"Sri Sathya Sai University is the crest jewel of the Indian University Education System…"

S.V. Giri, Vice Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, interacting with Sri Sathya Sai

December 3, 2002 (Tuesday)

A peer team from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (N.A.A.C.) of the University Grants Commission (U.G.C.) had come to the Institute to assess and grade the system of education at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. Swami came out at around 3.30 pm.

Swami : (To Vice-Chancellor) What did the N.A.A.C. committee tell?

V.C. : Swami, the Committee said that our University is the crest jewel of the Indian University Education System.

Swami : The Director met Vajpayee (Prime Minister of India) and Murli Manohar Joshi (Minister for Human Resource Development, Government of India) before coming here. They told them about our University. They wanted to establish a National Academy Staff College for Integral Education at Prasanthi Nilayam. It is not there in India. 

(To students) Whenever elders ask, you should answer properly. Do you know Sanskrit?

Student : Yes, Swami.

Swami : Then speak a few words. (The student spoke a few lines after which he started chanting a poem in Sanskrit.) This is a Sanskrit poem but I want you to speak in Sanskrit. 
(Talking about the hospital) In our hospital, doctors did six complicated operations successfully. They have so much determination and patience.

Prof. A. K. : (Changing the topic to Mahabharata) Swami, Krishna helped the Pandavas many times, but why did he not help Abhimanyu?

Swami : It was his destiny. Nobody can escape from it. At that time only Dharmaraja was there in the house. Subhadra told Abhimanyu not to go. She told him to stay back as his wife was pregnant. But in order to keep up the honour of his father, Abhimanyu proceeded to the battlefield, and was killed by the Kauravas. Whenever Arjuna came home, Abhimanyu used to receive him. But that day he did not come to receive him. Hearing the death of his son, Arjuna vowed that he would kill the one who had formed the Padma Vyuha (a battle strategy).

Prof. A. K. : Swami, did he have that much power?

Swami : He did penance in order to win the grace of Lord Shiva. He had the grace of Lord Shiva.

Prof. A. K. : Was the death of Ghatotkacha reasonable?
Arjuna killing Karna as per command of Lord Krishna
Swami : That is also destiny. The same reason holds for the death of Karna. According to destiny, he was to be killed when the chariot got stuck in the mud. Otherwise, he would have become more powerful. Krishna was not against Karna.

Prof. A. K. : Did Dharmaraja lie during the war?

Swami : No. He just told “Ashwatthama Hathaha” (Ashwatthama is killed) loudly and “Kunjaraha” (an elephant by that name) softly. The person on the other side did not hear with full concentration. That is his mistake. There is something called Yukti Yoga.

Prof. A. K. : Is Yukti, Yoga?

Swami : Yes. Yukti is Yoga. It is not a worldly thing. It differs from it. Yukti is used for good purposes. 

Prof. A. K. : Was Krishna not partial?

Swami : No, everything lies in your feelings. Duryodhana knew the Divinity of Krishna. Because of hatred towards the Pandavas he started going against Krishna. Knowingly committing wrong things is a sin.

Teacher : Swami did the other scholars not know about all these things?

Swami : In order to create interest they will include so many stories in the middle.

Swami then went back to the interview room.


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