"How is your health?"

June 28, 1997

This morning all the students had gone for morning Darshan. After the departure of the former Prime Minister, Swami called some devotees for an interview. Three students were fortunate to be in the group. While waiting for the parents of one of the students…

Swami : When is father coming?

Student : Swami, on July 2nd.

Swami : Why is he coming on July 2nd?

Student : To make some arrangements for the Youth Conference.

Swami : Not for arrangements, he is coming for Darshan. (To another student) How is your health?

Student  : Fine, Swami.  But nose block is still there.

Swami : Sinusitis ….

Student : Yes, Swami.  

Immediately Swami waved his hands and materialized a gold ring with ‘Omkara’ engraved on it. Swami slipped it onto one of his fingers and asked…

Swami : Correct size?

Student : Yes, Swami.

Swami : Perfect. Perfect, not Murphet. Who is Murphet? (There was no answer.) Howard Murphet. 

Howard Murphet with Sathya Sai Baba

(Howard Murphet is one of the seniormost foreign devotees of Bhagavan who wrote the world renowned book Sai Baba: Man of Miracles that was published by Macmillan and several other books on His experiences with Swami and His Divinity)

Swami mentioned about some of his books like ‘Man of Miracles’ etc. Swami then lifted the student’s hands up and showed the ring to the students around and commented…

Some of the books by Howard Murphet on Sathya Sai Baba

Swami : Even a great goldsmith cannot make such a nice ring with so many beautiful cuts. (To another student) Where do you come from??

Student : Satara

Swami : Near Aurangabad?

Student :  No, Swami, near Pune.

Swami : Near Pune? Haan… the Samadhi of Sant Ramdas?

Student : Yes, Swami 

Swami : I came to Satara during my Nasik tour.

Student : Swami, Swami stayed in Circuit House?

Swami : Haan…. Yes. (To one of the faculty members) Rash driving!! Rash driving!! Start Early, Drive slowly, Reach safely. Which subject do you teach?

The teacher informed Swami about his subject. Then Swami started enquiring about some students from the teacher. Showing a student to that teacher…

Swami : How is this boy? How does he study??

Teacher : Good , Swami .

Swami : No! No! How is this boy? (Swami asked about another student)

Teacher :  Good boy, Swami 

Swami : How are you?

Teacher :  I don’t know, Swami. Swami only should tell.

Swami smiled, blessed him, and moved forward. As Swami was going, he observed some cross marks ‘X’ painted on the floor. (They were marked to indicate the places where the roof was leaking). Swami said that the cross indicates the crossing of “I” which is the Ego.  

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations (1991-2000)