Thursday, December 29, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/29


To us students who have been in Swami's school, the single, foremost experience He confers on us is that of His unbounded, all-embracing Love.

We have completed our XI and XII standard at the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. Swami, knowing that this was to be our first venture away from home, called us for an interview before we joined the school. He said, "I know you have a lot of attachment for your mother, but she is only your physical mother; I am your real Mother; I will look after you". And there was not a moment when He didn't.

There have been so many instances wherein Swami has blessed His students and taken away their illnesses. At sports time, (in our XI standard) one of us fell sick with a terrible attack of asthma. This was the time when she most desired the care and affection of our bodily mother to get better. The school doctor had given her some homeopathic medicine, besides the other allopathic medicines that she was taking. But they were of no avail. The asthma persisted and it was getting worse. Our Principal spared no efforts to make her comfortable. She even shifted her from our dormitory to the Principal's room. Our father informed Swami about her illness. At the next darshan, as Swami approached the Principal, He asked, "Where is that girl? How is she? "She stood up and with a half-choked voice told Swami, I can't breathe, Swami." (Now we must mention that owing to some smoke in the atmosphere she felt that her asthma had been aggravated. But Sw ami smiled and very lovingly and turned it into a joke. He said, "A lot of breeze comes into the dormitory, not smoke. Smoking only your husband does." (much laughter) They all knew she was unmarried. Thus the Divine Mother consoled and cajoled her and allowed her to take padanamaskar! That did it! The asthma disappeared!

One day as she was tidying her shelf in our dormitory, she found yet another sign of His infinite Love. She had taken the homeopathic medicine and had left the empty paper folded in a corner of the shelf. Some days later she unfolded the paper and lo and behold, it was full of Vibhuti.

During our XII standard, at the time of Akhanda Bhajan both of us fell sick with the same problem of asthma. Once again, where medicine did not work, Swami sent us twelve packets of Vibhuti. A few days later, when we were better and sitting for darshan, He came straight to us and enquired, "How are you?" We replied, "Better, Swami." He materialised Vibhuti and gave it to us. Once again the Divine Doctor had cured us.

It is our experience that Sai, our Mother pays attention and fulfills our smallest need. For instance, when we were in the XII standard, a friend's Physics record had been misplaced by Ushaina. She was very much upset and searched everywhere. She checked her friend's desk too, it was nowhere to be found. She prayed sincerely to Swami and after a few minute, the book just appeared on her friend's desk. Another similar incident occurred in our XII std. We were watching a film in the Poornachandra Auditorium. We had to shift places for some reason and Ushaina found to her dismay that in the dark she misplaced her Chemistry text book. After a thorough search she gave up and prayed to Swami. Within a few days the book appeared on the top of a pile of books in our school prayer hall! Now, who do you think put it there? In a recent discourse Bhagawan said, "Do not beg from others, instead of that, beg from God. He will give what is essential for you.&qu ot;

When the Final Board Examinations were nearing, Our Headmistress remarked as to how healthy we were. It is true we were off all medicines and without the slightest trace of asthma. Our Divine Mother knows what is best for Her children and accordingly takes care of us.

Owing to the pressure of our studies we used to get up early in the morning and we had an alarm clock ring. Invariably the alarm would go off awakening a number of friends, but tired, sound sleepers as we were, we would miss the alarm only to wake up later 'in alarm'! Realising this we thought better and decided to rely on the Divine Alarm within us. On the eve of our Biology Board Examination, as we still had to revise seven chapters, we prayed to Swami to wake us up at the appropriate time. Indeed the Divine voice woke us up at 2:30 a.m. sharp.

In December 1987, Swami instructed our parents to have us initiated into the Zoroastrian Navjote Ceremony and to come for blessings thereafter. We were invested with the sacred Kusti, which is like the Yajnopavitam. Thereafter we came to Prasanthi Nilayam. Beyond our wildest expectations the Mother of the Vedas initiated us into the Gayatri Mantra. It was the1st of January, 1988, and Swami told us, "This is My New Year's Gift." Then the Divine Mother proceeded to materialise a gigantic laddoo (6" in diameter), which was broken and distributed to all the devotees present there as New Year prasad. How kind and loving the Lord was that day! This Gayatri Mantra has been our guide and support ever since our initiation. Whenever there have been any doubts or problems we have been able to solve them with the help of the Mantra. For instance, in our Biology Board Examination, after chanting the Mantra, we were able to pinpoint two specific pigm ents, which had eluded us.

We experienced the real meaning of selfless service from the Warden, Headmistress and our teachers. We admire them greatly and take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the staff. The teachers took great pains to prepare the students in their subjects and were ever willing to solve doubts. Students studying for their Board Examinations would be given 'Night Food' to reinforce their energies.

There was nothing they would not do to help the students. When we were ill and missed our home environment, it was the Warden and Headmistress who took full maternal care of us. We have never experienced such a variety of excellent food as in the school. The best 'sambar' we have ever tasted has been at the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School!

Every Thursday and Sunday, Swami as the Divine Mother (knowing the pangs of hunger creeping up on us children who had breakfasted very early in the morning) would distribute sweets to His children. Lovingly enquiring if every student had received a sweet, He would sometimes tell the little boys to eat their sweets quickly for they would be safe in their stomachs.

Experiencing Swami's Darshans, His loving glances, consoling words and listening to His nectarine discourses have anchored us firmly in the ideal way of life to be good, see good and do good. That is the way we have to earn a good name for our parents and Swami's Institute.

Swami is truly love personified forever giving and forgiving. How fortunate are we a handful of students chosen by the Lord from among thousands and thousands of children yearning to study at His Lotus Feet! To have basked in His Love and Grace is indeed our greatest good fortune.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

CHRISTMAS 2011


The Christmas spirit of Joy, Peace and Love was celebrated in our NED centre on 25 December 2011, at 10.00am.  More than 100 adults and children were present to sing songs of praise, hymns and bhajans.  

After arathi, Santa Claus brought his bag of goodies and distributed presents to every happy child and adult, as the melodious caroling was being sung by our group of carolers.

Vegetarian lunch was served to end the joyous occasion.

HAPPY SAI CHRISTMAS!!


(Click below for more pictures :

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/28


Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba came into our lives during the latter half of 1978 when we were transferred to Raub, Pahang, Malaysia. Prior to that, although hailing from a Hindu religious family, much controversy and corruption of religious ethics, coupled with fanaticism of a certain ideology, shattered whatever belief and devotion I had for Hinduism.

Light came after a short period of darkness when in Raub we were 'introduced' to Bhagawan in His own way. Love sprouted spontaneously for Bhagawan and my family was put in the right direction and devotion. Things began to fall in the right perspective and our lives have become smooth and peaceful under the guidance of the Divine Guru.

Bhagawan's miracles were many and amongst others the latest is when Bhagawan became a surgeon to correct a bone deformity of my youngest child, Roshan.

Roshan, a boy of 8 years, is the youngest of my three children. This boy was born with a bowing deformity on both legs, but more pronounced in the left. It never struck us that the boy, who was walking by throwing his left foot across the right in the form of a 'T", needed treatment until one day on 7.10.81 he was referred to the Orthopaedic Consultant in the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. The consultant, who was from India, on examining the boy opined that he was having a rare bone deformity which can only be corrected by surgery. The consultant fixed an operation date, but on our plea, he arranged for a second X-ray. He had a good look at a set of X-ray pictures taken prior to seeing him.

With heavy hearts we returned home thinking to ourselves the pain and agony the child would be undergoing if surgery was to be performed. We were more worried about the outcome of it. What would happen if something were to go wrong? Thoughts of the consultant's words that the leg bones have to be "reset" sent cold waves down our spines. We prayed to Bhagawan for help.

My wife, who easily breaks down due to motherly affection, was expressing her sorrow and simultaneously endeavouring to conceal it. As the father, I was trying to put up a bold front. However, both of us had one common stand. Leave it to Bhagawan and apply His BLESSED VIBHUTI on both his legs before he goes to bed. My wife did it continuously for three days.

On the fourth day, as usual, the boy was having tuition from his mother at home. Suddenly he complained of severe twisting pains in both his legs, but more pronounced in the left. The pain, according to him, was felt right up to his hips. The mother doubted the words of the boy, as he was known for his tricks to avoid his lessons. He would seize the slightest pretext to run away. But continuous pain inhibited the boy from learning further and he went to bed in tears. The whole matter was left at that stage and I was not made known of it either.

The next day, when I was having my lunch, my son happened to pass by and something caught my eyes. It appeared that there was some change in the style of his walking. Without making him aware, I asked him to walk to a certain point in the house and what did I see? The boy walked perfectly normally. There was not the 'T' formation when he walked. I called my wife and, even without informing her about my experience, requested her to observe the walk. We could not believe our eyes. We asked the boy to run a short distance on the road opposite our house. It was done. The Divine Surgeon, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, had done it. What shall we say? How shall we express ourselves over this MIRACLE?

On 9.12.81, we had an appointment with Dato Dr. Sivanantham, Head of the Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, as the previous consultant had returned to India. We went into the doctor's room loaded with a fresh set of X-rays taken on that very day. We informed the doctor, that we are Sai Baba devotees and told him of Baba's miracle that had taken place. We requested his professional opinion even though we needed no further proof. The X-rays were seen, the boy's legs were thoroughly examined and a brief silence preceded before the doctor commented that the legs were perfect. In his own words 'I wish the doctor (from India) was here to witness this'. We requested Dr. Sivanantham for a statement of his professional findings, which he kindly consented to give. I reproduce below, with his permission, the report he gave to us.

