An Extraordinary Journey... with Sri Sathya Sai - By C.V. Subash

On the Extraordinary Journey with His Lord... C.V. Subash with Sri Sathya Sai

I sat on the edges of the ‘sands’ for Darshan with the frame of mind of a new recruit in a military academy. I had started my schooling in Malayalam medium at the primary level and was from a simple background in all respects. I was now keen to pursue a management degree. My father, a soldier on leave to drop his son, was with me. Somewhere within, there was a tinge of guilt of talking lightly of a Phenomenon, of which I had no clue. As Sri Sai Baba came around, little did I realise that I was on the threshold of a journey of not only this life time, but of many more lives – both in the past and in the future! 

As the academic year started, the classes began and Bhagawan showered His love on His ‘only property’. In the very first interview with the entire class, He looked straight into my eyes and communicated that He knew me through ages. The X-ray type of piercing look and the words, ‘I know you and your past. Forget the past’, were enough to convince me that He, like a true Mother, had forgiven me for all my ignorance. Here was the Master working on the character of His children, for education is ultimately for life and not for a living. He began what the world calls ‘conversion of street dogs into street-lamps’. The Alchemist was indeed at His work.

Along the way, Bhagawan blessed me with various experiences of His selfless Love for His students. One of them was when He chose to suffer an injury to His hip-bone in 1988. I was down with fever and was therefore unable to go for Darshan for a few days. After a while, it was announced that Bhagawan was giving Darshan again! As I sat under the Neem tree with a heavy heart, Bhagawan appeared on the first floor of the Mandir. As He showered His love for His students by distributing Prasadam from there, I saw Him making some gesture at me! It took a few moments for me to realise that He was enquiring me about my fever! The Most Compassionate One was more concerned about the minor fever of His student. Such is His love.

Sri Sathya Sai with His Students at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Hostel

The second experience was worth a life-time’s memory! I suffered a knee-injury while playing basket ball during the Annual Sports Meet. I was bed-ridden and unable to go for Darshan. The only Darshan I could have was a glimpse of Bhagawan and His car as and when He came to the Hill View Stadium. One evening when it was Darshan time (which meant a silent, boring time at Hostel), there suddenly was a buzz, “Swami, Swami …” I thought that Bhagawan was coming to the Hill View Stadium and I tried hurriedly to find some support to get up and look out of the window. But suddenly the door of the room opened and lo and behold… Bhagawan walked in! The Master was at the bed-side of a student, who had merely injured his leg! Such is the Love of Bhagawan for His students!

Bhagawan gave me several such experiences. He worked on the character and on the confidence of every student. At the end of the MBA programme, when I prayed to Him to permit me to stay on and pursue a career in Prasanthi Nilayam, He blessed me and asked me to go out and work, serve parents and the society. But then, when He asks us to do something, He helps us to implement it too, true to the message of the Bhagawad Gita. 

Receiving an award from the Revered Founder Chancellor of His University

The corporate world has been a very different experience. But in retrospect, I know that His Hand was there all along to guide, support and to help me endure. Although my school background did not instill much confidence in me as a communicator, the MBA programme gave me an insight into my shortcomings and areas for improvement. But ultimately it was confidence that mattered most. Bhagawan instilled in me the confidence to stand up and speak in front of any audience and no audience could scare me! I always considered myself a misfit for the teaching profession, due to my poor communication skills. But today, as my organisation has hand-picked me to conduct a three-day induction programme every month for new recruits as an additional activity, I know it is nothing but Bhagawan’s Grace. 

Bhagawan’s Love has brought about lot of subtle changes in the character of His children. I have been no exception. A die-hard non-vegetarian that I was, I could convert into a strict vegetarian without any difficulty. In spite of the several accepted practices in the corporate world, His Grace helped me to create a ‘reputation’ that I believed in His value-system and would not detract from the same for any reason. I have been in the transport and logistics industry all along. But if we are sincere in our belief in the values and implement them consistently with His Grace, the world will accept and will actually appreciate our efforts. And if His children are disciplined, it is only because of His Grace. This is more relevant today when Corporate Governance and Business Ethics go much beyond the realm of mere fashion. This is the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of the students of Sai and hence more relevant today. 

Stress in daily life is rampant and relevant to all age groups today. Some of the reasons for this are external and some are internal. There is no escape, but we need to handle it effectively. Bhagawan’s teachings have helped us to be aware. If Naamasmaran, Bhajans or Seva are some of best stress busters, His Nine Codes of Conduct help us to prevent any distress. 

Bhagawan is seeing me through the thick and thin of corporate life. In early 2000, I was very keen to get out of the job I held then and was almost desperate for a change. I accidentally ran into the executives of a new bank which was entering business. That triggered a chain reaction and I got a call. In no time, during the next couple of days, I was called for two interviews. I cleared the medical tests and got selected. The world would call it a miracle, but I knew that it was just the Master taking care. I got the call and cleared the interviews incidentally on consecutive Thursdays!!

Customer Delight – the buzzword, as the desired level of service in corporate circles, comes naturally to students of Sai, as we have grown with the concept of service to mankind. Bhagawan has helped us towards a spiritual way of life at an early stage in life. That, perhaps, is one of the greatest benefits because the perspective to life gets defined beyond mere career, fame or money. Life becomes a more meaningful journey. 

Undoubtedly... His journey with His Lord has been most enjoyable...

It has been a unique journey indeed…. The sheer experience of the journey has been nothing less than extraordinary. 

- C.V. Subash

Student (1988-1990), Department of Management Studies

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Prasanthi Nilayam Campus
Currently, Executive Coach & Management Consultant, Regal Unlimited, Bangalore 

Source: Fragrance