EL DESPERTAR SAI. : WHAT SOULD WE DO THIS SHIVARATRI?

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Every festival in Prasanthi Nilayam is extraordinary but Shivarathri each year has been a spectacle! Especially the occasions when Bhagawan performed the divine act of Lingodbhavam – the emergence of the linga (a symbol of the cosmos) from His mouth! Thousands thronged to Puttaparthi to witness this glorious manifestation of Divine love. They spent the holy night ruminating on His form and His glories. It is time now again to relive those moments, understand their significance and learn how to remain in that state of Pure Love that Baba is, every moment of our lives.
Here is an attempt to offer you some perspectives about this unique phenomenon that we have been blessed to witness in our lives – the Sri Sathya Sai Avatar. This is presented in the form of a dialogue which liberally draws from precious teachings from several enlightened souls who have graced this planet in the recent times. We hope this offers you insights into some of Baba's profound messages; every act of the Divine is so deeply significant and what Baba did during Shivarathri every year was no exception.

Sai Revitalises Someswara!

Prem: Sairam Bishu! How are you? So how was your trip to West India?

Bishu: It was fantastic Prem. By Baba's grace, I was at Somnath – one of the very powerful shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Prem: Yes, it is one of the 12 jyothirlingas, right?

Bishu: Absolutely, in fact the foremost in the list. And the most unique thing about this shrine is Baba Himself was here way back in the seventies. In fact it is Baba, Shiva-Shakthi come as Sathya Sai, who recharged this shrine so to say by performing an out-of-the-world abhishekam of this shrine. I have read about it. Baba reached Somnath on June 17, 1970 and He was accompanied by the Rajamata (Queen Mother) of Nawanagar who was a great devotee of Swami.


The Someshwar shrine in Somnath in the state of Gujarat, India - one of the powerful shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Prem: Yes, I have seen photos of her with Swami in our Radio Sai archives. In fact she is the one who offered her land in Bangalore to Swami to construct the Sathya Sai Hostel and College in Brindavan, Whitefield.

Bishu: Right. Her husband, the late Jamsaheb was also an ardent devotee of Swami and a great believer of God. In fact he is one of the persons primarily responsible for the renovation of this historic shrine. Not many people know that centuries ago the Somnath shrine actually was one of the richest temples of India.

For this reason unfortunately it was targeted and plundered by many rulers and conquerors. Depredation, desecration, destruction, reconstruction and rededication became recurring chapters of its long history. When the temple was built for the fifth time the rulers of Delhi at the time destroyed it again.


The Rajamata of Nawanagar garlanding Bhagawan during one the Birthday celebrations in the yester years

Finally after India attained independence in 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the great freedom fighter declared “We have decided that Somnath should be reconstructed. This is a holy task in which all should participate.” And one person who did participate wholeheartedly was the late Jamsaheb of Nawanagar and so deep was his affection for this shrine that he built an imposing achitectural gem at the entrance of this temple. Jamsaheb's name was Dig Vijaya Singh and so this striking structure was named as Dig Vijaya Dwar, meaning 'The Gateway of Victory'.

Prem: That sounds great!

Bishu: Yes, and the most important thing is Baba inaugurated this hallowed structure at the request of the Rajamata. In fact even before reaching the shrine Baba had declared that He would reveal to all that day the genuine Somnath! So all roads converging from Jamnagar to Somnath that day were shouting jaikars in exhilaration.

Baba was ceremonially received at the Dig Vijaya Dwar by the Trustees of the Somnath Temple and amidst strains of temple music, He walked on the red carpet laid on the steps and opened the lock on the artistically carved and silver-embossed door with a silver key. The Rajamata was ecstatic.


The 'Dig Vijay Dwar' built by the late Jamsaheb at the Someshwara shrine - it was inaugurated by Baba in June 1970.

Prem: Thats wonderful. The royal couple loved Swami so much and here was a lovely blessing from the Lord.

Bishu: Not only this, there are many more fascinating things that Swami did during that historic visit. Once He entered the sanctum sanctorum of that holy shrine which has been the focal point of the faiths of millions for millennia, Swami directed that a plate be brought. And then He lovingly spread the fingers of His right hand and shook it over the plate. You know what happened?

