SAI SUDHA APRIL 1944

EDITORIAL – AN ANCIENT PRAYER AND ITS MODERN IMPLICATIONS

ORGANISATION OF SADHUS SRI SAI BABA – A SYMBOL OF UNITY THE VISION OF REALITY SRI SANKARA JAYANTI MESSAGE VYREE BHAKTI AND SAI BABA EXPERIENCES NEWS AND NOTES

EDITORIAL – AN ANCIENT PRAYER AND ITS MODERN IMPLICATIONS

One of the oldest prayers recorded in our books runs as follows -It can be translated as follows:-

“O -Gods! Let us hear good things with our ears. Let us, continuing to perform sacrifices, see good things with our eyes. Let us continue to praise you, ourselves possessing healthy limbs and let us live the life allotted to us by divine dispensation.”

A few points in the prayer deserve to be gone into more fully. First, the prayer is addressed to Devas (plural and not singular). Scholars would say that this must have been composed at a time when the seers had not arrived at the conception of one God, as the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the universe, but believed in many gods like, Agni, India, Varna. The I consider a minor matter; the thing to be noted is that man is addressing some superhuman power that controls him and the universe in which he finds himself.

Secondly, the person who prays is not a single individual, but Yajatrah; those who perform sacrifice, and raise their voice of prayer for this common benefit. Let us hear, let us see is this prayer and not let me hear, let me see. There are many prayers addressed in the singular may I live long, may I have plenty of wealth, to enjoy. The plural as should have been used deliberately denoting the community as a whole and not the individual. It can hardly be a case of the royal.

Thirdly, the praying, charaterise themselves as performing sacrifices. Life terrestrial and celestial are bound together by sacrifice. Sreemad Bhagavat Gita tells us that the Lord of the Universe after creating addressed humans as follows: -

With this do ye foster Gods and may the Gods in turn foster you; Fostering each other (thus) ye shall gain the Highest Good. This is a square deal and not an one-sided transaction.

Social solidarity is emphasised and no attempt is made by a person caring for his own benefit and trying to steal a march over others. The Gita ideal of conversation of society is anticipated.

Best thinkers of all ages have been aiming at the uplift of society as a whole. A nation is considered to be civilized and prosperous if it stands not a few individual tests, but a few-broad social tests. What is the percentage of literacy among its people, men and women? What diseases have been controlled or eliminated and what is the rate of morality? What is the average of purchasing power of the nation indicative of its average and Rockefellers are there in that nation, or how many Taj Mahals have been built. The test is social, i.e. as a whole and not with reference to a few tall poppies only.

What is the world at present attempting to do on the constructive side? The Atlantic Charter guarantees four freedoms i.e. freedom from want and fear and the freedom of work and worship. Here again the outlook is definitely social and not individualistic.

what about the famous Beveridge Plan in England, of social security for all? It aims at assuring medical help to everybody, occupation and wages to everyone and guarantees freedom from want to every one in England. Here again the ideal aimed at is social uplift and not the prosperity of a few individuals.

Lastly coming to our own country, there is the Fifteen-Year Plan of reconstructions expected to cost an expected to cost an expenditure of 1,000 crores of rupees. It is true that a few British cricis have condemned this as a device of the plutocrats to better their own positions and they point out that the main industry of the country agriculture is not given the attention, it deserves; but this is not disinterested criticism. We see that broadly speaking it aims at raising the standard of life the masses and not at the amelioration of the conditions of a section only of the people of the land.

One thing is common to all these, the Atlantic Charter, the Beveridge Plan and the Bombay Industrialists scheme:- They are all for large section of the World's population are whole and not for small groups and much less for individuals. One who utters a prayer like the Bard who wanted good for me, wealth for me and everything desirable for me would now be laughed out of court.

Let the whole nations once more pray with one voice:

ORGANISATION OF SADHUSBY SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

This is the need of the hour. Much spiritual good can be done if there is a perfect organisation of Sadhhus and sanyasins. You will have a new era, a new world, a new culture if this is done.

There is a huge cry for this organisation. Every house-holder in India talks of this. But how to do this? This is the problem. This is the question. The Sadhus community is a heterogeneous complex one. There are various cults or sects. There are Vairagis, Kabhir Panthis, Dadu Panthis, Goraknath Scct, Nirmala, Udasis, Dasa Nama Sanyasins who are followers of Sri Sankara, Sri Rama Krishna Mission Sannyasins, Niranjan Akada Sannyasins Nagas and others.

