God dwells in a pure, un-sullied heart. Where the heart is inundated in mali-cious, wicked possessions, God – The Indweller re-mains always hidden. It is for man to unlock his heart to eschew the tainted and unwanted to find his ‘sole-possession’ within… Pure Love – Innate Divinity. Former Editor of Sana-thana Sarathi, Sri VK Nara-simhan writes quoting Bha-gawan from one of the Trayee sessions in Brinda-van, Whitefield.

Shakespeare described jeal-ousy as “that green eyed monster.” In one of His informal talks to a group of devotees and students as-sembled around Him at Brindavan, Bhagawan dwelt on the great harm which the evil trait of envy can do to a person. Envy, Swami said, can drag a per-son down to the lowest depths. Among evil quali-ties in a human being, it

was worst. It closed one’s heart to all that is good and great in man.

It is only when one opens out one’s heart that the Divine in him can emerge. Swami pointed out that there were two doors, kro-dha (anger) and dwesha (hatred), which closed the entry to one’s heart. ahamkara (egoism) was the latch on the doors, asooya (envy) was the lock on the latch. When a person is filled with envy, nothing good or Divine can enter his heart. He develops ego-ism, anger and hatred and stoops to the lowest levels and indulges in every type of evil to achieve his ends.

Envy operates in many subtle ways. It is to be found even among scholars and persons in high and responsible positions.

Unless one learns to es-chew envy and control one’s ego, anger and ha-

tred, one cannot hope to discover the Divine that dwells in every one’s heart. “Open the lock of envy, remove the latch of ego and throw open the doors of krodha and dwesha, and Prema (Divine Love) will flow out of your heart. This is the way to realise Ananda – the Bliss that passeth understanding.”

Swami pointed out that Duryodhana’s envy to-wards the Pandavas led him to perpetrate innumer-able wrongs and ultimately it resulted in the complete destruction of the Kaura-vas.

Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Message of the Lord –Unlock your Heart

Sai Ram to all. This is the time that we usually gather as families not only to re-member the Lord but to enjoy the festive season, to share gifts and to show the value of love for one an-other through Christmas and end-of-year gifts and presents. Surely, we have to cherish and live the mo-ment in love.

Another year has flown by yet again, and the new one is almost here. As 2013 draws to a close it is worth looking back at where we have been and consider what 2014 will bring. In-deed, it has been a year of intense activity for devo-tees of Region 1. We had a promise with Lord Sai, that is, to bring Sai into our

lives; our family; and, the community. We are on the right track, Brothers and Sisters, thanks to your ef-fort, including Officers of our Regional Coordinating

Committee. Of course, I am glad to inform that 2013 was again a produc-tive and successful year for Region 1. continue on page 6….

End-of-year Message from the Chairperson of Region 1

Echoes from Region1 Sai Newsletter

Savanne Regional Coordinating Committee (Region 1)

December 2013

Volume 1, Issue 3

Message of the Lord - Unlock your Heart

1

End-of year message from the Chairperson of Region 1

1

Regional Operations Strategic Framework in Action - Sai Tips to Parents

2

Past Events - Akhanda Bhajan and others

3

Proposals for 2014 3

Echoes from Sai Centre and Groups

4

Chinna Katha - The wisdom

in hot chocolate

5

Inside this issue:

OUR VISION

To drive Devotees to live

according to the teachings

of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai

Baba

OUR MISSION

To SURRENDER and to de-

velop FRIENDSHIP with SAI

OUR GOAL

To consolidate the SAI FAM-

ILY by developing a SAI

CULTURE

OUR OBJECTIVE

To create opportunities for

the SPIRITUAL UPLIFTMENT

of devotees

To continue our commit-ment in line with our Re-gional Operations Strategic Framework, this time we will concentrate on the es-sence of Parenting as ex-plained by Mother Sai. HOME - SWEET HOME The home is a temple where each member of the family moves like children of God and is nurtured and nour-ished. The mother is the

