Lessons Learnt in a Finishing School Under a Supreme Master - By Prof. N. R. Krishnaswamy

Prof. Krishnaswamy is on extreme left on the dias with
Sri Sathya Sai

On several occasions, during the past few years, I felt like putting down in writing some of my thoughts and feelings about what I have learnt after having been drawn into the vortex of a grand phenomenon. My thoughts remained within myself, unexpressed, as I was not sure whether my words would carry faithfully the original flavor and essence of the impressions in me created by a direct 'communication' with Bhagavan (I am using here the term communication' in a broad sense). In other words, I was afraid of drawing the focus on to the trivial — that is, the experiences confined to an individual; namely myself—and in the process make the readers lose sight of the full grandeur of the greatness of Bhagavan which is not bound by time and space and certainly not confined to the orbit of an individual. The reason for my writing this article, at this juncture, is not that I have become wiser. It is because of the realisation that I would not be able to do any better even if I were to wait for the rest of my life. I draw solace from the fact that I am not the only one to feel inadequate to give expression to a cumulative experience which can only be termed extraordinarily comprehensive. Trying to capture the glory of a 'Purushottama' within the experiences and time-span of one person is like trying to see the brilliance of the Sun in the glitter of a dew drop. Why bother about one small reflection when the Original itself is there with all its glory and many reflections all around? Perhaps, on the other hand, one may also argue that when one sees the many reflections of the Only one, the greatness of the latter is seen in full measure. 

Of the many facets of Bhagavan, one that has appealed to me most is the spontaneity with which He offers solace born out of supreme wisdom, love and compassion to all and sundry and not necessarily to those who deliberately and openly seek His help. To go all the way out to help someone who has not sought for the help in person is only possible by the Divine with this preamble I would like to describe the experience of someone very close to me, without divulging the name and other details. 

This person, a very gentle lady, was seriously ill a couple of years ago with a serious inflammation of the arteries. The specialists who had examined her had advised an operation to be done 'then and there' but would not assure her of a permanent cure. All that she could think of at that time was of Bhagavan and suddenly in her mind the name of a particular doctor flashed through. He had to be located after some search and this gentleman happened to be the only person in town (at that point of time, at any rate) who knew about this particular ailment as he had specialized in that area. To cut a long story short, this specialist could prescribe a treatment without operation. Though the treatment had severe side effects, the 'temporal arteritis' disappeared without surgery. The adverse effects of the treatment have also disappeared now and the doctors are puzzled. But, she is not surprised as she firmly believes that she knows Who and What cured her. The fact that she got cured, according to her doctors, is a miracle but what is more important and relevant is that Bhagavan's grace came to her as a spontaneous response to a mere mental prayer. 

Prasanthi Nilayam Campus of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning where Prof. Krishnaswamy joined in 1982

At the time of joining this Institute, I had already been a Professor elsewhere and had been teaching and conducting research for two decades and more. However, it did not take me long, after arriving here, to realize that I had got transformed from a teacher to a student and this was a 'finishing school' for me. Incidentally, my education is still continuing I Watching Bhagavan at Darshan times and listening to His discourses had made me realize the power and the many subtle and delightful effects of supreme and selfless love. Knitted into His routine are many delectable variations of schedule and actions, each one of which reflects His lively and loving interest in the World around Him. When Bhagavan speaks, it is pure and supreme Wisdom in the garb of a simple language delivered in soothing style and pleasing tone and with perfect diction. 

I have listened, over the years, to some of the greatest Chemists of this century but for the most delightful summary of the nature of Chemistry, I have to think of Bhagavan. Within a space of a few minutes, during a Discourse, He delineated effectively the essence (Rasa) of Chemistry and brought out the connection between molecules and life. His definition placed the focus firmly and directly on the most fundamental and important application of Chemistry, namely the understanding of the rationale of life. No one, possessing a mere mass of knowledge but without Wisdom, could have given such a comprehensive and yet concise description of so-called specialist subject 

To the readers who have hard Bhagavan, I am merely pointing out what they already know when I say that His Discourse are like mountain streams flowing with elegance, with crystal an invigorating water, carrying the richness of the from which they flow and meandering through parched lands The flow is spontaneous and natural as words merely give shape and colour to ideas and thoughts ringing up from a perennial source of extraordinary Wisdom appropriately flavored with love and compassion The Discourses are laced with a delicate and civilized sense of humor which does not interfere with the flow of thought but helps to accentuate the points being made out by giving it the correct amount of buoyancy at the appropriate place At the end of Discourse the listener gets a complete picture with no essential details left out, which can be compared to a beautiful tapestry. 

Prof. Krishnaswamy speaking during the SSSIHL Convocation in the presence of Sri Sathya Sai

All said and done, the best way to enjoy Bhagavan's all comprehensive greatness, in my humble opinion, is to watch Him quietly even from a distance in an impersonal but yet devoted manner and allow His grace to flow out to us and others in its natural, uninhibited and inimitable style. Whether we take our problems to Him or not, He will certainly sort them out in the way they deserve to be sorted out, but when we go to Him with our problems, we ourselves are so full of the burden that we may fail to enjoy the unique pleasure that goes with a deep calm. The joy one gets while watching Him move in His measured steps among the devotees, and watching the reflection of His robe as a moving, bright red spot on the ceilings of the verandah can be compared to the tranquil pleasure one experiences, while sitting on a sea shore, watching a lingering Sun painting a myriad of colours on the sky and the waters at dusk This joy is something which has to be experienced and no language can adequately describe it. We can only pray to Him that He may make us worthy of enjoying this unique bliss. 

About the Author:

Prof. N. R. Krishnaswamy, was a student of the University of Delhi, from where he received his B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry and was a student of veteran world-famous scientist, Prof. T. R. Seshadri. Before joining the Institute as Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry in 1982, Prof. Krishnaswamy taught at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Universities of Delhi, Bangalore and Calicut. 

Source: Sai Vandana 1990 (65th Birthday Offering)