45TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF DHARMAKSHETRA While I have spoken from this platform on a number of occasions almost a decade ago as a Member of the Youth Wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Mumbai, it is a very familiar environment. Yet, today‟s occasion overwhelms me as I have been invited as a Guest Speaker on the 45th Anniversary of Dharma – Kshetra, literally meaning – the Field of Righteousness. I shall use this opportunity to extol the glory of this land and the good fortune of those associated with it! The Glory of Dharmakshetra In the fulcrum year of the Avataric sojourn – 1968, Bhagavan Baba undertook 4 major initiatives. The city of Mumbai was witness to 3 of these. The first among these was the establishment of Dharmakshetra. The other 2 being: the 1st World Conference and the departure for the first overseas visit of Bhagavan. The foundation stone for Dharmakshetra was laid on the Diwali Day, November 3, 1967 and Bhagavan declared that the Mandir would be ready in 6 months. True to His words, the structure was ready. To enable all associated with the project realize that it was His Divine unseen hand that had made things possible in a short span of time, Bhagavan mentioned on the 1 inauguration day that the structure had been completed in 108 days. When Shri Indulal Shah, then Chairman of the World Council, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations checked with the contractor, he found that it had taken exactly 108 days to complete Sathyadeep (Bhagavan‟s residence and the heart of the Dharmakshetra complex) 108 is the number of times the Japamala is rolled, for it adds to the number 9 – the Brahma Sankhya. Everything associated with Sathyadeep is also in Brahma Sankhya. That was Bhagavan‟s Sankalpa. Shri Indulal Shah was Bhagavan‟s chosen instrument in the formation of Dharmakshetra. We are lucky to have him and Smt. Sarlaben Shah in our midst this day. Smt. Sarlaben Shah has played a pioneering role in the formatting of the Mahila Vibhag and the Bal Vikas programme of the Organisation. Four and half decades have passed since that day, yet they remain as enthusiastic and full of inspiration in the service of Sai. They are ideal Sai Sevaks. On that glorious day of May 12, 1968, Bhagavan said, “The campus on which the building Satyadeep (lamp of truth) has been inaugurated today is named Dharmakshetra; it is a very appropriate name, for a place from which the message of Satya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema (truth, righteousness, peace and love) will reach the lands parched with thirst for these pure, pellucid waters.” Dharmakshetra is more blessed than Kurukshetra This land of Dharmakshetra is a holy land beyond measure. If Kurukshetra is blessed as Lord Krishna was Arjuna‟s charioteer for 18 days delivered the song celestial there, this land has been blessed by Bhagavan‟s visit 41 times in the last 45 years. Yes, between March 1966 and November 2009, Bhagavan has visited the city of Mumbai 41 times! Details of this are given in the book titled Digvijayam released by Bhagavan in March 2011. This land has been witness 2 to Bhagavan delivering over 40 Discourses over the last four decades. Infact, I am currently associated with the compilation of these Discourses given by Bhagavan in Mumbai. This compilation would be brought out as a book very soon. Landmark events at Dharmakshetra Dharmakshetra has been witness to landmark events in the Divine Mission whether it is the First World Conference of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations in 1968 or the departure for the first and only Divine visit outside India to East Africa; whether it is the establishment of the Bal Vikas or the Mahila Vibhag; this land was the chosen Karma Bhoomi, nay Leela Bhoomi of the Lord. It has been a land of miracles too. On one occasion, there was a public function at this very place and the skies were overcast. It was about to pour. The elders in the Organisation approached Swami saying that with the impending rain, it would not be possible to have the public function and the Divine Discourse. Eye witnesses recount, Bhagavan came out of His residence at Satyadeep, looked at the skies and waved His Divine Hands – as if instructing the clouds to disperse. As if instantly obeying the Divine command, the clouds dispersed and the public function was conducted as planned. After Bhagavan had delivered His Divine Discourse and the entire programme was over, the skies opened up and there was a heavy downpour. In the Dwapara Yuga, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain to protect the devotees from rain. In this age of Kali, the Lord instructed the clouds themselves to disperse, and they dispersed in instant obedience! That is the glory of the Lord and the fortune of this holy land. It is said that Lord Vishnu walks in Vaikuntha with all regal paraphernalia including the royal footwear. But this land of Dharmakshetra is blessed as 3 every inch of it has been treaded by the Lord – barefoot – whether it is the lawns of Satyadeep or the Bhajan Hall in Shantideep, whether it is the seminar hall of Jnanadeep or this Jalan Mandap – all of these have kissed those Lotus Feet. How blessed are we to tread the same land. We are very enamoured when we are told that according to one legend, the Dharmakshetra Hill was blessed by Lord Rama on His way to Lanka. Just once is the question I ask and that too many many thousand years ago!! What about the hundreds of occasions when our Lord Sai Rama rested on this very Hill and blessed it with His touch!! Surcharged with those vibrations is the blessed meditation hall in Shanti Deep! How fortunate is this land! Dharmakshetra – A Love Story Dharmakshetra has been witness to the stories of transformation of hundreds, nay thousands of people like you and may – where Bhagavan‟s Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan has touched them, and they have never been the same again. The story of Dharmakshetra is a Love Story – the Love Story of the Lord‟s Love for His devotees and the devotees‟ longing for the Lord‟s Love. I would narrate one such story here that has been narrated by none other than Prof. Kasturi of an incident that happened in this very place 40 years ago in the year 1972. There was a gentleman by the name Gogoi who was in London during the World War II. That was the time when the German planes were bombing London. When such planes were in sight, a siren would be played by the city administration to warn the citizens so that they could run for protection in specially prepared bunkers. Mr. Gogoi was staying in the attic of an apartment. He thought to himself – what‟s the guarantee that there would be a plane attack. What‟s the guarantee that the bomb would fall on this area, on 4 my apartment and on me? Thinking thus, he covered himself with a blanket and was about to sleep. Suddenly he heard footsteps outside his door and a man knocked and shouted, “I am the air raid warden. I know that you are inside, come out immediately.” The air raid warden almost dragged him to the shelter and from there Mr. Gogoi saw his house getting bombarded! He looked for the air raid warden but didn‟t find him around. He thought he too would have died! Expressing his gratitude within, he moved on. After Indian Independence he returned to India and worked in a government organisation. In the year 1972, he came to know of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and heard that he was in Mumbai. Out of inquisitiveness, he came to Dharmakshetra and was standing at the gate. Suddenly a Seva Dal Member accosted him and asked him whether he was Mr. Gogoi and told him that Swami wanted him to sit in the first row. Mr. Gogoi wondered to himself, “I have not even met this Swamiji earlier. How does he know me?!” When Bhagavan came out for Darshan, He went straight to Mr. Gogoi and told him, “It’s now time for you to come to Prasanthi Nilayam”. This man wondered what Swami was saying. Then Swami asked him, “Do you remember that air raid warden who saved your life in London?” Mr. Gogoi said, “Yes.” “Where is he now?”, asked Swami. “He died in that attack”, said Mr. Gogoi. Swami said, “He did not die. I am the Air Raid Warden! I came all the way to London in that heavy costume to protect your life, because it is your destiny to stay in Prasanthi Nilayam in Divine proximity.” Life was never the same for Mr. Gogoi again… Such are the transformations that this land has witnessed. This is one among the thousands of Gogois and Mistrys, Munshis and Desais, Raos and Sawants, Pandyas and Shahs that have been transformed on this holy land! Highlighting the role that Dharmakshetra has to play, Bhagavan said on the 1st Anniversary of Dharmakshetra on May 12, 1969: 5 “Dharmakshetra has a great part to play. It is in Bombay, which is the stomach of Bharat. The Himalayas are the Head, the Kanyakumari is the feet and Prasanthi Nilayam is the heart. When the stomach is inefficient, the entire body suffers the consequences. So, keep the Dharmakshetra efficient and strong. Do not allow it to degenerate into a Kurukshethra; let not friction and faction raise their heads here. Let the high ideals of Dharma (righteousness) be upheld here.