high priestess of the House of God. Humility is the in-cence with which the house is filled. Reverence is the lamp that is lit with love as Oil and Faith as wick. Home is heaven when there is Love and understanding and the same becomes hell when there is distrust and hos-tility. The home and the family is the basic social institu-tion everywhere in the world. When the home improves, the whole world will be better. The home where the name of the Lord is not heard is a cave and nothing more. If the home is filled with clean fragrance of contentment and peace, all its occupants will be happy and healthy. The el-ders have, therefore, a great responsibility towards the gen-erations that is coming up. That home, where the husband and wife are bound togeth-er by holy love, where everyday both are engaged in the reading of books; that home where the name of the Lord is sung and His glory is remembered, that home is really the Home of the Lord. The homes in which the Bal Vikas children grow, as indeed all homes, have to be clean, with vibrations, free from hatred, envy, greed, jealousy and hy-pocrisy. The food that the child eats must be wholesome and pure. Between the ages of two and five, the child's mind is pro-foundly affected by the behaviour of those nearest to him, so the parents must take care to set a good example. The family is essential for the blossoming of human per-sonality; how can a helpless baby grow and learn, talk and move forwards without a home? Home is the dwelling place of Right Conduct. A home is a home if the woman is honoured and respected within it. Such a home is the heaven of prosperity and peace.

PARENTING STARTS EVEN BEFORE THE BIRTH OF THE CHILD? In former times, the tradition and custom in our homes was, when women were pregnant they used to listen to sacred stories, to fill their minds and hearts with pure and holy thoughts, thereby creating in the foetus "the purest vibrations". In contrast, women of today when they are pregnant prefer to watech three films a day and hence, the babies born are inclined to "cinema children" possessing all low and vulgar propensities. The ancient sages knew this truth. No wonder that the children born under such conditions had noble nature and heroic vir-tues. PARENTS - OWNERS OR TRUSTEES? Children do not come to you, but through you. Parents must feel that they are servants appointed by the Lord to tend little souls that are born in their house holds, as the gardener tends the trees in the garden of the Master. PARENTS ARE LIVING GODS First and foremost, you should show gratitude to your parents. Your blood, your food, your head and your money are all the gifts of your parents. You do not re-ceive these gifts directly from God. All that is related to God is indirect experience. It is only the parents whom you can see directly and experience their love. So con-sider your parents as God. God will be pleased and will manifest before you only when you love and respect your parents. Once when Sita was teaching how to worship God, Ra-ma intervened and said, "Oh simple minded one, who is greater in the world than the mother and the father? They know our difficulties and needs. They are able to understand our feelings. They are able to fulfil our wants. Having such known entities who take interest in your welfare, why should you go after unknown enti-ties?" At all times, the parents are looking after you. You have to worship them. The mother can be com-pared to the earth and the father to the seed. Unless the seed is sown in the earth the plant will not sprout. You cannot ignore the father and mother who are responsi-ble for your birth and growth.

to be continued….

Regional Operations Strategic Framework in Action - Sai Tips to Parents

Our Commitment and determination are to: Develop a Relationship with SAI; See SAI Everywhere; Bring SAI into the Family; and

Bring SAI into the Community,

Page 2 Echoes f rom Reg ion1 Sa i News le tte r

Volume 1, I ssue 3

Past Events - Akhanda Bhajan and others

Akhanda Bhajan held at Sathya Sai Centre of Tyack from 0600 pm on 9th to 0600 pm on 10th of November 2013.

Page 3 Echoes f rom Reg ion1 Sa i News le tte r

Volume 1, I ssue 3

Our Commitment and determination are to: Develop a Relationship with SAI; See SAI Everywhere; Bring SAI into the Family; and Bring

SAI into the Community,

Regional Mahi-las in action for the National Mahila Pro-gramme on 19th Novem-ber 2013 at Hindu House, Port Louis. Of course, Brother Pravine is pre-sent among them .

Our Youth in action for the Drama Festi-val at Sathya Sai Centre of Wooton on 2nd December 2013.

Proposals for 2014

We will continue to put into action Programmes and Pro-jects as per our Regional Strategic Operations Framework and we are proposing to create opportunities for devotees to grow spiritually through:-

Rudram Classes

To continue with a “gestion de proximité, with Rudram Classes in Centres and Groups where devotees are not yet well verse with the chanting thereof..

