Issue 4 Jun - Aug 2012 A Magazine by the Sai Youth of Maharashtra and Goa Issue not for sale srisathyasai.in/yes Youth in Eternal Serviceguru poornima MessageA true Guru is one who has no Guru. He is not a teacher who has hada teacher himself. A teacher is an acharya. A Guru is one who dispelsthe darkness of ignorance. He reveals the guri (target) i.e. the Atmicprinciple present in every human being. He is the very embodiment ofdivine principles and He assumes a form to teach these to the disciple.A Guru is God Himself.LOVINGLY YOURS Lakhs of people are served on the 1st02 Anniversary of Babas Mahasamadhi.CHANGING SOCIETY03 Do you hunger to alleviate the food crisis in the nation? This ones for you!04 Yermal and several other villages in Maharashtra receive the Elixir of Life! Most Beloved Bhagawan,CITY ZEN Eighty six years have passed since You descended on earth for the spiritual ascent of05 If you thought IPL was related to cricket, you need to read this! mankind. Fortunate are we to have receivedi am yours Your invaluable Message: Be Good, See Good, Do Good. Fledglings, we floundered06 Bhagawan reveals His Divine Mission, in a letter to His brother. on Your Path. Yet, You blessed us. WithDIARY OF A SEEKER just one glance, You burned away lifetimes of bad karma and set us free to pursue You06 Neil accepts his grandpas challenge, only to learn an unforgettable lesson! with a heart that yearned only for Your Love.MULTIPLEX MUSINGS Like a mother, You took us in and made us Your Own. You emblazoned within us the07 For Guru Poornima, we bring you Karate Kid, our favourite teacher-student film! desire to chant Your name, regard all work asSOUL STORIES Yours and love all beings as You. Slowly but surely, You expanded, from a physical form to08 Arjuna tries to order Lord Krishna around and is suitably chastised for it! an eternal force radiating within our beings.HAVE A GOD-DAY Koti koti pranaams at Your Divine Lotus Feet, Most Beloved Guru and Best Friend!08 Presenting several opportunities to browse the Innernet! Guru Poornima ~ July 3, 2012

LOVINGLY YOURS Where there is Manav Seva, Service activities, performed on a massive scale, mark the commemoration of Madhav Lovingly Appears! the first anniversary of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Babas Mahasamadhi. MASS NARAYAN SEVA, APRIL 24, 2012 On April 24, 2012, Mass Narayana Seva was lovingly rendered by thousands of Seva Dal (volunteers) all across Maharashtra and Goa. Approximately fiveSolapur lakh Narayanas were served Swamis delicious prasad. Vibhuti and His photo were also given. Wholesome meals were distributed at major public places like bus and railway stations, construction sites, slum areas, temples and other devotional places all over the state. VALUE-BASED PROGRAMMES IN GOA, APRIL 22, 2012 Two rallies entitled Walk for Values were held in Margao and Karmali, Goa. A chariotPune carrying Babas photo was lovingly pulled by devotees singing melodious bhajans. Bal Vikas children carried placards that displayed Swamis univeral messages of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa. On the same evening, 800 devotees enjoyed a mesmerisingMumbai musical programme Sai the Indweller. A video presentation of Bhagawans great humanitarian projects brought tears of joy to many eyes. MASS MARRIAGES AT CHINCHMAL, APRIL 15, 2012 Nine couples in Chinchmal village had an extraordinaryNanded marriage ceremony! The SSSSO, Mumbai, lovingly arranged a Mass Marriage in the community hall of the village. Suddenly, a devotee who was clicking photos of the Shirdi Baba idol in the hall, was stunned to see a figure in an orange robe appear on his camera screen! Instinctively, he clicked! AndGoa was amazed to see an image of our Beloved Bhagawan! The miraculous appearance of our Lord proves that He is still, and always will be, with us! 02

