Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been extremely kind and loving in giving me the chance of being a student in His Institute (and hopefully for life too). I would like to share personal experiences with Swami and thoughts that He has inspired via many episodes through this blog.
Prof.Sudhir Bhaskar with his Swami in the Kodaikanal hills.
Noble money or noble wealth?
In a world which seems increasingly susceptible to corruption and dishonesty, the terms “tainted wealth” or “tainted money” are often encountered. These terms carry stigma and a definite negative connotation whenever and wherever they are used. In fact, the Bible has a proverb which says,
“Tainted wealth has no lasting value.”
Does that mean that ‘tainted’ money holds any less value than ‘just money’? Come on, lets face it. Whether money is ‘tainted’ or not, it’s value remains the same right? There is this famous anecdote of a college lecturer holding up an American dollar note and asking,
“Who wants this dollar bill?”
Several students raise their hand. Seeing this, the lecturer furiously crushes the bill and asks again,
“Who still wants this bill?”
The hands continue to remain raised.
“What if I do this?”
He throws the bill to the floor, stamps it, soils it and then holds it up, all dirty and crumpled.
The hands continue to be held high because irrespective of what is done to that piece of paper, the fact cannot be changed that it is worth a dollar.
However crumpled or stained, a dollar is worth a dollar!
What we are talking about here is not the physical ‘taint’ on money, but a moral one. Therefore, quite obviously now, ‘tainted money’ refers to money or any other form of wealth that is gained through unscrupulous means. This could be earned as blatantly as demanding a bribe to do one’s duty or as subtly as pocketing a currency note lying lost and neglected on the road. Blatant or subtle, discovered or hidden, dishonesty is dishonesty because the individual indulging in it is definitely aware. Such acts ‘taint’ the money with their dishonesty.
But hey! What do you expect me to do with a currency note that I find on the road which belongs to nobody? You want me to walk away? How is picking it up being dishonest? What should I do then? Well, those are nice questions to think about and I would definitely be enlightened by any and all the answers which the reader can post in the comments section of this article.
I shall not go into that answer here because I want to think about something that is quite the opposite of tainted money - what I would like to call as noble money!
What is noble money?
Building on the flow so far, just as ‘tainted money’ is morally inferior money, ‘noble money’ is morally superior money. Therefore, though there is no such proverb in the Bible, intuitively there seems to be a provision for this statement,
“Noble wealth is of ever-lasting value”.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, my best friend and master, offered tremendous insights into the nature and power of ‘noble money’. That becomes crystal clear when we understand the amazing correlation and connection between two experiences of a professor from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.
“Do you work commensurate to your salary?”
The blessing came out of the blue for Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar and he began to walk behind Swami, to assist Him, during the darshans in Prasanthi Nilayam.
It was the 10th of June in 1993. Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar was seated in the portico of the mandir in Prasanthi Nilayam. Alongside him were a couple of other senior professors from the Institute. They had all come to seek blessings from Swami to start two new courses in the University - MFM (Master of Financial Management) and MTech (Master of Technology in Computer Sciences).
Swami arrived for darshan from His new residence space at the head of the Poornachandra Auditorium. He completed the darshan rounds and walked up to the three professors seated in the portico. He saw the proposal and plans for starting the two new programmes in the University and blessed them. After that, in an unexpected shower of divine grace, He looked at Prof.Sudhir Bhaskar (SB) and Prof.G.V.Prabhakar Rao (GVP) and told them,
“You two, come behind me...”
That was the beginning of the greatest opportunity of SB’s life. He began to assist Swami, walking behind Him, carrying the letters He had taken, ensuring a smooth and disciplined darshan session, keeping the interview room ready, carrying messages from Him to several administrators/devotees and so on. He enjoyed this beautiful and bountiful seva opportunity for more than a decade! That 10th of June marked the beginning of this divine period.
That day, Swami returned to the portico and, in front of everyone in the portico, asked SB,
“How much salary are you getting?”
SB was taken aback. He did not know what to say. Should he just state his salary? Or should he tell Swami the truth that the actual salary he received was His love and his peace of mind? He just kept silent instead. Then, Swami asked another question,
“Are you working commensurate to the salary you are drawing?”
Bhagia sir seemed to be growing more and more disinterested and detached from the ‘mundane’ daily activities which he performed on auto-pilot. His whole being seemed to burn in eager expectation for the eternal Ultimate Experience alone. The summer of 1990 arrived and, as was the practice, Swami shifted from the Puttaparthi ashram of Prasanthi Nilayam to the Bangalore ashram of Brindavan. (The devotees would find it very hot and exhausting, sitting for darshan in the hot Parthi summer. To provide respite for them, Swami would shift to Bangalore which would be cooler on account of its greater geographical altitude.)