Bal Vikas Gurus Training Programme

To train more Bal Vikas Gurus in order to have a pool of trained Gurus for the spiritual upliftment of our children.

Sri Sathya Sai U-turn Programme

To implement the Sri Sathya Sai U-turn Programme whereby we are proposing courses for devotees leading to Certificate in Mediation and Counselling - MQA approved

Meditation

To organise workshops on meditation and Namasmara-nam.

Spiritual Diary

To design and publish a proper Spiritual Diary .

Parenting and Human Values Programme

To embark on an educational programme for parents to

understand the message of Lord Sai with regards to par-

enting and to Conduct workshop/seminar for Educa-

tion in Human Values, especially Family Human

Values

Care for the Environment

To embark on a sensitisation programme for people to Go Green, that is, Think Green and Act Green.

In December 1980, a friend of mine, Vijay Thacoor of St

Louis, Surinam, invited me for a bhajan session at his place.

After the session, I was introduced to Brothers Bhunjun,

Ramdoo (both deceased) and Canakiah. I was impressed

with the universality depicted in the bhajan singing. So it

was proposed to start a Sai Bhajan Group in Surinam. The

key person was Sister Kumari Thacoor, to whom I have a

deep sense of gratitude and respect. She proposed to house

Thursday bhajans, which started at 5 in the afternoon. My

three sisters-Padmini, Padma and Pamela joined in, togeth-

er with brothers Adiraj Pentiah, Anand Boodun, Ram Ap-

padu, Veeren Puddoo, Atmada k. Appadoo and sisters

Shyama Appadu and Roomitha Chuneenbans who formed

the first batch of devotees.

The group gathered momentum and the seedling grew in a

blooming young tree, in the name of Surinam Sai Centre.

Once, we held a bhajan sessions in the Surinam Shivala,

attended by late Br Ramnauth. A formal request was sent

to the Managing Committee of the Shivala to hold bhajan

sessions on Thursdays which was turned down due to Sar-

va Dharma bhajans. So we continued with bhajan in houses

of following devotees: Gyantee Chuneebans, Shyama Ap-

padoo, Gayatri Cooblall, Late Nanda Chiniah, Late Krish-

nawtee Woodun. At some point in time, we moved to

Krishna Mandiram at Souillac and then came back at Suri-

nam.

In 1994, we met Brother Bhoopal Gajadur of Sri Sathya Sai

Avenue, Surinam, who had a small Sai Baba Mandir. We

joined together for bhajan and the space in a short time

proved insufficient, especially during rainfall. With his con-

sent, we proceeded with the extension of the building

where presently stands the Sri Sathya Sai Centre of Surinam. The

actual Chairperson is Brother Sandeep Kuppan, a youth.

To bring the name of God to each and every nook of Surinam,

we were at some point in time holding bhajan sessions at the fol-

lowing places: Martiniere, Moulin Cassee and Cemetry Road.

Kirtan is still on going at Martiniere on Fridays.

The regular activities are: Mondays- Ramayana chanting; Tues-

days – Yoga; Wednesdays- B Vikas; Thursdays – Bhajan; Fridays

– Bhajan Martiniere; Saturdays – B V Classes; Sundays – Bhajan

Training and Youth Class.

Everyday, we perform Suprabhatam, Vedic Chanting and Ru-

dram as from 5 am. Mahila holds its activity on every 19th of each

month, Masik Shivaratri each month, Study Circle every fortnight

based on topics elected by the National Spiritual Coordinator.

Every year, we observe the holy night of Shiva, Ganesh Cha-

turthi, Dasara Festival, Sathya Sai Birthday Celebrations for 5

days, Christmas at Belle Vue and Riambel Homes. Blood Collec-

tions are carried out twice annually, reaching a figure of 225-250

pints.

This year, in the context of Sai Samadhi Day, we held a Sai Katha

for one week from 22nd to 28th of April at Balance. Some 450

persons attended the function. Katha was delivered by Br S.

Bonamally of Rose Belle.

In a near future, we are envisaging to embark on an infrastructur-

al project and which we may also proposed to be the ultimately

Regional Headquarters for Savanne. May Swami bless us.

By Brother Pravine GHOORA

Echoes from Sai Centres and Groups - Sathya Sai Centre of Surinam

Page 4 Echoes f rom Reg ion1 Sa i News le tte r

Volume 1, I ssue 3

Chinna Katha - The Wisdom in Hot Chocolate A couple of decades after passing out from college, a group of graduates, all well established in their respective careers, were discussing their lives at the college reunion. They all then decided to go and visit an old professor of theirs, who had retired. He had always been a wonderful inspiration, having taught them not only the subject but also valuable life lessons.

During their visit, the students' conversation slowly steered toward complaints about the stress in their work, personal lives, and relationships. As they kept discussing, the professor went into the kitchen. He returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and a variety of cups. Some were made of porcelain, while others were of glass or crystal. Some were plain looking, others expensive, and one or two were exquisite. The professor invited his guests to help themselves to the hot chocolate. When each had taken a cup of the drink, the professor ex-pressed his thoughts.

“Did you notice that all the nice-looking, expensive cups have been taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones? It is common for people to want only the best for themselves, but that itself becomes the source of worries and stress.”

“The cup you are drinking from does not add anything to the quality of the hot chocolate. In fact, in most cases, it is just very expensive and may even hide the drink.”

“What each of you really wanted was hot chocolate. You did not want the cup. But, you deliberately opted for the best cups. Soon, you began to eye one another's cups. Now, my dear students, please consider this.”

“Life is the hot chocolate. Your job, money, and status in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and con-tain life. The cup you have neither defines nor changes the quality of life you lead. By focusing only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate that God has given us.”

What a deep lesson from the wise prof! A message for all times to come! Let us always remember this — God brews the hot chocolate; He does not decide the cup.

If we observe carefully in the world around us, we can see that the happiest people do not necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best of all they have! Let us also remind ourselves that the richest person in the world is not one with the most possessions, but one who needs the least.

Bhagawan Baba once affirmed that the root cause of dis-contentment is envy. He said, “How does envy arise? When one compares himself with those who are better off, or who hold higher offices, and suffers from a consciousness of his own inferiority. Discontent over what one lacks gives birth to envy.”

“To get rid of this evil quality, one has to look at those who are worse off. Likewise, when one views the state of those holding lower jobs, he can feel satisfied with his own posi-tion.”

“In due course, one develops a sense of equal-mindedness towards both those who are better off and those who are worse. Such equal-mindedness is a Divine quality. There is nothing wrong in aspiring for higher positions. But, one should not feel envious about those who are in such posi-tions. It is a crime to entertain such feelings.”

Baba also said on another occasion, “Desires arise from the tendency of the mind to compare. It is chiefly the eyes, the vision, which presents to the mind opportunities for com-parison.”

We are all actors in the divinely ordained drama, are we not? Is there any drama filled only with star actors? No. Each and every role, no matter how big or small, is unique and important and cannot be skipped. We must therefore strive to remain content with whatever God chooses to give us, for He is the Divine Director of the Drama of Life. We must never compare our life with that of others.

Hence, let us always bear in mind the below lines penned by Bhagawan and learn to take life as it comes and enjoy every moment.

“The play is His, The role is His, The lines are written by Him.

He directs, He designs the dress and decoration,

The gesture and the tone, the entrance and exit.

You have to act well the part and receive His approbation when the curtain falls.”

Page 5 Echoes f rom Reg ion1 Sa i News le tte r

Volume 1, I ssue 3

You should broaden your heart that it may be filled with all-embracing love. Only then can the sense of spiritual oneness of all mankind be experienced. Out of that sense of unity will be born the love of God. This love will generate in the heart pure bliss that is boundless, indescribable and everlasting. For all forms of bliss, love is the source. A heart without love is like a barren land. Foster love in your hearts and redeem your lives. Whatever your scholarship or wealth, they are valueless without love. Sow the seed of love in your hearts and it will grow in due course into a big tree. God is one. Do not entertain any differences of religion, creed or caste. Carry the mes-sage of unity to every home. Embodiments of love! Regard Love as your life-breath and as the sole purpose of your existence.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1994.

