Swami has various means of interacting with His devotees. His physical interaction is rare and our family is blessed to have received it. I would like to quote some of those soul stirring interactions which Swami has had with us through letters.
It was in the year 2000. My father met with a major accident. It occurred at 11:30 pm and there was nobody to take him to hospital. He had a severe fracture on the skull and it was bleeding heavily. But one person came forward to take my father to hospital. Doctors operated and put 18 stitches around the brain to stop bleeding. Doctors declared that he was going to die in a day. The person who helped in admitting my father called home and informed us about this event at 3:00a.m in the morning. We rushed to the hospital immediately but by the time we reached hospital my father was in I.C.U.
At about 5:00 am, he himself got up from the bed and looked at all of us. All doctors and nurses were surprised to see my father walking. Next day he was discharged from the hospital. At the entrance of the hospital there was a big photograph of Swami. As we did not know about Swami then, we just prostrated at the photograph assuming Him to be an ordinary saint. But one of the patients came near us and narrated some of the miracles of Swami. My mother believed in Him instantly. But my father was reluctant to accept Him. He even scolded Swami vehemently. But somehow my mother had developed a deep faith in Swami.
Thereafter my mother started worshipping Bhagavan daily, and this led to frequent quarrels between my father and mother. One day my father even threw his plate at my mother in anger. She broke into tears and went to bed. That night Swami appeared in my mother’s dream and told her, “Bangaru, come with your family to Puttaparthi. I am waiting for the arrival of your family.”
The very next morning my mother requested my father to come to Parthi. To her utter surprise, he agreed to come.
In the year 2001, we came for Swami’s Darshan and fortunately we got the first line. Swami came near my father and asked him to come for an interview. My father alone went and sat in the room. Swami came in with a serious face. Swami started talking to my father with much love and affection. Swami then showed a wound on His palm and said, “On that day when you threw the plate at your wife, it hit her badly on her palm and I had to take the pain. Is that the way to treat your wife? Is that the way to behave as the master of your house? You have to change your attitude immediately. If you are angry with me, scold me! But if anything happens to your wife, I have to take her pain. I love you Bangaru because you are serving poor people with love and affection. You should and must change your attitude Bangaru immediately. Will you?”
My father broke into tears and said, “Swami knowingly or unknowingly I might have scolded you. Please forgive me.” Then Swami caught my father’s hand and said, “In my presence, one or the other day the whole family will settle permanently in Puttaparthi. Your family will come increasingly closer to me. I will never give up your family,” said Bhagavan to my father with His sweet, soft and melodious voice. That’s how my father surrendered at the lotus feet of Bhagavan.
It was in the year 2003; my father was looking for a house-loan from some bank. None of the banks was ready to provide the house-loan as my father’s salary was not up to their expectations. My father got tired and prayed to Swami whole heartedly for help. That night Swami appeared in my father’s dream and told, “Bangaru, this is to test your patience. In a few days, you are going to get a house-loan and the house should have a special room allotted for me. I am the one who is going to construct the house through the workers,” said Swami. On the next day morning, at 9:45 am, my father received a post which was sent by Swami Himself. The letter consisted of the same matter about which my father got a dream. Along with the letter, Swami also sent Vibhuti and mentioned in the letter that Vibhuti must be mixed in the cement and should not be used for personal purposes. On the very next day, some of the bank dealers came to our home and asked all the details about the loan. In consonance with my father’s salary, the bank provided Rs.3.72 lakhs, which was more than sufficient to construct our house.
On February 12th the foundation was laid, and by April 30th the work was completed. The house was inaugurated on May 6th. On 9th may, Swami sent a letter again saying, “This house must be named as Prashanti Nilayam, and this residence will be full of peace. Who so ever comes to this residence must be provided with all the comforts and sumptuous food.”
