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Index of earlier Bulletins
December 31, 2006
This morning, Bhagawan came to the Sai Kulwant Hall at 9.30 while the Bhajans were going on. After going around the Hall in His car, He sat for half an hour onstage as the Bhajans continued. Coming near the interview room, Bhagawan accepted Arati and went into the interview room. On emerging after a few minutes, Swami took a round of the Verandah, and once again came onstage. There, He spoke to some teachers and students, and finally returned to His residence at around 10.35 am. In the evening, Darshan and Bhajan were as usual.
Yesterday was the auspicious day of Vaikuntha Ekadashi, when the Lord gives darshan from the Northern direction. Swami arrived for Darshan at 8 o'clock in the morning, and after His darshan round, sat onstage (facing North!) listening to the Vedic chants for nearly half an hour before going into the interview room.
December 27, 2006
Bhagawan sat outside for a few minutes both yesterday and today after evening darshan, listening to the Vedic chants and blessing the 'Birthday boys'. This morning, He came down the verandah at around 8 o'clock, talking to a few elders seated there, and blessed Mr. Gopal Rao on his 99th birthday. Last evening, He spoke to some of the students whom He had selected "for the Chennai trip" - some of them are singers and some are good at public speaking. He asked the singers about the songs they had practised and listened to them for few minutes.
December 25, 2006
Holy Christmas dawned with the overseas devotees assembling in the Sai Kulwant Hall and singing carols till around 6.20 am when the Nagarsankirtan concluded. Bhagawan arrived at 8.45 am, resplendent in a white robe. After His darshan round in the car, He came onstage and the students' presentations got underway at 9 o'clock. First were the young Primary School boys with violins, playing popular Christmas tunes. As they played "Jingle Bells", many tiny Santa Clauses came up to Swami, throwing toffees for all the children. Next was the Institute boys' band with a fifteen minute Christmas selection. Carols and other Christmas songs by the students followed. Just before ten o'clock, the songs concluded and Swami asked for Bhajans to be sung as prasadam was distributed to all. Swami went into the interview room and emerged after ten minutes, walking down the verandah and cutting the Christmas cakes arrayed there. Then He continued to walk down to the stage, then came down to where the students were seated, walking all the way up to the ladies' side. Then He sat in His chair and went on a full darshan round in the chair, thrilling all the devotees. He returned to the Verandah, accepted Arati and left for His residence in the car at nearly eleven o'clock.
In the afternoon, Swami arrived at around 3.45 pm and sat onstage for a few minutes listening to the Vedic chants. Then the speakers of the afternoon were announced by Mr. John Behner, the South American Zonal Co-ordinator, who also narrated how Swami had recently healed his eye without surgery. The first speaker was Mr. Arthur Hillcoate. In his brief talk, he exhorted all his Sai brothers and sisters to follow Bhagawan's teachings and fulfil their lives. The next speaker was Father Charles Ogada from Nigeria, currently teaching at the Sathya Sai School in Zambia. Father Charles spoke very movingly about how the Lord came into his life and prayed that the entire world may have the blessing of coming to Bhagawan. Swami was very happy and materialized a chain for him after his speech. After these talks, Bhagawan sat for a while, gazed at the overflowing Sai Kulwant Hall and finally got up to deliver His Divine Message at 4.50 pm.
Swami began by saying that there is no difference between Him and us, and just like the bouquet of flowers in His hand, all humanity is One. He narrated the delight of the devotees He met in Africa, and spoke of the love and tolerance exhibited by the wildlife there, saying that nowadays men are behaving like animals and animals are behaving like men should! Concluding His hour long Discourse, Swami asked for Bhajans to commence. After fifteen minutes of Bhajans, Swami accepted Arati from the speakers of the day, and retired to His residence.
December 24, 2006
Two days back, the Karnataka state cricket team had come for Bhagawan's darshan, led by their coach Venkatesh Prasad. Swami walked amidst them down the upper verandah after His evening darshan round, and later had a photo session with them onstage just as the five o'clock Bhajans began. Yesterday, the Union Railways Minister Sri Laloo Prasad Yadav had an audience with Swami.
This evening, the choir programme by overseas devotees heralded in the Christmas spirit. The Sai Kulwant Hall was "decked with boughs of holly" and other seasonal decorations. The front pillars had green cloth coverings over the lotus decorations. Children standing on either side of the path welcomed Swami as He came into the Hall just before four in the evening. After His darshan round, He came onstage and the programme began with the children's choir. They sang traditional Yuletide songs like "We wish you a Merry Christmas" along with Sai songs like "Sa re ga", ending their half-hour programme with "Jingle Bells". The grown-ups then took over and began their soulful forty minute programme. Bhagawan enjoyed their presentation, which included songs like "Almighty God", "You are my Shepherd", "Jesus be with us", "Soham Sai Om" and "Turn your eyes upon Swami", accompanied by violins, guitars, keyboards and a trumpet. Blessing all with His Abhayahasta, Swami went into the interview room after the programme, and Bhajans by the students began in the Bhajan Hall as prasadam was distributed. Swami returned to the stage after ten minutes and Blessed the two lady conductors of the two choirs with sarees. Then He accepted Arati waved by the two conductors and retired for the day at 5.30 pm.
December 20, 2006
Darshan and bhajan have been going on at Prasanthi Nilayam. Bhagawan has been coming every day in the evenings, and almost every day in the mornings. For the last few days, He has been coming at around 7.30 in the mornings and at around 3.30 in the evenings. This morning, after His darshan round in the car, Swami came down the upper verandah in His chair talking to many elders on the way. He came down to the lower verandah, and taking letters from many seated there took a round of the stage area also before returning to the interview room again via the upper verandah.
In the evening, the group of Malaysian SSSEHV Teens got their chance to present an adaptation of 'Dikir Barat' - a traditional song/dance cultural item from Malaysia. In their twenty minute programme which began just after 4 pm, the common cultural values of the three main ethnic groups of Malaysia were presented and related to Bhagawan's teachings. Swami came down from the stage and had group photos with them after their presentation. Then they sang bhajans for a few minutes and then sang Arati as Bhagawan went back to the interview room. Later, the Bhajans were sung as usual at five o'clock in the Bhajan Hall and Swami retired after Arati at 5.30.
Over the weekend, an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Executive Director of the UN-HABITAT programme, Mrs. Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, had visited Prasanthi Nilayam and had an audience with Bhagawan on Monday. On Monday evening, Bhagawan had spent around fifteen minutes seated onstage as the Vedam chanting went on. Yesterday, Swami visited the General Hospital where the daughter of one of the faculty members of the SSSIHL had been admitted, in the afternoon at around 1.45 pm. Later, He came for darshan at four o'clock and at five o'clock for the Bhajans.
December 12, 2006
This evening the Rishikesh Sathya Sai School were called to the Bhajan Hall for a group interview. Bhagawan was with them from 3.30 pm for nearly an hour an a half. After they came out, while Bhajans were going on, Swami sent clothes for them.
December 11, 2006
This morning, Bhagawan went for a drive after Bhajans, going through the Primary School and the Hill View Stadium to take a round of the Indoor Stadium complex and return.
In the evening, the Rishikesh Sathya Sai School presented their drama, "Life is a pilgrimage", depicting the story of Nara and Narayana doing penance for the downfall of the evil Sahasrakavacha. They began with three older boys playing bhajans on flutes in the centre of the Hall while their younger brothers offered flowers at Bhagawan's Lotus Feet. Bhagawan enjoyed their hour-long presentation which ended just before 5 o'clock. He went down from the stage for a group photograph with the boys, with the backdrop showing a picture of their school with all the students arranged in front of it.
Bhajans began in the Bhajan hall soon after. Swami praised the drama to some of the Bhajan group members seated near Him. He returned to His residence at 5.30 after Arati.
December 10, 2006
This evening, Bhagawan came down the upper verandah talking to many elders on the way. He returned to the interview room before Bhajans began, walking down the lower verandah.
