Day 8: Navarathri Celebrations 2022

The day marked the 8th, of the 10 day celebrations, of the Sharad Navarathri festival celebrated at the Sri Sathya Sai Trust for Universal welfare’s upcoming free of cost cancer hospital project site – SRI SATHYA SAI DIVYAAMRITAM. The day is significant for two reasons – performing Durga Pooja and Kanya Kumari puja. Ganapathi Pooja, Mandapaaraadhana, worship of Kshetra Palakaas, Vaastu Purusha, Navagrahaas, and Kumkum puja were performed. Rudrabhishekam and Rudra Homam followed all the worships in the morning session that started with vedic chanting. Poornaahuti was offered on Swami’s arrival to the Yaagashaala. Swami was pleased with the Vedic chanting and narrations offered by the Ritwiks who did the Ramayana, Devi Bhagavata Parayana and Veda Parayana. After the Poornahuti was offered Swami, as part of kanya pooja went on to bless the Kanyas-the girls between the ages of 2 and 10, who were worshipped by washing their feet by Swami’s devotees. Revered as forms of Mother Durga, these 9 children were then smeared vermillion tilak on their foreheads, tied thoranam (tying thread around wrist) and were then offered Naivedyam and Mangala Haarati to invoke the blessings of Goddess Durga believed to be present in them.

In His Divine Discourse Swami, in His Poetic version compared the body to an iron safe, the Atma to a Golden parrot. He then went on to caution that if one could not make one’s Heart a Daiva Simhasanam (a seat for God) during one’s lifetime their life would be meaningless. Swami with all His Love took time to elucidate that Knowledge has to be understood in its real sense as Consciousness that is eternal (that has no beginning and end). He also enlightened those present that by diverting the mind from the worldly activities, using concentration, if one could observe and bring the breath under one’s control one could experience one’s identity with the indescribable Truth, comparing such a vision to the effulgence of the golden light reflected by Mount Kailash in the Manasa Sarovar. Swami then indicated that to attain such an illumination one should pray and work for the welfare of the world selflessly in one’s lifetime. Swami urged upon everyone to work relentlessly in this direction. He concludes by saying ‘Right things will happen at Right Time’.

In the evening Swami in His Divine Discourse enlightened everyone with a poem

కంట కన్నీరు పన్నీరు అయేను
నోటి మాట అమృత తుల్యమగును
చేత కర్మలు లోక హితమునకు
వినుడు భారతీయ వీర సుతుడ!

which means that when one engages oneself in selfless activities in the interest of the world, tears are sure to get converted into blissful rosewater drops and words uttered would become as sweet as nectar. Swami urged everyone to work relentlessly for the welfare of the Universe. With Love, Swami said, one can achieve anything, the impossible become the possible!

Swami then said that SRI SATHYASAI DIVYAAMRITAM which is to be inaugurated on Nov 23rd this year, would commence its operations as scheduled. Swami highlighted that the hospital, that would serve the needy totally free of cost is designed to be located at the centre of three adjacent districts of Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam in the vicinity of River Gosthani. Swami also recalled how He disclosed His Divine Plans, to one blessed devotee on Jan 1 2021, about performing a Bhoomi Puja on His birthday on 23rd November, 2021. He went on to add that the desired land could not be procured till 18th November. But what He wills has to happen. Swami said between 19th and 23rd land was identified, acquired and Bhoomi Pooja was performed as willed on the 23rd of November, 2021.

The day also witnessed amidst Veda chantings the various rituals performed by the Ritwik Vaishnavite priests who came to carry out the Praana Prathishta of the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha idol. During the day Homam was performed and the Poornahuti was offered by Swami, the Veda Purusha. The chief priest described Lord Narasimha as the Ocean of Compassion and it is the immense fortune of the people in the region to have received the attention of the Lord in the form of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba vaaru as they are sure to have Swami’s protection in myriad forms.

Swami then went on to add that the area is going to witness hunger alleviation, relief for patients suffering from cancer and kidney ailments requiring dialysis, and annihilation of illiteracy by providing free of cost education facilities as well.

Later consecration of the idol of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami continued with the abhishekam performed with water, Panchaamritams. The idol was then placed as per Vedic prescription under the cover of paddy while several other Vedic rituals awaited to be performed the next day. The day’s celebrations concluded with a cultural programme wonderfully rendered by Smt Nori Gayatri and Lahori with the accompaniment of P Suresh on the mridangam, followed by distribution of Divya Prasadam.