CHANGING SOCIETY CHANGING SOCIETY Baba taught us to regard those whom Alternatively, you can join in the SSSSOs Now Heres Some we feed as Narayan (God). He emphasised National Narayan Seva movement. Food for Thought! that God lives in every being and hence, Once a week, the Sai Samithis distribute by feeding the poor, we were feeding God! food in poverty-stricken areas. You can Bhagawan Baba emphatically said, either prepare the meals or assist in the 925 millionare hungry.the world people in The best type of love is feeding the hungry. distribution of the food. For details of the 13.7% of the entirestarves. population world He warned us not to refer to Narayan Seva localities where you can serve, kindly email as charity because food itself is a gift from 170 million children are underweight. God and no one has the authority to give us at yes.feedback@gmail.com You can also participate in the SSSSOs 3 million underweightyear. children die every in charity what has been given by God! Amrut Kalash project where farmers in (Source: FAO) You may argue that by providing meals the drought-affected areas of MaharashtraH ave you ever seen a famished old man eating his own faeces?Mr Narayanan Krishnan, a chef in a five- to those who are starving, we are creating a lazy lot who does not feel the need to are provided with groceries every month. You will be happy to know that every fend for themselves. Should we not instead month, The Orchid, a 5-star hotel instar hotel in Europe, was witness to this teach them the means of arranging their Mumbai, provides rice, dal and other fooddisturbing real life incident. Immediately, own food? items to nearly 300 childrenhe vowed to cook nourishing meals In answer to this, of the migrant labourers livingfor those who were starvedof food Baba said: Only when on the pavements. The Orchidand love. He quit his promising career the stomach is full can has been engaged in thisin Europe and devoted himself to the the mind comprehend humanitarian activity for the lasttask of managing the Akshaya Trusta any advice or 10 years!trust that lovingly provides wholesome teachings! He added, Mr Sanjay Kotian who startedmeals to thousands of hungry people in We talk of stomachs the Italian restaurant Mia CucinaMadurai, south India. to be filled but each lovingly prepares pulao for Over the last ten years, Mr Krishnan stomach arrives in the 350 children in the city. Howhas served over 1.9 million (19 lakh) world with two hands. Bhagawan serves the poor wonderful it would be if moremeals. He feeds nearly 450 people every Those hands if kept idle restaurants joined in this movement!day! Incidentally, the word Akshaya means or unskilled cannot fulfill their assignmenteternal, unending. Every day, the SSSSO prepares meals of finding food for the stomach. Thus, Several decades ago, Bhagawan Sri for the poor patients being treated at the Bhagawan regarded Narayan Seva as theSathya Sai Baba inspired His devotees Tata Cancer Hospital in Mumbai. Poverty first step to empowering the needy toto do all they could to avert the global has compelled the afflicted patients to live become self-sufficient.crisis of food deprivation. Baba started You might wonder how one goes about on the footpath and they welcome thethe Narayan Seva movement with the the daunting task of feeding the starved wholesome food offered to them.mission to not only feed, but also nourish millions all over the world. The trick is to Doing Narayan Seva in the right spirit!the souls of those who received the food. start small and work hard! Its relatively easy Baba said, Give (food) with love and for us Indians; we love pampering our friends humility and give it sweetened with the and relatives with our delicious food. Well, name of the Lord. The inner motive, which you now have the wonderful opportunity prompts the deed, is what the Lord seeks to extend your love for cooking to those to weigh. who really need the nourishment! The soup is for your soul, too! Heres how you can do Narayan Seva! The heart overflows with joy when one Keep aside a handful of rice and dal sees a starved face break into a smile upon every day. At the end of the month, cook a receiving the gift of food. So start today. meal foror distribute the collected grain Lets create a hunger-free and joy-full Some of the earliest recipients of Narayan Seva tothe poor in your neighbourhood. world! 03

