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.
The first time that Ram Mohan Rao heard the name of Sathya Sai Baba was in the coastal city of Vishakpatnam. The schoolboy was passing by a photo-framing shop when he chanced upon the image of a man in a saffron robe sporting a thick, curly mop of black hair.
“Who is that?”, he asked the shopkeeper in curiosity.
“That is Sai Baba... He is the living God”, answered the shopkeeper casually.
“God!” Ram Mohan’s jaw dropped down in disbelief. He paused for a moment to take a second look at the ‘Sai Baba’ and then returned home.
Sri Ram Mohan Rao with the love of his life, the meaning of his life and the goal of his life - his God and Guru, Sri Sathya Sai.
After that day, however, there were at least a dozen occasions before he graduated with honours in English literature when he came across the name and form of Sathya Sai Baba. The most bizarre experience occurred when he left for the sleepy town of Jaleshwar in Odisha, in search of a job as a lecturer in English. When he met Mr. Chittaranjan Sahu, the Principal of the Deena Krishna College, for the interview, the first question almost took Ram Mohan’s breath away.
“Do you know Sathya Sai Baba?” the Principal asked.
“I have heard the name sir and have also seen pictures of him...”
“Have you been to Puttaparthi?”
“I haven’t even heard that name in my life...”
The Principal smiled and said,
“It is He that has prompted you to come here. I am certain of that because today is the 23rd of November - His birthday! You are appointed. Congratulations...”
Ram Mohan was in a daze. What he was hearing seemed so strange. It was as if Sathya Sai Baba was following him ever since he saw Him in that picture-framer’s shop!
During the one year he spent at the DK College in 1971, Ram Mohan learned many things about Baba from the Principal. Mr.Chittaranjan would speak very highly of the discipline and devotion that ‘Swami’ demanded from His students in the newly opened colleges at Bangalore, and Anantapur (The Puttaparthi college had not yet come into existence then). He would want the same kind of discipline at DK College as well.
In 1972, Ram Mohan Rao took up a job as a lecturer at the Science College in the large town of Chhatrapur, in the state of Odisha. Swami followed him there too in an almost shocking manner. Ram Mohan had a very jovial colleague, Prasanna Misra, in the college. He was a happy-go-lucky person whose easygoing nature bordered on the recklessly casual. He was deep into the smoking habit. Thus, though he was a pleasant conversationalist, nobody would want to visit his reeking room. However, Ram Mohan, who was the antithesis of Prasanna Misra, developed a liking for him. That is why they probably say - ‘opposites attract’.
One day in the winter of 1975, Ram Mohan was shocked to see Prasanna early in the morning in the staff room without a cigarette in his mouth for the first time ever!
“Didn’t you sleep at all last night Prasanna?” Ram Mohan could not accept the fact that he had woken up so early.
“I slept like a baby Ram Mohan”, he responded with a serene smile.
What had happened to his colleague? He seemed to exude some ethereal happiness and peace. The thought expressed itself directly.
“What happened to you man?”
“I saw God”, he answered simply.
“You?”, Ram Mohan stared at him in disbelief.
“Yes! Me... With these eyes of mine...” , Prasanna said, “Come home in the evening and I shall tell you everything about it.”
That evening, when Ram Mohan went to Prasanna’s room, he was pleasantly shocked to find it pervaded with the fragrant smoke from incense sticks instead of the usual tobacco smoke. Prasanna was dressed in a silk dhoti and he welcomed Ram Mohan to join him in the evening worship. The altar was filled with pictures of Sathya Sai. It was Swami again!
After the worship, Prasanna explained how he visited Puttaparthi for the golden jubilee Birthday Celebrations of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. What he experienced within was an insatiable thirst for God which was slaked only when Swami gave him two vibhuti packets. From that day, he lost all urge to even pick a cigarette. After narrating his incredible tale of transformation, Prasanna took a tiny pinch of vibhuti from the packet and giving it to Ram Mohan said,
“God has given this to me with His own hands. You eat it. It will surely do you good.”
Holding the pinch of ash gingerly in his palm, Ram Mohan returned to his room. As prescribed by his friend, he ate it and applied a bit to his forehead as Prasanna had done. Then, he went to sleep. The next morning, he made his way to the well in the backyard to draw water for his ablutions. His eyes fell on something shiny beside the well. He picked it up and it was a pair of cymbals! Not knowing what to do with it, he placed it in the room and promptly informed Prasanna about it.
