Om Sri Sai Ram

<<Visit Our Download Section>>

One day Baba called a poor Muslim family in for an interview, and along with them, one Hindu man. (The person who told me this story heard it directly from the Hindu man.) A boy in the family was distraught because his two best friends had gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and his parents couldn't afford to send him along. (As a consolation, they'd brought him to see Sai Baba.) Baba started the interview by saying to the boy, "So, you want to go to Mecca." The boy burst into tears, and Baba then turned and spoke to the others for a while. The boy continued crying, and finally Baba turned to him and said, "You really want to go to Mecca, don't you!" Baba then tapped the wall of the interview room with His hand, and the wall disappeared - and in its place, a street scene from Saudi Arabia appeared. "Look, there are your two friends. Now go! You have half an hour." The boy walked into the street scene... and the wall reappeared.

Baba spoke with the stunned family for another half an hour, and then tapped the wall again. The street scene reappeared - and the boy walked back into the interview room, proudly carrying some souvenirs from Mecca!

A month later, when his friends returned home, the boy's parents asked them, "How long was he with you?" Confirming the boy's account, his friends replied, "Two weeks."

(Clearly Baba is a Master of both time and space - as well as being That which is beyond time and space! That's the fourth story I've heard about Sai Baba instantly transporting someone to a distant land through His interview room wall.)

Om Sri Sai Ram

VISION AT RISHIKESH
(source S.Balu)

“I worship Bhagavan Baba as Sri Bhagavan Narayana Himself and none other. I have written a book based on the Bhagavatha and dedicated it to Bhagavan Baba. I hope to place it at the feet of Sai Narayana shortly,“ said seventy year old Shri Subbaramayya Naidu of Venkatagiri, his face lighting up with devotion as he spoke.

Shri Subbaramayya is a blessed individual, most apt to talk with fervour, for he is a witness of the most fantastic divine Vision given by Bhagavan that has been recorded in Sai history. This was a vision of Jyoti Ananta Padmanabha given to Purushottamananda at Vasishta guha (cave) near Rishikesh, during Bhagavan Baba‘s first visit to Rishikesh at the Invitation of Sri Sivananda.

“Yes, I know, and I have experienced the proof of his divinity. He is Lord Narayana in human form, come for the upliftment of humanity,“ he said.

Sri Subbaramayya continued, “I first saw Sri Sai Baba in 1950 when Baba visited Venkatagiri at the invitation of the royal family of Venkatagiri. Then the Yuvaraja invited me to darshan. At that time, I was President of the local branch of the Divine Life Society, and I had been initiated by Swami Sivananda in 1944“. He had always been a spiritual person. Earlier his father had sent him to Sri Malayalaswami. He had been with Ramana Maharshi for two years and also had darshan of Sri Aurobindo and Swami Ramdas in his early years. He had also read a lot on Theosophy. But when he saw Swami Sivananda, he knew he had found his guru and had been initiated.

With such a spiritual background, Subbaramayya was, indeed, overwhelmed when he saw Bhagavan Baba. The devotion of the Venkatagiri Royal Family for Bhagavan Baba thoroughly impressed upon his mind. He was blessed with vibhuti created by Sri Baba and he also saw several other materialisations. Sri Baba used to visit Venkatagiri every year, and there were sankirtans in the palace to which Subbaramayya was always invited.

He remembered how, during one of his early talks, Baba had referred to his previous form at Shirdi. He particularly mentioned a rickshaw used by him when he was Shirdi Baba.It was then in Hyderabad.

Those talks used to be cosy and intimate, within the palace precincts, with just the royal family and select guests. After three years of such private visits the royal family took the decision to invite the public to them so that they, too, might have the benefit of Sri Baba‘s darshan and hear his discourse. So in 1953, for the first time, a public sankirtan was arranged in Boddu Saika the inner quadrangle of the palace and Sri Subbaramayya took an important role in arranging the meeting at the request of the yuvaraja, his friend. Baba was happy with the arrangements, as it would benefit the people of Venkatagiri. It became a precedent for Subbaramayya to request Bhagavan Baba to preside over the All-India Conference of the Divine Life Society hosted in Venkatagiri. When he wrote about this proposal to Swami Sivananda, it was said that he agreed immediately. However, a few others in the ashram demurred and Subbaramayya received a letter from Swami Sivananda. “There are two opinions about inviting Baba. Will you be responsible if anything happens?“

He promptly replied, “Swamiji, I accept full responsibility“ and they acquiesced. He went to Puttaparthi and Baba graciously accepted to preside over the conference. Subbaramayya made several more visits to finalise the arrangements.

Subbaramayya recalls how Swami Sadananda‘s arrival was delayed till the eleventh hour and how Baba allayed his anxiety by assuring him, “Subbaramayya don‘t worry, he will come on time. You carry on with your work“.

Swami Sadananda arrived on time and the inauguration took place as scheduled. Swami Sadananda remained aloof on the first day and appeared to have his own reservations about Baba. But, on the second day, everyone could see that there was a definite change. He never left Baba‘s side and, later, also went to Puttaparthi with Baba. After that conference, there was a telegram from Swami Sivananda inviting Baba to kindly visit their ashram and bless them.

As a result, when Bhagavan Baba planned his tour of North India, a visit to Rishikesh was included in the itinerary. Subbaramayya Naidu and the Yuvaraja of Venkatagiri were among those who accompanied Sri Baba to Delhi. Subbaramayya and Mr. Tirumalachari (who wrote the Telugu version of Sathyam, sivam, sundaram) went ahead of Swami‘s party to Rishikesh. A cottage “Shiva Kutir“ had been got ready for Baba and everyone in the ashram was excited about Swami‘s stay. Swami Chidananda was then the General Secretary of the Ashram. Swami was given a spontaneous and enthusiastic welcome. Beautiful sankirtan was arranged at the Diamond Jubilee Hall, after which Swami Sivananda asked Subbaramayya to speak on “the Life and Mission of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba“. lt was a great honour for Subbaramayya and he spoke about what he had heard, what he had seen and what he had experienced about Sri Baba.

After two days, Subbararnayya (an advocate by vocation) approached Sri Baba and said that he had to get back to appear in a case at Nellore. Baba cut him short saying “Your case is adjourned“. After talking to Sri Baba, Subbaramayya returned to his room and found a telegram waiting for him. The telegram stated that the case had been adjourned, so he need not return in a hurry. He wondered again and again how Baba could have predicted the adjournment.

Sri Baba stayed in the ashram for seven days, much to the joy of Swarni Sivananda. Several times Subbararnayya was called upon to translate Sri Baba‘s Telugu talks to others, a task that filled him with immense joy. Baba took the party on several excursions around the area. On the fifth day (after their arrival), he said, “Let us go to Vasishta Guha“ (Vasishta cave). The place was nearly fifteen miles away from Rishikesh. The route was through difficult terrain, with a steep half a mile climb down. At the end of this tricky trek, they found to their surprise, a sanyasi standing with a garland for Baba! How did the sanyasi know that Sri Baba was coming?

The sanyasi was none other than Swami Purushottamananda who had been living in the guha (cave) for several years. Seeing Baba, he went off to a trance, losing all body consciousness. In Baba‘s party there were two musicians, Raman and Lakshman, who sang songs of saint-composer Tyagaraja in that sacred place. Slowly, Swami Purushottamananda came back from his trance. There were nearly forty of them in that party that evening, Sri Baba sat on the floor of the cave.

Purushottarnananda‘s pupil, Swami Kalikananda, said to Sri Baba, “I have chronic stomach pain; please bless me“. Baba materialised a white piece of rock or stone that looked like ice and gave it to him saying, “Take it twice everyday“.

Baba gave them all a wonderful musical treat that evening by singing a composition of Tyagaraja; “Sri Raghuvara Sugunalaya“. “It was like the music of the Gandharvas and Kinnaras*. “What bliss. What ecstasy! All of us forgot everything in the divine ananda that enveloped us, thanks to the melodious music of Sri Baba. It was an experience out of this world,“ said Subbararnayya. “I never had imagined that music could lift one to such sublime heights. Sri Baba had indeed given us a totally unexpected and rare treat of superb excellence,“ recollected Subbaramayya, who could not have imagined in his wildest dreams, the treasure in store for him at that holy cave.

Soon after the song, everyone trooped out of the cave. Subbaramayya, too started to step out, but Baba stopped him. And so he had the unique chance of witnessing what transpired between Sri Baba and Purushottamananda. Sri Baba materialised a “sphatika“ (crystal) mala and gave it to him. Then, he rested with his head on the sanyasi‘s lap! As Subbaramayya watched, the head became big, bigger and continued to increase in size, at the same time, becoming lustrous like the Sun. The entire cave was bathed in a resplendent light, a rare luminosity, a tejas (radiance) that filled the atmosphere. Sri Baba‘s entire body was like a mass of light, with a huge face shining with great brilliance. Subbaramayya stood transfixed, aware that this was no ordinary sight, but a divine vision. Oh! What grace! He was lost in the brilliance and the aura, which slowly disappeared as Sri Baba‘s own face began to reappear. Sri Baba soon came out of the cave and joined the others. But be did not say anything to anybody. He was quiet. Later, Subbaramayya slowly described what he had seen to the Venkatagiri Yuvaraja, who was with them, but who had missed the Sai transfiguration. “You are very lucky,“ said the Yuvaraja.

The next day Sri Baba asked Subbaramayya, “Now do you know why I asked you to stay?“

Sri Subbaramayya was unable to speak, for his heart was so full. Later, when they returned to Delhi, Sri Baba explained to his party the vision in the cave.

“I gave darshan of Jyotirmaya Ananta Padmanabha he said and added, “Subbaramayya saw it“. He further explained that “This was done from the naabhi* through the Brahma randhraj** which was indeed a great revelation of how he had operated his shakti to grant a divine boon to
Purushottamananda.

This is the greatest spiritual experience Sri Baba granted me, through bis infinite grace,“ said Subbaramayya who became convinced more than ever, that Sri Baba was none other than Lord Narayana in human form come to uplift humanity. He continued to visit Puttaparthi and bask in the glory of Sri Baba‘s love and hospitality which was showered on him with such abundance. Sri Baba also graced his house with his visit and blessed his family. Once he materialised a rudraksha bead for Subbaramayya and told him to keep it between his brows and meditate. He commended his efforts in sadhana and gave blessings for spiritual progress. “I always have Baba in my heart. Now for a few years, my deep involvement with my work for the Divine Life Society has kept me away from working for the Sri Sathya Sai Samithi. I had to make a choice, since I could not work simultaneously for both organisations. I made my choice, since Sivananda was my first guru, the guru who initiated me and my duty was to him first. Hence, I decided to dedicate my life to the work and activities of the Divine Life Society.

“However, I cherish Sri Baba‘s physical presence and the chances I had to spend so much time in his physical presence and savour the nectarine sweetness of his company. We are indeed blessed to be Baba‘s contemporaries“ stated the blessed Subbaramayya categorically.

Om Sri Sai Ram

On Sunday, the 13th day of December, 1964, Baba was at Venkatagiri Town. He had reached the place a few days earlier in connection with a heavy schedule of discourses in the Chittoor and Nellore Districts, in Andhra Pradesh. But, Baba is not bound by the limitations of space and time. On that very day, about 8 a.m., "Baba surprisingly appeared in front of my house", says, U. Ram Mohan Rao, Superintendent of the Junior Technical School, Manjeri (28 miles south of Calicut on the West Coast, in the State of Kerala). As the crow flies, the distance between Manjeri and Venkatagiri will be more than 600 miles! But, distance is only a game that Baba plays to keep us, poor mortals, apart.

We shall listen to Ram Mohan Rao describing this visit. "I and my wife were indoors with our daughter. The maid told us that a Sadhu had come. We went out to see who it was and we were surprised to see Sri Sathya Sai Baba! Baba said, Hari Om, Santhih Santhih Santhih"; we prostrated ourselves at His Feet. We led Baba into the office room, but, on the way, He saw our Puja room where His photo was hung, along with several holy pictures. He said He would sit in the Puja room itself. He told us that he had come to us that day, being very pleased with the Bhakthi of Sailaja, my daughter. He asked me to send word to devotees, if any were available, for Bhajan and Pravachan." "He sent word to his neighbours and people collected immediately", says Ramesh Rao, his cousin. He sang "Nandamukunda Sayinath", "Om Bhagavan", "Jayaram Jayaram", along with the Bhakthas. After Bhajan, He talked to me in Tamil, to my wife in Canarese and to the others in the mixed dialect of Tamil-Malayalam. He Blessed us by the gift of a Sankhamala and placed His own photograph on it. He told me that my father had decided on a rite to propitiate the Snake-God (Sarpasamskaram) at Bangalore on 25th February, Thursday ('My day' He added), but he told me that he need not perform it, since He had ahead wiped off the calamity it was intended to avert and the sacrilege it was designed to atone.

He took some light refreshment. Then, told the persons around Him that all will be anxiously awaiting Him at Kalahasti. So, He took leave of us and asking us not to follow Him, went through the gate. He disappeared in a few seconds. We all felt happy at this unexpected Darsan and were struck by the 'disappearing miracle', within the twinkling of an eye.

Nor was this all. There are a few more paragraphs in the letter, which I am quoting: "24th December, Thursday, was a holiday; we felt lonely since our Sailaja was away at Mangalore. So we went out in the afternoon to visit some friends and returned home at 6.30 P.M. We were shocked to see the lights burning within the house. My wife asked me whether I had forgotten to switch off all the lights. I first examined the lock of the main door and, finding it intact, went round the house to see whether the other doors were bolted from within. They were o.k. Then, both of us came to the front door, opened the lock and walked in. We found everything intact; all the lights were on. We saw Baba sitting in our Prayer Room! We prostrated ourselves at His feet. He asked us (in Kannada) whether we were afraid! We replied that we were very lucky and that we felt very happy! Baba said that He had come because we were lonely and sad. 'Let us sing Bhajans. If Sailaja were here, she would have liked to sing', He said. He sang a few Bhajans, He took food and later, we discussed some general topics together. Then, Baba retired for the night.

Early next morning, Baba had His Bath; he had coffee with us and then, discoursed on Bhakthi and the Basic Truth of Nature. All of a sudden, we saw a rosary of Rudraksha beads in His Hand; He put it on my neck with His Blessing, with the direction that I should wear it during my Sandhya rites. After those rites, I was to place it on Baba's photograph. We had breakfast together. The Puja room was decorated specially with garlands and flowers. Bhajan began. Meanwhile, devotees came to know that Baba had come; so they too assembled for Bhajan. Baba discoursed on Bhakthi in the Tamil-Malayalam dialect. He granted every one the coveted interview.

At 12 noon, Baba himself waved the Sacred light of Mangalarathi and distributed Prasadam, to every one present. The quarter kilogram of dates that I had, sufficed for 150 persons! We had our lunch with Baba. He rested for a couple of hours and we had 'tea' at 4.30 p.m. Then He told us that several devotees were eagerly waiting Him at Kalahasti. He blessed us again, when we fell at His Feet. At 5. p.m., He went out on the road through the gate and suddenly disappeared. What a wonderful miracle! We could not believe our own eyes!

Om Sri Sai Ram

The late Sakamma used to tell this strange experience. One day at her bungalow in Somwarpet, Coorg, when she was engaged in worship, a servant disturbed her and announced that a car had come into the compound, and that the person inside insisted on seeing her immediately. She was rather upset, but nevertheless went to find out who would take such liberty with her time. She found in the car a tall, fair, old man with a very reverent looking beard, sitting on a deerskin, his whole body bathed in ash. She was struck by the age of the car also, for it matched the age of the owner or occupant. It was driven by a weak little boy in his teens, and Sakamma wondered how he could have managed to secure a license or whether he had one at all. The car had a name plate in front reading, "The Kailas Committee." She invited the old man inside, did homage by touching his feet, placed a newly plucked rose at his feet, and offered him some fruits. He said he would not eat the fruits there, because he did not cater to the tongue at all times and all places. "Jihvachapalya" - that is, tongue cravings - was the word he used. He wanted her to contribute to the Kailas Committee and become a member by donating a thousand rupees. She signed a paper on which the sum and her name were written, and when she proffered the amount, the old man said, "Keep this also with you. I shall come and take it later." With those words he put the signed sheet on the table, got into the car and drove away. The teen-age driver did his work remarkably well, for the car was out of sight in a moment.

Years later, when she saw Baba in a house to which she had gone, He appeared to her at one moment like the young driver of that mysterious car, and in the next moment like the hoary occupant who had taken so much pains to make her contribute to the Kailas Committee, and then had asked her to hold the cash in her own keeping! Sai Baba surprised her when they met by telling her, "Come on, give the one thousand rupees you promised that day!" and then described in her presence the entire story, correct to the minutest detail.

Om Sri Sai Ram

It happened around 1988. There were about 1400 students in the hostel of Swami's College in Brindavan at White Field near Bangalore. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai visited the hostel one night. The delighted students respectfully stood in His presence. Suddenly, the eletricity went off. In the darkness, Swami moved quietly towards a boy and whispered to him in his ears, "Athul, I will give you something. Hold your hand." The boy extended his open hand and Swami placed a laddoo in it. He further whispered to the boy, "Don't show it to anybody. Put your hand behind you." Suddenly, the electricity was restored. Bulbs came back to life. Athul looked around. Surprisingly, all the 1400 boys assembled there were keeping their hands behind them. Everyone was having a laddoo in his hand. That is Swami! We get astonished at the amazing leelas. Our reasoning power abandons us, tongue fails us, mind refuses to function; nothing can be understood. How can we comment upon, much less explain, such displays of Swami's divine sport? That is why it is said,

"Yatho Vacho Nivarthanthe Aprapya Manasa Saha,"

meaning, that the Universal Absolute cannot be reached or comprehended by the bodily senses or by mind.

Om Sri Sai Ram

On Sunday, the 13th day of December, 1964, Baba was at Venkatagiri town. He had reached the place a few days earlier in connection with a heavy schedule of discourses in the Chittoor and Nellore Districts, in Andhra Pradesh. But, Baba is not bound by the limitations of space and time. On that very day, about 8 a.m., "Baba surprisingly appeared in front of my house", says, U Ram Mohan Rao, Superintendent of the Junior Technical School, Manjeri (28 miles south of Calicut on the West Coast, in the State of Kerala). As the crow flies, the distance between Manjeri and Venkatagiri will be more than 600 miles! But distance is only a game that Baba plays to keep us, poor mortals, apart.

We shall listen to Ram Mohan Rao describing this visit, "I and my wife were indoors with our daughter. The maid told us that a Sadhu had come. We went out to see who it was and we were surprised to see Sri Sathya Sai Baba! Baba said, Hari Om, Santhih Santhih Santhih; we prostrated ourselves at His Feet. We led Baba into the officer room, but, on the way, He saw our Pooja room where His Photo was hung, along with several holy pictures. He said He would sit in the Pooja room itself. He told us that He had come to us that day, being very pleased with the Bhakthi of Sailaja, my daughter. He asked me to send word to devotees if any were available, for Bhajan and Pravachan." "He sent word to his neighbours and people collected immediately", says Ramesh Rao, his cousin. "He sang "Nandamukunda Sayinatha", "O Bhagavan", "Jayaram Jayaram", along with the Bhakthas. After Bhajan, He talked to me in Tamil, to my wife in Canarese and to the others in mixed dialect of Tamil-Malayalam. He blessed us by the gift of a Sankhamala and Himself placed it on His own photograph. He told me that my father had decided on a rite to propitiate the Snake-God (Sarpasamskaram) at Bangalore on 25th February, Thursday ('My day' He added), but He told me that he need not perform it, since He had already wiped off the calamity it was intended to avert and the sacrilege it was designed to atone.

"He took some light refreshment. Then, He told the persons around Him that all will be anxiously awaiting Him at Kalahasti. So, He took leave of us and asking us not to follow Him, went through the gate. He disappeared in a few seconds. We all felt happy at this unexpected Darsan and were struck by the 'disappearing miracle', within the twinkling of an eye."

Nor was this all. There are a few more paragraphs in the letter, which I am quoting: "24th December, Thursday, was a holiday; we felt lonely since our Sailaja was away at Mangalore. So we went out in the afternoon to visit some friends and returned home at 6-30 p.m. We were shocked to see the lights burning within the house. My wife asked me whether I had forgotten to switch off all the lights. I first examined the lock of the main door and finding it intact, went round the house to see whether the other doors were bolted from within. They were o.k. Then, both of us came to the front door, opened the lock and walked in. We found everything intact; all the lights were on. We saw Baba in our Prayer room! We prostrated ourselves at His feet. He asked us (in Kannada) whether we were afraid! We replied that we were very lucky and that we left very happy! Baba said that He had come because we were lonely and said, 'Let us sing Bhajans. If Sailaja were here, she would have liked to sing', He said. He sang a few Bhajans. He took food later, we discussed some general topics together. Then, Baba retired for the night.

Early next morning, Baba had His Bath; He had coffee with us and then, discoursed on Bhakthi and the Basic Truth of Nature. All of a sudden, we saw a rosary of Rudraksha beads in His hand; He put it on my neck with His Blessings, with the direction that I should wear it during my Sandhya rites. After those rites, I was to place it on Baba's photograph. We had breakfast together. The Puja room was decorated specially with garlands and flowers. Bhajan began. Meanwhile, devotees came to know that Baba had come; so they too assembled for Bhajan. Baba discoursed on Bhakthi in the Tamil-Malayam dialect. He granted every one the coveted interview.

At 12 noon, Baba himself waved the Sacred light of Mangalarathi and distributed Prasadam, to every one present. The quarter kilogram of dates that I had, sufficed for 100 persons! We had our lunch with Baba. He rested for a couple of hours and we had 'tea' at 4-30 p.m. Then He told us that several devotees were eagerly waiting for Him at Kalahasti. He blessed us again, when we fell at His feet. At 5 p.m. He went out on the road through the gate and suddenly disappeared. What a wonderful miracle! We could not believe our own eyes!

Nor could I, without confirmation through independent sources! Baba had given Darsan to persons in distress in distant places but nowhere, so far as we knew, did He stay so long and so concretely. It was too overpoweringly unscientific! I wrote a letter to two friends, P.K. Panikkar and P.A. Menon in Kerala enclosing a list of 84 questions for which I wanted them to find answers at Manjeri. They proceeded to Ram Mohan Rao's house and sent me a fuller report, which dotted all the 'i's and crossed all the 't's of his letter to me!

Ram Mohan Rao and his wife told them that Baba was wearing a yellow gown on the 13th December; He walked in, barefooted and went into the shrine room saying, "I shall go into My own place." My friends saw the picture on which the rosary of Rudraksha beads were placed. It had a thick outgrowth of sacred ash in a few days. Strangely enough, the face of Baba was clear but from the outer area in the picture, 'there fell a continuous shower of Vibhuthi dust which was being collected and distributed with the reverence due to the divinely created gift of Grace!'

"Rao and his wife have been devoted to Shirdi Sai Baba for many years; they have not visited Prasanthi Nilayam, but they had secured a picture of Sathya Sai Baba seven years ago and placed it amidst the other pictures in their shrine. When Baba sat in the shrine room and leaned against the wall, right under His own picture, they saw that the picture was genuine! That was the first time they saw Him; they had borrowed the book 'Sathyam Sivam Sundaram' from a friend to read it. They thought that Baba has come, accidentally to Calicut or some nearby town and had decided to bless them by this visit.

When Mrs. Rao was listing her sorrows to Baba, encouraged by His overflowing love, Baba said, "Sorrow and pain are the lot of all; don't you know that both sisters of this body are widowed?" When Sailaja asked Baba for a Bhajan Book, Baba said, "Palghat Menon has brought 400 Bhajan books, printed in Malayalam, to Prasanthi Nilayam. I shall give you one". So saying Baba held His palm upside down, waved it twice and caught with His fingers the book that appeared! He gave it to the girl; we saw it! It was the same book, with the blue paper cover! Sailaja had great faith in Baba, since her eczema on the foot was cured by Baba a year ago, in answer to her pleading before His picture.

When he was asked to bring some persons for Bhajan, Rao did not go far, for he did not desire to miss Baba's company for long. He brought in the owner of his house, an old gentlemen, by name Thalayur Moosad and his 5-year old daughter; he brought the widow of Madhavan Nair, the founder of the renowned Malayalam newspaper, 'Mathrubhoomi', and his sister. Baba asked Moosad, "What ails your leg?" He gave Him an account of his disease and prayed for some drug. Baba told him, "The course of treatment you are now undergoing is enough." Mrs. Rao is now sending him the Vibhuthi Baba showers from His picture; he finds it very effective. The widow told Him of her diabetes. "I am getting bags and bags of rice from my fields; but I cannot eat a grain," she said, Baba replied in Malayalam. "It is the result of your past Karma". He asked Rao to bring an empty glass. When Baba held it in His Hand, it was full of a pink liquid. He gave it to her. "Take this thrice daily for 3 days; you can then eat any quantity of rice you like".

"One cynic was there, among the rest. Baba knew it and so He jocularly asked Rammohan Rao to bring a pair of scissors and He asked the fellow to cut for Himself a single hair from His Head! The man tried hard but failed, whereupon a bigger pair was brought at His command. This time too he failed. So, he put down his head and walked away without a word" writes U.N. Ramesh Rao, Rao's cousin, who visited Manjeri soon after this incident.

Baba sang four songs in all, during the Bhajan, asking the gathering too to sing them after Him in chorus. They were: 'O! Bhagavan', 'Pahi Pahi Gajanana', 'Siva Siva Siva' and 'Omkara Priya Sai Ram'.

"We saw the Sankhamala, the rosary of small conch-shells," says the report. "It is of the type available at Kanyakumari, each shell being no bigger than a seed of pepper. They are white in colour, with brown dots. There are 108 of them in the rosary, created and given by Baba. When we saw it, Vibhuthi had heaped itself over the beads. The rosary of Rudraksha beads also was examined by us. Baba told them that, until he could string them in gold, he should place it on the picture. Baba also created an orange-size bell-metal drinking cup with a spout and gave it to Sailaja. He also created a piece of scarlet silk cloth with borders of gold thread, and, presenting it to the girl, asked Rao to have a jacket sewn for her. He gave Rao additional Vibhuthi and Kumkum created on the spot to be given to "Calicut" (meaning U.N. Ramesh Rao, his cousin living there). Baba left at 11 a.m. on the 13th, saying, I have to keep to a programme at Kalahasti." They did not then know that Kalahasti was about 20 miles from Venkatagiri. They were too aggrieved at His resolve to leave, to ask where it was. He said, "No one need come with me." He closed the gate behind Him and disappeared!

The second visit was on a Thursday. Mrs. Rao was afraid to approach the house, since the lights were on. Rao opened the lock and entered. He saw Baba in the shrine, sitting leaning against the wall. Baba asked him in Tamil, "Are you afraid, seeing me?" "I have come to join your Bhajan," He assured him. Rao had brought some dried dates from the bazaar; he gave the plate into the hands of Baba for distribution; he felt that He alone could make it suffice for all those who were present. Baba entered the kitchen and protested against the dish of 'Kheer' being prepared. He did not "relish that sweet dish". "This is enough for six," He said! They had cooked only for two but, after dinner, food for three more was available. Next morning, Rao and Mrs. Rao partook of it as a sacramental. Before retiring for the night, Baba removed one picture of His from the shrine and hung it on a nail in the bed room. 'Let it be here,' He said. From that picture too, Vibhuthi is showering in large quantities now.

Rao peeped through a slit in the door to find out whether Baba was sleeping well but, he saw Him sitting up, most of the time, 'lost in thought, as one in reverie.'

Next morning, Baba had his bath and breakfast. When the housewife started preparing 'festive dishes,' He noticed her enthusiasm and warned that He would leave without eating anything at all; He insisted that only their daily menu should be given to Him. He talked to them of Sankaracharya being caught while young by the crocodile (Maya) in the river Poorna (Brahma) and saved by renunciation (Sanyas). He spoke of Sai Baba, and of God as Subrahmanya or Murugan. While speaking of Subrahmanya, He created a thin plate of gold, drew on it with His nail the picture of Subrahmanya on a peacock and rolling it directed her to wear it around her neck, inside a golden cylinder, to be made later. He said jocularly, "Sorry! I have no gold!"

This is perhaps the most dramatic, detailed and authentic narrative of the multilocative miracle of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Om Sri Sai Ram

The Below wonderful incident was narrated during the Summer course in 2000, by Shri.Devsen -- A Faculty member of Sri Sathya Institute of Higher Learning.. Swami has many times said, whether during discourses or during private sessions with devotees, that HIS will is infinite. Baba takes many of His students to Kodaikanal with HIM. Likewise He has taken some students to the Mysore sanctuary once in their summer vacations. Shri.Devsen was lucky to be one of them.

The students had already reached the sanctuary and it was nighttime. Swami was discussing the secrets of nature with students assembled at HIS feet. He was talking about the start of creation from the primordial sound OMKAR, the emergence of the MILKY WAY, PLANETS etc. He was describing in detail as to how the clouds got formed and the emergence of the SUN, the MOON etc.

As Swami was explaining so, He suddenly looked around and said, "Isn't the night beautiful today." "Yes, Swami" replied the students, "It is blissful here in your immediate presence. Even the moon seems to want to make his presence felt here in your physical proximity". As soon as this was mentioned Swami looked upwards at the moon. He kept looking for sometime and then started explaining the different features of the moon -- that there were so many craters on it. He even mentioned that there were rivers flowing on the moon.

As He said this, students started asking "Swami.... Rivers on the moon? "Yes, why not? Don't you know rivers existed on moon"? Asked Swami. "But Swami" students questioned "Something of this sort has never been mentioned in any of the documentaries recorded by astronauts who have visited the moon." "Oh that...." replied SWAMI "How can they see ... They saw with physical eyes ... Can their eyes see all that divinity has created? They did not see ... but it is there." So saying Swami stopped.

As Swami stopped speaking, there was silence for a while but the friction in the minds of students persisted. Fully aware of this, Swami asked, "Would you all like to see all that I mentioned were present on the moon?" "YES SWAMI" replied the students in one voice. Swami immediately got up from HIS seat and pointed towards the moon and waved His hand. In a moment the moon disappeared from the sky.

Shocked at what they saw, the students wanted to ask Swami as to what had happened to the moon, but before they could they saw a circular object appear in HIS hands. "This" Swami said, "is the moon ... (Silence for a while) ... now clear all your doubts about the feature of the moon". So saying He started showing the craters and the rivers on the moons surface. As long as the 'moon' was there in Swami's hand there was no 'moon' in the sky. When asked what would happen when anyone looked up and did not find the moon present as usual or questioned the disappearance of the moon all of a sudden, Swami said, "Nothing happens without my will. As long as the moon, which I have reduced to a size enough to fit into my palms, is in my hand, no one in the world will dare look up in the sky. I have willed that".

There was silence for a while as the students tried to grasp the phenomenon they had just witnessed. Swami then asked" Has everyone seen it. Ok, come closer and see. Ask for doubts if any". All those present came closer and looked ... they were all there. The craters, the rivers, the mountains.... All in the miniature form of the moon in Swami's hand.

Swami then said, "OK, now I shall send it back". So saying Swami let go the 'moon' from His hand by thrusting it upwards. In a moment it was there ... again resplendent as before.

As students retired for the day, they reminded themselves of an important lesson they learnt that day. Everything in this Universe is functioning in full awareness of Swami as per His will.

All we see is HIS will... What doesn't seem to be is so simply because HE hasn't willed it that way...

Sai Ram

Om Sri Sai Ram

SHIVA SAI - THIRD EYE OF SHIVA [ ✰ Happy Maha Shivaratri ✰ ]

"When Sri Sathya Sai Baba was in his early twenties, a restless youth who was an incorrigible cricket fan, was given the task of attending to Baba. Baba was reeling out cricket scores of a match being played in far away Madras in order to keep the youth happy!

Even then, th...e boy kept asking questions of Swami, particularly about the third eye of Shiva.

Swami looked intensely at the young man, when a jet stream of Vibhuuthi shot out with gale force from the middle space of the eye-brows of Swaami suchwise, that the youth was catapulted to the other end of the hall! The story is narrated in "Man of Miracles" and also retold recently by the then youth, now in his early sixties. Shiva is adored as Thryambaka the three eyed as in the famous hymn of liberation "ThryambakamYajaaMahe", and so is Sai Baba a Thrayambaka the three-eyed one with his Jnaana Nethra, the third eye of wisdom, always open.

Sai Ram

Om Sri Sai Ram

17th June [1958] was a Day of Days, a Day that will be enshrined in the memory of everyone in the party, for years and years. In pursuance of His Mission of re-infusing spiritual efficacy in all Holy Places where men congregate for acquiring peace and joy, a Mission which took Him recently to Ayodhya, Kasi and Prayag, Baba that day re–invigorated Narayana worship at Badrinath, by means of a unique cermony, whose significance is beyond our tiny understanding!

During the morning Abhishekam to the idol of Badrinarayana, while Baba was inside the temple facing the shrine, about 8.15AM, Baba mysteriously materialised a four armed Narayana icon with Sankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma, about 12 inches, perhaps sublimating in that form the Divine Essence of the Narayana Tejas before Him. He also created a charming thousand petalled ‘gold’ Lotus, and before the wonder of the people around Him could express itself in an awe striken gasp, He waved His hand before the Shrine and, lo, there was a Jyothirlinga in His palm, which He placed on the shining Lotus. Baba came away to the Dharmasala with the devotees and the large number of officers and citizens of Badrinath. Their Excellencies also soon joined the gathering.

The Badri idol, the nethra lingam and the thousand petalled Lotus

Materialising a ‘silver’ Abhisheka Vessel full of holy water from Gangothri itself (as He announced), Baba Himself performed Abhisheka to that translucent Nethra Lingam. He had graciously taken the Linga round to everyone and made all to wonder at its quit effulgence and at a clearly visible Eye that was somehow incorporated in it. Devotees recited Sri Rudram, Purushasuktham and Narayana Suktham, while Baba was pouring the sacred water on the Lingam. Then, Baba created 108 miniature Bilva leaves or rather replicas of that holy leaf, in ‘gold’; they fell in a lightning shower from His Palm on to a silver plate.

The golden bilva leaf manifested by Baba

He again waved His Hand and this time, O Blessed moment, 108 actual ‘thumme’ flowers fresh with even the touch of the morning dew, fell from that Divine Palm! With these, Baba directed Dr.B.Ramakrishna Rao, presumably on behalf of all assembled to do Puja to the Linga, the Ashtottara Puja, as mentioned in the Sastras. After Puja, Baba collected the Abhisheka Ganga and gave a share of it to each one, Himself pouring it into the mouth with His own merciful Hand.

Displaying the Lingams that He created at Badri

Needless to say, the Lingam, one of the Five, which according to Baba, Sankaracharya brought from Kailasa, and which he installed in a sacred spot in the shrine to vivify the Badarikasram returned to the place from which Baba had drawn it for this epoch making ritual of re invigoration. The Lotus and the Icon, He granted to the devotees; the Bilva leaves of ‘gold’ He gave to members of the party, as mementoes of the Momentous Day, for being duly worshipped by them.

About 12.30PM, the same day, Baba condescended to come to Brahmakapal, where the devotees had arrived to offer oblations to the pitris (forefathers). He advised everyone to pray for their ancestors and departed relations, in a spirit of faith and sincerity. Every member of the party had a rare good fortune of paying off the debt to the departed in the immediate presence of the Lord Himself!

Then Baba went down to the Alakananda and took from the surging torrent a glass of water, but, lo! The glass held also a lump of Vibhuthi with the mark of Pranava on it and the til essential for ancestral rites! He poured the water on to the palms of the devotees who were handicapped by disqualifications form partaking in the Pinda Pradan, asking them to offer that water instead! Surely, the manes of all who shared in that day’s Brahmakapal ceremony are thrice blessed!

 

---

In June-July 1961, Baba toured North India and visited many holy shrines in Haridwar, Srinagar, Rishikesh, Badrinath and Nainital. The purpose of the visit, in Baba’s own words, was to “charge the exhausted spiritual batteries of the temples”. Prof. N. Kasturi who was among the fortunate few who accompanied Baba on this trip recounts the astounding events that took place when they visited the shrine at Badrinath:

‘The visit to Badrinath was first mooted by Baba in 1958, at a Bhajan session held on the sands of the Chithravathi. He said then that He would take the Bhakthas (devotees) to the place where He was doing Tapas (penance) and everyone present there was wonder struck, for that was the first time they had ever heard of Tapas, associated with His earthly career.

Every one until then was convinced that Baba indulged in no Tapas, here or anywhere, corporeally or extra-corporeally! But by the time the tour ended they had understood the actual import of Swami’s statement and the great significance veiled in it.

Once the visit became a certainty, plans were ready and the party fixed, before the end of May. Since the pilgrimage to Badrinath involved a week long journey by train and bus and an exhausting climb of about 20 miles, Baba chose only a minute fraction of the hundreds of devotees who prayed to be given the chance to join Him.

Baba greeted the fortunate few with His Darshan at the Ethiraja Kalyana Mantapam, Alwarpet, Madras (now Chennai) on the 7th day of June, 1957 and sent them by train to Delhi, where He promised to bless them personally, since He proposed to fly to the Capital, the very next day.

The train reached Delhi about six hours late and when the hungry, tired and distracted devotees arrived at last, they found Baba shedding cool comfort and consolation and strength by His Smile and His Motherly attention.

The next day, at Hardwar, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. B. Ramakrishna Rao, joined Baba, for he too had planned a visit to Badrinath. On 11th June, Baba and His Excellency attended the evening Arati to Gangamatha at the Brahmakund; the vast assemblage of pilgrims got the Darshan of Baba at that holy spot; Baba blessed the priests and Archaks with the Vibhuti that He materialised and He sprinkled the sacred waters of the Ganges on those around Him.

That night, Baba called together the devotees who were to accompany Him to Badri and reminded them of the rare privilege that they had won. "You have the good fortune of proceeding with the Manifested Form to the Unmanifested Form whereas usually, people pray to the Unmanifested Form, immanent in the idol, to manifest itself before their eye, so that they might win the fruit of their Sadhana." He declared.

The chosen few were thrilled with joy at the revelation. He then described in great detail the sacred shrine to which He was leading them, as if He knew every nook and corner of the holy area. When He disclosed that Narayana was there depicted as in Tapomudra, as doing penance, and explained that it was called Badarikasram on account of this, the devotees began to see light, and the doubt that assailed them on the Chitravati sands three years ago about Sathya Sai Baba and Tapas melted away in a blaze of joy.

img src="internal/The-golden-bilva-leaf.jpg"/>

Baba spoke also of the subsidiary shrines in and around Badrinath and also of certain unknown aspects of its sacredness. For example, no guidebook has published the information that Sankaracharya brought from Kailash five Lingams and that he installed one each at Badri, Puri, Sringeri, Dwaraka and Chidambaram, but Baba revealed this fact that night. Baba planted in every heart the pilgrim mood of prayer of brotherhood and loving service.’

Prof. Kasturi in “Sathyam Shivam Sundaram” explains day-wise details of their journey from the 7th of June. But now, let’s go to the heart of the story, the 17th of June:

‘The 17th was in fact the day of days, the day selected by Baba for re-infusing spiritual efficacy, for charging the run-down battery.

During the morning Abhishekam at the shrine, Baba who was sitting facing the idol materialised a beautiful four-armed Narayana Idol, with Sankha Chakra Gada and Padma (conch, wheel, mace and lotus), and idol of supreme craftsmanship.

Then, in a trice, He created a Golden Lotus, a thousand petalled one, beautiful beyond all imagination. We all wondered why the Lotus appeared; but, before our wonder could find expression in a gasp, Baba waved His hand again.

This time there was a Lingam in His palm, evidently the same that Sankaracharya had planted in the stone cavity over which the Narayana idol was placed inside the Badri Shrine. This last He placed in the centre of the Lotus and both the Lotus and Idol placed on a silver plate appeared to have been made for each other.

There were large groups of pilgrims pressing to enter the tiny hall before the shrine. In order that they might have access, Baba proposed to ‘charge the battery’ (revitalise the Lingam with spiritual energy) at the Gujarat Dharmasala where the party stayed.

There Baba directed bhajans to be done and while the praise of Narayana was being sung, He rose from the floor, saying, "Now we shall consecrate this Lingam again".

‘The process of recharging’, Sri Kasturiji writes in Loving God, ‘which over two hundred witnessed, was most exhilarating. He showed the Lingam to every one, bringing It Himself near each person, and pointing out to all the translucence of the material and the form of an Eye, that was mysteriously incorporated inside it! He called it the Nethralingam from Kailash.

He drew the devotees’ attention to the Eye that could be clearly seen inside it, the black shining retina on the white background and the tapering end with the lids both upper and lower. When Baba turned the Lingam to right or left, the eye seemed to roll in the same direction. “Has everyone seen it?” He asked. “If you haven’t, come here”, He invited. “For, it has to go back to where Sankaracharya placed it,” He announced.

Then, while Badrinath echoed with Bhajans sung by devotees, Baba rose with a silver pot in His Hand a pot that had come into His palm when He willed. He came near the table where the Silver plate with the Lingam on the Lotus was visible to all. He said, The pot contained holy water from the Gangotri, the spring in which the Ganga is born. He released His finger from under the pot and, lo! a hole was formed there to allow a stream to fall on the Lingam as ‘Abhishekha’ (ceremonial bath of the idol). The pundits and priests recited Vedic hymns prescribed for the rite.”

After Abhishekha, next was Puja (ritual worship). Baba materialised for the Puja 108 Bilva Leaves (considered sacred for worship of Lord Shiva) made of gold; they fell in a scintillating shower from His Divine Hand on to the silver plate beneath! Again, the Hand was waved!

This time, the shower consisted of a heap of "Thumme" (Leucas Linifolia) flowers, with the dew still fresh upon them, tiny bits of fragrant fluff, plucked with care from a hundred little tropical plants!

These dew-dipped thumme flowers with which devotees at Puttaparthi worship Baba are generally found only on the balding hills and dry plains of South India. The Puja was performed, on behalf of all present, by Dr. B. Ramakrishna Rao, while appropriate Manthrams like Rudram, Narayana Suktham and Purusha Suktham were being recited all the while by the devotees.

Baba then declared, “Now, the Lingam will return,” and the Netralingam was sent back into the secret niche where it was installed by Sankaracharya 1200 years ago. When it suddenly disappeared, Baba explained to the devotees that the purpose for which it was drawn out had been fulfilled with the completion of the ritual aforesaid.

It had been charged with immense potency and the Temple consecrated anew by the Manifested form Himself.”

Om Sri Sai Ram

A riveting account of a transcendental miracle of Divine as chronicled by Dr. John Hislop in Sanathana Sarathi, May 1974.

Early on the morning of Dec. 8, 1973, Swami departed Prasanthi Nilayam for Brindavan. After an hour or so of driving, he directed the three accompanying cars to turn off the road to a clearing in an uninhabited area of the forest. Everyone got out. Baba was in a delightful mood, moving about among the party and cracking jokes with the men.

Beside the picnic area was a wood-apple tree with a few large wood-apples in view in the upper branches. The men tried to knock some of these to the ground by throwing stones, but without success. One small wood-apple, about two inches in diameter, did fall to the ground, and Baba picked it up.

Holding the small wood-apple between thumb and forefinger against the morning sun, Baba said, "Here is the moon." Then he closed the small object in his hand for a moment, and when his hand opened, the wood-apple had disappeared, and in its place there was a most extraordinary object.

The object was a translucent disk (of stone?) thin at the edges thicker at the centre. It reflected light in a brilliant way, and throughout its body there was a puzzling variety of modifications. There were dark areas of uneven shape and size; there were short and longer veins of luminous mineral-like materials of all shades of colour; there were specks and dots of colour that reflected brightly in the sunlight. The total effect of the disk was one of great beauty.

Everyone gazed at the object with intense interest and wonderment. Holding the disk to the sun, Baba said that it was the moon in miniature, comprised of the moon's matter; that it was a mirror of the moon." Nobody understood what he meant, and we started to ask questions. At length, we understood that the two sided disk was an accurate miniature in stone and minerals of the two sides of the moon.

It was as if one were to photograph the moon as it is seen from Earth, and then to journey to the opposite side of the moon and photograph that side. Each side photographed would appear on a photographic plate as a circular disk. Thus, one side of the translucent disk created by Baba mirrored one side of the moon, and the other side of the translucent disk mirrored the opposite side of the moon. The darker, unevenly shaped areas on the disk were the very large features of the moon's surface; the brightly reflecting specks and dots were individual mountains and smaller mountain ranges; the shorter and longer veins of brilliant varicoloured minerals were additional features of the moon's landscape.

Indeed, the visual modifications to be seen in the disk were so complex that we did not readily understand them. Baba said that the mineralized appearance of the luminous features of the disk were in fact moon minerals, that they could be seen in the disk because it was thin and therefore translucent, and that the same mineralization was in the moon itself. The miniature moon was exact and fully accurate, and were there to be a photographic enlargement, scientists would at once recognize all the landscape features with which they were familiar.

At this point, food taken from the cars was ready, and the ladies of the party served a delicious breakfast. I had the moon-disk in my hand, so I put it in the pocket of my jacket and kept it there. After breakfast, with a smile, Baba held out his hand, and I reached in my pocket and returned the moon-disk to him. He again held the disk up to the sun, and all along the edge of the disk there was the rich golden light. Baba said, "See there is the sunrise!."

After every one admired the golden light, Swami again closed his hand, the moon-disk was gone, and in its place was the original small wood-apple.

Om Sri Sai Ram

The Archakas of Tirupati have the habit of looking at the feet of Balaji Bhagwan and taking Padanamaskar before Suprabhatam (where God is woken up). They open their eyes only after this procedure.

One of the senior most archakas suddenly had a feeling one day that even after having served the Lord for 40 years, he was not fortunate enough to have his darshan. He prayed emotionally that if he had been sincere in his duty towards the lord, then the Lord must some day grant him his physical darshan.

The next day, as usual when the archakas went into the sanctum sanctorum for padanamaskar, the senior most archaka went in first. As he reached for the feet of the idol, his hands could feel the moist feet of a human body. Totally surprised, the archaka removed his hand and wanted to remove the covering around his eyes. But the fear of breaking the age-old tradition combined with his 40 year old practise, he refrained from doing so.

As he reached for the feet again and again, the same thing happened. He called out to the other Archakas and told them his experience. The other archakas too experienced the same warmth. For a moment the archakas got agitated and felt that some miscreant would be standing there but who could be so insolent to stand on the lord’s idol and that too when the sanctorum was thoroughly checked before being locked. Who could it be? Was it an illusion?.. Just that moment the archaka remembered the prayer that came out of him the day before. A thought flashed through his mind.....Was it the Lord himself ?

He hurriedly removed the covering and opened his eyes. What he saw shoked him. He gave out a shriek, hearing which the other archakas also removed their coverings and opened their eyes. A sense of disbelief went through them on what they saw. The idol was gone and Sri Satya Sai Baba was standing in its place.

Baba was standing in Chatur Bhuja form (with four arms). Baba was smiling. He looked at the senior most archaka and said--

“You wanted to see me. I am here. What do you want?”

The archaka was stunned and asked --

“When did I ask to see you? In fact, I asked for darshan of my Lord Sri Balaji.”

Baba replied --

“I am your Lord Sri Balaji.”

Taken aback by this reply the archakas asked again--

“How can you be Lord Balaji? You have always said You are Shiva-Shakti Swarupa. How then can you say you are Vaikunthathi-pathi Balaji?”

Baba softly replied--

“All are one, my dear children. God is one. He manifests in different forms and man worships the form to which he is most attached. All faiths are paths leading to the same goal. Why then do you see the difference?”

After a moments silence, Baba spoke again--

“I have come not to disturb any faith but to confirm everyone in his own faith. I respond to everyone with whatever name you call me. You wanted to see the Lord in form of Balaji and so here I am to fulfill your wish.”

So saying Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba dissappeared and the idol of Bhagwan Balaji was back in its place. Silence prevailed for some time. Later the archakas handed over the administration of the temple temporarily to their juniors and rushed to Puttaparthy.

The next day the Archakas of Tirupati were made to sit in front and as Bhagwan Baba came out for darshan, they sat with eyes glued at Him. As Baba came nearer, their hearts leapt in excitement. Baba maintained a little distance from them, looked sharply in their eyes, and asked --

“Today how have you broken the tradition of yester years. Every day morning, you look first at my feet and then at my physical frame. Today you are looking at my face first without even taking padnamaskar.”

As the archakas heard this, they fell at Baba’s feet. Baba took them into the interview room and spoke to them for a long time. Before leaving for Tirupati, they disclosed everything to our professors, who in turn told this to the students. Bhagia sir later personally asked Baba about this who confirmed that he had gone physically to Trupathi and given darshan of Balaji.

We call God by different names:

Krishna >>> by the Hindus

Jesus >>> by the Christians

Waheguru >>> by the Sikhs

Allah >>> by the Moslems

Jhulelal >>> by the Sindhis

and many other names in different religions.

We, students of Baba, believe that Baba is that cosmic Divinity, which is responsible of the creation, organisation and finally the dissolution of the entire Universe.

Om Sri Sai Ram

The group (Telengana group) was very much attached to Baba. They crowded round the sofa when Baba was in the room on the first floor. They stroked the feet and gradually made bold to exert extra pressure, pretending to perform the Seva of 'mild' massage. I had to nuzzle through them to secure a crevice between their toroses through which I could caress the Lotus Feet. One day while Baba was tickling us into waves of laughter, Parthasarathi from Madras got a brilliant idea. He pulled his camera from its bag and taking good aim. shot and bagged a picture of us around the Feet and of Baba lit with smiles. At this Baba rose and asked for the camera. I feared that He might nullify the portrait and negate the negative by holding the camera in His hand. Instead, He told Parthasarathi "Come! Stand behind the sofa, I shall click the next one". The Telengana brothers did not welcome the plan. They shouted -they had not yet learnt that still small voice we were used to-that the empty sofa did not deserve to be photographed. I protested, "What? When Baba clicks, this sofa will not be empty, Be assured!". And, Baba responded with an emphatic "Right Kasturi!" I kept my right palm on the foot-stool when Baba was peering through the lens. My intention was to test whether in the picture that must materialise, my palm would appear below the sole or above the foot. But Baba noticed it and He said, "No! Take off'. I had to obey.

When He returned the camera to Parthasarathi, He said, "Hey! Be careful. I am there." At that, I asked Parthasarathi, ''You must give each of us a copy," and looking up to Baba, I implored, "Swami, you must tell him to give us copies or else, he won't". And, to our great joy, Baba directed him to send a postcard size print to every one. It came into my hands, ten days later. Baba is sitting in the chair, His face and hair slightly blurred with a look of surprise at the role He had imposed on himself.

Though I admired the deep devotion of the Telengana group, I was unable to appreciate their blatant pranks, often in Bhagawan's very presence. I saw them open Baba's silver pan-box and take supari for their own use. I witnessed them behaving like the cowherd boys of Vrindavan, carrying away bunches of bananas which were near Baba's room and plunging into a peeling spree and finishing off the lot. "They ought not swagger so," I told my neighbour, Radhakrishnan of Coimbatore. He too shook his head in fierce disapproval. We resented their 'disregard' of the pervasive and profound sanctity of the place. We commented, confidentially of course, on the phenomenal tolerance with which Baba was allowing them to strut about. The climax for us was when Baba agreed to accompany them to their native villages when they decided to leave.

The jeeps which had brought them weeks previous and which helped us to reach various picnic spots, (among the hills, inside the jungles and along the Chithravathi) now turned homewards. I had heard them plan visits with Baba to many beauty spots in and near the Telengana countryside. Some place names, like Ekasilapuri, the ancient capital of the Kakatiya Empire and Ajanta, the centuries old repository of Buddhist fresco paintings, aroused in me a great longing to join the party. I had years previous taken my students on an educationa). tour to those places, but visiting them again as a member of the party that Baba the Supreme Artist leads, would certainly elevate me, I felt. No one knew whom Baba would favour with the direction to get ready to join. So, most of us stood on tiptoe.

I saw two big leather boxes come down the circular stairs, from Swami's room. At the same moment, one of the Telenganas ran down to where I stood and said, very excitedly, "Swami wants you". Though he did not finish the sentence, I could surmise the message, "Jump into a jeep." When I leaped up, two steps at a time, I found Baba talking to Seshagiri Rao, the septuagenarian. Baba turned to me and said, "Kasturi! Stay here itself. I am taking Seshagiri Rao with me.You did not quite like these people being so free with me. It was sheer envy that bothered you. You and your Radhakrishnan! Could you not be happy that so many from Telengana came to Swami and did such splendid seva and earned so much grace from Me? This Seshagiri Rao was happy for that very reason. So, I am not taking you with me. Seshagiri Rao! Go and sit in the jeep."

That was it! I came down the eighteen steps heavy laden with remorse and repentance. I stood stupefied, when Baba and His cowherd companions drove away, along the bumpety-humpety road which will take them to the asphalt highway to Hyderabad! That was the first time I was stuck in such lacerated loneliness. I could not attend to anything but the wound my 'superiority complex' had inflicted on me. I diagnosed the complex with the help of my accomplice, Radhakrishnan. :dhakthi need not always be packed in starched shirts. I had misread their open-heartedness as audacity, their innocence as boorishness. I must cast overboard the tawdry academic acquisitions that weighed me down. They did not help me to rise in Baba's estimation - the University Degrees, the pedagogic self-esteem, the metropolitan veneer of hollow etiquette. Like Seshagiri Rao, I must be engaged wholeheartedly in the duties I am assigned and not entangle myself in the gyrations of others. Judge not, lest you be judged, I warned myself. I strove to make myself fit to be in the Divine presence by eschewing my ancient and deep-rooted Koravanji tendency to seek out the failing and faults of others. I attempted to divert my sense of humour towards discovering, within the layers of rocks, the precious veins of goodness and godliness.

The Nilayam was denuded and desolate since Baba had left me behind, to nurse the sickness in my mind. I sought rigorously to cleanse my cynicism, a handicap which Baba has often categorised as evil number one. To relieve my distress, I spent larger hours in prayer and meditation.....

Om Sri Sai Ram

Tulsi leaf - Gold Coin
"One day Swami on His way to the Hostel plucked a Tulsi leaf and
placed it in the palm of a student and said: 'Keep it safe. Don't
show it to anybody'. He just obeyed. But the warden insisted to see
it. When the boy opened the handkerchief in which it was tied he
found a gold coin. So he said 'Keep it safe, don't show it to
anybody'. But his friends pestered and he had to yield. When they
opened the handkerchief it was only a Tulsi leaf. The boy was
greatly disappointed. Seeing his disappointment Swami called him and
asked for the leaf. He blew at it and lo! The gold coin appeared and
Swami blessed him to keep the same with him as His gift. Nothing is
beyond His Power. His sankalpa is enough. It can change earth into
sky and sky into earth. This incident, though humorous, was but a
glimpse of His omnipotence. The students get such revelations often
which cement their faith in their protector and patron."

Source:http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Bhagawan/Sai_Humour1.htm

---

Gold Coin-2

"At Horsley Hills Sai Baba produced a particularly striking example of such telekinesis. One evening a party of us were sitting on the carpet in his suite; Ramanatha Reddy, the doctor, the young men, Iris and myself were there. Swami asked me the year of my birth, and when I told him, he said that he would get for me from America a coin minted there in that same year.

He began to circle his down-turned hand in the air in front of us, making perhaps half a dozen small circles, saying the while: "It's coming now ..... coming ..... here it is!"

Then he closed his hand and held it before me, smiling as if enjoying my eager expectancy. When the coin dropped from his hand to mine, I noted first that it was heavy and golden. On closer examination I found, to my delight, that it was a genuine milled American ten-dollar coin, with the year of my birth stamped beneath a profile head of the Statue of Liberty.
"Born the same year as you," Swami smiled.

What would the skeptics say about this, l wondered. Would they suggest that Baba carried around with him a stock of coins so that he would have one to match my year of birth. Such old American coins, now long out of circulation, would not be easy for him to obtain in India through normal channels.
I have no doubt whatever that this was one of Baba's many genuine apports. While he circled his hand before us, some agency under his will had dematerialised this gold coin at some place somewhere, carried it at space-annihilating velocity, and re-materialised it in Sai Baba's hand."
from Man of Miracles by Howard Murphet

---

Gold Coin-3

"In 1899, hundred years ago, 110 carat gold was in existence. It was extremely pure and effulgent. Gradually it has lost its value and effulgence on account of its association with different metals like silver, copper and brass. Likewise, man at the time of birth is essentially pure and sacred, but as he grows up, loses his human values due to his excessive desires and association with kith and kin." Just then Sathya Sai Baba materialized a gold coin from year 1899 .

 

Om Sri Sai Ram

SHIRDI SAI BABA lived upto late 1920’s.He was undoubtedly one of the greatest of the teachers to have walked on earth. His teachings on the oneness of all religions have been and are still being expounded by his millions of followers all over the world. Shirdi Sai Baba’s story begins from his visit to a marriage party of one Shri Chand Patil’s daughter. Chand Patil was the first one to call Baba by the name ‘Baba’. He had lost his horse while on a journey before his daughter’s marriage. It was on search for his horse that he had a chance meeting with Sai Baba sitting under a huge boulder of rock. Sai Baba called him by his name, which surprised him, by calling him by his name. Chand Patil was taken aback. Baba further said: ‘Bahut Ghum Liye. Ab thoda aram karle.(You have roamed enough. Now take some rest)”,so saying he hit the ground and lo! a flame automatically appeared there .Chand Patil immediately fell at Baba’s feet. Baba further stunned him saying “Kya re, Ghodi Kho Gayi Kya? (Have you lost your horse,Eh)”.Chand Patil was almost in tears. Baba thundered “ BIJLI.. BIJLI...O , BIJLI ”. Immediately they could hear the sound of horse’s feet. As he saw his horse coming Chand fell at Baba’s feet and cried like a child. He then addressed Baba as ‘Baba’ and said “Baba , Ap kaon Hai aur kahan se ayen Hai. Kaahan rehte hai? (Baba, who are you. where do you come from ? and where do you stay?)”. Baba said“Mein , Mein to sabhi jagah rehta hoon.(I stay everywhere.)”.Chand Patil said “ Baba , Meri beti ki shadi hai. Chaline ki kripa kare.(Baba , My daughter’s marriage is underway. Please come)”.

Baba said “ Thik Hai, Chalenge (All right, We’ll go)..[silence for a while]..Allah Jane..Maula Jane”.

After the marriage was over, Chand Patil requested Shirdi Baba to stay at his place itself. Baba laughed and jocularly said ---

“To Phir mera kam kya tu karega [Then, are you going to do my work] ...(silence for a while)...”

Baba’s face became a little serious as he said---

“Mujhe jana hoga re. Kai log mera intezar kar rahe hai (I have to go.Many are waiting for me.)”.

Chand Patil wept for a while as even the thought of being physically separate from Baba pained him immeasurably.

He asked –

“To phir, main apke sath chalunga.(Then I shall go with you.)”

Baba smiled and said –

“Are na, tujhe to main bulaunga ...... kuch der bad.( Oh no , I shall call you......sometime later)”.

Chand asked again ---

“Lekin Baba Kab?(But Baba ,When?)”

Baba a little annoyed said –

“Are keh diya na badme ... badme matlab badme..(I told you later)..[by this time Baba started getting up]...Atcha ab sawal nahin (Ok , Now no more questions)”.

Chand intimated everyone of Baba’s decision to depart. Everyone was sad but Shirdi Sai had made up his mind. Before departing, Chand Patil touched Baba’s feet again. Baba looked straight into Chand’s eyes and said—

“Yad Rakna.. Bulaunga tujhe .. Bharosa karna mujhe pe .. (Remember.. I will call you.. Have faith on me)”

History has it that Chand Patil never visited Baba again.What happened to Chand is not known? But the truth is that Shirdi Sai Baba never called Chand Patil again.

But Does God ever lie? Never. Sai Baba did call him but in his next avatar as Sri Satya Sai Baba. By that time Chand was reborn in West Bengal , this time too in a Muslim family. They named him as Mohammed.

Mohammed from his childhood fell into bad company. As he grew up, he graduated from being a petty thief to a heroin smuggler. Many a times he just managed to escape the Police dragnet. But once during a cold rainy night he was not that lucky. He tried to escape using a small boat across the river but ended up being surrounded by Police jetties. He almost gave up hope but just then when Police were still at a certain distance, he heard the call of an old man sitting in another boat behind him. The man had a beard and wore tattered clothes. He said --

“Come over to this boat and I’ll go there. Do not worry. I’ll take care.”

He did as he was told. As the Police came near the boat, the old man asked them--

“Kya hua bhai. Budhe se kya lena hai.(What happened , brother ? What do you want from an old man ?).”

They came nearer and said--

“Babuji, Apse nahin, us admi se kam hai [pointing to the smuggler].(Sir , We got some work but , not with you, with that man)”.

They went over to him and chided him --

“Are kitni dur tak bhagega,Pakda gaya na,Mal kahan chupaya tune.Batade varna mein nahin mera danda bolega.(Are, How far will you run? Now you have been caught. Where have you hidden the loot? Tell us or else not I but my baton will speak.”

The old man turned back and asked--

“Are usko kyon pareshan karte ho, sahib. Vo bechara to khali hath aya hai. (Oh Sir , Why do you trouble him? That poor man has come empty handed.)”

The search party looked everywhere but couldn’t find anything.As they were planning to return , the inspector saw a bag in the boat where the old man was sitting. He asked--

“Babuji , Us bag mein kyan hai , jara dekh sakta hun (Sir , That bag of yours,Can I see what is there in it ?)”

The old man replied---

“Are sab,Mujh jaise budhe garib ke pas kya saman hoga. Is mein kuch nahin bus shakkar hain.(Oh sir, what things will a poor old man like me have? Thereis nothing, but sugar in it)”.

The inspector came nearer and said “Jara dekhu to sahi. (Well, let me see.)”

The smuggler now was on the edge. If the narcotics inside that bag was found out he could spend the rest of his life in jail.

The inspector lifted the bag and found............. sugar!

The old man said “Tasalli hogai sahib. Ab to is bechare ko chod do.(Are you convinced ,Sir? At least now leave this man alone.)”.

The inspector left disappointed. Before leaving he turned to the man on the other boat and said --

“Khuda ki rehmat hai. Aj to tu bach gaya.(God willed . Today you are saved.)”

As the Police left to the shore, there was silence for a while. The old man then turned to the smuggler and said--

“Why do you do all this? Your wife is such a pious woman. Right now she is crying before Krishna statue for santanaprapti (gift of child).”.

There was silence for a while and the old man said again--

“Ja , Hamne Vardan Diya.Tere bache honge. Kitne Chahiye tujhe?” (Go, I bless you.You will have children. How many do you want?)

Mohammed (not taking the old man very seriously) said “ Teen ya Char (3 or 4)”.

Hearing this the old man smiled and replied “Yeh bura dhanda chod de.Koi atchi naukari kar le. Me dilaunga. Atcha ab hum chalenge.(Leave this dirty work of yours.Do some job. I will give you.Ok,Now I shall go.)”

Before going the old man dumped all the contents of the bag in water and gave a slip to the other man and said --

“Yeh mere Mumbai ka pata hai. Jarurat pade to ajana. (This is my Bombay address. Come if you need me.)”

He did have children as promised by the old man --- but not 3 or 4 but 3*4 = 12 children. After that incident, He tried giving up his bad habits and attitudes but in-between his past kept lingering. He failed to get a decent job and his family suffered. His wife worked as a house cleaner and ran the house. As things became difficult, she suggested that he take the help of that old man from Bombay. They took a small loan from the Sahukar and arranged for his trip to Mumbai. As he reached Bombay, he searched for the old man’s address. He reached the area and someone there told him that the place of his interest was just round the corner a few steps away near a cluster of apartments. As he finally found the place, he read the notice board to confirm the address. It read:

“AKSHAR PURUSHOTTAM SHREE SAI BABA KA MANDIR”.

He went in looking for the old man who had saved him from life imprisonment. As he went about searching, the main priest rang the bell of arthi. As he too stood in lines for arthi, his eyes fell on the main idol of the temple. He was stunned. It resembled in every measure the man who saved him. Although not fully clear about the things happening around, he drew a picture of what might have happened. His version was as follows: --

“The old man was highly respected and saintly perhaps. He might have died sometime after the incident. Since he was highly respected and helpful to everyone around they must have built a samadhi mandir in his memory out of respect.”

That old man was his only hope. With him dead, all his hopes too seemed to have ended, at least it seemed to be so. As he turned back to return to Bengal, he felt an urge to pay his respects to him by having a pradakshina. He did so and as he stood before the idol looking at the flowers neatly arranged at the idols feet, a piece of paper flew and fell exactly at the spot where he stood. He picked it up and opened it.

It read “ BHAGWAN SRI SATYA SAI BABA

PRASHANTHI NILAYAM , PUTTAPARTHY ”

Visibly shaken about the turn of events, the man returned home and told his wife about everything. He had never even heard of Shirdi Sai Baba and more shocking for him was to learn with little more enquiry that Shirdi Sai Baba had taken Mahasamadhi in the year 1918. Then how on earth did the same Sai Baba come back to save him on the rainy day of 1990!

And now who was this Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba and what did that note coming from Sai Baba’s feet itself mean. Along with the confusion that was clouding his mind, the following thoughts kept recurring in his mind ----

• Was this all true or was it just hallucination?

• As far as he knew, he had never been associated with Sai Baba at all. Why then did he save him?

• Why did he ask him to come to that Bombay address when he had died long ago?

• And now this man called Satya Sai Baba-- Who was He?

• How was He connected to him?

• And if this man also was Sai Baba, How are they both (Shirdi Sai and Satya Sai) connected?

In all the confusion that prevailed, He decided to take a train to Puttaparthi where he hoped to get answers for all the queer things that seemed to have happened so suddenly in his life.

He reached Puttaparthi and settled himself in the common shed built by the Central trust. He had food and retired for the night. He kept thinking for a long time. He felt his inner voice telling him that come next morning, his life would change for ever.

As he sat in the darshan lines the next day for morning darshan, he found himself at peace, free of all the confusion that had been troubling him for the last one week or so. As he music began, everyone readied themselves for Baba’s entry and so did he. As Baba came out for morning darshan, that feeling of inner peace and tranquility grew stronger. He could have a closer view of Baba now and he tried looking for physical features similar to that of the old man who saved his life. If there were any, he couldn’t find out. By now Baba was almost near him. Baba came, stood near him, looked straight into his eyes and said -- “agaya tu” ( So , you have come.)”.

Baba called him into the interview room and continued his outbursts--

“Yeh goonda hai , smuggler hai , Chori karke khata tha.? (He is a smuggler, He is a gangster, He used to steal and eat?)”. Embarrassed by this unexpected censor from Bhagwan Baba, He made up his mind to leave that day itself for his village. Baba read his mind, as he does so often with so many people, turned back to him and said “Abhi itne varshon ke bad aya mere pas , aur ajhi jana cahta hai (You have come to me after so many years and you want to go today itself)”.

There was silence for a while. Baba then said --

“Are, tera mera purana sambandh hai. Dekna cahta hai, to le dekle(Are , I and you have a very old relationship.Do you want to see.Then take this,see.)”....So saying Baba placed his hand on the man’s head. In a moment the entire episode of his last birth and his association with Sai Baba flashed through his mind’s eye. After he came out of his trance, Baba repeated the same words, which once Shirdi Sai Baba told Chand--

“Maine Kaha thana , Bulaunga tujhe...Badme. Ab bulaliya to chodkar jana cahata hai.(I told you , I will call ... later. Now that I have called, you want to go away.)”.

The man fell at Baba’s feet and wept like a child and asked for pardon for all his sins. Baba said ---

“Go anywhere. Do anything. I’ll bring on to the right track.”

Before the interview ended, the man promised to give up all his bad ways. Baba immediately materialised a cigarette and gave it to him saying --

“Let this be your last cigar.”

He drank the cigar as instructed by Baba and next day was found with a lusture all around his body.

The above episode teaches us on important truth:

Man may make a promise and may/ may not fulfill it.

But God always fulfills the promise that he makes to His children.

God is known in different names as: Rama, Jesus, Mahavira, Buddha and Allah. He has come in so many forms when needed and will come again when needed.

That God we students firmly believe now lives in form of SRI SATYA SAI BABA.Long before in his 1968 discourse he promised to bring about the golden age, which He will fulfill. GOD has never reneged on His promise and even now will not. That day will come when the whole world will unify as one landmass and the world will have only one religion--- that is the religion of love, service and compassion,which Baba always says is the true religion of every human being.

Om Sri Sai Ram

This amazing episode is narrated in the book “Anyatha Sharanam Nasthi – Other Than You Refuge there is None” by Smt. Vijayakumari.

The author recounts the golden days devotees spent with Sathya Sai Baba. Those times there were only a handful of devotees in Puttaparthi and the Chitravathi sands were His playground.

One day, when we were all walking towards the Chitravati, Swami suddenly disappeared. While we were searching for Him, we heard a clapping sound and, looking up, we found Swami alerting us, “I am on top of the hill.” It was six in the evening. The sun had softened the streams of its rays and was sinking towards the west. The sky was filled with black clouds, as if it were wrapping itself in a thick blanket. Swami said, “You all look at me. I shall show you the sun.”

Even as we were thinking, “how can the sun come back after it has already set?” we saw newly rising rays behind Swami’s head. The whole sky was filled with blue clouds. The rays began to turn red till they looked fiery and exuded so much heat as to make us all sweat profusely. The rays were intensely hot as if coming from the scorching midday sun.

Unable to bear the heat we all made loud appeals, “Swami! It is too hot”. The heat subsided.

We were just settling down, when Swami’s voice came down to us from the top of the hill, “I shall show you the Moon”.

We saw behind Swami’s head, the half-unfolded honey-coloured rays of the moon. They soon turned white – whiter and whiter still. That was that. We began shivering in the cold. Our bodies became stiff. Our teeth began to chatter. “Swami! Cold! It’s very cold, Swami!” As we were imploring Him thus, the cold slowly subsided.

While we were wondering what other miracle He would perform, He announced, “I shall show you the Third Eye. Watch it very carefully and attentively”.

“Third eye! How does it look?” we wondered. Swami’s body was not visible. But His head appeared gigantic, as if it were stretched across the entire sky. Stupefied, great bewilderment filling our minds, we stared at the sky.

On Swami’s forehead, between His two eyebrows, an orifice appeared. Fiery, fuming sparks began to come out of the opening. Our eyes were dazzled by the brilliance of those sparks. We were scared. More than fear for ourselves, we were worried about what might be happening to Swami.

The sparks continued to gush out. When we looked back, we found that many had fallen down, unconscious. We did not know what made them faint. That scared us further. We looked up, but could not find Swami anywhere. Feeling lost and not knowing what to do, we began weeping. Suddenly, we found Swami standing in our midst.

“What happened?” He asked us, patting us on our shoulders. “Why are you weeping? Why have these kids fainted?” Not knowing what answer to give to these questions, we just hugged Him and continued weeping.

As one or two of those who had fainted recovered and got up, we mustered a little strength and, in one voice, we all asked Him, “Swami! Are you alright? How come we did not see You there?”While asking these questions, we patted His face and body to reassure ourselves that He was really with us. Swami laughed heartily and, reassuring us that He was all right, He created Vibhuti with a wave of His hand, and He Himself put it on our foreheads.

One by one, those who had fallen unconscious persons began to stir. It was a strange experience. We felt as if our bodies were moving unsteadily hither and thither. We felt as if we were floating on air. Some inexpressible joy seemed to pervade our entire being. It was some sweet surge of affection. We did not understand its nature. Though we were keeping pace with Swami, it seemed to us that our feet were not touching the ground. Some were walking unsteadily, as if drunk. We all felt we were in some other strange world. It was a peculiar state of mind. We all reached the Mandir and sat down for bhajans.

We could not sing properly. We felt dizzy. That whole evening was spent in that state. When we found ourselves in a similar state the next day also, we asked Swami about it.

He said with a smile, “You have been praying to have a glimpse of this Third Eye for many past lives. In answer to your prayers, today, I gave you darshan of it. But I did not show you even a thousandth part of its brilliance. You could not withstand even that. Your present state is the result of that spectacle.”

Overwhelmed by this revelation, we all broke down and wept. We washed His lotus feet with our tears and told Him, “Swami, if only we had known this before, maybe we would have enjoyed the Darshan more. We could not fully utilize the divine boon You so kindly granted us. Really, we could not endure its profound impact. We got scared when we could not see Your physical form. We felt very anxious about You when we saw the orifice on Your forehead”.

Sathya Sai Baba just continued to look at us with great compassion and love and, feeling overwhelmed by the shower of His affection soothing us like moonlight, and with tear-filled eyes, we offered our lives at His feet.

He again created Vibhuti and placed it on each of our foreheads. We gained a semblance of normalcy thereafter. We felt ecstatic inwardly, dwelling on this rare golden opportunity, this reward for some devotion in past lives, for some prayer we must have said with golden flowers, or some luck we got because of the good deeds done by our elders.

Beneath the golden temples of our hearts we etched, in golden letters, what we saw was a unique vision granted to us by our good fortune, to give us liberation.

More than anything else, just to be near this Loving Father, and to get a golden opportunity like this, is a significant event, a culmination of the merit of many previous lives.

Om Sri Sai Ram

"How dare you start on this journey, without taking a ticket from Me? Come down; do the task allotted to you. I order you to come to the Prayer Hall this noon and carry on with Arathi, as usual." That was the command, the divine command of the Lord to Sri Seshagiri Rao, whose body and mind were 'ready steady set' for the last journey. Baba did sound harsh. Yes, He appeared so unkind not only to the people around but also to the subject in question, Sri Seshagiri Rao, who was more than willing to shed his mortal coil after a fall and subsequent ill health, and had even started declaring aloud the eternal truths: "This body composed of the five elements is disintegrating into its components; I am being liberated!" But Swami had different plans for this sage-like servitor who for 14 long years had tended the shrine at the old Mandir and later at the Prashanti Nilayam Sanctum Sanctorum with great dedication and love. Sri Seshagiri Rao just obeyed Swami's order and in the evening he was seen attending the shrine - the signs of illness were gone. Six months later, this pious person fell ill again. His condition became worse and you could see that he was indeed suffering. His brother rushed in panic from Bangalore and requested Swami that Sri Seshagiri Rao be allowed to be taken to the Victoria hospital in Bangalore. But, Swami had this to tell him, "Do not worry at his present plight. I am allowing him to work out the suffering he has to undergo. After this, he has the chance to die peacefully and quite happily. Otherwise, I could have despatched him months ago, when he had a fall." And that is exactly what happened. Sri Seshagiri Rao recovered quite mysteriously in a month. He was hale and hearty and spent six weeks in bliss doing his chores in the shrine and spreading happiness around. And then suddenly one day, his health deteriorated and he took to bed. One evening Swami went to his bedside. Along with Swami was Prof. Kasturi, a great devotee and the first editor of Sanathana Sarathi. For what happened that momentous evening, let's hear from Sri Kasturi himself: "Swami asked me to bring a cup of hot milk. Spoon by spoon, He fed him the entire cup, calling on him by name and telling him that it was his Baba that was feeding him! Then, He rose and moved; turning back while at the door, He looked at him and said, 'Now you can go!' And, Seshagiri Rao obeyed within an hour! Baba knew when he had to come down and when he had to 'go'." Baba with the Cowans

This is not one isolated incident in the life of Baba. We all know of what happened to Walter Cowan, the oft-quoted story of resurrection recorded beautifully by Dr. Hislop in My Baba and I. We will not go into details here about that incident because there are many more. For every incident we know, there are hundreds and thousands that we do not know. Sai's power has been working silently, selflessly and relentlessly all-round the clock, all-round the globe transforming people, uniting families, enlivening spirits and resurrecting lives, for He is the master of Time and destiny. In the first week of August, 1953 in Puttaparthi, there happened another incident which, as Howard Murphet describes in Sai Baba: Man of Miracles, was as dramatic in its way as the Christ's raising of "Lazarus" from the dead. The "Lazarus" here was Mr. V Radhakrishna, about sixty years of age, a factory owner and well-known citizen of Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh. He was in Puttaparthi with his wife, daughter, Vijaya and son-in-law, Sri Hemchand. The Dasara celebrations were on but he was there in Puttaparthi with a different mission - to ask Baba to cure him of his frightful gastric ulcers. Two days had passed by in Puttaparthi and when Mr. Radhakrishna found Swami taking a stroll in the hall one day, he ran to Him and fell at His feet imploring Him thus: "Swami, I prefer to die. I cannot bear this pain anymore. Let me be merged in Your Feet." Swami lifted him up by his shoulders and in a comforting tone said, "It is alright. The pain will soon subside," and sent him back. Sometime later, Mr. Radhakrishna was attacked by fits, fell down and bit his tongue. Swami came immediately and placed Vibhuti on his forehead. His stomach was bloated. Swami sat by his side for sometime, patting his stomach. Before He left, He reassured everybody saying, "Do not worry. Everything will be alright." The next day was truly a nightmare. The patient could not pass urine and his stomach became even more bloated. He was unconscious. A male nurse brought by Mr. K S Hemchand, the son-in-law, pronounced him near death after failing to find any pulse and making other examinations. There was no way of saving him, the nurse opined. And by evening the patient became very cold. The three anxious relatives heard what they thought was the "death rattle" in his throat and watched him turning blue and stiff. His stomach looked full enough to burst at the slightest touch. Vijaya, and Mrs. Radhakrishna, went to see Swami. They told Him that Radhakrishna seemed to be dead. (Those days, devotees were very few and they had much greater access to Swami). But Swami just laughed and walked away into His bedroom. Crestfallen, the mother and daughter returned to the 'dead' man's bedside and waited and prayed. As if listening to their prayers, after a while, Swami came and looked at the body but did not say or do anything. The whole of the second night passed with the three fervently praying and anxiously waiting for any signs of life. But that was not to be. There were no signs. Yet, nothing could disturb their rock-like faith in Baba.

When the Venkatagiri Raja, a longtime devotee of Baba, offered to take Mr. Radhakrishna in his car to a bigger hospital in a town some distance away, Mrs. Radhakrishna firmly said, "We cannot do anything unless Swami commands us. Everything depends on Swami's will." She completely believed that somehow or other Baba would save Radhakrishna as He had promised that everything would be alright. The whole body turned black. His nails turned blue. The night passed. No one slept. At about four in the morning of the third day, all the people around went away wiping their tears and all the three relatives began to weep silently. The body was more than ever like a corpse - dark, cold, quite stiff and beginning to smell. Other people who came to see and sympathise told Mrs. Radhakrishna that she should have the corpse removed from the ashram. But she replied, "Not unless Swami orders it". Some even went to Baba and suggested that, as the man was dead and the body smelling of decomposition, it should either be sent back to Kuppam or cremated at Puttaparti. Swami simply replied, "We'll see." Radhakrishna with his Saviour When Mrs. Radhakrishna went to see Swami again - to tell Baba what people were saying to her, and to ask Him what she must do, He answered: "Do not listen to them, and have no fear; I am here." And further, He reassured her saying that He would soon come to see her husband. Mrs. Radhakrishna returned and waited along with her daughter and son-in-law by the body. 10 minutes, half an hour, an hour passed, but there was no sign of Swami. There seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel and just when they were about to give up totally, the door opened and there stood Baba in His red robe, copious hair, and shining smile. It was then about half past two in the afternoon of the third day. As soon as she saw Baba, Mrs. Radhakrishna broke down completely. Vijaya was also crying. They were like Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, weeping before their Lord who, they thought, had come too late. And Swami, as if there was nothing serious to it, said jokingly, "Is Radhakrishna having labour pains?" Everyone was silent. "Let's see what the matter is," He said and walked into the room.

