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Between you and us

Dear Reader,

It was one of the most traumatic periods in human history. Millions of innocent lives were brutally obliterated from the face of the earth. The year was 1941. The Second World War was on, and the German armies had now invaded Poland and were plundering it. Thousands of simple people went through agonizing pain. Among them was a pious Polish, Saint Maximilian Kolbe. The way he reacted to this utter human insensitivity was simply unimaginable. When the SS guard arrested him for selflessly serving the Polish refugees, most of whom were Jews, and tersely questioned him, “Do you believe in Christ?” Without losing a second, he replied “I do”. And the guard struck him, mercilessly. He was asked again, and another brutal blow fell on him. But his answer never varied. This repeated many times, and then his rosary was snatched and he was locked away with little to wear and eat.

He was later deported to the infamous Auschwitz death camp. In spite of having one lung (having lost the other to tuberculosis), Fr Maximilian carried blocks of stone and the pain of the vicious blows without even a slightest murmur of complaint; he was always calm. Unbelievably, whenever the SS guards came to him, he was cheerful. The same smile shone on his lips even when the heartless men sent him away forever from this earth with a lethal injection. What was the power behind his graceful disposition?

Guru Teg Bahadur Sahibji was the ninth Guru of the Sikhs. This Master, endowed with a golden heart, traversed the breadth of colonial India from Punjab in the North to Kolkotta in the east, uplifting the lives of thousands through selfless service and the message of brotherhood. It was the time when Muslim fundamentalists had a sinister free play of their ideas; they had completely clouded the mind of the emperor of Delhi, Aurangzeb. Non-Muslims were tortured wretchedly, taxed heavily and discriminated callously to force them into accepting Islam. Utterly helpless, they came to the refuge of Guru Teg Bahadur, and the Guru pledged them all support even at the cost of his life. Emboldened, the Hindus now petitioned the Emperor, and the Guru was summoned to the Imperial Court. The Emperor gave three alternatives to the Guru. 1) to show miracles, 2) embrace Islam or 3) be ready for death. The holy one chose the last. Before his very own eyes, his beloved Sikhs were put through unmentionable tortures (they were boiled alive, wrapped in wool and set alight, etc.). Still, the only sound that emanated from his lips were the sacred lyrics from the Sikh Bible, Guru Granth Sahib. Finally, in a most dastardly manner, his head was severed from his body as he stood still, stoic and fearless as ever. Now, what was it in him that enabled him to undergo this highest sacrifice so serenely?

What is it that the propelled Lord Jesus Christ to open his heart out completely at the biggest trial of his life by saying absolutely nothing in his defence, and at the height of human cruelty, to announce to the world, “O Father! Please forgive them, for they know not what they do”?

How could Lord Rama at the end of the great battle in Ramayana, grant the highest attainment, Liberation, to the very demon King who was at the root of all His ‘sorrows’ in His earthly drama? And to cut to the present, why is it that Bhagavan Baba, even at the age of 83, works tirelessly and incessantly to alleviate the suffering of the poor and ignorant, announcing one mammoth service project after another? Why has He been granting darshan and discourse relentlessly, decade after decade, whether individuals realise its value or not? Like with all other incarnations of the Divine, now too there are those who try to systematically malign His name and challenge His Divinity. But to all of them, Bhagavan says, “People may speak ill of Me, but I have no enemies. I look after all as My children… There is nothing credible in doing good to those who love us, we must love those who harm us. Therein lies our true greatness… My only Power is Love. You are unable to fathom its depth.” This is what Bhagavan said in His most recent discourse delivered on His 83rd Birthday, November 23, 2008.

The only way God can be defined, is as - Pure Love. And when portions of this crest jewel of all human emotions saturates an individual, it creates Masters out of men and saints out of simple folk.

Two millenia ago, during that beautiful Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven; Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted; Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth…” There were eight such spirited salvos of Love. "These beatitudes of Jesus are beautiful and powerful, no doubt," many concur, but add, “We are not sure if they are practical; the world now is so different.”

True, society has changed. We are disturbed practically everyday with the societal turbulence that confronts and confounds us. The recent terrorist attacks on Mumbai landmarks have once again shaken India and the world to the horrors of hate. The mindless have struck again. As a nation grieves, and the international community condemns such dastardly acts of violence, we are appalled at the depth of vacuity of human values in our own brethren with whom we live and work. But, contrary to what we think, Bhagavan Baba beautifully says in Dharma Vahini, Dharma (righteousness) never declines; it is only the practice of dharma that diminishes.” And what is dharma?

Again, Bhagavan enlightens. “Love in action is Righteousness.” Therefore, Love is alive. In fact, it is ever effervescent; and works too, irrespective of which age we live in. To demonstrate and elucidate this emphatic message, which is so very vital in the present times, we have the cover story “The 'Be-Attitudes' of Jesus.” Truly, if we want to live in a world where dharma dazzles, the Beatitudes can and must become our attitudes. And how do we do it? There are plenty of illustrations, spanning from the 21st century to the times before Christ in the current cover story.