“Ram Mohan, you will surely become a devotee of Swami”, said Prasanna, “because Swami wants you. He sent you these cymbals which are symbolic of Bhakti or devotion. These are His visiting cards.”
Who would not be devastated on getting to know that beautiful instances like these would no longer be available? Poor Sid had to vacate the hostel in a few days time.
In the three days since the results had been announced, Sid had gotten pale and sickly with serious acidity in the stomach. It was therefore not surprising that when his mother took him to the General Hospital on the following Monday, the doctor asked him,
“These look like classic symptoms of some deep-rooted tension. Are you tense about something?”
“I am with Swami here. Why would I be tense about anything?” Sid lied through his teeth. Prescribing medicines and bed rest in the hospital, the doctor put Sid on drips. The mother was in tears seeing her son in such a condition. She wondered what had happened to him as she fondly hugged him.
The time seemed ripe for the revelation. The warmth of the hug melted Sid’s tensions and fears. A deluge of revelations poured out from his heart and he told everything to his mother. The mother had tears in her eyes and did not know what to do. But Sid was now feeling so much better. A huge weight seemed to have lifted off his heart. That in itself made his sickness evaporate and within the next couple of hours, he was slated for discharge from the hospital. The mother wrote a letter to Swami and gave it to Sid telling him to offer it to the Lord.
( If you have arrived here directly, you have missed some crucial portions of this story. It is recommended that you read Part 1 at the link given below and then continue. Else, you may be caught unawares and unable to appreciate the whole import of this experience!
Sid returned to his home in Puttaparthi. He was no longer allowed to stay in the hostel. He grabbed a light lunch, took some rest and got ready for the evening darshan. This would possibly be his last opportunity for enjoying darshan as a student, at least for the time being. Sid sat in his favorite spot, in the bhajan hall where he had many memories of singing for his Swami. When Swami came in, He directly beckoned to Sid. Sid moved up to Swami, gave the letter to Him and said,
“Swami, Amma has given this letter. They (University authorities) have asked me to come back to join the course again only in November.”
It was evident that Sid did not want to state directly that he had failed.
Swami pored over the letter in His hand. He called Sid to His side and placed His finger on one statement that his mother had made,
“Swami, you know what is best for my child...”
“See what your mother has written,” Swami said.
“Yes Swami! That is true. You know what is best for me,” accepted Sid.
“Go now. Come back in November,”Swami said with a pat on his back.
“Swami, whenever I visit Puttaparthi in between, can I continue to sing bhajans for you (as part of the Prasanthi Bhajan Group)?”
“Definitely... definitely... Tell your mother, I will speak to her.”
Sid was in seventh heaven. Swami had promised his mother an interview. He could not believe the reversal of fortunes. The tickets were cancelled as Sid and his mother eagerly waited for the interview. But that interview never came. Four days passed and on each of those days Sid sat in the front lines, ‘showing’ his face to Swami. Swami smiled and acknowledged his presence, but that was about it. Nitin Acharya, who was ‘assisting’ Swami those days came and told him on the fifth day,
“Sir, I think you can sit back. There is no need to sit in the front lines any more.”
Sid understood that Swami’s word had not meant an interview in the next few days. It had meant something else which he would possibly understand as time passed by. As of now, it was over and he returned to Chennai with his mother.
The students in the final year postgraduate class in the Prasanthi Nilayam campus of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) were an excited lot. The day was going to be a very special and memorable one for them. The 16th of March in 2009 had been chosen by destiny for them to express their feelings towards their Chancellor and their Swami, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The ‘Gratitude Programme’ had become an annual opportunity wherein every batch which was passing out (School students from Grade 12, 3rd year Undergraduates and 2nd year Postgraduates) would, via skits, songs and speaking, convey their gratitude to Swami. On His part, Swami would often make this into the most memorable session for all the students. It was therefore natural that Siddhartha’s heart was bursting at the seams with excitement.
