SPECIAL MUSINGS CONCERNING SWAMI’S HEALTH
Posted on April 7, 2011 at 11:55 p.m. (IST)
By Prof. G. Venkataraman
Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. By now you must have seen the latest bulletin issued by Dr. Safaya.
Official Statement about Swami’s Health
Issued on April 7, 2011 at 05:00 p.m.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba continues to be on ventilatory support for respiration. His kidney funtion is being supported by CRRT.
There is some positive sign of recovery in the funtions of the kidneys.
His vital parameters are nearly normal and satisfactory.
He continues to be on treatment in the Intensive Care facility of the hospital where visitors are not allowed.
The panel of doctors treating Baba are satisfied with the response he is continuing to show to the medical management given to him.
Signed by,
Dr. A. N. Safaya
Director, SSSIHMS-PG.
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As usual, I went to the Hospital this evening, to talk to a few people, including those attending on Swami, and what I heard confirms the official bulletin. Things are under control, and Swami is getting better.
I should take the opportunity to mention that we have received numerous mails from all over the world, and there is no one who is not relieved; equally true is the fact that everyone was happy to see video clips of Swami, giving devotees valuable advice on many things. Of these, I call particular attention to two points made most emphatically by Bhagawan.
The first is that no one has any business to spread rumours and that to do so is in fact a sin. While the Media do so unabashedly, the sad fact is that many devotees take Media reports to be nothing but the truth and unwittingly add to the spread of falsehood.
There are some who are of the opinion that we should simply ignore the Media. Indeed, that is what we normally do. But then, there are situations when we cannot simply ignore rumour mongering especially when it creates an unsettling situation, seriously impacting law and order.
Puttaparthi is still a rural area where people’s emotions are easily swayed, and one cannot blame the people for that. The important point is that rural though the area is, everyone here is glued to the TV, and cell phones are quite common. Thus, when they get wrong and at times slanted information, things can get hot. For the last several days, a fleet of TV OB vans with satellite dishes have been parked in front of the Hospital, with reporters ready to catch anyone passing that way and create news.
Once such slanted news spreads, people elsewhere pick it up, and in their anxiety start making phone calls to this place from all over. That in turn generates an undesirable build-up of tension, to which at least devotees need not contribute. One would say, that is what is expected of devotees, but alas, pigs do not fly. Which is why we not only had to make a special appeal but also play a clip wherein Swami Himself strongly disapproves of spreading unsubstantiated rumours.
Once again I would like to mention, that normally when negative reports about Swami have been spread, we have always been measured in our response. But this time, it is all about Swami’s health and hospitalisation which are non-trivial matters and under the circumstances, clearly, we had to play a somewhat different role. At the same time, any objective examination of our reports, write-ups and broadcasts would reveal that our emphasis, as always, has been on what Swami has said, and the spiritual overtones of the totally new situation we are currently passing through.
Having said all that, let me now come to what we wish to present today from our video archives. Basically, they are clips from a Discourse that Swami gave in 2003 in Brindavan.
I shall let you see the clips without interruption but would, as a preamble, like to make the following remarks:
Firstly, this Discourse was given on July 5, 2003, on the occasion of what was called the Doctor’s Day. If you recall what I said in my previous musing, that was the year when Swami suffered a major fracture in the leg, which required a surgical procedure to implant steel support in the fractured region. Later, shortly before He returned to Prashanti for Guru Poornima, Swami wanted to publicly honour the doctors as well as all the others who attended on Him. Swami is always extremely particular to show appreciation for even the smallest service rendered to Him. That is the first take home lesson for us.
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Here is the transcript of the above Video:
After the surgery, I was able to walk within a short span of three days. This was possible because I have no trace of body attachment. I see all of you with Atmic consciousness and hence I am blissful. I teach everyone, "My dear! Don't fall a prey to body attachment; develop Atmic consciousness and lead a blissful life". Your Aananda (bliss) is My aahaara (food) and aarogya (health).
Today, we are celebrating Doctors' Day. This is the day when doctors rededicate themselves to the alleviation of suffering of patients. There are a few doctors who discharge their duties with a spirit of sacrifice, keeping the welfare of patients as their sole objective.
Dr. Sundareshan took great pains to ensure the well-being of Swami. He was monitoring Swami's progress every moment. I was telling him repeatedly, "Sundareshan, I am all right, do not worry”. But he would not be satisfied and would enquire about My welfare every now and then to see if I had pain in any part of the body.
Dr. Hemanth Murthy (ophthalmic surgeon) pleaded with Me to undergo an eye operation as well, along with the hip surgery. The damaged retina, which was removed from My eye, was as dark as charcoal. Since then I am able to see clearly with both My eyes. With such doctors around, any surgery can be performed successfully. Eye surgeons like Dr. Hemanth Murthy and orthopaedic surgeons like Dr. Sundareshan are few in number in this world. Such doctors today should be given all encouragement and support.
- Extracts from Divine Discourse delivered on July 05, 2003.
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Next He makes a categorical assertion of the fact that this fracture was not an occurrence where He was suffering for the sake of someone else. Yes, He has done that many a time; but at times, His body goes through medical conditions like all human bodies do sometime or the other. It may sound pretty strange to us but from Swami’s revelations, apparently such things do happen even in the case of the Avatar.
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Here is the transcript of the above Video:
For the past one month, you could not see Swami. What is the reason for this? It is because of the indisposition of this body. I have neither taken upon Myself the illness of anybody nor has it emerged from this body. Today, I am revealing the truth to you.
Man worries about his health all the time.
The body is made up of five elements
And is bound to perish sooner or later,
But the Indweller has neither birth nor death,
He has no attachment whatsoever.
Truly speaking, the Indweller is verily God Himself,
Who is in the form of the Atma.
(Telugu Poem)
By falling a prey to body consciousness and forgetting divine consciousness man many a times becomes a victim of many problems.
Physical afflictions are temporary just like passing clouds which come and go. This is natural for any human body which is bound by action, but these have to be overcome boldly.
Life is a Challenge, Meet It;
Life is Love, Enjoy It;
Life is a Game, Play It.
You have to play the game of life in the right spirit. I have been doing the same. I have absolutely no pain.
- Extracts from Divine Discourse delivered on July 05, 2003.
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Continued in Page 2 >>
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