c/o Ajay Lochun

Kader Street

Bois Cheri

Savanne

http//:www.saibabamauritius.org

have formulated five (5) Programmes which are De-votion/Education-oriented and three (3) Projects which are Service-oriented. We have also been able to enhance our “gestion de proximité” through the issue of Echoes from Region 1 - Sai Newsletter which is a medium of communication between the Savanne Regional Coor-dinating Committee and devotees and the region. I firmly believe that 2013 was a year of achievements, a year in which we once again affirmed the value and credibility of our work to the Sai Organistion. I recognize the many human links in the chain of our achievements; all of them equally are praiseworthy. The links in this collective effort put by devotees include planning, coordinating and monitoring of events and activities; at-tending meetings and work-shops; service to the needy; catering arrangement; se-vadals duties; financial pro-vision, effective communica-tions; and, rehearsals for bhajans and stage presenta-tions, to name a few. We will never forget the efforts put by Sai devotees to help peo-ple in need during the flash

…...continue from page 1 Yet, it is difficult to make everyone happy through the decisions taken by the Re-gional Committee, but we have tried to make it in the interest of the organisation and in consultation with the guidance given by Lord Sai. 2013 have been marked with important events and activi-ties like Sai Katha at Suri-nam, Youth Retreat and Mahila Retreat at Anandam, Sathya Sai Vrat Kalpam at Bois Cheri, Akhanda Bhajan at Tyack, Quiz and Spiritual Outing for SSE Children (Bal Vikas) and Ekadasi Ru-dram at Beau Climat, to name a few. With the blessing of Lord Sai we have been successful in developing and publish-ing, since 31 March 2013, our strategic plan (Blueprint) - the Regional Operations Stra-tegic Framework - which clear-ly defines our plans; how the plans will be executed; how we will monitor the plan and what is expected to be achieved with the plan. Bas-ing on the teachings and guidelines of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we have set goals and objectives in the interest of Sai devotees and

flood at Canal Dayot and Souillac earlier this year. As per our plan, we will con-tinue to create opportunities next year for devotees to benefit from our pro-grammes and projects so that they can pursuit their spiritual quest. For instance, training in Rudram chanting will be brought at your door step through sessions at Centre and Group level and distribution of relevant les-sons package. As this year draws to a close, I would like to thank all of you all for your valuable contributions during 2013 and as we look forward to 2014, I extend to you and your families seasonal greet-ings and I wish you a healthy, prosperous and hap-py New Year. May peace and joy prevail in your heart as you enter into this auspi-cious New Year and stay with you throughout the year so that you share them with all persons with whom you come into contact as you live your life daily. As you pass along the highway of life keep on bringing this peace and joy into the lives of one and all, young and old alike. Here, let me quote what Lord Sai addressed to his students on 1st January 1974:

End-of-year Message from the Chairperson of Region 1

Phone: 5771-2875

E-mail: saisavanne@gmail.com

Sai at your Doorstep

Savanne Regional Coordinating Committee (Region 1)

Dear Boys! Wish you a happy and peaceful New Year. What is the happiest day in your life? All are happy days to a person of true knowledge. Happiness is an inter-nal conscious experience, which comes as an effect of the extinction of mental or physical desire. The lesser the desire, the greater is the happiness, so that perfect happi-ness consists in the destruction or satisfaction of all desires in the Absolute Being. Life is an experi-ence meant to train the individual for a higher, deeper and more expanded state of existence through the experience of the results of action. The aim of every-body's life is the attainment of complete perfection in the spiritual absolute. Prema is not an illusion. It is a reality and actuality for those who have realized oneness in life. What is man's dearest posses-sion apart from his life; one's dearest possession is one's own true Self and there is no perma-nently dear thing apart from that. God is great, all others are mere dusts. God only is real and great. Everything else is unreal and valueless. I go further and say that God only exists and there is noth-ing second to SAI (God). Jai Sai Ram, Ajay Lochun Chairperson, Region 1 (Savanne)