Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam

Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality Day – 2

The second day of the Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality, after the invocatory Vedam Chanting, started with a session on Living with God is True Education. Teachers and scholars recollected the beautiful memories and lessons learnt at the feet of Bhagawan Baba when he blessed a drama—Bhaja Govindam—to be enacted ten times during various occasions. These included the fact that feelings are more important than the paraphernalia, Swami did not select the qualified, He qualified the selected and Sai's philosophy is not about running away from the world. It is about discovering the immanence of the Creator in the world.

A presentation on Bhaja Govindam by students of Muddenahalli, Anantapur and Brindavan Campuses; and Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School (Boys) then highlighted life lessons such as Man is born to learn, not to be born again, Nothing lasts forever, Realize your true inner reality & identity, Enjoy every moment and the The only way to be desireless, is to desire for GOD.

The last session before lunch was a talk on the Mind and its Mysteries by H H Sri Sri Sri Jayendra Puri Mahaswamiji, Sri Kailash Ashram Mahasamsthana and Sri Raja Rajeshwari Devasthana, Bangalore. Swamiji highlighted that thinking, unlike taking action, requires no effort. Thoughts are free, they keep on coming like waves in the ocean. He told students that worry arrests over 99% of the world and that most of us are privy to some sort of fear, such as that of disease, old age, intelligence, etc. and that the only notion that doesn’t have fear is the notion of vairāgya (dispassionate renunciation). He said that the mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation. The world appears to catch us but it is we who are caught and bound ourselves. He concluded by saying that If we make up ours minds, we can change anything in the world. The mind has to regulate the food that goes into the senses.

During the evening session in Sai Kulwant Hall, two students elaborated on insights on the Srimad Bhagavatam and on Love, the spiritual element of Indian culture. They touched upon on the process of transformation by using analogies from the scriptures and Bhagawan Baba’s teachings. The first student elaborated on Ekagrata bhakti or single-pointed devotion and how it leads to detachment and the notion of how God the formless takes a form as an Avatar. The second student spoke on how to evoke pure love for the divine. He said that the three attributes of this love—as supposed to worldly love—are that it is selfless, assuaging and invigorating.

The second day of the event concluded at 6:30 p.m. with devotional songs, bhajans followed by Prasadam distribution.

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Background: SSSIHL Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality

The Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality serves as an induction programme to all students and teachers of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning with an objective to expose students of the university to the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Bharat. It orients students into Bhagawan Baba’s educational philosophy and gives them deep, first hand insights into how they can directly benefit from this unique institution.

At universities across the world, induction programmes go beyond the academic and practical requirements of university life and include social elements that (more often than not) disperse the focus, time and energies of students.

At Sai educational institutions, integral education (which includes the focus on a connection with the Higher Self) is a close confidant to the academic curriculum. It is in line with the vision of the Founder Chancellor, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, that spiritual and empirical education must go hand in hand. In fact, He had initiated the series of Summer Courses as early as the 1970s. It was and still is an effective way to inspire young minds to follow a life of good values and character.

The event—which is taking place from the 17^th June to 19^th June 2016 at Prasanthi Nilayam—marked the beginning of the academic year for students and teachers of all the four campuses of the university, as well as Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi Nilayam (Class XI and Class XII) and Sri Sathya Sai Gurukulam English Medium School, Rajahmundry. Over 2500 students and 200 teachers are participating.

About SSSIHL

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) is a unique university established in 1981 to inculcate ethical and moral values in students. It is a modern Gurukula that puts equal emphasis on both secular education and spiritual growth and the development of a student’s character in an effort to fulfill the vision of education for human transformation of its Revered Founder Chancellor, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

The university hosts over 1300 students across four campuses in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, India. It has a merit-based open admissions policy for all, irrespective of income, religion or social status.

SSSIHL provides free education to all programmes of study. This includes waiver of all fees- including tuition, examination, laboratory, library, sports and medical.

Programmes offered include undergraduate, postgraduate, professional and research.

Public Relations Office

Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust

Prasanthi Nilayam 515134

Tel: +91 8555 287390 Extn 209

Press Release by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust