VIDYULLEKHA

OFFERING BY SRI SATHYA SAI INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING ALUMNI

2021 Jan 1 Edition

Contents

1

Bhagawan Uvacha

2

Gratitude Corner – Sri K Chakravarthi, Revered Chancellor

3

Cover Story – Living with God

4

From My Diary – Sri Arul Selvanathan (1981 – 1988)

5

Alumni Profile – Sri Vijay Sai Pratap (2000 – 2002)

6

Alumni Profile – Sri Rajesh Dhuddu (1995 – 1997)

7

Love in Action

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Loving Sairam.

“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)