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Friday, Dec 8 2023
AVATAR'S DAY
Purpose:
Avatar's Day is celebrated on the 20th of October each
year. This is the day when Swami declared himself as
an Avatar. The real purpose of celebrating this day
is for all of us to recall with gratitude that Swami
has come to this world for uplifting us, and that we
should follow His teachings.
Story
relating to the festival:
I shall now share with you the significance of Avatar's
Day. It was Monday, 20 October 1940. Sathyam (as Swami
was addressed in His younger days) was then in Uravakonda
having resumed his interrupted schooling. He was on
his way to school. Suddenly, he turned back, returned
home and cried out loudly, "I no longer belong
to you. Maya (delusion) has left me. My devotees are
eagerly calling Me." On hearing these loud words,
his sister-in-law looked out of her kitchen window.
She saw a halo of blinding luminescence around Sathyam's
head. "I am leaving", He told her. "The
work I have come here for has to be initiated."
As He said these words, His brother, Seshama Raju, and
their neighbour, Naranya Satry, arrived on the scene.
On seeing the splendorous halo, Sastry fell at the feet
of Sathyam. Seshama Raju stood speechless and motionless.
Glorious with the crown of effulgent light, Sathyam
walked to a nearby large garden belonging to Anjaneyulu,
an Inspector of Excise. He sat on a boulder there. Several
eager devotees sat around Him. Sathyam began singing
a Bhajan song, the first in the vast body of Bhajans
which are now resounding all over the world
"Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam,
Dustara Bhava Sagara Tharanam"
First learn that you are in Bhava
Sagara (ocean of wordly life); next resolve on Tharanam
(crossing it); then fix a Guru or the name and form
of God, which appeals to you. Then dwell on His Glory;
do Bhajan, but do it with all your mind and concentration;
sing in praise of the Master's Lotus Feet with all your
heart; it enables you to cross the difficult-to-cross
ocean of birth-death cycle.
Devotees forgot themselves as they sang in tune with
Him. Some lighted joss sticks. Others garlanded Sathyam.
A photographer turned up and prepared to photograph
Him. A small rock stood in front of Sathyam intruding
into the picture and the cameraman desired it to be
removed. Sathyam said "Let it be. Go ahead and
take your photograph." When the film was eventually
developed and printed, that small stone was seen to
the astonishment of everyone, as Shirdi Sai Baba's form.
Swami's message on Guru
Purnima:
"The Avatara-purusha, however, has come solely
to save the mankind and so He is aware of the path and
the goal. 'HE' is the Master of Creation. He knows the
past, the present and the future of all. 'HE' leads
and liberates."
-Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Sanathan Sarathi, Vol VII Page
473
"The Avatar comes when there is yet a remnant
of good men, yet a trace of dharma, for what is the
use of a doctor when the patient has collapsed. When
a large number of good men are afflicted with the fear
of the survival of goodness, then the Lord incarnates
to feed their drooping spirits and revive faith and
courage."
-Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Sanathan Sarathi, Vol II Page
141
How is the Festival celebrated:
People celebrate it all over the world by holding
Bhajans. In Singapore, Avatar's Day is celebrated at
the national level by the singing of bhajans for twelve
continuous hours.
Jai Sai Ram
Sis Bindhiya
SSEHV Group 4
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