NEWS AND REPORTS
NEWS FROM THE HEADQUARTERS
SEVA THROUGH SIVANANDA HOME
The Divine Life Society Headquarters continues rendering its humble service through Sivananda Home, situated in Tapovan near the Laxman Jhula, a Medical Centre with a home facility for chronic sick people, who have been abandoned from their homes and relatives, due to a physical or mental illness.
It was on Holy Guru Purnima, in the year 2002, that the Home was informed about a patient, seeking shelter at Gurudev’s abode, was lying down near the entrance of the Ashram in a pitiable condition. On this auspicious day, the patient was taken to Sivananda home for admission. After doctor’s consultation and several investigations this Babaji was diagnosed with Kidney failure and a spinal injury, due to which both his legs were irreversibly paralysed. He was called Santosh by his parents and he genuinely personified and lived this given name—being contented, serene and cheerful while being lifted from the bed into the wheel chair or to a toilet seat by two people, and while needing assistance in almost every daily activity.
Amazing Grace! How he endured, tolerated and suffered shame, discomforts and a slowly progressive and taunting disease? In his earlier days, he would silently write in his mantra note-book—Sita Ram Sita Ram Sita Ram Ram Ram and completed many of them. Even when being wheeled to the evening Bhajan, he would sing in the microphone in front of the indoor Mandir. Hanumanji remained his sole refuge and though he could not speak any longer, he continued to stare at the image of his Lord, his safe harbor and his hero but his illness advanced with the years, and though under continuous treatment, blood transfusions when needed and nursing care, at the end his kidneys acutely failed, he entered into a coma and left this earthly abode for his final and eternal home.
No longer is his body here, but his spirit is remembered, his spirit of surrender, of renouncing his own wants and submitting to the Higher Will, to the Almighty One, Who has the whole world in His All-Embracing Consoling Arms.
Praying to Him, to grant this soul eternal Peace and everlasting Bliss.
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram jai Jai Ram.
“Remembering Me, you shall overcome all difficulties, through My Grace.”
(Srimat Bhagavad Gita 18 : 58)
“Feed the hungry. Clothe the naked. Serve the sick. This is Divine Life.” —Swami Sivananda
CULTURAL TOUR OF SWAMI YOGASWARUPANANDAJI MAHARAJ
AND SRI SWAMI PADMANABHANANDAJI
The 34th All-Andhra Pradesh Divine Life Society Conference was held at the holy Tirumala Hills, Tirupati. Under invitation from the conference committee, H.H. Sri Swami Yogaswarupa- nandaji Maharaj, Trustee, Vice-President and Sri Swami Padmanabhanandaji Maharaj attended the conference which was held from 29th to 31st January 2008.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (T.T.D.) very kindly provided free of charge the Asthana Mandapam at the holy Tirumala Hills to hold the conference. The T.T.D. also provided accommodation for all the delegates in their various guest houses free of charge and Prasad (meals) both at noon and night, for all the delegates under their Nitya Annadana Scheme. All the delegates had Darshan of Lord Venkateswara on 30th January 2008 night.
The Conference Committee, all the delegates and the Divine Life Society express their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the T.T.D. for their patronage and cooperation in the successful conduct of the conference.
The 3 day conference included besides the early morning meditation, Prabhat Pheri, Yoga Asanas, discourse from 9 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. H.H. Sri Swami Yogaswarupa- nandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Padmanabhanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Dharmanishthanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Vaikunthanandaji Maharaj represented the Headquarters in the Conference. H.H. Sri Swami Yogaswarupanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Padmanabhanandaji, Sri Swami Satyavratanandaji, Sri Swami Ramayogiji, Sri.Samudrala Lakshmanaiah, Sri M.T. Alwar, Sri Ch. Venkataseshiah, Sri Kasireddyji, Smt. Boppanna Arunadevi, Smt. Sandhyavandanam Lakshmidevi, and eminent scholars from Andhra delivered lectures on Spiritual Life, Dharma, Gurudev’s mission and message. About 3000 delegates participated in the conference. Sri Swami Satyavratanandaji Maharaj, Hyderabad, Sri Ch. Venkataseshaiahji of Gudur, Sri Swami Ramayogiji of Layidam and a band of devoted volunteers worked very hard to make the conference a grand event. The conference has helped in a big way to spread the message of Gurudev in Andhra Pradesh.
—The Divine Life Society
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