Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 1

Combining space-travel and time-travel

The time-machine is a marvelous piece of technology. It is probably the best motion-inventions after the space-machines. While space-machines help one to travel across space; across dimensions of length, breadth and height, time-machines help one to travel across time; into the past or into the future. And so, if one is armed with a space-machine and a time-machine, the history and geography of the universe become very interesting and exciting subjects. If I had both these machines, I would use them to explore His-story and the geography of His story! For those that may not know, by ‘His’ I refer to my best friend, Master and God, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Meesaraganda Venkamma, Sathya's doting elder
sister who was among the few to recognize His
divinity and thus maintain a diary about the
daily happenings of His life. 

Along with my family, I got into two space-machines christened as ‘Tata Sumo Grande’ and ‘Toyota Innova’. The time-machines I had procured were named ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Imagination’. I set the destination in the space-machines to ‘Uravakonda’ and ‘Hampi’. The dial on the time-machine was set to 1943. I decided to make use of the SUVs first to reach the exact geographical location before utilizing the time-machines for the time-travel.Needless to say, I was hyper-excited about the time-travel because the previous such journey had been unbelievably memorable and fulfilling.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning and we set off in the vehicles towards Uravakonda, enroute to Hampi. The journey would take a few hours and we utilized that time to immerse ourselves into the story of the Sai Bhagawatham. One significant point of that discussion is vital for our understanding of Bhagawan’s childhood time-frames.

The time-frame confusion

The official biography of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Sathyam Shivam Sundaram (Part 1), records October 20th of 1940 as the day of declaration of Avatarhood. (The Annunciation day when Swami announced to the world that He was ‘Sai Baba’ and also sang the immortal message, Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam). School records (which include the attendance registers and transfer certificates from various schools) indicate a slightly different story. As can be seen from the photographs provided here, little Sathyanarayana Raju (Swami’s childhood name) studied in the Puttaparthi School (Samithi Elementary School) from 1935 to 1940. In 1940, He went to the Kamalapuram school for a year. In 1941, He enrolled in the Bukkapatnam school directly for VIII grade skipping VII grade. Therefore, it was now, in 1942, that He had to give the ESLC (Elementary School Leaving Certificate) exam. Sathya was not allowed to attend the exam because he lacked the minimum attendance necessary to do the same. However, since his elder brother, Seshama Raju, was a Telugu teacher himself, he pulled a few strings necessary to ensure that his kid brother could write the examination in early 1943. Sathya came out in flying colours along with two other students - Ramesh and Paresh -  who took refuge under Him. The rest of His class failed!

Appearing in the 'Admit No.' 154, Sathya's name in the attendance register of the elementary School at Puttaparthi
shows that he was extremely regular to the school where He studied from 1936 to 1940. 

It was after that examination that Seshama Raju, worried about the increasingly ‘crazy’ behaviour of Sathya, decided to take Him along with him to Uravakonda where he had got appointment as a Telugu teacher in the Karibasavasvami District Board High School. That was how Swami landed in Uravalkonda in 1943. It was here that the famous ‘scorpion bite’ episode occurred which was followed by the cruel treatment Sathya received for proclaiming the Inconvenient Truth. The 20th of October of 1943 saw the epochal declaration being made when Swami announced that He was the Supreme Infinity in human form.

Now the question arises as to why the official biography records the Annunciation Year as 1940? A little dip into the circumstances and conditions prevailing in those days is essential to understand the source of this apparent dichotomy.

Sathya's transfer Certificate from the Kamalapuram School, a framed duplicate of which is
still hung in the new school premises. The third row clearly and wrongly records the
date of birth as the 4th of October 1929. 

All the school records show Swami’s date of birth as the 4th of October, 1929. Those were the days when Baba’s parents and especially his brother were keen to ensure that he has a flourishing career as a government revenue officer. To ensure good career prospects and the minimum eligibility age at the same time, the date of birth was modified to a convenient date in 1929! This was a very common practice those days as it was not compulsory for everyone to obtain a birth certificate. I know this from personal experience too. In fact, my father’s date of birth was modified to 22nd May instead of 22nd September to give him this very advantage. He therefore, retired from service also on 22nd May when he was supposed to have turned 58!

Two junior schoolmates from the Puttaparthi Elementary School, who were affluent and ‘important’ enough to obtain an official birth certificate from the British (who ruled India then) have their birth-years recorded as 1927. So, while there is no doubt that Swami’s year of birth is indeed 1926, the 1929 birth-date clears the air of many ‘mysteries’.

For starters, when Swami says in the discourses, “I went to Kamalapuram as a 10-year old”, He was indeed a 10-year old as per school records. Prof. N.Kasturi, Baba’s biographer, got all details for the Sathyam Shivam Sundaram from Swami Himself and many other people whom Swami directed him to. So, when he got the info that Swami made the Annunciation when He was a 14-year old, it was but natural for him to conclude the year to be 1940!

The Register of Admission of the Bukkapatnam School records Swami's name as 'Admit No.' 466. Again, the date of
birth recorded is shown as 4/10/1929. The last few columns also show that Sathya was not allowed to sit
for the ESLC exams that year (1942) due to lack of attendance. 

There is another reasoning that lends credibility to this line of approach. All the early devotees of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba have recorded a sudden spurt in Swami’s travel and interactions post the annunciation. The earliest records of Swami’s intense travels in the current states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh date to the January of 1944. Therefore, it does not make logical sense that the annunciation took place in 1940 and there was a lull for more than 3 years. The annunciation, in all probability, took place in 1943, a few months after which Swami’s mission exploded with travels galore.

This was the discussion as we travelled to our destination. It cleared the air and gave a better understanding of the times and situations of Swami’s childhood days. And since 20th October 1940 has been traditionally considered as the Annunciation day for decades now, there is no harm in going along with it. This is akin to the fact that nobody can ascertain exactly that 25th December 0000 is the date of birth of Jesus Christ. Yet, in reverence to the first traditions, that has been celebrated as Christmas, the day of birth of the Lord’s son. So too the tradition of celebrating 20th October 1940 as the Annunciation Day may continue.

The Register of Admission of the Karibasavaswami District Board High School in Uravakonda records only Sathya's
joining date as 1/07/1943. There is no entry for His leaving the school. 

Take off

Presently, we arrived at Uravakonda and it was now time to start the time-machine. As stated earlier, I had turned the dials to 1943. Uravakonda was a small town that had just progressed from being a big village. The silk-weaving industry was flourishing here when little Sathya arrived to his brother Seshamma Raju’s house.

The house stood in ruins today. The roof was completely gone and wild grass grew abundantly within the three rooms that constituted the house. The house was like train bogies with one room after another in a straight row. The innermost room measuring about 9 feet by 7 feet was possibly the biggest space of the house. It served as the kitchen. The middle room was the bathroom attached to it while the outermost room acted as the only room. Once again, like my last journey, I shall base my narrative on recorded instances from people. (All the research and many photos have been borrowed from the epochal book, Love is My Form.) But, I shall present it as my own account so that I enjoy the historical events which very few were privileged to see and experience.

So, fastening the seat belts now... Whirrrrr...... Swooooooooshhhhhh...... Blip.

A fly on the wall which sees all

I am now a little fly on the wall of Seshama Raju’s house - the luckiest fly in all times perhaps because I shall be witnessing History. It is early 1943 and instead of just the master and mistress of the house, there are 3 new entrants to the house - one is a little boy in his teens, Sathya, proclaimed to have miraculous powers, the other is his eldest sister named Venkamma and the third is her son, Shankara Raju. The house is located on the Temple Street which has been christened so due to the Subramanya temple that is located almost opposite to the house. I have flown to that temple several times to enjoy the cool coconut waters which the devotees offer.

The main deity of the temple, Lord Subramanya or Lord Muruga, is surprisingly shaped as a 5-hooded snake! I love visiting the temple often because this bright little boy, Sathya spends most of His time there. It is February and the school at Uravakonda is closed for the summer. So, Sathya is free till late June when He will have to enrol there. One day when He is along with His friends in the Subramanya temple, Sathya tells them that He wishes to sing a bhajan. In an instant, spontaneously, He starts singing,

“Subramanyam Subramanyam Shanmukhanatha Subramanyam.”

