LOVE, LOVE AND LOVE - By Bhishek Kumar

Love walking on two feet...

What is that force by which rivers are so excited to meet the vast ocean? It is Love, it is Love, and it is Love. 

It is the selfless love of Bhagavan towards us, which attracts us towards Him. Bhagavan is like the vast ocean of love and we are like rivers that are constantly getting attracted towards Him. He is the very form of Love. He is the very essence of Truth. He is the embodiment of Peace. He is the smallest among the smallest. He is the Biggest among the Biggest. He is indescribable. He is strange and His actions are still stranger. 

My coming here to this Holy Land of Puttaparthi that is situated on the bank of gleaming Chitravati is also very strange.

My father knew about Sri Sathya Sai Baba from the early 70s but we didn’t have so much belief. It was in the month of January 1999, when my cousin sent an admission form of Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School and wrote about the glory of Bhagavan and this place. I was just fascinated reading this letter. I thought I should get admitted into this school at any cost. But it was not a good time for our family. In my father’s department, there was a strike going on for three months. So, we were having financial problems. But where there is His will, there is a way. My father filled the form and left everything to Him. I got the call letter. Now, it was the peak time to arrange money for all the expenditure. My father arranged everything with His grace and came here for the entrance test. My father accompanied me. By Bhagavan’s grace I was able to pass the entrance test. We went home. Still the strike was not over, and then the call letter came. Some people told not to send me to a place, which is two thousand and five hundred kilometres away. My father and mother knew that there was nothing to worry when the Father of fathers, the Mother of mothers, Guardian of guardians, Lord of Lords is there in Puttaparthi. But still financial problems were there. But He wished me to join His school. He removed all hurdles. Only thus have I come here into His fold and have become an instrument in His Divine Mission. After a week or two the strike was called off. Thus He called me here, to the land of Parthi from the land of Buddha i.e. Bodh Gaya. 

When I joined the hostel, everything was different from the outside world - teachers, classmates, the selfless service of teachers and their care for each and every boy etc. It is only because of Bhagavan’s Love.

Sometimes, we including myself think that “Oh, this teacher is not good. He always scolds me.” But at night before sleeping when I analyse the incident, then I come to the conclusion that whatever he did was for my own good. Really, Bhagavan has given us the most efficient and careful teachers. 

Once it happened that one boy came late for breakfast. One of the teachers told him to go back and not to have breakfast for three days. And, on the next day when that teacher went to have breakfast he remembered that on the previous day he had told one boy not to have breakfast. So, he wanted to tell that boy to have breakfast but he forgot whom he had told. So, he also did not take breakfast for three days. On the fourth day the boy came and asked whether he could have breakfast or not. Then the teacher told him that he wanted to tell him the previous day but he had forgotten. So he also did not have breakfast. Both then had breakfast together. By this we can know how much each teacher loves us. 

Swami with Teachers at the Institute

Bhagavan knows everything but keeps quiet. He has told that He is also an actor in this drama of life and He has to follow the rules and regulations laid down by Him. It was in September that my grandfather fell sick. Then a teacher advised me to pray to Bhagavan and give a letter and take Vibhuti for blessing. Next day on 25th September 1999 I wrote a letter and took a Vibhuti packet for being blessed. I was seated in the second line. When Bhagavan came out, I was praying to Bhagavan for my grandfather’s recovery. When Bhagavan came in front of me I showed the letter and the Vibhuti packet but Bhagavan didn’t bless it. Bhagavan waved His hand in the air, materialised Vibhuti, gave it to me and said, “Eat it, eat it, eat it,” and went away. When I got a message from my home, I was happy to hear that my grandfather was recovering fast. Thus Bhagavan in His own way cured my grandfather. 

Bhagavan gives us everything but does not ask anything of us but only one thing. That is His own - Love. It is only love by which we can win the grace of Bhagavan. Nothing else can lead us through the path of I to We but it is only Love. Love means L-Loyalty, O-Oneness, V-Vision of Truth, E- Enlightenment. 

We should be loyal to the Supreme Master, God. We should strive to understand the principle of oneness - that God and we are the same. This is the vision of Truth. This will lead to enlightenment ultimately leading to God and Bliss (Brahmananda). 

“Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud. Love is not ill mannered or selfish or irritable. Love does not keep a record of wrongs. Love is not happy with evil but is happy with Truth. Love never gives up and it gives faith, hope; Love is eternal.” These are the words of Bhagavan to describe love. 

Bhagavan gives us love in pure and serene form and He wants the same love back.

- Bhishek Kumar

Alumnus, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School
Prasanthi Nilayam

Source: Sai Nandana 2000 (75th Birthday Issue)