[Narrations like the following are by fictitious characters, though content is based on fact.]
Prasanthi Nilayam is the name of the Ashram—here in India, where Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba lives. It’s a pretty exciting place to be, believe it or not, because it’s the Lord’s home town. He grew up here in the small village of Puttaparthi. So, millions of people from every country in the whole world come here to be with him and have His Darshan. Darshan means to look at a Holy Man—and Sri Sathya Sai Baba is as Holy as you can get—He’s the Holiest of the Holies, my Mom says. The closest thing to God on earth. I guess, Swami is everyone’s real Mother and Father, and this is their real home.
So, I know what a lucky little kid I am. Not only do I get to be here with the Lord, but I get to meet all those millions of people who love Him as much as I do and have Him in their hearts. Mom says it’s a great adventure and that I should make the most of it.
Oh! My name is Frankie. You may have met me and my Mom in other stories. Well, in our first interview, Swami told us that we could stay here with Him, but that Mom would have to help me with my studies and teach me, every day. That was just fine with me, ‘cause it meant that He was allowing us to stay for awhile. Anyway, it was Mom’s idea for me to write these stories about the great religions. Where else would I get a chance to meet people, spiritual people, who belong to all the different faiths? Mom told me to pick nine religions because nine is a ‘God’ number’. Somehow I ended up with 10, though, divided into three books. So if your religion isn’t here, don’t get mad at me. I sure hope Swami does the writing, because I can only try to tell you the stories. Well, here goes.
Maybe you should try to picture the Ashram first. See, right in the middle is the Prayer Hall or Mandir. That’s where my Mom stays a lot of the time doing her ‘work’ or sadhana, as she calls it. Swami used to live in the little room on the second floor. Then he moved to the Poornachandra Auditorium. Now he will be moving into his new residence in the garden south of the Poornachandra. They hope to finish it by his 80th Birthday on November 23, 2005. That is from where He will continue to direct the “Cosmic Play”!
Then, all around the Mandir is a wall, and the Devotees sit inside of that wall for Darshan. Anyway, no one can play with their toys or even talk, because it’s such a sacred place.
There is another space around that, the outer courtyard, where you can play with your cars or talk q-u-i-e-t-l-y. Then there’s the great big hall for special events, called the Poornachandra, where Swami lives until his new residence is built, and several canteens, and then, blocks of flats or rooms where we all live. There’s a bookstore, a shopping arcade, a terraced garden and a library. It’s kind of like a little city. Got it?
