Shyam Kumar Sundarkumar
Every Sports Meet season at Prasanthi Nilayam is a season of joy and merriment for all the students, more so for His Band. The Sports Meet of 2002 was especially precious for all the Band boys.
The highlight event for that year’s Sports Meet was the Lion Dance. A few trainers had even come from Singapore to train a few of His students to play the role of Chinese lions in a colourful display of strength and valour. Swami had allowed them to be trained inside Poorna Chandra Auditorium. During one of the sessions, Swami lovingly commanded that the lions should be part of the parade that leads Him to the Shanti Vedika as He enters the stadium. He added that the Band should join the practice sessions from the very next day. The following few weeks were full of interactions with Bhagawan.
On 29th December, we prayed for an opportunity to present a concert on the New Year Day. Swami graciously permitted us to do that. On 31st December, as the practice sessions were getting over, Bhagawan told us that the old students (Alumni) had come in large numbers for the New Year. Swami told us that, as there was so much restlessness in the world, He had told them to have Bhajans from morning to evening, on the new year but when we enquired regarding our programme, He confirmed that we could do it. The next morning, as Swami entered the Mandir during Darshan at around 7.00am and with a smile walked past us into the Bhajan hall and asked the alumni to start the Bhajans. We were all completely disappointed. It was just after 9.00am, that one of the teachers rushed out of the Bhajan hall and informed us that right after the song that was going on, Swami wanted the Band boys to perform. As we just got up with the instruments, Bhagawan came out of the Bhajan hall and indicated to start. Swami enjoyed the programme and asked for an extra song. There is a verse in the Sama Veda that says, “The purpose of music is to quieten the mind and make it more sensitive and conducive to Divine intervention!” In this case, it was literally to its words. Right after we finished, the Bhajans continued.
Swami came down to where we were standing, and asked if we were upset that He did not call us earlier for the concert, and then went on to state that He was waiting for the auspicious time and He Himself told us to arrange ourselves for a photograph with Him. That photograph is still one of the most precious treasures in my collection.
We continued the practice sessions regularly for the next ten days. On a particular Saturday, Swami lovingly instructed us to come for the next day’s session after having very less lunch in the hostel as He would be feeding us all a grand feast in the Poorna Chandra Auditorium. He told us to not avoid the lunch because other boys should not know about the feast that we were going to have and feel left out. He told us to arrive at the auditorium no later than 3.00pm. He was even mentioning some interesting dishes that were to be served. The next day, at around 2.00pm, in the hostel we received a call from Mandir that Swami was waiting for us. As we rushed to the Mandir, we saw the plates arranged on the stage of the auditorium in a semicircle, around Swami’s chair. Swami welcomed us with so much love and seemed to be in a hurry to serve us. As the dishes were served Swami walked around to ensure that everyone’s plate was filled with all the items. When one of the brothers brought the sweet to be served, Swami Himself took the box, and came to each of us and told us to pick from the box. When we were about to start chanting ‘Brahmarpanam’, we requested Swami to join us in the feast. He refused stating that He has a discipline that He eats only at specific times. As we all insisted that He join us, Swami revealed to us the greatest of the truths. He told us that as we all are chanting Brahmarpanam, He would be eating through all the 40 mouths there, making us realise that He is the One. That was a fun-filled evening, with a lot of jokes cracked and lessons learnt. Let us pray that we become worthy instruments in His Divine Hands. Just as the Murali in His beautiful form as Sri Krishna, pray we become hollow without ego, so that the Master continues to play His Divine Music through us for His own amusement!
Shyam Kumar Sundarakumar B.Sc, M.Sc Mathematics, M.Tech Computer Science, 1995 – 2002, Prasanthi Nilayam. Currently Solutions Architect in HCL Technologies Ltd, Chennai. He is a Bal Vikas Guru and State Vedam Coordinator of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Tamil Nadu.
