February 25th, 2007
“Ati Rudra Maha Yajna in Chennai”
OM… OM… OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of our Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I have been staying in Hyderabad to be with my mother, who is seriously sick. I didn’t come back from Madras with Bhagavan. Instead, as my mother was almost in the last stage of her illness, Swami permitted me to fly straight from Madras to Hyderabad. He materialised vibhuthi (sacred ash) for her. My mother is ninety-three years old with a sharp memory. Her hearing and eyesight is excellent, and she is able to speak. But only 20% of her heart is functioning, plus she has geriatric problems. I was with her for two weeks, and hence could not attend our satsang meetings.
Incidentally, I may tell you this… but not from pride or to boast about my background… no, this has nothing to do with that: Swami honoured my mother quite a lot in the past. She was the first female graduate from Andhra Pradesh and did a postgraduate course in English literature at Queen Mary’s College, Madras, where she received the gold medal. (This was when most ladies were confined to their homes and prohibited from pursuing higher studies.) Later she served as the District Education Officer.
Swami, while giving an interview to the family, had a special chair for her to sit on. My mother had Swami’s full appreciation. Baba introduced her to everybody as a lady who was very proper, and very highly learned. He materialised a diamond japamala (a string of 108 beads used in prayer) and a diamond ring for my mother; and arranged a trip for her to go around Prashanti Nilayam to see all the interesting places. In this way, she has been the recipient of Baba’s beneficent grace and blessings.
When she was asked to put a question to Swami, she asked this very funny question. “Bhagavan, I believe in dualism. I am here as a devotee. You are there as God. For any problem, I look to You for a solution. I pray to You. For all our miseries, for all our sadness, You are our only refuge. We look to You. We pray to You. But if You say to us, ‘You are God’, then to whom should I pray? When I have difficulties or problems, to whom should I look up to? While I believe in dualism, my son, Anil Kumar, believes in non-dualism. What do You say?” That was the question put by her to Swami.
Swami said, “You continue in your own belief that God is separate from you and that He will save you. Believe that you can look up to Him. You can certainly pray to Him. As far as your son, who believes in non-dualism, is concerned, he speaks about it without experience. (Laughter) He has no experience whatsoever; he simply speaks about it. You continue in your own way.”
Now, leaving that aside, I would like to share with you some of my observations made on our trip to Chennai, where the Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam was performed (a sacrificial fire ritual to bring peace, prosperity and happiness to all, performed only in the presence of a Divine Being).
First: In the first place, my friends, I consider it a milestone in the Avataric mission.
Second: The crowds that turned up at every place over the ten days reflected the height of their devotion, and how they yearned for Swami’s visit. His last visit there was ten years ago. The pain and pangs of separation were reflected by the crowds, hoping to have the Divine darshan.
Third: I also noticed the teamwork in the Tamil Nadu Organisation. There was no single leader. Each activity had a person in charge, so there was no one person dominating the scene or doing most of the work. No, everybody worked very hard to make Bhagavan’s visit a grand success. The teamwork, where many participated together, impressed me.
Fourth: The aspect of discipline -- that was unbelievable! As far as Prashanti Nilayam is concerned, everything is under control, and people are accustomed to this mode of life. Strict observance of discipline without being told, or its enforcement, is common here. But in Chennai, it is all open streets and open roads. From Sundaram (Bhagavan’s residence and temple) to the yajnashaala (venue of the fire ritual) at Thiruvanmiyur (the town), the streets are all open to the public. Yet people observed a strict discipline as Swami and His convoy drove by. All along the route, there were thousands and thousands of people, men on one side and women on the other side, standing as if told to do that. In fact, nobody told them! That’s really amazing. It was all very well organised and highly disciplined!
Another very striking thing was the government cooperation. Bhagavan’s convoy consisted of about twenty cars, in which there was the police jeep and Swami’s car. All the traffic signals were controlled so that Swami’s convoy could go straight through, without being halted.
I hear that Mount Road in Madras is a very busy place, and traffic is not blocked under ordinary circumstances. Well, Mount Road was blocked off, permitting Swami’s convoy to pass along. This was an indication of the degree of government cooperation for the Divine visit of Bhagavan Baba to Chennai.
Another thing I noticed was that Sundaram was specially decorated and completely illuminated with colourful lights. It was like the Mysore Palace Dasara (Festival of Lights), or the Brindavan Gardens, Mysore, during the Dasara season, or the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Place) on Independence and Republic Day. A very big picture (about fifteen feet or so) of Bhagavan is in the altar centre at Sundaram. They decorated Swami’s pictures with huge garlands, brought specially packed in trucks. The flowers were replaced morning and evening. There were also pandals (decorative arches) erected. All around were special shamianas (big colourful tents) for the seating of VIPs and the devotees.
So those devotees, who could not afford to go to the yajnashaala at Thiruvanmiyur, or those who stayed near Sundaram, could have the benefit of the Divine darshan. That way, twenty thousand people could have Bhagavan’s darshan in Sundaram itself. Otherwise, there might have been a stampede in Thiruvanmiyur!
There were crowds gathered two kilometres either side of Sundaram. On full moon day, the moon shines brilliantly in all its fullness. Watching the moon shining, the sea level also rises. You can see the waves of the ocean rise in height on every full moon day. Watching the response of the devotees, watching the thousands of people, our dear Lord Moon was also very much enthused, more dynamic and active, more loving and caring.
Believe me or not, on a wheelchair, left and right of the street in front of Sundaram, Swami in His caring went to everyone, so that thousands could also have His darshan. My friends, this is a sight for the gods! There in Sundaram, twenty thousand people. Outside Sundaram, double the number of people -- and Swami would go to that side and this side of the street freely! There was no rush, no pushing. Nothing! Nobody crossed the street. Swami simply went over to one side, and then over to the other side, right to the end of the street.
Swami did not give up His usual habits. He called somebody from somewhere and materialised vibhuthi. You understand mob psychology. When you call a person out from the crowd, the whole crowd will fall over you! (Laughter) But He called and they all looked around -- whom did He want? He called a child and gave him a chain. He called to somebody and received a letter.
Whether in an organised event or amongst huge crowds, whether at Prashanti Nilayam or Sundaram, or in the open streets, Bhagavan is Bhagavan! That’s all! There is a direct contact between Him and His devotees. The buildings, the venue and the conditions do not matter. They are immaterial. I was so happy to watch all this. Sai’s Glory, how Sai was received! The royal welcome! The tumultuous welcome! The thunderous applause! The grand reception!
Rajadhiraja Ramachandra Sayee Jaga Vandana
Yes. That is Bhagavan Baba.
In fact, seeing Him here, day-in and day-out, we may accept it as being quite common, part of the routine. But the moment Swami goes to some other place, how people respond! Well, you cannot measure the difference! We can then understand how lucky we are to have His darshan in such a simple, regular way. How fortunate we are to have His darshan day-in and day-out, while people elsewhere are hungering for Him. They are actually dying for Him. That’s really very grand!
Then they designated about ten or eleven young volunteers to take care of the VIPs, which included the four elders and ten students who accompanied Swami. (I am the least important of these elders.) And these eleven boys were to take care of us, serving food, coffee, organising the laundry, etc. It was amazing. I can say this much: I don’t think I had that kind of honour and reception even on my wedding day! (Laughter) I don’t think my father-in-law did as much for me. I don’t think so. (Laughter) “Having got to this stage, he won’t be running off,” he had said. (Laughter) That’s how things are taken for granted.
But in Swami’s presence, it is different. These youngsters, at 5:30 in the morning, “Anil Kumar, sir, what do you want? Any laundry, please? Give us your clothes. We will have them ready by tomorrow. Do you want hot water for your bath? What do you want?”
“Arey!” I said, “Forget about it. I want hot coffee first! “(Laughter)
Then they asked me again, “Do you want filter coffee or espresso?”
