TRANCE & TRANQUILITY
This means becoming unaware or going to Samadhi state during meditation. This was a common feature in the life of Swami, but it came to light to the devotees later on. When He was doing a free teaching service in Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institution Muddenahalli of Chickaballapur Taluk & District, Karnataka State, India, One day after the Morning Prayer He sat for the meditation in the large size prayer hall of this Institution. He fell unaware for the whole day He came to awareness only when the evening prayer were going on. He didn’t go to the classes for teachings.
Similar type of unawareness or Trance happened to Him in Panchavati. He had a meditation alter which was constructed in the midst of 5 trees – Banyan in the east, Peeple Tree in the west, Bilwa in the North, Amalak in the South, Ashoka Tree in the South East.
A Garuda bird (Brahma Kite) came three & a half rounds over his head at about 6 AM, when He was beginning His meditation sitting on the altar. He saw the Garuda & closed his eyes for meditation. That’s all happened in the morning. He does not know anything till evening. When He opened His eyes at 6 PM after getting awareness He Himself wandered to see the sunset & about 200-300 students & His colleagues standing around Him starring at Him. He Himself wondered to see an umbrella erected above His head to give shade from the mid days sunrays. The clothes of Him were all wet because of the heavy sweating during the whole day. He opened His eyes & walked straight to the Institution.
No classes to the students & teaching too. It was 24th April 1989 a heavy detachment of the world & a great attachment for the Divine meditation was working in Swami’s mind. He got up in the morning as usual between 3 AM to 4 AM.
He had discarded all of His belongings; certificates etc & burned them previous day night due to His highest detachment even His PhD degree big certificate went into fire and got burnt in a moment. Early morning He conducted the Nagarasankeertan (going around) the city by singing devotional songs with His colleagues & students, after the devotional songs He went to His room & wrote a Note which goes like this – “I’m going for Meditation Forever” & He kept that slip on a half almirah with a weight on it. Then He left the campus & began to climb the nearby hill called Dhyanagiri. He had never gone to that hill till then & He was climbing for the first time with an unknown goal just when He stepped up & saw in front there was no clear way at all.
He saw 2 foxes probably a male fox in the front & a female at the back. He followed them from behind at about 10 feet back. These foxes took Him to the top of the hill & they disappeared, Swami struck for a few hours and sat at different places on stones like flat stone, bare land etc. Finally at about 10 AM He sat on a level stone which was spread wide and He went to Trance again. Nothing was known to Him, He opened His eyes at about 5 PM. Then He saw a tender coconut with a knife which was kept just in front of Him. A person was standing beside Swami; he was none other than Sri Naga Shankar Sharma the Kannada Pandit who was a colleague of Swami in the Institution. After Sri Keshava Rao who was an accountant got the note from the almirah, he published the news to entire Institution. Then the members began to search Swami on hillocks & other places. Sri Sharma found Swami & brought the tender coconut in the night for Swami, but Swami told silently with whispering voice that He wanted to do total fasting for four days with total silence. Not even water or anything will be consumed during these four days. He declared Tapas or Sadhana that it would be for the purpose of getting the Grace of all God’s of the all 4 Yugas (Krutha, Thretha, Dwapara and Kali yugas).
Then He stopped whispering the works and He was meditating day & night during those 4 days. His colleagues from the Institution began to visit Him & persuaded Him to come down from the hill. He was rigid towards His goal in the villages & hundreds of people began to visit Him, they began to do Mangala Arthi to Him & many of the singers came & sang devotional songs in front of Him but His meditation went on even after the four days and it went on for 12 days that is on 6th May 1989. In the midst of this occasion the Principal, The President, The warden & many other eminent persons visited Him & persuaded Him to come down & every attempt was failed. Sri Narayan Rao , Sri B N Narashimamurthy , Sri Gangadhar Bhat came to bring down Swami from the hill.
All attempts were failed and at last they informed the matter to Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba but He gave a big smile to all of them. Finally on 12th day i.e., 6th May 1989, He uttered that “I’m sailing in the cup of palms of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba & I will come down to the Institution tomorrow early morning in the Brahma Murtha according to the Baba’s will”. But I will be coming for meditations to this hill often & finally settle here”. Accordingly next day morning Swami came to the Institution and He was given a separate room i.e., the hospital building for His meditation purpose. Then onwards He meditated there day & night under the care of Dr. Krishnamurthy who was rendering free medical services in that hospital, a number of people visited Him asking for Spiritual guidance. The student & staff visited Him daily, He did rigorous meditation in this hospital & then He was shifted to the separate room as the number of public visitors increased finally. He began teaching Service in the day time & He went for meditation outside to the Dhyanagiri Hill in morning, evening & night.