{This is actually the second part of a beautiful and message-filled story. To enjoy it in its entirety and immensity, it is recommended that the reader completes Part 1 from the link given below and then proceeds with this Part 2.
While Swami went to Brindavan in March, Bhagia sir followed in April after the academic year had concluded. There were some industrial visits and field trips in Bangalore that the MBA students had to undertake as part of the course and Bhagia sir accompanied them. It was during this summer that Swami decided to resurrect a special course that had been discontinued for more than a decade now - the Summer Course in Indian Culture and Spirituality. This course had been Swami’s initiative in the early seventies with an objective to expose students of the University to the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Bharath. (The course continues on an annual basis to this day. It is always a memorable experience for participants, especially newly admitted students.It orients new students into Bhagawan Baba’s educational philosophy and gives them deep first hand insights into how they can directly benefit from this unique institution. This prepares them well to make the best of the rare opportunities that lie ahead of them.)
Bhagia sir has been blessed with the Ultimate Experience which shows that true happiness lies only in Union with God.
What thrilled Bhagia sir was the subject that Bhagawan Baba took up for the Summer Showers in Brindavan, 1990. It dealt entirely with the why, how and what of Self-Enquiry with Swami unravelling the mystery in stages. Swami dilated in great detail about the mind, the senses, the ego, the Gunas and the Atma. It was definitely a big boon for any aspirant seeking the Ultimate Experience in life.
(The summer course of 1990 is so monumental that it has been taken up for detailed discussion in the Radiosai series entitled Shravanam Mananam Nidhidhyasanam. Bhagia sir too was invited as a guest during one of the discussions which was first aired on 28th May 2014 - a discussion on the discourse that Bhagawan delivered on 30th May 1990. The whole series can be obtained via the Radiosai Audio Search, typing the phrase;
SHRAVANAM_MANANAM_NIDHIDHYASANAM )
Needless to say, Bhagia sir got increasingly inspired as the days passed by. The ‘kick’ came on the last day of the Summer Course. On the 3rd of June, 1990, Swami delivered a lengthy concluding discourse of the Summer Course. He concluded by saying,
“Your entire life must become one continuous meditation.” Bhagia sir’s eyes opened wide as he drank in each and every word from Swami. He internally resolved that spending anything less than 24 hours a day in spiritual pursuit would be unacceptable. Since he had not yet mastered hunger and sleep, it would be physically impossible to spend 24 hours in seeking the Ultimate Experience. But he would definitely spend as much time as possible on that.
The ‘Himalayan people’ have a high spiritual quotient
One of the first things that strike you when you travel to the Himalayan regions is the unbelievable grandeur and beauty of nature. I have made two such trips so far - once to the Garhwal Himalayas and the other to the Kumaon Himalayas - and on both the trips, my breath has been taken away by the mesmerising sights. There is another thing that strikes you with equal force when you undertake such a journey, though it might not hit you right in the beginning. That, in my opinion, is the main reason why this place, Uttarakhand, is called Daivabhoomi (the divine land). And therefore the amazingly high spiritual quotient of the people here.
The beautiful temple-complex at Jageshwar where it is believed that the central shrine houses a Jyotirlinga.
“Hey! Hold on there”, you will ask me, “how do you know that? Do you know a way to measure the spiritual quotient of people?”
No! I do not have any means to actually measure the spiritual quotient of people, though the 12 symptoms of spiritual awakening are good indicators of the same. Based on those ‘symptoms’ I have a personal rule-of-the-thumb which I use for my judgement. I know that I am myself guilty of violating the ‘10th symptom’ (i.e. A loss of interest in judging others) when I use my thumb-rule.
But anyway, here is my personal thumb rule. Whenever people who are hitherto unknown to me ask me about Swami (my Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba), I try to see through the tone of their questions. Also, when I speak about Swami to these people, I try to gauge their openness. In my opinion, the more open, the more appreciative, the more spontaneous, the less conflicting, the less critical and the less judgemental they are, the higher is their spiritual quotient. (And I hope that you are open and appreciative towards this thumb-rule and not critical and judgemental about it! Hehehehe)
A rare photo of the Jotirlinga at Jageshwar which the priest allowed me to take.
Coming back to the spiritual quotient of the people in these Himalayan regions, it is amazing how open, friendly and inquisitive they are. They do not disbelieve others opinions and faith. They accept all paths because spirituality, for them, consists of multiple paths leading to the single, same peak of Self-discovery. And so, each interaction regarding Swami with any hitherto unknown person in this region has left me wiser, happier and more thrilled. As we travel through some beautiful places now, it will be my endeavour to share two such wonderful interactions.
