"Ganesh Vandanam", a dance and "Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu", a skit
June 14, 2009
With the fresh season in Prasanthi already had its maiden cultural programme last week in the form of a traditional folklore of Andhra Pradesh, Burra Katha, dedicated to the Pristine Mother, Easwaramma, this week had its stake, as the first group of Parthi Yatra, showed up from Gujarat.
A contingent of over hundred students was brought from the twin schools in Gujarat, Sri Sathya Sai Vidyaniketan, Navsari and from Sri Sathya Sai School, Surat and they put up a scintillating display of dissemination of the Voice of the Avatar of the age in the form of a dance drama, aptly titled “Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu” followed by “Yoga for Liberation” a skit on the greater significance of Yoga in daily life.
The widely accepted universal mantra, “Lokah Samasthah Sukhino Bhavanthu” got a twist almost a year ago when Bhagawan advised the students to chant it with a wider universal appeal, modifying the same to “Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu” and ever since, this has been the Universal Mantra for the Sai fraternity all over the globe.
Striking the right chord from the Divine enunciation, the tiny tots from the Sri Sathya Sai Vidyaniketan put up a display, aptly sending the message that a broader universal vision alone would bring peace on to human hearts which has become a rarity in these days.
Imagine Love and Peace in individual existence discussing the endangered status with reference to their survival in a world controlled by the men of odd passion living in this modern age. This was exactly the opening scene where the two ‘individualized’ entities discussing the plight of the modern world wherein people have forgotten the importance of basic values of human life. And aiming at finding a solution, an international conference was organized wherein experts from various faiths and professions have taken part airing their views. The folly came to the fore with every individual who has established in the society with excellence in their own area of expertise brought up individualized narrowed vision, failing to foresee the core issue plaguing the society. As the discussion got heated up, there came a mere school teacher donned in pristine white addressing the core issue that had been eluding the intellectual panel. His solution was so simple, an adage from Bhagawan, that tells to fill every individual heart with Love. Man instead of changing himself, is attempting to change the world and there lays the core issue resulting in eluding Love and Peace; man should understand the tenet that individual peace depends on the peace of the entire world; it is with the fore-vision and universal outlook alone that man can attain real peace.
Every tale has a moral and every moral has a source. The enigma that deluded the intellectual panel had its solution finally in the form of a mere school teacher whose knowledge in turn had its origin from his master and guru Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The drama ended with the wise men’s panel, after solving the conundrum, submitting at the Divine Lotus Feet of Bhagawan taking a pledge to remain committed to be holders of Dharmasthaapana. These young wards from Sri Sathya Sai Vidyanikeiketan, Navsari indeed had the greater message for the evening that made one and all feel the much needed pulse for a universal vision.
"Yoga For Salvation", a skit
June 14, 2009
Bhagawan says body is the temple of God and one has to give due respect and care in maintaining this temple. Every individual dreams of living a long and healthy life and we have the wherewithal in the form of Maharishi’s Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, as was propagated in the 7th century.
The evening’s final presentation had this unusual theme, the greater significance and intricacies of Yoga Sutra. It would be a dream happening, if Patanjali himself appeared teaching someone these greater intricacies, explaining in lucid details. This was the great good fortune of young Rohan who was initiated in to Yoga Sutra by the great sage in a dreamy sequence as per the directive of Bhagawan Himself.
Yoga for Salvation, a musical skit, was a power packed demonstration of various aasanas and pranayamas tagged with detailed explanations. Patanjali’s eight fold path of Ashtanga Yoga not only ensures a sound mind in a sound body but ensures liberation itself! Bhagawan says, “If there is any kind of strain on any part of the body, it will not be possible to receive divine energy”. The first four steps of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga namely, Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama relate to external Yoga, then come Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and ultimately Samadhi, the state of supreme bliss having merged with the Divine.
This was an apt demonstration of bending and mending, demonstrating the most ancient and most efficient path for salvation, by a bunch of students from Sri Sathya Sai School of Surat, who practice Yoga and Meditation devoutly with meticulous attention and rigorous discipline. “Unity of Faiths” and the theme of National Integration were also demonstrated through various yogic postures allied with formations rightly sending the message of SAIYOG, the Yoga for the present age.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. When you fill your heart with Love, the Divine heart melts resulting in God manifestation in human form. Lighter moments of Bhagawan and with Bhagawan are something that everyone cherishes to posses. Be it a lighter moment or a serious advice, everything Bhagawan does have potential significance and is suffused with wisdom galore. Towards the end of the one hour long session, these tiny tots, the school children from Gujarat had the good fortune to witness their Beloved Swami beaming with joy reciprocating to their action. The first occasion was when the main character, Rahul, in tune with his mother’s claim that her just single prayer to Bhagawan was heard by Him granting her son initiation into Yoga Sutra, an ebullient Rahul, in all excitement prayed to Bhagawan that once he finished his schooling he should be granted admission into Swami’s college and Bhagawan broke into laughter, beaming with joy, raising his Abhayahastha as if showing a nod of approval. Yet another occasion when the participants laid a red carpet, strewn with rose petals, for Bhagawan to come down the aisle, for a coveted group session with them. After setting themselves to receive the Lord, most unexpectedly they called out with a unanimous appeal, “Swami, please come” and again he broke into laughter consenting to climb down the aisle. Both boys and girls were blessed with separate group photo sessions, and safari peaces and sarees respectively.
This was followed by a short stint of bhajans, first by the contingent followed by students from the university before arathi was offered to Bhagawan. Prasadam was distributed before Bhagawan retired to Yajur Mandiram. A wonderful evening that echoed the universal message “Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu” exhorting one and all to expand their vision joining hands in His Mission Divine!
