Destiny or Freewill - the third option by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Debate Classics 

With God, there is always a third option which is completely different
from the available two options. 

There are some debate topics that are considered timeless because they seem to rage on in the hearts and minds of people with no apparent solution at hand. Like the famous question on whether the hen came first or the egg, such debate topics have no provable answer. That is the reason why they are picked for debates - because they showcase the debating skills of the participants without actually concluding anything. I remember one such debate in my college days on whether the means justify the ends or whether the ends justify the means. After an hour of grueling and intense debate, the moderator walked up to the lectern and said,

"The debate appears to have come to an end today as the allotted 1 hour is up. However, in reality, the debate has not ended. It has just begun in the minds of all that have assembled here and that should rage on till we find answers for ourselves."

I must confess that living with my Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and experiencing His divinity, I have got my answers to several such debates which rage in the inner recesses of one's being. The question of means v/s ends has been amicably resolved with the experience of Mr.Pushkaraj Gumaste. Another debate that raged on within me till recent times was the timeless classic on whether one is governed by destiny or by one's efforts. The destiny v/s freewill debate has been battled out in many bustling classrooms, on daises and stages of different levels and even on television shows. However, while everyone has a point of view and fiercely argues for it, even to this day not many can claim clarity on the subject. Nobody is convincing enough for us to accept completely, without reservations.

Would it raise eyebrows if I were to claim that this debate too has been resolved in a beautiful manner for me by my Swami? The answer arrives via the experience of Prof.Raghunath.N.Safaya in the early 1980s with 1983 being the most probable year of happening. It was narrated to me by one of the first students of the revered professor, Sunam Gyamtso. Sunam's account gave me a very unique answer for this question of freewill v/s destiny and, more importantly, filled my heart with a lot of cheer. Without further ado, let me spread and share that same cheer to all the readers.

A very different teacher in the class

That eventful day in the spring of 1983 is unforgettable for Sunam. He was sitting along with his classmates, awaiting the beginning of the Philosophy class. The lecture was to be delivered by Prof. Raghunath Safaya. He was a stickler for time and was never late for class. Today, however, seemed to be a rare exception. He walked into the class after a good five minutes of the bell being rung. And even as he walked in, he seemed to be quivering and quaking. The students looked at each other. They knew that something was amiss. Did they spot a few tears behind those thickset glasses that the professor wore? Was there a faint quiver in his voice when he wished the whole class 'Good Morning' and 'Sairam'?

Prof.Raghunath Safaya in a group photograph with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and other teachers in the foyer
of the college building. He is seated to the extreme right of Bhagawan. To his left is Gangadhar Shastry. To Swami's
left is Kirti Ravel (Hindi) and to his left is CLN Murthy. To extreme left of Swami is Kuppuswamy beside whom 
Sandeep Shastri is kneeling. 

A brief history of the revered professor is in order here. Prof.Safaya was well-versed in his subjects and was a master in philosophy and history. His hometown was Chandigarh in North India and he had traversed hundreds of miles to serve as a teacher in the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. Previously, he worked at the Teachers' Training Institute at Chandigarh. His greatest passion, hobby and love in life were astrology and palmistry. That was something that he had inherited from his ancestors, all of whom had been respected for their knowledge of the way in which the planets and stars in the skies along with the lines on one's palm influence one's life.

And so, Prof.Safaya was the owner of a set of heavy books on astrology and palmistry which had arrived into his hands like an heirloom. He often fascinated his students with his knowledge of these sciences which seemed to be far greater than his knowledge of history and philosophy too. In fact, his faith and confidence in these sciences was also far greater than his faith in Swami.

According to him, Swami was a very wonderful and evolved human being who was spreading goodness in society - nothing more, nothing less. That was what had attracted him to Him and he tried to imbibe as much goodness from Him as he could. Swami, on His part, seemed very happy with the professor's efforts. He appreciated them and Prof.Safaya often got interviews.

Sunam and his classmates knew that today was another such day when the professor had received an interview with Swami. But never before had they seen him in such a state of overwhelming emotion. What had transpired today?

A ruler of lines falls in line with the rules of the ruler

Prof. Safaya himself narrated the powerful happenings of the morning. Swami had called him in for an interview. He entered the interview room and for the first few minutes, the interview went along the lines of the previous interviews. Swami asked him how things were going, how the students were and so on. Then, out of the blue, Swami told him,

"You seem to have great faith in the predictive sciences of your forefathers. That overpowers even your faith in God's strength! Do you believe that commensurate to your surrender, I will take care of everything for you?"

The professor was taken aback. The question was direct and almost in his face. However, it was not easy for him to instantly transform his reverence for Swami into implicit faith. He had heard about the power and grace of God, but wasn't it this very Swami who had gifted him with an emerald ring to wear? Emerald was his lucky stone and green, his lucky color. Having adhered to such talismans of luck Himself, how could Swami ask him to give up all that he had learnt as ancestral wisdom? Little did Prof.Safaya realize then that with God by his side, even misfortune could become a good-luck talisman - that is the capacity of Divine power.

Swami continued to taunt,

"Professor, your sciences can only predict. Can they help you intervene if something is unfavourable?"

Prof. Safaya knew this to be the truth. Though astrology and palmistry suggested some remedial measures for impending 'disasters', he knew that none of these remedies were foolproof.

Swami now did something that he had never imagined. Calling him closer, He held both his hands. Slowly, Swami brushed His palms over the professor's upturned palms. Then He told him,

"Tell me, what does life hold for you?"

The professor looked down at his palms. Having seen them every day of his life, he actually had no need to do that. He knew the contours on his palm by heart. The lines were etched in his memory stronger than they were on his palm. It was only out of respect for Swami that he looked at his palms. He was in for a shock.

Amid tears, the professor told his philosophy class students,

"When I looked, I did not find a single line on my palms. They had been wiped clean - no trace of even the faintest etch!"

The power of surrender

As the class listened with bated breath, the professor continued his narrative. Swami stood smiling in front of him, apparently enjoying the professor's discomfiture and shock. Prof. Safaya just broke down and Swami lovingly patted him.

"Don't worry about anything. Once you surrender to me, I shall take care of everything."

The professor fell to his knees and touched Swami's feet. What he had thought as impossible had actually happened - his reverence for Swami had transformed into implicit faith in a moment!

"Yes Swami! Yes Swami! I believe that commensurate to our surrender, you take care. Complete surrender means a life completely taken care of!"

Swami smiled at him again and touched his palms again. The lines were all back again - to the last detail! The professor was overwhelmed at the presence of this Master who could wipe out and re-draw the lines on his palm at will.

"You have nothing to worry when I am shouldering your lives. Just surrender, that is enough."

The interview was complete after that. Swami opened the door and let the professor out. It was time for his class in the Institute and Swami knew that he was a stickler for time. However, the dialogue on surrender had been so powerful that the professor decided to temporarily suspend his punctuality.

Instead of walking to the Institute, he walked straight to his room. He gathered his precious heirloom - all the thick books on astrology and palmistry. He bundled them all up in a big cloth and carried the bundle out of the room. He walked to the large ground-level well that was located behind the planetarium beside the Institute building. Without further thought, he just dumped all the books into the well. Then, wiping his tears, he walked to the waiting class.

Destiny or Freewill

"Dear students", he told them, "trust me, the science of astrology and palmistry are nothing compared to Swami's grace and power. I feel so redeemed today."

As I heard Sunam recounting the greatest philosophy lesson of the professor, I got my answer to the destiny and freewill debate. So, is it destiny of self-effort finally? My answer is - Who cares? I know for sure that Swami's grace is more powerful than my destiny, more effective than my efforts. And so, when presented with the choices, I go for the third option. As martial artist David Carradine says,

"There's always a third way, and it's not a combination of the other two ways. It's a different way."