Granting padanamaskar to all the people who had worked for the Hadshi trip. Swami was very happy that the Jadhav brothers were largehearted enough to think of everyone getting a chance with Swami.
We were told that Swami was on His way to inaugurate the new guest house nearby. As Swami was granting the namaskar to the family members, we were all so engrossed in witnessing it. The news of the guest house visit came as a surprise to all of us. We did not have the slightest idea as to where the guest house was. We quickly got into the bus and in that hurry, none of us wore footwear. This is nothing new with God. It is said that in the Dwapara age, the cowherd girls and boys of Brindavan forgot whatever they were doing and rushed to Krishna. Though we might not boast of such devotion, we certainly rushed to Swami in the same hurry. And that was because in the heart of our hearts, we knew that He was our sole refuge. Thus, we forgot our ‘soles’ refuge and sat barefooted in the bus that followed Swami’s car into the hills.
(Dear reader,
If you have come directly to this post, I would like to egg you on to enjoy the full story with its history. Link to part 1 is given below and the link to the next part will be at the end of each previous part. Thank you.
The guest house as it is seen from a distance from where we had to walk, alighting our bus.
As we moved in the convoy, Swami's car took a detour into the mango groves. Mr. Shivajirao Jadhav had expressed a desire that Bhagavan should see the plantations and the Lord had graciously consented. The trail now became very narrow and there was no way that our bus could enter that route. So we alighted and began to jog behind the car. Our soles hurt as the path was strewn with chipped stones and soon we were left way behind Swami’s car. The kilometre long winding route appeared like miles for us.
It was only after we reached the guest house that we did realize that this building was actually only a few hundred meters away from the Residence! We had followed Swami on His circuitous route! We felt we were so dull-witted nevertheless I remembered Swami's quote, "Of all the craziness that afflict man, God-madness is the least harmful and the most beneficial."
A memorable capture during the Vijayabhojanam, details of which are coming up ahead!
The divine discourse came to an end and the 15,000 strong audience joined wholeheartedly in the bhajan song that the Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, sang. My voice too was one among those thousands and it definitely sounded energetic and enthusiastic. How many ever times I heard Swami sing the same bhajan, Prema Muditha Manase Kaho, it seemed ever fresh and fulfilling. Even as Swami lead the bhajan, He clapped and enthused every tongue to delve on the divine name while every heart was diving deep into a sea of tranquility. As the bhajan neared the conclusion, He looked to a side and beckoned to the students seated there with circular vessels containing the prasadam - eatables first offered to God and then partaken as a token of Divine benediction.
It was standard practice after every discourse that Swami would bless the prasadam to be distributed. It would invariably be His students who would do the distribution.
The three students walked up to Him and He blessed the prasadam in the vessels. He then told them to begin distribution to the gathered people. Suddenly, there was activity everywhere. A group of students transported dozens of such vessels to the ladies’ half of the hall where women volunteers took them to begin distribution. On the gents’ side however, the students themselves began the distribution. The initial number of three had now grown to tens of students assisting in the distribution. Unable to resist the joy in doing my Swami’s work, I too got up to join in the distribution. Soon, I was wading through people, distributing prasadam. The people on their part accepted the prasadam with great love and humility. I felt so blessed.
With that feeling of blessedness, there also arose in me a memory which added to my joy. It was the memory of a Trayee session in Brindavan, when Sri Sanjay Sahni narrated the reason behind Swami assigning this task of prasadam distribution to the students.
Prasadam serving as the premium to the grand insurance of His Grace
On one occasion, Swami asked the students and teachers whether they were aware of the reason why He insists on them serving prasadam to the devotees in any assembly. As is the case generally, nobody was able to fathom the correct reason. With a smile, Swami Himself gave the answer. He said,
“There will be times and situations in the future when you will require my help and intercession. This act of prasadam distribution done now will ensure that you are worthy of my Grace then. Then, my Grace will flow to you without limit.”
That was Sahni sir’s narrative that day.
Swami’s answer is stunning in its implications. The act of serving the Lord’s prasadam is like an insurance premium. The only difference in this case is that God’s grace is like an “infinite” insurance that helps you in your time of need beyond all limits. This means that, unlike a normal insurance, there is no limit to the multiplying factor which God applies to our ‘premiums’. As per the need He can multiply it a million times, a billion times or even a trillion times. But it is important to have made some ‘premium’ deposit else, if a big zero is multiplied with any factor, it still remains a zero. Swami’s love is such that He Himself ensures that the students make those ‘premium’ deposits!
