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When you do your duty, God will reward you in more ways than you expect

When you do your duty, God will reward you in more ways than you expect...by Mrs. Geeta Mohan Ram

Swami teaches us simple things in beautiful ways. When I was a young girl in Brindavan we were given some jobs, as there was no Sevadal gardener and cook. Everything was done by us. So my job was to set up the altar in Swami's bungalow and I used to come only once a week since I had school on other days. That particular weekend I did not want to go because MS Subbalakshmi was giving a concert in Bangalore..i said " Swami is always there, but MS comes only once a while.."..But my parents were very strict and committed to Swami. They said, "Once you are committed to Swami you should do the work."...Then I said "Why can't you do it for today?"..Then my parents replied that I should have informed Swami last week. Then I requested for half the concert. Mother said that we can come back after Swami's Bhajan. Then I grumbled, "Swami sits and goes on answering questions after Bhajan and He will take an hour."

Everyone was doing their job but I had a long face. Swami was moving around the house and He looked at me, saying "Hey 'castor oil face', what is wrong with you, why are you banging my pictures? What happened, an argument with mother?"

"Swami, today there is a concert by MS Subbulakshmi in Bangalore."

Then Swami said, "She is a great singer isn't she? Then why did you not go?"

"Swami, my mother told me I have to do my duty first."

Swami replied, "She could have cleaned the altar. At least she should have done that much. OK, you can go a little late, but if I start speaking after Bhajans then you will be late." So Swami was speaking of all that I had told my mother!!!

Then Swami said, "Today I will not speak after Bhajans - you all go for the programme." I was thrilled.

Bhajans started and Swami was also singing. After sometime Swami asked everybody to wait and that He would come back. Five minutes later Swami walks in with MS Subbalakshmi!

We were all shocked and Swami said, "Subbulakshmi, didn't you have a concert today in Bangalore?"

"No Swami," she replied, "There was a misprint in the newspaper, it's tomorrow."

Swami told her "See that young girl sitting there; she loves your music so much."

He then gave her a list of songs which I like and asked her to sing those songs. She was a Great Devotee of Swami and with all devotion she gave a private concert to the Lord.

Then Swami called me and said "See when you do your duty, God will reward you in more ways than you expect. You heard the concert today; you can go to the concert tomorrow as well."

Guru Purnima

Sathya Sai Baba : A divine legend : An Article by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

I admire Bhagwan Satya Sai Baba for his selfless work and contributions to the welfare of the people by providing drinking water for the rural population, free healthcare facilities for the rural poor and free higher education.

 The major factors in human resource development are value based education and quality healthcare. In addition, the infrastructural requirement like availability of potable water is an essential need of the human resource. While the government is actively engaged in providing these resources to the citizens, Baba has been sensitive to these essential needs of the Indian population, particularly of the people living in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, for over four decades.

Keeping this in mind, he has created vast infrastructure for providing value-based quality education to children from primary to university level, established super specialty hospitals in rural areas - as early as 1991 when there were no corporate hospitals in such interior regions - and worked on a project to provide potable safe drinking water for people of Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. I would like to discuss the unique characteristics of these institutions. 

Value-Based EducationThe best part of a young person is his or her childhood in school and the best time spent is 8am to 4 pm each day in the school. This is applicable for all children in the age group of five to 20 living in both urban and rural areas.
Baba has realised the problems of the rural poor and has made it a point that education is absolutely free in all the schools and colleges established by the Sathya Sai Trust.

Interestingly, the Sathya Sai Educational Institutions cater equally to the development of the mind, heart and the body. This is achieved through integrated education, which lays equal emphasis on keeping the body healthy, the mind active and sharp and the heart pure. Baba, being the Chancellor of the institute, spends substantial amount of time with the students to groom them into ideal citizens.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba says, "Students are the foundation of the nation, the only wealth that I cherish.  Students are my all; my entire property consists of students. I have offered myself to them." He also says, "The end of education is character and the end of knowledge is love." This is the reason why Sri Sathya Sai Institute of higher learning emphasises character building as an important component of education apart from acquiring academic excellence.

Nobility in character comes out of humility, generosity, compassion, helpfulness and respect for moral values. The single thread that runs through all the activities of the institute, curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular is that education is for life and not for mere living. Experience has shown that leading organisations and companies in the country absorb Sai students. It is claimed that the students so recruited bring about a quiet change in work ethics and inject team spirit as well as a value-based approach to all aspects of organisational activity.