December 8, 2006
Bhagawan sat outside for nearly 20 minutes this evening at around 4.40 pm, calling up some students with letters while the Vedic chants went on. One of the students was blessed with a chain, too. Bhajans began just after 5 o'clock when Swami reached the Bhajan Hall.
Two groups are seen, standing out with their uniform clothes among the devotees - one is a group from Singapore with a large number of Balvikas children, and another is a group from a Sai School in Rishikesh. Both groups are ready with programmes to present before Bhagawan, but till now they have not had the opportunity to do so.
December 7, 2006
This morning, Bhagawan wrong-footed many people by coming for darshan at 7.15! He went out of Sai Kulwant Hall for a drive, pausing for a moment in front of Sai Gita while returning to Mandir, and going around inside the Ashram also before going into the interview room. Bhajans were as usual at 9 o'clock. In the evening, He interacted with some of the students and teachers in the bhajan hall for ten minutes before the five o'clock bhajans.
December 5, 2006
The large numbers of devotees from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh who had gathered here were much blessed this evening. After Bhagawan finished His darshan round at around 4.30 pm and went into the interview room, the Srikakulam devotees came in procession from the front entrance of Sai Kulwant Hall, with traditional drums and other paraphernalia. Bhagawan came out and sat onstage as the devotees passed by the front part of the Hall, with many troupes of dancers in different tribal costumes. Some of the dancers performed acrobatic feats which were well applauded. The procession was follwed by a musical presentation: more than a thousand teachers were gathered from Srikakulam along with the thousands of devotees from there, and they presented a programme of songs. After the half-hour programme, Bhagawan Blessed the gathering by speaking to them.
It was a Divine Discourse with a difference. Bhagawan was seated on His chair on the Western side of the stage, and spoke in Telugu with no translation. He enthused the devotees from Srikakulam, saying they were actually from the land of 'Sri' or plenty. Swami exhorted the teachers to lead their students in the right path in life, by personal example suffused with love. The real leaders of the country are the teachers, since they are the ones who mould the youth who are the future of the country, said Bhagawan.
After Swami's fifteen minute Message, He spoke to the district convener and then Prof Anil Kumar was asked to announce that all the devotees from Srikakulam were going to be provided food by Bhagawan tonight at the Canteen as Prasadam. Accepting Arati, Swami retired for the day at 6.20 pm.
December 4, 2006
This evening, after His evening darshan round, Bhagawan sat onstage for fifteen minutes, granting a long darshan to the large group of devotees from Anakapalli. He called up some students with letters and later the 'Birthday boys', then asked for prasadam to be distributed to all - packets of cashewnuts and raisins. Bhagawan walked to the interview room at 4.15 and later came to the Bhajan Hall for Bhajans.
December 2, 2006
This evening, Bhagawan came into the Bhajan Hall just before five o'clock and interacted with some people there, so Bhajans began at 5.10. He spoke to Mrs. Mallika Srinivasan, a devotee who stays at Chennai, asking her if her house is near Sundaram and so on. During the Bhajan, at Swami's behest, one of the singers sang a Tamil devotional song also. Devotees from Chennai are praying that Bhagawan grace their city for the Ati Rudra Maha Yagnam scheduled there on January 19th, so these are encouraging signs for them!
November 30, 2006
This evening, Swami went into the interview room after His evening darshan, but came out at around 4.10 and walked around the Verandah for a few minutes. He entered the Bhajan Hall through the rear door, walked up the aisle talking to many people on the way, and returned to the interview room. Bhajans were as usual at 5 pm.
November 29, 2006
Prasanthi Nilayam has once again quietened down after the Birthday celebrations. Bhagawan visited the Indoor Stadium once again on Sunday morning. He went around the Verandah and the ladies' side distributing Vibhuti packets to many who were leaving on Sunday and Monday. Darshan and Bhajan sessions go on as usual.
The Department of Physics at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning is hosting a conference on Nanostructured Materials from the 29th of November to the 1st of December - the Chemistry department is also actively participating. The students of the Brindavan campus are participating via teleconferencing from the Multimedia Learning Centre inaugurated by Bhagawan earlier this year.
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