The Love Of My Life… Are we aware that the “Man Of Miracles” walked amongst us was…is…no ordinary a person, but the Mightiest Persona ever visited Planet Earth and blessed the entire Cosmos? Cosmos is His creation and He is The Creator, the Be All and End All of anything and everything. Students whom He often referred to as “His Property” had the most wonderful blessings, seeing and experiencing Him at the closest quarter, drinking the nectar of His Divine Love!!! Many facets of His Divinity were…are…often revealed to these blessed grateful bunch of students, who virtually become effective instruments in His hands, by disseminating ‘His Love’ into the world at large. Read on Sri Raviteja’s “The Love Of My Life” that revels and reveals many an interesting facet of Beloved Bhagawan. Sri Raviteja is an MBA from Bhagawan’s Institute and is currently serving the Bhakta Sahayak Division of Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam. It was a bright sunny morning in Brindavan. Swami was standing on the pathway, in front of the Trayee Mandir, behind the lines of the students seated there, facing the deer park. He was talking to some of the senior devotees who were also standing close to the deer park grill. In those days, there were a lot of trees there, in a row. As Swami stood there talking, a small leaf from one of the trees slowly glided down through the wafting breeze and landed on Swami’s hair softly. Bhagawan did not seem to “notice” it and continued conversing with the senior devotees. But some of us sitting close to where Swami stood saw this and quietly nodded to each other with a smile. I, for once, thought in my mind how lucky the leaf was! This thought was but a blip in my mind and almost immediately, as if He heard me “say” it, Swami turned back, took a few steps towards me, picked the leaf from His hair and said, “it is not the leaf, YOU are fortunate!” Saying so, He gently cast it on my lap. I was expecting a leaf to fall, but instead, a small fruit resembling a guava fell on my lap. As I sat with my mouth open in utter awe, Swami gave me a mesmerizing smile and moved on. It took some time for me to touch down to reality. We all are very fortunate We all are extremely fortunate to be so close to Him while the good Lord has taken Avatar. We are blessed to be able to speak to Him, touch Him, laugh and be part of His fun and sport. Sitting close to Him we can only marvel with utter adoration as He lays bare the greatest secrets of His own creation in so nonchalant a manner. But the greatest of our boons is to receive His wonderful thousand mothers’ love and grace in various forms. One life time just does not suffice for any of us to appreciate and bask in this breathtaking flow of grace of the Lord. Indeed it is the greatest privilege conferred on each one of us. While we try our best to understand and realize the deep significance of such a wonderful blessing bestowed on us, it is but natural to revel in His leelas and mahimas (divine sport and glories) as they are verily His visiting cards, announcing at least infinitesimally, His love for us. He is the caretaker I always wondered how Swami takes care of people across the world and marvelled at His myriad miraculous ways of attending to and pleasing His children all the time. After we had completed MBA, some of us stayed back in Puttaparthi praying to Swami to give us a chance to live at His Lotus Feet and serve. Swami too responded favourably to our prayers and gave me and a couple of my student colleagues an opportunity to serve, albeit temporarily, in Sri Sathya Sai Gokulam (the cowshed in Prasanthi Nilayam). We were very happy to be associated with the “divine” cows at the abode of Gopala. In fact, Swami used to address us as ‘cow boys’ too. One day, my elder brother landed in Puttaparthi for Swami’s darshan. During a conversation, he casually offered me money for my expenses. I felt a bit offended as the norm in our family was to not depend monetarily on anyone in the family once one completed his/her studies. So I vehemently rejected the offer from my brother and said “Swami is there for me and to take care of me in every way.” This happened after morning bhajans at around 11 a.m. We used to stay in the old hostel in those days (now used for Brindavan boys as Hostel when they arrive in Puttaparthi). Even as I completed my statement, someone came rushing and said to me “Swami is calling you!” I was totally astounded because Swami had already retired for the session in the morning. In those days Swami used to stay in the Prasanthinilayam Mandir itself. I could not really believe this but rushed to the interview room rather confused wondering what could be the matter. I walked straight into the interview room upon instructions and Swami seemed to be waiting for me there. As soon as I walked in and presented myself at His Lotus Feet, puffing and panting, Swami presented me with a couple of hundred rupee notes saying, “Keep this for your expenses.” My heart missed a beat and tears rolled down my cheeks spontaneously. I fell at His Lotus feet with my heart full of gratitude. Swami listens to what we say, no matter where we are. When we have trust in Him He takes care of us always. ‘Picture’sque Sai Once when my brother had come from abroad for a visit to my home town, it so happened that all our family members were present in my home except me. I was studying in Puttaparthi at that point of

How I became part of “His” Story None comes to Him accidentally…and every one reaches Him at the right time, as willed by Him…none early, none late…and He alone decides who should stay back and enjoy…who should go out and live…with Sathya Sai, life is no more ordinary, as it turns into something Divinely Spectacular…but before coming unto Him, He allows us to exercise our will, finally to surrender to Him, for Him to decide. Sri Harishkrishan, who was with The Prasanthi Reporter from its inception, shares how he was drafted into Bhagawan, by Him in His own inimitable fashion… “I know that it is easy for us to think that He does not care about any of us leaving. After all, there are new students coming in every year. That however is far from the truth. He feels the pain of separation many times more than we do. So kindly at least give a letter and take leave off Him before you go for your job.” These words of a classmate of mine had touched me deeply. I have no idea to this day why he said this to me but that is what stopped me from leaving Parthi on the night of March 31st. It was the All Fools Day of 2005. It was the first day after I completed my Masters of Business Administration in Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, 2 years after I had set foot in Prasanthi Nilayam for the very first time. Two very memorable years as a Sai Student. Bhagawan arrived in my life as a photograph when I was about 7 years old through the medium of my newly-wed aunt and uncle. My mother, more out of a need to not offend the new member of the family than any real conviction, explained to me that this is the photograph of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He teaches that all religions are one and that there is only one God. He is the incarnation of the age. It was pure theory that she had read in some book. Inspired by that statement at that easily mouldable age, I became very close to This Name and Form. No matter which temple I visited, I always addressed the deity as ‘Sai Ram’. This most pleasing phase however had to come to an end because a most dastardly thing happened: I grew up. The faith of the innocent child cannot face up to the half-baked intellectualism of the teenager. Why does He do miracles? Somebody told me that the aunt of a guy who is the neighbour of another girl who is the distant cousin of the close friend of the aforementioned somebody mentioned that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was against miracles. Now that settles it. I am not His devotee any more. However there was a problem. I was (and am) addicted to that name.  I know no other name for God. Fortunately I have an alternative who shares the name. I can be devoted to Shirdi Baba. He is now not in this plane and therefore is beyond question. Convenient Rationalisation of Devotion. Boy, the teenage mind is muddily. It was the final exams of the 12th standard board exams, the time when the devotion to the Lord peaks for all students of all and no faith. That is when I armed myself with the Sri Shirdi Sai Satcharitra. Completing the study of that awesome book, I could not pray for marks but could only yearn and pine and mourn over the fact that I was not able to serve Him. I then looked at the photo of Swami and thought to myself, ‘Yeah! Yeah! You are there. I know. You say you are the same Shirdi Baba but…’ All these thoughts were fluttering through my mind as the bhajans started on that Apr 1st morning. Bhagawan had not yet arrived for Darshan. Morning Darshan was taken for granted on those days. Was it possible that He will not come this morning? I was to leave for Bangalore immediately after Arati. I had an interview scheduled the next day and I had to buy a good tie for the same. Ever the restless mind, it moved from this thought to the final year of my Engineering – an year without any focus. The year I wrote GRE, TOEFL, GATE, CAT, MAT, BAT, FAT, HAT and any other exam anyone with an institute and a printer was ready to conduct. There was one more exam to write. I had a call letter from the college in Puttaparthi whose very existence I was not aware of till my mother, who was now a big time devotee, forced me to apply. I did not want to go. It is a college without girls. ‘What self-control are they going to teach us if they don’t provide any distraction?’, I questioned my mother. ‘Let us find out. Just for my sake, write the exam. We will take a call later.’, was the silencing reply from her. Reluctantly, I had set foot in Puttaparthi in the sweltering heat. Clearing the written exam, we were assigned teams for the group discussion. The topic was interlinking of rivers and I quoted Rajini Kanth. Do I need say more? The interview went well and I was confident of making through but not of joining. Two days later, from our home in Chennai, I called up the Institute with hopes that I had not made it through. That way, I need not make the decision. It would be made for me. “Unfortunately”, the voice on the other side was extremely Cheery. “SaaaiRAAAM! Congratulations. You are selected.” After the high that the words, “you are selected” gives, I was down in dumps with my dilemma again.  This was free education. If after getting selected, I don’t join, I will be wasting someone else’s seat. After much deliberation, I summoned my parents (that is how spoilt I was) and said, let Swami make the decision.