And that way, for me is surrender. Swami has also given an elegant, practical way to practice surrender. If I can just follow that, it will be enough. The debate will cease and it will not matter to me whether it is destiny or my effort that is affecting me because I will have something far more powerful taking care of me. That is the way I shall go about in life now. And now, Swami's quote on destiny and self-effort gains greater meaning for me

"What you meet in life is destiny. How you meet it is self-effort."

If you liked this, you might also enjoy the following:

1. The powerful attraction between goodness and godliness - a professor's experience.

2. Waiting for the Lord - a dancer's experience with Sri Sathya Sai.

3. How Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba helped me in my career choice.

4. Death is the dress of life. 

For all readers:

(If you enjoyed this and wish to subscribe to this blog, please go to the right hand side and choose the last 'box' which says subscribe. Also explore the 40-odd 'previous articles' listed monthwise on the top right here. Another blog which I maintain with more than 200 articles on it is at http://aravindb1982.hubpages.com. If you wish to be added to my mailing list, please email me via this page with the subject "ADD ME TO MAILING LIST".

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God does not call the qualified; God qualifies the called - Part 2

The story so far...

Nitin Kanade has had a wonderful transformation journey; from being dead-against being a student at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, he now pines to be a part of that hallowed community. But, the universe seemed to have conspired against him and played a cruel joke because of which he is forced to leave the college.

Dear reader, I would request you to come to this part after having traveled the journey with our protagonist in the first part.

God does not call the qualified; God qualifies the called - Part 1

Part 2 continues from now on...

Not a man who expressed his anger, the warden told him with restraint,

“Swami has come here for the practice session of the music programme. Only music boys are allowed into the prayer hall. I cannot tell you to go to college for you are no longer a student there. But I cannot allow you into the prayer hall. So, if you want to have darshan, stand here itself and maybe you will be able to see Baba from the window.”

Nitin understood clearly the meaning of the saying, “When God closes a door, He opens a window.” That little window in the prayer-cum-dining hall of the hostel would be his only window of opportunity to continue as a student. The senior-boys hostel in Puttaparthi has a large quadrangle with lawns at its centre. On the west side of the quadrangle is the prayer hall. Nitin stood on the east side of the lawns, quite a distance away from his Swami. He positioned himself strategically so that he could see Swami through the window. His eyes focused on that little orange-robed figure and his heart broadcast prayers.

If you look to me, I look to you

Nitin seemed to be on a ‘learning’ spree, getting greater clarity on the workings of the Lord. Within a short while, he realized the meaning of yet another of Baba’s statements,

“If you look to me, I look to you.”

Even as he watched Swami from the window, he saw that Swami was looking directly at him. His heart rejoiced and basked under that loving glance. He felt very special - Swami had come for the music practice but was looking at him! That gave him courage to slowly inch his way towards the prayer hall. Within a few minutes, he was inside and sitting along with the sick students who had rushed from their dorm beds to the prayer hall. When the Lord arrives, illnesses are all forgotten! In such times, those very illnesses seem to become blessings for they literally take you closer to God!

Swami sat through the entire practice session, making corrections and changes in the songs. At the end of the practice, as He got up to leave, He began to speak to some of the boys. Out of the blue, He asked Nitin,

“Boy, why are you here?”

The question was asked suddenly and so the answer was spontaneous and factual.

“Swami, I have been asked to leave the college. Since I cannot attend classes, I came to the hostel.”

Swami’s reply was emphatic.

“How can that be? I have called you and given you admission.” Patting him on his shoulder, Swami continued, “Go to college and attend classes.”

And He walked out of the prayer hall.

With thankfulness, Nitin remembered the words of his teacher, Sai Giridhar. Things had indeed changed in an instant. But it was not going to be ‘happily ever after’ so fast for Nitin.

