Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yajna Thursday, October 18th, 2012 The Seven Day ritual coinciding the Navarathri Festival, Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yajna got underway in Prasanthi Nilayam this morning in the Divine Omnipresence of Beloved Bhagawan. The festivity would get much deserved majesty and grandeur those days with an array of activities tagged to it, apart from the Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yajna that has been a traditional practice for many years, ever since it was revived after a short break. Dasara of olden days used to be grand spectacle with tens and thousands of devotees thronged to Prasanthi Nilayam receiving shower of Supreme benediction. Hoisting of Prasanthi Flag, a symbolic representation of harmony, regeneration and reconstruction of humanity, annual conferences of All India Prasanthi Vidhwaan Maha Sabha, where scholars would speak on various spiritual topics, grand feast to tens and thousands, and most important of all, series of Divine discourses suffused with Supreme Wisdom, all would render resplendence to the week-long affair. The beginning of Vasanta Ritu (spring) and Sharath Ritu (autumn) are two very important events in the Bharatiya Calendar, for they not only signify the change of season but their consequent effect on the human body and mind. These two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of the Divine Mother in the form of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi in India. That is why the festival of Dasara (ten days) or Navaratri (nine nights) is an important festival celebrated all over India with piety and grandeur. In Prasanthi Nilayam, especially during the Navaratri that falls every year in or around September – October, people gather in thousands to pay their homage to the Divine Mother incarnated as Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Over the past many years, the festival of Dasara in Prasanthi Nilayam has been closely associated with the 'Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yajna', the week-long sacrificial ritual conducted in the Divine Presence, for the welfare of the whole world. This morning's proceedings began at 0900 hrs. with a procession carrying the Kalasha, that was installed on 16 October initiating the Yajna proceedings, in a ceremonial procession to the venue, Poornachandra Auditorium amidst Vedic chanting. At the venue, in the Poornachandra Auditorium, the dais wore a most solemnising picture, with the proceedings just began. The hall was resonating with the holy Vedic chants and students were already filed in. Proceedings began with the priests producing ceremonial fire by friction, churning of two wooden pieces. The fire produced was subsequently placed at His Lotus Feet, before depositing in the sacred sacrificial pit, marking the beginning of the Yajna. Soon it was time for the students to proceed for Grama Seva. Today being the 3rd day of Grama Seva 2012, villages in and around Puttaparthi would be covered serving thousands. Mangala Arathi was offered at 1045 hrs. marking the culmination of Yajna proceedings. II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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Prasanthi Vidhwan Mahasabha…Friday, October 19th, 2012 | |
Yajnas are not done here in a routine way, with any worldly expectations or goals; they are performed most selflessly for universal welfare, echoed Bhagawan when a discourse audio was relayed in the first evening of Prasanthi Vidwaan Mahasabha 2012 here in Prasanthi Nilayam. Earlier, the proceedings began with Veda chanting at 1630 hrs., lasted ten minutes, before tiny tots from the Primary School took over chanting Namakam for another ten minutes. In the first session of Prasanthi Vidhwaan Mahasabha, ensemble of learned speakers, there were two speakers sharing the podium enlightening the audience. The speakers were Sri Ruchir Desai, Asst. Professor, Brindavan Campus and Dr. Nori Surya Narayana Murthy, en erudite scholar in Sanskrit and Telugu. Speaking with reference to Bhagawan's Divine discourse on the occasion of first Prasanthi Vidwaan Mahasabha, half-a-century ago, Sri Ruchir Desai spoke about Yajna, Sacrifice and the purport of oblations quoting Bhagawan, summing up mentioning a personal story illustrating Bhagawan's selfless love. Concluding his speech Sri Desai said, Bhagawan lived every moment for others, living His message 'My Life Is My Message." Dr. Nori Surya Narayana Murthy, the guest speaker for the day, spoke eloquently on the glory of 'Sundara Kanda' in the epic Ramayana. The speaker expounded the supreme virtues of Hanumanji which endeared him to Lord Rama and made him stand