Prashanti Diary
A chronicle of Heaven on Earth

On Sunday, July 25, 2004, the High School boys celebrated their Hostel Anniversary Day by putting up a play entitled, “Sai Prem”. The boys had a couple of days earlier shown Swami a handcrafted model of their Hostel Building and had obtained His permission to stage a play in His Divine presence on Sunday.

“Sai Prem”, a drama in 4 parts, drew upon real life stories of how Swami had made a difference in the lives of the students. He had either helped them at critical moments in their lives or had transformed them irrevocably and put them on the God-ward path putting their wayward ways behind them. They also dramatized one of Swami’s “Chinna Katha”. The story, ‘The Winning Smile’, depicts the story of how Krishna won over a demon easily by His smile and played with the it(who had actually come to attack the camp) when it was His turn to guard his companions in a dense forest. The other companions who had guarded the camp in turn earlier, however, had to fight hard to fend the demon off; thus demonstrating that love conquers all, under all circumstances. The drama had soul touching songs and also a lively “bhangra dance” that kept the audience engrossed and engaged.

On 27th July Swami stood in the front of the verandah and talked to many students and accepted their letters. He then blessed 2 student speakers. The students spoke movingly and feelingly about their love for Swami and their gratitude for all that He has done for them. Following this, Swami asked Sri T. Ravikumar, a lecturer from the Brindavan campus to speak to the audience. Sri Ravikumar, just a few moments earlier, had his new pair of glasses blessed by Bhagavan. Speaking before the crowd, he explained how twice his eyes had been burned by acid falling in them during the course of his Ph.D. work. Not only his eyesight but both his eyes had been destroyed on both occasions. Swami, out of His love, had restored his eyes both times!

On July 28th, Swami’s benevolence was manifest, once again, when He had two brand new violins brought and handed them over to the Music College and Institute boys. With child-like enthusiasm He had the violins taken out of their cases and personally inspected both before handing them over to the surprised but elated students. It did not stop there. He had the students immediately play a song for Him with their brand new violins; waiting while the brand-new violins were being tuned and waxed and then listening with rapt attention while the students serenaded Him with a couple of songs. He then blessed three student speakers; two from the college (one of whom spoke in Telugu) and the other from the High School. All of them recounted absorbing stories either from Swami’s life or from their personal experiences with Him to enthrall the crowd. This was followed by Sri Anil Kumar, always a great crowd favorite, who reiterated and reemphasized the points the students had made and also added a few experiences of his own.

July 29th saw a violin concert by the students. With the addition of two more violins, a violin quartet now performed for Him. Swami’s love really knows no bounds. Even without their asking, His love had responded by giving them the additional violins they required. The enthused students performed like professional artistes or even better, as they played with their hearts to express their deep love and gratitude to Bhagavan for His touching and thoughtful gesture.

On July 30th, Bhagavan came to Sai Kulwant Hall amidst the Veda Chants. After blessing the “birthday boys”, He gave permission for three student to speak. Again the boys spoke about their Sai Maa, and Her incomparable love and care for them. These are all ordinary boys, who become extraordinary public speakers when talking about the one and true love of their young lives – their Beloved Swami.

A two-day festival on Indian Culture and Spirituality was celebrated in Prashanti Nilayam, organized by the Women’s Wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization. The festival was inaugurated by Bhagavan on the morning of July 31st, by lighting a ceremonial lamp. The whole of Sai Kulwant Hall was tastefully decorated with a rural motif.

After inaugurating the festival, Swami blessed four lady speakers to address the gathering. The first speaker, Dr. Rajeshwari Patel, Reader in English, in the Ananthapur Campus, spoke of the universality of Indian Culture. She said that the Vedas are the earliest body of spiritual literature and the most spiritual; as they deal with the superiority of the Spirit. Sanathana Dharma does not promote dogma but is primarily experiential in nature, where “success’ is defined by the stage when he is able to say, “I have seen God”. The second speaker, Ms. Nandini, a Sri Lankan diplomat and Human Rights lawyer, spoke of her Buddhist back-ground and said she was able to understand the true meaning of all of the Buddha’s teachings only from Bhagavan and that His teachings show the universality of all religions. She asserted that she had found nirvana at His Divine lotus feet. The third speaker, Mrs. Sylvia, Vice-President, Region 6, USA, referring to her Christian back-ground said she had found it difficult to fear God and love Him at the same time! She spoke of a great emptiness and yearning till she came to Swami. Describing Bhagavan as total, complete and unconditional love, she said that millions were attracted to Him because of the universality of His teachings and not for His religion. The last speaker of the morning was Dr. Zeba Bashiruddin, Professor of English, Ananthapur Campus, who spoke about the one God and His many aspects.

The evening of July 31st, saw a scintillating performance of Carnatic Music by the Priya Sisters. Swami was deeply engrossed in their music and simultaneously created two chains for both the sisters to show His appreciation. He also gave clothes to all the artistes. The concert was a nice way to bring this memorable month of July to a close.

The morning of the second day of the Festival of Indian Culture and Spirituality on August 1, 2004, started with a violin concert by Mrs. Padma Krishnamurthy, lecturer in Music at the Music College. She was accompanied by Sri Anant Rao on the Mridangam and Sri Sai Dutt on the Gangira.

The violin concert was followed by a panel discussion on: “Mother Sita - the ideals and values she stood for”. The panel consisted of four faculty members from the Anantapur campus of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. The panel was moderated by Mrs. Chetana, an alumnus of the Ananthapur College. The panel examined questions like:
Can Sita still be a role model for the modern, educated woman? What makes Mother Sita dear to everyone? How is Her life related to the values Bhagavan exhorts us to follow? The panel also examined issues like – While Sri Rama is considered the embodiment of Dharma, what is the role of Sita and Her place in all this?

The speakers had researched the topic thoroughly and the discussion was of a very high order. Bhagavan manifested a ring for one of the faculty members and talked with all of the panel members at the conclusion of the discussion. ( Watch out for the broadcast of the panel discussion on Radio Sai, very soon)

The festival came to a close in the afternoon of August 1, 2004, with a drama by the Bala Vikas children of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization of Habsiguda, Hyderabad District, Andhra Pradesh. The theme of the drama entitled “Saadhvimani Sita”, presented very vividly the virtues embodied in Mother Sita. When Sri Rama sends her to the forest, she does not say even one word against Sri Rama. She brings up her sons Lava and Kusa, with the sole intention of eventually handing them over to their father. As a dutiful mother she brings up her sons under the direct tutelage of Valmiki, thus providing moral exhortation and spiritual illumination to the young ones. Mother Sita’s love, devotion and self-esteem is the confluence that keeps us in constant awareness that pain and gain are the two sides of the life-coin and we should fix all our thoughts on the Lord and make our lives pious and purposeful.

What pleasant and unforgettable days! Each day was a veritable feast for the eyes, ears and the soul. Everyone was blessed- the organizers, the participants and the audience- not only to be a part of all this, but also to bask in His Divine Presence. After all it is only in His happiness that we find our own!