Twists of fate arrive only to amplify God’s love for us

Ten days elapsed and Nitin continued attending classes in the college. Just when he was thinking that the matter had been settled, the vice-chancellor, Sampath sir, arrived to his classroom and summoned him. Walking with him in the corridor, he told him that there was no way he could be permitted to continue studying a course which included Chemistry when he had failed in that very subject.

“But Swami told me to attend classes in college...” whimpered Nitin.

“He told you to attend classes. Did He tell you to attend BSc classes?”, asked Sampath sir.

Nitin’s reply was a blank stare as the vice-chancellor continued,

“Go to the BCom classes. Consider yourself as a student of the commerce stream from now on.”

And so, Nitin shifted classes and streams to become a student of the BCom course of the Institute. But he was still far away from peace of mind as the registrar called him to his office and gave him a piece of his mind!

“What audacity do you have to sit in classes like this when you have flunked your high-schooling? University is only for those who have cleared high-school. These are rules which we cannot flout. I promise you it will not be a pleasant sight for anyone if I see you in class tomorrow. Now you may leave.”

“But Swami...”

“No ifs and buts here. You may leave.”

Nitin had to simply leave the office room and head to the hostel. He was in a deep dilemma. Whom should he obey? Swami or the university authorities? He knew that the registrar was absolutely right in what he was doing - his duty. But Nitin could not imagine a life without Swami. That evening, during darshan something unexpected happened.

Swami commands Nitin to become a
participating Marathi poet in the Kavi Sammelan
during Guru Poornima.

Swami walked up to him and told him,

“There is going to be a kavi sammelan (poets’ meet) for Guru Poornima. I want you to be one of the poets. Compose a poem in Marathi.”

Being ‘raw’ and ‘unseasoned’ in responding to Swami, Nitin shot back,

“Impossible Swami! I don’t know Marathi well and I cannot compose poetry in any language. This is something I cannot do.”

“This is something you have to do and you will do”, said Swami with such a stern look that Nitin cowered. He felt that it would not be wise to get into the bad books of Swami when he was already in the bad books of all the college authorities.

“Yes.... Swami....”, he replied and received a lovely smile from his Lord.

All the student-poets participating in the kavi sammelan were exempted from classes to allow for composition and practice. Nitin knew that he did not qualify in any way to be a poet, that too a Marathi one. But Swami had called him and chosen him. It was yet another reinforcement that Swami’s call in itself is a qualification. Needless to say, within a few days, Nitin was ready with his poem and began to practice for its punchy delivery. The punch came with its best impact on the D-Day, Gurupoornima Day 1989, when Nitin recited his Marathi poem to the audience in Swami’s divine presence. It was an unforgettable experience for him.

Pleasure, an interval between two pains

With the conclusion of the Guru Poornima festivities, the focus shifted back to Nitin’s problem of attending classes. On the very first day itself, he was forewarned by the registrar against trying to attend classes. The explanation that Swami had asked him to did not work and it was obvious that Swami had not spoken anything about Nitin to any of the authorities. Swami had not done anything ‘out of the legal framework’ to support Nitin and yet, He had always told him to attend classes. Between the authorities and Swami, Nitin felt like the blade of grass amidst two fighting elephants! What was he to do?

He was summoned to the principal’s office, two days after Guru Poornima.

“Boy, you have to leave. There is no choice”, said Mahajan sir.

A crestfallen Nitin walked out of the office and into the hostel. He began to pack his bags because the orders had now been issued to evict him from the hostel too. With no other choice when he walked out, he was accosted by Mr. Sanjay Sahni, one of his teachers in commerce. Sahni sir told him,

“Nitin, Swami has told you many times that you should attend class and be in college. Whatever may happen, do not leave Puttaparthi without telling Swami first.”

Nitin agreed to this piece of wisdom. But that also was not going to be easy.

