Aum Sri Sairam.
Kushi was born on June 19th 2002 in Chitradurga.

She was a premature baby (six and half months) and weighing just 1500 grams. She was under prenatal care and was shifted to a hospital in Davanagere for incubation. When she was one month old she developed hydrocephalus a sickness which causes accumulation of water in the head. Everyday the size of her head was increasing by 2mm and the Neonatologist Dr Guru Prasad advised immediate operation.

Veena my wife was against this, She wanted to take the baby to Swamy first before any operations. Monday morning after Swamy’s Rudrabhishekam, Kushi was presented to Swamy.
Swamy held Kushi at the feet of Baba’s Idol for a few minutes, then returned her back, smiling and assuring us that the baby would be completely alright. This gave us a lot of courage and we took her to K.R.Hospital near Girinagar for admission. However the doctor examining Kushi said since the baby was too weak, he advised to bring her back for operation after 15 days.

Kushi was taken home, daily taken care with holy water and Swami’s vibhuthi, and again brought back to the hospital after 2 weeks.
A scanning was done, and the doctor was surprised to see that the head which was increasing everyday by 2 mm had stopped and the size was same as it was 15 days before. It was happily decided to keep Kushi under observations again for another 15 days before any operations.
Another 15 days passed and we brought our precious little daughter again in for a scan.
A big miracle had happened!
The water which had accumulated in her head had drained off on its own and everything was normal.
Despite all these incidents Kushi grew up into a beautiful compassionate girl, who loves animals very much. She is a divine gift to our house, bringing lots of happiness to us and those around her. Even the name Swami gave her is so fitting for this bubbling young woman.
With Swamy’s grace she recently she got a first class in her schooling and Swami has blessed her for many more gold medals in life…

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba showed His divine presence in the fire during the homa performed by Sri Gopal Baba in Soma Sai Skanda Ashram Monday January 29th

(pictures provided by Pradeep Rao)

101st Free Eye, Medical and Dental camp held with the Divine blessings of Shri Gopal Baba at Sri Sai Mandiram Girinagar on the 21st January 2017 by Sri Sai Mandiram Trust, Girinagar, Government Dental college, Bangalore and Shraddha Eye care trust. Cataract operation and distribution of spectacles planned aftermath.
Aum Sri Sairam.

August 9 – 16 have been remindable days for the devotees from the Netherlands, UK, Spain, Ireland, France and Germany. One of the highlights was a multi-faith concert in a church.

We started from Bangalore on 2nd after Rudra Abhishekam. Initially we went to a village near Arakkonam to see “Kamakshi Idol”.Swamy was very happy to see the way Idol has come out. Swamy mentioned some modifications. After checking the Kamakshi idol we left for Chennai.

Next day morning Swamy visited Mr. Pradeep Rao’s family’s “Padmanabha Swamy” temple. Temple authorities gave grand welcome to Swamy. Swamy was asked to do Alakaram to “Lord Padmanabha Swamy”. Swamy, also gave Aarathi to “Padmanabha Swamy Idol”. In the temple Sathya Sai Seva Samithi people arranged bhajan sessions.
Swamy enjoyed the Bhajans and Sang one Bhajan. Swamy also gave a discourse.
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8th June, Saturday:

It was a cloudy and cool Saturday. As planned, all lady Sevadal members were assembled at ‘Girinagar – Sai Mandir’ by 1pm. We loaded all required items viz provisions, vegetables, cloths for distribution etc. in two vehicles. Everyone had lot of energy and happy to participate in ‘Narayana seva’. Swami gave us photographs of Satya Sai, Skanda, Ganesh and Ramakrishna Paramahansa to place in new guest house. Also gave holy Ganga water, to sprinkle in the new house. After taking Swami’s permission and blessings, we left to ‘Sri Soma Sai Skanda Ashram’ around 3pm. After 1hr 30m long journey we reached Ashram around 5pm. Soon we reached all sevadal members started in making arrangements. Few were joined in cleaning Swami’s house, few were engaged in cleaning new guest house, few were engaged in preparing dinner.

At 6pm, after 1hr busy work, we all assembled at Swami’s house for Bhajans. Smt. Prabhavatamma lead the Bhajan group. Everyone joined and sang beautiful Bhajans. After bhajans, we offered Prasadam and performed Aarati.

9th June, Sunday:

One has to experience the excellent atmosphere at country side in India. It is an amazing experience to watch the beautiful Sunrise, to listen to Koel bird singing, to walk on the wet grass in the fields. By 6:30pm everyone were ready and started decorating new guest house and few were busy in preparing Breakfast & PRASADAM for distribution. Meanwhile Swami gave us step by step instructions how to perform the pooja in the new house inquiring the proceedings from time to time. Around 8am breakfast was ready. Few more sevadal members joined us at Ashram. After performing the Naivedyam, we all had our delicious breakfast ‘spicy pongal’. Few of us were assembled in new guest house to offer bhajans and aarati. We placed all the photo’s Swami gave us the day before and decorated them with beautiful flowers. We sprinkled holy Ganga water, inside and outside the new house. After this we boiled milk in the kitchen (as per Indian custom) .After this we offered prayers and sang bhajans. By 10am, PRASADAM was ready. We offered Naivedam and Aarati. Right after Naivedyam, we packed PRASADAM(Veg Paulav, Curd Rice and sweet Pongal) in packets. Around 12pm we proceed towards VANDRADODDI village, near Nidaghatta village. We distributed PRASADAM and cloths to people. They were happy to receive the PRASADAM.
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We were back to ashram around 2pm and had lunch. We started our journey back to Bangalore around 4pm. With blessings of Sri Gopala Swami, we successfully conducted ‘Narayana Seva’ and everyone was happy being part of this seva.

Jai Sairam
Ravikumar Kalle
(On behalf of all Sevadal members)

It was 24th May 2013. Few days before, Swami decided to visit Goddess Chamundi hill at Mysore and Srikanteswara temple in Nanjangud (which is on the banks of river Kapila(Kabini)). Few of selected sevadal members and Additional Chief Secretary to Govt of Karnataka, Mr Suranjan and his family, accompanied Swami. We started around 7am in the morning. It was a pleasant and sunny day. On the way to Mysore we halted for few minutes for breakfast at Kadambam and moved to Aashram. After these two short breaks, we proceeded directly to Chamundi hill at Mysore(search ‘Chamundi Hills’ in google for more information). We reached around 10:30am and Swami car allowed near to Gopuram entrance. Temple authorities were given ‘Poornakumbha Swagatam(welcome)’ with temple honors to Swami from Gopuram entrance till main shrine. We had a magnificent darshan of Goddess Chamundi, in a closed distance. (I am sure we will never get such darshan once again in our life. Just because we accompanied Swami, we got such a wonderful darshan). After spending few minutes with in the Chamundi temple premises, we proceeded towards Nanjangud, which is around 20km from Mysore.

Reached Nanjangud in the afternoon. Swami was welcomed with the temple honors. We again got a excellent darshan of Srikanteswara (lord Shiva in the form of Linga). After Aarathi we all moved from main shrine and visited other small temples in the same premises. Swami stayed back alone in a small room (close the Gharbha gudi) and paid special prayers to lord Shiva. Before leaving the temple, temple authorities requested to have a group photo with Swami. We all took a group photo with Swami . Temple authorities arranged lunch for all of us in ‘Annadana Bhawan’, opposite to the temple, where they provide free food for all devotees. We all had our lunch(prasadam) along with Swamy. Swami and ourselves took few minutes of rest at temple guest house. Around 3pm we stared our journey back to Soma Sai Skanda Ashram. We reached around 5pm to ashram.

In the evening, very few of us stayed back with Swami and rest left to Bangalore. In the evening Swami wanted to visit ‘Ugra Narasimha Swamy temple’ locally. We reached temple around 7pm. One of the priests of the temple was Swami’s devotee. Again we had an excellent dharshan. Swami visited priest’s house and accepted their hospitality.

We were fortunate being accompanied with Swami.

Sairam
(on behalf of sevadal members)

Find Swami’s divine Discourse < HERE>

During the GKS Core Committee’s first meeting, held in Jan 13 to plan for a detailed program for Gopal Baba’s visit starting 2nd Feb to 11th Feb, all members agreed that our sole aim should be to make Baba very, very happy during his 10 days stay in Mumbai; Baba had informed us that this could be his last visit.

Because of his love for bhajans, the program would be centred around bhajans. As it would be his longest stay, we would propose 3 or 4 temple visits during the mornings only. For the benefit of new devotees we would request Baba to give his Divine discourses.

A broad draft program was sent to him. His answer to us was that he would prefer not to visit any Temples or devotees’ houses. With a view that he could take maximum rest, the programme was finalized.It was decided to circulate the full program to only active GKS members and for the general public, to send only the 4 public programs for the evenings that would be held at Jai Ram Villa.

At Baba’s instructions for each of the sessions, devotees would be served a meal (prasad) before leaving.