Yermal Receives the Elixir of Life! Savage summers e n e r gy -e f ficie n tand rocky terrain, submersible pumpskinny children and was placed insidepoverty this is the ring well. Towhat greets you at power the pump,Yermal, a remote a Diesel Generatorvillage that you house was builtwill find only if you close to the ring The Dry River Bed at Yermal And the Life Saver!look for it. In 2009, the Bandra-Khar-Santacruz Samithi of the Sri Sathya well. A pipe was laid to draw waterSai Seva Organisation, Mumbai adopted Yermal under the Sri from the well into the centre of theSathya Sai Village Integrated Programme. Soon after, on the village, where two 5,000 litre waterauspicious occasion of Diwali, the Samithi illumined every tanks were installed. Five taps werehome in the village with Solar Lamps and skylights. connected around the tanks to enable In April 2012, with the Divine Sankalpa of Bhagawan Baba, villagers to effortlessly fill up theirthe Samithi started a water project to provide the 350 villagers buckets right outside their homes!with clean water right at their doorstep, every day of the week For 45 days, the young men of the One of the five tapsand every month of the year! village enthusiastically did shram daan. Experienced engineers from the SSSSO, a geologist and a They laboured, free of cost, with devotees from the SSSSO,team of surveyors conducted a contour survey of the ground to bring the villagers the Elixir of Life! On June 3, 2012, thein Yermal.The geological studies suggested that the best place to Yermal Water Project was inaugurated amidst the energeticdig a ring well was the bed of a nearby river, which incidentally, claps of the villagers. It goes without saying that the entireremains dry for months. cost of the Yermal Water Project has been borne AMAZING FACT! Initial estimates indicated that the by the Sri Sathya Sai Seva team would need to dig between 16 Organisation. Henceforth, to 20 feet for water. However, with every family in the village Bhagawans Divine Grace, water was will pay only Rs. 2.50 per reached at just 6.5 feet! day for running the Diesel The ring well was constructed in record time! An Generator. Ring Well Constructed at Yermal Yermal Speaks from the Heart Radha Bai Buddhaji Radha Bai Buddhaji Balu Wada We (the young girls and Sathya Sai Baba has solved You (the SSSSO) worked women) suffered great the water problem of this selflessly for our benefit. hardships to fetch water village. We are very grateful First you gave us (solar) for our families. You have to Him. We never dreamed light and now, water. helped us by bringing that we would one day have You have transformed water to our doorstep! such easy access to water! this village with your love! An Easy To-Do Hundreds Quench Thirst with Project Reach Water The next time you leave the water On another side of Mumbai, water tankers to 10 parched villages: running while brushing your teeth or volunteers from the Chembur Samithi Nageshwadi, Januna, Bangarwadi, soaping your hands, spare a thought did a Google search for drought affected Panchala, Dharkota, Kata, Surala, Kodali, for the thousands of thirsty men, areas in Maharashtra. A long list was Timber Khata, and Karegaon! women and children who are starved thrown up at them. The SSSSO went a step further and of water. Turn off your taps, fix the Quickly, they noted down the names arranged to have a water tanker deliver leaky ones and use less water, as a of the villages and dialled the Sai Samithis water twice a week to the drought- gesture of kindness to our fellow around the affected areas. affected villages. human beings who are less fortunate Within just a few hours, the SSSSO The happy shouts of the grateful than us. If youd like to volunteer for a volunteers made provisions to reach villagers are still echoing in our hearts! Water Project, email us right away at yes.feedback@gmail.com

CITY ZEN Suddenly, IPL takes on a whole new meaning!H ave you ever wondered why we leap out of our seats what does all their cleverness lead to? We may think they get when Sachin scores a century? When the Indian team away with their crimes, but do they? How much fun is it toloses on field, why are we disheartened? Match after match, we spend every waking breath of your life trying to hide yourpray for their success. Why? Are we related to the cricketers? misdeeds?Are they our close friends? No! They dont even know we With their cruel acts, the miscreants have guaranteedexist! Why then, do we feel so passionately for them? themselves a life of misery and insecurity. The law of nature kicks into place: A river cannot flood the adjoining land without The answer is quite simple, really. We love cricket. And flooding its own bank, first! The first recipient of joy or pain isbefore we realise how it all happens, we grow to love those the one who initiates it. This means you cannot give happinesswho make the game so special. When it comes to cricket, we or misery to anyone before being affected by