With his seat in college gone, he had also lost his opportunity to sit with the students in the mandir for darshan sessions. He moved over to the area allocated for the alumni or ex-students as they are called. During these days when he literally had no succour other than Swami, his Lord chose to ignore him completely. Now, he was completely at his wits’ end. He seemed stuck between the devil and a really deep sea. Weeks rolled by and the last ounce of hope in Nitin seemed to dry up. The mid-semester examinations of the Institute were conducted and Nitin was not allowed to sit for them. Since these carry 40% weight of the total marks, there was no way Nitin could complete his course by missing them. He began to bid goodbye to one year of studies at least. That was when, again the unexpected happened. (Where God is concerned, the unexpected always seems to happen. Isn't that why He asks us to love His uncertainty?)

One fine day (the day has become ‘fine’ in retrospect for NItin!) in August 1989, Swami walked up to Nitin and beckoned to him. Startled, Nitin rushed to Swami and knelt before him.

“When is the supplementary examination?” Swami asked.

The Supplementary Board Exam in India gives a second chance to students who have failed to clear certain subjects in the first go. The supplementary exam for Chemistry was due in 3 days and Nitin ‘informed’ Swami about it.

“Can you reach in time for the exam?”

“Swami, they will be held in Delhi and I will be able to make it if I can catch today evening’s train from Dharmavaram.”

“Go immediately then. Take padanamaskar. You have my blessings”, Swami said, giving him a sweet smile.

Nitin could not believe it. Even if he cleared the Chemistry paper via the supplementary exam, what could he do about the missed mid-semester exams of the University? He did not have much time to think and so he rushed to get a bus which would take him to Dharmavaram. There, he jumped into the ‘unreserved’ general compartment and readied himself for the arduous 2.5 day journey.

Managing some sitting space, he opened his Chemistry textbook to study and prepare for the impending examination when the train experienced a sudden jerk. Moments later, he was flying through the compartment as his train bogie ran off the tracks. What a time to get into an accident! Chemistry somehow seemed to be a specialist in derailing Nitin always!

By God’s grace, Nitin escaped without a scratch on his body but his mind was in a state of shock. Though delayed by 8 hours, he managed to get on to another train and reach Delhi just hours before the examination! He has no idea of how he wrote the exam during the afternoon. Having done that, he took the same night’s train back to Dharmavaram and hoped for Swami to work a miracle for him.

He returned and immediately Swami told him to attend classes again. The smile on his face did not last long as the registrar personally walked into his class and kicked him out! This divine ‘football’ went on and Nitin, in a span of a week, was in and out of classes 4 times! Now the case against him was stronger - he had not cleared the mid-semester exams. Nitin felt that the inevitable had been delayed enough by Swami. There was no more hope now.

Receiving a certificate from Swami after the Summer Course in Indian Culture
and Spirituality.

The called gets qualified

When the Lord decides to get a work done, He does so in matter of moments. As Nitin, the football, was being kicked from pillar to post, Swami decided that it was time for him to rush into his goal! That happened during another darshan session, in the course of another unexpected twist.

Swami called the registrar, K.Chakravarthi, and began asking him about certain University rules. In the course of the discussion, He asked,

“Tell me, is there a provision for a supplementary mid-semester examination?”

“Yes Swami, there is?”

“Who is eligible to write that?”

“Swami, those who have not been able to clear the actual mid-semester examination.”

“What if someone was absent for the exam?”

“Swami, if the absence is justified, then the candidate could sit for the supplementary exam.”

“What about this boy then”, said Swami and pointed straight to Nitin who was sitting with the students.

Nitin had missed the mid-semester because he had been preparing for the supplementary exam in Chemistry without which he was ineligible for University examination. He had cleared the Chemistry ‘acid-test’ and now had a justified reason for writing the mid-semester exams which he had previously missed.

“He is eligible for the supplementary exam Swami”, said Chakravarthi sir.

“Then, let him write it and if found eligible, let him be taken into the college.”

Nitin completed BCom with honours from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning and later went on to get his MCom degree as well. During those student days, he got hundreds of opportunities with his Lord and Master, his Swami. He learnt lessons for life and won the friendship of the ONLY friend in the Universe - God. He went on to serve in the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences till 2005 after which Swami guided him to his current job. His two little girls embody every bit of his love and devotion to Swami as they listen with rapt attention to all the stories their father has to tell. In fact, they have no taste for videogames, movies or the television. They do not own a television at home too. All that time, they spend playing with their parents and listening to stories and experiences with Swami.

Qualification does not matter when it comes to God. Qualifications are results achieved and conferred by mortals. God does not seek results. He only seeks efforts - efforts to be near Him, and dear to Him. And if only one makes those efforts, God will crown those very efforts with His love and blessings - the greatest qualifications that one can ever seek.

Coming back to the quote - God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called -  what more can one say. Isn’t Nitin’s story evidence enough?

It was 'happily ever after' in the real sense for Nitin now...

If you enjoyed reading this, you will definitely enjoy the following:

1. Sometimes things have to go horribly wrong before going right.

2. How I got my job and career at Radiosai.

3. Faith and self-confidence - Story of the little bird

4. Misfortune becomes a blessing in disguise when God is your good luck talisman

For all readers:

(If you enjoyed this and wish to subscribe to this blog, please go to the right hand side and choose the last 'box' which says subscribe. Another blog which I maintain with more than 200 articles on it is at http://aravindb1982.hubpages.com You may visit that at your leisure. If you wish to be added to my mailing list, please email me via this page with the subject "ADD ME TO MAILING LIST".

Also, use the Tweet and FB buttons below here liberally to share with your friends and family! Thank you)

Accepting God's Presents and Presence

My sour-sweet story continues

Swami was slated to take off for Delhi on the 9th of April.  The one week before that turned to be a sour-sweet one for me. 

(Dear reader, in case you are reading directly from here, I would request you to take a few minutes off, read the first part and then come back here to enjoy the story completely. The first part is located at the link below
Living in the Present: Sure way to avoid sorrow )

Well, am sure that Swami had planned things to be sweet for me because that is His Will always. But my petty mind in its preoccupation with the past and future soured those very same sweet things. Let me elucidate it with one more diary entry, the 4th of April this time.

I finally managed to be with my dear Swami on board the aircraft bound to Delhi. But the lessons
I imbibed from the 'wait' are invaluable.

Swami came after 5:15 for darshan. He read through a lot of letters as He sat for the bhajans on stage. He went into the interview room for about 20 minutes. He came out and a few bhajans later, received Aarthi. A large-sized, colour-clothed and moustached man came for the "elder-rose" chance. (For those that might not know: Swami had blessed all the permanent volunteers doing service in the Ashram for more than 5 years with the chance to offer a rose to Him during Aarthi everyday. Based on seniority, these turns were being taken.) I took a picture as Swami blessed him. Swami then asked for prasadam. When the vibhuti basket was given to Him, Swami said that He wanted the edible prasadam. Soon, even as Samastha Lokaha chant went on, trays filled with little ‘Munch’ chocolates were brought. Swami blessed the trays. He also took one chocolate and kept in His hand. As the prasadam distributors were dispatched, He looked at me and threw the chocolate to me. I went ahead and picked up the chocolate. Then, through the railings, I put my hand and took padanamaskar. I felt so happy and He was watching me lovingly all the while I was taking the namaskar.

Now that was such a thrilling evening. I had so much joy flooding the heart. I almost floated to the studio - my feet seemed to be in the air. I sat in the comfort of my chamber, put on the air-conditioner and decided to ‘munch’ on the sweet gift that the Lord had gifted me with so much love. Anybody in my place would have continued to be in a blissful heaven but not me!

