Can one catch a gushing river’s flow?
Or keep up with the wind’s swift blow?

You kept step with the message divine,
Echoing the sacred truth, in speech sublime.

There were many of matchless fame,
But you alone remembered our name.

And when Sai joked or laughed with you,
He was laughing with us in our view.

Spirituality is fun, you’d say,
Being grumpy is not the devotee’s way.

With such humour you made Sai laugh,
That He held His sides and pressed you to stop.

You were the blue Safari in a sea of white,
A booming voice with words sweet and light,

A scholarly intellect with the heart of a child,
You were a delightful dichotomy to put it mild.

How many troubles lay beneath those loving eyes?
How many aches did your tender heart endure?
Yet like the moon’s soft glow in deep dark skies,
You reflected His love, sublime and pure.

Atlanta or Anakapalli, Twas all in your stride,
Spreading the message of Sai, far and wide,

A translator, a teacher, a scholar divine,
Your life’s work will forever shine.

DV Hemanth Kumar, M Sc 2005 – Prashanti Nilayam