The feet that differed
Prof. Anil Kumar was a delighted man. He had just been beckoned into the ‘interview room’ by his master and god, his Swami, Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
The term ‘interview room’ does not do any justice to what happens inside. Probably, the Hindi term for ‘interview room’ - Sakshatkar Kaksh - provides an indication of the powerful experiences that transpire within. Sakshatkar, on one hand, means a face-to-face interaction but, on the other hand, it also means experiencing the manifestation of the omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient divinity in a physical form. The interview rooms where Swami granted audiences and interactions to tens of thousands of people have witnessed millions of magical moments and the professor was in for one such moment.
He went in and found Swami seated on His chair in the northwestern corner of the room. He rushed and seated himself at His feet. Even as Swami began to converse, the professor placed his hands on His feet and began enjoying the bliss of Padasevanam (service to the feet of one’s Guru/God). A few minutes later, he realized that there were some deep impressions in the flesh at the left ankle. Looking down, he realized that they were impressions that were probably created by a heavy anklet. Surprisingly, these impressions were absent on the right ankle. Unable to bear the curiosity, he interrupted the conversation and asked,
“Swami, what are these marks on your left ankle?”
Swami smiled and gave a reply that thrilled the genial professor to the core.
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| Anil Kumar sir on one of the several occasions when he got an interview from Swami. |
The differential diagnosis
Dr. Narottam Maharaj Alreja had the greatest good fortune of being the ‘personal physician’ of his Avatar of the Age - Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He had earlier worked in the well known J.J.Hospital, Mumbai, as its Superintendent and had joined the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam as its Superintendent in the year 1975.
One afternoon, at about 1:30 pm, he suddenly received summons to Swami’s residence. Wondering what the issue might be, he gathered his medical bag and rushed to the spot. Swami welcomed him with a smile and said that he was feeling uneasy. The one who is always at the most supreme easy sports uneasiness only to convey a message and grant an experience. That would be the doctor’s discovery that day.
“Check my blood pressure”, the doctor was advised and he immediately readied his sphygmomanometer to do the same. Putting the cuff to Swami’s right arm, Dr. Alreja pumped the machine to take measurements. The blood pressure was 80/56 and pulse rate 48 per minute. This was not good but the doctor knew that he was face to face with God.
“Is there anything serious, Alreja?” Swami enquired.
“Swami, what can ever be serious with Swami?”
“But the expression on your face changed when you took the readings...”
“May I take the BP readings for the other arm?”
“Do whatever you need to form your diagnosis.”
Dr. Alreja removed the cuff from Swami’s right arm and slid it over His left arm. As he pumped up the machine and listened carefully in his stethoscope, the BP showed 120/80 with a pulse rate of 72 per minute. This was the perfect ‘normal’.
“Now what is your diagnosis?” Swami asked.
Alreja was a devotee first and doctor later. He prostrated to Swami and gave his diagnosis.
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| Dr. Alreja speaking in the General Hospital (2003) |
“You got a heart attack with a blockage of the artery. You say that You are Siva Shakti Swarupa. Siva on the right side had taken over the heart attack of a Siva bhakta. On the left side, Shakti was unaffected. Am grateful that you provided me with medical proof that you are Shiva-Shakti.”
At that moment, Swami raised the robe and blessed the doctor with another beautiful revelation and experience.
“See on the right chest and arm, there is hair. On the left side of My chest and arm, there is no hair.”
The Shiva-Shakti Swaroopa
In the interview room, it was a similar experience that was granted to Prof. Anil Kumar. He immediately realized that the curtains had been parted for him to witness the Shiva-Shakti. Even as that realization dawned, Swami confirmed it, saying,
“That is the Shiva-Shakti swaroopa.”
The earliest recorded instance of Swami indicating the Shiva-Shakti is when, as a child, He would apply both vibhuti and kumkum to His forehead. The ‘parents’ and ‘friends’ would wonder what was happening, unaware that a revelation was in progress. Nobody probably even thought of this aspect of the Avatar till the magnificent miracle and declaration during the Guru Poornima of 1963 when Swami cured a paralytic stroke to the left half of His body by just sprinkling a few drops of water and then stood up to deliver the divine discourse, revealing the secret of Shiva-Shakti. (We have included that historic discourse in this issue of ‘The Eternal Companion’)
The name ‘Sai’ itself means Shiva-Shakthi. Etymologically, the first letter Sa(h) signifies the supreme Divinity (Eeshvara) or Shiva. Ayee, the second word signifies Shakthi, Ambaa or the universal Divine Mother. If the two letters are joined, the euphonic combination becomes Saayee: The great Vedic scholar and seer of the holy Mantra, the Sri Sathya Sai Gaayatri, the late Ghandikota Subramanya Shastri versified in Sanskrit as follows:
Shivah Sah Ithi Anena Ukthah
Ayee Ithi Ambaa Prakeerthithaa
Thath Samyogah Shivas-Saambah
Saayee Ithi Prathipaadhyathe
There is also the beautiful incident of Swami’s reminder to the great Sanskrit scholar.
On one Shankara Jayanthi day ( the birth anniversary of the Indian guru, philosopher and Adwaitin, Adi Shankaracharya), Swami asked Sri Ghandikota Subramanya Shastri to address a large gathering of devotees in the spacious Poornachandra Auditorium. Being a master of Vedic learning and practice, he dwelt at length on the divine qualities and powers of Swami, comparing Him with several Vedic divinities - Gayatri, Dattatreya, Vishnu and the like. By a slip of memory, he forgot to mention the Shiva aspect of Baba, although Shiva happened to be his Ishta Devatha or favorite form of Divinity. Later, through the rest of the day he regretted this omission.
The next morning, after the regular bhajan was over, Swami graced the scholar and his son, with a memorable interview. The discussion centered on the triple Vedic paths of Karma, Bhakthi and Jnaana (Work, Worship, and Wisdom) and the triple divinities: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. At the end, Swami led them into the Bhajan Hall and showed them around the new decorative installations in the Bhajan Mandir. Stopping in front of the Shirdi Baba painting, He waved His right palm and lovingly materialized an unusual color picture.
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| The photograph materialised by Swami |
"Idhi naa nija svaroopam (This is My True Form)”, He declared. This electrified the Vedic scholar.
If the word Esha (short for Eshwara or Shiva) is reversed in its Sanskri rendering, it becomes Shaayee, which further reduces to Saayee or Sai. Thus Swami's name as well as its meaning point in the direction of the Shiva-Shakti.
Bhakti’s logic
I had once asked my 6-year old daughter, Bhakti (as named by Swami in my dream),
“Why is it that we have Avatars of Vishnu but not of Shiva?”
Pat came the reply,
“That is because Vishnu is in Vaikuntha and needs to descend to the Earth. Shiva lives in Kailasa which is already on Earth. There is no need for an Avatar.”
A child’s spontaneity always holds a Truth. Indeed, Shiva-Shakti lives on Earth. And we are fortunate to have seen, touched and experienced our dear Swami.
