HRIDAYAVAANI

Some incidents touch our heart. But some of them create impressions, lasting a lifetime.

Hridayavaani was one such festival that moved many. I’ve been writing about our convocation drama in my previous posts. These 25 days of hard work, prayer, spirit of brotherhood, love and faith in our Swami has made us so much stronger today.

We were ready with recording of dialogues & sets by the 15th, and thus began practicing in the Poornachandra auditorium (PC), the venue of our drama, from 17^th itself. Our teacher incharge had shown Swami a list of names for the title of drama and Swami chose “Hridayavaani”. The name truly resembled the spirit and essence of the story, which was based on Swami’s teachings and projects.

On 21^st , Swami agreed to see our practice in PC, this time with the dress rehearsal. We were eagerly waiting for Him in the backstage from where He would enter the auditorium. The programme in mandir got over pretty late as Swami was busy distributing sarees to the VIPs . It was 11 am when He came. We were greeted with a beautiful darshan as Swami blessed us all, though we could see that he was apparently tired. He stepped down the stage and sat in His usual place, accompanied by a few elders. The drama went well and as each scene progressed, our confidence grew stronger. Swami was very happy with our rehearsal. While He returned, He remarked to an actor “ Black pant”. He was unhappy with the boy’s costume. So the boy had to find an alternative pair for the next day.

22^nd Diary:

The mood is upbeat, all of us are eagerly awaiting the most crucial moment of our lives, the chance to act in front of our Lord, that too on the day of our convocation. This day is special for every student, a matter of pride and great blessing, of being recognized as His students.

The convocation programme is scheduled to begin at 3 pm. The Vice Chancellor, professors and council members as well as Institute band and vedam groups are ready for the procession. The drama boys have to stay back in PC for make up as the drama would start immediately after convocation. So we have to be content with the darshan of our Lord as He comes out of His residence.

Lo and behold! Swami comes out in a sparkling white robe, looks at everyone and indicates with His hand “begin the procession”. We are all very excited as Swami has hardly come for convocation in white.

Our make up is over and we are waiting for Swami’s arrival to PC. The convocation programme in Kulwant hall has been brief , giving Swami plenty of time to speak. Swami spoke for one and half hours. At 5.30 pm., He returns back.

Swami enters the backstage with an enchanting smile, enough to boost our confidence for the evening. He identifies some of the actors, blesses us and goes outside to join the audience. Except for this moment, the backstage is a scene of chaos, all of us trying to make sure things are in place.

The drama begins at 6 pm. Throughout the play, Swami is in rapt attention, and becomes emotional in certain scenes. Mind you, no one else can give so much attention after having watched a full practice twice before. But that’s our Mother, always ready to cheer us up. I’m reminded of what a teacher told us after the first practice that Swami saw 10 days ago. He said “Swami listens to each word and gives it due importance. That is why He feels so touched by the scenes.”

After the drama , He comes on stage and blesses us all with photographs. He looks at the same actor who wore black pant yesterday “ your dress is good today. Very happy.”

As He’s taking aarati and returning back, we form a path (rather narrow the path) and wish Him in unison “Swami, Happy Birthday” He looks at us amused, “Oh birthday? But I am always happy”

Indeed, everyday is His birthday, a celebration of love that fills the emptiness within our barren hearts and transforms us each day, from a bud to a blooming rose, ready to spread its fragrance to others around. It is the Hridayavaani of every heart. We bow in gratitude to this eternal fragrance of love. Sai ram

FIRST MOMENT OF TRUTH

Since many days, we’ve been expecting Swami to come to college and see the drama practice. He too has been showing a keen interest in the play.

Yesterday, all of us were expecting Swami to come in the morning, as He said on the previous day that He’d see our practice after bhajans. Due to the recording session of dialogues in progress, we slept late in the night, the day before.

It was 10 am in the morning but there was no sign of Swami coming. He did not come out of Yajur mandir for the bhajans too. Finally at 10.30 we got the message that Swami had gone upstairs to his room. We were dejected a bit, but knew that the afternoon would be most probable time for Swami’s visit.

At 3 pm all of us assembled again in the auditorium. Satyajit had conveyed the message that Swami would come after 3.30pm. There was a lot of anticipation as usual. Many senior people also came and waited. Swami came at about 4 pm.As soon as He stepped out of car, He asked a teacher, "when did boys come?" Teacher replied, "Swami 3 pm" . Swami was upset "I told you i will come at 4 pm , then why did you call boys early and make them wait ?" That's our Mother's love.

As He entered the auditorium, He saw the drama troupe. The boy enacting the role of Tanesha (king) was ready in his costume. He asked the boy, “who are you?” the boy replied, “Swami, I am the king”. “king emi?” He asked again. “Swami, sultan of Hyderabad.” Swami looked at Him and replied “ Phir Hyderabad jaao (then go to Hyderabad)”.

He sat in the center of front row and asked us to begin. There were quite a few emotional scenes and touching scenes in the drama. He was in tears on the more than one occasion. There’s a scene where Ramdas sings in prison and Rama and Lakshmana watch from behind. After the drama, He called Rama and said, “you sang well. So, you two help Ramdas in repaying the debts, isn’t it?”

Overall He was very happy and said “short drama. Chala bagundi (very nice)”. Well, experience tells us that there is always calm before the storm. He did not point our mistakes today.

AKHANDA BHAJAN DISCOURSE

The Akhanda bhajan this year was very special. i think Swami must have broken His all time record of collecting maximum letters on a single day. Right from the beginning, He was entirely involved in ensuring that we are focused on the bhajans, as He would come out frequently from the bhajan mandir and survey the entire Kulwant hall in chair. this topic requires more elaboration and i'd defer it for a later date for paucity of time.
Yesterday, He came late in the evening when bhajans had already begun. After about 4 bhajans, He asked Prof. G Venkatraman to speak. After the speech, He called for the mike to be brought and began His discourse! If He wants a programme, He has 101 ways of bringing it up. All this was happening inside bhajan hall.
Excerpts from His discourse:

• Understand the significance of Akhanda bhajan. Bhajans are of 2 types- Khanda (finite) bhajan and Akhanda (infinite) bhajan. To think of God only for a few moments is khanda bhajan (fragmented devotion).
• Akhanda bhajan means singing the glory of God in all 3 states ie the waking state, dream state and deep sleep state.
• There are 3 hands of a clock- the seconds, minutes and the hours hand. Of these, the hours hand assumes maximum importance.
• (Swami narrated the story of parrot and king where the parrot is told to go and ask different animals to chant Rama’s name) All species rise above their levels. Man however, remains at the same stage and does not progress. Though he chants the name of God, he has a wavering mind
• Thus transformation is hard to come about in man. If you do every activity with the feeling that it is God’s work, then there will be transformation. For example, while cooking, you can think that the food is being prepared for God
• At least once, you must utter the divine name with complete faith. That amounts to the “hours” hand of the clock. Empty repeating of God’s name is like the seconds and minutes hand.
• People make various excuses like cold, throat pain etc for not singing bhajans. Even a dead person can be brought back to life by the power of divine name. Eg. Savitri
• With a pure mind and sacred heart, chant the name of God
• Man is a replica of God. Therefore, he must have the same purity of love that God has. You are a spark of the Divine. Do not forget this fact. If you contemplate on this truth, it amounts to having read the Bhagavad Gita itself.
• Truth is God . Faith is God. Love is God, live in love. Always remember these 3 statements.
• Waves (problems) come and go but the water (faith) remains constant. Thoughts are like passing clouds. So, strengthen your faith.
• All that glitters is not diamond. “Die mind” and become a diamond. Do not get carried away by temporary things.
• Akhanda bhajan is kept with this purpose. In between the bhajans, if we get up and go, the mind gets disconnected. Swami does not say that you must remain 24 hrs without food or bath. Even while partaking food, contemplate on the divine.
• In Bhagvad Gita, Krishna said “O Arjuna ! Fight while thinking of me”. That is namasmarana. There is no big deal fighting wars with weapons. True weapon is name of the Lord.
• Work with a smile. True happiness is union with God.
• Attending bhajans in the morning and evening is a great fortune. Do not waste this opportunity.

THE CONVOCATION VACATION

(note: please do not paste this material in any website)

Every winter vacation, we see rains more often than our Lord. Darshans are infrequent, and Swami would be seemingly busy with some work or the other. This time, things were a bit different, fortunately.

Right from the beginning of our vacation, Swami has been showing keen interest in the convocation drama. This has really boosted our spirits. Every other day he keeps enquiring about the play, acting, roles etc. some of those conversations are worth noting.

Swami (to an actor): What is ur role?
Student: Swami i'm a businessman who went to US
Swami: Oh US? After marriage or before marriage?
Student: Swami, in the story, my friend leaves me
Swami: So what, girlfriend hai na.
Swami (looks at other student who recovered from illness recently): what are u acting?
Student: i'm not acting, swami.
Swami: Oh! he's acting as patient na!

One day, he kept discussing the story with other students in bhajan hall (the story is supposed to be kept confidential) but his version was entirely different, much to the surprise and relief of script writers. He said "tell boys to be aware of the stage movements. they should not make too many gestures or overact. they should be natural."

Yesterday, there was a programme by youth from Orissa. There was a drama about "true happiness" followed by a breathtaking dance performance by boys aged 10 to 14 years. their acrobatic steps enthralled us all and caused neck sprain to a few.

Swami was very happy. he gave the boys sarees, and later on safaris too. Well,
the vacation is supposed to be over; classes have begun but my pen isn't still writing. i don't think it will agree to do so for the next 20 days. Sai ram