A TEACHER’S AWAKENING TO TRUE WISDOM
- Excerpts of a conversation with Prof. J. Hemalatha, Part-3
An esteemed administrator, Prof. J. Hemalatha is the former Principal of the Anantapur Campus of Sri Sathya Sai University. She was virtually hand-picked by Bhagavan to be His instrument for the blossoming of this campus where she served with utmost dedication for 31 years. She is also a litterateur and orator who has translated and compiled several precious volumes on Bhagavan’s teachings, the latest one being “Women’s Role in Rejuvenating the Culture of Bharat”.
This is the third part of her conversation with Dr. Rajeshwari Patel, Department of English, Anantapur Campus of the Sathya Sai University who had interviewed her in the Radio Sai studio in 2006.
Follow Rules, Ignore Recommendations, Fulfill Duty
 |
 |
Interviewer: Madam, did He ever share with you certain instructions students should follow, some lessons which they need to be taught.
Prof. Hemalatha: Students and teachers, both! Before going to that, I would like to tell that Swami sets an example. He Himself follows that discipline and then He expects the others and He won’t spare the others, if they don’t follow the discipline. Why I am telling this is we all know that it is a fact that the founder of any educational institution has a great say in running that Institution.
Naturally he influences everything especially during admissions. But Bhagavan never interfered with these things. He left the entire responsibility of strictly following the rules to the concerned authorities. When people tried to approach Swami regarding admissions, He used to just tell them “Go to the Principal.”
He wrote a few letters to me in the earlier days to guide me on this. These are the excerpts from Swami’s letters again:
“Pillala admission vishayamulo nyaya reethiga neeku thochinatlu cheyutha chala anandamu. Parulu recommendationlu mana college lo pravesha petta koodadu.’ He didn’t want recommendations to be used. He himself never used to recommend any case. He never wanted us and cautioned us not to listen to the recommendations, not to yield to the recommendations. Markulanu patti cheyuta manchidi, ade naaku anandhamu. Admission la vishayamulo Nene mathramu jokyamu kaliginchukonu. andharu navare. Aina, nibandhanala nanusarinchi, meeru meeku thochinatlu e di manchido, danini anusarincha ochhu. Markulanu patti choodandi. Avaru nannadigina Principaluna adugamani antuntanu. Adi sahajamu. I will translate this for the benefit of non-Telugu listeners. “Regarding students’ admissions, I am happy that you are going according to the rules. Don’t give any scope for others recommendations. I am happy if you take marks into consideration and go as per merit. I myself will not interfere in the admissions. All people are mine. When people ask Me, I tell them, go and see the principal. That’s natural. Do as per rules.” |
Exemplary Teachers Make Effective Teachers
 |
 |
He expects the teachers to be highly disciplined, exemplary in their behavior, He expects the teachers to be like tanks, full of water. He says that “If there is no water in the tank, how does it come into the tap?” Teachers should be exemplary in their behavior and they should set their example. They should be dedicated to their work.
Though of course this is the expectation everywhere, Swami expects them not only to be worthy in their academic knowledge and performance, but in every aspect, because Swami wants the development of the students; He wants their overall personality, not only getting degrees. I would like to read some excerpts from Swami’s letters pertaining to these.
“krama sikshana vidya prabodhakulalo lenidi vdyardhulaku etlandinturu vishala hrudayala tho vidyalayamulalo viharinchavalasina veeru Tamalo leni daanini vidhyarthulaku bodhinchutaku` “If there is no discipline in the teachers, how do they impart it to the students? Instead of having broad mind and good conduct, if they are with petty minds, selfishness, jealousy, hatred and pomp, the discipline of the students also will be ruined. Such people do not have any authority to teach good things as they themselves do not practice. Though some people may have high academic achievements, they cannot have command over the students, if they don’t have good character.” Machhunaku upadhyayulu gaurva reetiga, nadaka, dress, “Teachers should set an example in their way of dressing and conduct like their looks, laughter, walking, etc. And this is all the more important in ladies. Teachers will be deserving honour if they have devotion, tradition and good manners along with their academic education.” Mana collegelo vidhya tho paatu konta bhakthi gowravamu, samskara sampradayamulu undinane arhulu. Swami says a few subtle things about the dressing of girls and ladies. He says: thalalu viriya posukoni rakshasulavale leka pisachalavale sancharinchuta naaku pattadu. Very strongly He says: “If the ladies let loose their hair, and go about, it doesn’t speak good of them, I don’t like it.” Adi gowrava sthreeki lakshanamu kaadh u. That is not the characteristic of an honourable woman. Sthreelu utthama gruha lakshmi, adarsha devatha. Att sthri vikarapu veshamu tho unduta, vidya vidhanamani talanchuta inta kante avivekamu verokati ledhu. Ontininda guddaleni jeevithamu mruga lakshanamu. It is animal behavior if one doesn’t dress up decently.
|
Swami says so very strongly and very strictly that He will never tolerate indiscipline, immodest dress, especially in a woman.
 |
 |
The Joy of a United Purpose
|
 |
Interviewer: During the time when you were at Anantapur, Swami must have visited the campus on many occasions. Could you recall for us what the day was like in the college when Bhagavan used to make one of those rare and precious visits to Anantapur?
Prof. Hemalatha: Those are wonderful moments. Swami used to visit the college. He used to come and stay for three or four days in the college, very frequently in the early years. In the 1970s, His visits gradually were minimized, to twice or thrice a year, that too He used to come in the morning and leave by evening. But it was just like being in heaven when Swami was there.
Let us imagine a situation where our Mother, Father and God all three take one form and come to us. How would one feel? That was the feeling of every one on the campus, when Swami came!
Students, teachers and office staff, peons, watchmen, everyone, from the sweeper to the highest, for everyone He was the Goal. Everyone felt He is mine. Not only that, He is ours! Better even, I am His. We are His. That was the feeling of each and every one on the campus when He was there.
All individual souls transforming into a common soul, craving to get united with the Highest soul, the ultimate goal, that was the pervading feeling!
Everyone was putting in her or his finest effort, to their best capacity possible to make Him happy. It could be cleaning the campus, decorating the campus or putting up a cultural show or any other thing; irrespective of small or big, whatever work it is, the united goal was to make Him happy which in turn made us happy.
When He arrived … that feeling must be experienced, but cannot be expressed in words.
 |
|
Heaven is Being in God’s Company
Once we were only very few people with Him and I happened to ask Swami, “Swami, what is heaven like?” This is the reply He gave: “The present state in which you are is heaven”. What a wonderful explanation! That is the feeling!
We used to put up varied cultural shows, dramas, exhibitions, puppet shows, burra kathas, music performances, doll shows, etc. Once I remember for a Sankaranthi Day, we arranged a doll show to keep the traditional culture of our country alive. Swami enjoyed it. He came for Sankaranthi to Anantapur and once I recall that He came for Vinayaka Chathurthi and we performed many traditional plays relevant to the occasion. I tell you, it was wonderful. I think it was in 1977 or 1978. He was the God. He was the Priest. It was wonderful!
Sai Encourages Women Students to be Virtuous, Poised, Confident, Articulate & Creative
Swami loves to have creative activities like dramas and other cultural shows. He did not permit the so called obscene cultural shows that are performed in the outside world. Swami had many ideas on how to bring out the latent talent in His students, His daughters, in all the arts in a creative way, and encourage them to express their opinions candidly and respectfully. Nowadays, we see that though students may obtain post graduate degrees, they are not able to speak in public, even for a minute. They can’t face the public. Swami wants His students to be really able to express their opinions outside with poise and confidence.
I’d like to tell you one more thing in this regard. Swami invariably used to come at least once before the end of the academic year and bless the outgoing students with a valedictory address. His valedictory discourses given to these final year students are really very valuable. He used to stress one main point and that is girls are responsible not only for one’s home, they are also responsible for bringing a good name to their parents’ as well as to the home where they go when they get married. Swami used to say that they should be good mothers. Good daughters first, good sisters, good wives and then good mothers, so that they can give to the society very responsible and good citizens. This is what Swami expects of every woman.
Swami quotes examples of outstanding women such as Jijabai, Sita, Savitri, Draupadi … of noble character.