While every ‘Sai Student’ will rejoice reading this and thinking of the many occasions when he/she was made to serve prasadam either in the darshan hall or during the Grama Seva, the same might not be the case with the world at large! It appears as though Swami is partial towards the students and is ‘ensuring’ their welfare by Himself. What about the rest of humanity who have not got the chance to serve, being directly commanded by Swami?
Well, intuition says that any service done automatically becomes a ‘premium’ paid - irrespective of whether Swami directly ‘commanded’ it or not. Just like the educational institutions and medical institutions by Bhagawan serve as models, these incidents and explanations also serve as models for all of us to emulate. Definitely, service is the way to go and ‘pay’ premiums for the insurance of our life. However, for those that are unable to distinguish intuition from the monkey mind drawing its solace via assuring, self-made statements, here is a thrilling account of a daily-wage earner. That will prove for sure the importance and magnificence of seva or doing service.
All through His life Swami has always pointed out the importance of selfless service.
Ramesh Kumar’s world goes dark in the dark
Ramesh Kumar (name changed to protect privacy) was one among the several workers residing in the servants’ colony of the NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) power plant at Vindhyanagar in Singrauli district of the Indian state, Madhya Pradesh. A native from West Bengal, he used to perform his domestic duties in several homes of the officers working in the plant. One among the several homes he worked in belonged to Mr. Krishnan. Mr. Krishnan was (and is) a staunch devotee of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and was working as the Deputy General Manager at the plant.
Ramesh had seen Swami’s pictures in Krishnan’s home and had also come to know a little about Him. He respected the Master and was sincere in his duties. Life was going on smoothly for him till that fateful day when he realized that he was unable to see clearly in the fading light of the day. After that, it was a continuous decline and Ramesh feared that soon, he might become completely blind. That was when he went to his master, Krishnan, and confided in him.
“Please help me sir. I think that my eyesight is getting bad.”
“Have you gone to a doctor?”
“Yes sir. But he says that an operation is necessary within a year else I may lose sight completely. The cost of the operation is 2 lakhs (about $4000 US). How can I ever afford that? Can Sai Baba help me?”
Ramesh’s monthly salary was about 5,000 INR (about $100 US then). Krishnan knew that he would never be able to afford it. But that was an amount that even the Deputy General Manager could not afford easily! What was he to do? Krishnan decided to put to acid test the word given by Swami.
“You know, every Thursday we have bhajans and seva in our Sai Samithi. Why don’t you come next Thursday and join us. I am sure that something nice will work out for your surgery.”
Ramesh nodded hopefully and left. Krishnan, in the inner recesses of his heart, hoped fervently that Swami’s words would fructify. What were Swami’s words on which Krishnan was relying so heavily upon?
The message of the Lord
On the 22nd of November, 1991, the prime minister of India, P.V.Narasimha Rao, inaugurated the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi. The tertiary care hospital which began offering medical care TOTALLY FREE of cost to one and all is a miracle story in itself.
Watch this episode in the memorable "Message of the Lord"
series in which the miraculous hospital story is covered.
Even as the hospital started serving everyone with medical needs in cardiology, neurology, urology and ophthalmology, the waiting list of patients wanting to receive treatment grew to enormous proportions. In spite of 6-10 operations being done daily, the hospital was unable to tend to ever-increasing number of patients that arrived at its doorstep with nothing more than hope. Along with that also came an increasing number of people who walked away healthy and happy from the hospital. Endless are the stories of patients that have received this unique loving and healing touch of the hospital. Enthused by the phenomenal success of the hospital, all the Sai-fraternity began to spread news of this temple of healing in their respective hometowns.
That is how even Ramesh had heard about the hospital and he hoped that it would provide him a solution from his problem. However, it wasn’t that simple.
As stated earlier, the waiting-list of patients was ever-swelling. Many patients would come to the hospital to only learn that there was a huge queue. The doctors were doing their best but some patients would have to wait months or even years. Driven by desperation, the patients would rush to the darshan grounds with the hope that Sai Baba would cure them in an instant without the painful surgery of the hospital. That was when Swami called the active workers from most Indian states to the portico for what would be an ‘open’ interview. Among the active workers was Mr.S.K.Sachdeva, the state president for Sri Sathya Sai Organizations(SSSO) in Madhya Pradesh.
Swami addressed all of them,
“See, our super-specialty hospital in Puttaparthi is getting a large number of patients. All of you are sending patients from your respective states for treatment here. Since the hospital has a limited intake, the remaining patients come to the hall here hoping that I cure them. How can I simply cure them like that?”