However, mixed with that excitement was also a tinge of nervousness regarding his participation in this programme. Every year, the students try to get increasingly innovative in the portrayal of their gratitude to Swami and Siddhartha (aka Sid), with a few of his classmates, had evolved a novel idea. The plan was to play a game of pass-the-parcel in its classic version in Swami’s presence where a ‘punishment’ lay hidden within each layer of wrapping over a ‘gift’. Each of these punishments would be something interesting which Swami enjoyed seeing. For instance, one of the participants in the game was a mimicry artist and he was ‘fixed’ as the second boy to get ‘punished’ with the task of performing mimicry. Sid had got this idea while seeing an old tape of Swami’s visit to Kodaikanal where Baba had thoroughly enjoyed the game which the students played. But this was not the cause of Sid’s nervousness.
An evening when Swami gave great joy to Sid and Sid gave great joy to Swami...
A particular punishment had been fixed for Sid - to sing the verse which Swami composed as a teenager to market a wonder medicine called Bala Bhaskara. The rationale behind the punishment was twofold - that Sid was a good singer and that the verse seemed very dear to Swami’s heart. To add Swami’s involvement in this, Sid was to act as if he had forgotten a few lines of the verse hoping that Swami would ‘help’ him with the lines. It was a nice and sweet plot to involve Swami but the warden had his own worries,
“See, the plan can backfire if Swami chooses to remain stoic. So, don’t overact. In case you do not get any reaction within a few moments, act as if you have suddenly remembered and complete the verse...”
Sid had agreed to it But secretly, he actually memorised only the first two lines of the verse:
Vijay informed his parents about the chance he had got to go to Puttaparthi and be part of a drama to be staged there. They were happy. The past few years had seemed to really improve their son and his positive outlook towards Swami delighted them.
Vijay performed his role behind the scenes to the best of his ability and sincerity. As instructed, he made sure that he did not peep to get a darshan of Swami during the drama and, when the time came, he showered ‘Adi Sankaracharya’ with gold. When the drama concluded, Swami moved down the dais, amidst the children. He blessed all the actors with clothes. He also materialized vibhuti for some of the actors. Having done this, as He sat on the stage, the supreme Lord of the Universe seemed unsatisfied! He is never satisfied when it comes to giving.
He said something to the attendant boy by his side. A tray was brought from within and Swami beckoned to the actors. He handed over a wristwatch to each and every one of them. The line of actors ended but not Swami’s enthusiasm to give. He looked beyond, at the sets’ boys seated behind. Sathya Sai is a silent worker - always acting behind the scenes and giving credit to others. He definitely knows what it is to be a background worker! He beckoned to the sets’ boys too and Vijay was one among the first few to go to Him.
Swami blessing Vijay with gold chain that He materialised with a wave of His hand. This was in 2008.
(This is the second part of an interesting story. You will get maximum joy by reading it in the proper chronology. In case you have missed it, read the first part at the link below before returning to this part.
Vijay knelt before Swami. It was for the first time in his life that he was seeing Swami from such close quarters. Swami held out a wristwatch for him. But Vijay’s attention was not on the watch. He was drinking deep into the fountain of beauty that Swami is. That momentary experience was enough to make Vijay desire madly for a seat in Swami’s college. He remembered Shyam’s words that one got admission in Swami’s college only when He wills. So, he told Swami,
“Please give me admission in your college. I want a seat.”
“Ok. Take”, said Swami, handing him the watch.
Vijay did not understand whether Swami was asking him to ‘take’ the watch or the seat. He did not know then that Swami has the ability to bless two birds with the same stone! He felt that Swami wanted to get ‘rid’ of his pestering presence. He took the watch and walked back to his place.
Thus concluded the Parthi trip which triggered an insatiable thirst in Vijay to become a student of Swami.
The rock in the garden in Anjaneyulu's house compound in Uravakonda which today has got immortalized in His-Story
Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam
Into the bungalow He entered like an emperor walking into his palace. He went straight to the newly born baby girl at home. Anjaneyulu and his wife came rushing to Swami. Swami picked up the baby and, looking at her, said,
“You too fell in the Maya Sai Prabha!” (I got to know later that the girl had been born on the 21st of September, 1943 and the naming ceremony had not yet been performed.)
Sai Prabha as a 55-year old. She was probably the first child to be named by Swami. courtesy: Love is My Form.
Then, He looked at the lady of the house and asked,
“Where is the boy?”
“Sathyam, Dasu has not yet come from school...”
Obviously, she was speaking of Narasimha Dass with whom Swami had left for school in the morning.
“No! Where is your boy?”
I shared the lady’s bewildered look.
