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Sai Ram. The festival season for 2001 has already begun in Prasanthi Nilayam. The first week of July saw the Abode of Peace wearing an international look – it had turned out to be the venue of the International Convention on Sri Sathya Sai Educare. People from all over the world had turned up to deliberate on EHV in the Divine Presence, have Darshan and listen to His mellifluous voice.

There was however, a sad note as Bhagawan announced that there would be no more padanamaskar. He said that He had decided to stop padanamaskar because He wanted us to realise that both He and we are one. A difficult methodology to teach an equally difficult lesson! With this, one sweet activity has ceased in Sai’s Presence. Thoughts go back to Narayan Shastri of Uravakonda who was perhaps the first to have an opportunity to have padanamaskar, when the young Sathyanarayana Raju (Bhagawan’s childhood name) pointed out that his Hamsa Gita chanting was all wrong. Wonder who was the last…

They say one devotee was ‘unmindful’ when Bhagawan was speaking about it and inadvertently fell at the Divine Feet immediately after the Discourse. Others were aghast and Bhagawan…probably compassionately amused. The devotee got his padanamaskar…probably the world’s last!

The focus of this issue is a modern look at the Theory of Karma. Is our life predetermined? Repeatedly we are bogged down by the question. We do not consider the other factor – we actually determine that predetermination. Bhagawan says that the present moment holds for us the past as well as the future. Hence, it is omnipresent. Cashing on this (omni)present empowers us to make our own destiny. If understood correctly, it reminds us of our own embodied omnipresence.

In this issue, we begin a feature on ashrams. These spiritual centres have long been centres of spiritual rejuvenation in our country. In fact, they hold the key to India’s contemporary spiritual wealth. Sai Towers Publishing has been working on a directory of Indian ashrams for many years. Spiritual Impressions will keep you posted of the progress of this exciting project.

Finally, our market. Slowly but silently Spiritual Impressions has made inroads into the magazine market. It is one of the very few spiritual magazines that find place in newsstands along with magazines on current issues, computers, sports, lifestyle, show biz and the like. Dear readers, your continued patronage determines the health of our magazine. We look forward to your suggestions and continued support.