He is greater than our greatest need… Students are My Real Property, says Bhagawan like a proud parent time and again setting higher benchmarks for them to understand the game of life. What does Bhagawan mean for these privileged students? How do they make use of this greatest opportunity in their lives to be students in His exalted Institute? Sarmishtha Sahoo of 1st B.Sc. from Anantapur Campus of Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (now Sri Sathya Sai University) opines that Bhagawan comes down to their level to solve problems and in doing so He expects them not to stray away from the golden path. Read on Ms. Sahoo’s article published in the April 1990 issue of Sanathana Sarathi that serves an answer to the question as to how these students take this greatest opportunity to be with the Divine. Sometimes a moment’s insight is a lifetime experience. Sometimes it so happens that an event in the present may seem to reflect and signify an incident of the past. We, the students of Bhagawan, often hear Him saying: “You are My wealth and property. You are the apple of My eye. It is not these mammoth buildings that are important, but it is My children who have to be moulded and modelled to be My true messengers.” Once, as our teacher was explaining in our prayer hall at Anantapur campus, as to how Bhagawan spends three fourths of His time on the students and the other one fourth on others, incidentally, an old incident sprang in my memory. When I was in my Secondary School at Parthi, it so happened that one fine day I had an inner urge and desire to eat a Cadburys Chocolate. I found myself a prey to this thought and desire. Luckily, my elder sister, who was studying in Anantapur Campus for Women, had come to Parthi for Bhagawan’s darshan. Utilising this opportunity during the darshan time, I requested her to get Cadburys bars for me and my younger sister who was then studying in the convent. But during the meeting hours, my sister didn’t turn up due to some unknown reason and I remained quiet, but was restive inward. That very night, after dinner, I heard a sound of excitement in the lobby. As I went up there, I learnt that Bhagawan had sent something special for us. Obviously, I became very curious to know what the special Prasadam was. Looking at the long queue of children with their beaming faces, I approached the box. Lo and Behold! Cadbury Chocolates were being distributed to each student. I happily had my share of Prasadam without probing for any significance. Of course, I did thank Bhagawan within. Next day, as I sat thinking on the same incident at the darshan ground, I was interrupted by my sister. She explained that she had actually brought the Cadburys Chocolates. As she was about to come to our hostel, she found that a girl who had fainted in the dormitory had to have chocolates. My sister experienced a satisfying happiness in her heart when she offered the chocolate to the girl. Then I informed her that Bhagawan had sent Cadburys to our school. … And then we understood the significance! This benevolent loving act of Bhagawan really touched our hearts. We were filled with tears of joy and thanked God, with no words to express our feelings for the All Knowing Bhagawan. We learnt that only when we help and love others, we can expect benedictions from God. Bhagawan comes down to our level and even goes deep down to solve our petty trivial desires. His main purpose in doing so is to ensure that, we, His students, may not stray away from the golden path—the way to our goal—Bhagawan. He sees to it that we are not disturbed mentally and waste time in ineffectual and futile things. Bhagawan is the Divine Lighthouse and our Beacon. Bhagawan is greater than our greatest need. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Farewell…Little Princess Sai Gita… Seven years since Sai Gita’s glorious exit…still Sai Gita is as vivid a picture with her living presence in every devoted heart and mind, as one of the most exalted devotees of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai… Remembering the Little Princess, we recall the fateful day, through our pages on that day…paying rich tribute to one of Bhagawan’s most ideal devotee and celebrated devotee… Sai Gita, The Little Princess… To the mortals death comes as a big blow, for, it inflicts pain of separation from near and dear ones. Quoting an anonymous poet, Prof N. Kasturi wrote substantiating his statement that anything, which is born and grows, declines and dies… …as soon as we are born our funeral procession started! Our heart is the drum. Our hearts beat like a muffled drum and the funeral march starts! So, birth is only the beginning of death! With death defined as a consequence of birth and at birth man is given an opportunity to rediscover what he has  forgotten,  it should be man’s endeavour to dwell upon how best one could put an end to this otherwise unending cycle. In this modern age when man often fails to find out the real meaning of God’s greatest gift to humanity, the great sojourn called life, here in this ‘God’s Own’ village at Puttaparthi, an elephant by name Sai Gita has epitomized itself, to join an illustrious band of immortals, with its typified devotion!!! That is the inspiring saga of Sai Gita, Bhagawan’s pet-elephant whose sojourn on earth came to a spirited end at 1800 Hrs. IST on 22nd May 2007 after a lengthy script of glorious fifty years of dedicated service at His Divine Lotus Feet! In the early sixties, the regular evening ‘appointment’ of Swami with Sai Gita was a sight which devotees looked forward to with great anticipation and elation. She would wait at the gate on the ladies’ side (where Swami’s car now enters Sai Kulwant Hall) and if for some reason Darshan was delayed, she would get very impatient. Twisting and twirling her tiny trunk, intermittently flapping her lotus-leaf-sized ears vigorously, and her swift and strong legs jumpy and restless, she would eagerly look at the Mandir unable to bear the delay. Tears that rolled down her cheeks on many an occasion, her mischievous pranks acknowledging ecstasy at having been blessed to be in the Divine Presence, were testimonies to the unmatched love,  pristine in quality, she has had for her Beloved Master, Bhagawan,  that for sure would be envied even by human beings. It was not a mere coincidence that brought The Creator and His Creation together in the Mudumalai forest marking the beginning of this glorious tale of love. It was a Divine happenstance, a well-crafted Master Plan by the Divine that would have had its roots linked to many previous births that had made such a meeting possible.  Sai Gita is a Shuddha Brahmacharini (pristine and perfect celibate). She has come for Me, said Bhagawan once, at the end of a long arduous trial she had been forced to undertake at the instance of some senior devotees; she had been ‘reluctantly’ sent to the forest for breeding at the dogged persuasion of some senior devotees in the ashram for no positive result. Sai Gita is history now and essentially a part of His-Story. In death body goes…but the soul, the indestructible divine essence in every being does move on, on a soul-search…and the soul of Sai Gita moved on to successfully find the bond beyond bondage, The Light that has been keeping her life a glowing fantasy that even exalted humans fail to achieve. “Death is the denouement of the drama of life” wrote Prof N. Kasturi. For those who loved Sai Gita, her passing away would definitely mark the end of a drama in physical and leave a vacuum that would never be filled. Devotees would definitely miss her beautifully caparisoned frame majestically leading processions, her gorgeous princely gait, rare sight of tears of love rolling down her cheeks, the beauty of her being cuddled and fed by Mother Sai so affectionately, her unruffled nonchalant looks dissipating every passing thought into the gleam of eternity and lots more…. But, her footprints would continue her legacy in the hearts of millions who loved her so dearly. Sai Gita indeed lived a Life…Full! Adorned as a Little PrincessThere came Sai Gita to Prasanthi NilayamRejoiced Prasanthi in her endearing presence…and struck a love tale…Creator with His creationEchoed the song of her heart’s melodyL-O-V-E for Baba…L-I-F-E for Baba!Gazing at Baba, she weptThe King returned ‘His Own’ to herHis Love was what she soughtHis Heart was what she conqueredKnowing fully, still unknowingly…She lived a Life…a Life Full…Unruffled and nonchalantDissipating every passing thought…into the gleam of eternityYet, in the end came ‘the end’Denouement of the drama of life…Yet, she survived the scare…deathBasking in the love of her ‘Sun’At the end…she receded…devoutlyInto the clasp of eternity!Into a Bond Beyond Bondage!Farewell Oh! Dear,Little Princess, Sai Gita!!!We salute You, Oh! Little Princess!!! For the passersby on the roadside, for those who pass by, to and fro Parthi, a peep through the gate to have a glimpse of the blessed elephant would definitely be missing from now on…one would peep to have a darshan of her samadhi hereafter, and there, one would feel her touch, her legacy, a feeling that would peep into the nostalgic past of her glorious sojourn. Little clue did we have of the Divine Vision Bhagawan had while getting along with the construction of a ‘Sai Gita Mahal’, a new home for His pet-elephant inaugurated in November 2006. Reminding one of the story of Shirdi Sai wherein the Muralidhar Mandir constructed at the ‘instance’ and blessings of Baba had finally turned out to become the ‘Samadhi’ Mandir of Baba Himself, who had expressed His ‘desire’ to be ‘placed’ in the Mandir, the newly built Sai Gita Mahal was a would be Samadhi for the pet-elephant…and adding to this came the bonus; Bhagawan’s

