Mrs Kamaraju’s Talk at Orlando, Florida
March 21, 2009
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Sai Ram to all of you! Thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Thanks to the Sathya Sai Organisation, Orlando, and thanks to the members of the management. Thank you everybody. Sai Ram. My talk is an appetizer for you: after this, a complete dinner will be served! (Laughter)
Paluku Paluku Teneloluku
Paluku Paluku Swathichinuku
Paluku Paluku Pulakarimpu
Paluku Paluku Palakarimpu
Paluku Paluku Hetcharimpu
Palukula Mahimadhi Emomadhi Jallani Maimarapu
Swami’s words are so sweet. Swami’s words are as sweet as fresh raindrops, as sweet as nectar, and so cooling. His voice has such power, and there is such music in His words. They are so energetic and give us so much confidence.
Madhuramaina Basha Manjula Galamutho
Bhatka Koti Hrudini Barthicheyu
Sookshma Dharmambule Cheppuchundu Sai Oppumira
The meaning of this poem is that with absolute sweetness in His voice, Swami will interpret all the subtlest truths so that even the layman can understand them.
Today I want to talk about the four “L”s of life. The first one is loving, the second one is listening, the third one is lifting, and the fourth one is learning. This is all living. Together these four “L”s—loving, listening, lifting, and learning—are for living life.
The first L is loving. Swami is the personification of Love. You all know that. You should love Swami as a miser loves his money. You should love Swami as an honest man loves his sweetheart. You should love Swami as much as a drowning man struggles to breathe. This is how we should love Swami.
Sometimes children cry when they are playing. Their mother will try to appease them by giving them some toys. When the child continues to cry, then the mother will come and hold the child. When we pray to Swami, we should pray just like that, from the bottom of our hearts; otherwise Swami won’t come to us. The love should be pure and it must come from the bottom of our hearts. That is the love we should practise.
There is an incident that happened in Bangalore when my husband was serving as the principal of the Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Bangalore. Ramesh Bedi, after whom the big hall in Bangalore, known as Ramesh Hall, is named, had constructed a granite factory in Tumkur. One day the granite factory was to be inaugurated and they invited Swami to come and inaugurate it.
On that occasion, Swami took my husband along with Him. Many ministers and VIPs were asked to attend and lunch was arranged. Along with Swami, my husband and other VIPs from the college went.
On that day Swami gave a discourse, and as usual my husband translated. After that, lunch was served to the attendees; but because they did not order much food, some of the people missed out on lunch. My husband was one of them.
When my husband was in the car with Swami, Swami asked him, “Did you take your lunch?” he said, “I took my lunch.” Swami knows everything. He asked, “What did you take? Lemon juice?” On the way back, He dropped into somebody’s house and they served a good lunch with sweets to these people. That is the love of Swami. He loves everybody equally. We make differences in everything, but there is no difference to Swami.
The second L is listening. We should listen both to the speeches of great people, great scholars, and also to our inner voice. In the beginning, I was very proud thinking that only I had the inner voice. But after some time, I began to realise that many other people also experience that inner voice.
One of my friends came to my house. For a long time she used to come to our house. One day she came and I asked her, “What is your routine?” She said, “I meditate from four o’clock.” She told me that after she finishes her meditation at five o’clock, she then comes to darshan.
Then I asked her, “How can you meditate and concentrate for one hour?” She said, “Swami talks to me in meditation.” One hour spent talking to Swami is a great thing. I have never known that. Swami will talk to me a little at a time—maybe one sentence or half a sentence. But He never talks to me for hours and hours! I wondered.
After that I spoke with another devotee who sometimes skips darshan. I asked her, “Why aren’t you coming to darshan regularly?” She said, “Swami told me not to come to darshan. Swami said to do this and that.” That time I was also shocked.
Swami is guiding them from within. That is their experience. That is also the experience of so many people.
Then, one day Swami spoke to me when I was in the house preparing something and it was darshan time. On the TV there was a message. It was Thursday, so Swami was giving a discourse on the TV channel: “When you are angry, don’t scold anybody. Scold yourself.” That was the message from Him.