Swami seemed to give a few moments for the words to sink in. He then continued.
“Instead of directly sending the patients here, advise them lovingly to do some service and sadhana. After they do the service and sadhana, send them to me. Then, I can pour my Grace on them for the service rendered and help them.” That showed that even the Lord could be ‘bought’ over - through selfless service and sadhana!
Mr. Sachdeva had conveyed this to all the members in his state and that is how Mr. Krishnan came to know of it. And that was the reason why he told Ramesh to start attending the service activities in the samithi on every Thursday. He was trying out Swami’s suggested remedy.
That was how Ramesh began to spend time in service. He began to give his time and energy to help the homeless, the aged and the orphans. He also realized that service is not like a ‘timed’ job; it is more a way of life. Kind words and prayerful thoughts were as much a service as thoughtful actions. Such was the joy he derived from service that he also started to develop love and devotion to the orange-robe clad form of the Lord. Four months passed this way. Though his eyesight had not improved, it definitely felt as if it had not deteriorated either. That in itself felt like a great blessing for Ramesh. Krishnan was happy seeing all the positives Ramesh had gained.
One night, his wife asked Krishnan,
“You had assured Ramesh that something would work out for his surgery. Though happiness has been added to his life, his eye problem remains. Either you try to help him out or at least let him know that there is nothing more you can do. He has just another 8 months to get the surgery done.”
On the eve of his birthday, these were Krishnan’s thoughts too. As his seva, he wanted to gift something to Ramesh but he knew that the surgery was way beyond his means. With a strong thought that he should do something good, he went to sleep.
It was a hearty conversation for the next ten minutes as both friends caught up with each other. It was in the course of the conversation that his friend Raghunath mentioned about another close friend of his who was an important doctor in Sankara Netralaya, a charitable eye hospital. The reader can easily guess what happened next. Krishnan poured out Ramesh’s optical woes and Raghunath assured him not to worry. Within the next week, Ramesh was operated and cured of his ailment, free of cost, thanks to the doctor friend!
But Ramesh did not believe that this was just a coincidence. Neither did Krishnan.
“Sir! You told me to join service and everything would be taken care of. That is exactly what has happened! This is so magical and fantastic. This secret should be shared with one and all. I feel it will help not only in solving physical ailments but also help in all kinds of problems.”
Ramesh was bustling with so much energy that Krishnan could not help smiling broadly.He was so happy today. In the inner recesses of his heart, he sent prayers of gratitude to Swami for having given him such a beautiful birthday gift. It was almost as if he himself had received the eye-treatment.
That is the beauty of service. It uplifts both the ‘receiver’ and the ‘donor’ because in reality, in service everyone is actually a ‘receiver’. We very often mistake service to be some help rendered to others.
There was once this farmer with the best watermelons in the country. After every harvest, he would distribute his seeds to all other farmers in his village. While everyone considered him to be doing a great service he said that if he did not do as he was doing, the bees may pollinate his flowers with lesser grade pollen from the flowers of other fields! Then he would no longer have the best watermelons. So to ensure perfect harvest, he did the so called service. Service benefits the recipient no doubt, but the one who serves benefits most! If we remember this, the things we think and do daily will be so much different than what we do daily!
A passer by once saw a little calf stranded in slush and was struggling to get out. He immediately dived in and rescued it. It was hailed as an act of service by some while some,laughed at it as an act of foolishness. The man simply said, "I was in great pain to see that calf suffering. I did nothing foolish nor did I render service. Whatever I did, I did it to ease my own pain." When we stand strong in this feeling alone can we render service, for in the process of service, we are truly helping ourselves.
One good deed inspires another
Ramesh took it upon himself to share this great secret of service to one and all. He began to regularly fetch different people to the Thursday seva telling them,
“Just do good and see good happening to you. Do service and you will receive God’s blessings that will solve all your problems.”
Even to this day, Ramesh continues to do this and has become a very key worker in the Sathya Sai Seva Organizations. Needless to say, Krishnan too continues to use the mantra of service whenever anyone comes to him with any problem. And it seems to work every single time to date!
Excuse me now. I want to rush and do my bit of daily service. No! Its not because I am suffering from any problem. It is because I am convinced that it will give me great happiness. Wait a minute! Is it possible that I am happy always because my little ‘premium’ payments have ensured a blissful ‘insurance’ from the troubles of the world? The only way to check would be to stop doing service (which actually I am doing for my joy) and see. But I am not ready for that risk!
Happy serving everyone!
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