Saturday, Feb 13, 2010
- Shivarathri Bhajans conclude
The Shivarathri bhajans continued through the night and
the microphones were turned on at six o'clock, and
Bhagavan came to Sai Kulwant hall five minutes later. He
moved down the centre of the Hall beyond the lotus gate,
inspecting and blessing the prasadam kept there before
moving to the stage. Swami sat onstage for half an hour
as the bhajans went on. He then moved to the bhajan hall
and blessed the food kept there as prasadam. Moving to
the gents' side of the hall, He went near the garage
area where more prasadam was arrayed, and then made
another full round of the hall. After some time onstage,
Swami again moved to the bhajan hall and made another
round of the front of Sai Kulwant hall. At 7.10, He
asked for the Arati to conclude the night-long bhajan,
and asked for the prasadam to be distributed. He watched
as everyone was served sweet rice and tamarind rice on
leaf plates. Moving to the bhajan hall once again, He
went into the interview room, and returned to His
residence after half an hour, blessing many devotees on
the way.
In the evening, Bhagavan came for darshan as the bhajans
went on at a quarter-past five. He sat onstage for
nearly an hour after coming into the bhajan hall to see
the clothes arranged there for the group from Orissa.
Wall calendars were distributed as the bhajans went on.
The penultimate batch of beneficiaries of the houses
built by Bhagavan after the Orissa floods were here
during the Shivarathri celebrations, and today Swami was
gifting them with clothes. The ladies from the group
were asked to assemble in the bhajan hall, and Swami
moved there to bless them. He interacted with some of
them and moved among them after sarees and vibhuti
prasadam had been distributed. After this interaction,
Swami returned to the stage, and the gents from Orissa
had their clothes and vibhuti distributed in the Sai
Kulwant hall itself. It was seven o'clock when Bhagavan
accepted Arati and returned to His residence. |
Shivarathri in Prasanthi
Nilayam - 12 Feb 2010
Posted at 17:56:34 Hrs. IST on Feb 13, 2010
Shivarathri in Prasanthi assumes greater significance
with the Lord in physical frame preside over the day’s
proceedings leading up to whole night vigil with akhanda
bhajans singing His glory. The auspiciousness tagged to
the festivity permeates the air with Divinity becoming a
silent witness, immense in nature, tranquil and silent,
accepting the offering of singing through the night.
The day’s long wait came to an end when the Lord clad in
maroon came out of His Abode heading towards the
Poornachandra Auditorium wherein thousands upon
thousands had been seated for darshan. Blessing the vast
concourse, Bhagawan had a ‘trial inspection’ run of the
special screen relaying proceedings from the Sai Kulwant
Hall.
Ushering into the Sai Kulwant Hall, the Lord was
welcomed by the auspicious sounds of Nadaswaram and
Pachavadyam while Veda chanting by the students was on.
Bhagawan, upon completing the round, cut the special
cake done by a special Italian “cake-makers”.
Bhagawan moved through the verandah to come on the dais
commencing the proceedings for the evening. When all
were clueless as to what would be the programme before
the commencement of the Akhanda Bhajan, the Lord
signaled to His students.
At the transitional phase between day and night on the
auspicious Shivarathri occasion, at the twilight, the
Nataraja, the Greatest of the Dance Masters, chose to
dance in the minds of the devotees listening to the
musical excellence of His students. An hour long musical
feast, started at 5:45 p.m. with the Lingashtakam, the
talented bunch of students brought out rare repertoire
of musical pieces, ranging from Carnatic to Hindustani,
from Telugu to Hindi, all at ease enthralling the Lord
and the capacity audience that filled the Sai Kulwant
Hall to capacity.
As they continued with the song, "Mahaprana Deepam"
raising the rhythmic energy levels, enticing and
tickling thousands upon thousands of vocal cords to
chorus, the subtlety of the auspiciousness tagged to the
festivity was emerging out bringing in beauty in the
hearts of thousands in the immediate Divine Presence of
Sathyam, the Truth. Sai Kulwant was verily exhibiting
Sathyam Sivam Sundaram in reality. While the number "Om
Namah Shivaya" in Hindustani was a treat to the ears,
the next piece that followed was a Carnatic one that
left lasting impressions. Immensely pleased with the
rendering, Bhagawan called the two singers onstage
asking them to sing a “thillana".
Akhanda Bhajan started at 6:45 pm when the twilight was
slowly giving way to the auspicious night. As the boys
and girls, in alternate turns continued with the
bhajans, Bhagawan sat through for quite long until He
retired to Yajur Mandiram after 8 pm.
Arathi was offered in between as instructed by Bhagawan
but without Shanti Mantra, continuing the bhajans with
added vigour.
Upon the Arathi, an announcement was made about the
Akhanda Bhajan to continue as a whole night vigil, with
various groups participating in alternate turns, singing
all through the night, until Mangala Arathi at 7
followed by prasadam distribution.
In the night, the Sai Kulwant Hall was emitting powerful
spiritual vibrations with various groups in alternate
turns singing His glory followed in chorus by capacity
audience, powered to keep vigil throughout the night.
The consecrated Sayeeshwara Lingam that was the centre
of attraction during the Ati Rudra Maha Yajna conducted
in the year 2006 was installed in front of the dais,
surcharging the atmosphere infinitely.
The fresh and spiritually charged morning found the Lord
coming out as early at 6:05 am. Gliding through, He
moved past the devotees, blessing the special prasadam
for the occasion in between before taking a detour,
cutting short to the dais. Bhagawan made several round
through the verandah and Bhajan Hall and a second round
starting from the gents side towards the ladies side
finally ending in the verandah.
Arathi was offered at 7:10 pm upon which Prasadam,
Tamarind Rice and Sweet Pudding were offered to the vast
assemblage of devotees. Bhagawan retired to the Yajur
Mandiram after 8 bringing the curtain down for
Shivarathri 2010!
Huge populace of devotees attended the weekend festivity
with thousands upon thousands thronging to the spiritual
capital invoking Divine Blessings. As many as ten sheds
have been demolished owing to the construction of new
dormitories with better fecilities, west and south block
verandahs had been occupied by the huge influx of
Shivarathri devotees, well in advance, from 10th Feb
onwards.
Also read:
The Great Night of Shiva -
Cover Story on Shivarathri
"I am Nataraja—the dance master, the first among dancers.
You are all dance pupils. I alone know the agony of teaching
you each step in the dance!"
-B hagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
On Shivarathri how fortunate and
deserving one would be, to be in the precincts of Prasanthi Nilayam
that is blessed by the presence of Shiva himself in His physical
frame! Yet, are we ready to embrace this fact. Or, will it be
conceived to be a pseudo world that lures one with a temporary, so
called, heaven? Well, it is not an insignificant piece of
information that is to be sidelined in favour for the petty,
ephemeral and mundane choices of the world....Read on>>
The Great Night of Shiva -
Cover Story on Shivarathri
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