A Message from Singapore: Satsang with Sri Madhusudan Sai
By Dr Hiramalini Seshadri MD
The just-a-decade-old, jaw-dropping, global humanitarian mission of Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai, that is now expanding in geometric proportions, has its fulcrum in a little red dot on the world map- Singapore. And mind you, it is not the billionaires of Singapore who have been supporting this mind-boggling, global mission that has bettered the lives of millions. A lion’s share of the contributions that supported this mission, particularly during its early difficult days, came quietly without fanfare, from a dozen- fourteen to be exact- ordinary Singaporean families, a few expats, and their friends.
You may find this difficult to believe; but they are all just regular, working Singapore folk, mostly of Indian, Sri Lankan or Chinese origin. What do they do for a living? They work; as trade unionists, modestly successful doctors-nurses-lawyers-accountants-managers, corporate employees and so on. One or two run family businesses. But the one thing they had and continue to have in common, is a penchant to do good. And they were and are, all devoted to Sri Sathya Sai Baba, considered by millions the world over, as God ever in our midst. Indeed, all of them used to support in their own humble way, the many selfless service projects that Baba undertook; and his passing had created a void in their hearts.
Enter in 2014, Brother Madhusudan Naidu, a simple, humble, gentle, former student of Baba, who, guided by Baba from the beyond, was continuing Baba’s mission of Love All, Serve All; which found practical expression as projects that called for selfless service with love. In simple faith, these Singapore devotees came forward to support the projects; simply being ‘’good for goodness’ sake”, as the popular Christmas carol goes. When most ‘rational, sensible, steadfast devotees’ felt that it was crazy to be following a thirty-year old and an invisible Baba, no matter how noble the intentions seemed, these devotees of Singapore dived headlong into the mission, following their hearts.
As the ancients say, one does not need an ocean-sized liner to cross the seas; a sturdy little ship will do. Likewise, with the steady, selfless help from this small ‘Singapore gang’ it was, that quite a few institutions of public service came up in various parts of the globe, this past decade. Of course, devotees from other countries chipped in majorly too. But the first responders were always the Singapore Gang; and they inspired like-minded folk the world over to join in.
The result? The world’s largest free morning nutrition program for school kids who were going to school hungry; the world’s largest chain of paediatric heart surgery centres sans billing counters; a chain of rural residential schools, recently adjudged the best in India, the world’s only university where all the graduates volunteer to join back the loving, do-good mission that educated them and the world’s first rural medical college happened; all of which provide education totally free for all beneficiaries with the socio-economically, most strapped, being searched out and given preference.
The first five years- till 2019, were a honeymoon period; with an invisible, yet palpably present Baba and his dear devotees of Singapore enjoying each other’s company, bonding over music and miracles; with ‘Bhakthi’, the highest form of love, driving all action. But the next five years, saw both the leader and the led transform; the Invisible Lord anointed Brother Madhusudan as Sadguru; and manifested in him. Thereafter, with infinite ‘Prema’, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai began imparting ‘Jnana’, to his team.; creating the path that we know today, as the ‘Prema Marga’- a combination of Bhakthi, Karma and Jnana, saturated with Prema. How did that happen?
In a divine move, Sadguru Sai transformed the COVID ‘lock down’ days into priceless knowledge-kindling days. The landmark ‘Master the Mind’ series of lectures and Sadguru Sai’s take on the Kathopanishad, Ashtaavakra Gita and so on, introduced his curious, eager to learn flock, to the basics of Sanatana Dharma. That there was more to life than body-mind; that the real purpose of life was liberation from the mad cycle of death-birth-death, was driven home in his inimitable manner, with humour all the way. Lofty concepts alien to the western educated mind, such as of Atma, Karma, rebirth, and how to get to liberation were most candidly shared by Sadguru Sai. Significantly, “If I can do it, so can you”- was always the message that Self-Realised, Jeevan Mukta, Sadguru Sai emphasised; nothing less! Service was all very fine; but it had to be coupled with Sadhana, explained Sadguru Sai. I wish I was there, did you say, dear Reader? No worries; just go into Sadguru Madhusudan Sai on YouTube and you can listen to all those invaluable talks.
Leaders of the pack, the Singapore devotees devoured the precious knowledge through weekly online study-circles; all wide-eyed and with rapt attention. Sadguru Sai followed it up with ‘practical exams’ The Singapore devotees were given “absolutely impossible tasks’; to check their spiritual growth. Had they really developed non-attachment for the worldly and instead, a thirst for the Truth? As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going; and going by the events of the past five years, devotees the world over will agree that the Singapore devotees have ‘passed in flying colours’
Naturally, it was a very pleased Sadguru Sai who went to spend time with them in June 2024, which marked the 10th Anniversary of his visits to Singapore. The Satsang at the ‘small is beautiful’, Sai Anandam Ashram in Almond Street, Singapore was a testimony to the enduring love between Guru and disciples. Representing the ‘Singapore Gang’, Dr Ganesan, orthopaedic surgeon and Smt Suganthi Ganesan, at one time, a theatre nurse, spoke. Both of them used to fly down to operate on orthopaedic cases for free in Baba’s Whitefield hospital. Back in Singapore, a Seva that they carried out every Sunday, was ferrying local children up and down to the Bal Vikas classes. The two of them spoke of their spiritual journey with Sai, expressing boundless gratitude to Sadguru Sai and to their buddies, the ‘Singapore Gang’, who were their extended family now. Dr Ganesan continues to guide the orthopaedic department at Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences & Research; and the couple always contribute their mite towards Sadguru Sai’s do-good mission.
Sadguru Sai’s benedictory message was simply out of this world; inspiring, loving, compassionate, firm, yet kind. Writing about it would detract from its perfection. So, you simply must hear it on YouTube, dear Reader!
The take-away for the Singapore gang, the audience and you and me was- to keep on keeping on; hauling each other along, on the path to perfection. The secret is team work. The real destiny of every raindrop falling from the sky, is to reach the ocean. But a single raindrop, all alone, cannot flow all the way to the ocean. But when few drops join together as a trickle, and trickles unite into a stream; and streams into a great big river, every single raindrop can make it to the ocean. So it is, with human beings too. The sole purpose of human birth is to manifest the divinity within; and not get side-tracked by the enticing, tempting world. In this day and age, Satsang is the key, declared Sadguru Sai, quoting the hoary Vedic verse,
‘Satsangatve Nissangatwam, (From Satsang to detachment)
Nissangatve Nirmohatvam, (from non-attachment to desireless-ness)
Nirmohatve Nishchala tatwam, (from desireless-ness to the steady state)
Nichalatatwe Jeevan Mukthi! (from that steady state, to Liberation!)
I did not quite catch that last bit; but I’d like to get started, did you say? No worries; just get started on Satsang!
And don’t quit!
And then, dear Reader, you and I too, shall make it; someday!
By Dr Hiramalini Seshadri MD
dr.hiramalini.seshadri@gmail.com