It was in the year 2006 when our family returned home after attending ‘Athi Rudra Maha Yajna’. My father was feeling very uncomfortable. My mother was performing pooja. Meanwhile a beggar came to our home and happened to say, “Your husband is in great danger!” My mother did not believe his words. She went to the bedroom and slept. Swami appeared in her dream and told, “Tell your husband not to go to office. He is in danger! It is your responsibility to stop your husband.” My mother thought for some time, told about the dream to my father and stopped him from going to office. The very next day Swami wrote a letter to us which went thus, “Bangaru, it was I who saved your husband’s life. I gave him a second birth. While going to office he would have met with a major accident. It was such a horrible event to narrate. A lorry would have come and hit him with high speed and his head would have been crushed under the tyre.” Along with this letter, Swami had also sent Vibhuti Prasadam of ‘Ati Rudra Maha Yajna’, Swami also had written, “Mix the Vibhuti in water and drink it twice a day because the effect of that accident will be there for about a week and also body pains will arise. There is nothing to worry. I will take care of your family.” This shows how much love and affection He has for us.
Nothing can be compared to His love; for an ocean can be compared only to another ocean. He is omnipresent and knows everything about us.
It was the year 2008. I came here with my mother and father to have Swami’s Darshan just before the board exams of 10th standard. My father and I were sitting quite far in the Darshan hall. But suddenly a sevadal came and told us to sit in the second line. Immediately we rushed to the second line and sat there. My father was holding a letter and waiting for Swami. Meanwhile I told my father to move ahead so that he would get a chance to sit in the first line. It happened that Swami came near my father with a smile on His face and Swami told him something by means of signs. In the letter my father had written, “Swami I am Hari Krishna. I want my son Sri Krishna to join your school. Please bless him. It is not that I am not able to educate him but I want him to study in Your Divine presence. I am ready to offer my son at Your lotus feet Swami, please accept him as Your student.” After we returned home, we received another letter from Swami which said, “Bangaru how are you? How is everyone at home? If they are unhappy tell them to be happy as I take care of your family. I want to share a few words with you. I think I have received a letter from you. I am very happy with your letter. The matter which it contained was very beautiful. After your son gets a seat in My school, he has to face a few tests conducted by Me. The number of tests he passes, that many times closer He comes to Me. It is not important to pass in the exams conducted in the school, but it is important to pass in the examinations conducted by Me.”
It was in the year 2003 when we were experiencing the Grace of Swami. Swami used to send letters very often to our home. On May 6th 2003, we entered the newly constructed house. On 21st may, Swami sent a letter once again, “Bangaru, you have given excellent concrete shape to your new residence. Why don’t you name it as Prashanti Nilayam? The letters must be made in silver. It is my residence. You might have taken a loan to construct this house. But I have provided the house-loan to you, and at the end of every month, I am receiving the interest for the loan. I got you married. But at that time you did not know about me. I visited your marriage; I had stomach full of lunch.
All food items were very tasty. I put ‘Akshatas’ on both of you. I blessed you to lead a happy and joyful life. But nobody noticed Me. It was I who gave the financial assistance to your parents to make your wedding a grand success. I came in the form of an old couple. Though you had not invited them, the couple came. At the entrance, your parents asked me, “I have never seen you. Who are you? What is the purpose of your visit?” Then I answered that I came to bless the couple. Immediately your parents washed My legs and allowed Me inside the hall. They received Me with love and affection. They offered Me sweets. I watched every moment of your marriage. In the afternoon they offered Me 21 varieties of food items. These are the only clues I can give Bangaru,” said Swami. Bhagavan is present with us in each and every moment of our life. He protects His devotees from all kinds of problems.
After the half yearly exams of this year, I was feeling unhappy as I had scored very low. That night Swami came in my dream and told me, “Bangaru if you cry, I will also cry for you. Don’t feel bad about your marks. According to Me you have scored well and that is enough. Why don’t you be satisfied with your own marks? This is only to examine you. You are staying here for Me. When you want something you have to sacrifice something,” said Swami.
This shows us that Swami observes everything. We may think that Swami is only at Puttaparthi. But the truth is that Swami is present in each and every one of us; He is omnipresent. Swami’s grace can take us out of any problem that we may face. If one has sincere devotion towards the Lord and a sense of service, the Lord will make sure that nothing will be impossible for him to achieve.
- Sri Krishna
Alumnus, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School
Prasanthi Nilayam
Jai Sai Ram,
ReplyDeleteIt is as though Bhagawan has spoken for me and my problem i believe that LORD SAI Bagawan will answer all my prayers for which i am earnestly praying with tears.
Thank you,
Nandhini.