Rishikesh is a colony for Sadhus and Sannyasins. As this is a wonderful charming place on the bank of the Ganges with spiritual vibrations, Sadhus have selected this place for their Tapascharya and meditation. Ancient Rishis lived here and did their Tapas. Uttakasi in Himalayas and Haridwar are other centres where many Sadhus live.

There are two important Kshettras here (Rishikesh) which distribute free food to Sadhus. Whereever there is free food all sorts of people flock and put on the coloured garb of an ascetic. Hence some sort of social evil crops up and the sanctity of the place slowly gets spoiled. Mischief-mongers dwell in such holy places and carry on their work vigorously.

The heads of the Sadhu sects should have an intense desire for the organisation. Then only the work can be done efficiently. They should melt the individual differences and opinions, sit together and work whole-heartedly. The organisation of the Sadhus is not an easy task. It is , indeed, a stupendous uphill work. It will take some time before it is perfectly organised.

All the Mandaleswaras, all the Heads of Mutts, and religious institutions, all the reputed Sanyasins and Sadhus who exercise influence ever the public should come forward now to take up this work.

No individual Sanyasins will be able to do this work. Sri Sankara had the help cooperation of Kings. He organised his won military force, the Nagas to carry his propagandaa. So also this work demands man-power, money-power, police force, and an army of volunteers.

Many undesirable wicked persons depending on brutal force live now amidst Sannyasins, wearing orange coloured robe. They musr be removed ruthlessly. They create lor of mischief. The organisers will meet with severe opposition from these people. They must be prepared to meet with such opposition. Mere lecturing and flery speechees will not help in the organisation of Sadhus. We want robust, untiring intellectual selfless worker. We want also help from generous heaarted nice people. Then the work will have a successfully termination.

It is high time now. This work must be taken up at once. All religious heads must co-operate now. Then only Loka Sangraha can be done very effiently. Then only there will be a real spiritual upheaval in this world.

O Devas! Nitya Sidhhas ! Will you please enter into the hearts of these religion heads,inspire and goad them to do this great work without a momen’ts delay. Pray, be gracious.

SRI SAI BABA – A SYMBOL OF UNITY

(BY RAO BAHADUR AROOT SWAMINATHA AYYAR. AVL)

We have in the world several religions and philosophies to which masses of men give their allegiance, oftentimes with an exclusiveness and fervour that their particular religions alone are the eternal word of God and that all others impostures,- in other words, that a particular mode of approach to God is the only true one. To this exclusiveness, even ther wise men of the nations have often lent themselves out of intellectual egoism or spiritual pride. On this account religion is being attakced as a factor in keeping peoples apart and creating divisions among them. The fact is that the aim of all religions is the same, namely, the practical realisation of the Truth, Divine, through experience. To the forgetfulness of this fundamental concept and to the narrowness of the followers of particular faiths, the divisions and differences on the score of religion can be traced. India,”the very home of religion” can show by her example how religion might be made affairs. Here we have the concept of brotherhod in practice. If we think deeply, we will percieve that no matter to which religion we may owe allegiance, we see the Fatherhood of God. This perception will lead us to work towards the brotherhood of man. Let me give an ordinary example, Does not the cooperation Movement, with which we are all familiar active systems for which all members of whatever religion or creed are remain you partners in practice? If brotherhood means sympathy with a fellow begins, our neighbbours, we have in the Co-operation Movement of germs of brotherhood, in other words, a sense of unity to chieve a common aim. It follows that a number of people living in a country as neighbours(to whatever religion they may belong) have a common tie of interest, toil, or suffering. This is forcebly illustrated by the rationing of foodstuffs and other necessaries to ahich we are getting accustomed. But the idea of brotherhood may be seroiusly marred if in our business transactions and in our schemes and plans, we fail to look at things except from our own standpoint. Unfortunately we allow ourselves to look so big in our own horizon that we shut out practically all possobilibilty of seeing other peoples’ horizon.

