Ushering in the new year 2013 @ Nagole in Ammagari Sannidhi

The Indian New Year,  'Ugadi' for Andhraites, occurs in March-April. Regretfully, as in other things, the Western New Year celebration has taken precedence over our own. The balance has been reset for us here by Ammagaru. Yet, perhaps in deference to the current climate, the New Year celebration is a unique one in Ammagaru's presence. 

Once again on Dec 31st,we gathered post the evening Satsang, at around 9:30pm, @ Nilayam, to spend the last few hours of the year gone past with our minds concentrated on the One Essence that is God, that is Sai Baba, that is Mastergaru-Ammagaru. At about 11:30pm we were blessed with Ammagaru's darshan.

Babugaru spoke a few precious words. Quoting the great philospher-teacher Socrates, 'Be beautiful internally.. ' he said, only when we (inidivually) fight the six internal enemies will the world be lovable....

Later sitting around a campfire outside, he spoke for long, 'only if we are willing to work hard, does it mean we have a purpose'...

While perhaps the world outside shouted in abandon, drank and kissed or watched others do so on T.V. in New Year revelry, we spent those moments of transition to renewed resolutions in blessed devotional singing. If ours is madness then so be it.

Jai Sai Master

Dhanurveda Saaram

ధనుస్సు అంటె రెండు భుజములు కలిగి అస్త్రమును ముందుకు తీక్ష్ణముగ విసరగల ఆయుధము. రెండు దళములు కల ఆజ్ఞా చక్రము ధనుస్సుకు చిహ్నము. మనస్సనె అస్త్రమును ఆజ్ఞా చక్రమున నిలిపి ధ్యాన స్థితిని పొంది సహస్రారమనబడు ధ్యేయము వైపు సారించవలెను. ఆట్టి యత్నము మనయందు ఉన్నచొ భగవంతుడు వాయు రూపమున తొడు నిలచి (రావణ సమ్హారములొ వలె) సరి అయిన దారిలొ నడిపి తన సర్వాంతర్యామిత్వమున లయము చెసికొనును.
ఈ ప్రార్ధనలొ శత్రువులు అంటె అజ్ఞాన జనిత విషయ వాసనలు, విఘ్నములు.  అశ్వములు అంటె వివేక వైరాగ్యాలు. వాటిని నడిపె కళ్ళెములు యమ నియమములు. ధనుస్సును పట్టి నిలిపె చెయ్యి ఆసనము. వంగిన దాని భుజములు ఉఛ్వాస నిస్వాసములు, అనగా సమతౌల్యము కల ప్రాణ చలనము. బాణమును ఆకర్ణాంతము లాగుట ప్రత్యాహారము. యెక్కు పెట్టుట ధారణము. గురిపెట్టుట ధ్యానము. విడుచుట సమాధి. అప్పుడు వెలువడె శబ్దము ఓంకారము. బాణము యానము చేయుట తురీయము.
ఈ యత్నము సులభమగుటకు మహనీయులు అనెక సాధనములను తెలిపి ఉన్నారు. అన్నిటికన్న గొప్ప సాధనము మహనీయుల చరణ సాన్నిధ్యము. మన హ్రిదయమందు అట్టి సాన్నిధ్యము కలిగి ఉండుత పరమార్ధ సాధనకు, యజ్ఞార్ధ కర్మకూ మూలము. జై సాయి మాస్టర్.


 జై సాయి మాస్టర్.

Sai Baba Magazine - Oct 2012 available in Issuu

Open publication - Free publishing - More baba

Notes

Oct 30th. 2012

Today is Mastergaru's 75th birthday. Krutgnata (Gratitude) Mahotsavam  begins. Ammagaru said that  Baba has fulfilled wishes of millions of people with just prayer and parayana. We @ Nagole too have had our dearest wishes fulfilled. If we were to try and remember that, and be grateful for all that we have intensely, then within the next twenty days only, there could be a positive improvement in us. Nov. 20 is Mastergaru's birthday as per Tithi.

Jai Sai Master

Notes

October 2012,  a Sunday

Today is Teerthacharan's birthday and Ammagaru has put in much effort in the last few days to train the Gurukulam children in organizing a great treat for all adults @ Nagole. The programme announced was Sadghosti @ 10:00 am followed by Vinoda karyakram, followed by Prasadam.

