Memories Of Summer Course 1974
Brahman and Bharat and Birthday Cake
In early May of 1974, Swami traveled from Prashanthi Nilayam to Brindavan for the Summer Course in Indian Culture and Spirituality set to take place later in the month. A few ladies from overseas countries had been speaking together about their hopes and prayers of attending. One day at darshan Swami paused in front of me, giving the chance to ask, “Swami, permission for the western ladies to attend Summer Course?” With a slight smile He replied, “May 20th, not now.” I pondered the meaning of those words! Swami’s seeming uncertainty keeps us surrendered and ever with Him in the present moment.
At darshan several days later, Baba walked toward me with Dr. V.K. Gokak and asked, “How many passes?” I said the number and Dr. Gokak gave passes for the group. We see Baba’s caring attention to every detail; He gave us observers passes, which allowed us to attend His nightly discourses as well as the class lectures. We were so grateful.
The theme of the course that year was “Brahman and Bharat.” In the first series Swami focused on the oneness of the omnipresent Divine and the Divine within. In the series on Bharat, we learned about the universal aspects of the scriptures and sacred traditions of India. Swami spoke about Vedanta. He illumined the inner meaning of the teachings in simple ways that we can apply in daily life given our varied beliefs and backgrounds. The complete volume of these discourses is published in the Summer Showers book series.
Our mornings began with devotional singing while walking through the surrounding villages. At dawn Arathi was offered to Baba as He stood on the balcony of His Brindavan residence. The sun rose in our hearts as we sang to our Lord at the start of each day. The daily program of classes ended with Swami’s evening discourses, occasional cultural performances, and final Arathi in the hall.
Unexpected Blessings
After darshan on a breezy sunlit morning in mid-June, a friend and I went into Bangalore to take care of errands in preparation for the upcoming return to Prashanthi Nilayam. When we met for lunch, my friend surprised me with a small cake decorated with the Om symbol; it was my 26th birthday. We thought of sharing it with others after Baba’s evening discourse. Like a soft whisper, the thought came to mind that Baba might bless it at afternoon darshan!
As we entered Brindavan compound we chose an inconspicuous place near the end of the darshan line. I sat holding the cake and a newly framed photo of Baba on my lap. Baba walked slowly along the entire darshan line, smiling and filling hearts with delight. As He came close, I shyly lifted the cake with one hand and the photo with the other. Baba touched both, sprinkling them with vibhuti He had just materialized. After walking on a few steps, He turned back and asked, “Birthday?” I answered, “Yes, Swami.” He then asked, “Your birthday?” Once more, I said yes. Baba stepped back and blessed them again saying, “Good. Eat it!” The day ended with Baba’s divine discourse. Afterwards we shared prasad under the OM SAI RAM shed in the Brindavan moonlight.
I love to remember the innocence of that time. Even now, decades later, these memories fill me with gratitude and awe. There may be times in life when we face challenges and feel alone; the love of our Lord Sai sustains us.
A Rare Discourse
On the day before graduation, Baba gave a talk entitled, “Who is Sathya Sai Baba?” We felt Swami’s all-encompassing love as He spoke with a kind of urgency, as if longing for us to know the precious Grace in our midst. In this discourse Swami spoke of the themes of His Incarnation, including the unity of faiths and the one religion of love, which He defined in this way:
“It is the common harmonized content of all different religions of the universe. In all these components the same kind of healthy blood must flow. It is true to say that prema, or love, is the blood flowing through all the religions of the world. There is essentially only one religion and that is the religion of love. This love flows as a stream through all the religions, and this is the essence of all the religions.”
~ Summer Showers in Brindavan 1974, p. 279
Swami closed this special talk with the message: “Keep the aspect of Sai in your heart. I wished to convey to you some aspects of Sai that many people want to know, although it is not possible for anyone to understand or fathom the depths of Sai. This is the background of my wanting to talk of myself. I wished to convey to you some things which others cannot convey. From tomorrow, try to put all these into practice and enjoy the divine bliss and become one with divinity. Do not fill your head with mere information and knowledge. Fill your hearts with prema. I am hoping you will thus fill your hearts with the essential content of my discourses and prepare yourselves for meeting the future lives.”
~Summer Showers in Brindavan 1974, p. 290
Graduation Day
Rain was falling as the procession began from Baba’s residence. An umbrella was held above Baba and yet when He reached the platform His hair and robe were wet. He sat on a chair beneath a canopy of garlands as we sang bhajans. Soon He motioned for the presentation of student honors and speeches to begin. He presented each award and stood for a photo with the recipient. As a blind student came up to speak, Baba helped him onto the stage and guided him to take padnamaskar.
We had been well doused with rain, followed by a cold breeze. From the direction of the Krishna statue, a beam of afternoon sunlight shone through the trees creating a circle of golden ethereal light around Baba. Radiating from Him, the light seemed magnified, and it warmed us all. I felt I was in the most sacred place on earth. Surely Gods and Angels were watching with adoration the Lord’s exquisite play, His outpouring of grace.
Several honors went to students of the Brindavan College. One boy said that the rain was like the tears in their hearts at leaving Baba, but that their tears would create a flood. In closing he said, “If this life is only play, I leave my heart and take my body away.” As Baba sat in His chair the sunlight dried His robe and caused the raindrops in His hair to glisten like tiny diamonds. Two rainbows formed above us.
In Baba’s commencement discourse He gave motherly guidance to the students returning to their worlds. He gave many blessings and assurances of His constant presence in their hearts. In closing He playfully led us in singing ‘Love Is My Form’. He then sang the Asatoma prayer followed by ‘Govinda Krishna Jai’ and finally ‘Subramanyam’. During the final Arati He allowed several enormous garlands to be placed around His neck.
In the following days we made the return trip to Prashanthi Nilayam, cherishing Baba’s gift of this month of light.
~Faith Jill Braverman, NY