Sri Govinda Theertha Swami (Sarvasangha Parithyagi) free from all Bondages:
Sarvasangha Parithyagi means free from all attachments of this world. This means Swami looks to be an example for this type of life. His total willingness is to sit & meditate. He looks to do a lot of services but remains unattached regarding the fruits of it. He says everything is God’s wish. There is a word called Nishkamakarma in Sanskrit which means one has to do all services but he should not have any desire for its fruit.
This concept is seen in Sri Govinda Theertha Swami, which is why He is staying alone on the top of the Dhyanagiri hill day & night.
He does not bother about His death or His life. Everyone knows the horrible midnight creating fear even inside the house but He never bothers to be alone on the hills even if there are thunders, rains, cold, breeze etc this is called the real detachment. Let anybody be with Him or not but He remains unshakable, this is called the Sarvasangha Parithyagi.
He consumes a little raw food for the last 20 years. The animals, birds and the insects can only exist with raw food but human being cannot exist like this.
The human body definitely needs the boiled food but Swami‘s body is a special one. A retired Dr. Sri Krishnamurthy proclaimed to Swami that “According to the medical science you should have died long back having no salt, no chilly, no turmeric, no boiled food and no proper sleep”. But Meditation, Penance, Detachment etc made Swami perfect in life. He keeps the mind in Tranquility in every circumstances but He meditates always & serves to His maximum without any attachment that is why people call Him as Swami or Bhagwan or Sarvasangha Parithyagi.
Meditation in Whitefield – Sri Sathya Sai campus for months together:
Swami was going to be with Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba during the summer & winter holidays of the school. No doubt He was sitting for Darshan but rest of the time He was continuously meditating sitting inside the Whitefield College building or at some corner. Many times the watchman has disturbed to be away from the building but looking the meditation mood of Swami the watchman got cooled without disturbing Him. A deep Spiritual soul remains undisturbed everywhere.
Meditation in Horrible Cave:
There are many small and big caves on Dhyanagiri Hill. The biggest among them is there in the North side of Dhyanagiri Hill. This cave was used by Swami during his 12 days stay in 1989. The cave is totally covered by stones & bushes. It has got a big rock standing at the top. The cave has got big Cobras & other kinds of Snakes.
If one goes near that cave these Snakes hide inside there holes by hearing the sound of foot steps. Swami did Meditation days together in this cave but after some minutes of His Meditation, He could see these Cobras & Snakes coming out from the holes slowly and they used to move inside the cave & they were many times passing by the sides of Swami. They might have whirled on His body also when He was in Trance but they never harm Him through out His Meditation. Just above this cave there is a wild pit of about 30 feet length & width. It is a horrible where many of the villagers have seen 2 Pythons moving in this pit. They say that the size of Pythons were more than 12 feet. Many times they come up & catch the Goats, Sheep’s, Cows, Rabbits etc.
But they didn’t do any harm to Swami. Even now Swami goes to Meditate inside this cave which is covered with heavy bushes & trees. Nobody goes near it due to fear.
Tapovana for Meditation:
The Dhyanagiri Hill and the Kalyani altogether has got an area of about 200 acres. In olden days the surrounding people were going to this hill to collect firewood’s. But now a day’s people are scared to go there due to the Sacred Meditation of Swami. Hence the thick forest department has extended its help to develop a Tapovana by providing of about Two to Three Thousand of Sacred plants. The whole area has become a Tapovana having the water poured from the Pancha Kalyani. Meanwhile varieties of animals & birds have come & settled there. One can even see peacocks early in the morning. Swami had selected a number of small caves for Meditation in this Tapovana. He is taking shelter for His Meditation under a rock. The rock is looking like the hoods of cobra. The size of this hood like cobra is about 50 feet long & 40 feet wide. Under this hood Swami Meditates. It is just like Adishesha (giving protection to Sri Krishna & Maha Vishnu). Some devotees take raw food, fruits & milk to Him. His Meditation is going on there during last 10 years. The earth and blue skies around it are supporters to Him. He goes to deep Meditation under the sun and rain without any other shelter. The devotees are eager to develop this Tapovana.
Installation of Sri Sathya Sai Baba Statue:
On 1st March 1989, Sunday at 12 noon a statue of 9 inches of Sri Sathya Sai is installed by Swami in the eastern side of the Dhyanagiri Hill. It is a Stone Statue of Standing pose and small temple like structure was built. This statue was prepared at Chickaballapur. Before it was a place having lots of thorny bushes. Nobody was going there due to the thorns of the wild bushes. One day Swami wanted a very lonely place for Meditation. He wanted to Meditate in the midst of these thorny bushes. It took almost 2 hours to go there making a way through this thorny bushes. There was a place of a size of a half mat. After the Installation He was meditating there daily for many hours even today. He goes there often for His Meditation. Nowadays the Bhajan Programmes are going on at this place often. Swami has proclaimed about this Statue as follows – “This place will remain secret for many years and today is Sunday where summer is approaching soon, The sun is shinning very powerful, Later this place will shine like a sun. There is a Sanskrit quotation KOTI SURYA SAMAPRABHA. This means the shiny power of Crores of suns. One day this statue will shine like Crores of suns & Crores of devotees will come to this place”.
