Issue Thirty Two - July 14, 2016 | | | | "What is true devotion to Me? True devotion to Me on the part of devotees is to take either failure or success, sorrow or happiness as equal, with equal mindedness. That is devotion to Me!" - Baba | | | | With the Blessings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we are delighted to present our Thirty Second issue of Ananda Vahini. The weekly newsletter includes interesting musings and short excerpts from the week's events. In this week's issue, we bring you the update from Bhagawan's visit to Sri Lanka. Guru Purnima will be celebrated world over on Tuesday, July 19, 2016. We bring you the three-day schedule of the Celebrations which will be held at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli. - Sathya Sai Grama Communications Team | | GURU PURNIMA CELEBRATIONS JULY 17 TO 19, 2016 Sunday, July 17 - Evening (LIVE BROADCAST FROM 5PM ) Cultural Programmes by devotees from Italy, Germany and Greece Monday, July 18 - Evening (LIVE BROADCAST FROM 5PM ) 1. Dance performance by children from Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Mandir, Hyderabad 2. Musical Offering by Carnatic Music Vocalist Bombay Jayashree Tuesday, July 19 - Morning (LIVE BROADCAST FROM 9:30AM ) 1. Musical Offering by Students 2. Musical Offering by Smt Gayatri and Sri Kunal Gajawalla Tuesday, July 19 – Evening (LIVE BROADCAST FROM 5PM ) 1. Divine Discourse 2. Veena Recital by Dr Jayanti Kumaresh 3. Fusion Instrumental Music Performance by Mandolin U Rajesh, Sri Harmeet Manseta and Sri Dimitris Lambrianos Log on to saivrinda.org to watch the LIVE poroceedings from Sathya Sai Grama. Tune in to our internet radio 'Sanathana Vani' online www.sanathanavani.org to listen to the programmes LIVE or download the 'Sanathana Vani' app on Playstore or iStore. | | | | DIVINE VISIT – COLOMBO, SRI LANKA Sunday, July 10, 2016 After a combination of South Indian and Sri Lankan breakfast, Swami granted a couple of interviews, before proceeding to the residence of Hon Speaker Sri Karu Jayasurya. As soon as Swami entered his official residence, He was escorted to the Board Room for the official Board meeting of the Sri Sathya Sai Karuna Nilayam Foundation. Swami chaired the meeting in a one-of-its-kind incident; the official board room with speaker mics and chairs all around made it feel so special with Swami at the helm of affairs, the speaker for the day! As soon as Swami entered the hall, he noticed the absence of Mr Jayasurya, and asked "Who is the speaker today?" Then He sat on the central chair and said that He was going to moderate the meeting. The agenda of the meeting was presented by one of the members of the Board, a brief of the work done since the land was donated by Brother Sutharshanom to the Sri Sathya Sai Karuna Nilayam foundation, which is now fully operational, was briefed to all present. Swami was also given a file containing the agenda and He went through it page by page. The discussions revolved around.... To read more click here | | | Board Meeting of the Sri Sathya Sai Karuna Nilayam Foundation in progress. | | | Public Satsang at the Ramakrishna Mission Auditorium, Columbo. | | | Glimpse of the devotees gathered to bask in Bhagawan's Love. | | | Bhagawan's entourage along with the Sri Lankan devotees, all set to take off to Batticaloa. | | | Traditional folk music 'Villu Pattu' performance at the Divine Lotus Feet. | | DIVINE VISIT – BATTICALOA, SRI LANKA Monday, July 11, 2016 It was an early start to 'a historic day'. When Smt Penny Jayewardane walked in to Swami's room with His breakfast, He said, "You may not understand it now, but today is a very historic day and will be etched in golden letters in the history of this country." Soon after breakfast, Bhagawan's entourage proceeded to the Ratmalana Airport, about 30 minutes from the Jayewardane residence, to proceed to Batticaloa, on the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka where the construction work for the Ashram will soon commence. When the Lord visited Columbo in July 2015, a Sri Lankan devotee, now residing with his family in Singapore, Sri Sutharshanom lovingly placed 200 acres of land at His Divine Lotus Feet! But the Lord accepted 50 acres, the area needed for the construction of the Ashram. Swami declared a hospital and school will be established, offering all services completely free-of-charge, and when Swami visited Sri Lanka in December 2015. The Bhoomi Puja was done at the Ashram land, and the transfer of documents of land to the Sri Sathya Sai Karuna Nilayam Foundation in Sri Lanka happened despite several hassles associated with a war ravaged area, where it is located. It was definitely historic, as the chartered plane was to land for the very first time at the Batticaloa Airport after the war. The airport was recently renovated and inaugurated as if to be ready in time for this divine maiden flight... | | THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FASTING IN THE MONTH OF RAMZAN - SUMMARY OF DIVINE DISCOURSE ON JULY 07, 2016 When we refer to 'Truth', what does it really mean? Occasionally, we understand it as being able to speak the truth. Is this the truth that the Vedas refer to? Generally, we perceive the truth as what we experience in our day-to-day lives. For instance, you may consider this as truth about yourself: "I am a girl; my name is this; I study in such-and-such class." But, once upon a time, you were a little baby, then a girl, later you will become a youth, a woman and finally, a grandmother. This truth, which changes with time and situations is not Truth at all. The Truth that is described in Vedas is the changeless and the permanent one. Since this body changes, body cannot be the truth. Are we the mind and the emotions and the intelligence that accompany it? But when something good happens, our mind is happy, our emotions are pleasant. But if something goes wrong, we are plunged into sorrow and our emotions are also negative. It keeps on changing based on time, space and situations. Therefore, mind also cannot be called as Truth. Then what is this changeless Truth that we are seeking? The Truth that we all discuss, that I call you by, is the truth of one's Divine Self and not the outer appearance. Many people ask Me, "How are you able to love everyone so much? The answer is very simple: I don't see the outer appearance; I see the inner self, which is the same. Therefore,... | | Subscribe to 'Amruta Vahini', the monthly magazine from Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli today! From Divine Discourses to event updates, from photo features to travelogues, from book excerpts to news updates, 'Amruta Vahini' is a must-have monthly magazine! Amruta Vahini also features the series, 'Sri Sathya Sai Divya Anandam', the continuing biography of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the subtle form, by Sri B N Narasimha Murthy. | | | To subscribe to 'Amruta Vahini' mail us at commsmdh@gmail.com We will be happy to assist you with the subscription formalities, and deliver to your home or office! | | | Tune in to Sanathana Vani every Thursday (IST 5:30pm), Sunday (IST 6pm), and during festivals, to listen to the LIVE satsang, streamed directly from Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli. | | | | | | | |