In his Hindu Fasts & Festivals our Master states, "Lord Krishna played various roles during His stay in the world. He was the charioteer of Arjuna. He was an excellent statesman and a master musician. He gave lessons even to the divine Narada in the art of playing the veena. The music of His flute thrilled the hearts of His devotees and the Gopis. He was a cowherd in Gokul and Brindavan. He exhibited miraculous powers even as a child. He killed many demons. He revealed His Cosmic Form to His mother, Yasoda. He performed the Rasa Lila, the secret of which can be understood by devotees like Narada, Gauranga, Radha and the Gopis. He taught the supreme truths of Yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta to Arjuna and Uddhava. He mastered the sixty-four fine arts in sixty-four days. For all these reasons, He is regarded as a full and complete manifestation of God".

Our Divine Master wrote several poems glorifying the Purna Avatar of Lord Vishnu, revealing his intimate divine relationship with the Lord. In the book, Swami Sivananda In Pictures, the Master reveals his divine experiences in the poem "My Auspicious Day". Below are a few lines from the poem:

I celebrated this auspicious day,
With great éclat and pomp;
With illumination and joyful songs;
My wish has been fulfilled.
I have met my Beloved;

The Master was not content with glorifying the Bhagavad Gita. He wanted us to benefit from its intense study. Sivananda's Gospel of Divine Life records advice he gave to a young disciple: "If you want to be a scholar, go to a good library and study all the commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita. If you want to attain liberation, then inscribe one verse of the scripture on the tablet of your heart and live it".

Listen to this invaluable advice given by the Master (recorded in the same book): "A gentleman said to the Master, 'Swamiji, I am too engaged in worldly duties, I get little time for Sadhana.' At once, the Master replied, 'Treat everything that you do as divine work. Even breathing, seeing, hearing ─ all these are divine actions. Treat all duties as divine worship. They are not two compartments ─ the divine compartment and the worldly compartment. They are one. Only the attitude has to be changed.'"

Satsangees were privileged to listen to recordings of the Master and Pujya Swamiji singing Bhajans & Kirtans in adoration of Lord Krishna. Such divine vibrations from two God-realised Mahatmas must surely have radiated healing energy across the globe. Our Divine Life Society of S.A. singers and our youth filled the night with many melodious Bhajans & Kirtans.

In a pre-recorded audio message, Pujya Swamiji read about the touching meeting between Lord Krishna and His childhood friend, Sudama. The story of Sudama is very popular in the Bhagavata. Pujya Swamiji's warm, conversational style captured the attention of listeners as usual. Devotees marveled at the two friends who shared intimate childhood memories, and how Sudama even forgot to ask his friend for help, although this was the main reason for his visit. Such is the joy of pure friendship! Nothing is expected in return!

During the "Open Time", devotees were thrilled to listen to the excellent rendition of the sacred Slokas from the Bhagavad Gita by two young Spiritual Darlings from our Sandton branch.

The chanting of the Mantra, Om Namo Bhagavade Sivanandaya, alternating with Om Namo Bhagavade Vasudevaya helped to charge the precincts of our Ashrams and branches with more spiritual vibrations, which would have reverberated around the world as well with our online Satsang. Our Master teaches that rhythmic chanting makes the mind perfectly serene, one-pointed and spiritual.

Our gratitude to our guest artistes Sri Solly Pillay and Manormani Dance Academy for gracing our Satsang at Reservoir Hills.

On this holy Krishna Janmashtami night, we celebrated the birth of the Lord. Now we must pray earnestly for the Lord to take birth in our hearts so that, we too, can enjoy an inner life and experience His divine bliss. Like Uddhava, we too, must one day feel an ineffable peace settle permanently in our hearts and in our day-to day activities. Let us pray to the Master to bless us with this yearning and aspiration.