“I would like filter coffee.”
“Yes! In a second, it is ready!” Any number of times, any number of cups -- that is how they attended on us!
Here we try to eat our meals quickly (Laughter) as we know some of the volunteers. (Laughter) When we see their faces as they serve us, it is very embarrassing. We want to leave the dining table; (Laughter) we would rather starve than dine. (Laughter) But these eleven boys, how courteous, decent and lovely they are, how willing! I think they are first or second year undergraduates.
One day, Swami called one of the boys. “Boy! What are you doing?”
He said, “Swami, I am a computer engineer.”
“Oh! How much do you earn?”
He said, “One lakh (one hundred thousand rupees), Swami.” (One lakh as salary! And that fellow is serving me coffee and organising my dhobi (laundry) and all that!)
“Oh.” Swami looked at me. (Laughter)
And He called another boy and said, “Boy! What are you doing?”
He said, “Swami, I’m a general manager.”
“So, how much do you get?”
“Seventy-five thousand rupees.”
“Oh.” (Laughter)
The lowest salary was thirty thousand rupees. I don’t think I have drawn that much money even on my retirement, after forty years of service. (Laughter) Well-paid, highly qualified, young, brilliant, handsome -- they were the seva dal (givers of service) at the doorstep, ready to serve! ‘Handsome is as handsome does.’ I was so very thrilled about it.
Of course, the cat was out of the bag when Swami said, “Anil Kumar, was breakfast delayed today?” (As if breakfast would be delayed!)
I said, “Yes.”
Swami immediately said, “No, no, no! You had two rounds of coffee. (Laughter) It was not delayed. Two rounds… two cups of coffee.”
So, that was the kind of memorable reception and hospitality offered - Sai’s style of service. Sai’s style of service is not mechanical or computerised; it is personal. Sai’s style of service is respectful, prayerful, and rendered in all humility and utter simplicity. That’s what I observed and I think it worth emulation by all.
When Swami left by car to go to Thiruvanmayur, I could see people on every side. You must know by now, I am a crazy man. Watching the crowds, I didn’t know where I was! (Laughter) On cloud nine! Two VIPs at my side kept me under control -- speed brakers! (Laughter)
I saw everybody smiling, bursting into laughter, jumping, running everywhere. Arey! Man or woman, young or old, boy or girl, running alongside Swami’s car. Dancing, smiling, they were saying “Oh! I saw Him! He looked at me!” I saw people hugging each other and I saw people throwing flowers on Swami’s car. Some collected the flowers and put them on their head as prasadam (blessed article or food given to the devotee). Unbelievable! And mothers carrying children, a few months old! Running with the child! Arey! Who asked them to run, we don’t know. Why they run, they don’t know! (Laughter) That is Divine attraction! That is Divinity! You cannot resist the temptation to run after Him.
We can easily imagine how gopikas (cow girl devotees in the Krishna story) ran after Lord Krishna’s chariot. We can understand how the cows stopped grazing to watch Him. When we see Lord Baba attracting huge crowds in these times, well, we can understand the immense attraction Krishna must have had in those days when people were more simple, devoted, disciplined and value-oriented, and less materialistic and selfish.
And when we arrived at the Thiruvanmayur yajnashaala, what did I find there? The whole Sai Kulwant Hall, as if transplanted from Prashanti Nilayam to Madras! The central section and the two sides are the same design as the Kulwant Hall with the roof sloping at the top. The whole thing. Just like that! It was on about fourteen acres of land where hundreds and thousands of people can sit. Wah! So big and vast!
There were about twenty blocks on either side of the entrance into the yajna, the yajnashaala. On each block were huge pictures, twelve or fifteen feet in size. These depicted Sai educational or service activities -- the Sathya Sai educational Institutions (Anantapur, Brindavan, and Prashanti Nilayam campuses), the hospitals, feeding the poor, Prashanti Nilayam activities, everything! So, as people entered, they could look and be informed about the Sai mission and activities. Beautiful pictures!
