Tryst with Sri Sathya Sai – By K. Janardanan

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is an ocean of selfless love, where His Leelas galore is a shoreless ocean. We, the devotees derive limitless joy, experiencing His Leelas. Miracles are the cornerstones of the mansion of faith in the world of Sai. The Sathya Sai phenomenon has wonderfully propelled the mass of humanity in the world from darkness into light, ignorance into Divine consciousness, blind faith into blissful awareness of the source and sustenance of creation, i.e. God. All of Swami’s miracles are indeed the props for uplifting the individual to the Divine consciousness and to develop closer kinship with the source, God. The following is an instance of such a Divine miracle, an instance of uplifting a common man into a staunch devotee. 

In the early 1970s, a 20 year old youth, from a government school at Chennai, was without any merit for getting any job to support his family. He was whiling away his youthful time, wandering in the streets of Chennai, day after day, without any employment.

Sri Sathya Sai in Chennai

Bhagavan, in those days was frequently visiting places like Guindy and Mylapore in Chennai where this young man had often noticed visits of Swami. Whenever he happened to see Swami travelling by a car in that area, he would heckle Him, mistaking Him in his ignorance for an imposter, clad in an orange robe, attracting and misleading the innocent people. On one such occasion, while passing by, Swami turned His attention towards him. He blessed him, showing His Abhayahasta (raising the hand as a sign of protection) and smiled at him to his great surprise. He wondered why this Swamiji had shown special attention to him. This sparked in him a curiosity to follow and study Swami wherever He moved in Chennai. He was impressed by the blissful Bhajans sung by the devotees with great devotion. He was touched by the great dedication with which they were participating in the seva activities. Soon he became a part of Swami’s mission, engaging himself in all the seva activities with love overflowing in his heart. His love for Swami made him a full time devotee, spending all his time and energy for Samiti activities, particularly the services at Swami’s Mandir, Sundaram on every Sunday. His commitment as a Seva Dal was so much that he would hardly sleep on Saturday nights, waking up often to check up the time to go to Sundaram, for he had to walk seven kilometers from his house to reach the Mandir. Every time he would be the first person to reach Sundaram, open the Mandir and start the activities. He also would be the last person to leave, late in the evening. Thus, he spent his time the whole day participating in Seva activities of Swami.

Sundaram - The majestic Sathya Sai Ashram at Chennai

His all-time involvement in Swami and the activities of the Samiti without any employment made his parents and the members of the family very much disgusted and annoyed with him. He was often scolded and ill-treated. As he returned home at night every day, he would only find all the food vessels washed clean without leaving a morsel of food for him to eat. He would spend many nights without food. But, unfazed, he took all the acts of malice in his stride calmly, cherishing a fond hope that Sai Baba would one day bless him with a suitable employment and enable him to lead a respectful life. Undaunted by the hurdles that came in his way, he never failed to perform his duty as a Seva Dal while participating in service activities during all the festivals and functions in Prasanthi Nilayam.

Years passed without any change in his life as he waited with unshakeable faith in Bhagavan. But how long could he bear the brunt of his family everyday as he returned home after doing Samiti activities as a Seva Dal? One day the breakeven point for his mental torture reached, when he felt that Swami had totally ignored all his prayers and devotion. That day was the most auspicious day of Shivaratri when he got the opportunity for the first time to perform the night–vigil-duty around Swami’s Mandir at Prasanthi Nilayam. While Akhanda Bhajan was going on in the Mandir all through the night, his mind was tormented by the thought of the unpleasant scene that waited when he would return home at Chennai without any job or employment. Finally in the early hours of the morning he broke down crying for Swami’s grace. It was almost time for the daybreak, when Swami was expected to bless the devotees with Darshan. He prayed fervently asking three boons from Swami. The first boon was that he should not have any more rebirths. The second one was that an employment should be waiting for him at his home in Chennai, on his return home from Prasanthi Nilayam. The third one was that the members of his family should develop devotion and faith in Swami.

Thus he poured out the agony of his heart right at the door step of the ever loving and most compassionate Bhagavan. As he did not have any other refuge, he waited patiently with a crying heart for some favourable answers to his prayers which he firmly believed that Swami would definitely respond one day at the most opportune time. Soon he noticed that the attention of all the devotees in Mandir was drawn towards the silver door. Suddenly the door swung open and Bhagavan emerged giving His most captivating Darshan. During the brief moment of the blissful Darshan, he observed, to his utter joy, that Swami was looking at him with a bewitching smile, blessing him with his, Abhayahasta.

Sri Sathya Sai with Lingam

Swami, during the course of the Shivaratri discourse that morning, gave the Divine assurance that those who were present at Prasanthi Nilayam the previous night to witness the Lingodhbhava (creation of the Shiva Linga) were indeed very fortunate as they would not have any more births. He was stunned to hear the Divine assurance which he believed was a boon conferred especially on him. His spirit soared high on that day and he boarded a bus at 9.00 pm for his return journey to Chennai. 

Though one of his boons was miraculously granted by Bhagavan, he wondered whether Swami would grant him the other boons also and free him from the mental torture that he faced daily at home. Soon the thought of unpleasant experiences he had every time when he returned from Prasanthi Nilayam, gripped him and plunged him in gloom. His heart became heavy, brooding over his unsuccessful past and the dark uncertain future.

He was thoroughly exhausted when reached Chennai about 5.00 a.m. He could hardly walk but managed to drag his feet on the deserted roads leading to his house. He finally approached the lane where his house was at a short distance. As he turned to proceed in that lane, he noticed something unusual and surprising. His nine year old niece who till then never showed any regard for him, ran down the steps of his house and rushed towards him with a smile, saying, “Uncle, there is a brown cover lying on the table for you from the Department of Electricity”. He was very much thrilled and excited to find the envelope lying on the table, uncared for. In a moment, he grabbed it, immediately left the house and headed straight to the Shirdi Sai temple where he used to spend most of his time doing selfless service. He placed the letter at the altar and offered his gratitude as he was quite confident that Bhagavan finally responded to his prayers and thus granting him his second boon. No doubt, it was truly an appointment order for him from the Electricity Board for a competitive post to which he had applied some months ago and lost all the hope of getting any reply.

Having been blessed with the two unbelievable boons that were bestowed on him by Bhagavan, he was very confident that the attitude of all the members of the family would totally change for the better in course of time. Indeed, his family felt very remorseful for their irresponsible and callous behaviour toward him. It was not long before a very cordial atmosphere developed in his family and all the members in the family started believing in Swami.

- K. Janardanan

Warden (1996-2016), 

Sri Sathya Sai Junior Boys Hostel

Prasanthi Nilayam

Source: Sai Nandana 2015 (90th Birthday Offering)