The dream, the hope of an enduring civilisation, has been inspired from time to time, by the lives of the grat sains, of the great lovers of humanity. Prophets have pointed to it. Poets have sung of it and martyrs have died for it. The latest and most outstanding example of ceaseless effort at unity is that os Sri Sai Baba. Born of Hindu parents, brought up by Muslim, foster-parents aand emerging neither as a Hindu nor a Muslim, but as one owing alleginace to both- Sri Sai Baba by his life and work appears to

followers of all religions, all creeds, receonciling all. And in this the great Saint of Shirdi ahs laid the coping stone to the spirit of ‘give and take’, ‘live and let live’, has to be acquired by mutual understanding and appreciation. The corporate life of India should not be viewed as an isolated entity in the realm of human culture. The study of the cultural synthesis wrought by the Hindus and Muslims alike, in the course of Indian history, a ffords valuable lessons to us and to all and shows that t here jhas been no break in the unity of India’s cultural life. Both Hindus and Muslims will have to stand of fall together in their great endeavour of shaping the future destiny of the varied expressions of Religion which is one and variations exist so that each may choose the patth that suits him best. If proof were wanted, we have to seek it in the life and work of Sri Sai Baba. May His inspiration guide us aright and promote in us the spirit of tolerance, brotherliness and mutual goodwill. In this worthy endeavour, the Sai Samaj and similar organisations which are now functining with Sri Sai Baba as the central figure have great oppurtunities.

THE VISION OF REALITY In our short study on the Vision of the Reality, It is our object to present before the learned readers, how the Vision of the Absloute Self, the One Reliaty that is at the back of all phenomenal activities in Nature, has been clearly visuaalised in a grand way by the great saint Kabir. This short study is mainly based on the book etitled “One Hundred Poems of Kabir,” transalated by the late Poet Rabindranath Tagore(assisted by one Evelyn Underhill) We freely quote passages and verses there from and oour observations thereon, our main aim consists in the presetation of the nature of the Infinite Self, the grand, Reality, the glorious Light before one and all even though in reality, the complete idea of That one cannot be expressed through the medium of words. Even the ripened intellect is only finite and is utterly incapable of probing into the mysteries of our hidden nature, the inherent Reality, which eludes not only the grasp of senses but transcends all faculties of reason or imagination and stands still in the supreme stillness of the inner self. With this brief introduction, let us now turn our attention to the subject proper.

Kabir”agin and again extols the life of home, the value and reality of diurnal existence, with its opportunities of love and renunciation, pouring contempt upon the professional sancity of the yogi and on all who think it necessary to flee a world prevaded by love, joy and beauty, the proper theatre of man’s quest, in order to find that one Reality, Who has spread His form of love throughout all the world”. Kabir emphatically proclaim with the sole authority of his win realisation that God is neither in Kaaba nor in Kailash as He “swaits discovery. Everywhere more accessible the washerwoman and the carpenter than to to the self-righeous holy man”.

In one place, the holy saint observs-“ All the seed is in the plant, as the shade is in the tree, as the void is in the sky, as infinte forms are in the void, as from the Infinite the Infinite comes and from the Infinite, the infinite extends…… The Creation is in

Brahma iss in the creation; they are ever distinct and yet ever united………. The Supreme Soul is seen within the soul. The Point is seen within the Supreme Soul. And within the Point, the reflection is seen again. Kabir is blest because he has this supreme vision.

From this one can easily one caan easily understand, that what the revered saaint speaks is from the very bottom of Truth and of his own very experience of the real vision of That Transcendent and Immanent Reality. In another place, he himself confesses his utter helplessness in the conveying of the nature of the Infinite Truth through the medium of words, like a dumb person tastng a sweet, thing who cannot explan it to others. The truth of the simile is that the realised ones only can understand the nature of the Reality who pervades and permeates all cosmic multiplicities of One Existence in all the details and aspects and that they cannot explain the inexpalinable idea when even the ordinary taste of a thing cannot be explained to another who has never tasted it; much more so in the case of the realisation of the Absolute Self.

According to Kabir,:God is not the final abstraction, but the one actuality. He inspires, supports and indeed inhabits both the durational, conditioned, infinite world of Becoming and the unconditioned, nonsuccessional, infinite world of Baing, yet utterly transcends them both. He is the omnipresent reality, within Whom the words are told like beads.” He further adds in another passage that- “He is the Ineffiable fact, the great Affirnation, the fount of energy, the source of life and love…. The whole Creation is the Play of the Etenal Lovers; the living,changing, growing expression of Brahma’s love and joy. His manifestaion is love. His activity ios joy: Creation springs from one glad act of affirmation, the Everlasting Yea- perpectually uttered within the depths of the Divine Nature.”

Describing the beauty and grandness of the Self, he portraays it in an exquisite manner:-

“Where millions of Krishnas stand with hads folded,Where millions of Vishus bow their heads,Where millions of Shivaas are lost in contemplation,Where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered,There is my Lord, Self-reavealed.”

The main purport of this verse is only this. That the Self is in all: all is in the Self. The Self is the cource of all cosmic existence, universal activities, source of all Energy and Light as also Truth. It is even the very source of all the Godds and Godeseses,as they are only the manifestations as per their activities in cosmic sphere- rather in the manifeted universe.

In short and in reality God is not anywhere outside of us. He os inside and at the same time outside too, He is the microcosm as well as in the macrocosm. If we do not find Him inside then we cannot find Him anywhere outsied,as Kabir himself saays “I laugh

when I hear the fish in the water is thirsty: You do not see that the Real is in your home and you wander listelessly from forest to forest.. Here is the Truth _ Go,, where you will,Benares or to Mathura, If you do not find your soul, the world is unreal to you”.

Realisation does not consist in running away from home life leaving one’s own duties , etc. nor in external manifestation of one’s Bhakthi by the performance of gala-forms of worship without having any real devotion or sincere aspiration, The Realisation of the Truth and the Vision of the Realiry can be achieved only by one who does his alloted work in life in a silent way without losing sight of his own ideal in view, offering every thing and every act of his to the Divine, without caring for the results thereof, always thinking of and singing the glory of the Lord, even through the exterrrnal one. For the attainment of real happiness and infinite Peace, it is necessary that the consciousness should be merged in the ocean of unversal consciousness, since out it will arise the infinite bliss and joy of the Eternal.

To sum up, it may be emphasised, that everyone should stick up to one’s own station on life, doing respective duties being contended with the life, keeping the mind ever at peace, developing inner consciousness to such a degree that he will transcend all pairs of opposites and the difference and disparities of the external world of appearances, forms and names, so that he can always witness, true ,joy, in cosmic manner- the Vision of Reality, in all the beings of the whole cosmos. With a short stanza of the great saint,we close this short study:-

The flute of the Infinite is played without ceasing, and its sound is Love: When Love renounces all limits, it reaches Truth: How widely the fragrance spreads: The form of the melody is broght like a million suns: Incomparably sounds the vina, the vina of the notes of Truth”.

OM PEACE !

SRI SANKARA JAYANTI MESSAGE

(BY SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA, ANANDA KUTIR, RISHIKESH)

Beloved Aspirants,Here is a short message on the occasion of the Jayanti of Sri Sankaracharya, 27-4-1944.

Today is the most auspious day, the Jayanti of the famous Adi Sankara. Let is remember his nam, his marvellous deeds and unique percepts and teachings, his sublime philosophy of Kevala Adwaita Vedanta.

Let us all bow our heads today at the lotus Feet of Sri Adi Sankara, the Avatara of Lord Siva, born off Siva-Guru ar Kaladi (South India), the disciple of Sri Govindapada who is

himself a disciple of Sri Gaudapada, the Vedanta Guru who establsihed the Kevala Adwiata Pholosophy.

Sri Sankara is an Avatara of Lord Siva. He who finished the study of Veda in his eighth year, who completed the study of the six schools of philosophy in his twelth year, who wrote the commentary on Gita, Upanihsds and Brahma Sutras in his sixteenth year,who entered into Nirvikalpa Samadhi in his thitrysecond year, who lives still in our heats though he lived aboout twelve hundred years ago, who is still influencing the world and shaping the destily of mankind cannot but an Avatar.

Study his Digvijaya again and again. You will be inspired.

The world has not seen and will not see in future a genius and Anubhaba Gyani like Sri Sankara. A greaat Karma Yogi he was, although he was a perfect sage. He was a mighty Yogi to boot. Not only this. He was the highest Bhakta too. In him alone there was the integral development of head, heart and hand. He wrote hymns in praise of Devi, Lord Siva, Lord Dakshinamurthy, Lord Narayana.

His devotion to Guru was intense. In all his writings he salutes his Guru Sri Govindapada, first.

The doctrine advocated by Sankara is from a purely philosophical point of view and apart from all theological considerations, the most important and interesting one which has arisen on Indian soil. His philosophy is bold, profound and subtle. Sankara Bhashya of Brahma Sutra is the oldest of the extant commentaries. The Sankara Bhasya is the authority most generally referred to in India as to the right understanding of the Vedanta Sutra and ever since Sankara ‘s time the majority of the best thinkers of India have been ment belonging to his school.

