Sri Sathya Sai Spiritual Conference Comes To A Grand Culmination…

The two-day exploration into the essentials of sadhana, Sri Sathya Sai Spiritual Conference on ‘Living With Sri Sathya Sai’ came to a grand culmination this evening, decorated with five distinct and distinguished speeches on five different subjects.

Speaking first, Dr. Narendranath Reddy, Chairman, Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation, delving on the subject ‘Living With Sai – The Loving Way’ elucidated on SAI whom he identified, can only be defined by the simple, yet profound word, LOVE. Singing His ‘own’ song, ‘No reason for love, no season for love’, narrating a couple of his own personal experience of inexplicable Motherly Love from Beloved Mother Sai, Dr. Reddy stressed that it is with love alone that He can be understood, that Sai is understood through Sai alone. His is Prema Yoga, and real love for Him is ‘Love For Love’ reminded Dr. Narendranath Reddy.

God alone serves, granting the credit to individuals, said Dr. V. Mohan, Member, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust,  speaking on the subject ‘Living With Sai – The Selfless Way’.  Recalling some of the beautiful incidents of selflessness from times of Bhagawan Sri Krishna, later that of Beloved Bhagawan, Dr. Mohan advocated the audience to get involved in selfless acts in everyday life with little acts of helping hand, suffused with mindfulness. Sevadals in Prasanthi Nilayam is the best and most inspiring examples of selfless seva, opined Dr. Mohan, also recalling an interesting incident involving an irritated person who questioned him at his Chennai hospital arguing on Bhagawan’s famed quote, ‘Hands That Serve Are Holier Than Lips That Pray’.

A lively exposition ensued next, on the subject ‘Living With Sai – The Happy Way’ delivered by Sri Ajit Popat from the UK, who is famously known as ‘Sai’s Puppet’. Rich with experience with Bhagawan, with many an interaction, Sri Ajit Popat defined the word HAPPY, dissecting the same into five, that Being Holy, Being Aware, Being Patient, Being Peaceful, Being Yogic. The speaker was full of verve, entertaining the evening audience with some of the most beautiful anecdotes with Sai, in Prasanthi, in Brindavan and at Sai Shruti in Kodaikanal, inserting instant humour, all with one single string, the string of Sri Sathya Sai.

Living With Sai – The Youthful Way‘ was the final dimension of exposition for the evening. Speaking on the theme, Sri Vinay Kumar, an accomplished Chartered Accountant from Bengaluru, Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Trust, Karnataka spelt out 5-Divine Commandments that Bhagawan personally imparted on to the Sai Youth of Karnataka. The commandments are (1) Serve the society not just with passion, but with intense feeling… (2) Plan every activity in detail and with utmost perfection… (3) Annihilate ego… (4) Purify yourself… (5) Never ever forget the existence of God. Elucidating on the five commandments in detail, filling the same with personal experiences suffused with profound learning and wisdom, the speaker sent a solemn reminder to the blessed Sai Youth that every single interaction Bhagawan had with the youth is always embedded with highest spiritual wisdom. For the youth of the day who are mired in aggression, mired in the vagaries of sensual pleasures the elated speaker  had a message from Bhagawan that, ‘Live With Sai And Your Senses Will Fly’. Vinay Kumar, being one of Bhagawan’s chosen youth icon for years has been his blessed instrument, engaged in many of His projects, serving selflessly, learning all the while. This evening he had a string of experience for the august assembly, all of them suffused with power-packed messages for everyt single soul, barring any distinctions. Living with Sai is true living. We come, learn, experience and finally yearn to be with Him forever. Youthful way of living with Sai is not mere fun and frolic or of mundane pursuit of sensual pleasures, but to be engaged in constant selfless service, reminded the youthfully exuberant speaker.  Sri Vinay Kumar ended with a fervent, heartfelt, passionate and emotional prayer to Bhagawan, seeking His eternal bounteous love, ever and everafter, offering his heart full of love and gratitude.

Sri Nimish Pandya, All India President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, in his concluding remarks asked for consistence and persistence in spiritual sadhana. Things many not be apparently moving, but as sadhana progresses one can find that inwardly he or she is growing, growing in Sai, reminded the AIP sharing an ancient story involving a master and his disciple. Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation is committed to follow the path, the organisation charter, reiterated the President, stressing on the lone commitment, the commitment to follow the inward path. Some of the action plans for the ensuing three months were laid bare by the AIP before concluding with a prayer song on the hallmark of a Sai devotee.

A pledge of commitment followed next. Smt. Kamala Pandya, National Coordinator, SSSSO, read out the pledge that was followed by the audience en masse. The pledge of commitment is a promise to hold Sai’s Hand and walk with Him with every breath. The pledge rightfully ended with the prayer of Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu, Bhagawan’s revised Maha Mantra for Cosmic Peace and Happiness.

Collective musical notes from thousands of throats reverberated the spacious Sai Kulwant Hall for the next few minutes, as the entire congregation of participants joined in chorus singing a melodious musical of commitment to Sai, Sai and Sai Alone.

Sri Brijesh Bamalwa did the compeering, introducing the speakers and their subjects, inserting beautiful anecdotes with apt concluding remarks.

Bhajans next ended with Mangala Arathi to Bhagawan.

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II