Golden Moments

 

Sowmya Roopa

A few months had passed as a teacher at Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, Ooty. On June 1989, Bhagwan called us, a small group of “Ooty teachers” for an interview. It was my first interview as a teacher.

Bhagwan said,” Fish is better than a selfish person. A fish cleans the water it lives in. Whereas, a selfish person does not contribute to anything in society.”

Our Jagat Guru said,”Teachers and parents should not be like Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. Do not be blind to the faults of the children. A good mother controls her child with one look. The vision of the mother is beneficial for her children. Since the Kauravas did not get Gandhari’s motherly vision upon them, they were unlucky. Since Gandhari blindfolded herself, she did not do her Putra Dharma, the Dharma of a mother towards her children. Look at what the children do. Correct them when they make mistakes and instantly appreciate them for the good that they do.

As an inexperienced teacher, I was attempting to find the balance between Love and Law. Teaching history to 12-13 year-old boys was easy but dealing with a cheeky boy who wrote about cricket in a history test was a daunting task. To ensure discipline without curbing natural boyish boisterousness is as much an art as pruning a rose bush! So, I asked Bhagwan, ”Bhagwan, how should we control children? They don’t pay heed to us!” Bhagwan kindly answered me,” Tell them again and again.” Today, I realize that is exactly what Bhagwan, our teacher has been doing with us, His naughty students. He has repeated with immense patience and love, the same lessons for years and years the lessons of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema, Ahimsa and Kshama. He has taught by personal example, stories, jokes and songs with untiring zeal.

A brick knows only its own arduous journey from clay to foundation brick. Does it know the toil of the brick maker who makes thousands of bricks for the edifice?

A couplet by Kabir says,”Karat Karat Abhyas te,  Jadmati hot sujan, Rasri avat Jat le, sil par parat nishan.” Meaning – By practice a dullard can become knowledgeable just like a mark can be made on even a stone by repeatedly rubbing a rope on it.

Recapitulation re-assessment and repetition are necessary for any type of learning. As we recollect the abundance we all received from Bhagwan…the gifts, teachings, encouragement, guidance, care, protection…lovingly showered upon us…each of us bow at His lotus feet and ask,” Oh sweet Mother, what can I do for you?”

This reminds me of a little conversation in the darshan grounds. Bhagwan had just given sarees to all the teachers and the Warden of the Sri Sathya Sai Primary School, Mrs Prem Behl asked Bhagwan, ”Swami, You give us all so much, what can we give you?” It was a gratitude-filled yearning echoing in the hearts of many devotees. Bhagwan smiled and said,” Pure heart! I want only a pure heart and you have it.” Bhagwan gave each of us the gift of a pure heart…keeping it pure by His grace needs constant effort, recapitulating lessons until it becomes a part of us.

Thank you Bhagwan for patiently repeating the lessons You want us to learn. Hope we learn them soon.

(Sowmya Roopa completed her B.A in 1987 and B.Ed in 1988. She received her gold medal for distinction in B.Ed from the Sri Sathya Sai University. She taught at the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar Ootacamund from 1989 till 1991. From 1991 till 2000, she taught at the Sai Sathya Sai Primary school, Puttaparthi. Sowmya Roopa was invited to the Sai Sathya Sai Schools, Rishikesh and Kathmandu in 2000 and 2001. There she shared her knowledge about value-oriented education with the teachers and students through talks, poems, songs, charts and demonstration. Currently, she writes value-based skits and paints quotation boards. In this series, she shares her experiences and learning as a student and staff in Swami’s educational institutions. )

Golden Moments-5

Soumya Roopa

   We were completing our B.Ed course and longed to be called by Bhagawan to receive the shower of His ambrosial words, His love and Blessings as we left the portals of His university enter into His universal university. We will cherish forever the nectarine grace we received that afternoon-8^th April 1988……2.30pm, Sunday at Trayee Brindavan.

                   Bhagawan was standing at the entrance with His hands behind Him, smiling. As the first one entered Bhagawan said-“perfect, perfect, punctual”. He then asked us all to sit down. Bhagawan kept standing, then He said ,”when daughters come to their mothers house and are leaving, they must not be sent empty-handed. So, I am giving you this, Bhagawan gave each of us two notes of Rs 50 (Rs 50 + Rs 50=Rs 100) totaling to Rs 100/- . We were touched and surprised. He gave us the love of more than a thousand mothers! Then we offered Him pakodas, He took the plate and distributed it to us. We held our pakodas and requested Bhagawan to eat first. Bhagawan said “I don’t eat anything in the evening but since it has been made with bhakthi I will have it”. Then Bhagawan ate a pakoda while we ate ours and quickly tried to hold His feet. He joked with us that all the oil from the pakodas would be on His feet! He told us all to sit comfortably, then Bhagawan started speaking.

Golden Moments- His Story as heard from Him

 By Sowmya Roopa

It was a joyous trip to Puttaparthi in 1984 since it was my first trip as a student studying in first year B.A at the Sri Sathya Sai college for women at Ananthpur. It was Ramzan day. Bhagavan called us for an interview in the mandir hall. Bhagavan entered and asked “ Yemi Samacharam? Any questions”. The librarian Mrs Pushpa Ramana requested Bhagwan to tell us about his early life as Shirdi Sai baba, since nobody knew about Shirdi Baba’s parentage, childhood etc. Bhagawan graciously revealed the secrets of his parentage and life in His previous Avatar as Shirdi Baba .The following is the record of that interview in 1984 as written in my dairy at that time itself.

Every little thing is of some value, until and unless we know the value of a thing we cannot put it into proper use. If the husk is not removed from paddy, we do not get rice .We cannot wear cotton bales as such, only when it is made into thread and woven as cloth we can use it. A rock from a mountain cannot be worshipped until it is made into an idol. Diamond is precious only if it is extracted from the earth. Even gold mixed with copper, silver etc is of lesser value than purified gold free from other metals. With out the husk, paddy is not different from rice. Human life gains Divine value when the satwa ,rajas and tamoguna are taken away from it. Life with desires is man, life without desires is God.

Golden Moments-1

Sowmya Roopa

(Sowmya Roopa completed her B.A in 1987 and B.Ed in 1988. She received her gold medal for distinction in B.Ed from the Sri Sathya Sai University. She taught at the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar Ootacamund from 1989 till 1991. From 1991 till 2000, she taught at the Sai Sathya Sai Primary school, Puttaparthi. Sowmya Roopa was invited to the Sai Sathya Sai Schools, Rishikesh and Kathmandu in 2000 and 2001. There she shared her knowledge about value-oriented education with the teachers and students through talks, poems, songs, charts and demonstration. Currently, she writes value-based skits and paints quotation boards. She attempts to spread Bhagwan’s teachings and the wisdom of different religions through her brainchild ‘Project Suvichar’.)

The Shri Guru Gita say’s “Salutations to Shri Guru, by whose joy people are joyous”, Bhagawan, the source of joy gave each of us joyous Golden moments. It is our pleasure to share those memories with each other. In these series of articles entitled ‘Golden Moments’ I share some joy- filled memories with all of you. The joy came when Bliss incarnate Bhagawan, answered a question, alloyed a fear, showed His unseen presence, wiped a tear, taught a profound truth…endless are His ways of giving joy.

     It was 1984, I had just joined the Sri Sathya Sai college for women at Ananthpur and was in first year B.A, It was a Thursday, we were assembled for prayer in the college auditorium, as we finished praying, there was a sudden hush, then a few whispers “Bhagwan has come”, we turned in amazement to see Bhagwan walking into the auditorium. Then Bhagwan gave a discourse. He told this chinna katha- little story.

Astrology and Spirituality-Tithis and their significance

   By KVRK Bhargav 

 (Bhargav is a student of Swami who after completing his B.Tech in Textile Engineering graduated with an MBA from the the Sri Sathya Sai University in 2001. Ever since, he has had the great fortune of waiting for Swami’s direct guidance. He has been blessed with many interactions with Swami and he pursues astrology as a hobby to understand how it complements and dovetails spirituality. He shares his insights on how the planets are not causes of fear; rather they all serve the common goal of prodding man towards his spiritual destiny of Self Realization)

An eminent speaker was addressing the huge gathering in Sai Kulwant Hall on the occasion of Durgastami in the divine presence of our Beloved Bhagwan. During his talk he commented rather emphatically, " People believe that the tithis of Astami and Navami are inauspicious. How can they be inauspicious? Avatars like Lord Krishna and Lord Rama were born on Astami and Navami respectively."

Swami who was intently listening to his talk interrupted him, called him near, corrected him and said, " Rama and Krishna went through lot of suffering and hardship though being born as avatars as the tithis of their birth were inauspicious."