Meditations at Premadeep hill, the residence place of Sri Sathya Sai Baba at Muddenahalli:
One can see a prayer hall called “Premadeep” in Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institution Muddenahalli. This Mandir was built up recently, just about 10 years back. Before that it was a bare place having a small banyan tree giving a small shadow. After coming to this Institution, Swami began to Meditate in His personal room. After a few months He began to go outside of the building mainly in the night times. One day He saw this Banyan tree which is very attractive and giving shades to the people, which was suitable and ideal for Meditation under the moonlight. He went on for about three years without any disturbance. One day a plan was put for construction of a Mandir at this place where exactly Swami was meditating. Swami was very happy for the selection. The tree was cut off and now one can see a Tortoise shaped building for Baba’s stay. Daily Bhajan Programme will be conducted by the inmates of the Institution. After the construction of the building Swami continued His Meditation inside this building only. Many times He had gone to Trance while meditating in this building. The place is very nice having a very Good Vastu (Realistic Architecture). The people began to say that “Wherever Swami goes Bhagawan Baba Follows”.
Meditation at the midst of trees at Panchavati:
Swami began His Meditation sitting on the altar at Panchavati, immediately after planting the 5 trees. The trees were still small & they were looked afterwards by a boy Nandisha who was peon in Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institution. During the plantation of the 5 plants an incident happened. A Serpent of about 7 feet of light black coloured appeared there. It started to move with its raised big hood having a size of coconut, went down into the pits of the plants before plantation. It climbed down & then it came up finally it moved away. Afterwards the plants were planted in the pits.
Swami meditated here for about 3 to 4 years. There is a big Peeple Tree in front of this Panchavati. One can see a Naga stone under that tree & also a pond in front of it. There is a rectangular stone of about 2 feet length and 1½ feet breadth which is kept under a tree.
There Swami was meditating for about 5 years sitting on the stone before the construction of Panchavati. The tree is quiet old and now it is there even today. Swami was going to Panchavati for meditation walking about a ½ Km from the Institution.
Early Morning at about 3 AM He Himself was singing the song of Suprabatham (The Morning Divine Prayer) loudly for a few minutes. Then He was sitting for His Meditation.
It was a very happy and sacred time having a top level bliss at the early morning in the surrounding of hills & hillocks which were echoing. This Suprabatham song enhances the Spiritual practice to enlighten the atmosphere. The people were very much Scared to enter the holy atmosphere created by Swami.
Meditation at the Hillock where there is Sai Baba University built now:
Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba University building is built on a hill near the above mentioned Premadeep. In the middle of these 2 buildings there is a Ganesh Temple. The hill is nothing but a big rock before the construction of the University. It was a meditation place of Swami. He was going to the top of the hillock in the night for Meditation. He had continued His meditation on this hill for about 3 to 4 years. But it was in the evenings and nights many students of Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institution Muddenahalli were also coming there to practice meditation. This Sacred place has become a place of Divine University.
Meditation while Studying PhD:
Swami did His PhD degree in IIT Powai, Mumbai. His subject of Research was Plasma Physics belonging to Applied Mathematics. His guide was Professor M L Mittal who was not only a Great Scientist but also a person of Spiritual interest. The good hearted guide had given his gracious permission to Swami to go to Dharmakshetra. That is Bhagwan Baba’s place at Mumbai. While Swami was in IIT, He was meditating in the nights & free timing on the terrace of the building. Only a few of His close friends knew it. Actually He passed less time for Research & more time for meditation. This brought a very deep detachment. One day Swami wanted to leave the Research and go to Himalayas. He wanted to leave His room open & go away.
But that night He slept in the room itself and had 100 of dreams which were all about Sai Baba. In one of the final dream Baba told Him “Don’t go to Himalaya go to Muddenahalli”. Next day Swami told this matter to the guide who advised Him to complete the PhD which was signed by Baba at Dharmakshetra. He got the PhD degree worked as a Research Associate under M L Mittal during this period. He was visiting BARC (Baba Atomic Research Centre), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and finally He left Mumbai & came to Sri Sathya Sai Institution Muddenahalli.