108 silver Bilva leaves (Aegle marmelos is the botanical name of the sacred plant Bilva or Stone Apple) and 108 golden flowers fell from His hand in a clinking shower. The fortunate devotees standing nearby were stunned. They then reverentially touched these mysterious manifestations. And after this Baba poured these leaves of silver and flowers of gold on the 3 feet high lingam. Thus revitalising this holiest of shrines.

Prem: Wow!


Bhagawan recharged this most sacred shrine in Somnath by performing a heavenly abhishekam of this linga

Bishu: But this was not all. The next minute Baba's hand circled in the air and what a sight it was! A ball of brilliant light was now sitting on His palm. Prof. Kasturi who was a witness to this glorious event immediately recalled the declaration that Baba had made earlier in the day: “I shall show you the genuine Someswara lingam today!”

So that was it, the genuine Someswara lingam which according to the puranas “is a swayam-bhu or a self-originated lingam of great prowess, as bright as the Sun, the size of an egg of a hen which is situated underground.” For centuries this Ball of Light had gone underground safe from depredation and desecration. Baba now gave this to the chief priest and said, “Let it be in the full light of the day hereafter! Let pious eyes admire its brilliance and imprint its glory on their hearts. There is no need any more to keep it away. The Avatar has come to remove all fear.”

Prem: What a triumphant emergence of Someswara! You are lucky to have visited this holy shrine!


The grand Somnath shrine in Gujarat - a temple which was destroyed several times in history was finally rebuilt after India attained independence in 1947

Lingodbhavam – A Stirring Spectacle

Bishu: Prem, we are all lucky for we have seen Someswara Himself not just the lingam. Do you recall what a breathtaking sight it used to be in Prasanthi Nilayam whenever Bhagawan chose to perform lingodbhavam (emergence of the linga from His mouth)!

Prem: Right Bishu. How glorious were those moments! I was fortunate to witness this supremely auspicious event a couple of times or more, from 2000 to 2004. But while I was happy to see this amazing divine spectacle, I was sad too. Really speaking it was difficult for me to watch Swami go through all the pain that He was undergoing. I mean why does He have to suffer so much? To just reward us with a thrilling experience?


The Creator and a replica of His cosmos!

Bishu: Well Prem, Swami once mentioned that He performed these out-of-the-world miracles to help instill faith in the minds of the people so that they learn to love god and fear sin.

Prem: But so much suffering! Just for our sake! So that we believe in Him! Tell me, do we need Swami to go through so much pain so that we begin to love Him? Actually from the time Swami incarnated all He did was give, give and give.... He just gave Himself away completely.

Bishu: So true Prem. As a child He gave away His food to the beggar at the door, His clothes to His siblings, His books to His classmates.... and you remember the Kadiri horror story?

Prem: O my god! Don’t remind me of that! I wish that chapter never existed in Swami's life. I mean, how can someone tonsure Baba's head, make deep cuts with a knife and then pour acidic juices into them!

Bishu: Yes, but let's look at it in another way. What was Swami's reaction to all this? He just smiled it away. He suffered because His parents took him there and they would not be convinced when He told them that nobody has possessed Him. He allowed Himself to be tortured so that His near and dear ones realise His true nature.

Prem: And this is not the only incident. You take a leaf out of any chapter of Swami's life and you can see how He has stretched Himself thin to limits so that others are happy, so that others lead a more fulfilled life.

Bishu: You are so true Prem. You remember how in the last four years Swami used to sit for such long hours in the Sai Kulwant Hall watching the programs. Some days the sessions went on till 9 in the night. Everybody was tired but not Swami! And He did this continuously day after day.


During the last few years of His earthly sojourn Swami spent long hours in Sai Kulwant Hall blessing every group that came for His darshan

In fact many days when there was no program, He used to even ask the warden of the hostel, “No program today?” Every group that came to Prasanthi Nilayam returned immensely blessed by Him; He just gave Himself away.

Sai – Sacrifice in a Human Frame

I remember one particular evening during the Dasara celebrations in 2009, that day Swami came and after He was on the stage He listened to the vedam chants for an hour, and then went round the devotees twice, and after this He returned to the dais. Now bhajans began and Swami took arathi after a while. But as He was returning He saw Mr. Narasimha Murthy and said, “Go and speak! I am coming!”

And just as He had said, He was soon on the stage! The warden then went up to Him and said, “Swami, this will be shrama for You (meaning, it will be difficult for You) as You already had a long day.” As it was Dasara season, Swami used to sit for long hours in the morning in the Poorna Chandra Auditorium watching the yagna. The warden was concerned about Swami's rest. But you know what Swami said? “Idi shrama kadu, Bangaru, Prema” meaning, “This is no exertion, golden one, this is Love.”

Bhagawan Ramana - The Sterling Saint of Arunachala

Prem: That is Swami! He will do anything for the sake of His devotees, for the sake of Love. In fact that is how it has been whenever God or godly beings have incarnated on this earth.


	Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharishi

Take for instance Sri Ramana Maharishi of Thiruvannamalai, who attained mahasamadhi in 1950. About two years before this, an innocuous looking lump appeared in his left arm. This was promptly removed surgically, by the local doctor.

But when it reappeared after several such attempts, the devotees realised that it was a cancerous growth; it was actually a case of osteosarcoma, an extremely painful form of bone cancer.

Bishu: It must’ve indeed been very difficult for those around him to see their beloved Guru suffer.

Prem: Yes, but for Maharishi Ramana it was a lesson in detachment that he was imparting to the world.

He endured that pain the last two years of His life. When devotees used to ask him, “Bhagawan, does it hurt a lot?”, he would reply, “The body feels the pain, not me.”

He sacrificed his body, endured intense suffering to teach the world the lesson that we are not the body. He too refused to comply when the doctors suggested that he take rest and not see devotees. In spite of all physical discomfort he continued to grant darshan till the very end.

Bishu: I feel there are two reasons why such holy beings and Avatars willingly endure pain. One, as you pointed out, is to teach mankind, that they are not the body. The second is to teach man that one should put oneself and one’s comforts behind the welfare of others.

Prem: Exactly. We should always think of ourselves last and God first. In fact that message is there in Swami’s name itself. In SAI means S stands for Sai - so, Sai first, A means - ‘All others’ next and finally I means - ‘I’ last.

Inspired by Jesus, Father Damien Turns into Saint Damien

Bishu: We can say the same about the word JOY - Jesus first, Others next, You last.

Prem: Yes, I remember Swami mentioning this so many times.

Bishu: And Jesus was another mind-boggling example of the spirit of sacrifice, isn’t it? A sacrifice that sprung from pure love.


"Forgive them for they know not what they do" - Christ

Prem: So true Bishu. In fact when you look at the life of Jesus, especially the last few days, what is documented as the ‘Passion of Christ’, we see that He in fact told apostle Peter, that he would deny Him thrice before the cock crows twice; it just shows Jesus knew what was coming, still He accepted it and stood witness to the crimes against Himself.

Bishu: … and at the end of it all, He prayed to God to forgive the perpetrators of the crime.

But Prem, it is not Avatars and Prophets alone who have taught us sacrifice, history has shown us many great men and women who have elevated themselves to this level. Father Damien is one such inspiring personality. I don’t know if you have heard about him?

Prem: Yes, the name is very familiar. He is known for his service to the lepers, right?

Bishu: Yes. But it was not just an act of service, it was an example of willing and joyful sacrifice. For in the end, he himself contracted leprosy and even succumbed to it.

Prem: Oh, that’s so unfortunate. How did that happen?

Bishu: Well, this is his story. He was sent to the Hawaiian settlement in Molokai, a small island to which lepers were quarantined off to. When the bishop of the Hawaiian kingdom wanted to send a priest to the settlement, Father Damien volunteered. He was sent there by the bishop for a few months with instructions not to go too close to the diseased. But soon he found himself one with those people. He just could not hold himself back.