“Brahma Sayam Jagat Mithya, Jeeyo Brahmsiva Napasah” Brahman alone is Truth, the world is an illuson, the individual soul is identical with the Supreme Self the Brahma- is the gist of his philosophy. “I am Siva-Chidananda rupa, Sivoham Sivoham” is his bold utternance.

All the Sannyasins of the present day are his great-grand children. All owe a debt of gratitude to him. The rememberance of his very name produces horripilation and escalation. Even the Western thinkers and philosopherrs of the present day bow their heads before this might Adwaita Guru.

May the blessing of Sri Sankara be upon you all May you all follow his teachings and attain self-realisation in this very life! May He guide you in all your activities of daily life! Glory to Sri Sankara! Glory to His Bhashya!

Let us now sing with prem and devotion his hallowed name,

Sri Sankaracharya, Sankaracharya Sankaracharya Pahimam

Sri Adwiata Guru, Adwaita Guru, Adwaita Guru RakshamamSri Sankaracharya, Sankaracharya Sankaracharya PahimamSri Vedanta Guru, Vedaaaaanta Guru Vedanta Guru Rakshamam.”

VYREE BHAKTI AND SAI BABA(BY B.V.N.SWAMY)

There are various incidents in the life of Sri Sai Baba that may be recalled in connection with Vyree bhava. One Jehangir was the official superior of a Sai Bhakta X, and he once got a picture of Sai Baba for the purpose of Xx. With through callousness he would insult Baba in the preesence of X, who being a weak man, in a ssubordinate position, had to endure the pain and disgrace silently. Z however prayed to Baba to turn the heart of the Jehangir. After fifteen days, that superior had qualms of conscience. He ran to his subordinate, expressed regret for his past conduct and declared his reverence for Sai Baba, in token of which he paid one rupee as his fine to be sent to Shirdi. Here Baba, the Antaryami of all, was allowing the boil(bastred) in J’s heart to ger ripe and burst. A very similar case was that of Bala Saheb Bhate. When he was Mamlatdar at Kopergaon, his educated friends would call on him, on their way to Shirdi. He then never lost the chance of tolloing them what fools they were to go and bow at the feet of a Mahomedan and a crazy fakir at that. He refused their proposal that he should visit Sai Baba to form judgement. After a year of two passed in this violenlty anti-Sai mood, he paid a visit to Sai Baba- accidently one might say, if one did not know of Baba’s wonderful knowledge, power and kindness. The effect of the visit was most unexpected. The scoffer was held spell-bounded by the glance of Sai Baba. He sat on for hours before Baba, feeling Baba’s power to read his thoughts and control his desires. With difficulty he could be made to leave Baba’ presence that day. He resolved to stay on for days there, though he had no excuse for staying there leaving his official work unattended to. Three days he stayed and on the third day, Baba spread a kashaya cloth over his body. He then determined not to go back to his office but to devote the rest of his life to the company and service of Sai Baba. That violent hatred of contempt he had for Baba became, by Baba’s grace, transformed into strong attahement to Baba and Vairagya or distaste for all things wordly. In fact, though he resumed official duties and stayed on at Shirdi without leave for very long periods. He was compulsorily retired and granted compassionate allowance, as one who had met with a mental malady in the course of his official duties.

In both the above cases, Baba the Antaryami, or powerful thought controller, helped the original innate goodness of the person to rebel against the unnatural and unreasonble hatred, the foreign element that was superposed on it; and the result was vigrous Bhakti shooting or shrouting out of what looked like adverse or unpromising soil. Perhaps the same explanation may be given for tha not infrequent cases of persons who heartily disliked Baba on the score of his being a Mahmadean(as he was long supposed

to be ) being turned to devotees. The best instance of this is late Upasani Maharaj or Kasinath Govinda Upasani Satri as he was first known. Sri K.G.U.had some serious disease of the respiratory organs that threatened his life. He was going about in search of Hindu Yogis who could remedy this ailment contracted by him in the course of his practice of Pranayama. When he was told that he should bow at the foot of a Mahomedan (as the very name Sai Baba indicated a Mahomedan). It was with great difficulty that he was persuaded by his well-wishers to go and see Baba. At his visit, he was not impressed w ith the nature of Saai Baba and went away saying that he could not at all return in 8 days as required by Baba. But Sri Sai, out os his kindness, banished on the minds of all persons that surrounded K.G.U.Sastri compelled him to visit Sai Baba on the 8th day his departure. None was more surprised at this revisit more than Sastri Maharaj himself. Finding himself no match for Sai Baba he agreed to stay on at Shirdi for 4 years- though such prolonged stay was all and wormwood to his soul. Again and again he tried to warggle out of his promise. But he stayed on and had to stay on for a little over three years. His former dislike for Sai Baba was changed to reverence, expressed so well by the Mahimna Stotra that he composed about his newly accepted Gurudeva.