as a role model for the youth to emulate. Lastly Dr. Moorthy described Bhagawan as the reincarnation of Lord Ramachandra Who descended down to foster and protect Dharma. Dr. Murthy's enlightening speech was entwined with beautiful poetic renderings singing glories to Lord, illustrating various stories. Thereafter, budding talents from the Brindavan Campus presented a soulful musical offering singing paeans to Bhagawan in His varied manifestations. Some of the numbers were "Aum Namah Shivaya…" and "Dorakuna Ituvanti Seva…" etc. Earlier Prof Anantaraman, currently Media Co-ordinator with Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, also a senior faculty with Dept. Of Management Studies, SSSIHL spoke on the legend and evolution of Prasanthi Vidwaan Mahasabha in the immediate Divine Presence. Beginning with a reference to the legend of Dasara festivity, Prof Anantaraman gave an overview of the evolution of the 'archetype assembly' of the highest Divine Abode, before narrating his personal experience with Bhagawan with reference to the Mahasabha. Sri Aman Jhaveri, Research Scholar with SSSIHL, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus performed the pleasant task of introducing the speakers to the august assembly. Even as bhajans continued the guest speaker was felicitated by Prof Sashidhara Prasad, VC, SSSIHL. Prasadam was distributed to the entire assembly and Mangala arathi was offered at 1910 hrs. II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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Enlightening Speeches and Musical Offering… Friday, October 19, 2012 | |
Detach yourself from body attachment and develop attachment to the Atma to the extent possible, exhorted Bhagawan 'delivering' His Divine discourse here in the second evening of Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha today. Man alone is responsible for both pain and pleasure; Right from birth man is accumulating all worldly transient things, said Bhagawan narrating the story of a dog chasing the bone, ending up hurting its eye, rejoicing at its own blood.Earlier, the second day of Prassanthi Vidwan Mahasabha commenced with Veda chanting by the students followed by a brief spell of chanting by the students from Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School. First speaker for the session of Kum D. Bhargavi, Asst. Professor with Dept. Of English, SSSIHL, Prasanthi Nilayam. Kum. Bhargavi's speech was centred around the theme 'acceptance'. Flashing her memories back to an interesting episode from her student days with Bhagawan, wherein she could not muster the courage to accept the challenge to speak in His Divine presence, when an opportunity came off the cuff, Kum Bhargavi spoke on the various levels of acceptance one must muster that includes acceptance with 'self-confidence' at a personal level, acceptance of God, acceptance of God's Words and acceptance of God's lessons. The second speaker, Sri Mudigonda Brahmananda Sastri, in his illuminating speech in Telugu, portrayed Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai as the very embodiment of Lord Sri Ramachandra of Treta Yuga and Bhgawan Sri Krishna of Dwapara Yuga. The speaker substantiated his splendid theme by quoting apt instance from the life of Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Sri Sathya Sai which demonstrated the supreme virtues of the three Avatar, sweetness of speech, adherence to righteousness, unflinching subservience to the wishes of devotees and supreme serenity. Post the speeches, students from SSSIHL, Anantapur Campus presented a musical offering singing paeans to Bhagawan. Beginning with invoking Lord Ganesha, the girls sang another song extolling Mother Durga, Premaswarupini Srikari Shankari…., followed by a Telugu number illustrating the unfolding of His Avataric Mission to sign off singing a Hindi number offering gratitude to Beloved Mother Sai. The musical programme was followed by Divine Discourse that reverberated in the spacious hall. Bhajans continued and ended with Bhagawan singing Bhaja Govindam…Bhaja Govindam… The session ended with Mangala Arathi at 1850 hrs. Today, on the 4th day of Sri Sathya Sai Grama Seva following villages of the Kothacheruvu mandal were served: Kadireppapalli, Kanisettipalli, Kesapuram, Talamarla, Avulakotlapalli, Patadevarapalli, Kothadevarapalli, Meerjapuram, Gangotivaripalli, Bangaruchinnapalli, Narayanareddipalli, Vemuletipalli, Indlavenkatampalli, Dantlapalli, Lingareddipalli, Mylepalli, Tirumaladevarapalli, Gorantlepalli, Kodapaganipalli, Venkatapuram (Near Mylasamudram), Kadiridevarapalli, Mylasamudram, Narepalli, Bandamidapalli. II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II | |
