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Orissa, now Odisha was a
true happening of Divine Flood of Love! When God gives
adversity, He equally grants fortitude to bear with,
There is no better testimony to this in the history of
recent time, than the Odisha Flood Rehabilitation
Project executed by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, where
in the direct intervention of the Avatar of the Age,
Bahgawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was witnessed, help
redeeming the victims of the devastating floods that hit
the state in 2008!
Over 700 Youth from the state had come on a pilgrimage,
essentially seeking to bow at the Saviour’s Feet in
gratitude! After His usual rounds of darshan, much to
everyone’s surprise Bhagawan asked for bhajans to
commence. As bhajans went on and evening slowly slid
into twilight, after forty five minutes of bhajans,
Bhagawan nodded for the programme to commence.
An emotional announcement by the State President
followed wherein he poured his heart out in gratitude
for all that Bhagawan has been doing for the state.
The announcement was followed a twenty minute
presentation, a display of internationally acclaimed
dance form in "Odissi", staging 'Dashavathar'. The
presentation was based on Poet Saint Jayadeva's "Geeta
Govindam", illustrating the incarnation of Lord Vishnu
as Dasavathar, ending with the final one "Kalki"
representing the present day incarnation of Bhagawan.
Presenting with emotive expressions bringing in scenes
depicting Lord Vishnu’s various incarnations, namely,
Matsya the fish, Kurma the Tortoise, Varaha the Boar,
Narashima giant lion-man, Vamana the dwarf, Parasurama
Rama with the axe, Lord Sri Rama, Lord Sri Krishna,
Buddha and Kalki, believed to be the final incarnation,
the presentation essentially proclaimed the triumph of
good over evil and the victory of truth over falsehood. |
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Beginning the next presentation, "A
Flood of Love" with a background story hatched in the Divine Abode
of Kailasha, wherein Lord Shiva bestows upon a special boon to
Mother Parvathi that, when He comes down as Sai Avatar, He will be
building homes for the destitute. Thus reveals the riveting episode
of Odisha's telling tale of Divine Love of Lord Sri Sathya Sai!
Exhibiting ravaging scenes from the heartbreaking episode of August
2008 that affected Gangapur District in Odisha, sweeping away homes,
livestock and humans, a mother by name Somu, in her deepest agony,
questions Mother of Creation about the havoc that had taken away
everything from her life.
As the Sri Sathya Sai Sevadals entered the village offering
assistance, providing food and shelter and all other possible
assistance, some influential men from the local set up grew anxious,
showing reservation about the motive behind. “Service is our
currency and love is the commodity, we, the sevadals buy and sell”
was their apt reply trying to convince the ‘doubting thomases’. With
more of service opportunity coming in their way, they helped
rebuilding lives of many instilling a greater awareness in the maxim
“Be Good, See Good and Do Good”!
Exhibiting supreme Divine compassion, the news of Bhagawan’s
declaration
 reached out to the ‘hapless’ villagers, that Bhagawan
would be constructing thousand homes for the destitute of the flood
victims. As time rolled on, “Sai Premalaya” became a reality,
building 699 homes along the river Mahanadi resettling as many
numbers of families.
Transformation, the final ripened fruit of all Sai actions, happened
in this ‘battle ground’ as well wherein the initially reserved Ratan,
the leader of local Praja Samithi, who was into bad ways, finally
confessed his wrong actions pledging to change himself, joining the
Sai band of Sevadals.
Miracle as men would term it, but a ‘Visiting Card’ for the Divine
in Sathya Sai, showed up in the life of Sitaram, who was swept away
by the flood. Sitaram came back to explain the ’miracle’. His son
returned to take him back home wherein to his surprise he found his
ailing wife, who was suffering from cancer, got almost cured and his
son, a spoiled brat, left his gang to turn to good ways.
In merriment, all joined in chorus echoing in a united voice,
singing the glory of The Flood of Love from Lord Sri Sathya Sai.
They sang:
Ham hein Nao teri, Tu hamara Sahil... Sai Baba tero naam, tu aye
sabke kam… (Oh! Lord Sai! We are Your boat and You are the boatman;
Your Name is Sai and You are serving all).
The forty minute presentation was an enactment of the "Divine
Script" written by Bhagawan in the lives of many hapless in the
state bringing relief in the form of "Sai Premalayam". Presentation
was laced with beautiful songs in Odisha depicting the bond of Love
the state is blessed to enjoy with Bhagawan.
Upon the end of the presentation, dress materials, safari pieces and
sarees, for men and women, were distributed among the participants.
Moving down the dais, Bhagawan blessed the contingent posing for
group photo sessions. |
