and then commenced the musical dance drama 'Samata'. The forty minute presentation highlighted unity of religions. After the drama, Swami went down from the stage and had group photos with the children who participated in the drama. Prasadam was distributed and Swami moved to the Bhajan Hall, where He accepted Arati and returned to His residence. The Book Trust website has pictures of the event.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
This evening, after a few minutes in the interview room after His darshan round in the car, Swami came down the upper verandah and through the Bhajan Hall to the stage area at five o'clock, where He sat listening to the Vedic chants. He called up some young Primary School boys and asked them to chant Vedam. After ten minutes, He moved to the Bhajan Hall and the Bhajans began there. Half an hour later, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Monday, October 22, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall as the morning Bhajans went on, at 9.30 am. The priests who participated in the Veda Purusha Sapthaha Yagnam were seated in the front of the Bhajan Hall, and Swami Blessed them with watches, vibhuti and other gifts. The bhajans stopped at 10.10 and the priests chanted some Vedic hymns for a few minutes. Swami then went into the interview room and emerged half an hour later to accept Arati and return to His residence after 10.45 am. Evening darshan was at 4.30 - Swami moved straight from the ladies' side to alight from His car on the verandah and enter the interview room. He came into the Bhajan Hall while the Bhajans went on at 5.15 and accepted Arati at 5.40 pm.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Today was Vijayadasami, which marks the final day of the Dasara celebrations, the Veda Purusha Sapthaha Jnana Yagna and Grama Seva 2007. The pundits finished the Yagna rituals by 9 am and proceeded to the Bhajan Hall in Prasanthi Mandir. Bhagawan came to the Bhajan Hall at around 9.30 and Blessed the pundits with clothes. They then came to the Poornachandra in procession. Bhagawan came onstage at the Poornachandra by 10 o'clock, and in ten minutes' time the final offerings of the Poornahuti were performed. Sri Deve Gowda, former Prime Minister of India, was also in the audience. Bhagawan sat onstage for nearly 40 minutes more, listening to the Vedic chants first by the priests and later by the students, and then moved to His residence. Pictures from the Yagnam can be seen at the Book Trust website. The Anantapur women students undertook today's Grama Seva distribution inside the Ashram. Some nearby villages were covered by the men students, concluding the Seva for this year.
Bhagawan came for evening darshan at 4.30 pm. After a brief visit to the Bhajan Hall, He sat onstage and in fifteen minutes' time, the speeches of the day commenced. The first speaker was Sri Ajit Popat from the UK, who enthused the audience in his customary manner, narrating experiences of Grama Seva. The second speaker was Sri S V Giri, former Vice-Chancellor of the Sai University, who quoted the Bhajagovindam and other scriptural texts in his talk. Bhagawan then got up to deliver His Dasara message.
Swami noted the fact that Vijayadasami was the day on which the Shirdi body was given up. He materialized two gold coins He had given to Lakshmi Bai on that day, saying they stood for Truth and Righteousness. Exhorting all to never give up these two virtues, Bhagawan concluded His 40 minute Discourse with the Bhajan "Bhaja Govindam". The students then sang a few minutes of Bhajans before Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.40 pm.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
This morning, the Gujarat Chief Minister Sri Narendra Modi was among the congregation in the Poornachandra. Bhagawan came onstage at 10.45 am and accepted Arati from the priests. After a few minutes, He moved to the Sai Kulwant Hall and went into the interview room after a round of the Hall. At just before 11.30, He called Sri Modi for a ten minute audience before returning to His residence.
The evening programme was a clarinet concert by Pandit Narasimhulu. Bhagawan came onstage at 5.45 pm and the concert began after a few minutes. Swami Blessed the artiste with a chain and clothes, and left for His residence after Arati at 7 pm.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Four of Bhagawan's cars were arranged in front of the garage in the Mandir for Blessings this Ayudha Puja morning. Some more vehicles were parked in front of Yajur Mandir. Swami came to the Poornachandra stage while the Yagnam went on at 10.40 am. After the eldest pundit spoke to Him, Bhagawan accepted the Arati by the priests seated onstage. Then He returned to His residence while the congregation moved to Sai Kulwant Hall for the Puja function. At 11.20, Swami came in the chair to Sai Kulwant Hall, and moving straight to the garage on the Eastern end of the Mandir, Blessed all the vehicles (including the Golden Chariot) and drivers. Then He proceeded back to His residence via the verandah, speaking for a few minutes to an elder devotee on the way.
The evening session began with Bhagawan arriving at Sai Kulwant Hall at 4.45. After a few minutes of Vedam chanting with Swami seated onstage, the speeches of the day began. Sri V Srinivasan, All India President of Sai Organisations, introduced the first speaker, Smt. Anjali Devi, renowned Telugu thespian. She spoke from the heart in Telugu, narrating many of her experiences with Swami. The next speaker was Sri A Anantaraman, faculty at the Business School at Prasanthi Nilayam. He highlighted how Bhagawan's teaching of Right Action inspired him, as illustrated by an experience of his as CEO of a company in the United States. At the end of the speeches, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.20 pm.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan came to the Poornachandra stage from His residence just after ten o'clock. After sitting onstage for twenty minutes, He moved to the Sai Kulwant Hall, where He took a full darshan round and then moved to the interview room. A few minutes later, Swami came out and sat onstage for a while before returning to His residence.
Evening darshan was once again at 4.45. The speakers for the day were Sri B N Narasimhamurthy, Warden of Brindavan Hostel, and a Prasanthi Nilayam MBA student Sri Krishna Kumar. Bhagawan Blessed the student with a chain after his speech. Ten minutes of Bhajans followed, with Bhagawan accepting Arati and returning to His residence just before 6.30 pm.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
This morning at 10.30 am, Swami came directly from His residence to the Poornachandra stage while the Yagnam went on. Moving directly in His chair to the western end of the stage, Bhagawan accepted the ceremonial Arati from the priests and sat there for ten minutes while they stood and finished their chants. Then, the pundits sat around Swami and chanted Rudram in Ghanam style for a few minutes before Swami moved to the stage and then withdrew. From the Poornachandra, Swami moved to Sai Kulwant Hall, where the Primary School children were seated. Moving to the stage area, Swami sat there listening to the children chanting Vedam. The "Vedam boys" who do Parayanam in the eastern end of Poornachandra during the Yagnam noticed that Swami was moving to Sai Kulwant Hall, and they too arrived at their places in the Hall. After ten minutes of chanting, Swami asked the Vedam boys to go inside - into the Bhajan Hall. There, He asked them to perform Arati. Bhagawan then entered His car and returned to His residence at 11 am.
Swami came for evening darshan at 4.45 pm. Coming onstage and listening to the Vedam for a few minutes, He asked for the speeches to begin at five o'clock. After an introduction by Sri Sanjay Sahani, Principal of the Brindavan campus, a faculty member and a student from the Prasanthi Nilayam campus spoke. Sri Srinivasan Srirangarajan of the Business School spoke first, on Man's duty to offer back to God all the wonderful things bestowed on him. The student speaker, Sri Natesh Shankar Shetty of the II MSc (Chem) class, narrated many Sai experiences and ended by mentioning that today was his birthday -- Swami lovingly Blessed him with a ring! At 5.45, Swami asked for the Bhajans to commence. After fifteen minutes of spirited singing, Arati was offered and Bhagawan returned to His residence.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Yagnam was underway at the Poornachandra by seven in the morning. The students left for Grama seva also at seven, since they were to cover some villages which were a bit far from Prasanthi Nilayam, in Bukkapatnam mandal. Every day during the Grama Seva, approximately 25,000 people are given food, and 5,000 sarees and dhoties are distributed.
Bhagawan emerged from His residence at around 9.15 am, and made a round of Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair. After sitting onstage for a few minutes while the Vedam went on, Swami went into the interview room calling the Warden of the Anantapur Campus. A few minutes later, He sent word for the Vedam students to move to the Poornachandra. Ten minutes later, Swami also arrived on the Poornachandra stage. As Bhagawan sat onstage, the eldest pundit came up and prayed that He accept offerings from the chief priest and his wife. Swami acquiesced, and accordingly the "first couple" of the Yagnam came up to Swami, offered garlands and Arati. A few minutes later, at around 10.40 am, Bhagawan returned to His residence.
In the evening also, Swami came to Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair. After a round of the hall at 4.30 pm, He sat onstage while the Vedam chanting went on, calling up some students and interacting with them. One of them was Blessed with a chain, and another with a ring. At five o'clock, Bhagawan asked for Bhajans to begin. Once again, the students led the Bhajans as a group. At 5.10, Swami called up Prof Anil Kumar, the Bhajans stopped, and Prof Anil Kumar began speaking in Telugu. Narrating many experiences and reciting poems on Swami composed by illustrious Telugu pundits, Prof Anil Kumar held the audience spell-bound till 6 o'clock, when Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The seven-day Veda Purusha Sapthaha Jnana Yagna got underway at Prasanthi Nilayam this morning. The priests for the Yagna were seated in the Bhajan hall of the Mandir and Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall to Vedic chants at 9.15 am. He proceeded to the Bhajan hall and presented clothes to all the priests. The priests sat next to Bhagawan and chanted for a while, then moved to the Poornachandra in procession preceded by Nadaswaram. In ten minutes' time, Swami asked the students also to move to the Poornachandra, and ten minutes later still, Swami arrived onstage there - it was just past ten o'clock. The priests brought up for Bhagawan's benediction the ceremonial material used to create the fire for the Yagna, and in a matter of minutes, held up the fire created by the rubbing of two pieces of Arani wood.
The Yagnam then proceeded with Swami seated onstage. You can see detailed reports of the Yagnam in earlier issues of Prasanthi Diary. At 10.30, the students moved out and proceeded for Grama Seva: today's Seva was in Puttaparthi village. A few minutes past eleven, Bhagawan moved backstage, and half an hour later returned to His residence.
The evening session had speeches as is customary during the Yagnam. Bhagawan arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall at 5.20 pm, and moved to the stage after His darshan round in the car. The two speakers of the evening were introduced by the Vice-Chancellor Sri Gokak. Prof G. Venkataraman, former Vice-Chancellor of the Sai University, spoke first for twenty minutes on the symbolic meaning of the annihilation of Mahishasura. The Professor of Telugu at Prasanthi Nilayam campus, Sri Veerabhadraiah, was the next speaker. He narrated many Sai experiences in Telugu till Bhajans began at 6.30 pm. The bhajans were again "group bhajans": Swami had told the bhajan group yesterday that He approved of their group bhajan singing. After ten minutes of Bhajans, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
The students and teachers left for Grama Seva this morning at 8.30 am as Bhagawan had instructed yesterday, circumambulating the Mandir with Vedic chants and Bhajans. Bhagawan emerged from His residence only later, coming to Sai Kulwant Hall after the 9 o'clock Bhajans began, and returning after Arati at 9.35.
In the evening, Swami arrived after the Bhajans began and went into the Bhajan Hall after a round of Sai Kulwant Hall in the car. A few minutes later, He moved to the interview room, and from there down the upper verandah and then towards the ladies' side along the verandah. From there, He took a full round of Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair and moved back to the Bhajan Hall after Blessing the "Birthday Boys". There, He once again asked the singers to sing group bhajans -- so from 5.45 to 6.10 they all sang together with gusto, until Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence in the light of the Sai Kulwant chandeliers.
Friday, October 12, 2007
This evening, the Sai Kulwant Hall wore a festive look -- the Dasara festivities were officially getting underway. Bhagawan emerged from His residence as the Bhajans went on, a few minutes before 5.30 pm. After a round of Sai Kulwant Hall in the car, He moved to the Bhajan Hall, where He Blessed the Kalasa for the Navarathri worship and then moved to the interview room. Before Bhagawan arrived in the Bhajan Hall, He had sent word that the students should sing group bhajans, so the singers were all singing together when Swami arrived. From the interview room, at 5.45, He sent word that they should sing group songs instead of Bhajans. So the group songs followed, one after the other in quick succession till 6.45, when Swami came to the Bhajan Hall and accepted Arati. Then, He continued to sit in the Bhajan Hall and conveyed some instructions to the Vice-Chancellor, the Warden and others about the nine-day Grama Seva (Village Service) which is to begin tomorrow. After completing His interaction, Bhagawan left for His residence at 7.10 pm.
The students and teachers of the Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan campuses then met at the college auditorium, where Bhagawan's instructions were passed on to the students. Swami had specifically asked the students to sing in groups and to chant "Om Sat-Chit-Anandaya Namaha" while doing the Seva, making the villages reverberate with Divine Love. Caps and T-shirts were distributed to the students and teachers for wearing during the Seva.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Thousands of youth from Kerala with orange scarves are here since yesterday, for their Parthi Yatra. This evening, they were ready with a music programme followed by Bhajans. Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall at a quarter to five and went into the interview room after His darshan round in the car. At 5.10, He came to the stage, and as the Vedam went on, moved down in His chair to where the students were sitting and took a full round of the gents' side in the chair, talking to a few, accepting letters from many. When He again reached the front of the Hall, He spoke to one of the Kerala Youth singers, and Blessed him with a chain. At 5.35, He asked them to start Bhajans and sat onstage till He accepted Arati at 6.10 pm.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Bhagawan's Dasara bonanza began this evening. After emerging from His residence a few minutes after four o'clock, Swami came directly to the verandah in the car cutting across the ladies' side of the Sai Kulwant Hall, and almost immediately proceeded in His chair for saree distribution. For more than forty minutes, Bhagawan moved all over the ladies' side in His chair, Blessing hand-picked devotees, handing them the sarees and granting padanamaskar, going into the interview room just five minutes before the Bhajans began. Then, He came into the Bhajan Hall and as the Bhajans went on, moved down the central aisle giving more sarees to the ladies there. Next was the turn of some students - He called them up and gave them sarees for their mothers! The giving session concluded with Arati at 5.30 pm.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Yesterday and today, prasadam was distributed to all in Sai Kulwant Hall after Bhagawan went around in the evening. Swami had made a second darshan round in the chair after coming from His residence at around 4.15 pm yesterday. This evening, He emerged from His residence while the Bhajans went on, and first moved towards some senior students who were waiting near Yajur Mandir with marble idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. These statues were from the rear store-rooms of the Mandir Bhajan Hall which had been recently cleaned by the students. Bhagawan had instructed that the idols be installed at the Hostel. He Blessed the idols and had a group photograph with the students before moving to Sai Kulwant Hall. Once He reached the stage area after a full round in the car, He moved in His chair down to where the Primary School children were seated, and later moved towards the ladies' side. It was 5.45 pm when He moved to the Bhajan Hall, accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
For the last few days, Bhagawan has been coming to the Sai Kulwant Hall after the evening Bhajans begin. This evening, He accepted Arati at six o'clock. Then, Prof Anil Kumar was asked to announce that today, all could see the Vishwa Viraat Roopa - Cosmic Form - towards the airport till 7 pm. Bhagawan then moved towards His residence. Half of Prasanthi Nilayam made a beeline for the airport, and at 6.15, Bhagawan also emerged from His residence and proceeded to the airport. There, Swami's car was surrounded by devotees and had difficulty moving around - Swami could not come out of the car completely due to the crush of the crowd. After around 45 minutes at the airport, Swami started back to His residence, the car making it's way very slowly through the road which was clogged with people and vehicles.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The Gujarat Youth were ready with a cultural programme this evening. The proceedings got underway at 4.45 pm with Bhagawan coming onstage after His darshan round. Bhagawan Blessed various items brought up to Him by the Youth. A brief announcement followed, which mentioned the added significance of today being Gandhi Jayanthi. A welcome song preceded the 20 minute drama presented by the Youth, on how Faith is more to be valued than a dogmatic interpretation of Science.
Bhagawan Blessed the two main protagonists of the drama with a chain and a ring as the ending song went on. He then came down from the stage and granted group photographs for the participants. He asked them to sing Bhajans, and as Bhajans went on, He distributed clothes to the participants. It was 6.15 when He accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Monday, October 1, 2007
The last few days have been quiet at Prasanthi Nilayam. The Governor of Karnataka had come yesterday and had an audience with Bhagawan in the evening. This evening, Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall only after the Bhajans commenced. After a round of the Hall, He sat onstage as the Bhajans went on, for nearly half an hour. Then, He moved in His chair down the verandah and around the Kulwant Hall, enthusing the Gujarat Youth who are here on their Parthi Yatra. Swami entered the Bhajan Hall through the rear door and moved up the aisle, going into the interview room and returning to the Bhajan Hall to accept Arati after six o'clock.
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