It is impossible to pen the life of Baba. Its subtleties are beyond human ken. He often exhorts us, ‘Don’t try to analyse Me, experience Me instead; dive deep into My life, and therein you will find pearls of supreme wisdom which you can use in your daily life.’
This was one endeavour which was a regular feature at the Sri Sathya Sai Hostel, Prasanthi Nilayam – writing students’ experiences with Baba and sharing through them the lessons for life that they have learnt. Through these writings by the students and staff, emerged facets of His personality, which have struck them the most, and transformed their lives forever – His love, grace, grandeur, charisma, message and mission.
The ‘Sai Chandana’ magazine started in 1984. Named by Baba Himself, it is an in-house Hostel Magazine offered by the Hostel students and staff to Him, every quarter. It typically consists of the experiences of students and staff (in English, Hindi, Telugu and Sanskrit), in the form of articles and poems, and even colourful sketches of Bhagavan and other deities of the Sanatana Dharma. The best of these articles were selected and published in a book form every five years titled ‘Sai Nandana’.
This Book is a compilation of the articles written and published by the students of the Sri Sathya Sai Hostel at Prasanthi Nilayam on the occasion of the 75th Birthday of Baba in November 2000. The Book was a limited copy edition. By and large, the students whose articles were published in the issue would receive a gift copy from the Hostel as a prize for their writing skills. The devotees, who would throng to Prasanthi Nilayam on the occasion, would be lucky enough to get a copy for themselves from the Mandir book shop, for students’ experiences with Swami are something that everyone wants to read. Luckily, a copy was given to the libraries of each of the Hostels and even to the Central Library of the Institute at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus.
Those students who joined the Institute in recent years, were unaware of these early issues. Recently, they happened to come across some of these old copies in the Central Library at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus of the Institute. When they opened the issues, they found articles by many illustrious alumni, who are today in prominent positions in eminent organisations across the globe. When they were students, they had shared their experiences with Baba in the Sai Nandana issues. And in all the articles was found the same Love Story between Baba and His students continuing year after year, batch after batch, decade after decade – the silent story of inner transformation of students through His Darshan, Sparshan, Sambhashan, Anugraham and Aashirwadam.
Sai Publications thought that it was the right time to bring forth all these issues into the public domain, and once again, make it available for all the alumni, students and staff of Sri Sathya Sai Educational Institutions, and to the large Sai family of devotees across the continents, to read and reminisce the golden days which the students spent with Swami during their stay in this hallowed Institution. Since e-books are the most preferred format in contemporary times, the Book has been made available in various e-formats, which are compatible with different software. This would give the readers an opportunity to read an experience a day, while they are travelling to office or returning therefrom, waiting for a meal or winding up after a long day’s work, and help them get soaked in the joy of those moments of a bygone and glorious era! The Book has also been made colourful by including photos of Baba and students relevant to the experience shared in each article.
Through this endeavour Sai Publications bring before the readers 75 precious articles containing experiences of students and staff over three decades ago – indeed, a treasure house of Divine Grace and proximity between the Baba and His students.