There was a dais where Swami could sit centre stage on a chair, specially elevated at the yajnashaala (about ten feet above the ground). The dais was wide, highly decorated and full of flowers. A red carpet was on the floor and a blue curtain at the back. In front of the dais, ten feet below, lakhs of devotees were seated, men on one side, women on the other side. In the middle, there were about eleven altars for priests to sit around for every vedika (recitation of the Vedas – Hindu scriptures) of the Yajna. Arey! Very beautiful!
Swami, at the back of the dais, seeing all the people, couldn’t resist -- He went down in the wheelchair. Everybody could have darshan! Nobody could persuade Him otherwise. Come on! Clapping, singing, and cheering! What happiness, what joy He gave to lakhs of devotees in Madras! Abba abba!
Swami used to go there in the morning, stay for an hour, and return after the aarati (concluding rite of worship with the waved flame). In the evening, He did the same thing. He used to ask somebody, perhaps a student, to speak, then take aarati and return. That was the program every day.
There was a huge shed, with shelters, about a half kilometre away from the Yajna. It was for the distribution of food (lunch with mineral water) for the thousands of people. If my memory is right, one idli (steamed rice cake) cost two rupees. Unbelievable! It would be more in big hotels. If the food had just been given away, the people would not properly appreciate it. So the two rupees collected was just a pretence to give value to the food. I learnt later that it all was subsidised by the Organization. Excellent, excellent!
One thing I noticed was this: The Organisation nicely planned the whole thing so that all sections of the public could have Swami’s darshan.
One day, they arranged a meeting of police officers and their families. Police officers rarely attend any spiritual meeting, because if they did, law and order would be difficult to maintain -- they could not be rough and tough! (Laughter) So, they keep themselves at a respectful distance from spiritual gatherings. But one day, it was arranged exclusively for them. A few thousand attended and were addressed by the Inspector General of Police.
Another day, it was a meeting of doctors. A few thousand doctors from all over Tamil Nadu came. Their meeting was addressed by an eminent doctor, a member of the Royal College of Surgeons (or something like that). It was publicly announced at the meeting that in every Tamil Nadu corporate (private) hospital, one bed would be set aside for Sai devotees, totally free of cost. Who asked them to do it? In these days, where it is money that counts, the doctors showed their generosity. They were prepared in a spirit of service and devotion to Bhagavan to allot beds to Sai devotees, free of charge! That’s how Swami prompts everybody to freely come forward and render service to the community.
Sathya Sai Baba is a phenomenon -- He is not a person. Sathya Sai Baba does not do -- He wills. Sathya Sai Baba does not perform -- He prompts. Sathya Sai Baba revolutionises our lifestyle, silently, unnoticed. Nobody knows what work is going on; nobody knows how many people are involved; nobody knows how many thousands are benefited, because Baba is the Antaryami, the Indweller. He is not One who is outside you, for publicity and vain propaganda. He is within you, best known to yourself, heart-to-heart and love-to-love, nothing more!
On the third day of our visit, the 21st, a government-sponsored meeting was arranged at Nehru Stadium, Chennai. The meeting was attended by chief ministers, governors, central ministers, and state ministers. The venue is similar to our Hillview Stadium, but not as big, holding about twenty thousand people. The seating was tiered. There were fourteen chairs, Swami sitting at the centre, on a very wide dais. Many photographers from the media, national, international and provincial, were at the front.
My friends, I know that politicians never agree. No two politicians agree. If they agree, they cannot be politicians! (Laughter) No two political parties see face-to-face. They believe in character assassination, mud-slinging, and bringing people into disrepute. No two political parties ever sit together. You can make a lion and a lamb sit side-by-side, but not two political parties! That’s how life is today. If you watch television, the proceedings at the level of State Assembly, or the proceedings of the Parliament at the Central level, will make you feel disgusted and vexed because of their abusive, vulgar language. We feel insulted and ashamed for the simple reason that we elected these politicians to that seat. ‘He is my representative! Am I that bad as to have him as my representative?’ That is the situation everywhere, all over the world. No country is an exception.
