What is SARS?

A few days before Easwaramma day, I was reading a discourse of Swami in which He mentioned about natural disasters taking place in the world. He said they cannot be avoided, and to face them we have to be spiritually strong.

How to be spiritually strong? Swami continued to say that we must constantly chant the Lord's Name; let that be Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, or Shiva. Every breath should be filled with His name, then we will be spiritually strong and our heart will become pure and full of compassion.

On 6 May 2003, during Easwaramma bhajans, while contemplating on Swami's picture, a question flashed in my mind. Swami, what is this new disease called SARS? He instantly replied,

"Swami Advises Remain Strong (SARS)"

Thereafter, whenever I read the word SARS, which would otherwise scare me, I would say to myself, 'Only by remaining spiritually strong and focused on HIM we can fight SARS! In this manner, He protected me, my family and the rest of the devotees through the difficult times we faced during SARS in Taiwan. Thank you Swami! Jai Sai Ram.

- Surender Narang, Taipei, Taiwan
(excerpt from Kansai light, vol 112,Nov 2003-Feb 2004)