The exteriors and interiors of the Subramanya temple which still stands today.
The inset shows the main deity as a 5-hooded serpent. 

The mellifluousness of the voice and the sweetness of the love exuding from Him is such that I sit transfixed on the wall. I have no idea that I am witnessing Swami sing this popular bhajan for  the first-time ever! But then, that is how my Swami has always created history - spontaneously and without much ado. Just a few meters away from this temple is a large well (Bhavi) with a big pulley (Gilakala) to draw water. This Gilakala Bhavi (belonging to a certain Manchipalli Hanumantha Rao) is another favourite haunt for me because Swami walks to it daily to draw water for the general needs of His house. For drinking water, He travels more than 3 kilometers to the Bungalow Bhavi located at Travellers’ Bungalow on the Anantapur-Bellary road. My wings tire to fly such a long distance and so I make use of a special carrier - my Lord Himself! I sit on His hand and the ever-patient and loving Swami never brushes or swats me! I feel as special as Arjuna who had the supreme Lord Krishna drive him around in a chariot. Here, the Divine body was my chariot!

Sathya’s shoulders daily get bruised by the heavy weight of water that He carries for 3 kilometers but His spirits never get even a graze. He is always cheerful and spreading the cheer to whomever He comes in contact with. My days are so filled with bliss because I am living every moment in the Divine Presence. Then came that fateful day, the Shivarathri of 1943 when things would change forever.

A scorpion bite?

Shivarathri is a very profound and important festival for all. The whole night, Sathya danced and sang bhajans on the streets of Uravakonda along with His friends. This group of lovely and enthusiastic boys was called the Pandhari Bhajan group by everyone and it’s glory preceeded it to Uravakonda. Legends of how all villages where the group sang had been saved from plagues and other epidemics were talked about openly. Late in the night, Venkamma decided that it was time to return home. She walked to Sathya and told Him to return with her but He refused,

“I have to go somewhere now. I shall return soon sister. Please do not bolt the front door so that I can silently slip into the house.”

Venkamma agreed and returned home but I rode on my Swami to wherever He was headed. He walked more than 3 kilometers on the same Anantapur-Bellary road towards Bellary. Arriving at a village called Budagavi, He headed straight to a temple. This was a temple dedicated to two deities - Surya (Sun God) and Lord Shiva. Going to the Shiva lingam, Swami performed ritualistic worship to Lord Shiva. He did the holy Abhishekam and followed it with Pooja. He spent the whole night there. I kept seeing Him. It did not appear like a devotee worshipping his God. It was more like God spending time with Himself!

“He is a child among children, a woman among women and a man among men. When He is alone, He is God.” I couldn’t help but think this way.

It was almost 5 in the morning when He returned home. As He was about the open the door, the door opened by itself. It was His sister Venkamma. She had this habit of first setting her eyes every morning on a picture of God. Since there were no pictures in the house, she substituted it with seeing the tulsi (holy basil) plant just outside the front door. Today, she indeed saw God first thing in the morning because when she opened her eyes, she beheld Sathya.

File photograph of Sathya during his school days at Uravakonda.

“Where were you the whole night Sathyam?”

“I was at Budagavi”, He answered honestly.

“You were performing worship for so long?” she asked with surprise.

“I performed worship and received it as well”, He said matter of factly and entered the house.

Venkamma tiptoed into the kitchen to get some food for Swami. She did not want to wake up his brother Seshamma who might have given Him a sound scolding and possibly a thrashing too. In the meanwhile, Sathya went into the bathroom for a bath. I was so sleepy and tired. I wondered from where did this boy get His energy from.

“You fool! He does not derive His energy from anything. He is the source of energy for the Universe.” That was a voice from within me.

I smiled to myself and nestled comfortably in a wall crevice. As I was about to drift into sleep, I heard a loud cry - Abba.

Sathya had screamed out! What had happened? Venkamma came running and pushed the door open. I buzzed into the bathroom and saw that Swami was clenching His foot. Oh My God! What was happening to you? Why are you in pain?

to be continued in Part 2 which is at the link below:

Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 2

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 month-wise on the top right here. Another blog which I maintain with more than 225 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".