it yourself first!wear our heart on our sleeve. It has always been this way. And,it forever will. Whether you admit it or not, that bout of anger would have certainly hurt you before it hurt the person you directed your This, friends, is the true meaning of IPL Intelligence anger at. Similarly, the surprise you planned for your loved onePreceded by Love. IPL is a way of life, where love leads the way would have filled your heart with happiness long before itand logic merely follows! ***************************** brought joy to your beloved! Ponder over this fact: The relationships we All the little things thatcherish the most are the ones that manifest IPL. make life worth it, are The good news is that love does not have toWhy does your mother eat a burnt toast and gestures of love, not logic. be restricted to a few friends or family. It can begive you the golden-brown one? Why does your shared in countless forms by anyone, anytime,husband miss an important meeting to take you to the doctor? in any scenario. The form could be a sincere compliment orWhat makes your father walk an extra mile to buy the best simply a smile! That is all it takes!fruit for your family? Why do you wear the blouse your friend So next time you travel by bus or train, abandon the logicalgifted to you, even though you dislike the colour? argument that you are tired. Let love take dominance; stand up All these little things that make life worth it, are gestures of and graciously offer your seat to someone else. Another thinglove, not logic. you could try, though this one will take effort, is to pray for Scientists and psychologists have for years been stressing the someone you dont get along with.superiority of EQ (Emotional Quotient) over IQ (Intelligence Bhagawan Baba said, Every deed performed, do it in MyQuotient). When determining the factors that result in success, Name. Every person who passes near your path give themthey rank emotional health much higher than intelligence. the sweetness of your smile. Give freely of the nectar of your So how does one define emotional health? Simply put, it is cup of happiness, of kindness, of bliss. Give the warmth ofthe innate ability to give and receive love! Love, truly, is the only your love. Extend your hand as I extend Mine to you.anchor for sanity in an increasingly confusing world. And that iswhy it is so powerful, even beyond intelligence! Once you get the hang of thinking emotionally, you will Consider this: We live in a smart world with smart products, love how special it makes you feel. Unlike the game of cricket,smarter ideas and even smarter people. But without love, this IPL has no season and no reason. Every ball you play,would any of it matter? every opportunity you catch and every extra mile you run Agreed, crime and corruption do take a certain amount for the sake of another, adds up to your score! So keep yourof ingenuity. The people who perpetrate those are smart. But Intelligence Preceded by Love scoreboard ticking! 05

i am yours Sathya is what i teach; Dharma is the way i live; Shanti is the mark of my personality; Prema is my very nature. i have a Task: to foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of bliss (ananda). i have a Vow: to lead all who stray away from the straight path again into goodness and save them. i am attached to a work that i love: to remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack. i have a reason to be proud, for i rescue all who worship and adore me, aright. i have my definition of the devotion i expect: those devoted to me have to treat joy and grief, gain and loss, with equal fortitude. this means that i will never give up those who attach themselves to me. i do not belong to any place; i am not attached to any name. i have no mine or thine. Quotation source: Babas letter to His elder i answer whatever the name you use. i go wherever i am taken. brother, Sheshama Raju. Written on May 25,1947, when Baba was 20 years of age. this is my very first vow. DIARY OF A SEEKER I WON again, Grandpa! I boasted. I leave class. She forgave me, with a warningchallenge you to win at least one game of of course! WOW! Telling the truth had itschess! benefits! I was loving Val-One-Won already! Grandpa watched me as I gathered the That evening, my buddies spontaneouslypawns. Then, he softly said, Neil, I too planned a party. Since Mom wasnt home, Ichallenge you to win a game, albeit