Avoiding Remarks More Important than Even High Marks
|
 |
Interviewer: He generally says He doesn’t care about marks, one shouldn’t get remarks. Once a woman gets a remark, He says her life is drowned.
Madam, did He say anytime that He has put so much of energy and funds, He has put so much of His time into this whole education project as a whole, and if He could get even 10 students that come up to the expectations, He would have done this.
Prof. Hemalatha: He never cares for the numbers, He cares for the quality. He wants His students to be the torch bearers of tomorrow’s society. In this context about girls’ education, Swami never liked any remark in the character of any girl student.
That is why He separated the Girls Campus from the Men’s Campus. Once He wrote to me that some people, younger teachers or students, went to Whitefield without the knowledge of our elders. In His letter Swami wrote to me saying see that they don’t come individually like this. If you all bring them in a group, it is ok. Don’t send them alone. That brings a bad name. He is very particular about this.
 |
|
Even now, the post graduate classes too which involve a lot of expenditure are separated for the girls from the boys. He didn’t allow co-education. He cares for the character. Swami says “End of Education is Character.” He doesn’t care for anything more than character. Character is very, very important. It is not information-oriented education, it should be character building education; it should all be value-oriented education.
The University Grants Commission talks of value-oriented education; it is seen practically only in Swami’s Institutions.
Sri Sathya Sai – My Life, My Goal, My God
Interviewer: Finally Madam, in a few words, what does Bhagavan mean to you? Who is Bhagavan, according to you?
Prof. Hemalatha: Very good question. Let me narrate one beautiful shloka from Shivananda Lahari. Jagath Guru Adi Shankara says:
Yogakshemadhurandharasya bhavathah: Yogakshemadhurandharasya sakalashreya prododyogino
dhrusta dhrushta matopadesha krutino bahyantharavyapinaha;
sarvagnasya dayakarasya bhavathah Kim veditavyam maya
Sambho tvam paramatharangamitimecitte swaramyanvaham
He says “Oh Lord Shiva, You are the One who looks after the welfare of everyone, of this entire universe. You are the One who are the well-wisher of everyone. You are the teacher, who teaches us directly and indirectly.
|
Swami moulded my personality. He made me what I am today. In this context, I will take a few minutes and narrate one more incident. As a person, not as an administrator, I tell you, how Swami made my education useful for His mission.
|
 |
I originally had good aptitude towards literature; that too especially Telugu Literature. Somehow it appealed to me, being a Science student till the undergraduate level, I specialized in Telugu Literature by my own choice; it was not because of not being able to get a seat in any other subject. I chose teaching profession too out of my liking, but I never knew that through this profession, I will be blessed to come close to Bhagavan and serve Him. I never knew that my academic studies would culminate into a fruitful cause.
One day, in 1976, Swami told me that I should give a lecture on ‘Maha Bhagavatham’ during the coming summer course on Indian Culture and Spirituality which was held at Ooty. I immediately asked Swami, whether it would be in English or Telugu. Swami replied that it is in English. And I was a little hesitant. I thought it would be difficult to speak about a Telugu scripture in a foreign language. But Swami wished it that way. For that year’s summer course, we went to Ooty.
 |
|
On the day I was supposed to speak, I was sitting in one corner, just waiting for the classes to begin. Suddenly, Swami came there. Standing in front of me, Swami said in English, “Language is not important; Language of the Heart is important.” So saying, He proceeded ahead.
With this simple but profound statement, I feel Swami gave me the strength to speak about Telugu and Sanskrit scriptures in English language. I think there is no need to say that the talk was very much appreciated. After all, who spoke? It is He and He alone!
From then onwards, Swami made me speak regularly on different scriptures in English. I felt that Swami has blessed me with this ability so that the students who do not know Telugu can also have the benefit of imbibing the values from our great scriptures.
This is regarding my personal career, not as an administrator. I found the fulfillment of my education at His feet. From the time, I entered into His fold, of course, Bhagavan the Bhakta Rakshana Parayana (The Eternal Protector of devotees), has been looking after us, the entire family.
He took care of every little aspect of my personal life, so that He made me spend all my 31 years in His Institution. He took care of everything. The most merciful Lord enabled me to travel in the journey of this life, safely. I do pray that He would continue to bless me throughout this life. SaiRam!
