Fwd: Glory of the Divine Names of Sri Sathya Sai – OM SRI SAI CHITRÄVATHI TATA PUTTAPARTHI VIHÄRINÉ NAMAH - (33)
From: Soundari Krishnan <devotion.region1@sssgc-usa.org>
Date: Thu, Jun 15, 2023 at 6:46 AM
Subject: Fwd: Glory of the Divine Names of Sri Sathya Sai – OM SRI SAI CHITRÄVATHI TATA PUTTAPARTHI VIHÄRINÉ NAMAH - (33)
To: The Sathya Sai Center of Norwalk <saicenterofnorwalk@gmail.com>
From: Ramya Sethuratnam <devotion.region9@sssgc-usa.org>
Date: Thu, Jun 15, 2023 at 5:01 AM
Subject: Glory of the Divine Names of Sri Sathya Sai – OM SRI SAI CHITRÄVATHI TATA PUTTAPARTHI VIHÄRINÉ NAMAH - (33)
To:
OM SRI SAI CHITRÄVATHI TATA PUTTAPARTHI VIHÄRINÉ NAMAH - (33) Salutations to Sri Sai, who resides in Puttaparthi on the banks of the river Chitravati.
The village of Puttaparthi rests on the banks of the Chitravathi river. This river originates from the Nandi Hills in Mysore. The hills are shaped like the 'Nandi' (Lord Shiva's vehicle – the bull) so they have derived the name 'Nandi Hills'. The kings from the Chola Dynasty constructed a Shiva temple here, during their reign. Whenever divine incarnations have appeared on earth, they have selected settlements along the banks of rivers, as their places of birth. Sri Rama was born in Ayodhya, on the banks of the Saryu river, Sri Krishna was born on the banks of Yamuna. Shirdi Sai too was born near a river bank in the 'Pathri' village to Devarigiamma and Gangabhav. In the same manner, Sri Sathya Sai Baba chose His birth place on the banks of the river Chitravathi. In childhood, He would sport with His friends on the sands of this river.
Before Prashanthi Nilayam was constructed Swami would go the Chitravathi river every day, along with His devotees. He would sit on the sands and sing bhajans and impart instructions to them. He also performed a number of miracles on these banks. He would move His hands through the sands and materialize rare idols for His devotees. He has manifested several gems, conches, yantras, pens and even a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and delighted His devotees. After spending long hours on the Chitravathi sands, when the devotees, especially the young children, would feel hungry, Swami would move His hand through the sands and materialize hot 'mysorepak' dripping with ghee and steamy meduvadas, and these eatables would not have a single grain of sand struck to them! How blessed were those devotees, who had the good fortune to witness these miracles...!
This is a story from the time when Swami used to reside in the old mandir. It was the monsoon season. The rain started coming down heavily. The torrential rainfall just would not cease. This constant rain caused a rise in the water levels of the Chitravathi river. The water flooded the banks and started flowing towards the village. It seemed everything would soon get submerged in the water. In the time of the Krishnavatar, when the waters of the Yamuna rose and started flooding Gokulam, the people had prayed to Sri Krishna. In the same manner, the villagers of Parthi, had only one refuge – Swami.
The flood water started flowing towards the Mandir. Just as the Yamuna yearned to take charansparsh of Sri Krishna, the waters of the Chitravathi too yearned to touch the lotus feet of Sai Krishna. If the water level had risen any higher, the temple and the houses of the devotees would have been submerged in it. Was it difficult for Sai Krishna to perceive this? He rushed out, allowed the water to touch His lotus feet and commanded the river, "Enough! No more, now go back!" And the river Chitravathi, sanctified by the touch of Prabhu Sai, calmed down and the water started receding rapidly.
OM SRI SATHYA SAINATH ARPANAM ASTU
With pranams at the lotus feet of our dear Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai baba,
Devotional Wing, SSSGC USA