Even as I unwrapped the chocolate, thoughts of all such ‘chances’ that I would be missing by not being on the Delhi-Simla trip flooded me. And so, instead of being cheerful, I now became wistful. The ‘chance’ that Swami had bestowed on me a few minutes before only seemed to enhance my sadness because I was feeling that I would be missing all that in the near future.

Planning for joy

I had already decided that I would not be ‘asking’ Swami directly to take me. The letter regarding my inclusion had not been accepted. I did not know what else I could do. Interestingly, almost every day, Swami gave me a little chance - a smile, a word, a touch - but I did not even record those in my personal diary because I was too busy rueing the loss of a trip with Him! I was in desperate need to cheer myself. And so, I began to plan a trip.

The Maha Kumbh Mela was to happen at Haridwar in the month of April. Touted as the largest pilgrimage on earth, this Kumbh Mela would be a gathering of about 100 million people and I felt that it would be an apt substitute for traveling with Swami. Added to this was the fact that Haridwar is quite close to Delhi. I inwardly told Swami,

“Swami, you are not taking me with you. But I too shall be enjoying a spiritual vacation. I may not spend time with your physical frame but I shall be part of the historical Kumbh Mela which none of the Delhi-Simla trip candidates can be!”

That brought a smile on my face and I busied myself in the bookings and travel arrangements. My parents in Mumbai also booked their tickets to Delhi from where we would all be proceeding to Haridwar.

All these plans came to nought in the next darshan session itself when Swami made enquiries about the trip from several people. I received my smile and padanamaskar, but this time, I did not even enjoy the momentary happiness! Without my knowledge, my obsession with the future was eroding and killing away the joy that was available in abundance in the present.

Days passed thus till it was the 7th of April. All the ‘selected ones’ had been called for a final briefing by Giri sir. My two colleagues from the studio too went to attend that meeting after lunch. I locked myself in my room in the studio. Though I had made many plans to ‘enjoy’ the next 10 days, I was feeling miserable and lonely. All my ‘planning’ for joy seemed to be in vain.

A revelation

It was a few minutes past 2pm when my cellphone began to ring. It was from my colleague, CG, who had made it for the trip. I was in no mood to pick his call.

“He may be calling me to seek some help because he has very little time left to get ready for the trip...”, I said to myself in a mocking tone.

When the phone kept ringing, I could not help but pick it up.

“Sairam...”

“Aravind!! Can you come out of the studio?” It was CG’s excited voice.

“For what?”

“Just come out for a minute man...”

“Errr... I am sort of busy...”

“Nothing doing! Just come out. This is urgent.”

I wiped the melancholic look off my face, unlocked my room door and walked out of the studio. CG and Sai Krishna (aka Bond) came running to me with gleeful grins pasted across their faces. The words I heard stunned me into silence.

“Hey! YOU ARE ON THE TRIP MAN!”

“Me? But how... I mean... that’s great... but...”, I continued to stammer in disbelief.

“You won’t believe it. After the meeting concluded, Giri sir said that all this while, he had forgotten to call one student - Anand. We were all wondering who this Anand was when he clarified that it was ‘photographer’ Anand.”

I had been part of a Radio satsangh series in which my name was Anand. Ever since then, Giri sir had always called me Anand.

“We confirmed whether it was you and Giri sir told us to inform you that you should be ready and set for the trip!”, completed CG excitedly.

Cloud nine

In an instant, all my sorrow vanished. I was back to my best spirits. This had been a startling turn of events for me and I just could not believe what had happened. Now my mind was a whirlpool of all the things that had to be done. I started off with canceling the Kumbh Mela plan. I told my parents to keep their tickets, land at Delhi and stay on there for daily darshan. Then, I went to my room to pick the white clothes needed for the trip. I was so happy that, even now, as I type this, I feel a surge of joy welling up within me. You can only imagine how powerful that joy was.

Was it a coincidence that I was once again living in the present and I was in joyful times again?