“What is the matter dear child Sathyam?” It was Anjaneyulu this time.
“I am not your Sathyam. I am Baba. I have come for Vishwa Shanti (World peace/welfare).”
He then walked out of the house, into the garden.
The rock on which Swami sat to deliver His first message to mankind has today been made into a shrine with a marble idol of little Sathyam and Shirdi Baba.
I stopped dead in my flight (remember, I have travelled to the past as a fly!). The immense meaning of the declaration had not hit me but still I felt a thrill travel down my wings. I was sure that something magnificent was about to happen now. Those vibes were unmistakable. It was akin to the moment just before Moses heard the ten commandments and Mohammed got the first revelation; just before Buddha received enlightenment and when Arjuna received the Bhagwad Gita. All this while, it was only me, a fly having travelled in a time machine, who was buzzing around. Soon, the whole compound would be bustling with people and buzzing with excitement. Swami actions would ensure that the excitement was kept at a crescendo.
(The story so far has been absorbing because it has allowed us to witness those episodes in Swami’s childhood life, that very few are aware of and those which led up to this epochal moment. It is thus suggested that the reader move on to this sixth and final part, having read the previous five parts. However, if pressed for time, reading this last part alone too will suffice to generate the thrill and eagerness to read the previous parts!
He walked out of the house and into the garden. Anjaneyulu, who had definitely felt the same vibes, came running out. He went to his rock shrine on which was the clay idol of Shirdi Baba. He intuitively cleared it and spread a leopard-skin carpet over it. Swami went and sat on the rock, amidst the trees. Ah! How divine and majestic He looked! Did I see a halo around His head? He had definitely chosen this moment to reveal Himself and all of a sudden, there seemed to be a never-ending stream of people in the garden. In front of the crowd, Sri Sathyanarayana Raju erupted into a song.
Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam
Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam.
(Meditate in thy mind on the Feet of the Guru. This can take you across the difficult sea of existence, birth after birth.)
A recording of Swami singing Manasa Bhajare
I wholeheartedly joined in the bhajan singing. The Parama Guhyam (greatest secret) thought to be accessible only to a select few was being doled out with love and compassion to anyone who was ready to lend even a curious ear! People started coming up to the rock with incense and camphor. They brought flowers in great abundance and offered it to Him. But He had come to collect grander flowers, the Hrudaya Pushpam (flower of the heart).
(In the Bhagwadgitha, Krishna has referred to "Pathram, Phalam, Pushpam, Thoyam" that is, leaf, fruit, flower or water that can be offered to God. I am pleased with any of these, provided it is offered with sincere devotion. What is 'pathram'? It is not the 'leaf' that you see around you. The inner meaning is that your body itself is the leaf. Flower is not the one in the plants but it is the flower of your heart, "Hridhaya Pushpam". 'Phalam' is not the ordinary fruit but 'Manophalam' (the fruit of your mind). 'Thoyam' means water but what is referred to here is not the water from the river or tap. It refers to the tears of joy welling up within you from a sincere and prayerful heart.
Soon, I saw Seshama arriving on the scene. He had a half-thrilled and half-shocked expression. He left in a hurry presumably to send a message to the parents to arrive to Uravakonda as soon as possible.
“Beep.... Beep... Beep....”
Oh my God! That must be the time machine beckoning to me. My time was over! But how? I remember that I had set the batteries on full charge to last at least a week. How could they have drained out so fast? The reason and realization slowly dawned on me. So lost had I been in the grand event of the Declaration that I had spent 3 full days in bhajans and worship in the ‘rock-garden’ at Anjaneyulu’s house! I looked at my Swami. He showed no signs of fatigue or hunger. From where did He get such strength and stamina without eating even a morsel? Did He derive energy directly from the elements?
Sri V.V.Ramulu, the photographer.
“You fool”, my heart corrected me, “it is not He who derived strength from the elements but the elements that derive their power from Him!”
As if to give proof of this, I saw a miracle of transmutation of elements right before my eyes before returning from the time travel. The instrument through whom the miracle occurred was a photographer, V.V.Ramulu. He had come to document the occasion that would give him a place in the His-Story books! He wanted to take a picture of the Guru and requested Swami to strike a pose. In His infinite love, Swami looked lovingly at the camera. There was an ugly stone that had somehow made its way in front of Swami. Ramulu asked Swami to push away that crude stone.