I ignored that message and went to darshan. That time, Swami was walking in the lines. He came passing through the lines and told me, “Buddhi ledhu.” (You don’t have any sense.)
I was shocked. Why was Swami saying that? What mistake had I committed that day? I had come to darshan, I had prayed to Vinayaka. I had done everything according to my routine. Why had Swami said that?
Then I went home and did some self-inquiry. I analysed what I had done that morning and then I understood His comment. That particular day, the maid hadn’t come so I had scolded her. After that, I had also scolded my son. That was the message. “You should not scold anybody. If you get angry, scold yourself.” That was the message I hadn’t been able to understand. That message came through the TV.
This is how Swami sends a message when we are depressed or living in maya, in illusion or delusion. Sometimes Swami will send a book or object to clear out our depression and delusion. That is Swami’s technique. When we are in depression, we are particularly prone to maya and delusion, because we stay near Swami.
When people are abroad or away from Swami, it is easier to manage. But for the people who are staying with Swami, it is very difficult to manage because Swami will give an idea that He is an ordinary person.
Time and again Swami will be trying us and putting us to the test. Finally, when we are completely depressed, He will come to our rescue. That is the technique of Swami. Sometimes, He does this. There are so many such experiences and instances. This is listening.
Another day, I went to darshan and sitting there behind me was a woman from abroad, holding a bundle of letters. I was in the first line. We are able to adjust and make some more space for another person in the first line if we want. If we want to give the first line to the other lady, we can do that. She is a friend of mine. Slowly, when Swami was about to come, I made space for her and she came and sat in the first line.
Swami came there and took her bundle of letters. He looked at me and looked at her and Swami made both of us happy. That is how little things please Swami. If we can do a little for others—if we can help in a small way within our limits—that also pleases Swami. I have had this experience. I’ve observed this so many times.
Another day I was sitting there when I was not well and a doctor was sitting next to me. Swami came and He talked, and I thought it was for me. If Swami talks, everybody thinks Swami is talking only to them.
Sometimes we make mistakes and we think Swami is talking to us. The next lady may also think Swami is talking to her. Everyone is satisfied. All questions will be answered and all problems will be solved. It makes everybody happy. That is the thing with Swami.
One day three people were sitting in line: a Tamil man from Madras, a man from Russia, and one boy from Orissa. These three people were sitting in the line. Swami questioned the boy from Orissa and he stood up and gave his reply to Swami. Then the man from Madras and the man from Russia started fighting with this boy, “Swami talked to me, why did you get up?” they said. “It was for me,” he replied. But all three men’s questions were answered by Swami!
One time when I was in Bangalore, next to me a lady was holding a letter. Swami came there and took the letter. He asked, “Are you going today?” She was about to leave that day. I was sitting next to this lady and I thought, “Why is Swami asking me if I am leaving today when I am not?” I never thought of leaving that day, but intended to go the next day.
But suddenly it happened! That same day, when Swami took the letter and answered that lady, I had to leave for Puttaparthi unexpectedly. I never thought about it until afterwards, when I realised Swami had also talked to me. That answer was also for me.
We don’t know the meaning of Swami’s words because with Swami a ten-year plan will be ahead. For example, in one interview, when I entered the room with my daughter and my husband, all three of us, Swami asked my name. I told Him, “My name is Vijayalakshmi.” Then Swami said, “Your name is not Vijayalakshmi; it is Vijayavani.” I was very much surprised. “What is this? Swami is renaming me,” I thought.
But this came true only after ten or fifteen years. Vijayavani is coming true now because, after fifteen years, I am able to stand like this in front of you. (In Sanskrit vijaya means ‘victory’, vani means ‘words’.) It is the biggest miracle, because I am a simple housewife who has been managing her family for a long time. Talking to you is the biggest miracle. Swami has molded me this way.
If Swami wants to make anybody a good instrument, He will do it, and see to it that it will be perfect. That is how Swami transforms people. Swami also inspires me to write poems. The first poem I recited was Swami’s prasadam. So many times He has unexpectedly given me so many poems. Listening, that is how we listen to Swami and experience Swami.
The third L for living life is lifting. It is wonderful to know and experience how Swami lifts, how Swami inspires, teaches, and encourages all people. One day, my daughter-in-law and I were sitting in the line. It was Sravana month, which is auspicious for ladies, when we do Varalakshmi pooja on Friday. That day we both were sitting and Swami came there. He looked at us and we were so happy. We wanted and hoped for padanamaskar.
When we expect something, Swami doesn’t give. That is His will. When we don’t expect anything, He gives. That is the technique of Swami. So that day, He looked at me and did not give any padanamaskar. Again expecting padanamaskar, we came and sat in the evening. Swami came and He avoided the main line and took a shortcut, and went to the next line; we call it the bhajan line. He went to that line.
For a little while, I was very irritated. “Why did Swami do that? Why can’t He give padanamaskar? This is the first Friday which is very auspicious and we are doing pooja.” But Swami will never bother about anything. He has His own plans and techniques.
He went to the other side where a tribal group from some village was sitting. They were sitting there, in such dirty, old clothes. Swami went there and spent almost one hour with them. He gave them chains and rings and made them very feel happy. He took them to the interview room, gave them vibbhuti, and spent one hour with them. See the love of Swami! He wants to help the poor and needy. When they are in need, He goes to them. When we are happy, He does not come to our side. That is the way of Swami.
On another occasion, my friend and I attended some marriages. A lady was performing the marriages. Almost ten couples were getting married; they were very poor people. They were getting married in a temple. She invited us and we went there. After seeing that function we thought, “Why can’t we do this?” From that time onwards, we decided we should do these marriages.
That thought also came only through Swami’s grace. That is why, whenever Swami wants us to do anything, He will silently use some instrument or some person to create an interest in us. When we thought we should do some marriages, we planned it, and through His grace everything went very well.
He sees to it that all the people involved will co-operate at the right moment. He makes sure that the function will be a success. In everything He plans, we are all just instruments, moving bodies or moving toys or moving instruments, however you choose to say it. That is how Swami showers His grace.
So within one year, we completed one hundred and eight marriages and one hundred and eight Sashtipurthis (Sashtipurthi means the remarriage function after one’s sixtieth birthday.) My friend and I jointly took on this venture and did this in one year. This is all Swami’s grace.
This is just one more example and that too in Puttaparthi. In Puttaparthi when we want to do anything, it is very difficult because the programs are run to a tight timeline and there is very little for extracurricular activities. Attending darshan and bhajans takes up a lot of time. Very little time is left for our needs. When relatives visit us, we cannot spend much time with them. It usually happens like this. But through Swami’s grace, we completed this activity.
We observed the joy in Swami’s eyes after doing this village service. We felt so very happy and we felt so blessed, and Swami was the motive behind all this. That is how He lifts people and stretches His hand to whoever wants to do service for the poor and needy.
Just as the boys and youth in Puttaparthi go for grama seva, service in villages, we thought, “If the boys and youth can do service, why can’t we too?” So we thought this and then Swami sent so many people who could cooperate and He showered His grace, so we were able to finish it all in good time. We felt very happy that we had done something for society. Listening, lifting, and learning.
Learning is also a good activity and a good program. We should continuously read Swami’s literature. Swami has said many times that if you read continuously before speaking or talking, you will be able to speak more forcefully.
One day, I was reciting slokas from the Bhagavad Gita. You all know the Bhagavad Gita. I know one or two chapters. At that time Swami was in Bangalore. Suddenly, the inner voice told me, “Why can’t you recite two slokas from Bhagavad Gita?” I thought, “Swami is in Bangalore, so how does He know that I am reciting the Bhagavad Gita?”
That is how He makes us feel His presence and makes us aware of His omnipresence. Swami has shown me that whatever we do in our house, He shows us, “I am there, I am there with you.”
Another time in Kulwant Hall, all the ladies were chanting Lalitha Sahasranama. Previously Swami used to come in the lines. By the time we finished the one thousand and eight names, Swami used to come and stand in front of me. At that time, I didn’t know anything; I didn’t know how to take padanamaskar. Yet, quite a long time later, I understood that Swami in Lalitha form had come and stood in front of me. That was my experience. Now I understand, but at that time I didn’t know anything about that. If you pray from the bottom of your heart, Swami will definitely respond to your prayers.
Learning and living: how should we live with all the values? It is our mother who inculcates values in our heart from childhood. Now Swami is doing this, inculcating values, all the human values.
So if we inculcate all the values, if we can spend our lives happily doing some service to society, it is a perfect life. It is the perfect life. Life is the grace of God. We should live it perfectly. Life is a song, life is music, life is a dance, and life is celebration. We should live in the proper way. We should spend our life solving other people’s problems. We should use our life as an instrument to be useful for society, not just for us. God first, society next, I last. We should always put ourselves behind. Then, and only then, can we make Swami happy.
You must know that a golden chariot was presented to Swami by one devotee. My husband was invited to see that golden chariot. I was not at all interested in seeing the chariot, but the devotees came and asked repeatedly so I had to accompany my husband. I went disinterestedly, took a round, and then came home.
There is a Ganesh temple in Prashanthi Nilayam next to which is the Subramanya Swami temple. Swami went there to install the Subramanya Swami idol. Many people were there. But I was sitting in Kulwant Hall as usual in my place.
After the installation, Swami came to Kulwant Hall. He was coming through the main gate, and He came to the ladies’ side first. I was sitting in my place and, as Swami passed through the gate, something like a cool breeze came towards me, similar to the force from two or three fans. I experienced that cool breeze. I became still, I became blank. For a second, I didn’t know what had happened to me.
I came home and told my husband about my experience and he said, “It is all your imagination.” But I didn’t interpret it that way. Something had happened, but I didn’t know what. The next day in the afternoon, I was sitting in Kulwant Hall as usual in my place and suddenly some words started coming out in the form of a beautiful poem about that golden chariot. I hadn’t observed what was on the golden chariot. I wrote this poem then and there in Kulwant Hall.
Saptaaswaravitejudu Aaditchyuraaga
Pasidi Kanthulathodi Pranava Radhamu
Paramatmavethukuchu Prasanthipuramethinche
Swamiki Swagatamu Paluka Ihamu Paramu Ishta Kamyaardha Sidhhiyun
Kanchana Radhamunu Kanchanavarikin
Saptaswaraviteju Aaditchyuraaga, there are seven horses in that golden chariot and the Sun God is there, Brahma is there, Ganesh is there, Kumaraswami is there. All these Gods are there. (I never observed all these things. Swami told me all these things to write in the poem.)
And that golden chariot came to Parthi searching for God, to invite God, and to welcome God. This chariot came to Swami, to Prashanti Nilayam. Those who had the chance to look at this chariot are blessed, their lives are blessed.
That is the meaning of the poem.
Gananatha Shanmukulu Edurokoluseya Virinchi Radhasaradhi Kaaga Suralu Virulavaana Kuripinche Kanchanaradhamupai Kadamupette Sai Pavanamonarche Aa Pratyusham
Gananatha and Shanmukha were coming near Swami to invite Him. Suralu Virulavaana Kuripinche, the angels were dropping flowers as if it were a rain of flowers. Swami made that morning a holy morning, keeping His feet in the chariot—that is the meaning of the poem. That is the poem as Swami made me write it.
On so many occasions Swami has inspired me to write these poems. I don’t have any merit or talent, but Swami makes me speak like this. Whenever I feel depressed or doubtful about speaking, Swami will encourage me to share my experiences with all the devotees. Swami has given me so many opportunities. Thank you, Swami. Thank you everybody. Thank you. (Applause)