I Play My Flute
The late Charles Penn was one of those rare humans whose meditations were relevant to many. A devotee of Swami since 1965, he was a recognized writer, editor, and publisher, and has written several books devoted to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Many years ago, Sri N. Kasturi wrote in Sathyam Sivam Sundaram, “Long, long ago Puttaparthi was known as Gollapalli or Home of Cowherds, a designation reminiscent of the leela [divine sport] of Sri Krishna and redolent with the music of His flute. It was the abode of prosperous gopalas [cowherd people], and the cattle at this place were sleek, strong, and beautiful to behold.”
When recounting the legend of the stone that an enraged villager threw at a cobra caught stealing milk from one of his cows, Sri Kasturi related: “Strangely enough that stone has acquired a feature that Sathya Sai Baba revealed some years ago. He directed some people to wash the stone and smear sandalwood paste on the jammed side. When this was done they discerned the clear outline of a picture of Sri Gopalaswami [another name for Krishna] with the world-captivating flute at His lips, leaning on a cow.”
Kasturi further wrote, “Some unsophisticated rustics swear, even to this day, that they can hear the melody of Krishna’s breath passing through the straight and hollow reed. From that day the curse of the writhing cobra—that the place would be full of ant-hills—lost its evil power and cattle have begun to thrive at Puttaparthi.”
This legend serves as an introduction to another miraculous leela that brought me to the lotus feet of Baba for the celebration of His 57th birthday. On Sunday, November 7, 1982, at midnight I began meditation in our home in California. Almost immediately I heard a telephone ring. At once I knew it was the “telephone” in me and that it was from Swami. I continued meditating and soon found myself in the Poornachandra auditorium in Prasanthi Nilayam, witnessing myself placing a special gar-land on Swami.
Early the next morning I told my wife, Faith, that I could be joining her and Althea, her 89-year-old mother, and Markell Brooks, a long-time friend, who were leaving for India the following Sun-day for Bhagavan’s birthday. I then related to Faith how Swami had “called” and given me a vision of the garlanding scene. Seemingly insurmountable obstacles, mostly pertaining to my work, which threatened to prevent leaving on such short notice, were removed. On Sunday, November 14, the four of us began our pilgrimage to Bhagavan.
On Wednesday, November 17, at 3 a.m., I was meditating while sitting on the ashram grounds at Puttaparthi. I was very close to the mandir [temple] with a small group of devotees also there bright and early for Omkar-Suprabhatam—Nagarsankirtan [the morning rituals].
Now Sri Krishna Sai was not on the other side of the world but just a very short distance from me. Twinkling playfully in the darkened heavens with endless depth were His diamonds suspended majestically in space over the silhouetted roof of the mandir [temple].
My prayer that early morning simply asked that He speak to me. I became ever so quiet deep within, and waited. Then He clearly whispered these words: “I play My flute. The notes I play for you can always be the sweetest notes. Always strive to earn the chance to hear only the highest notes. Why concern yourself with any notes other than the sweetest. Keep the reed ever clear; keep the channel ever open.”
During His Divine discourse the next day in the Poornachandra, Swami said that for successful meditation one must have a quiet mind; a mind that flutters is an obstacle when striving for shanti [peace].
On the glorious morning of His birthday, I was given the joyous news that I was to garland our Lord. Because of the elaborate festivities, my mind did not recall the November vision. This blessed honor therefore came as a lovely surprise. Minutes after garlanding Swami, I was told to return to His side. I take a moment here to bring to memory this wonderful scene of 1000s of devotees in the Poornachandra watching every movement on the divine stage. As I knelt before Baba, He quietly asked, “Charles, you have a few words to say?” “Yes, yes,” I replied.
The extemporaneous talk lasted some 20 minutes. At one point I found myself turning and saying to Swami, “Now, strange as it may seem, I am going to ask Swami’s permission for all of us to wish Him a happy birthday.” Moments later, after receiving His smile of approval, 1000s of devotees in unison tearfully spoke the sweet words, “Happy birthday, Baba.”
A few days later our party was in the Divine presence in the mandir for an interview. Swami turned to Faith and said, “I heard your prayer.” (He was referring to a prayer that she had given after a talk I gave to college students at a class presided over by Pro-fessor V. K. Gokak, Vice-chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.) A few minutes later Swami turned to me, and with His fingers in place, He mimed playing a flute. His eyes twinkled as His fingers “covered the holes,” and He said, “The flute has nine holes; the body has nine holes.”
My eyes blurred in the living presence of Sri Gopalaswami with His world-captivating flute at His lips, playing to those devotees whose channel is open to hear Him.
~Charles Penn, USA
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, August 1983
