AWAKENING THE INNER LIGHT

Cultural Programme by Japanese Devotees

20th July 2006: On this afternoon large number of devotees from Japan had assembled in Sai Kulwant Hall as early as 2.20. Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall for Darshan at 2.30 and went outside the Ashram in the car. After a while, He returned and went inside the interview room. The devotees (both ladies and gents) from Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, Japan were seated in the Hall waiting expectantly to present a programme on this evening. After Bhagawan came out of the interview room and sat on the dais, the coordinator of the programme presented Bhagawan with the programme sheet.

The programme for this evening was a short skit “Vedas; the Breath of Truth”!! “Vedas; the Breath of Sathya”! The skit was based on the real story of how the chanting of holy Vedas started in Japan. It began with a traditional dance by the Bal Vikas children from the southern island of Japan, called Okinawa. This dance invokes the spirits of the ancestors and prays for the good health of the people and eternal prosperity of the society.

An earnest devotee from Sathya Sai Organisation, Japan wanted to learn the Vedas. But he was handicapped since he had neither any knowledge of Sanskrit nor a teacher to help him in his endeavour. It was at this time that a student from Bhagawan’s Institute came to the Sai Centre. On enquiry, the student revealed that he knew the Vedas, but was not confident nor he felt competent to teach the Vedas. He expressed that the Vedas were infinite, but his knowledge was shallow. The devotee asked the student to teach him what little he knew. Thus, began the saga in the year 2004, on Vijaya Dasami day. The other devotees too joined in the learning of the Vedas. In due course of time, another Sai student too joined who also expressed his predicament and his inability to teach the Vedas. This student and a third student too joined their group and started teaching the Vedas. And now, they are in a position to chant the Vedas confidently.

At the end, the members of the Organisation present in the Hall gave a demonstration by chanting the Vedas with perfect intonation and rhythm for about ten minutes.

On this evening, even the Bhajans were led by Japanese devotees. The entire Japanese group joyously sang Bhagawan’s glory expressed in the beauty of the Japanese language. Then Bhagawan was offered Arati after which He retired to His abode.