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)

God's Masterplan works subtly and silently for each of us (Part 2 of 4 of my career story)

This is Part 2 of the story of how Bhagawan Baba helped me make my career choice. If you have arrived straight here, please take a few minutes to read the first part to ensure continuity and better understanding. Part 1 is posted here.

How Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba helped me make my career choice

When the Lord decides...

The Lord’s ways of working are indeed mysterious. Of course, there are times when He performs a miracle and gets things done. However, a miracle, by definition, goes against the ‘laws of the Universe’, the laws that He Himself created! Now since He created the laws, God definitely transcends the laws. But still, most of the times, He works well within the framework of these laws in a subtle manner. Thus, not only does He achieve what He has decided, He also sets an example to the world about right action. When the Lord decides on something, the whole universe conspires and begins to work in a manner to achieve it. And that is exactly what I saw happening in my life too as far as my career and living with Swami, in Puttaparthi were concerned.

And to show the mysterious and subtle workings, I would have to narrate some normal, everyday events that eventually added up in an unimaginable manner.

It was early in the year 2007. The year would mark the Golden Jubilee year of the monthly magazine started by Swami (that is how I address Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba) in 1958, Sanathana Sarathi. Plans were afoot for making a commemorative video for the occasion. Swami, on His part, showed great interest in the video and so, it became imperative to get it ready ASAP. Sai Prakash CG, who currently works at Radiosai Global Harmony was roped in to edit the video and get it ready for Swami’s viewing. He worked overtime on the project, throughout the night and got the video ready in 24 hours! (Only God can inspire such dedication I feel!)

Having completed the video, he showed it to the seniors and elders who were very happy with the work. As he planned to go and crash on the bed for some well-deserved sleep, he got a piece of news that made all sleep fly away. He was asked to present himself at Swami’s residence to be there when the video would be shown to Swami! What a piece of fortune!

Swami saw the whole video and was very happy with the effort.

“Who made this video?” was the question.

Sai Prakash was pushed to the front. Swami smiled at him and blessed him. At that time, Sri Chakravarthi, then the secretary of the Central Trust, said,

“Swami, there are a few students working at Radiosai. They want to induct a few more students so that they can do more work.”

At this point, Swami looked at Sai Prakash and told him,

“This is a kind of job which everyone cannot do. I want you to look out for someone, who in your opinion, is suitable for the job. Come and tell me your choice(s) and I shall appoint him/them.”

Sai Prakash was pleasantly surprised. He wanted to ensure that he heard right and sleep-deprivation was not making him imagine things. Sai was prodded him to do the ‘HR’ job for Radiosai! He just nodded. Swami repeated what He said. He was dead serious.

The ‘exam’ time which proved to be a testing time

There was barely a month left before the final examinations would begin. There was lots to study. However, my concern was not about the exams but about what would happen to me after I completed the MBA. My heart was decided that it would not be happy anywhere else. But my mind kept telling me,

“If you have to become a waiting boy after studies, what will you do? Instead of using your talents and skills to help Swami, will you simply allow them to waste?”

I knew that my mind was misguiding me. But the mind is very powerful when it starts taunting and creating fear. When it starts doing like this, it becomes like a rabid dog which will first growl at you, then bark before finally pouncing on you unless you show it who’s the master. And the master for this D-O-G is none but G-O-D. Thus, I started praying,

“Swami, you know my heart. You know I want to be here. But I cannot get a job here unless you give me one. I know you will not give me the job till the correct time comes but I fear that I may not have the patience to wait. Please do something.”

I pleaded from the bottom of my heart. I even told my mother,

“Mom! Please pray for me. I do not want to be a waiting boy because I lack patience. I am scared that my mind will overpower me and convince me to go away if I am made to wait. I am scared. So please, pray for me.”

I tried to reason out to myself,

“Don’t worry. If you have to wait for a few months, it’s no big deal.”

Immediately, another half of me protested,

“No way! Once I change from a student to an alumnus, I will lose all the ‘privileges’ that I have got accustomed to in the last 9 years. No more photography - unless you become a staff member. Will you be able to take that revoking of privileges?”

Tears streamed down my cheeks. I felt that I would not be able to take it. I could not imagine a day without photographing Swami. I wondered how Swami could do this to me - separating me from my camera and shooting Him? I just kept my fingers crossed.

The different pieces come together

One day, as I was walking back from class, Rangarajan sir, my teacher (currently the Controller of Examinations for the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning), accosted me. He said,

“Aravind, Prof.G.V (referring to G. Venkatraman, director at Radiosai) says that he wants to recruit some students. He is interested in recruiting you and asked me to speak to you about it. Would you be interested?”

The reader must be imagining that I dived at this opportunity that presented itself; that I told Rangarajan sir how grateful I was; that I told him how I pined to be with Swami all my life. Well, that is exactly what I did!

However, I did mention to him one small worry that cropped up in my heart. I always wanted Swami to give me a job. I wanted to tell all my life,

“I am was and am employed by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.”

I was hesitating to give that ‘employer’ status to Prof.G.V! When I expressed this to Rangarajan sir, he laughed and said,

“You talk as if Prof.G.V is going to appoint you tomorrow itself. It is not that easy. The professor cannot take you like that. He will definitely tell Swami and if Swami is happy with that, Swami will tell you.”

That satisfied me. Even if Prof.G.V wanted me, Swami would have to tell me to join the job. That would make Him my employer! (Swami is the employer always, irrespective of where people work in the world! However, in my childishness, I entertained these thoughts.) But again, that nagging worry came because it was not a surety that Swami would accept me!

The next day, I was told that I had a visitor for me in the hostel. It was a certain Sai Prakash from Radiosai I was told. He wanted to meet three of us from the final year post-graduate class. I got a feeling that something was moving along now. When I went to him, he spoke at length about the aims, goals and vision of Radiosai. He also spoke of his confidence in me being the right person to be employed at Radiosai. It was simply thrilling though I had no idea of the commandment which Swami had given him. Often, that is how Swami works in our lives - silently and efficiently. The evening soon grew late but we continued speaking. I was so eager and excited about being a part of Radiosai and spread Swami’s love in the digital dimension.

A shooting star streaked across the skies as
we finished the discussion. 

Even as we completed the discussion, a shooting star cut across the skies. I was aware of the practice of wishing upon a shooting star. Legend has it that wishing upon a shooting star makes the wish come true. Coincidentally, I had made my wish!

“Swami, I want to be with you forever.”

For a moment I felt disappointed that my wish had not been,

“Swami, I want a job in Radiosai.”

Immediately, I remembered the first time ever that I had spoken in Swami’s presence in 1997. Then too, instead of asking for admission in His school, I had asked Him the same thing,

“Swami, please keep me with you throughout my life...”

Though that was not foremost in my mind, that prayer was the basis for me wanting admission in His school and me wanting a job in Radiosai. The realization immediately made me feel so good and I thanked the shooting star for its appropriate appearance.

A note on the shooting star

Please forgive my little detour here. It is imperative that I do this because there is a beautiful message to be conveyed.

I have often wondered at the logic or wisdom behind the legend of wishing upon a shooting star. Googling for the same, one comes across many reasons and causes for the legend. However, my heart gave me an answer and I feel that is the Truth!

Wishing on shooting stars is actually somewhat of a challenge, since they disappear almost as soon as one sees them. Then, how is it possible for one to ensure that one is able the wish when the shooting star streaks across the skies? Simple! Keep making that wish every time - while eating, while playing, while praying, while working... even while sleeping. Even one’s dreams must be about one’s wish. Then, the timing of the shooting star does not matter. Whenever it comes, the wish will be made!

I feel that the legend of wishing upon the shooting star carries the message that the innermost desire of our hearts always finds fruition. It also inspires us to wish for the ‘most valuable’ because it is simply not possible to wish for more than one thing in this manner! It reminds me of another similar example that Swami often gives in His discourses. He says that the thoughts that one entertains during the last moments of life determines the next birth.

“If anyone thinks of God on the deathbed, one is assured of the ultimate - moksha.”

In fact, this is the message of the story of Ajamila too as mentioned in the sacred texts, the Puranas.

On the surface, that appears so simple. But the catch lies in the fact that unless one has thought of God throughout one’s life, one will not be able to think of God at the last moment of one’s life! A hundred other thoughts will come flooding the mind. Swami tells the story of a man who named his four sons after different gods because he felt that when he was dying, he would call out to his sons. That is exactly what happened. As he was dying, he called out,

“Rama, Krishna, Narayana, Shiva...”

All the four promptly rush to him. Seeing all the four of them together, he shouts,

“Fools! If all four of you come to me, who will take care of the shop??”

And the man died!

So, thinking of God while dying instead of one’s attachments is very difficult indeed. Unless, one has practiced.

A simple experiment  here-

As I go to bed at night, I try to think only of God. But is it possible for me to isolate only thoughts of God from everything else? If I am not able to do so while going to sleep, what is the surety that I will be able to do it when I am about to die? I get to sleep every night but I will die in this body only once! Is it not important to practice?

Surely a lot of food for thought there. And with that, I complete the little detour.

A step closer to the dream

It was the 28th of March, 2007. Only two more exams remained for me to complete and be done with my formal education. That was when, I had another summon. The three of us with whom Sai Prakash had spoken to were told that Sri Chakravarthi, then the secretary of the Central Trust, wanted to speak to us. It had to be something very important otherwise he would not be calling us a day before the final exams.

When we met him, he asked us whether we REALLY wanted to work in Swami’s institutions. My heart leapt in joy. I could not believe my ears. At the same time, I was thinking,

“I don’t want Sri Chakravarthi to give me a job! I want Swami to give it to me!”

He immediately cleared that doubt.

“I am not here to offer a job. However, let me tell you that working for Swami is not easy. There will be no Saturdays or Sundays. There will be no summer vacation or winter vacation. You will have to sacrifice all your other ambitions. It will be work, work and more work.”

He went on with this rhetoric for the next ten minutes. I would not be dissuaded by that! If it were true, why on earth did Sri Chakravarthi himself choose to give up a lucrative career in the Indian Administrative Service and stay to work for Swami? I knew there was something that he was not saying. While I was lost in these thoughts, he completed his rhetoric and then asked a question,

“Now, do you still want to work for Swami?”

“Of course sir. I know all that you have said. I have considered them and then only made my decision because being with Swami is more than sufficient compensation.”

He smiled.

“Working for Swami is not easy. But it is the most fulfilling thing in the universe - you can be assured about that.”

He got up and left. The meeting was over. We could now go back to our studies.

In the eyes of the world, it appears as though people have sacrificed a lot to be with Swami. But ask the same question of those very people and they will say that they have sacrificed nothing. That is the Truth. I too had thought that I would be sacrificing so many things to be with Swami. Today, I can confidently say that I have sacrificed nothing. I just decided to stay with Swami and everything has been conferred upon me. I am completely convinced that if one decides to choose God, everything else automatically comes along (unless the choice is done with the view of getting everything else by choosing God).

The three of us returned to the hostel feeling that surely something was brewing in God’s cauldron. And we couldn't just wait to finish our exams and find out what it was.

Proceed to the 3rd part:

How God changed my disappointment into appointment

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)