In a rare stricture, the gates to Nilayam were closed at 10:00 and latercomers by a minute or two were also not allowed in. It sank my heart to realize that as usual Ammagaru was already at the hall ready to give darshan. But where are the darshaks? We missed the sadghoshti and were allowed in only for the fun programme which sharpened the pain.  At the end, all Ammagaru said in reference to the latecomers was 'Sraddha taggindi (sraddha has decreased)'. (To Babugaru) "weella ki sraddha gurinchi cheppu ( tell them about sraddha)."

Took my mind back to an article on Sraddha by Ammagaru which came in the Sai Baba Patrika a couple of years ago. For us it was an eyeopener. Have to hunt for it. We seem to be moving one step forward ? and three back.

Jai Sai Master

Notes

Aug 2012, a Sunday

We as a group seem to be still complacent and obtuse.

Babugaru is again trying to induce some energy and direction to us. He has been providing some pointers in Sadhana which we should aim to achieve by April 12th, 2014 if we want to lead purposeful lives, want a better future for ourselves and our children:

* learn and make your own thread, and fabric and learn to stitch your own clothes. 2 outfits for routine wear and one for special wear should ideally last for 5 years with some repair in between.

* every family - especially members in the age group of eight to thirty should be able to cook individually (alone) for all the remaining 100 people in this group.

* everyone should train themselves to look at Master garu continuously for 5 hours without sleeping or interruption. To strengthen the mind enough for this, we need to practise namam, parayana etc

* reduce our talk to speak only 11 sentences per day within the our family and satsang group. To aim at understanding and practising 'satya - vaak suddhi'.

*sing all the four aaratis daily. And to take a bath before each.

*make 2 hours of satsangam every evening compulsory for ourselves.

*to learn and grow natural, seasonal fruits and vegetables for our own consumption. Kids can do the sowing etc. Adults to help in picking etc.

* in a day, to spend six hours doing physical work which is useful solely to others.

* after practising like this for 12 years only, we can understand the full significance of this way of life.

* If we do the above sincerely, in every family in the next 7 generations will be born a mahatma.

*for the elderly, meditation 24 hours.

Sai Baba Magazine (Telugu) July 2012 issue

Open publication - Free publishing - More baba

Notes

July 3rd, Gurupoornima

Today Ammagaru said that everyone is saying, 'We want to change (to improve) but we are not able to'. However, the lack of change indicates that the person does not really want to change. ( In his heart of hearts he is content with the status quo.) So if you wish to change then  try to spend a few minutes everyday observing your mind and see what kind of thoughts are coming to you. Then you will know what you really are and why you are not able to change yourself.

Jai Sai Master

In the holy presence of Avadhuta Chivatam Amma

Avadhuta Chivatam Amma aradhana utsavam was on June 10th this year (Jyestha Suddha Saptami). According to Pujya Mastergaru, since the purpose of Lord Dattatreya's advent on earth was to  uplift humankind (to show them the purpose of life and help them achieve it), he reincarnates again and again in the form of great saints of all religions. Avadhuta Chivatam Amma is one such mahatma who is one of the mahatamas whom Pujya Mastergaru took darshan of and thus introduced to us. Do read a special article 'Amma - Mastergaru' published in Sai Baba (Telugu) Magazine in June 2010 to commemorate this occasion. 

Chivatam Amma was born as Achamma to Sri Marisetti Bhadrayya and his first wife (name unkown) in the village Relangi, 8 miles from Chivatam. When still very young, she was married to Sri Garaga Anjayya and when she was about twenty years old she gave birth to a son, named Suranna. 

Chivatam is a small village, on the banks of river Gosthani, two miles from the town Tanuku, in the East Govadari district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Amma's husband was fruits and vegetables vendor who used to often come home drunk and beat her. Despite this ill-treatment, Amma would remain calm, perform labour jobs around the village and out of that provide food to her family. As if she was aware that her troubles were owing to past karma, Amma never complained. Even within her meagre means, she always gave away to the needy. She loved children and often invited the village children home to eat. In whatever spare time she found, she used to sing bhajans and visit the temple of Lord Rama.

Then one day, as if her she had paid her dues to wordly life, Amma left home and went away to a nearby village and starting spending her time in cementries and other uninhabited places performing meditation. She would lose complete outer consciousness and not take even food and water. She was in such a supreme state that she easily became a 'digambara'. Numerous miracles started manifesting of their own accord.

Let us recall some of her invaluable sayings:

1. One should sit under a tree which does not bear fruit.
2. Meditation is like a golden fruit, there is nothing greater than meditation
3. A life without yoga is totally wrong.
4. I and Lord Rama are not different.
5. One should have patience, patience is God.

Source: Avadhuta Chivatam Amma's standard biography by Smt.Sarada Vivek, in Telugu, published by Guru Paduka Publications, Ongole.

Ammagari Sannidhi

Shirdi Sai Baba promised his devotees, " My tomb will speak and move with those who make Me their sole refuge. I shall be active and vigorous from the tomb also"; " My name will speak; My mutti (dust) will reply". The same applies to Datta avatara Pujya Ekkirala Bharadwaja. Yet, when Divyajanani Alivelu Mangamma's daily darshan in person is not available to us any longer, we feel the absence. At troubled times, our misery at this seeming inaccesibility comes to the fore. If the latter is true then what about Baba's promise? What about his omniscience and omnipresence?

Indeed we don't even know to lament like Naamadharaka in Sree Guru Charitra,, "' Oh, all-knowing one don't you know me? Oh witness of the whole universe, don't you see me? Oh! all pervading one don't you hear my cry... If you have listened to my cries, why does my misery persist?'

If we at Nagole feel like this, then what to say of those why struggle daily to just get a glimpse of the divine persona of Ammagaru, say once in a year? But it is our own silly minds that betray us as Babugaru and Smt. Vedamma painstakingly remind us. Every minute, every second we fail to remember Them, but not They.

Why do we have numerous photos, audios and videos and books?  As if that was not enough, every month we can hear their voice afresh through the Sai Baba Magazine started for us by Pujya Mastergaru in 1983, out of his unbounded compassion. In fact,in  the June issue Divyajanani Pujya Ammagaru answers our call, in the aptly timed article, 'Abhayapradata' (the granter of fearlessness/the protector).  Mastergaru again reaches out to us in the article, ' Sadhakanuki Tatvagnanam ento avasaram'... (Understanding Tatvam is of utmost importance to a Sadhaka)

As they say, how can we be sadhakas, how can we achieve anything, if our minds are always tossed about by daily ups and downs in life? Let us read, Sai Baba Magazine and find peace in  Ammagaru and Mastergaru's eternal presence (sannidhi).

Open publication - Free publishing - More baba

"Sri Sai Leelamritam" Krutagnataarchana

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Sree Sai Leelamruthamu Krutagnataarchana is conducted on the the second Sunday of May each year. This event is small token of gratitude towards the marvellous divine literature Sree Sai Leelamruthamu /Sai Baba Jeevita Charitra  (Telugu), Sai Baba the Master (English) written by Pujya Acharya Sri Ekkirala Bharadwaja. This year it was celebrated in Nagole, Hyderabad on 13th May, 2012.

Fortunately, we have available to us the video recording of the entire function. So we can participate again and again and keep alive the 'krutagnata (reverent gratitude) bhavana' in us when we perform our daily reading of this great book - 'the sadguru in the word form'.

These books can be read online @ www.saibharadwaja.org

More fruit of a little labour and nature's bounty @ Nagole

How do we know where a true mahatma resides? It is easy, say our elders. There where nature is at its most bountiful, that is where mahatmas reside.

Forget Apple, Think Banana :-)

Remembering the taste of Ammagaru's Boppai Pachhadi & Boppai Halwa. Wah!

Corn on the cob!

Pomegranate flowers and fruit

Mustard aplenty

Permaculture wither?

Despite the heavy hailstorm and gales hitting us last week, summer is back in full force. What is happening to our thirsty plants?  I am posting recent photos of green spaces created in and around the arid Sri Datta Sai Bharadwaja Divyajanani Nilayam, Hanuman Nagar, Jayapuri Colony, Nagole, Hyderabad. Kudos to the permaculture team! Jai Sai Master!

Straight backed lilies with a host of hibiscus 

Lemon family fruit

First floor corridor

Ground floor corridor

Eye -soothing green and delicious banana fruit, stem and flower dishes!

Our compost pits