The second morning of programs in San Ramon began with skies filled with fog typical of the Bay Area.   Early risers were in the kitchen helping to chop veggies for lunch or dinner.   At around 10:20am, as has been tradition for many years, an announcement was made in the kitchen that Amma would be passing by shortly on her way to the hall. so we all lined up along the roadway to see her drive by.   Clapping hands, singing bhajans, dozens of people rushed out of the kitchen for a quick glimpse.   This scene repeated again when Amma left the hall around 4:30pm  – and as is also tradition, the car slowed down while Amma handed out hershey kisses to all the volunteers and sevites who had been working all day long.

This evening, I was blessed with the grace to sit just below Amma during satsang and bhajans.  When Amma sat down on her peetham, I was looking intently at Her eyes – not so much in hopes that she would look at me, but simply in awe at what those eyes have seen – and what those eyes can see that we can’t.   As Amma waited for Swami Dayamrita to begin satsang, I noticed how Amma was scanning the gathered crowd  – at all her children who had come to see her.   Every now and then, she would give one of those wonderful glances of recognition at someone who undoubtably would end up in instant bliss.

During bhajans, there is now a screen on stage on which the words (for most bhajans) are projected so everyone can follow along. The English translation is also included.  There was a new Tamil bhajan led by Swami Ramakrishna.  The first words are Varuga Varuga Amma Varuga Varuga which I was told can be translated to mean ‘Welcome, Welcome Amma Welcome Welcome.’   At the end of the bhajan, these lines repeated and Amma extended the bhajan for quite some time.

Evening Bhajans were

Jai Ganesha Jai Ekadanta
Shyama Sundara
Satyaslesam
Varuga Varuga (new Tamil)
Om Namah Sivayah
Manase Nin Svantamayi
Kuriyani Kanniru
Ma Jai Jagadambe Ma

Monday 24 November 2008
San Ramon
Sri Pati