	Father Damien

So from being a priest he went about helping them turn to dignified living. He built houses with them, set up a school, and nursed and treated those who were too sick to take care of themselves. It is said, he would often pray to Jesus saying, “You gave Your life for all mankind, how can I call myself a follower of Christ, if I am not willing to give myself away in service”.

Prem: What a great man!

Bishu: He is a perfect example of a devotee who rose himself to the altar of the divine, through his life of sacrifice. He elevated himself from being Father Damien to Saint Damien. He was canonised by the Church in 2009.

Prem: That’s so inspiring. Even as I muse over those words, that prayer in Father Damien’s heart - how can I call myself a follower if I am not willing to give myself away in service - I can’t help but ask myself the same question. How can I call myself a devotee, or claim to be a student of Bhagawan, if I don’t in my life reflect that love and selflessness that Baba embodied?

Bishu: Yes Prem, I too feel the same. And when we look at the life of these great men who have endured much pain, with no inhibitions whatsoever, one thing is very clear. The inspiration that is born out of one’s love for god is so incredible, it's simply inextinguishable. The strength that faith instils is far greater than any power on earth.

Guru Arjan Devji – Scaling the Lofty Height of True Selflessness

Prem: That is really powerful Bishu. You have in fact summed in one sentence the lesson that Guru Arjan Dev Ji wished to teach mankind.

Bishu: Guru Arjan Devji? Isn’t he one of the Sikh Gurus?

Prem: Yes. He is the fifth of the ten Gurus of the Sikh faith. A pious messiah of true spirituality, this Guru embraced martyrdom to drive home exactly this message of faith and sacrifice.

I first heard about him from one of our lecturers and was really inspired by his life. He stood for equality of mankind and the unity of religions.

Bishu: I too have heard in general about the Sikh Gurus, but which is the episode you are referring to Prem?


Guru Arjan Devji - a messiah of sacrifice and service

Prem: As I just told you, the Gurus of the Sikh faith always stood for unity of all faiths. They strongly advocated that no man is lower or higher than the others. That was the principle behind their concept of langar too.

Bishu: Langar… community kitchen, right? Where people of all communities, religions and social classes sit together and dine?

Prem: Yes exactly. In fact when Akbar, the Great, was the emperor of India, he is said to have had a meal at the langar of Guru Arjan Devji, seated on the floor with common people.

But the things were different after Akbar’s death. The new emperor, Jehangir was bent upon forcing Islam on the people of the land. He was ill advised by his ministers to arrest Guru Arjan Dev.

And so one day Guru Arjan Devji was summoned to the court of the emperor. People around him advised him against going. But he knew better than the others what was waiting for him in the royal court, still he went.


Guru Arjan Devji was the fifth sikh guru who lead the sikhs by his sterling example

And as many had guessed, once he reached there, he was arrested and imprisoned. Not only that, He was brutally tortured; but he bore it all with amazing equanimity.

Now Guru Arjan Devji had a very good friend in a Sufi saint of Lahore, Pir Mian Mir. He was a great saint of super human powers. On hearing of the arrest of the pious Sikh Guru, he came to see him in the prison.

Bishu: He was allowed to enter the prison to see Guruji?

Prem: Yes Bishu that is because Pir Main Mir was revered even in the Moghul court. So he had no problem in acquiring permission to meet the Guru. In the prison he saw how Guru Arjan Devji was being put through inhuman torture. He was deeply moved. What also touched him equally strongly was the serenity of Guru Arjan Devji.

Now Pir Mian Mir definitely wanted to do stop this cruelty. So he offered to intercede with the emperor on Guruji's behalf. But the Guru refused saying, “Let the will of God prevail”.

Then Pir Mian Mir told him, “Why do you endure this torture? If you wish you can destroy this empire with your powers. If you don’t wish to use your powers, I will with mine raze to dust this Moghul house.”

Bishu: He said that? So what was Arjan Devji’s reply? I know he would not have agreed. But what reasons did he give? You know that was a chance to teach a fitting lesson to those evil men.

Prem: Yes, I too feel the same. But look at the greatness of Guru Arjan Devji! He said, “I might have the power to do so, and I even have you, who can do it for me. But what about the common man whose only weapon is faith and surrender? I want to counter my pain only with these weapons that everyone has; I want to set an example for a humble devotee.”

Bishu: What a fantastic soul! Prem... this has stirred some thoughts in my mind.

Prem: What is it Bishu?


The Golden Temple in Amritsar - the mecca of every sikh. This temple was built in the time of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. It is believed that Pir Mian Mir layed the foundation stone for this holy shrine.

Bishu: We always relate the word sacrifice with pain, self-abnegation, endurance and so on.

Prem: Yes that is true. Even when pain is the obvious result of an act, a person willingly performs it because it benefits someone else... I think that’s what sacrifice is all about.

Bishu: Maybe that is the most obvious. But there could be something more to it.

Prem: I don’t get the point you are trying to make Bishu.


Mausoleum of Mian Mir, Sufi Pir of Lahore

Bishu: Take the examples we have discussed. If pain was the overpowering emotion how is it that Pir Mian Mir found Guru Arjan Devji in a peaceful state in the prison? Seeing people with leprosy suffer, Father Damien was moved to help them. But how is it that when he contracted the same disease, he still died a satisfied and contented man? Though it is the pain and deprivation that catches our attention, the joy and satisfaction, I feel, is far greater than the suffering.

Prem: Yes right. I get it now. That explains Swami’s statement... “Idhi Shrama kaadu bangaru, idhi prema.” And that also explains the joy of a mother. When a mother prepares a dish, she always gives the best share of it to her children. And it is so easy for her to do so. We as children may see it as sacrifice, but for her, true joy lies in seeing her children enjoy it.

Bishu: How often we have noticed Swami’s face glow with joy when He is giving, be it prasadam, clothes or other gifts or even when He is giving photographs to a group after their performance.


The Sai Kulwant Hall full to the brim during Shivarathri 2011

Elevating Ecstasy Encased in Deep Pain

Prem: Wow! Doesn't it all fit in place like a huge jigsaw puzzle? The act of sacrifice or putting your interests behind that of others has hidden in it bliss far sweeter than that we get by pursuing our needs alone.

Bishu: And this joy, we’ll know only when we give. And when we know it, we shall get addicted to it, if I may say so.

Prem: Yes, I agree. And speaking about mother, I am reminded of a quote I had read a long while ago, and as always I don’t remember whose line it is.

Bishu: Okay, what is it?

Prem: It goes: “Is all pain only suffering? Ask a mother who is in labour.”

Bishu: Isn’t that itself a reminder? Really, true joy lies beyond pain. Whenever Swami used to perform the Lingodbhavam, He used to say it is as painful as the process of prasava, or child birth.

Prem: Yes I remember Him saying that many times.

Bishu: But why do you think Swami performed this act?

Prem: Honestly Bishu, I don’t think I can ever explain this act of His or for that matter any act of His. I think every aspect of His life is a lesson He is imparting. It is not necessarily the same lesson for everyone. Rather I feel each one takes home a lesson that is relevant to his or her understanding, and spiritual need.

Swami used to say that for those who have witnessed Lingodbhavam, there is no rebirth. For me, actually that was a repulsive thought. Because here was my Swami, whom I love so much, obviously suffering, and why? For me to get liberation? I would tell in my mind, ‘Swami, I don’t want this liberation, the cost of which is this pain You undergo.’ And I am sure many of the students and devotees felt the same.


Different years saw varied manifestations of the linga that emerged from the Lord's being

Bishu: Prem, even as you share your feelings about Lingodbhavam, that I can so easily relate to, I am moved by another wonderful thought.

One Act of Pure Love – A Colossus Jump in Consciousness

Prem: What is that?

Bishu: We were saying that Swami was trying to teach us sacrifice. But in fact, I think Swami was doing something far greater. A good teacher teaches, but a great teacher inspires. See, even without our knowledge, He was inspiring the spirit of sacrifice in us. So much so, we were ready to give up liberation itself! And this He did just through His one act of pure love.

Prem: Amazing Bishu, Amazing!

Bishu: And now when we look at it, probably that is what Swami did to all His devotees across the globe, when He chose to remain in the hospital during those harrowing final days of this earthly sojourn. Well, as you said, we can never ever understand any of Swami’s acts in its entirety, but what we do know is that during that one month or so millions of people around the globe had their minds fixed on Baba alone and nothing else. Forgetting everything, day and night they spent only in prayer and service.


Millions prayed the world over keeping aside their differences and focussing all their energies and love on Swami during that most trying time in April 2011

Prem: Absolutely. People forgot all their differences, didn’t matter which community they belonged to or what they believed in, they just came together and simply poured their heart out in prayer. And you saw poor feeding, serving in hospitals, helping the handicapped... all these activities moving into a new gear. During those few weeks everyone was in some form or the other thinking of Him.

Bishu: I feel, we all should strive to remain in such a state, in which we remember Him constantly, if not more at least as much as we all did in those few days.

Prem: I can’t agree more with you Bishu. And to remain in that state cultivating this virtue of sacrifice is so vital. And as we saw when we sacrifice we receive so much in so many dimensions. We actually are happier when we give than when we possess.

The “Oneness Way” of Sacrifice

Bishu: So true. Then why is it that many find it difficult to take to this path? What do you think Prem?

Prem: In fact even I am thinking of the same. My question is: How do these people sacrifice their joys – these joys which all of us always hanker after – how do they give these up so easily? How is it that Swami is able to do this so effortlessly. Agreed He is Divine, but I feel there must be a way, an approach that will get us to that state. After all when Swami’s life is His message, we need to follow it, right?

Bishu: Yes, there indeed is a way. And I think the answer lies in the way Swami perceived us all. You ask how Swami does so much for others. But for Swami, there are no ‘others’.

Prem: Hmm, I need to understand this.


Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Bishu: Let me recollect for you a beautiful incident from the life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. You must be aware that he too went through so much pain towards the last few days of his life.

Prem: Yes, He is said to have suffered from throat cancer.

Bishu: That’s right. In fact the cancer had proliferated to such an extent that he would struggle to eat or drink even a little. At that point, his disciples begged him to pray to the Divine Mother to cure him, at least relieve him of his pain so that he could take in something.

Though Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was not inclined to ask the Mother, but seeing the plight of his disciples he prayed to the Goddess. He said, “Mother, I cannot eat anything, please give me some relief that I may eat a little.” And later he recounted to his disciples the Mother’s response. She gave him a vision of all that there is, and said: 'Why, you are already eating through so many mouths, why be concerned with this one!'

Prem: That's something!

Bishu: Yes, now do you understand what I meant when I said, for Swami there is no ‘other’.

Prem: Right. True and complete sacrifice arises only out of the feeling of oneness, when we see ourselves as a part of the whole that God is.

Bishu: When you have a cut on your finger, and it hurts even to hold a spoon or a morsel of food, you don’t stop eating, do you? The hand endures the pain to feed the mouth. But we don’t call it sacrifice. Because the mouth and the hand are just parts of the same whole.

Prem: I understand. So when the perception changes, to the way it should be, when we see and live in that oneness, what appeared to us as sacrifice will now be entirely different and in fact be a natural way of being.

Neela Kantha Shiva – A Profound Lesson for Humanity


	The Lord took in the poison of the world spontaneously and came to be revered as Neel Katha Shiva

Bishu: Yes. Take for instance the mythological episode of Lord Shiva drinking the halahala poison. I am sure you must’ve seen it being depicted in Baba’s presence, and also heard it being narrated by Swami Himself.

Prem: Yes. The demons and the gods churn the ocean of milk with the Mandara mountain and the serpent Vasuki, to obtain amritam, the elixir that grants immortality. And during this churning, many objects come forth.

At one point, the deadly poison, halahala spews out. Then they all run to Lord Shiva for protection, and the kind Lord drinks this venom to protect the creation. Witnessing this, Mother Parvati, His consort, immediately holds his throat so that the poison does not spread further down the body.

Bishu: And in the process, His throat turns blue with the venom, and hence the appellation, Neelakantha, the One with a blue throat.

Now let us look at this story in two different ways: What a great example of sacrifice this is! The Lord drank the poison to save the world.

And the other perspective is: He who pervades all saw no difference between Himself and His creation. It was a spontaneous act, similar to how the body protects that part of itself which is in danger.

Prem: That is a deep thought indeed. So our endeavour should ever be to feel that same oneness that the Lord, our Swami feels towards us.

Bishu: That’s right.

Practising Sacrifice – Easy Tips

Prem: Alright Bishu, I agree with all this. But there is still one issue.

Bishu: What is it?

Prem: When you feel that oneness, sacrifice will be spontaneous. But that is our problem. We are far from that lofty state. I feel the feeling of sacrifice and selflessness should be in itself a path to that state. How can we in daily life leverage these lessons?

Bishu: Well, each one’s path is unique. Swami is guiding every devotee through a process that is best suited for that person. So honestly there is no one-size-fits-all solution. If you wish to know, I can share with you what I try to do.

Prem: Definitely. I am all ears.

Bishu: A simple way to start with, I feel is, be happy when your neighbour is happy. Rejoice the success of a friend, does not matter whether he is your best friend or the opposite; be delighted when the other person is happy as if it is your own success. When you see someone in pain, empathise with that person, without being too concerned about whether he is your own or is a complete stranger. If there is a chance, try and alleviate the pain to the extent you can. That is how I see it.

Prem: So it is not just putting someone’s feelings before our own, but expanding our feelings such that it envelops the joy and pain of the people around us.

Bishu: Yes, isn’t that an easy way to begin?

Understanding “Na Karmana...” in a New Light

Prem: It certainly is. Even as I see sacrifice in this new light, I recollect a commentary I read a while ago and it seems to make more sense now than ever. It is the famous manthra from the Mahanarayana Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda- “Na karmanaa na prajayaa dhanena tyaagenaike amritatvamaanashuh”

Bishu: Yes, that was so commonly chanted in Swami’s physical presence in Puttaparthi. In fact He used to ask for it to be chanted many times. It means, not by action - karma, or progeny - prajaya or wealth - dhanam can one attain immortality; it can be achieved only through sacrifice - thyaga.

Prem: So profound this verse is! And I think there is an inner meaning there. It says, karma cannot give you liberation, but karma infused with sacrifice will lead you to it. That is, performing action sacrificing the desire for the fruit.

Now what is sacrificing progeny mean? You don’t get liberated by virtue of your lineage or children, but when you have detachment toward all bodily relations.

And finally, it is not by amassing wealth that one reaches the goal, but when one readily and spontaneously gives away the wealth acquired in the spirit of sharing and caring.

Bishu: Fantastic Prem! What an understanding of this sacred hymn! No wonder Swami Himself chanted this verse so many times in His discourses and if we look at His life, Swami just lived up to this message of sacrifice every second of His earthly sojourn till the very end. In fact I feel the end was just another chapter in this glorious and eternal Sai Saga of Pure Love.

Scintillating Signs of Sai Shiva in Sundaram

Prem: So true Bishu. The saga continues so mysteriously and magnificently. Just the other day I heard how a spatika lingam appeared in the Kamandalu when the priest was doing the abhishekam of the Sai Sundareshwar lingam in Swami’s abode in Sundaram, Chennai. In fact Swami Himself had installed this lingam during the Athi Rudra Maha Yagna held in Chennai in January 2007. And thousands are thronging to see the shrine in Sundaram where vibhuti is manifesting non-stop for the last so many weeks!


The mysteriously manifested Spathika linga in Sundaram, Baba's abode in Chennai

Bishu: Yes, I too heard about this. So awesome are these signs of His presence and grace! He is as always reaching out to each one of us, ever busy thinking only about us.

Prem: And now our duty is to think only of Him.

Bishu: Right, that is the reason why we have so many spiritual routines prescribed for us be it bhajans, meditation and so on. The Akhanda Bhajan (non-stop 12 hours continuous bhajan) during Shivarathri is again another opportunity for us to immerse ourselves in His thoughts, elevate our feelings and sublimate our tendencies.

Prem: Exactly so that we may become pure and exude the pure love that Swami exemplifies.