Issue 189 - August 09, 2020 |
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Mind is the cause of bondage and liberation, and if one can master this mind, one can become not just a mastermind but the master Himself, says Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai. In this series of talks, ‘Master the Mind’, primarily given to the Ashram residents of Sathya Sai Grama, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai guides us step by step, to take up a 30 day sadhana to understand, analyse, master and finally merge the mind into the divine self.
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INNER VIEW
By Sri Madhusudan Naidu
Student, Not Stupid!
A devotee lady, who had been witnessing the special place that Swami always has for His students in His home and heart, burst out praying, “Swami, I don’t wish for liberation anymore, instead I also want to be born as a boy in the next birth and become Your student.”
Swami smiled at her predicament and said
“Who is My student? Only those who follow My teachings and learn from them. All others are stupids, but not students."
That reminded me of what a responsibility it was to be His student. Unless we learn from Him by practicing what He teaches, even if we have a student ID, roll number and a special place at Mandir closer to Him, we will still remain stupids in His eyes.
Not without a reason that Swami told the alumni during the convention in September 2014, that it is time to move from rights to responsibilities, from Children ‘of’ Sathya Sai to Children ‘for’ Sathya Sai.
Sometimes it’s so easy to be lost thinking about the rights of belonging to Him, that we forget about our responsibility to be like Him.
In London, as a devotee was driving Swami and was praying that He enables him to use this opportunity in the best possible way to grow spiritually, what Swami told him remains as an eternal reminder in my memory, ‘The soul, which upon death, realizes how close it came to being with divinity during its life time but did not grasp the opportunity, is simply inconsolable,'
Well, obviously such an inconsolable soul feels extremely stupid at the end upon realizing how it has wasted the precious opportunity.
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Annapoorna COVID-19 Crisis Support |
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July 5, 2020: On this auspicious occasion of Guru Poornima, Annapoorna completed eight years of operations!
On July 5, 2012, Annapoorna team started breakfast service for 50 students in Doddabele village, off Mysore Road near Bengaluru.
Annapoorna, now serves more than 500,000 children across more than 6,000 rural schools and underprivileged centres.
They thank each and every volunteer for his/her continued support!
Let no child go to school hungry, ever!
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Vizianagaram
July 5, 2020: Guru Poornima Prasadam of Puliyogare and Ladoo was distributed to 620 needy people in Vizianagaram.
Annapoorna team in Vizianagaram, on the occasion of Guru Poornima, distributed puliyogare (tamarind rice) and ladoo to about 620 needy and homeless people across various areas in the district.
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Vishakapatnam - Andhra Pradesh
Annapoorna team at Vishakapatnam have regularly been providing food packets over six Sundays. More than 1,250 needy or homeless people have been provided with these food packets that contain flavoured rice or chapathis with a curry.
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Ramamurthy Nagar - Bengaluru - Karnataka |
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July 7 and 8, 2020: Grocery kits distribution in Ramamurthy Nagar, Bengaluru
Annapoorna volunteers distributed grocery kits to the parents of children studying in Annapoorna beneficiary schools in Ramamurthy Nagar in Bengaluru, namely Kowdenahalli and Anandpura schools over two days – July 7 and 8, 2020.
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Tubharahalli - Bangalore, Karnataka |
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During the lockdown months, Annapoorna team has provided two rounds of grocery kits to 125 and 180 needy families respectively residing at Tubharahalli slums near Whitefield in Bengaluru. |
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Kovilanchery - Chennai - Tamilnadu
July 7, 2020: Grocery kits distribution in Kovilanchery, Chennai
Annapoorna volunteers in Chennai packed grocery kits and distributed them to 70 needy families of school students of Kovilanchery school, Chennai.
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Coimbatore, Tamilnadu
July 14, 2020: 160 Homeopathy Immune Booster Tablets to cleanliness workers of Alandurai, Perur and Pulavapatti Panchayat in Coimbatore District
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Outreach Health Initiatives
Sri Sathya Sai Aarogya Vahini
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Speciality Outreach Camps were held specifically for women and children. Consultations were offered to 420 patients which included 114 women and children in 10 locations of West Bengal spreading across the districts of Howrah, South 24 Parganas, and South Nadia. |
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- Participation in the Hope 2020 Virtual Concert of North American Bengali Conference organised by Cultural Association Bengal, USA
- Aarogya Vahini Trust received Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Award of Excellence
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Middle East Seva Activities - July 2020
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The Sri Sathya Sai Love Kit (Ssslk) Seva
- Five families who had lost jobs were given the Sri Sathya Sai Love Kits (SSSLK)
- Seven bachelors waiting to go back to their home country due to loss of work were given SSSLK
- 18 Fishermen were given SSSLK. The plight of fishermen throughout the world is visible as they live on a meagre income. The fishermen wished to show gratitude to the volunteers and asked if they could offer them the best of fish that they had got from their day’s work. It was politely declined as selfless service should not result in hurting another creature (at least knowingly) and is undertaken with no expectations in return.
- 480 workers in different labour camps throughout Middle East were served with SSSLK.
- 16 lady workers in an industrial labour camp were served with SSSLK.
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Feeding the hungry, sharing what one has with the other, involving oneself in at least one selfless Seva a day, are the general motives behind starting this Seva. This month, 16 people shared 303 meals with their fellowmen.
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Seva in Sri Lanka
Disposal Truck
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With His Divine words in mind, the youth continued to serve the workers from the disposal truck who tirelessly carried out their duties, despite setbacks due to the prevailing situation. The exhausted workers always accept the offerings with a brilliant smile and with words of genuine gratitude that deeply touch the youth. |
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The youth were able to sponsor another meal at the Borella Elders’ Home which is a refuge for more than 20 men above the age of 65 who are in need of loving care. Often times, their children refuse to come and see them which leaves them feeling very dejected. Therefore, the times the youth visit or sponsor meals are very dear to them. It lifts up their spirits as they greet the youth with much love and affection and engage them in deep animated conversations on various topics. These interactions are heartwarming for both the elders and the youth who do not even feel the time passing.
This month, adhering to the strict restrictions in place all over the country, the youth decided to send home-cooked dinner for the elders. The dinner was packed with traditional dishes such as string hoppers, rich dhal curry, devilled soya curry, coconut sambol and more.
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The youth were able to contribute to a donation being sent out to the Kings Hospital. The initiative to collect donations was started to help cover the cost for cleft lip surgery for children on the waiting list. Many children are in dire need of assistance as they lack the financial support to carry through with the procedure. Hence, the youth were delighted at the chance to be able to help and eagerly contributed to the collection. The parents of the little baby girl, were immensely grateful for the love and support they received! |
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