Sri Rama Navami in Prasanthi Nilayam…
Thursday, April 10th, 2014
Bhagawan Sathya Sai’s… Sai and Lord Sri Rama’s…Ram are tagged together in Prasanthi Nilayam forming the most powerful Mantra, a ‘buzzword’ SAIRAM among Sai fraternity….and to this hallowed precincts Sri Rama Navami has always been a celebration granting spiritual respite from summer’s merciless intensity.
Celebrating Sri Rama Navami, the staff of Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music presented a Carnatic and Hindustani classical session last evening here in Prasanthi Nilayam. The programme comprised of a sumptuous treat of Thyagaraja Kritis, beginning with Sri Raghavam Dasaratmajam; and as interlude came some beautiful electrifying renditions of Hindustani classical that included Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram.
Earlier, the programme commenced with a brief talk by Sri KM Ganesh, one of the research scholars of the Institute, who chose to speak on the significance of Sri Rama principle. Beginning with speaking on the great good fortune called “Interview” with Bhagawan, the speaker soon drifted into “Ramayana” mode talking about the ecstatic devotion exemplified by Hanuman. Though Hanuman was endowed with the body of a monkey which is known for its fickle nature, he exhibited steadfast devotion for Rama.
Continuing on these lines, the speaker narrated one of the beautiful happenings at Trayee Brindavan in the bygone ‘golden’ days. Once Bhagawan was speaking to a few devotees in the Trayee Brindavan. Suddenly a horde of monkeys presented themselves before Bhagawan. Swami beckoned one of the devotees and asked him to bring groundnuts. When the devotee brought them to Bhagawan, everyone expected that there would be utter chaos, but what one saw was orderliness. The monkeys came slowly one by one walking with two legs just like humans and received the groundnuts from Bhagawan.
The talk went on with lucid narrations covering, how Rama Karya is important while engaged in chanting Rama Nama, the efficacy of “Sai Ram”, etc.
Bhagawan’s Divine discourse from yesteryears followed next. Bhagawan said that the epic Ramayana is nothing but the Vedas descended on earth. The four Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana represent Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna respectively. The four brothers set great ideals for humanity. One who delights is Rama. Every individual should delight us. What one should realise is the truth that essentially every being is Rama. In the Purusha Sukta it is said, SahasraSeershaPurushaSahasrakshaSahasraPad, which means God has thousands of heads and feet. In ancient times of Vedas, the population was only in thousands, but as times passed by, the population leaped from thousands to lakhs to crores. That is why God is described as Mukkoti Swarupa (embodiment of three crores of people). Later it became much more. So, every being is Rama.
The Ramayana sets an ideal how brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, mother, father should conduct themselves. There is no morality higher than what is depicted in the Ramayana, said Bhagawan. Sage Valmiki said, the story of Ramayana will exist as long as men and women and mountains and rivers exist in this world. What is the relationship between men and women and mountains and rivers? Men symbolise mountains and women, rivers. Bhagawan concluded His discourse by saying, “contemplate on the story of Ramayana and live in unity and joy” and sang the Bhajan, “Rama Kodanda Rama…”
Bhajans followed and ended with Mangala Arathi.
Posted in Prasanthi News |
