From Shirdi to Puttaparthi - Part 4 (His Story narrated by Sri Sathya Sai)

Sri Sathya Sai - With His Own Form

... Continued from Part 3

The Golden Collar Pin

The next day they had to go back to Uravakonda. Municipal Chairman wanted to give Me something. But I wouldn’t take even a naya paisa from anyone. I wouldn’t accept any clothes also. In those days, they would put on a gold color pin on the collar which signified that the bearer was a big man. The Chairman called Swami alone and said, “With great love I have got this for You. Please take it.” His wife came and fell at Swami’s feet. Then I said “Ok”, and accepted the collar pin.

The next day we came to Uravakonda. I was going to school and the collar pin fell down somewhere and could not be found anywhere. Then I said, “The collar pin has fallen down and is not found, after the return from Hampi, Maya has gone, I have no relationship with you any longer.” And I left the house. There was one person called Anjaneyulu. He was working as an Excise Commissioner. He had lot of devotion towards Swami. His grandson Ramayya lives in Bangalore. He grows about 100 acres of fruits in his orchards. He sends lorry loads of fruits like watermelon, papaya and berries to Swami at Puttaparthi. Recently he gave a papaya and a watermelon to each student in the hostel. When he comes now, Ramayya sits in the verandah at the Mandir. So, on that day, Anjaneyulu requested Me to come to his house. I sat there. I sat on a rock in a mango grove. The newspaper fellows were there. These people want matter for their newspaper and they don’t discriminate whether it is good or bad. They came and asked, “How do we know that you are Sai Baba.” I said, “You can’t understand. There are people who understand. Just because you don’t have faith doesn’t mean that others also don’t have. It is your illusion.” Anjaneyulu came and took away these newspaper people. He told them, “If you have faith come and sit here. Otherwise go away.” 

The original photo of Sri Sathya Sai at Uravakonda
with the Shirdi Sai idol before Him

One of them got a photographer and when I was sitting, he took My picture. When the photo was developed in front of Me there was Shirdi Sai Baba (idol). Keeping that same photo, a big Mandir has been built in Uravakonda today. Then that journalist understood. They did not know who Sai Baba was. In front of Swami there was an idol of Shirdi Sai Baba. Then I sang the Bhajan “Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam, Dusthara Bhavasagara Taranam.” With a pure heart if you chant the name of God you will get everything.

Whatever Bhajan we sing, we should do so with a pure heart. You say you have devotion to God but your mind is roaming everywhere else. All the time the mind is worried about the footwear left outside. With that feeling if you do Bhajans, where is the purity and sanctity? Giving up everything. With one pointed focus we must sing Bhajans. In Bhagavad Gita it is said,

‘Ananyas Chintayanto Maam Ye Janaah Paryupasate,

Teshaam Nityabhi Yukatanaam Yogakshemam Vahaamyaham’

‘Whoever thinks of Me with one pointed focus and attention, I will look after his welfare.’

Subbamma’s Devotion

The Young Sathya Sai

Thus, there is a comparison between the two lives in the film by Anjali Devi. There is also a description of Karnam Subbamma’s devotion to Swami. Because Subbamma fell at Swami’s feet and was serving Him always, her mother, brothers and all relatives came and they wanted to send her out of the caste of Brahmins. They spoke to her, “You are not a Brahmin. You are serving a person from a lower caste.” Earlier this kind of caste feelings were there. She told them, “I need not come to your house. You need not come to my house. Sai Baba is there that is enough for me. He is my everything. You may think what you want. He knows and I know what it is.” She did not allow anybody to come to her house. When they came to her house she told them, “You don’t need to come here. Please go away.” Like this she served Me for six months. In these six months, Swami’s impact kept on growing. People started coming from Bangalore, Madras and all the places.

Source: Then At Shirdi, Now At Parthi, Discourse 13, My Dear Students Volume 3, March 16, 1998; Discourse to the students and staff at Trayee Brindavan