Swami smiled and told him to go ahead with taking the picture. I was not present to see Ramulu developing and processing the negatives but the Sathyam Shivam Sundaram (the official biography) records that when the picture was made, the crude stone had transformed into an idol of Shirdi Baba!
The photo taken by Ramulu. The 'crude stone' was transformed into an idol of Shirdi Baba when the negative was developed.
My life is my message
As I returned to my day and age, I realized with tears in my eyes that Swami had declared His mission in such a profound manner - to show humanity that God exists in everything, even a crude stone! That was the underlying message in everything that He did those 3 days in the garden. I had witnessed amazing scenes. His classmates wept when they heard that Sathya would no longer attend school, that He was much beyond their reach, that His company was hereafter only for those upon whom He showered His Grace. Many came to the garden with incense and camphor to worship Him. Some came to sympathize with the family, some to congratulate them. Some came to learn, and some, alas, even to laugh! But Swami’s message had been the same - to inspire mankind to see the common thread of divinity that runs through all. And that remains His message throughout. Even in the final act of benediction, the Namaskar through which He saluted all seated in Sai Kulwant Hall, He seemed to exude the same message - Divinity pervades everyone and everything.
And today, as I sat at that rock, I had goosebumps erupting on my being. Some unknown rock in the garden of a person living in far-flung Uravakonda has today become a shrine!
Just sitting in this temple, at the rock is such an elevating experiences. We sang that memorable and unforgettable bhajan, Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam, and it felt so very special. I had tears flow down my eyes as I narrated this beautiful story of how Swami declared the Avatarhood to my family. It was then and there that I decided to narrate this story to my extended family across the globe too so that they too would enjoy the bliss that I was enjoying.
I was unable to stop the flow of my tears.
“This was where it all began... the rock which deserves my gratitude because I would not be what I am today in any sense had it not been for that Beginning.”
I placed my forehead on that rock. I could feel a surge of strength and love course through my entire being. I recollected how Mother Easwaramma had come running to Uravakonda at the end of those three days of prayer and bhajans. Swami had said
“Here comes Maya”, on seeing her. She told Swami,
“We are in Maya. We are Maya. But you are free from Maya. And we will not interfere, we will not argue. You can be whatever you are... but... not in the Himalayas, not in the caves and hills, far away from us. Give me your word that you will remain at Puttaparthi. Let your devotees come there. We will welcome them, gladly, and treat them kindly.”
Swami had agreed. He said,
“I have chosen Puttaparthi as my kshetra (field of action). The boon is granted not to you, but to the village, nay the world itself. I shall leave this place and come to Puttaparthi on Thursday.”
As I returned to Puttaparthi in the space-vehicles, the two cars, I was filled with memories and thoughts galore.
A special experience of reliving History at the historic boulder at Uravakonda.
The power of Kshetra
Water is available anywhere on the face of the earth for those that dig deep. However, it is always easy to obtain the same from a lake or river nearby. That is my take on the magnificence and thrill of visiting these holy spots or Kshetras. The inspiration that one derives by actually being in these His-Storical spots has to be experienced. The effect is magical because, all said and done, though we are all embodiments of Divinity, I still cling on to my ‘human’ self. And my human self is heavily influenced by my mind and senses. So, when I actually see, touch, smell, feel and perceive that grand Rock, the influence on my self is mesmerising.
With one hand on the rock and the other on my heart, I prayed,
“Swami, just like you transformed this rock into your throne, make my rock-like heart also your throne. Be seated there always and teach me the ultimate message of Surrender. And as you said, let me achieve that by fixing my mind on the lotus feet of my Guru!”
I then bent low and embraced the rock close to my heart. Copious tears of joy welled down my cheeks. I was lost in thoughts of Swami and Swami alone. My heart was pounding in love for Him. That is when I realized, that without the slightest effort, I had actually offered all the four - Phalam, Pushpam, Patram and Toyam - to Him.
Ah! That is the power of the Kshetra, the place sanctified by the Avatar. What otherwise seems very difficult to achieve becomes easy by His grace that pours from the Kshetra. If you don’t believe me, make a visit to the place and see for yourselves. After all, it is just a 2-hours drive from Puttaparthi!
"Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam, Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam" The serene sanctum is a tremendous source of inspiration.
For all readers:
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