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

Mental peace by not being judgemental - a personal lesson from Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Part 2

My bold (ad)venture



( The above video and the entire description below will make wonderful sense only if you are coming here after reading the first part of this experience. If you have come here directly, it is strongly recommended that you read part 1 before proceeding. Part 1 is at the link below:

Mental peace by not being judgemental - a personal lesson from Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Part 1

The video above is the conversation described in Part 1, that took place on the 25th of September, 2009)

(Part 2 continues from here....)

The first thing that I did was to approach the person who was the master of ceremonies during Dusshera to find out who was giving him the names of the speakers. My question led me to the vice chancellor of the University. I accosted the revered Prof.Vishwanath Pandit as I was walking back to the studio. When I greeted him, in all humility and sincerity, he too folded his hands and greeted me. I was bowled over by the humility of the man who was one among the top economists in India who had taught previously at the Delhi School of Economics. In fact, the Government of India has roped him regularly into the team that advises it on the financial budget for the country and the venerable professor always has valuable points to offer it. Seeing him convinced me that the tree which is ripe with fruits always bends down in humility.

But today, the thought uppermost in my mind was about Swami speaking in the evening. Without prefacing my words with any polite statements, I came directly to the point.

“Sir, all of us want to hear Swami during the Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha, the Dusshera evenings.”

“Yes! That would be very nice if Swami speaks.”

“Why then do you take to Him names of speakers? Please do not do so. Tell Him that there is nobody to deliver a speech and He should speak.”

The professor kept looking at me, not saying a word. I, foolishly, got encouraged and continued,

“Is it not a crime to deprive Swami of a chance to speak when He Himself wants to do it?”

A small hint of irritation came on this noble professor’s face. Soon, it was gone and he told me calmly,

“It is best that you stay within your own limits. You do not understand many things...”

I still prodded,

“But sir, Swami wants to speak. What is the problem then?”

He just patted me on my shoulder and walked away shaking his head. I could not understand what that meant. But I was not someone to give up that easily. I decided to approach the other people on whom Swami had bestowed the honour and privilege of dining with Him every night. They would surely be witnesses to this “speaker-fixing” that took place in the evening. I went to Prof. G. Venkataraman (GV as he is affectionately called), the director of Radiosai Global Harmony.

It was while speaking to him that I got to know the reason behind the vice chancellor telling me that I did not understand many things. GV sir revealed to me that every day, without fail, the vice chancellor repeatedly requested Swami to deliver the Divine Discourse. However, Swami always asked for the names of prospective speakers. On one occasion the vice chancellor had boldly said,

“Swami, there are no more speakers.”

Swami had asked him whether he did not have the capacity to find one speaker from a whole University. Swami rued that His little expectations were also being dashed. Having no other option, to ensure that Swami did not “feel bad”, the vice chancellor was forced to mention at least one name to Swami. But, he made it a point to tell Swami that in reality, there was none to speak.

I spoke to several others too - the Registrar of the University, other prominent teachers among which was Prof.Anantaraman (the current Media Co-ordinator for the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust). Satisfied with the multiple discussions, with a feeling that I had done what I had promised to Swami, I slept peacefully that night.

26/09/09

I had no idea that the fifth day of the Yajnam would be one of great revelation for me. In the evening, Swami completed His darshan rounds and came on the dais. Prof. Anil Kumar, the master of ceremonies, gave a summary of the day’s happenings. Then, when it came to introducing speakers, he kept absolutely silent. He told Swami that there were no speakers scheduled! I was thrilled with this.

“Anil Kumar sir knows exactly what has to be done when”, I thought.

The day’s lesson began to unfold at that moment...

Swami sat silently for a while. Then He beckoned to the then Secretary of the Central Trust, Sri. K.Chakravarthi. He told him to get ready with a speech. He also called for Prof. Anantaraman and told him also to speak. Before he went to the lectern, Swami gave him the instruction to speak for at least an hour!

Oh my God! Swami was the sole doer behind this whole drama!