In 1997 Baba visited PK and Chhaya’s home; whilst bhajans were going on in the living room, he went inside the Shrine room, closed the door. Lo and behold when the devotees entered the room they saw every picture of Shirdi Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother Sharada Ma fully covered with Vibhuti. Gopal Baba said “Prashant, this is Dakshineshwar“. PK could not hold his tears, for the gratitude he felt to his parents who had sowed the seeds of spirituality in him. He was in bliss that moment. He told Baba, ‘this room was our prayer room where, when I was a child (PK was then 5 years) my mother started the ‘Khanda Aarti’ after sunset every day.

A few weeks later in 1997, when Baba revealed to us that he was the incarnation of Holy Mother Sharada Devi, a desire was born in PK. How wonderful would it be to take Baba to Holy Mother’s temple at the Ramakrishna Math. Over the years PK felt this desire several times and when he visited Sharada Ma’s temple he would cry and pray to Her to fulfil this deep desire.

On the 15th Jan 2013, PK had decided to speak directly, to seek Gopal Baba’s consent, whether we could organize Baba’s visit to the Ramakrishna Math. After the evening Aarti at the Ashram that night, PK called Ravi and shared with Ravi that the Core GKS Committee had suggested 3 to 4 temple visits – and whether Ravi would speak to Baba. Ravi said that he would speak to Baba and call PK back. Inside himself PK found that Sri Ramakrishna urged him to proceed immediately and meet the head of the Ramakrishna Math; even before getting Ravi’s reply. PK spoke to the head of the Math about Gopal Baba, how PK met him, and Baba’s planned visit to Mumbai next month. He told this swami about his desire to bring Gopal Baba to the Math. PK suggested a date of 5th Feb and the swami, without any hesitation, gladly agreed as he would be in town. PK told him before parting that he would confirm after speaking to Baba.

Two hours later Ravi called to say that Baba had no desire to visit temples or any devotees house and PK left it at that. The full program was rescheduled after we got the inputs from Girinagar.

On 3rd Feb which happened to be Swami Vivekananda’s 151st Birth Anniversary (PK’s mother had told him that he was born on the Tithi Utsav day of Swami Vivekananda), the whole morning PK was at the Ashram (attending the special rituals for this day) PK and Raghavendra decided to visit the ashram again at 4.00 pm that same day. PK introduced Raghavendra to swami Sarvalokananda (the head of the ashram). The swami asked them, when are you bringing Baba? PK said Baba is tired and resting and the swamiji promptly replied, if he cannot come, I will come and meet him.

In the same night of 3rd Feb, after Raghavendra appraised Gopal Baba for his visit to the Ashram, Baba said, “I will go to the Ashram tomorrow morning.

A few devotees and PK accompanied Gopal Baba on 4th to the Ashram. Gopal Baba carried special sweets and when the two swami’s met and Baba offered the sweets to the swami. , it was a Divine sight to see. Sarvalokananda putting the sweet packet on his head, offering his obeisance to the Lord and how both swami’s holding each other as if in trance. As PK was facing, he could see tears welling in swami Sarvalokananda’s eyes.

Swami Sarvalokananda took Gopal Baba to Holy Mother’s temple

and all around the establishments. Thereafter he offered Prasad to Baba and to each of us. It was a very special feeling for all of us. The last spot was to Shri Ramakrishna’s temple .Together both swami’s offered pranams at the feet of Ramakrishna.

At parting time , Gopal Baba invited swami Sarvalokananda to visit Girinagar and the swami said ‘yes, I will come’ . Baba replied ‘I will wait for you’.

In a dialogue Baba had with PK on Sunday, 10th Feb at night, Baba said he was very, very happy . He said “I went to a Ramakrishna Ashram after 45 years”.

Yogendra took a number of photos, and he made one set and gave them to swami Sarvalokananda the same evening. The swami. expressed joy at seeing his photos with Gopal Baba.

Gopal Baba asked PK to narrate the experiences he had when they visited the Ramakrishna Ashram, to several devotees assembled in Dr. Janki residence on Sat , the 9th.
Dr. Janki (she met Baba for the first time) had invited Gopal Baba for inaugurating a free eye clinic.

This was a program with bhajans , darshan and prasad. Baba was in one of his best moods, gave his discourse and sang bhajans for about 50 minutes. The whole place was full of love and joy in Gopal Baba’s presence.

PK met swami Sarvalokananda on 12th and asked him how he felt about Gopal Baba’s visit. He said Baba is a high soul and Ramakrishna has brought us together; he expressed feelings of great happiness. PK has offered to accompany the swami to Girinagar and he agreed happily.
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PK’s love and surrender for the Lord has further deepened , for his prayers have been answered even after 15 years. My dear Sai sisters and brothers , believe that the Lord will listen to each person’s sincere and selfless prayers, if it is for the joy and peace of others. We need to have patience and share only positive feelings every day of our life.

SAI RAM

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