EXPERIENCES -- T.B.Jambunathan, Head Clerk,D.F.O. Madhura states:-

For four years, I have been a devout Sai Bhakta. All these years Sri Sai Baba has protected my family. He has given us four warnings in dreams, that have helped us in escaping shock and reducing pain. Mostly he appears as an old man. Subsequent events have proved the truth of the warnings and intimations given in dreams. I have one daughter. Two years back, Baba appeared in her dream and told her “Soon you will have a son.” And a little later, she gave birth to a son who was named “Sai Raman”. Fourteen months after that bbirth, she bore another son who was named”Sai Prasad”. In october 1943 i.e. 4 months after the second child was born, my daughter dreamed that an old man came to her in her dreaam and said”Will you give me Sai Raman?”and that she refused. She communicated the dreamto me, I said to her that it was Baba that asked for the child and that is wrong to refuse when he wants to take back his gift. Nearly two months passed thereafter. In novembeer, the old man appeared to her in her dream and again asked for Sai Raman. She again refused. But the old man said that in two months, he would taake away the boy. That is, the boy was to be taken away in January 1944 and the hour fixed for his departure, viz., 4-15 Aa.M. by the old man. That old man was we, knew, Sai Baba, from our past experience. This Sai Raman was a very precociously devout child. He would stroke his cheeks standing before Sai Baba’s picture and go to sleep lulled by Sai Keertanas and would often prosptraaate himself before Baba;s picture.

Soon after this dream Sai Raman had enlargement of liver and spleen which grew worse and worse.

Medical treatment was tried- the best we could get there. That was all invain.

His body became yellow and bloated. The day mentioned by Baba in the dream was 5-1-44. The previous day I mentioned the approaching departure of Sai Raman to a kinsman. He wondered how calm and unpreturbed I was in mentioning the approach of such a sad event as though it was some total stranger that was about to die. The fatal night came. We made Sai Japa. The mother watched all night by the child’s bed side. Just before the time the child was to pass away the mother fell asleep, the clock in the room stopped running and perpectual lamp(Akhandaaa Deepaa) that was always burning before Sai Baba’s picture in the house was extinguished. She saw in dream Baba on a peacock taking sway Sai Ram.She cried out, in the dream itself” Aalas, the child is going sway” with that cry on her lips, she woke up and found the child dead and the lamp extinguished.Baba by his forewarnings and dream visions softened the blow; and the child’s mother bore the shock and pain of its departure more easily when parting is inevitable, see Baba prepare us for eases our pain!

(By S.Subba Rao, Pleader)

On or about the end of the 1st week of February 1944, I heard a voice in my sleeping moments saying”Make incessant namajam of Dattatreya”. I got up from my bed and thought that Baba, has armed me wirh a weapon toward off the calamity that is about to befall. I serously resolved to make namajapam of Dattatreya as directed by Baba, but owing to my preoccupation with other wordly matters, I could not do namajapam. Next day Baba appreared as a judge in my dream and was very angry with me for my act of omission to make namajapam. I got up and could not then understand the cause of Baba’s indignaion. I again slept and dreamt of having seen gingelly seeds and of having eaten them in large quantities. This is really a very bad dream and deotees death according to the Science of Dreams. I got up in the morning and was sorry for the bad dream. I got a letter from my son at Engineering College Guindy, that he was laid up (in the in-patient sick ward of the Guindy Hospital, suffering from a severe atack of asthama and in a precarious condition. This, letter on the subsequent day, reminded me of Baba’s precaution on the previous night directing me to make Datta namajapam. I went before Baba’s picture in my house, repented for my folly and made serious namajapam of Datta. Three days a fter that, I received a letter from my sickyt son at Guindy that he was getting better by Baba’s grace and that he would go over to Gooty in spite of his serious and awful weakness. I ran up to Madras to put him in a nursing home but the Doctor in charge advised for a change. I accompanied him to Gooty from Madras by day train in spite of his dreadful weakness entirely relying upon Baba’s Udhi and making Datta namajapam even in the train. We reached Gooty and he began to recover without any further meidicine. He was here for about a fortnight and went to Madras in a decidedly better state of health. Even now, I am making Datta Namajapam for his complete recovery; and he is on the sure road to health.