“That is My job; I will do that” How gritty are you in the face of problems upsetting the rhythm of your day-to-day life? … and what is your Faith Quotient, that could help in times of adversities… a beautiful narration of a personal experience by Smt Karunamba Ramamurthy in the book Sri Sathya Sai Anandadai is a lesson for you and me, lesson on Faith and Surrender. ”On September 29, 1961, Shankara and myself went to Puttaparthi. My mind was in turmoil. We had lost a case pertaining to some property in a prime location in Mysore city, in a lower court, which meant a huge financial loss to us. I rushed to my mother who had put up in the old mandir and apprised her of our predicament. Her reaction was predictably calm. With faith in Swami, which did not falter ever for a moment, she said, “We may be at an apparent loss, but Swami does everything for our good.” We waited near the Interview Room to have darshan. Bhajan was in progress. Many were in the verandah for the interview. After quite some time, Swami came out. Seeing us, Swami told all the old devotees, ‘Go and attend the bhajan. I will have to see the new comers now. You can do only Padanamaskar now.” We did Padanamaskar and went to the bhajans. On the next day, we waited near the Interview Room before commencement of bhajans. Swami called us. We went in. Both of us did Padanamaskar. He asked, “What happened?” I said, “Swami, we lost,” and gave Him the details. Swami asked us to appeal to the higher court. I said that it would cost more and we could not afford that much money. Swami placed His hand on my head and said, “Swami is there. He will look after everything.” Later, He recited a sloka and said, “Do you know what Lakshmana prayed Rama? He prayed, ‘Rama, just as You use Adisesha as Your bed in Your manifestation as Vishnu, please keep me in Your proximity forever. Did he lack anything – wealth, kingdom, parents and wife? Still he left all those things and asked for Rama’s proximity. Similarly, you must yearn for Him alone. You will somehow, be carried through all other tribulations.” I said, “Swami, always keep us in Your mind. Shall we try again, Swami? It either makes or mars our future security.” Swami advised us to appeal in the higher court. All of us did Padanamaskar and left. We appealed in the higher court and lost again. Out grief knew no bounds. Terribly shaken, we came to Puttaparthi again. The next day was Monday and we sat outside the Interview Room.  After calling a few persons, Swami called us. We had gone there only to do Padanamaskar, but had the good chance of talking to Him. Swami came towards me and said, “Money, money, worries about money. Do you know what you should worry about? You should worry that you have not yet realised God.” I said, “Swami, I too worry about it.” Swami said, “Then why worry about this so much? As long as the purse was with you, you had to worry about it. Now that you have given it to Me, it is My duty to look after you. Should you worry still?” I said, “We should not, Swami. We worry about repaying all the accumulated debts. We just do not see any way out.” Swami explained, “You are afraid because your faith in Me has reduced. If you had complete faith in Me, you would not have developed fear. Do you know what is atmarpana? Whatever may happen, you should relentlessly follow Him. He will do something or the other for you. He will somehow make everything all right. He (pointing Himself) can do anything. What did Ramadasa and others do? Only this much, isn’t it? Whatever punishment they underwent, they were relentlessly thinking of Rama.” I said, “Even Ramadasa and others found fault with You when they had to go through unbearable adversities. What of lesser mortals like us, Swami? You are aware of the huge loss we sustained in the court case which was decided against us.” Swami, hearing this laughed loudly. I asked, Swami, if You are really present in our hearts, how do we get such problems and worries?” He said, “Why? Didn’t Ramadasa and others face similar problems?” I said, “Swami, they could have committed some mistakes when You were not present in their hearts. We are sure we have not done anything wrong to deserve this fate.” Swami said, “When you take this human form, committing some mistakes is inevitable. But you should not think of those. Think of Him always.” Swami said, “It is a pity that you have lost heart for such a trivial issue.” I said, “We are afraid of repaying the loans,” picking up the thread of the earlier conversations of the court case. Swami consoled, “Keep yourself calm. You will get the money to repay the loans. Is there a sky without clouds?… a rose without thorns?… a man without worries? I said, ”Swami, the thorn is not in contact with the rose. It is present, but exists separately. Please grace us so that thorns in us do not hurt others.” Swami said, “That is My job; I will do that.” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II