June 4th and 5th, 2005

A twenty-four-hour Akhanda Bhajan had been arranged in Brindavan, starting on Saturday evening and ending on Sunday, June 5th. The Shanti Vedika and Lord Krishna's Idol on the Stage were very tastefully decorated with flowers and beads. Bhagawan gave His consent to start the programme at 4 pm on Saturday and the Bhajan 'Vighna Vinashaka Gana Natha...' triggered off the 24 hours non-stop Nama Sankeertanam. Soon thereafter Bhagawan arrived onstage through the doors at the back and stayed for around 30 minutes or so.

Bhagawan asked for Aarati just as the Bhajan 'Ayodhya Vasi Ram...' was being started. Aarati was offered and then Bhagawan went back to his residence around 4.30pm. Bhajans continued thereafter. Students from the Brindavan Campus and also faculty/staff members continued singing high tempo and high pitch Bhajans throughout the evening and night. In between they were joined by the staff of the Sri Sathya Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Bangalore City Youth and also the alumni of the Institute. It was an outpouring of Love and Prayers to Bhagawan through Nama Sankirtanam - an apt event to follow the exhibition on 'Namasmarana - Kaliyuga Sadhana' that was organised in Brindavan last weekend.

Since the bhajans were going on, we believed that Bhagawan might come out early for morning darshan and maybe sit a little longer for the Bhajans. But Swami, as usual, taught us to "love His uncertainty". He came out in the Porte car at 6.30 am, and instead of going for a round inside the Sai Ramesh Hall, paused near the Hostel entrance, and then went out of the Brindavan Ashram gate! Then He apparently went into the Trayee Brindavan grounds through the gate near the railway crossing, and again came by Sai Ramesh Hall in a short while. This time, He went out of the Brindavan gate, turned right, and went on a long drive towards Hoskote and beyond. Finally, He returned to Brindavan an hour later, and went straight into Trayee Brindavan. Lot of devotees (especially on the Ladies side) enjoyed wonderful car Darshan as also countless others who were fortunate enough to be on the streets when Bhagawan went on the ride.

Sai Ramesh Hall was slowly filling up at the normal darshan hour of 8 o'clock. Bhajans were in full swing. The Brindavan bhajan group, both ladies and gents, were taking turns with the students to lead the bhajans. But Bhagawan had already come and gone! Would He come again? We hoped so, and sang bhajans. Finally, at 9.15 am, there was some scurrying among the Seva dals, and the chandeliers onstage lit up, indicating Bhagawan's arrival. Swami came onstage on the wheeled sofa, with a red shawl around His shoulders. Since His feet were resting on the slightly raised footrest of the sofa, we were able to gaze at His Lotus Feet to our hearts' content. After listening to the Bhajans for around 15 minutes, He indicated He wanted to withdraw. When there was some motion to take the Arati, He indicated not to take the Arati now, since the Bhajans were continuing.

Various groups like the Karnataka Youth Wing, devotees from overseas, and so on were continuing the Bhajans during the day. After 3 pm, the lead singing was again taken up by the Brindavan bhajan group and the students. By 4 o'clock, Bhajans like 'Mandir mein aao Madhava...' were being sung, and all were thirsting for one more Divine Darshan to end the Bhajan. Bhagawan allowed the tempo to rise till 4.35, and then He came onstage again. And a pleasant surpise! He was not wearing a shawl now, and the cast was not visible. Apparently the cast has been shortened to just His forearm, and is covered by the sleeve of His robe. The claps and the singing became louder and more impasssioned. Swami sat for twenty minutes of enthusiastic bhajans, and then indicated for Arati. After the Arati, an announcement was made for all to collect prasadam from the counters set up all around Sai Ramesh Hall. A leaf-container of tamarind rice and a sweet was distributed to all, and we returned home contented.