In that situation, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba brought a total transformation in the ambience of the meeting. On the dais were seated fourteen people, Central and State chief ministers, and governors. One was a representative of the Akali Dal (Sikh political party), one was Surjit Singh Barnala (Governor of Tamil Nadu), one was Laloo Prasad Yadav (a politician from Bihar), representing his own political party. There was Karunanidhi, (Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) and the AIADMK political party (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam). Bheeshmacharya (‘Grandfather guru’) politics -- everyone just eighty-three years young or even more! (Laughter)
Now, here is Swami, the ring leader, just as in a circus! He can make anybody sit, and in silence. Don’t open your mouth! (Laughter) I couldn’t believe it! Swami! Even the Speaker of the Assembly is unable to maintain silence amongst sitting politicians. The only way he gets it is to adjourn the session. (Laughter) But here, Baba, the real Speaker, may be speaking within all of them, “Sit silent, be quiet. Don’t open your mouth.”
The surprising thing was that ministers, who rarely agree on any point, were competing with each other in praising Swami. (Laughter) (“If you praise Swami, I will doubly praise Him.” (Laughter) “If you double your praises, I will multiply mine!”) Ah! That is healthy spiritual competition among political circles. (Laughter) Usually they compete to express their political ideologies, their achievements, their targets, the failures of the other man -- that’s what they like to do. I don’t think that I have ever seen anything like that before. They were praising Swami to the skies, while many people sitting in the gallery were wiping tears from their eyes.
There are certain parties who make no secret of their ideology. They believe in the non-existence of God or atheism. The DMK is like that, and yet the DMK sponsored Baba’s meeting. (Laughter) What do you say about that?
I am reminded of an old joke. It seems there was an atheist conference. All believed in the non-existence of God. The chairman of the meeting got up and said, “By God’s Grace, our atheist conference concluded successfully!” (Laughter)
So, the principal atheist political party organised the whole thing. Wah! Wah! Swami, what are You not capable of doing? You appear to be simple, but Your work is ample!
Everybody started praising Him. “Oh God, You supplied water to Tamil Nadu, without being requested, without expecting a word of thanks and without any conditions. How can we express our gratitude?”
In these days, when people expect to receive things all the time, getting and forgetting, here is Baba, who declared in Bangalore at the Inauguration of the Super Speciality Hospital, “I am going to supply water to Chennai.” Just like that, without consulting anybody or looking into the accounts of the Central Trust. The cost would be 300 crores (1 crore = 10 million rupees). I don’t think that anybody else would openly make such a declaration. I don’t think that anybody can point to a person who is capable of doing such work elsewhere, expecting nothing. History has not recorded anybody as of yet. That is Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba!
Karunanidhi, the DMK chief minister, spoke in such a way that every sentence was loudly cheered and applauded by the crowd. I am sorry that I could not follow a single word because he spoke in Tamil. But I could hear the applause because my ears are still functional! (Laughter) Every sentence was loudly cheered. The speech must have been poetic, factual, humorous, and full of respect and adoration for Bhagavan, or else he would not have received that kind of response from the huge crowd.
The newspapers published this, the next day: “I may not believe in God, but what Baba does is godly!” (Laughter) So, there is a difference between God and godliness -- good, good! If they simply believed in God and behaved in an ungodly fashion, it is not good. It is better to be godly, yet deny God. That was Karunanidhi. He believed in the godliness, if not in God. He openly acknowledged the quantity of service activity undertaken by Sathya Sai Baba. He, too, was encouraged to do more from seeing His example. What more can we want?.
Some well-known people came to Sundaram for an interview, for Swami’s special darshan. Keeping in mind my love and friendship for Tamil Nadu people, I have something to declare. Everybody knows it. The State of Tamil Nadu has two penchants: one is politics, the other is cinema. (Laughter). So, these two -- cinema and politics -- are they features or weaknesses or strong points? I do not know!