'Roshan, an eight years old Indian male, was seen in the Orthopaedic Clinic on 2.9.81 with a complaint of bowing deformity of his left leg since the time of his birth. He is handicapped by this deformity in his games in school and was shunned by his classmates as he could not run fast. He was seen on the 7th October 1981 by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in my Institute who confirmed that the boy had a medial torsion deformity of both tibiae (leg bones) more pronounced on the left than on the right. Patient was advised to undergo surgical treatment but the parents wanted time to think over it before giving the consent for surgery.

'Patient was seen again by me on the 9th of December 1981, and to my surprise I was not able to detect any deformity in both the legs. X-rays of the legs done on 9.12.81 did not show any deformity in the bones.

'It is a well-known fact that deformity in children can get corrected spontaneously but this process takes many years. In this particular case the deformity has corrected itself within two months. According to the parents the boy complained of twisting pain in the legs for a few days and suddenly one fine morning they noticed him to be walking and running normally without any deformity in the legs. I cannot explain it in any other way except by saying that this is a miracle that is to be seen to be believed'.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/27


As I sit alone in a rather pensive mood, attempting a mental resume of my student life at His Lotus Feet, the thought overawes me that, in fact, seven precious summers have passed since I entered the portals of this paradise. It is unbelievable... for was it not only yesterday that I joined Bhagawan's college? Verily one forgets to keep track of time when one is living with Eternity Itself.

The thought gives me joy with a tinge of sorrow, for when I try to peep into the inner recesses of my heart to find the glow of His Love, I at once discover that He has been unfailing in His bountiful love for me. Inspite of knowing that He is the way and the goal for all of us without Whom our lives would not bear any meaning or taste, we fail to understand His Love.

On a number of occasions, He has reminded us to realise the DIVINITY in Him and not to be deluded by external appearances. Through parables and examples, jokes and stories He has been constantly trying to drive home that TRUTH in all of us.

One such golden moment came in my life on a bright morning. The Day was the 7th of November 1984. All of us were eagerly awaiting Swami's Darshan. As He came out, He picked up four boys and I was one of the fortunate four. Swami directed us to go to the anteroom in the Mandir apparently to clean and tidy up the room.

After going round the devotees and granting them the much-coveted darshan, Swami came straight into the room, where we were engaged in cleaning the place. We all stood in front of Him with folded hands. Swami in His characteristic and Divine way proceeded to grant us one of the rarest moments of our lives.

Swami pointed to a deerskin which was rolled and kept on a rack, and addressed one of the boys, "Take this deer skin to the Himalayas and do Tapasya there?" For a moment the boy was nonplussed. "Did He really mean it? Is Swami telling seriously or is it meant to be a pleasant joke?" There was silence for a few seconds, while Swami waited for an answer from us. Swami looked at me and asked, "Is it good to do Tapasya in the Himalayas?" I promptly said, "Yes Swami." But this answer did not satisfy Him. He Himself said, "Do you not realise that the RESULT of all Tapasya is Here?" and pointed at Himself.

He thus gave us a glimpse of His Divinity and showed that there is no need to do Tapasya in the Himalayas when the object of all such endeavours was right in front of us in flesh and blood. He continued, "Whenever I give darshan to those who are engaged in penance in the Himalayas, even for a few seconds, they feel extremely blissful for having attained that Vision Of God. And they regard it as a great experience. But you all are having My darshan every morning and evening, yet, you never realise the value of it."

He gave further a beautiful illustration. "Whenever people desire to see an elephant they go to the forest. And by chance, if they see even the tail of an elephant whose body might have been hidden among the bushes and shrubs, they feel immense joy at having seen an elephant. In your case, there is an elephant (Sai Geeta) in front of your hostel. But you do not pine to see her, because she is a familiar sight."

We must realise the value of His Divine Darshan from these examples. Since we are blessed with the opportunity to be near Him, we should make the best use of each and every moment of our life here. Sometimes, we may be confused by delusion and despair. In those weak moments, we must pray to Swami for His benign grace so that we may always feel His presence within us.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/26


Commenting on Avatars, Swami Prabhavananda of the Ramakrishna Order tells us that Their validity is very often revealed by that unique power of transmitting spirituality and transforming men's lives by touch, look or wish.

It was the third day of the Dasara Festival 1979. I was among the thousands who thronged into the Poornachandra Auditorium to have that much sought Darshan. My Lord was walking along the aisle when I lifted up some letters to HIM. Those life filled eyes fell on me and the hand that was stretched out to receive the letters came into contact with my right forefinger. The experience began and my Master moved on. A deep stillness permeated and penetrated my whole being and for a moment I felt that I was alone in that huge auditorium. A few seconds of unawareness followed, and on my return to reality, I became aware of my inability to speak. The stillness within persisted, and I began to experience what I think has been referred to as the peace that passeth all understanding. In this state of bliss I lived within the depths of silence for five days. Bhagawan brought me to the realisation that "Only in Absolute Stillness can you know Me as I Really Am, and then, but as a feeling and as a faith."

Everyone who sits in the Darshan line, longs for a look, a word or touch from the Master and a few days after Dasara I was blessed with a very tender and meaningful experience. Sitting in the line for morning Darshan I summed up the courage to speak to Bhagawan as HE approached. Those love filled eyes met mine, and as I spoke, HIS giving hand reached out for my half stretched one. The contact was made, and from the hand of the Divine was materialized a large crystal type sweet. The Lord moved on and, as I clutched the sweet, the effect of that mother like touch began to manifest itself. I sunk again for about half-an-hour into a great silence and I was made aware of the truth that "this 'Mother Sai' has the love of a thousand mother."

Years before the first meeting with my Master, I had prayed. "O Heavenly Father! If Thou art incarnated on earth, draw me to Thee and lift me to a consciousness of oneness with Thee." Those were Bhagawan's mode of revealing to me that HE was indeed the Heavenly Father to whom I prayed to be drawn, and Who was fulfilling my prayer for a spiritually uplifted consciousness.

It is for us to understand the immense sacrifice the Godhead has made by incarnating as our Beloved Bhagawan. This form HE has assumed for lifting the consciousness of man from sensuality to spirituality, and if hearts are open and receptive, all can be touched and lifted.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/25


During the months of May - June, Bhagawan usually arranges 'summer courses' for students at Whitefield, when more than 1,000 students from all parts of India and many countries all over the globe are given a golden opportunity to hear learned lectures and His Divine Discourses. During one of those summer courses, I was graciously permitted by Bhagawan to render my humble services as a doctor, looking after the health of the male students there.

From Orissa, two students who are twins, were attending the summer course. One of the twins, the younger one, started running high temperature. In the mornings his temperature used to reach 106 F and in the evenings, peculiarly his temperature used to dome down by just one degree to 105 F, and the whole night that temperature was being maintained. All the necessary medication was given to him to bring down the temperature, but all our drugs did not touch him at all, and the fever continued unabated. All the antibiotics and antipyretics we saturated him with were absolutely futile. On the fourth day of his fever, his twin brother also started running exactly similar and peculiarly high temperature, He also did not respond to the treatment given. Along with me, there were other doctors, and we put our brains together but were all equally perplexed, puzzled and disturbed. We discussed the various possible causes for the peculiar high temperature and concluded that it must be some viral infection or E. Coli infection. For eight days the morning temperature was 106 and evening temperature was 105.

We then appealed to Bhagawan requesting Him to send those two to a hospital for investigations to clinch the diagnosis. That evening Baba came to see those students and He smilingly joked saying: "What kind of doctors are you? All your brains put together could not reduce the temperature even by one degree all these 8 days? What is your diagnosis and what treatment are you giving them?" I enumerated in detail to Baba the treatment we were giving and the diagnosis. Baba said: "Treat them for typhoid; they will be all right." So saying, Baba materialised some Vibhuti, put it in their mouth and went away.

All of us were extremely puzzled at Baba's words, since those patients did not show even a single symptom of typhoid. We had ruled out the possibility of typhoid from the very beginning of the treatment; and we did not ask for a widal test even. We thought, "How can Baba call their fever as typhoid, even without a single symptom? After all, He is not a doctor." But, most unwillingly and half-heartedly, we started treating them for typhoid, just to obey Baba.

Believe me when I say that by the second day after following the advice given by Baba, the fever started coming down; it touched normal by the evening of the second day, and remained normal thereafter. We were dumbfounded; we could not believe our eyes nor our medical knowledge. We knew that those two students were suffering from anything but typhoid. But Bhagawan is capable of changing any fever into any other fever and also cure that disease. Baba is the Doctor of doctors—the Divine Doctor.

Another student, during the same summer course, had an attack of Herpes Zoster, an exceedingly painful viral infection, with vesicles forming in the path of a peripheral nerve. He could not get a wink of sleep for five days and nights. We saturated him with sedatives, tranquillisers etc., but to no avail. So I appealed to the Divine Doctor for help. Next evening Baba came to see that student and, with a sweet smile, jokingly said: "What kind of doctors are you who could not get him sleep for 5 days? What happened to ail your medicines?" So saying, Baba materialised Vibhuti and put it in the patient's mouth and went away. Exactly two minutes after Baba left that student went to sleep and he slept like a log the whole night. Next morning he got up and said that his pain was considerably less. Can medical science or any science give adequate explanation for the above phenomena? Will scientists ever realise that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is b eyond the comprehension of medical or any other science?