Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 2/92


Upon conclusion of the Divine Discourse on July 27, 2002, on the auspicious Guru Purnima occasion, one of the devotees had posed a question to Bhagawan as to when the swelling on His face would go down. For several weeks preceding Guru Purnima, Bhagawan had developed a large area of swelling on His right cheek. It had subsided substantially by Guru Purnima but was still evident. Read on Bhagawan’s answer that throws light onto His extreme ways of granting happiness to devotees at the cost of physical discomfort.

Bhagawan: It will go down tomorrow. Diseases like smallpox, chickenpox, and typhoid run their usual course of time. Similarly, even this glandular swelling lasts for 21 days. No medicine would help it. Diet has to be controlled and observed carefully.

After 21 days, it subsides spontaneously. Today is 19th day, and by day after tomorrow it should be gone. Today being the 19th day, it has already decreased and there is not much swelling.

By taking the illness on myself from that other person, I gave comfort to him. Even so, bearing the ailment patiently, I do not waste any time. How many discourses am I giving and how much work am I doing? The swelling started near the joint of the right cheek. It was difficult even to talk and drink water.

When the International Seva Conference started, the All-India President, Mr. Srinivasan, requested Swami to give a discourse. When I tried, I could not even speak. Then I felt, what is the use if I can't give happiness to all these people? Then I willed that the swelling move from the joint to a forward point. I do not cure myself, because then it becomes selfish. There is no selfishness in Me. On the 13th day, I shifted the swelling. That day the pain was unbearable and excruciating.

I preach to everybody to get rid of body attachment and develop attachment to the Atma (true Self). So I had to show by example not to have body attachment and to ignore the terrible pain. That's how I could do so much work and give this many discourses. I do not take any holidays like you—no Sundays or any other holidays, only holy days for Swami. I do not pay much attention to the ailment as it comes and goes. Still two more days are remaining. Day after tomorrow, it will be normal.

You may not be aware that the swelling was the size of a ripe orange. No one should feel sad that Swami has taken on this illness. These things come and go. Who invited them and who bids them farewell? They come and go. But you have to control your thoughts. If you pay too much attention to the illness, it will cause you more pain.

A child was suffering, and the principal of the school sent a telegram to the child's parents. The parents took the child to the doctor, but the doctor said there was no cure; the child had to undergo the suffering. The child was crying all the time, without eating or drinking. I went by car to the school and called the child along with the parents into a room. I asked the boy, "What do you want?" He wanted the pain to be removed. I said, "I will remove the pain; you tell me what food you would like." He wanted biscuits, as he had not eaten for three days. I materialized the biscuits, fed him, blessed him, and told him to go to his classroom at the school.

The parents were concerned and wanted to take the child home. But I told the child to stay at school. Then he returned to the classroom and had no pain. That's how I took his illness upon myself.
All Avatars Take On Illnesses

I do many things like this. Once I took upon myself the paralysis of a devotee. There was a devotee called Krishnappa, a flower vendor in Bangalore. He suffered from paralysis and had to support a large family, so I took his paralysis upon Myself. Even though I take these things on Myself, I don't cure Myself. If I cure Myself, it becomes selfish.

Then, in Nainital, there was a mother of three children who lost her husband. She was working as a clerk, and there was no one to support her. She was grieving the demise of her husband, and she used to work day and night to support the family.

While going to the office, she suffered a heart attack. I was in Bangalore when this happened in Nainital. I said, "Laxmi, do not fear." At that time, I left my body, and the students who were with me were worried. Then I came back and told them not to worry, but to take me upstairs. Thus I took upon myself the heart attack, and she became well and the children were happy.

The second day, I sent her a telegram, asking her to come to Brindavan. She came, along with her children. I called them privately and told them not to worry and to go back to work. I took upon Myself the illness for nine days and could not move. I suffered and then got better.

Sometimes I have to take on these illnesses. This happens to all Avatars. It happened to the Shirdi Avatar and the Krishna Avatar. Though all these are not recorded, all incarnations have taken over the sufferings of devotees. God does His duty, whether it is recorded or not. I am ready to take on the sufferings of anyone, when they cannot bear it. I am ready, ready, and ever-ready for this.

These incidents are not obstacles in the way of God. Everything will go on as usual. As you have seen, during the last fifteen days I attended all the functions; I had to do lots of work and gave many discourses. Doctors came and advised me to take rest. I don't want or need any rest. It is a mistake to think that I will become healthy by taking rest. Doing work while undergoing suffering is my rest."

Monday, April 18, 2011

GLOBAL PRAYERS FOR BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA


A special prayer session was held on Sunday, 17 April 2011, from 7.00pm - 11.00pm.  This was in conjunction with the Global Prayers for Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.  Most Sai centers in Malaysia were also doing the same simultaneously as suggested by Bro Dr Suresh Govind, our President.

The prayers conducted at NED began with Veda chanting, Medicine Buddha mantra x 108, Gayatri mantra x 108, Om Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Babaaya Namah x 108, Ganesha Gayatri x 9, Amman mantra x 9.  This was followed with two hours of beautiful bhajans sung by our brothers and sisters.  Before Arathi, we also chanted Sarva Dharma prayer, Universal Vedic prayer x 3 and Bhagawan's Eternal mantra x 5.