Meditation at Sathya Deep of Sai Baba in Bombay:
When Swami was visiting to Dharmakshetra on every Sunday, He was staying by doing Services & Meditation. It was a round building in the Midst of a round lake. There was a Manager looking after this Temple. He did not know about Swami’s Trance at the beginning. One day Swami sat for meditation and got into Trance, Manager came and tried to wake Swami from meditation. Swami was sitting with closed eyes but the Manager pulled Swami this side and that side thinking that it’s all drama because he had never seen such a Samadhi. He tried for a long time to wake Swami but totally failed. Swami meditated for 3 to 4 hrs. It was the meditation wonder for the Manager.
Swami’s Food Habits which is Pure Satvik without Spices:
Swami wanted to do still more severe Sadhana (Spiritual Practice). He wanted to trim the body still more. He blunted His desire to consume the food by avoiding the spices totally. No Salt, Chilly, Turmeric, Oil, and Masala etc. Only boiled vegetables like Tomatoes, Beans, Cucumber, Potatoes, and Brinjal etc. Together with boiled rice were only the items that He began to consume. Many people advised & threatened Him that man cannot exist without Salt, but nothing happened to Swami’s health and they called Him by the name “Giant Meditator”. This brought a very high level of change in His Meditation. The body became pale & He began to haunt for meditation. Every time He began to rush for meditation. His meditation began even while Walking, Standing, Sitting etc. Finally His breath was only Meditation.
Raw food for 20 years:
It was 31st December 1990, Heleft the boiled food totally and next day onwards He began to eat only raw food i.e., raw vegetables & fruits. If available raw milk. This brought an extreme change in His Meditation field. This world itself was for meditation for him. Looking at the state the secretary of the Institution requested Swami to stop teaching & he gave only moral classes to Swami, but this service too was shaken because of the heavy meditation of Swami. In the year 10th March 2000, He left the Institution totally stayed on the Dhyanagiri Hill for His continuous Meditation. He is continuing His raw food even today.
MAHAVISHNU YAGNA and SRI GOVINDA THEERTHA SWAMI:
A MAHAVISHNU YAGNA was conducted in Panchavati under the guidance of Swami. There are many examples showing the performance of this Yagna by Saints, Sages and Kings in the times of unbearable difficulties in the yugas of Krutha, Thretha, Dwapara and Kali. Long back the sages like Vishswamitra, Jamadagni and others performed this MAHAVISHNU YAGNA on the sacred grounds lying between the rivers Narmada and Tapathi of India in order to avoid the troubles of Kartaveeryarjuna. As a result of this yagna Lord PARASHURAMA incarnated as the son of Jamadagni and he established the righteousness by destroying Kartaveeryarjuna. In Ayodhya, King Dasharatha performed this Yagna as Puthrakamesti Yagna and as a result Mahavishnu incarnated as Lord Sri Rama. His Kingdom is unique and there is no match even today which is called “RAMA RAJYA”. Hence MAHAVISHNU YAGNA is highly helpful at the time of horrible difficulties.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS YAGNA:
This Yagna was performed by the large gatherings with Faith & Devotion in the ancient Hindu Religion to invoke the grace of MAHAVISHNU YAGNA when there is unbearable difficulties occurs like Scarcity of rain & crops, incurable diseases, fighting’s, grudges, enmity, unlimited loans, lack of mental peace, ignorance etc. As there are innumerable & unbearable problems, this Yagna was conducted in the holy presence of Sri Govinda Theertha Swami.
OUTCOMES OF THIS YAGNA:
Such kind of Yagna’s by the people, for the people, of the people will result into WORLD PEACE and later on Sri Govinda Theertha Swami decided to perform this great Mahavishnu Yagna. All the people, Poor & Rich participated in this Yagna by offering whatever they can, with broadmindedness to obtain the Grace of GOD. Therefore the effect of the MAHAVISHNU YAGNA is the occurrence of the WORLD PEACE & also eradication of sins of the individuals.
ROLE OF ALL RELIGIONS:
Whereas “Vishnu” is the God protection in Hinduism, “Allah” is the protector in Islam and so is “Lord” in Christianity. Therefore there is God protection in every religion. This supreme power which is worshipped thus is the basic power of protection. Today people of all religions live together in almost every place, each and every one wants Peace. Hence this MAHAVISHNU YAGNA is related to every religion.
PRIESTS: There were 130 Priests well versed with Vedic Hymns participated in this Yagna and some other priests participated voluntarily. The eminent Vedic Scholars from big Spiritual centers also participated in this Yagna. The Head Priest of Tirupathi was also participated in this yagna.
SEVAKARTA’S and ANNASANTHARPANA (DONORS & FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION): In this Yagna there were Sevakarthas (Donors) for each Havan. Daily there was ANNASANTHARPANA (FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION) for lunch.