He is greater than our greatest need…

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

-Devotional India

He is greater than our greatest need