Divine Stories - Earlier days: Padha Mandiram – 8
Dussera Procession:
The Bhujanda Nadi says : All mortals are not fit for Tapas. To show them how to get Divine Blessings without Tapas, and to make them rise to that level by the example of His life, God has come as Sai in human form to show His Leelas. To make people Divine without Tapas, is the Avataric Mission of Sai. These words came alive in the Old Mandir.
The custom of celebrating festivals in a grand manner in Swami’s presence originated even during the Paatha Mandiram period. In those days, Swami would be taken every day in a grand procession. In this episode we are going to read about the Dassera Celebrations in Old Mandiram, for the first time in the year 1946.
Swami was seated near Mandir Altar, as Sai Maa. Two young girls performed Kumkum Archana on His Lotus feet. The other women devotees would sit in two rows, and would perform archana on plates. Each of them would carry the plate and offer the kum-kum directly at the Lord's feet. Arathi would then be performed. Swami would distribute Prasad. Each woman was blessed with a blouse piece and a silver kum-kum box.
On Vijayadasami Swami was wearing the dress of a King (given by Sakkamma) in gold brocade and bedecked in royal jewels, with strings of pearls and necklaces of diamonds and gems. His wrist would be adorned with gold bracelets studded with gems. He came in a palanquin. He was assuming the role of Puttaparthi Chakravarthi. It was a great feast to see the Spiritual Emperor of the Universe! Devotees were reminded of a poem written by Swami declaring Himself as Puttaparthi Sath Chakravarthi - ......
Sri Sathya Sai Nadhundu
Sri Lokanadhu Sachidanandamurthi
Sri Sai Puttaparthi Sath Chakravarthi.
In the evening on the concluding day of Vijaya Dasami, during the celebrations of 1946, Swami was taken in procession to a particular tree, to shoot arrows. We will see about it in detail:
By three in the afternoon, they kept ready a cart beautifully decorated with flowers. On this day, Swami was to go the “Juvvi Tree” [a special type of tree, worshipped on this particular day]. As Swami was proceeding, everyone looked at His Royal mien, holding in His hands a bow and arrows. Verily he appeared as Kothanda Rama. He shone forth as a bright light in the Ratnakara clan. What regal grandeur! What solemn dignity!
Those blessed devotees accompanied Him, offering salutations as Sai travelled on the decorated cart. When they reached the Juvvi Tree, Swami stood straight and, adjusting the bow and taking aim, sent three arrows onto to the top of the tree. Pots of coins showered down! Swami caught some and flung them in all directions. Everyone scrambled to collect as many as we could, and later stored them carefully. This was a rare good fortune; no one had never seen or heard of anything like this before. They inquired the significance of this, and Swami explained that on this auspicious day, the five Pandavas took out from a hole in a tree, the weapons and other items they had stored away prior to the commencement of the incognito period of their exile- ].
Dassara was a ten day festival. The devotees of the earliest days, would gather with great love and devotion. Flower decorators from Bangalore brought varieties of blossoms that were used to create Vahanas and used as palanquin for Swami. Every day, Swami used to visit the village in a different Vahana each day. The concept of Vahana was different, such as the Swan Vahana (vehicle in the form of a swan) and Nandi Vahana (carrier in the shape of the sacred bull, Nandi).etc. Swami’s Vahana was followed by a band and a Shehnai (folk music) party. And behind this was the concourse of devotees. Arathi was offered to Swami once the procession returned. Then, coconuts too would be broken. The programme would conclude by 9.00 p.m. Next day, devotees would gather by 2.00 a.m around the Mandir. Residents from the hamlet used to attend all these festivities regularly without fail.
On certain Poornami (full moon) days, Swami would sit at the center of the open space at the back of the Old Mandir. Devotees would serve the items in His plate and sit around Him with their plates. He would ask some of the good singers to sing. Once the song happened to be on Lord Shiva. Suddenly,the devotees saw Swami as Lord Shiva with Jata, Ganga and a Crescent on His head, Vibuthi on forehead, Rudraksha garlands, and clad in a cloudy white dress. Overpowered by gratitude,they sang "Bolo Bolo Submil Bolo Om Namashivaya.
Sometimes Swami would create and distribute the Prasad. Once Bhagavan created the Prasadham which was placed near Shirdi Sai Samadhi. He had also givento devotees, bits of the old 'Khafini' worn by Shirdi Sai.
it was during one such a procession an amazing miracle took place. Puttaparthi is having just two small streets. It would normally take just about 45 minutes to 1 hour to cover the distance from old mandir to the end of puttaparthi village and back. That particular day, everyone started at 8 pm hoping to return to the Old Mandir at 9 pm or possibly 9:30 pm. But it was not to be so. Devotees were going on and on. By the time they returned it was 2 AM. No one felt that they had been to the same place twice. Then where they had they walked for 6 .hours?. Puttaparthi then was a simple 2-lane village. Next day many devotees went back to Puttaparthi village to have a look. Things were the same as they knew existed. Then where had they walking for 6 hours without rest and without an ounce of fatigue.
A Divine mystery even today! A different place or a different dimension!!!
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Александр Язев
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