Water Mission
In 1994, Baba made a moving reference to the difficulties experienced by the people of Rayalaseema region in getting safe drinking water and suggested that the century-old problem needed urgent attention. In 1995, he added a new dimension to his societal mission by the trust, undertaking work to provide good and safe drinking water to as many people of Anantapur district as possible in the shortest possible time, irrespective of the difficulties experienced and the cost.

Tapping ground water was considered as an option, but was ruled out because of the fluoride problem. It was decided to use rainwater by drawing water during the monsoon and storing in special reservoirs.

Most of the water sources were in the northern part of Anantapur district and the terrain to the south sloped upwards. Hence, bringing water to the southern region needed creation of large number of pumping stations to pump water against gravity. This called for extensive civil and engineering work. In spite of all the difficulties, the water was made available to Anantapur district in 18 months. After a year of regular operation, the entire water works was handed over to the people of the state as a gift. The scheme covers 750 villages and provides water to over one million people.

India needs a thousand such organisations to provide cost effective potable drinking water to the billion people spread in different parts of the country.

Healthcare
During the 1980s, a substantial number of super specialty corporate hospitals came into being in our urban areas. However, due to commercialisation, they could cater only to the needs of urban rich people. There was wide gap in the availability of medicare for the rich and poor and between rural and urban population. Keeping this in mind, Baba declared on November 23, 1990, there would be a world-class hospital in Puttaparthi area within a year and it would offer free treatment to everyone who come there, especially the poor.

This hospital was inaugurated on November 22, 1991. After its inauguration, the super specialty hospital has conducted many major heart surgeries and catheterisation procedures. Specialist surgeons from reputed hospitals, both from India and abroad, voluntarily take leave from their regular work and come to Puttaparthi and perform operations free of cost. Same is the case with nursing services.

I understand the convalescing patients provide voluntary help to the new patients who come to the hospitals for operation. Also the hospital premises are maintained in a clean, calm, serene and divine atmosphere. We can see the power of service consciousness flowing in the entire hospital environment.

Project Management

Whether it be a super specialty hospital at Puttaparthi or provision of safe drinking water for Anantapur or provision of drinking water to Chennai by solving the problems associated with Kandaleru reservoir, all projects have been completed to meet the specified objective within the prescribed time and cost. How this has been possible? I was thinking about it.   The major reason appears to be that the projects have been entrusted to socially committed project managers, contractors and sub-contractors. They have executed the project with a spirit of co-operation, the spirit of sacrifice and dedication.  The programme chiefs have followed the five core human values - truth, right conduct, non-violence, love and peace -while executing the projects.  Can there be a better role model than this for promoting a nationwide selfless, societal transformation mission?

Link from 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/columnsothers/sathya-sai-baba-a-divine-legend/article1-688409.aspx

The Swami in our Hearts - Chess Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand

The Swami in our Hearts...by Vishwanathan Anand

We used to visit Sundaram (Swami's Residence in Chennai) often and listen to Bhajans. This I found most relaxing. The most impressive thing for me was the dedication, discipline and commitment the volunteers show. Just love can make people do such wonderful things.

We visited Puttaparthi on July 27, 2010. We were keen to experience Puttaparthi rather than try and see how close we

could get to Baba. The evening Bhajan was magical and Baba's presence was indeed special. We witnessed him giving a necklace to a group of singers. I was amazed at the discipline during the Bhajans and the simplicity and cleanliness in Puttaparthi. We visited the hospital and I was awestruck at the highly advanced technology that was used to reach out

to the most needy. All this without accepting a single rupee in

return!..We returned from Puttaparthi and within a week we realized we were going to be parents. Aruna (wife) mentioned the child whatever it is, would be Sai something. That night Aruna dreamt of a baby boy. In a few days we had Sai Akhil.

People have seen miracles from Baba, spoken to Him. Some refer to Him as a friend or family member. For us Baba is in our hearts, He is the inner voice that does not need to speak, but can be heard when we seek for it...

Anandamaya Bhagawan Bhajan

Ananda Maya Bhagawan Hey Prema Maya Bhagawan O Bhagawan Sai Bhagawan [ Ananda Maya Bhagawan ... ] Hey Karuna Nidhey Prabhu Sai Ram Krupa Nidhey Deenon Ke Pran Lelo Prabhu Mujhey Sharan Lagalo Mujhey Daya (Krupa) Karo Bhagawan

THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE !!!!

SOULJOURNS - A SAI COUPLE - SUNDER & MAYA IYER- LESSONS FROM BEING BABA'S PERSONAL ATTENDANT

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai baba - 89th Birthday celebrations

89th Birthday Celebrations - Morning Programme - 23 Nov 2014

89th Birthday Celebrations - Evening Programme - 23 Nov 2014

Swami's Assurance

I wait outside the door of your shrine room, listening to the prayers you address to Me from the depths of your hearts so that I may fulfill them. When you cry, "O Lord, have You no eyes to see?" My eyes are there to see ! When you supplicate, "Lord, have you no ears to hear this cry?" My ears are there to hear ! When you call in despair lamenting over misery, My Feet are there for you to hold.

--Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba - Darshan in Ooty

Sri Sathya Sai - The God of small things - Aravind

Sri Sathya Sai - The God of small things by Aravindb1982 on Mixcloud

NA PUNYAM NA PAPAM

MARKS OF KALABHAM, THE SANDALS PASTE

 

Those were the days, when Swami was living in the Prashanthi Mandiram. Some structural works were being undertaken on terrace of the Mandiram, including providing metal posts, to mount Kalasams over the Gopurams. Couple of seva dals were on duty on the terrace; one of them being myself. We were supposed to be very alert, since the work spot happened to be Swami’s residence.
The welders were busy welding some structural materials. The catch up with the canteen timings, we took turns and finished our lunch. It was nearing noon time. Swami climbed up to the terrace, and smilingly approached us. He asked us in Tamil, “Petrol Pottaachaa?” , meaning thereby, have you loaded petrol. This is the way of Swami to ask whether you had taken your food. With all humility we replied that we had finished our lunch.
Suddenly asked us, what about these workers”? We could not say anything. Smilingly, Swami turned around and waved at the entrance point of the terrace. Few students appeared with vessels filled with food items. Swami directed the welders to sit on a side, and asked the boys to lay the leaves, for serving food . The welders were taken aback and were in tears. One of them fell at Swami’s Feet, and hugged on the legs of Swami. He was crying. Swami patted them on their back. They were given water and soap to wash their hands. As they sat near the leaves, Swami Himself took one of the vessels and started serving to these workers. One after the other, Sambar rice, curd rice, and vegetable were also served by Swami Himself. As they were eating with wet eyes, Swami looked at them with all compassion and starting moving back.

One of the boys told Swami that Swami’s Robe had been spoiled with oily stains from the hands of welder. Swami smilingly told, 
“DO NOT THINK THESE ARE OILY STAINS. FOR ME THESE ARE MARKS OF KALABHAMU, THE SANDALS PASTE, OFFERED WITH LOVE AND DEVOTION”

-With Love & Regards, Mumbai Srinivasan

The Camera and the Film

 

Nagamani Poornima was a regular visitor during Old Mandir days. She recalls an event. In her own words:
We were having nice time with Swami in the old Mandir. My husband wanted to leave for Bangalore and I had to start, before dawn. Seeing my plight, a photographer who was there, assured me that he would take a snap of Swami and send my camera with the film, to me through my servant, whom we left behind in Puttaparthi.
When the servant came to Bangalore, he brought the camera, but it was empty! He said the man who had clicked the photo, refused to hand over the film. He said he would send it after developing it, from Madras! I wrote him two letters but, he replied that he had sent the camera, with the film! In my despair, I asked Swami about it. Swami said, `The film is with the photographer, at Madras; and the picture has come out well; I shall get it for you!’
During Dasara in 1945, I was in Puttaparthi. As usual, I took out my camera, to take a picture of Baba. I was trying to load a new film roll a friend told me that it was already loaded! I was surprised at this; we took it out and found it was a used one! When it was developed at Bangalore, it was found to be the one which was with the photographer at Madras! I remember, swami saying, “I shall get it for you.” How it came from Madras into my camera is known only to Swami.”

-- By Sri Mumbai Srinivasan