Musical Dance Drama by DJP Children… Sunday, October 20th, 2012 | |
Today, on the 3rd day of the ongoing Dasara Saptaaha Jnaana Yajna, evening session of Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha had three speakers, two from Prasanthi Nilayam campus and one from Anantapur campus of SSSIHL.Earlier, the programme commenced with Veda chanting followed by special invocation by the tiny tots from Smt. Easwaramma English Medium High School. Today, being 20 October, 'Avatar Declaration Day', at the outset, Prof Anantaraman, Media co-ordinator with Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust spoke on the greater significance of the day that earned an indelible impression in the history of mankind, when the Lord chose to define the day with His Divine Annunciation of His Avataric Mission, 72 years ago. The first speaker for the evening was Sri Bhabani Shankar Padhy, Research Scholar from Prasanthi Nilayam campus. Beginning with an introduction of the varied dimensions of Navarathri festival, illustrating varied faces of the Mother Divine, in different parts of India, ranging from North East to South to the Southernmost tip of India, Kanya Kumari, where Mother is worshipped as Goddess Kanya Kumari, the speaker drifted into narrating the legend of the Goddess. Kanya Kumari as a virgin, is eternally waiting for Her Lord, Lord Shiva. Akin to the Goddess's eternal waiting for Her Beloved, man also has to develop this eternal bond with His Lord, said the speaker connecting the incident with Bharat's cultural heritage. Sage Bharadwaja, who did severe penance, despite all oddities, finally brought heavenly cosmic boon to humanity by having been responsible for the Avataric Advent. Speaking quite authentically with clarity, Bhabani interlaced his speech with beautiful incidents as well as some couplets ending it with a mention that one day at the twilight of our physical sojourn each individual will retrospect finding out how each one them have become a miracle in His Divine hands. Speaking next, Sai Prasanna, an MBA student from Prasanthi Nilayam campus elucidated on the glory and potency of Lalitha Sahasranamam, 1008 Names of Goddess Lalitha. Speaking on the potency of the Sahasranama, Sai Prasanna brought references from the illustrious book Anyatha Saranam Naasthi before narrating some of the interesting incidents of some of the students. Referring to the attribute in the Sahasranama wherein She was called 'Brahmanda Janani', Sai Prasanna dwelt on the allegorical meaning of the Name in its broadest all encompassing term, narrating how the revised universal Mantra, Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu was introduced by Bhagawan some years ago. Third and final speaker for the evening was Kum Shilpa from the Anantapur campus of SSSIHL. Poetically explaining the greater glory of Bhagawan, Shilpa dwelt on man's repeated failures in finding God at the right place, within him, despite advancing in worldly ways, conquering the world outside. Bhagawan's Divine discourse followed, played on the public speaker system. Man should introspect repeatedly asking whether his purpose of coming unto this physical world has been achieved,exhorted Bhagawan, adding that man is here to know his true nature. If man knows his true nature, he will know everything. It is easy to follow the path of Truth. Follow the spiritual practice that help you to know your true nature, reminded Bhagawan to the students and assembly of devotees. The last programme was a Dance Drama presentation by the Deena Janoddharana Pathakam in Andhra Pradesh. Deenajanoddharana Pathakam is Bhagawan's project for the destitute children. The presentation entitled Nee Challani Needalo Entha Haayi Saayi was the story of the protagonist, Siva, a destitute child, who found his great good fortune once got enrolled under the Pathakam. All the children were felicitated an Prasadam was distributed to the entire assembly. Bhajans continued and ended with Bhagawan singing Prema Muditha Manase Kaho…Mangala Arathi was offered at 1910 hrs. Today is the 3rd day of Dasara Jyaana Saptaha Yajna being conducted in the Poornachandra Auditorium. Today, on the fifth day of Sri Sathya Sai Grama Seva 2012, the following villages of the Kothacheruvu and Puttaparthi mandal were served: Narayanapuram, Sathya Sai Nagar, Sampuram, Mamillakunta Cross, Guntipalli, Locherla, Gownakuntapalli, Byrapuram, Yerrapalli, Kammavanipalli, Chinnarajapalli, Appalavandlapalli, Bandlapalli, Honnurapalli, Virupapuram, Obuladevarapalli, Pothulakunta, Mallempalli, Thippabatlapalli, Marakuntlapalli, Nagareddipalli, Ravindra Colony, Vaugampalli, Eragampalli and Eragampalli SC Locality. II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II |