THE SECOND MAHASAMADI DAY

APRIL 24, 2013

Om Sairam dearest Sai Family,

The second Mahasamadhi day, the most auspicious day when Swami decided to reside in His COSMIC FORM in the heart of our hearts was celebrated in a grand way in Prasanthi Nilayam. This day in the year 2011 was full of agony, sadness, disappointment and hopelessness. Exactly two years later, even though there was still that sadness some where in the heart, but we all are very much experiencing Swami within, Life has been very beautiful as we can communicate with Him very easily, So many miracles are just re-assuring that He is very much here and gone no where..

As He has said many a times, "Do My work and I will do your work much better than you would have done by yourself". As Swami every word is SATHYA, we have experienced this many times in our lives and more so after Swami's Mahasamadhi.

 Puttaparthi woke up with beautiful memories of the HOLY SON of this blessed soil. It is a hair raising experience just to imagine Swami taking birth in Puttaparthi and sharing all the divine love over the years.. 

As I entered the Ganesh Gate this morning, the same thought came across the mind. I was imagining, over the years, how many millions would have entered this gate, which is verily the GATES OF HEAVEN, it is every one's dream to enter the gates of this heaven on earth every day..Every sadness of yours, every agony of yours is just vanished as soon as you enter this gate. 
I remember one time in darshan, there was this western devotee who had a chance to speak to Swami when Swami came walking. This devotee, like any of us, was putting forth all his problems, his problems seemed to be like a perennial river. Swami: My parents are giving me problem, my children don't listen to me, my work is a problem, my boss is a bigger problem, my neighbors are giving me more problem bla.. bla... 
Mean while Swami was reaching out to collect letters from other devotees, while He seemed to be giving a patient hearing to this devotee,When the devotee paused to take a deep breath, Swami looked at him and with a very mischievous smile said, "Ask your mind to shut up" and walked away.. 

As i was seated very close by to this devotee, i was very sure that Swami actually said those words and to me it  was bit funny. I thought, what did Swami say? Is this how God answers? Only after few years that i understood how true Swami was.. Every problem of ours starts with the mind. Swami always said, "Master the mind and be a Master Mind", Don't become slave to your mind rather make it your slave...

Puttaparthi is one such place where there is every opportunity to master this art of Mind management as it is the Holy Abode of Kaliyuga Avatar Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Right from 3 am on wards people from neighbouring villages started to come in big numbers in auto rickshaws and mini vans to Puttaparthi. By 8 am the roads leading to Sri Sathya Sai Hill view stadium were full. Sathya Sai Central Trust authorities had made some excellent arrangements for the Maha Narayana Seva second time in a row marking Swami's Mahasamadhi day. 

Considering the high temperature, huge tents were raised, with barricades all over. All the devotees were made to sit in the hill view stadium before the start of Mahanarayana Seva.

Mean while in Sai Kulwanth Hall, the concluding day of Viswa Shanthi Loka Kalyana Homam started at 6 am. As scheduled at 8 am "Guruvandana" a musical offering by Swami's students started. It was an emotional moment when they sang some very beautiful and memorable songs like Sai Rama Smaranam, Tu Pyar ka sagar hain etc.

After the songs a video recording of Swami's divine discourse was played on the big screens. Swami in that discourse spoke in length on I am I principle and how you should love even your enemies as the I in him and you are one and the same.

Swami concluded that particular discourse with Bhaja Govindam bhajan and the part where He sang Moodha Mathey (Foolish mind) He points out to the head which was very sweet of Him to that. 
Later Prema Mudita bhajan was played and the Yagna continued, where in the pandits completed the 3 days yagna with Mahapoornahuthi.

The priests later sprinkled the holy water on all the devotees assembled in Sai Kulwanth Hall.

A Bird's eye view of Sri Sathya Sai Hill view stadium on April 24,2013

A little girl sharing the tamarind rice with her mother 

Smt.Geetha Reddy serving the devotees in Sathya Sai Hill view stadium

In the Hill view stadium as announced the Maha Narayana seva started at 10am. A minimum of 35000 people would have attended this programme which really gave a festive look to Puttaparthi. All these are poorest of the poor villagers, mostly daily wage labourers. All of them skipped what ever work they were doing and came to Puttaparthi to show their respect and gratitude to Swami and partake His prasadam which is like a multivitamin tablet to face all the challenges of day to day lives.

Puttaparthi temperature which is averaging 40 degrees or so was very serene this morning. There were no one who suffered from dehydration as the temperature was manageable.

Every one were very happy with the arrangements and facilities provided in spite of the huge turn out. 

Mr.ADIKESAVULU NAIDU NO MORE:

Mean while on a sadder note, long time devotee of Bhagawan, Sri.Adikesavulu Naidu merged with Bhagawan on the same day of Swami's Mahasamadhi day which i guess is a recognition to all that he did for Swami and His mission.

Born in Chittoor in the year 1940, near the temple town Tirupathi, Sri.Adikesavulu Naidu was a very prosperous business man and a politician. Before starting any auspicious work, business etc he used to come to Bhagawan for His blessings. Swami also showered so much love on him on various ocassions. Inspired by Swami's medical care, Sri.Adikesavulu Naidu opened his Vydehi hospital right next to Swami's super speciality hospital in Bangalore. He was also instrumental in providing free nursing courses to poor girls from Puttaparthi and surrounding villages who are now serving in Swami's hospitals. He is also providing free medical education to few of Swami's students in his medical college adjoining his hospital.

In November 2008, he was instrumental for successfully organising the Sahasra Chandra Poorna Darshanam  a grand ocassion marking 1000 full moons of Swami's soujourn on this earth. Marking this ocassion, Swami blessed him and his wife along with Mrs& Mr.Rathnakar to participate in the puja. It was Sri.Adikesavulu Naidu who co-ordinated with all the religious heads to come to Prasanthi which we all remember as one the most memorable days of Puttaparthi history.

After the demise of Sai Geetha, it was Sri.Adikesavulu Naidu who gifted little Sathya Gita to Swami so that He doesn't miss Sai Geetha. Very rarely some one is blessed with such rare boons in one life time and it is definitely His Divine Plan to take Sri.Adikesavulu Naidu away from us on Swami's Mahasamadhi day.

In the recent past, when ever ardent devotees like him pass away, I always think, probably Swami is preparing his next team and not to forget, those of us who are still here are very much part of His team and only  need to perform much more better than what we are at the moment.

Let us all pray for the already blessed soul to rest in peace...

Praying Swami to guide us and protect us and offering most humble pranams at the divine lotus feet,

R.Satish Naik