A God who is also an intimate friend
Having experienced Swami’s omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience, Kishore instantly accepted Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba as his Sadguru and God. The prophetic words of his Guru, Malhari Baba, seemed to have fructified - Sathya Sai is the Paripoorna Avatar (the Absolute Descent). It is wrong to compare Him to Rama or Krishna because such a Descent has never happened nor will it happen... When the time comes, you will meet Him...
On September 24th, 1987, a holy Thursday, a National Symposium on Values Orientation in Higher Learning had been scheduled at Prasanthi Nilayam and several Vice-Chancellors and prominent Indian educationalists would be participating in it.
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| A file photo of Swami delivering a discourse during the National Symposium on Values Orientation in Higher Learning. Several Vice Chancellors of Universities attended the same. |
Preparations for this symposium were on in full steam and Swami personally supervised every aspect involved. The MBA boys got the privilege of assisting with the preparations. A few days before the D-Day, Kishore was enthusiastically digging pits for the poles which would hold up buntings and other decorations. He was in the grounds adjacent to the college building. It was hard work and he was sweating it out. His clothes were almost dripping wet and were soiled with mud. That was when Swami’s car entered the Institute premises. All the students seemed to line up to enjoy this unexpected bounty. But not Kishore! He was a strict believer in duty being God and, so, he continued digging. From the corner of his eye, he could make out Swami’s car halting near him. The window went down and Swami asked,
“Kishore Kidhar hain (Where is Kishore)?”
{Who is this 'Kishore' to whom reference is being made? If you are wondering this, it is evident that you have missed reading the first part of this story. Come back here after having read that for a more fulfilling reading experience...}
Apparently, Kishore was quite a common name and another student with that name stepped up. Swami immediately said,
“Tum Nahi! Varanasi Kishore... (Not you! The Kishore from Varanasi)”
Kishore stopped digging now. His wife, Gargi, was from Varanasi and the couple had stayed for 3 months there before joining Swami’s University. So, he was sure that Swami was now referring to him. He moved reverentially towards Swami’s car.
“Tumhara Wife Kidhar Hain (Where is your wife?)”
The students from all the campuses had arrived to Prasanthi Nilayam for the symposium. So Kishore said,
“Swami, wife is here...”
“Wife ka naam kya hain (What is your wife’s name)?”
Kishore felt embarrassed to take his wife’s name in public. This is the Bharatiya Maryada (Indian respectful tradition where the wife and husband do not take each other’s name in public). But Swami prodded him on,
“Bolo... Bolo... (Tell... tell...)”
Softly and hesitantly, he said,
“Swami, Gargi...”
“Sharm Nahi Aata Itna Logon Ke Samne Wife Ka Naam Leta Hain (Are you not ashamed to tell your wife’s name publicly in front of so many people)?”
Swami began to smile and Kishore realized that it was a sweet prank that his Chancellor was playing on him. Looking into each other’s eyes with the deepest love was so magical. Kishore understood that Swami was Sadhguru and God no doubt, but He was much more also.
“Gayatri... Gayatri... Gayatri...” Swami said before driving away and Kishore was left wondering as to what He meant.
Whatever He might have meant, Kishore knew that he had fallen in love with God. He wanted only Swami and nothing else.
{Much later, in 2007, Kishore had visited a Nadi reader. This was the Agastya Nadi and while identifying Kishore’s leaf, the reader got all details right. Kishore was impressed. The only error came when the reader said,
“Your wife has two names...”
“No way! She has only one name as far as I know...” Kishore had replied.
“Here it says she has two names... Gargi and... Gayatri. The latter is a name bestowed by God.”
Seeking direct Upadesh (Instruction)
Kishore was desperate to get some Upadesh from Swami - some spiritual instruction which he would strictly adhere to. In order to be ready to receive it, he prepared himself thoroughly. He would never speak unnecessarily. He would mind his own business and not interact with anyone when there was no need. Gossip, timepass, idling time, mocking and back-biting were words completely absent in his dictionary. Added to this, in just a span of a few months, he seemed to have developed an irrepressible desire to serve Swami in any way possible. The symposium gave many such opportunities.