That evening, as Swami arrived for darshan, my heart was pouring out gratitude. When ‘good’ things happen, we are thankful to God. We are convinced that He is planning everything for the best. If only we could retain the same faith when something ‘bad’ happens too! But when it comes to ‘bad’ things, we immediately start questioning God’s wisdom and pray for ‘succour’. When God is the most powerful and most loving along with being the most wise, is it not logical that even the ‘bad’ things that He does for us are also actually good?

When Swami was passing by me, I gently touched His lotus feet, like I used to do daily. However, today, there were extra feelings of love and gratitude in my heart. My eyes were closed as I poured heartfelt thanks to Him for ‘including’ me in the trip. I felt a hand gently fall on my shoulder. Thrilled at this benediction from Swami, a tear almost formed in my eye. I opened my eyes to look at the possibly love-exuding face of my Lord who had tapped me on my shoulder.

To my consternation, I saw that it was not Swami’s hand - it was Giri sir’s! He was walking behind Swami’s wheel-seat. Swami had proceeded ahead and he had tapped my shoulder. Quickly wiping my tear, I looked at him questioningly. He asked me,

“You have been informed right? You are on-board the trip. You know it?”

I smiled nodded in assurance to him. He knew that it had slipped his mind to inform me and, so, he was making doubly sure that the ‘mistake’ was not repeated.

I was happy at this added confirmation that in another day’s time, I too would be in the clouds with my Swami, flying towards the Indian capital city.

Two significant lessons

Looking back at this episode which marked the beginning of an unforgettable trip, two lessons stand out. The first one obviously is about living in the present. Many times later in life too, I have seen how dwelling on either the past or future is the root cause of all sorrows, frustrations and depression. Living in the present, in the NOW, is very powerful and redeeming. This too has been concretised in me via examples like my colleague, Raghuram Bhat, who is happy and smiling in spite of having everything to complain about in life!

The second lesson hit me as I walked back to my studio room after darshan on the 7th April 2010. Llooking at it from Swami’s perspective, there was no need to console me or accept my letter because I was ‘selected’ for the trip. Swami must have ‘wondered’ why I was writing such letters when I was already ‘on’ for the trip. Of course He knows everything, but from a practical angle He must’ve pondered,

“Why is this boy so sad and upset? I don’t understand... I have already granted all he needs.”

God always gives us all we need - without fail or delay, even before we ask for it. But then, we confuse our wants with needs and feel sad. That is precisely why Swami, in His 9-point code of conduct, included the practice of ‘Ceiling on Desires’. That will probably be the subject of another article! :)

After granting the vision of the Cosmic Form on the battlefield of Kurukshetra amidst the narration of the Bhagawad Gita, Lord Krishna told Arjuna,

“Make no mistake Arjuna, thinking that you are killing the Kauravas. I have already killed them (in time). Now, you just have to be my instrument and do your duty sincerely.”

God does everything and remains as though He does nothing while we do nothing and assume that we do everything. Whatever happens in life, it should be my sadhana to accept it with the wisdom that all that needs to be done has been done by the Lord. My efforts should be to get this acceptance and, via that, live in the present always, maintaining my equanimity.

But, is it really true that God is the ‘doer’ of everything? Well, I do not wish to get into a debate because while one line of thought says God is the Doer of everything, another line of thought says that God is the Eternal Witness. As long as we stick to any one line of thought and not conveniently (actually inconveniently) shift between the two as per our life situations, we are fine. From that perspective, God indeed is the doer of everything. All is well for all is in His hands. Let us live in the present, have equanimity and enjoy peace.

Samastha Lokaha Sukhino Bhavantu - May all the beings in all world be happy.


If you liked reading this, you might also like:

1. How Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba helped make my career choice

2. When selflessness disguises itself as selfishness

3. The Bourne Identity - "Who am I"

4. Sachin Tendulkar and Sathya Sai - the story of the little master and his 'little' Master

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