a different left her a note: Will be late, dont wait!one! BOY! The party rocked! Dance, music, pizzas, I jumped at the idea. I LOVED challenges! cigarettes, beer! It was all a young manSure! Which one? I asked enthusiastically. could ask for! With a loud Cheers! I raised Its called Val-One-Won! Grandpa replied. my glass. Suddenly, I saw Moms face in my That sounds interesting! Tell me about it! mind. How disappointed she would be to know I shall give you five values from which to I had been drinking! I put down the glass. Ichoose: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love, couldnt bear the thought of hurting her. Iand Non-violence. You must unfailingly adhere just had to be true to Ma!to ANY ONE of these until next Sunday. But, Aakash got smashed! On the way home, Just one? Oh, thats going to be a he lost his balance, fell, and fractured hiscakewalk! Will you give me a bicycle if I win? ankle! He couldnt move! I rushed him to the Grandpa nodded in agreement. closest hospital and informed his folks. Ill pick the simplest value, I told myself. I left after they arrived. Once home, ITRUTH! forced the chaos out of my brain, made up The next morning, Ms Rao asked for our my mind to concentrate and finished writingassignments. Oh hell! I hadnt finished mine! my assignment. Ms Rao was happy with me!I was so excited about beating Grandpa that But she wasnt the only one. After college,I forgot all about the project! Mom welcomed me with open arms! She had My best friend, Akaash, hadnt done his received a call from Aakashs parents. Theyeither. He lied to Ms Rao and said he wasnt had explained how my sobriety had saved thewell. Since I had accepted Grandpas challenge, day! WOOHOO! I had made SO MANY peopleI told the truth. Ms Rao at once saw through happy by being true to myself!I love thisAkaashs lame excuse and ordered him to game! Gonna try peace next week! 06

MULTIPLEX MUSINGSE leven-year-old Dre Parker moves from Detroit, USA, to China, only to realise life isnt going to be easy. A slight boy, Dre is immediately picked upon by a group of boys to detail. Bhagawan Baba always said, Put all your faith in Me. I shall guide you and guard you. THE POWER IS WITHIN who are taller, stronger and meaner than him. The As he climbs to the top of the Wudang mountain, peace-loving sort, Dre is ill equipped to deal with Dre is astounded to see men and women performing the bullies, and succumbs to their physical and unimaginable feats with utmost ease and verbal attacks on several occasions. Tormented precision. Han reveals to him the secret by the six older boys, Dre lives each moment of Chi (Qi), the internal energy that givesin the shadow of fear. us power to do the impossible. On several The bullies remind one of the six shadripus occasions, Swami reminded us, You are(the negative qualities of Lust, Anger, Greed, not human beings going through a spiritual experience.Pride, Attachment and Covetousness), which You are spiritual beings undergoing a human experience!overpower those who lack the strength to fight You should make an effort to understand your innate divinethese base animal instincts. power, which is truly immeasurable. Just when Dre thinks hes done for, the salve Outside the Dragon Well, Dre watches afor his soul appears in the form of Mr Han, the snake and a lady move in sync with each other.residential maintenance man. When the student is He is amazed to learn from Han thatready, the teacher arrives! Mr Han agrees to teach the cobra is merely copying theDre Kung Fu, the Chinese martial art that translates ladys actions! The lady is quietto the achievement of man. and calm. She is like a mirror Dres journey to the centre of his being and withinbegins. Slowly but surely, he learns that her, theeverything a teacher does is with purpose; snake sees itself.nothing is futile. Han tells Dre On the sacred occasion of Guru Poornima, we that the lady canpresent the lessons we learned from the teacher- do this only because she hasstudent duo: emptied her mind of all thoughts and is perfectly still. Han LOVE THE BASICS demonstrates how still water reflects life as it is. When the Han compels Dre to repeatedly take off his jacket, water ripples, the reflection blurs. So also, when negativitydrop it onto the floor, bend to pick it up, and stretch out ripples within our heart and mind, we lose our ability to to hang it up. Dre despises see things as they actually are. Baba taught us, There is this basic task and makes no only one royal road for the spiritual journey. Be silent bones about it. Bhagawan yourself; this will induce silence in others. Baba taught us, The secret of YOU ONLY NEED TO CONTROL YOU ~Han happiness is not doing what In the climax of The Karate Kid, Dre fightsone likes to do but in liking what one has to do. Without Chen, his archenemy and the most vindictivehis knowledge, this very task sharpens Dres reflex action of the boys who torment him. In the clincherof blocking blows, ducking assaults and defending himself. moment, Dre empties his mind and becomes like Notice the similarity between Han asking Dre to clear waterso still that Chen copies his moves,perform just one task and Baba repeatedly asking us to just like the snake copied the ladys moves! DespiteLove All. If we allow Love to become the keystone of our a serious leg injury, Dre overcomes Chen. Having acted inlives, we will instinctively block everything that tries to cause perfect union with his Chi, Dre becomes Kung Fu itselftheus harm! achievement of man! DEVELOP THE RIGHT ATTITUDE Of course, he could not have conquered his fears without At the onset of his training, Dre doubts Hans intention of Mr Han, his teacher whom he loved like a friend.making him do the jacket job. Often, we question Gods doing. This Guru Poornima, let us re-dedicate ourselves to ourBhagawan Baba always said, Dont try and understand me. dearest Guru, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba! Let us know thatLove my uncertainty. Over time, Dre develops faith in Han by following Him, our Master, we can face the devil, fight to theand performs every task given by his master with attention end and finish the game! 07

SOUL STORIES The Divine Charioteer Teaches Arjuna an Unforgettable Lesson! During the Mahabharatha war, Arjunas pride was humbled Krishna explained the reason for this shocking incident: Thein an interesting manner by Lord Krishna. As the war was enemys incendiary arrows and missiles that had struck thedrawing to a close, Arjuna felt proud that Krishna chariot were powerless as long as Krishna waswas his charioteer and his servant. He felt that as aboard. Without the Lords presence, the chariotmaster, he should step off the chariot after Krishna was vulnerable and was immediately reduced toand not before Him. ash. One evening, he asked Krishna to alight from Thus, Krishna taught Arjuna that every act andthe chariot first. But Krishna was adamant; Arjunamust dismount first, He said. After pleading with word of the Lord has deep significance and aKrishna and protesting in vain, Arjuna swallowed his pride and higher purpose, which mortals cannot gauge.got off very unwillingly. Then, Krishna stood up. As soon as He Learning: Egoism is a constant threat and it requires eternalstepped off the chariot, it burst into flames! vigilance to conquer it.E kadashi is the eleventh day of the fortnight after a new moon or a full moon and is considered auspicious for the worshipof Lord Vishnu. The Ekadashi month of Ashada is of special this sacred day is of added significance as we celebrate the occasion in Puttaparthi, in the Divine Presence of our most beloved Sai Vitthala. Every year, cultural programmes aresignificance to the devotees of Lord Vitthal, a manifestation of lovingly performed at Prashanthi Nilayam by Bal Vikas childrenLord Vishnu. and the Sai youth. This year too, the little ones will enact for our For the thousands of Sai devotees in Maharashtra and Goa, Omnipresent Lord Master the Mind, a musical dance drama. Precious Moments Captured for Eternity Ashadi Ekadashi 2010 HAVE A GOD-DAY July July July July 1 3 8 14 Youth Bhajan Guru Poornima Spiritual Retreat Overnight 6:00pm to 7:00pm Celebrations for Children Sadhana Camp by 10:30am to 12:30pm 8:30am to 4:00pm Brother Murali Jaju 6:00pm to 7:00pm Bhakti Sarita - 7:00pm to 10:00pm Devotional Songs 5:30am to 7:00pm July July 15 22 July Worship of Goddess Lalita followed by a 29 Musical Programme 4:30pm to 7:00pm Shramdaan Musical Evening - 8:00am to 12:00pm Jugalbandhi For details, contact Shri Kumar Aklekar on 5:30pm to 7:00pm 98210 11192 or Shri Mehul Parab on 98202 51432 Dear Readers, email your feedback and suggestions to yesmag.feedback@gmail.com All rights reserved by Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, Maharashtra. This issue is not for sale. 08