Thus Baba saved my soon (Enggineering student)from the throes of death by his timely advice to me to make namajapam of Datta as directed by Him and by the application of Udhi. Dear Readers ! Understand how Baba has shown his love towards me and my son by prompting caustionery steps to do namajapam, this is entirely due to my having placed intense faith in Him and to my complete surrender to Baba of all my cares and worries.

Experiencee of K. Ramasami Pillai, receiver, Estate, aged 34, Maredpalli, Secunderabad(Deccan)

Six months back, R got stomach trouble. After meals, just when digestion would be going on R got severe pain in the stomach and vomited all he-ate. This went on everyday. Allopathic and Ayurvedic medicines were tried and have no relieif. One month back, sow, Susila his wife, vowed that if the disease be cured, herself and husband would go to Shirdi in june next. In 10 days thereafter, he got a dream whrerein a voice said ‘Feed five persons and you will be alright’. He told his mother about his dream in the morning and this was communicated to Sow. Susila’s mother sow. Ethirajamma. Sow. Ethirajamma at resolved to feed 5 people and made a vow to that effect 10 days back. That same night Susila also got a dream wherein she was told by her guru. ‘Feed five people’. Next day she fed 5 people. From that day onward R’s digestion greatly improved. He eats all things now and has no pain or vomit.

G.S.Devi. c/o Dr. Balaram (her brother) Konakonda (via Guntakal) writes:-I am a Sai Bhakta, When B.V.N.Swami visited our place on 28-2-44,he was taken in procession through the streets of our village. One gentelmen noticed a strange old Mahomodan walking alongside of B.V.N.Swami at that time and telling him(B.V.N.Swami)”I shall meet you at Vajrakarur soon,” When the procession reached its end, a dinner had been arranged for a large number, but the brother of the host though that the Mahomodan visitor should or could not be given food and so he by sounding his fingers and waving his hands drew the attention of that visitor and bade him be off. So that visitor left. All this was unknown to me. I did Pada Pooja and gave a night meal to B.V.N.Swami at my borther’s house that night and slept. In my dream came a young boy of 6 summers and told me,”you boast you give grand meals. I was not given ghee”. I could not understand the significance of dream and on enquiry I learnt of Mohomadan visitor apprearance and dismissal without a meal. There was Bhajna(on Thursday)at the house of the gentelmen who was the host at the above mentioned dinner. I went there and told him of the above facts and my dream. He felt that Sai Baba had appeared in that form and been sent away from his house without meal. So he bitterly felt his misfortune of sin and fasted, vowing that he would take his meal only of the same Vyakti would appear at his house and take his meal there. Two days later, that same figure appeared and soothed his feelings and mine. He was given his meal and then we all felt relief. This was a strange figure not previously seen in his village. There is a Moslem saint who lives in a far off village and who visits Vajrakarur (3 miles off) where he has Hindu Moslem followers to whom he gives respective Hindu Mantras and Moslem

texts and delivers philosophical lectures on new moon daays. The figure that appeared at our village was not that saint, and unknown .

NEWS AND NOTES -- SAI PROPAGANDAUravakonda:29-2-1944 (1) Lectures by B.V.N.Swami to Ladies at Sri G.S. Anjaneyulu, ( Excise Sub-Inspector). (2) Second lecture by Swami at S.K.B.High School to the students and (3) 3 rd

lecture to the public at Subroya temple.Gooty R.S:1-3-1944 At the Raailway District Engineer (Sri J.S.Somayajulu’s bunglow) B.V.N.Swami gave (a) interviews to several (b) and lectured to the public and (c) performed Sai Pooja.Gooty Town:2-3-1944 B.V.N.Swami visited Dr. Raghavayya’s poor man;s dispensary and the half complete Saai Mandir which is built by the Town Sai Samaj of which Dr. is the active head. Swami delivered two lectures (1) to Ladies at Basavanna temple aand 92) at Sri Subba Rao’s.3-3-1944 B.V.N.S left fro Madras.19-3-1944 Kodambakam Pooja nad Bhajan at the P.W. I’s (Sri Subbaramier’s).

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