Letters from India - Part 2

44. Canteen Construction & Typhoid Fever - March 1992

The Canteen a Pile of Rubble

March 18, 1992 

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Parents,

Divya conveys her namaskars. Hope you are all well there. All is normal here. In Whitefield Swami is giving Darshan twice a day.

The canteen is already fully a pile of rubble (it took only one week!) and ¼ of it is already the foundation cement for the new canteen. The canteen cooking stuff, machinery, gas stoves, etc., are put in a far-off shed where they also serve food (for residents only, no visitors or outsiders allowed). It’s a long walk in the sun, which fortunately I'm saved from, as Amma (Venkamma) is giving me food.

The two helpers who used to help Amma cook & clean up have gone away for the summer, so all day I'm slaving away, trying to remember the words of Hanuman to Vibhishana: “Only contemplating on God’s Name won't get the vision of God, one must do seva in His name also.”

Amma is fine and is very energetic again, finally fully recovered. Her uncle (mother’s brother), who has lived here many years, recently died so she’s on 10 days of “unclean” state and hasn’t come to bhajan in a few days. It’s interesting to see that though she warns people that she’s “unclean” and not to touch her, if they don’t mind she’s pleased and if they stay away, she scolds them after they go, for following superstitions!

The weather is finally nice and hot. :-)

I am fine – naturally I got a cold and sinus infection after Sivarathri festival. Now it’s over.

Did I write you of Sivarathri? It was the best, highest vibration Sivarathri I remember. Morning was mantras and prasad; evening was discourse and all-night bhajan. Next morning was another discourse and prasad of sweets & spicy rice. Swami talked all of the Name of God and there was something very special – as if He lifted the veil of maya that He covers himself with (to keep us from moksha!), and we could experience the Bliss of His Divinity, only a fraction of it but even that brings our consciousness to the skies! He was looking happy and pleased with His creation. At least God can have unending fun with it!

So, I would say all is quiet here but due to sledgehammers and cement mixers going constantly, it isn’t! Hope all is happy & perfect there.

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.,

Love,

Divya

____________________

Typhoid Fever

221.April 6, 1992 

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Parents,

Swami left for Kodai Kanal on 5 April. On Ugadi He gave a discourse and said the coming year will be GOOD, stars/planets are in favorable positions, good rains would fall and there would be peace and surrender. I didn’t go to Whitefield where He gave the discourse – Vidya wrote me these few lines from there.

I got Typhoid Fever and on 27 March was taken to the hospital with chills and high fever, it was 104 degrees for a few days, then went down. Then I was a “carrier” but today, 6 April, they discharged me from the hospital. I also got Urinary tract infection (though I feel & notice nothing). They gave me strong drugs for this but it didn’t improve. They want me to do check-up tests in another hospital to confirm that both Typhoid & UTI are over, after one or two weeks when I gather strength.

Typhoid means ulcer comes in a small intestine therefore I am on semi-liquid and soft puree, bland foods diet (easily digestible) for one or two months. They say I’ve gone really thin but never mind, I will gain weight fast once I can eat again! :-)

I am perfectly fine now, only a little weak. Amma is fine, though also weak because she’s had to do a lot of work herself, without my help for the last 10 days!

Our karma catches up with us, what can we do!

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya