“Every man expects the new year to confer on him peace, happiness and prosperity. New year does not bring happiness or sorrow with it. Yesterday was same as today and tomorrow will be same as today. Days are the same, but one experiences either pleasure or pain depending on one’s own actions. Meritorious deeds will not confer misery and sinful deeds cannot give happiness. One is bound to face the consequences of one’s actions. But one treats pleasure and pain alike when one becomes the recipient of God’s grace. God’s grace destroys mountains of sins and confers peace. But due to the impact of Kali Age, man has lost faith in God. He is after money and power. How can such a man attain Divinity? Man can rise from the level of the human to the Divine only by practising human values. So, man should cultivate human values.”
Swami uttered these words of love and wisdom exactly 20 years ago, on 1st January 2001. The more we repeat it, the sweeter His name sounds; the more we contemplate, the more beautiful His form appears; and the more experience we undergo, the more relevant His message becomes for us.
In this New Year edition of Vidyullekha, His message shines through in many ways. In Bhagawan Uvacha, Swami tells us why we should tread both pain and pleasure as His divine gifts. Our Chancellor Sri K Chakravarthi lovingly reminds us of the special bond we have with Swami. In our cover story, we present a conversation we had with our Higher Secondary School teachers Sri Satish Babu, Sri Sai Surendranath and Sri Prushti. They take us through a special journey filling our hearts with the joy we experienced and the lessons we learnt during our student days. Also, we have our brother Arul Selvanathan sharing a few leaves from his diary. We feature the stories of two of our brothers in the alumni profile section – and they reflect the strong influence Swami’s message has in our professional lives. Swami’s message is best expressed through service to society, and Love in Action details some of the beautiful work that our brothers have been doing. Wish you all a very happy reading, and a blessed year ahead.
Offering this edition at Swami’s Lotus Feet Team Vidyullekha
You can also share your feedback at vidyullekha@saistudents.org
The Lord descends for us
While Humans were thinking about who is rich and who is poor; He descended in the remotest village in India to prove that being wealthy is of no value When humans judged someone as a saint and someone as a sinner; He blessed both – the apparent sinners and the saints When humans distinguished between right and wrong; He said everything is His will When humans said – this is mine and that is thine; He said – The entire universe is yours if you attain Me When humans moved around the physical world searching for the creator; He said – I am within you, just travel within And when ultimately He ascended again to His real formless nature; Humans understood that practicing His message is the only key to reach Him Let us realise Him within our hearts and purify ourselves; So that His descent is worthwhile…His descent is worthwhile. (By Kalyana Iyer, MBA 2012)
Reconnecting… To Sai with gratitude,
‘Bangaru’ you beckon in a tenderness whole A glance, a smile, a touch of grace from above The alchemist divine, supreme master of soul, At thy feet we kneel, in surrender and love
Oh! Sai, no matter the storms in the horizon Thou art peace and solace and courage and guidance As the spring flowers we blossom to thy sun To spread the world across, thy glory thy radiance
Words ill suffice to express our heart’s gratitude For your care and compassion in carving us perfect Holding us aloft to soar to heaven’s altitude As thy torch bearers for this golden age to erect
Living thy message, we offer each breath in ode Holding your hands with every step near or far The throne of our heart, anoint thy eternal abode Sai Maa, forever and always, your children, we are (By Premabandham 2021 Short Film Team)
