This evening, Bhagawan came for darshan just after 3 o'clock, and
alighting from the car, went into the interview room. After a few minutes,
He came out and walked up to the stage and sat there to the accompaniment
of the Vedic chants. Swami called the birthday boys among the students,
blessed them with the akshatas or yellow rice they carried in their trays,
and even threw some toffees to some of the students sitting in the front
rows! Then came the chance of students with letters - Swami called several
of them, talked to them, gave them padanamaskar and sent them back. After
more than half an hour of such interaction, Bhagawan got up and walked
back to the interview. He chose to walk from the Eastern side of the
stage, and on the way, spoke to several elderly devotees and faculty
members seated there, blessed them and granted them padanamaskar. By four
o'clock, the Bhajan Hall was packed, and Swami went in. Bhajans commenced
early, by 4.15 pm. After the first Ganesha Bhajan, Bhagawan indicated to
the singers to sing songs instead of the normal bhajans. So, the song
session began with "Dheera Sameere", continued with "Venkatachala Nilayam"
and Meera bhajans. Swami wanted songs with "Swaras" or scales in them, and
the singers were trying hard to sing such songs, or to introduce Swaras
into the songs. The impromptu concert developed into a marathon session
and lasted nearly 90 minutes till Swami took Arati and returned to His
abode.
July 25, 2006
This morning, Bhagawan had a surprise for all His college students.
After coming for darshan early, at 7 o'clock, Swami went for a drive upto
Gokulam.
Some students saw Swami's car and ran down to have darshan near the
Hostel gate. After entering Gokulam and turning back, as Swami's car
neared the Hostel, the students standing at the gate got a thrill: the car
turned into the Hostel! The Warden came running out, and after a word to
him, the car came right into the Hostel!
It was 7.40 am and some of the students were still having breakfast. Their
plates and mats were hurriedly cleared away and Swami's car came right
upto the altar in the Prayer Hall which is also the Dining Hall. It was an
occasion similar to the one in which Bhagawan had come and blessed the
newly constructed Dining Hall. After a few words to the excited students
milling around, Bhagawan returned to the Mandir.
July 24, 2006
This evening, Swami came into the Bhajan Hall when only a few students and
teachers were present there. As Bhagawan interacted with some of the music
college students, they prayed to Him that a Kavi-Sammelan programme
(Assembly of Poets) had been readied by the students, all of them were
seated outside, if He gave the word they would get ready with costumes.
Swami smiled and asked, "Kavi Sammelan? Now?" and gazed into the distance.
After a few more minutes, He asked for the car and went out for a drive.
Returning after going up to the Gokulam, Bhagawan's car reached the
gate of the Planetarium. Sai Gita, His elephant, was temporarily housed in
a shed behind the Planetarium, since her new abode was still being
constructed. Swami had a few words with Pedda Reddy garu who looks after
Sai Gita, and then proceeded towards the back of the Planetarium! Sai Gita
was overjoyed to see her Lord and put her trunk inside the car. Bhagawan
blessed her and returned to the Mandir for Bhajans.
July 23, 2006
This evening, the Brindavan Bhajan group men singers were ready with a
musical offering. As soon as Swami came for darshan just after 3 o'clock,
He went straight to the stage area. As the Vedam went on, some of the
Brindavan group went up to Swami with their programme card, and at 3.20,
the music programme commenced. After nearly fifty minutes, all the songs
they had prepared were sung. Then, Swami spoke with them, and also with
the student in-charge of the dance group. So, the programme continued!
First, they sang bhajans for 10 minutes, then launched into an encore,
singing their song "Tava Karam Amritam" once again. Next was the dance by
the students, to the Ramdas kirtana "O Rama Nee Namam Enta Ruchi Ra". Then
10 minutes more of Bhajans by the Brindavan group, then songs by the
students! They sang many songs like "Nirupama Guna Dhama" and "Challa
Gaalilo". Finally it was 5.10 when Swami took Arati and retired to His
abode.
July 20, 2006
This evening, devotees from Japan had been permitted by Swami to put up a
programme. Swami came out of the interview room at about 4:00 pm and sat
on the sofa outside. The programme began with a traditional dance by small
children wielding a percussion instrument consisting of a plate and stick.
They danced gracefully making some nice acrobatic moves. Then a short skit
on how the Veda chanting spread all over Japan was performed. Three
students were portrayed as being Swami's instruments in doing so. The lead
character, a Japanese youth wanting to desperately learn the Vedas in the
drama, was called by Swami midway through the drama. Swami materialised a
ring for him and there was loud applause. The icing on the cake came when
all the Japanese began to chant the Mahanarayanopanishad, Ganapathi
Atharvashirsham and the Shanti mantra with such clarity of diction that
everyone sat spellbound. Swami too joined them in the chanting at times!
He was fully involved in the chanting and was very happy too. He called
two students from overseas studying in the Higher Secondary School and
Music College here and told them to chant the Srisuktam. He told the Veda
group teachers (who were seated in the first line) to hand over the mikes
to the two boys who were chanting. After they completed chanting, Swami
permitted the Japanese devotees to sing bhajans. The bhajans were both in
Sanskrit and Japanese. After four bhajans Swami went into the interview
room but not before telling them to continue the bhajans. After 15
minutes, He came out, received Aarthi and retired to His residence.