Every article in this issue has this as the underlying theme. When the state of Bihar faced its worst disaster in half a century with the completely unexpected and unprecedented flooding of River Kosi, millions of lives were marooned. The night of August 18, 2008 in this most populous and least developed state of India was the darkest. But there was a light shining. The inspired Sai volunteers, unmindful of the grave risk to their lives, undertook the most perilous of adventures in chaotic waters to reach out to the trapped, isolated and devastated. When you read this moving story in the Window to Sai Seva section, you will know why the Golden Age, after all, is not a utopia. All you need for a huge conflagration is a bunch of small fires at various strategic places. And many of those fires are already burning and many more are being lit.

How else can we explain the gargantuan selfless Sai service that goes on in every corner of the world? What motivates thousands from every continent of this world to flock to His Lotus feet in Prasanthi Nilayam? In a recent discourse on Convocation Day, November 22, 2008, Swami Himself explained, “Swami has not sent any invitation to anyone, but thousands have gathered here. It is only your love for Bhagavan that has drawn you here…We belong to only one party – the party of Love. Wherever you may go, you will be respected and honoured if you belong to this party of Love. Love is selfless. A true man is one without an iota of selfishness… there is no greater quality than Love.”

As India’s financial capital Mumbai comes to grips with the pain of 195 precious lives that were lost and thousands other wounded and scared for life, the pain and suffering are unbearable. In this mind numbing scenario, the only balm that is holding Mumbai together is selfless love in the form of a united front from Mumbai residents, regardless of their caste, religion or language. Bhagavan Baba tells us that Love as action is Nonviolence. Strange but true, the only emotion that can salvage the world and heal Mumbai and all other trouble spots in the world is selfless love.

When you read the story of Robert A. Bozzani in the Swami and Me section, you will get a real glimpse of how we can transform our lives and our immediate surroundings, if only we fill ourselves with this powerful element – Love. Another compelling real-life story of Love doing wonders is in the Get Inspired section. Don’t miss “The Love Alchemy”.

The great Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore said, "He who wants to do good, knocks at the gate. He who loves, finds the gates open." There is no problem that Love cannot solve, if we only care to ponder over it deeply.

Let us dive into this sublime virtue, make it the raison d'être of our existence, just as it was with Jesus and now is with Sai. For, truly, if we have Love, our life is never dull, it is always meaningful!

Loving Regards,
Heart2Heart Team

Please share your thoughts with us at h2h@radiosai.org

www.srisathyasai.org.in
www.sssbpt.org
www.saicast.org
  Prashanti Diary
 

The Chronicles of Heaven on Earth.

Record of Events from October 10th to November 23rd, 2008

Prashanti Diary
Heart2Heart Story
Learn the pronunciation, tune
and music of the Bhajans
'Sathyam Gyanam Anantham Brahma'
and
'Nama Parvathi Pathaye Hara'
spiritual q & A - Part 2
By Prof. G. Venkataraman

Q) What is the ultimate path to finish the cycle of birth and death? A human being is, as Swami often reminds us, a combination of a gross body that is made up of flesh, blood and bones; a subtle mind, which is much more than the brain; and finally the atma....read more

Heart2Heart Story

mesmerizing moments with the divine master
Interview with Mrs. Rani Subramanian, Part - 9

During the initial stages, we had doubts about Swami being God Himself. He knew we had our apprehensions as He knows everyone’s innermost thoughts....read more>>

Heart2Heart Story
H2H Quiz H2H Quiz
Heart2Heart Story

Colossal trajedy and the current of spontaneous love

This is a story of two currents. One that destroyed and the other that saved... How the most unexpected and unprecedented-in-half-a-century massive flood devastated millions of lives... in one of the most populous and least developed states of India, Bihar....read more>>

HARNESSING THE HEART - PART 13:
The Tax Officer with two pensions!

Mr. P. S. Kannan, is a retired Income Tax Official from Chennai, India.... He is one of the people I knew who has been consistent in his ethical practices in this ever-changing world! I know him professionally for more than 20 years ....read more>

Heart2Heart Story
Sai Your Say Sai Your Say Sai Your Say
Heart2Heart Story

Completing the circle

I must confess here that for the first time in my life, I looked up and ‘prayed’ for a ‘miracle’. I had reached a point in my life where human action was at its end. Only a ‘power beyond’ could save me. “When the pupil is ready the master appears”....read more>

sai - the rhythm of my life

Over the years, my life with Swami has taken on a whole new meaning. My pigtailed years at school and college serve as the basis of my present life. It had meant a lot at the time, but not in the way it is priceless now....read more>>

Heart2Heart Story

In Quest of Infinity - part 21
By Prof. G. Venkataraman

Bohr’s model was very tantalising; it seemed to explain very nicely many previously known facts about the hydrogen spectrum that were totally baffling. However, the model was of no use at all one step beyond hydrogen....read more>>

Heart2Heart Story
Multifaith Quiz Multifaith Quiz Multifaith Quiz
Heart2Heart Story
how swami u-turned my life
Mr. Robert A. Bozzani

It was essential that I first lose my way in the labyrinths of worldly happiness, for only then it would strengthen the urge for spiritual bliss and peace. Thus, I took the path of the temporal and the mundane ....read more>>

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Vol 6 Issue 12 - DECEMBER 2008
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