A surprise visit by Bro Billy Fong, the VP of Sai Chinese Affairs, Malaysia, brought joy to our members.  He was accompanied by Bro Langkawi Tan, the chairman of SSBC Glugor, Penang.  Bro Billy was also invited to give a short talk to our members.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 2/91


I do not need any riches; for, why should I?
A carefree mind is enough, O Father,
That is a Million for me!

I shall not yearn for Fortune; for, why should I?
A smile-lit face is enough, O Father,
That is a Million for me!

I shall not pine and want: for, why should I?
A glance from Thy Eye is enough, O Father,
That is a Million for me!

I shall not crave for Wealth; for, why should I?
The joy of being Thine is enough, O Father,
That is a Million for me!

Enough for me these things I have,
Whatever Thou hast gifted now;
Why think of getting more?

I’ll have them when Thou wishest;
Enough for me Thy un-diminishing Grace
Which falls on all whom Thou hast blessed,

With the words: “This one is Mine.”

Video : For Your Sake Only

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Ramnavami 2011


It was a blissful Ramnavami celebration on 12 April 2011, at 8.00pm, with prayers and bhajans.  Swami's message extracted from His Divine Discourse given on 14 April 1979 was read to commemorate the occasion.  Refreshments was served after arathi.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 2/90


At noon the next day, I accompanied Baba on a circuitous journey to Goa. The three cars moved towards Jog Falls. As usual, while leaving Brindavan, devotees lined up on both sides of the road, anxious to get a glimpse of Baba and to see the Hand waving to them.

It was a Fiat 1500 in which Baba, Mr. N.D.M. Appah, Chairman, Mysore State Electricity Board, and myself were travelling. The road was stony and rough, so the drive was full of jerks and bumps – this caused Baba to reprimand the driver for not being circumspect enough. "You do not know how much pain I get in the abdomen when it bumps," He said. We wondered why Baba who withstood worse roads better, was insisting on slow driving that day…
When the cars reached Goa, it was night. The stars came forth; they came with us, every yard of the road, keeping pace. When the border of Goa was reached, the Lt. Governor of Goa, Sri Nakul Sen, received Baba and let us into a rest house, where china gleamed in the shelves by the wall and geraniums glistened on the window sills. We had coffee; from then on Baba sat in the State car, with the head of the state.

Hurrying around the rambling roads, towards Panaji (the capital of Goa), the cars finally arrived at Raj Nivas, the Palace of the Governors-General of the "Portuguese Possessions in India and the Far East" for many centuries, but now, the official residence of the Lt. Governor. The time was 9.15 p.m. We had motored 385 miles, since morning, over good and bad roads, but Baba as fresh as a lily when He hastened up the red-carpeted flight of steps to the flower-decked apartments, set aside for His stay. Very soon, Baba presided over the dining table to which we were led by the Lt. Governor. He watched with amusement the contingent of waiters, and the beautiful chinaware, which the Portuguese had brought from Macao.

Though Mrs. Sen made bold to remind Him of His duty to Himself, He did not eat anything. He appeared to be anxious to send everyone to bed. "Go, go! You are all very much exhausted," He insisted. I protested that travelling with Him can never exhaust anyone, but He repeated that I was really in immediate need of rest. When we rose Mrs. Sen was informed by Baba that coffee be made ready for Him only at 8 a.m. the next day! She knew that at Prasanthi Nilayam, He had His coffee at around 6 a.m., but despite appeals for revising the order, Baba gave instructions that it was to be brought only at 8 o' clock.

Baba was alone in the suite reserved for Him. Nakul Sen pleaded for permission to be within call, but Baba sent Him away to his own room. We from Bangalore were in rooms on the ground floor.

About what occurred that night, Baba wrote later to Dr. S. Bhagavantam, in a letter I carried to him on the 12th December, "On the night of the 7th, strange events happened. I could not lie in bed, I could not sit upon it, nor turn, from one side to another. Nor could I speak or call. I did not like to cause anxiety or trouble to anyone. So I kept silent, pretending that all was well with Me"!

Next morning when the Sens grew aware of the truth it became clear, why He had abstained from dinner, and postponed the coffee hour, wanting only to hurry away to bed! I too began to understand why He had come away from Dharwar, and why He had taken the driver to task. Obviously, He had been 'ill' when He started out from Dharwar!

Mrs. Sen felt that Raj Nivas was an 'unlucky' place since He had fallen 'ill' there, but Baba immediately corrected her. "No, it is a house of good luck! I brought the 'illness' with Me to Cabo, so that I could get rid of it here".

By daybreak on the 8th, Baba appeared to be in great pain and Nakul Sen called in doctors from the Medical College at Goa, and some leading physicians of the City. Soon an imposing medical team surrounded the sick bed; their report read as follows, "history of pain in right lower quadrant of the abdomen since 3 p.m. on the 7th December.