 Traditionally speaking, these tithis or dates govern the commencement of a lot of new and auspicious ventures in our households. Whenever I was to start a train journey, my grandmother used to sit with the panchangam to find out the best tithis to undertake the travel. Come Ekadashi , she would keep a morning to night fast, saying her prayers turning a rosary and doing parayanam of Bhagwad Geeta, emphasizing that it  has lot of merit. I always used to scoff at her orthodox ways, as my so called educated and scientific mind dismissed it as a mere superstition. I always tried to accept anything after putting it through the rigours of my test tube mind. She had a totally different temperament; she accepted with unflinching faith whatever has been handed over to us by our seers with complete reverence to their wisdom. But when I got a chance to study astrology, I started understanding the profound wisdom which our seers and sages of yore had, to have given us such rituals and practices.

Tithis in a month

Tithis are the dates which come into existence due to the relative motion of moon with respect to earth and sun. When moon is closest to the sun it is called a new moon day or Amavasya and when it is the farthest it is called full moon day or Poornima. Journey from new moon day to full moon day is called the shukla paksha or the waxing phase and the journey from full moon to new moon day is called krishna paksha or the waning phase. Tithis like Panchami and Ekadashi are considered very auspicious and the tithis - Astami and Navami are considered very inauspicious for undertaking any activity. The waxing phase when the moon apparently grows in size as well as strength, is considered beneficial and the waning phase, where the moon shrinks is not beneficial.

Let us try to understand this in astrological parlance. Sun and Moon play a major role in shaping our entire life and the day to day events of a human being. Moon signifies our mind, emotions, devotion to a chosen deity, sensitivities, obsessions and fears and Sun represents the soul, spiritual will, ego, the digestive fire, warmth, generosity and also self-centred nature and excessive pride.  They also represent the lunar nadi of Ida and the solar nadi of Pingala in our body as explained in the article on eclipses. The physical, mental, emotional well being of an individual depends on the balance in the prana of these two nadis. When an individual is born, a snapshot of the placement of planets in the zodiac at that time is his/her horoscope, governing the individual's whole life. There is also the concept of transits, which is the day to day change in the positions of the planets influencing the day to day activity of the individual i.e. birth horoscope is the macro view and the transit is the micro view. The different predictions, which we read in all the newspapers and magazines like 'the week ahead' or 'know your next week' takes into consideration only the transits of planets. Taking into consideration only the transit without considering the birth horoscope, results in an inaccurate prediction.

In a birth chart or transit chart, if two planets are five and nine places away mutually(known as trikona) they work in complete harmony complementing each other's energies, helping the individual to internalize their energy  for spiritual uplifment. Similar is the case  when they are three and eleven places away but to a lesser extent. In the same way, if two planets are placed six and eight places away (shasta- astaka) they seriously interfere in their mutual functioning and create obstacles for the native.

(8)	Su    (1) (9)	(2)	(3)
(7)	Alignment for Panchami and Ekadashi(waxing, five and nine away)		(4)
(6)			Mo  (5)  (1)
(5)	(4)	(3)	(2)

Chart 1

(2)	Su  (1) (3)	(2)	(3)
Mo  (1) (11)	Alignment for Panchami and Ekadashi(Waning, three and eleven away)		(4)
(10)			(5)
(9)	(8)	(7)	(6)

Chart 2

(7)	Su  (1) (8)	(2)	(3)
(6)	Alignment for Astami and Navami(Six and eight away)		(4)
(5)			(5)
(4)	(3)	(2)	Mo  (6) (1)

Chart 3

On shukla paksha Panchami and Ekadashi (waxing moon), sun and moon are mutually five and nine away(chart 1), making it a very auspicious time for spiritual practices and also start any new ventures. Similarly, on krishna Paksha(waning moon) panchami and ekadashi sun and moon are mutually three and eleven away(chart2)  again making it an auspicious time. On astami and navami of both waxing and waning periods sun and moon are six and eight away (chart 3)seriously hampering their mutual energies and creating obstacles for the native.We logically get one argument here that as the transit is not solely responsible for governing a person's life, why do we give them so much importance. The answer is that these Tithis in transit don't have an overbearing influence in a person's life but the energy available to us either positive as in Ekadashi can be harnessed by all and negative as in Astami or Navami can be shunned by all.  My grandmother was wise enough to follow these dictums scrupulously with utmost reverence without questioning them. As Ramakrishna Paramahamsa very aptly puts it, ' Experience starts with implicit faith'

If one notes carefully, in Sanatana Dharma tithis like Aashadha Ekadashi, Vaikuntha Ekadashi, Karthik Ekadashi, Bhishma Ekadashi( when Bhishma left his mortal coil) and chaitra ekadashi are considered very auspicious.  Devout observe fast, maintain a strict diet regimen, undertake spiritual pracitces and try to internalize the available energy. They also visit temples and spiritual centres to recharge themselves. Also tithis like naag panchami, vasant panchami, rishi panchami, sri panchami have a special significance. As an afterthought,the success or failure of a venture doesn't solely depend on the choice of Tithis. If the Wimbledon final is played between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal(as in 2011) on a Astami, which is inauspicious for both, the one with a stronger will power, self- belief, one pointedness and to some extent a strong birth horosope will win.

Taking this thought to the highest level, one can earn Swami's grace with one's faith and effort as Swami very aptly says that if one has pure and selfless feelings, and a zeal to accomplish a noble act His anugraha will always help the person to  achieve the goal irrespective of what the ‘inverted bowl above’ predicts.

  Paramhamsa Yogananda in the chapter 'Outwitting the stars' in his book Autobiography of a Yogi, echoes the same feelings “Occasionally I told astrologers to select my worse periods, according to planetary indications, and I would still accomplish whatever task I set myself. It is true that my success at such time has been accompanied by extraordinary difficulties. But my conviction has always been justified; faith in the divine protection, and the right use of man’s God-given will, are forces formidable beyond any the 'inverted bowl' (sky) can muster.”

Bhoomi Pooja

By Darshan Patel

(Darshan is a 17 year old pursuing his Diploma in Pharmacy in London. He is a very witty teenager and an excellent guitarist. His deep voice resonates when he sings bhajans. His attitude towards seva and the ability to adjust and adapt are commendable at his age. )

My humble pranams at the lotus feet of our beloved Bhagwan.

After April, I was beginning to crave for the darshan of His Samadhi. After seven long months, I could not wait any longer and so I decided to pack my bags and head to India. Since I was landing in Bangalore, Kalpana Aunty introduced me to Brother Vinod and his family. They have started a trust and were holding a Bhoomi Pooja for the children’s home- Sai Krushna Mandir.  I wanted to spend most of my time over the next three weeks doing seva. So I decided to stay with them for a week and be a part of the activities planned. It was a first time for me and I was looking forward to the event. On the 23^rd of November the Bhoomi Pooja was held. After arriving early the morning of the 22^nd, even I couldn’t resist waking up early as there was excitement in the air. After finally arriving at the village school near the site for the children’s home, the fun began. Swami’s chair stood there wonderfully decorated and the children’s excitement could be felt. Whilst waiting for the pooja to begin we began chanting the Sai Gayatri. All the children joined in too. A bit rusty at start but after a while we all were in harmony. Then we began bhajans which the children seemed to love and the energy and levels of participation which they put in were inspirational.

The Pooja commenced. This was a completely new experience to me as in England things are done differently. All though I knew that it was a pooja in which you worship the ground, I didn’t really understand what was going on as most of the prayers were in Sanskrit and instructions in Tamil. However, I did manage to learn my first proper Tamil words… ‘Neengal Vaango’ or “Please come here”. Getting these two words right itself gave me a taste of this tongue twister of a language. I’m sure I’ll always remember these two words. But jokes aside, the vibrations of the prayers and chanting did come across to me. They then dug a hole in the north east corner of land where we went and worshiped the tile  on which Swami’s has walked in Prashanthi. This included washing it with milk and water and offering flowers. The stone will then be placed in the foundation of the orphanage when the construction starts. The whole day was lovely and I think we all felt Swami’s presence there in one way or another.

The following Sunday, the celebrations continued in the form of a grand school exhibition put up by the students of the Village School. We started with Nagarsankeertan and rudram chanting. The donors of the land and the teachers were felicitated. What struck me most was the children and their appreciation for what they had. When the teachers were honoured with Amruthakalashas (monthly provisions and blanket), the students were the ones who expressed their gratitude with loud cheering and applause. The programme concluded with Mangala Arathi and Narayan Seva. From what I have seen and experienced I am confident that Sai Krushna Mandir – the children’s home - will be a great success. The environment will be encouraging for the children in the orphanage and it will be one big united family. I have felt this in the past week by staying as one with the SKM family. And, if anything, I know that the children will be happy and grateful to Swami for what they shall receive.