In an instant, I realized my folly. I had got so judgemental, thinking that nobody loved Swami the way I did, that I had been blinded to the Truth. The Truth was (is and will be) that God does everything in the Universe. He is the director behind the drama of life. We are all merely actors doing our roles. Of course we have to do our roles. But, we should not entertain passions, emotions and judgement while we do so. For instance, the ‘villain’ and the ‘hero’ may appear to fight ‘on stage’ but off stage, they are friends right? They entertain no thoughts of hatred or anger. In fact, they do not entertain those feelings even ‘on stage’. They only appear to entertain those feelings because their role in the drama demands that. That is the secret behind being peaceful and seeing God in everyone.

As the magnitude of my ignorance and foolishness hit me, I just sat prayerfully throughout the one and a half hours that the two speakers took to conclude their talks. Gone was my irritation at the “ego” of the speakers. I was just lost in wonder at the perfection with which they were just performing their roles, following Swami’s words to the letter! They were as sincere in their love for Swami like me if not greater.

As the speaker concluded, Swami again started to say that there was none wanting Him to speak! This time, once again, I joined all the students in their vociferous appeal for Him to speak. But there was no irritation within me. Like a member of the audience watching a movie, I was simply enjoying the Divine Drama. It was my role to seek and plead to Swami to speak and I would do it as perfectly as the speakers who had followed His command to speak for the one and a half hours. I sat watching Swami as He said,

“Nobody even places the mikes before me.”

The crowd now joined in, shouting “Jai Bolo Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ji Ki Jai”, to express their desire to hear Swami speak. Swami looked at the audience and in “innocence” asked,

“What is happening?”

I got up and went to the dais.

It was deja vu for me but with a difference! This time, I had realized my folly and spoke to Swami, addressing
Him mentally as the Divine Director of the whole drama!

“Swami, everyone if requesting you to speak. That is what is happening.”

“But what can I do? There is no mike for me to speak...”

I had grown wiser by now. I smiled and told Swami,

“Swami, it is all in your hands. If you decide to speak, nobody can stop you from speaking. If you decide not to speak, nobody can make you speak.”

Mentally I told Him that He was the director of the drama.

After a few moments of silence, I bowed to Him and asked,

“Swami, do you want me to get the mikes?”

He told me to just return to my place. I took padanamaskar and did as I was told. I was happy that I could physically indicate to Swami that I had learnt my lesson. Swami received Aarthi and returned to the Residence.

Leading life without judging others

One profound thought arises in me as I think of this episode. Knowing the Truth that God is in charge, the director of everything that happens in life, is so assuring. It changes my mindset from one of irritation, frustration and anger into one of peace and joy. Can I not extend this lesson to every situation in my life? Instead of finding faults with people, with the situations or with myself, can I not calmly tell myself,

“Everything is going on perfectly as per Swami’s plan. I do not understand the ‘script’ but I have confidence in the ‘Director’. As an ‘actor’, let me do my role to perfection and not get worried or upset.”

In fact, that is the secret which Swami revealed in His dialogue on surrender.

The next day, the 27th of September, 2009, proved that once the message is learnt, the messenger ceases to exist.

Once again, Prof.Anil Kumar, introduced the day and then appealed to Swami for the discourse. Swami, on His part, beckoned to Prof. G.Venkataraman to speak. GV sir spoke for hardly 10 minutes and then, he too, requested Swami for the discourse. Swami, once again, said that He did not have mikes to speak at all! Since He was looking at me as He said so, I went up the stage. By that time however, GV sir had turned back and returned to Swami. Swami asked us, "On what should I speak?"

GV sir then broke into a 2 minute rhetoric on how Swami knew everything. He said,

"Swami there are so many new boys and it would be a gift of Grace if they could hear you."

He moved back to his place after that. I told Swami,

"Swami you know what we need. Please speak anything."

He seemed to nod. I asked for the mikes to be brought and Swami did not seem to protest. The mikes were placed in front of Him and it was a beautiful discourse, a profound one filled with many revelations about creation and Swami’s childhood days. The day ended so beautifully.

I cannot but help thinking on the deep message that the whole experience reveals. The only way to peace and joy is to surrender and not be judgemental. All life’s experiences take on a new light when I am not judgemental. Instead of being attached and emotionally involved, if I can just be a witness in full knowledge of the Truth that God is the director, life becomes smooth and ultra peaceful.

It will be my endeavour to constantly remember this experience and lesson.

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 month-wise on the top right here. Another blog which I maintain with more than 225 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".

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