Cinema heroes and heroines have a very big following. Wah! There is a temple built for an actress, Khushboo, in Tamil Nadu. Don’t think that Anil Kumar does not know these things. (Laughter) I know these things too! (Laughter) Yes!
In Tamil Nadu politics, who matters most to the people? Karunanidhi! And he fell at the Feet of Swami, flat, clean, bowed! And who is their idol, their screen hero in Tamil Nadu? Rajnikanth! He fell at His Feet! (Laughter) With these two, a third is not needed. The whole of Tamil Nadu is at His Feet!
And what kind of treatment does our God give them? The newspapers say Rajnikanth charges about twenty-five crores (1 crore = 10 million rupees) per picture plus a share in the profits from the distributors. (This is only as reported from the newspaper. I am not from the income tax office!) (Laughter) That man, the highest paid man, came to Sundaram around 8 o’clock in the morning with his wife and two daughters. He was made to wait three hours. You can verify this from anybody. Hari Om Tat Sat! (Laughter) Three hours! What does Swami care for these things?
He was seated on the verandah with his wife and two daughters. Swami came out in a wheelchair, and turned His head to the side, away from Rajnikanth and his family! (Laughter) Rajnikanth cannot clap for His attention: ‘Please look at me!’ He can’t do that. So, Swami went straight over to the other side, and made His rounds again and again among the crowd, while this man is seated on the verandah. He went down every aisle, (Laughter) smiling and waving His hands to everybody. After three hours, He comes along quietly to Rajnikanth: “Oh! When did you arrive?” (Laughter)
Of course, Rajnikanth smiled reverentially, because he is a staunch believer in God. He is a theist and goes to many pilgrim centres. So, with both hands together, respectfully, he touched the Feet of Swami. The family invited Swami to their residence. Swami said, “Paaklam.” (Let us see.)
One day, Sivaji Ganesan’s son came. (Sivaji Ganesan, who has since passed away, was another idol of Tamil films.) He came to ask Swami to the wedding of his son, that is, Sivaji Ganesan’s grandson. He had to wait for two hours. Another actor called Lakshmikanth also came for Swami’s darshan and had to wait.
Then I felt, “Swami, politics and cinema, the two eyes of Tamil Nadu, are on You.” That’s it! Tamil Nadu is merged and submerged in the ocean of bliss of Sai. It has been flooded by the spiritual tsunami of Sai! (Laughter) Totally! Everywhere in Madras (capitol city of Tamil Nadu) you find only Sai. Swami’s pictures are on the roads, ten, twenty-five, thirty feet high, blessing everybody -- that’s what I saw. All the newspapers and the TV channels gave wide coverage to Swami’s visit.
I was also told that five thousand seva dal from all over Tamil Nadu were on duty around the clock. Five thousand of the youth! It is not an easy thing to organise a service like this on such a scale.
Arey! Arey! Arey! I felt, had I missed this opportunity of being there, I would have missed something very precious in my life. My friends, it is a milestone in the Sai Divine mission. Because we are all devotees, seeing their devotion at Chennai, we feel like dancing in ecstasy. Watching their response, we feel like singing in joy. That’s the brotherhood and fellowship of Sai! We congratulate and compliment them, and wish them well along the path of devotion. That’s how I felt.
I was also extremely happy to have been part of the program and blessed with three chances to translate His Divine discourses. Then I had to suddenly leave Madras on the last day, the 31st, to rush to Hyderabad to see my ailing mother. I could not join Swami on the return trip. Since then, I have been hungering for the opportunity to speak of my Chennai experiences. You are the first to have given me this chance, so I am very grateful to you! (Applause)
And what is happening in Prashanti Nilayam today? It is another milestone in the Sai mission. Devotees from Hong Kong, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, are coming here to celebrate the Chinese New Year. It is an epoch moment, I tell you, a red letter day in the history of Sai. And their decorations! They must have chartered two flights to carry all the decorating material. Everything is red, red, red. Small pumpkins, big pumpkins, all red. Red banners, red letters. Wah! Wah! Wah! The whole Red Sea is there. (Laughter) And the decorations and huge banners for the Prashanti Nilayam temple outside!
As a Sai devotee, I bow down respectfully to every devotee from these countries, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and China, who come here to celebrate the Chinese New Year. May God bless them! I pray God shower His choicest blessings on each and every one of them! Their prasadam is also very nice! (Laughter) So fresh! Yes!
We liked the presentation, the fantastic drama, yesterday. The theme was filial piety, showing how the child should be respectful to his parents; how the grown-up son should serve his parents. This really touched Swami. I pray to Baba to bless all the children, and the gurus (teachers) who trained them.
And how about the bhajans (group devotional songs)? Oh! The lovely bhajans they sang! My friends, I wanted to watch them all the time because of their radiant faces. There on their faces was the rhythm, the beat, the tune of the song. No unpleasant faces! They smiled and smiled and sang! Their faces were full of ecstasy!
Well, that was a raasa lila (Krishna and the gopikas dancing together) of Mahabhagavatha (Indian scripture of the story of Krishna)! It was the singing of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (the 15th century ‘Golden Avatara’, who worshipped Krishna by chanting His holy Name). That’s what the people did in the ashram yesterday. When I saw all those devotees, I thought, ‘Swami, is this raasa lila? Is this Brindavan (the abode) of Krishna?’
Who are these people from different countries? Who asked them to be here? What prompted them to do all this? So well-organised and highly disciplined! And to choose to hold the very important Chinese New Year in front of Swami, when people could stay at home to celebrate with every joy and gaiety. It is the height of devotion! Hats off to the Sai brothers and sisters from those countries -- Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong! A wonderful celebration! Wonderful! I felt was in heaven, believe me or not!
The devotees of Buddha see Buddha in Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. They see both as One. What better experience could there be? As Christians see the Second Coming of Christ in Sathya Sai Baba at Christmas, Buddhists see Buddha in Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the Chinese New Year festival.
The land of Buddha! India, the birthplace of Buddha, has very few followers of Buddha. There are many followers in Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, and China. Those lands are marked with Buddha. In Thailand, I saw many, many Buddhist monks walking along slowly.
Lord Buddha left his palace, his kingdom, a beautiful wife, and a cute child, Rahul. The legal heir of the kingdom left the company of his father, cousins and brothers. It was the height of renunciation, the epitome of sacrifice. Bhagavan Buddha, Buddha, was love in action and non-violence on two feet!
So as Buddha walked out of his empire, we find a boy of fourteen years, returning from school, discarding his books, and telling them at home, “I am leaving you. I have no relationship with any of you anymore. My devotees are waiting.” That was Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. As Buddha left his palace, Baba left His home. The fundamental tenet common to both was detachment and renunciation. The principle was attachment to the devotees. The clarion call of the Divine mission was the reason both of them left their relatives.
Bhagavan Buddha passed by green pastures, travelled along the mountains, down the valleys, watching the sky and seeing the beauty of Nature. He sat under a tree away from the city and his dear and near, in silent meditation. Far away, there in the forest, sat Bhagavan Buddha. And hiding in a forest, sitting under a tree on the mountain top, is the school boy Sai, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This illustrates the way the Avatar plans His mission. The commonality of Avatars (as I understand it) is to retreat from madding crowds to spend time in solitude, reflecting within One’s Self.
Bhagavan Buddha sat under a tree and saw a boy named Avistha, who was tending buffaloes. He didn’t see fellows; he saw buffaloes. He called him over, “Come here, who are you?”
“Swami, I rear these buffaloes and earn my livelihood. I have a little sister and brother to take care of, and no parents. There is hardly enough to maintain my family.” Buddha talked to him endearingly, but Avistha did not know who Buddha was. Buddha talked to him daily and a Divine Love developed between the two.
Then this boy brought a girl named Sujatha, the daughter of the village head. The boy, who tended to the buffaloes, belonged to a lower untouchable caste. Sujatha belonged to a priestly higher caste.
In those days, the caste system was very rigid. Sujatha brought food for Buddha, white rice with a little salt and some curry. Avistha had only brown, rotten rice. It is poor quality, with no curry whatsoever. What could he offer to Buddha?
Buddha called, “Avistha, come close!” He took the brown rice from him. “Sujatha, where is your rice?” He took the white rice. “Sujatha, have you ever tasted brown rice? How nice it is! Avistha, have you ever tasted white rice? Why don’t the two of you swap rice today?” Buddha mixed the rices, and started eating in their company.
Avistha shivered, “Bhagavan! Swami! I am an untouchable! How can I eat that food? I would be chained and whipped if I touched anybody or their food.”
Bhagavan Buddha said, “Tears are salty for all. Blood is red for everybody. Why then should there be a caste system? Come on, my boy!” He makes Sujatha and Avistha sit together. That’s how He created harmony, a feeling of humanity and love that went beyond caste and community.
Then the boy Avistha said, “Swami, what am I to offer You?”
Buddha said, “You have a very precious thing to offer Me.”
“Precious, my God? I am not rich! What do I have that is precious?”
“You are carrying green grass for the buffaloes to eat tonight. Give me some grass to put on the ground. That will be my cushion on which I sit and speak to you.”
“My Lord! You are happy with the grass I give?!”
“Yes, why not? It is not grass. It is gold!” said Bhagavan Buddha.
Just look at that, my friends. That is the measure of an Avatar. That’s how an Avatar regards people. They don’t judge by the cadre, caste, creed, nationality or gender.
In Shirdi, during the time of Shirdi Bhagavan, people would gather in the afternoon to offer Him Kaakad aarati (offering of worship with a special sweet). The Shirdi temple has sweets to offer on Thursdays, which was when I took special care to attend! (Laughter)
Many rich people came with sweets to Dwaarakamayi (the place of worship). Shirdi Baba said, “No! Go outside and you will find a beggar in worn-out clothes, wrapped in a blanket. He is an old man and he has something to offer Me. Bring Me this.” They left the masjid (mosque) and noticed an old man in worn-out clothes carrying some puffed rice to offer to Baba. This Baba ate with all love and affection, blessing the man who was outside the mosque. (This is on record.) That is the love of Buddha; that is the love of Baba of Shirdi!
I remember something that happened in Brindavan (Baba’s residence in Whitefield) when I was in Bangalore. Swami used to visit the college whenever there was time. That day, without warning, He came to the college. I believed in giving the students a lot of freedom. For example, they could run for darshan when Baba came. That’s what I believed in then, and do now. All have equal rights; nobody can take precedence over another.
So, the students rushed out to Baba. Our beloved Bhagavan blessed everybody. And what did they have to offer? Nothing! Hurriedly, they brought puffed rice. In Rayalaseema (a region in Andhra Pradesh) they call it borugulu, puffed rice, similar to popcorn. Swami sweetly ate it and blessed it. Bhagavan Buddha! There is still a photograph of this in Brindavan.
My friends, in the coming weeks, God willing, let us reflect upon Buddha’s biography and principles. Let us spend time in contemplation and meditation of that holy personality, the beacon of light, love, peace and non-violence. Bhagavan Buddha attracted kings from all over the world. He attracted everybody from a pauper to a millionaire, and treated everyone alike. Let us think of Him.
I pray Bhagavan’s choicest blessings be showered on each and every one of you, particularly those who have come here to celebrate the Chinese New Year and those who have been privileged to attend this function. We are drawn to think of Bhagavan Buddha during these holy days because of the number of followers of Buddhism amongst us.
May God bless you! Thank you very much! Sai Ram! (Applause)
OM…OM…OM…
Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya
Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti