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The 98th birthday celebration of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at Sri Sathya Sai Vaatsalyam, Uyyamballi, commenced on the 22nd of November with great spiritual fervor, with the Sathya Narayana Puja and ‘Aatma Nivedanam,’ a captivating play performed by the children of Sai.
Sathya Narayana Puja
The morning session, composed of the Sathya Narayana Puja accompanied by a Lakshmi Sahita Narayana Aradhana. Exquisite flower decorations adorned the Lord Sathya Narayana on the stage of the Sadashivam hall.
Post the Kalasha Archana and Shanka puja, Saaligrama abhishekam was performed. A pious mixture of five things, milk, ghee, honey, yogurt and sugar – Panchamrutham was offered for the divine Saaligrama. Vedic chants such as Sathya Narayana ashtotram and Lakshmi ashtotram followed next.
A special prasadam, made with five ingredients – milk, ghee, sugar, banana, and wheat, was prepared and offered as neivedyam.
Kathas highlighting five araadyaas about the lord and devotees were chanted. Keertanas on the Nadaswaram such as ‘Ksheera Sagara Shyana’ resonated in the atmosphere.
The puja concluded with Deepa Aradana. The morning session concluded with Mangala Aarthi and Prasadam.
Vibrant Deepa Aradana to Conclude the Puja
Drama by Sai’s Children – ‘Aatma Nivedanam’
Aatma Nivedanam’ was a play that delved into the nine paths of devotion or love for God by children of Sai. The play offered a new take on the topics of Nava Vida Bhakti – with topics from both the before as well as the now. It provided a view of how paths of devotion such as Vandanam and Sakhyam of the past have so much to learn from, and how Smaranam, Archanam, Sevanam, etc. are relevant to today’s times. Presented in the form of a Balvikas class, where the Balvikas teacher imparts lessons about the Nava Vida Bhaktis to her students, the play delved into stories and instances illustrating the different Bhaktis.
Mythological scenes such as Meera and Rana with Sakhi’s of Meera, Sabari and Rama, Sanjeevani of Hanuman and Lakshmana’s revival with Sushena and Vibheeshana as aid to Rama, Krishna and Arjuna, were portrayed, as examples of Keerthanam, Vandanam, Daasyam and Sakhyam.
Great teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Baba were explored through simple and lively scenes, such as that of a young child heeding his mother’s words, a boy listening to his inner voice and sharing his food with a Narayana, a kind person offering a scholarship to a young girl selflessly, and a boss and an overbearing employee, acted as significant messages for all to take.
Aatma Nivedanam, or complete and selfless surrender was the last path, and was beautifully explained by the Balvikas teacher to her loving students. The drama culminated with the song ‘Sai Vandanam’, a composition where all the Nava Vida Bhaktis are present. All actors came onto the stage, signifying the equality of all paths of devotion and emphasizing that unity truly leads to divinity.
The Day 1 celebrations of Bhagawan’s 98th Birthday concluded with Mangala Aarti and Prasadam.
