When Krishna emerged on the lanes of Prasanthi Nilayam... - By Dheeraj Juneja

It was in 1976, when my parents and I came to Prasanthi Nilayam. My father did not believe in Swami at that time but I persuaded him to come to Prasanthi Nilayam. When we arrived, the Navaratri festival celebrations were going on. After this, we went back to Delhi. My father was not at all impressed but something made him come back to Prasanthi Nilayam after some time. We accompanied him.

One day we went for Darshan in the morning. I was sitting with my mother and my father was sitting on the gents’ side. Swami came out of His abode to give Darshan. As He approached the place where my father was sitting, one person asked Swami for Vibhuti, and Swami said, “Wait”. After that another person asked Swami for Vibhuti. Again Swami’s reply was, “Wait” and He started moving ahead. But the devotee again called out Swami for Vibhuti and gave Him a letter. Swami said again, “Wait”. My father who was watching all this got up immediately in disgust even though Swami was still giving Darshan. He came back to the room. He opened his suitcase and was about to tear up Swami’s picture. Just then someone touched my father’s shoulder. My father turned around, but did not see anybody. Suddenly his eyes fell on the opposite wall. To his utter amazement he saw a full life-size image of Lord Krishna. (My father is a devotee of Lord Krishna.)

Then Lord Krishna actually spoke to him and said, “Stop this, you are My devotee. Keep this picture in the suitcase and close it.” My father was astounded and did as he was directed. Then Lord Krishna asked him to close the door and follow Him. My father followed Lord Krishna. Krishna came down from the building and emerged on the lanes of Prasanthi Nilayam. My father followed. No one was around in the Mandir lanes as Swami was still giving Darshan. Lord Krishna came outside the Mandir compound and entered one of the shops and asked my father to sit down. As soon as my father sat down Krishna vanished. My father saw a calendar on the opposite wall depicting a picture of Lord Krishna.

My father then heard Krishna speaking to him, “You say that you are My devotee, but today you have betrayed Me. When you go to the house of any relative and don’t like something, do you get up and comeback? No, you sit quietly. Then why did you get up during Darshan today? I will arrange a friendly meeting with Swami. Now go back to the Mandir.” My father obviously had no objection. My father came out of the shop. At that very moment Krishna appeared again in flesh and blood and started walking towards the Prasanthi Mandir. My father followed Him. When he reached the gate of the Ashram, Krishna again disappeared. My father sat down on the sand in the Darshan compound.

Those days there was a large time gap between Darshan and Bhajans. Only a few old persons were sitting there. Suddenly, Swami came out and called my father. My father went near Him. Swami lifted His hand and kept it on my father’s shoulder as a friend would do and started walking towards His room. Swami said, “Oh man, what has happened to you?” He asked my father to come in but my father refused to go and said that he would sit in the Bhajan hall. Swami agreed to it and went inside His room. After sometime, the Bhajans started. Swami came into the hall and sat on His throne. He stared at my father. Tears flooded my father’s eyes, for he had seen his own beloved Krishna on the throne. He wiped his tears and again looked at Swami. Again Swami stared at him and my father felt that something was pinching his eye and he started weeping.

After Aarati, Swami went to His room. The old men lifted my father and brought him out of the Bhajan hall. Slowly my father regained his composure and returned to the room. After this incident, a change took place in him. He is now a devotee of Swami and has settled in Prasanthi Nilayam. It is my prayer to Swami to grant us all devotion so that we may bask in the sweetness of His Love.

- Dheeraj Juneja

Alumnus, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Source: Sai Nanadana 1995 (70th Birthday Issue)