At what point is a person dead? Can anyone say? There are instances where suddenly a 'corpse' will move; in fact, when Jesus received word that Lazarus was dead, He said to His disciples, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep." Anyway, to continue with the story, Baba gently asked the tearful women and sorrowful Mr. Hemchand to leave the room. There were only Swami and the dead man in the room and what happened inside only He knows. A few minutes passed, and the door opened and Swami beckoned all the three in. As they nervously walked in, they could scarcely believe their eyes! Was it true? Or, was it an illusion? There on the bed Radhakrishna was looking up at them and smiling! Amazingly the stiffness of death had vanished and his natural colour was returning! All the three clasped Swami;s Feet and washed them with their tears. Baba went over, stroked the patient's head and said to him, "Talk to them; they are worried." "Why worried?" asked Radhakrishna, puzzled, "what happened to me?" With a loud laugh, Swami replied, "Delivery."



Everyone laughed. It was a strange scene, laughter in the midst of tears. Mr. Radhakrishna looked at Swami who was sitting near his head and said, "I'm all right. You are here." Swami then turned to Mrs. Radhakrishna and said, "I have given your husband back to you, now get him a hot drink." When she brought a tumbler of Horlicks, Swami Himself fed it to Radhakrishna slowly spoon by spoon. For another half an hour He remained there, gently touching Radhakrishna and strengthening the man He had 'raised'. Swami then asked Vijaya, "How old is your father?" "Sixty years," she replied.

Then, Swami reminded them how, four or five years ago, Mrs. Radhakrishna once had told Him, "Swami, in my husband's family, all his brothers died in their sixtieth year. Kindly save my husband." And how Swami had promised her then that He would save her husband. Swami then turned toward Mrs. Radhakrishna and said, "You have forgotten that conversation. But I have not. Today, I have given the gift of life to your husband." Then Swami placed His hand on Mrs. Radhakrishna's head, blessed the whole family and left the room. After two hours, He was back. He asked Mr. Radhakrishna, "Radha Krishnayya! Where did you go?" He replied, "That place was very peaceful, very comfortable; very, very nice, Swami. Why did you bring me back? It was heavenly there." It seems later, Swami confided to Sri Kasturi, "His children are still young. He did not even write a will. He has yet to perform the marriages of his children. That's why I saw to it that he was brought back. The extra years of life that I have given now I shall deduct from his next birth." What meticulous attention to correct the calculation of life span! Next day, Mr. Radhakrishna was strong enough to walk to Bhajan. On the third day he wrote a seven-page letter to one of his daughters who was abroad in Italy . The family stayed a few more days at Prashanti Nilayam, then with Baba's permission returned to their home in Kuppam. The gastric ulcers and complications had vanished forever. Aeons have passed by. Civilisations have emerged, grown and perished. Man, Nature, Science - everything has changed. But if there is one thing that has remained constant it is God. His love, His compassion for humanity, His concern and His impeccable glory. Another startling episode that amply demonstrates this happened in Prashanti Nilayam, just two decades back and it stands as a testimony to the inscrutable and infinite power of Sai. This time it was a young student, a research scholar staying in the hostel in Prashanti Nilayam. One person who was a witness and totally involved in this whole incident was Mr. Narasimha Murthy who was the warden of the hostel then. And this is what he narrated in the Divine Presence of Baba in Sai Kulwant Hall on the 1 st of November 2004: It was the month of October, 1985, the sixtieth birthday celebrations year. In the early hours of morning, I was woken up. One of the PhD Scholars was a chronic asthma patient. He was unable to breathe. Click here to listen to Mr. Narasimha Murthy's voice.

We rushed him to the Puttaparthi General Hospital . The boy's name was Narayan Sharma. He was from Bombay , a classmate of the current warden of the hostel, Sri Shiva Shankar Sai. By the time we took him to the hospital, the body had become cold and blue. There was a lady doctor who attended on him. There was no pulse, no breath. Dr. Chari, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital then, rushed from his home. He also checked him up and informed all of us present there, 'He is no more. The boy is dead.' It was approaching six in the morning. You could imagine the plight of the warden when such a thing happens. I did not even dare to go to the Mandir and submit to Swami what had happened. It was Dr. Chari who walked to the Mandir and submitted to Swami the whole episode. Swami said, "Nothing will happen to him. He is fine". Swami, then materialized Vibhuti and gave it to Dr. Chari and said, "Apply it on his chest and put hot-water bags on his back." Dr. Chari returned and the Vibhuti and hot water bags were applied. Yet, we were in a state of fix. We did not know what to do as there was no pulse, no breathing still. The body was still cold and blue. For all practical purposes, he was dead. The doctors then told me, 'Mr. Narasimha Murthy, now it is your turn to go and report to Swami.' Sri Narasimha Murthy narrating the incident on Nov 1st 2004

It was 6.30 in the morning. I walked up to the Mandir. I reported to Swami. Swami said, "Nothing has happened to him." In fact, He gave me a thermos flask filled with hot coffee and said, "Go and give it to him." I was bewildered. I returned with this flask to the hospital. When I reached the hospital, the lady doctor looked at me with the flask and asked, 'For whom is this coffee?' I could barely say anything. I just very reluctantly showed the patient. Her face became completely expressionless. But there was a sense of, "Mr. Warden, you have lost your brain." These were her unspoken words. I did not know what to do with the coffee. The body of Narayana Sharma was covered with a white sheet. Only his toes were seen. And then suddenly, we saw movements! His toes were moving! We were overjoyed. And then the lady doctor, with great joy, went up to the boy. The boy could not open his eyes, but the toes were moving. And she put her finger at the nose. Slowly, the breathing was coming back. And then, she whispered these words into his ears, "See boy, Swami has sent coffee for you. Please take it." One spoon of coffee was fed into his mouth and he took it in! Then, slowly spoon by spoon coffee was being fed into his mouth. The lady doctor checked him again. The pulse was returning. Confident that the boy is back, she was connecting the BP apparatus to the boy's arm and just then Swami arrived with late Sri V. K. Narasimhan, the editor of Sanathana Sarathi at that time. Hearing Swami's voice, the boy slowly tried to open his eyes. Swami came near the boy and said, "What boy! Everybody said you are dead. Still you are alive!" The boy looked at Swami. His face was expressionless. Then Swami asked all the three doctors present there, Dr. Chari and two lady doctors, "Was he dead?" All of them said, "Yes, Swami. He was dead."

Then He asked one of the lady doctors, "How do you say that he was dead." "Swami, according to us, there was no pulse, no breathing, no heartbeat; the body was cold and blue. Going by medical science, that is death." "Then how did he come back," He asked.

"Swami, You are God. You can do anything." The lady doctor replied. The drama of Lazarus was re-enacted. Only the venue was different. There were about 50 classmates, who had assembled outside the General Hospital . They had come hearing that their friend has made his exit from the world. Swami looked out of the window. All the boys looked very sad. Swami then looked at me and said, "Go and tell them what has happened here." Swami confirmed that He had brought back the boy to life. And then Swami materialized a kind of brownish chocolate and gave it to the boy. The boy immediately put it into his mouth. After returning to the Mandir, Swami materialized three bottles of tablets and sent them to the hospital with detailed instructions as to how these tablets are to be administered. The boy was soon in the hostel busy with his research. And he completed his PhD.

For an incarnation, it is sheerly His powers, His inner strength which achieves everything and nothing else. Instruments are only superfluous. There is nothing that is impossible for him", the warden concluded. Now let's move on to something which happened in the nineties. It is the story of Mr. Venkateswaran, a long-time devotee of Bhagavan who now resides in the Prashanti Nilayam ashram. This is what he has to tell about his miraculous 'return': "It happened on the afternoon of 1st October, 1994 . Along with students and some guests, I was inside Trayee Brindavan (Swami's residence in Bangalore ). While Swami was speaking, I felt a sudden tightness in my chest. I began to sweat profusely and felt strangely breathless. Three quick pinches of Vibhuti from my pocket, followed by a chant of 'Sai Rama' three times was all I could muster before leaning on the person in front of me. I was slipping into darkness. I then saw an orange robe in an ocean of light. This was followed by a vision of my inert body lying on the floor. I could not believe it! I felt so free, so utterly free. Then a voice in the distance echoed, 'Get up! Your Sai Rama has come, get up!'

My hazy memory does not recall what happened next, but I was informed later that immediately after I had passed away, a physician sitting nearby had examined me and found no vital signs. With some difficulty this was conveyed to Swami who was sitting on the jhoola [swing] in the front. Our Merciful Lord stood up immediately, picked up His silver tumbler, and walked to where my body was. He poured some water on His fingers and let it trickle into my mouth. Then, He said the words that I have just quoted: 'Get up! Your Sai Rama has come!' Mr. Venkateswaran with his 'Sai Rama' before his operation My inert body jerked and my eyes opened to see Bhagavan. Looking at all those seated around, Bhagavan firmly asked, 'What other miracle do you want? Venkatesh was gone, and I brought him back.' I was helped back into my room." In fact, Swami gave him another lease of life when in 1999, a full five years after his resurrection, He blessed him to undergo a heart surgery at the modern temple of healing, the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences. Not only that, He made a special visit to the Hospital, materialized Vibhuti and blessed him profusely before his surgery. Mr. Venkateswaran is still doing fine and dedicates his time in the ashram doing Swami's work.

Resurrections may not be as common a phenomenon as Swami creating Vibhuti, rings, chains, etc., but time and again, Swami has brought people back to life whenever the situation demanded it. We know how Swami 'raised' Subbamma just to keep His promise and fulfill her last wish. For those, who have not read this thrilling episode in ' Sathyam Shivam Sundaram', here is a brief account: "Subbamma was the person most anxious about Swami's 'health' when He was a young boy and most worried about the hundreds of pilgrims who gathered at Puttaparthi. Baba even now says that the grinding stone in her house was always busy, preparing chutney (an Indian dish) out of the heaps of coconuts that the pilgrims offered. She was grinding almost eight hours of the day! She had immense love and devotion to the Lord and Baba had said that He would satisfy her one desire... to have the Darshan of Baba in her last moments. And this is how he fulfilled it. It was in the fifties. Subbamma fell ill and was taken to Bukkapatnam. But in spite of her illness, she came over one day in a bullock cart to see the Prashanti Nilayam (the new Mandir), which was then under construction. She was soon bedridden and could not move; her condition worsened and Baba was away in Bangalore ! Subbamma, in her delirium, talked about Baba and the vision of Shirdi Sai Baba which she had been privileged to see, of the manifold Leelas of the Krishna she had witnessed, and, when she came to, her talk was about the same incidents and the same Person. She was in the midst of relatives who did not have much sympathy with these sentiments, for they felt that her love for the strange little miraculous Boy had taken her away from attachment to her kith and kin. So, they told her that her Baba was a hundred miles away, and it would be better for her to concentrate her failing attention on men and matters nearer and closer. But, her Faith did not falter. Meanwhile, Baba left Bangalore for Tirupathi, where He spent some time with a few devotees. Of course, Baba knew that Subbamma's soul was struggling to free itself from the mortal coil, and that she was rolling in her deathbed at Bukkapatnam. The people around her announced that she had breathed her last. But, some peculiar glow on her face, made them nervous to take the body to the cremation ground. A few wiser persons shook their heads when it was suggested that she had died. They advised patience, and admonished the relatives; 'The bird has not flown yet,' they said. How could that bird fly, even though the door of the cage was lying open? She must have the Darshan and she must wait until Baba comes. And, Baba too was hurrying towards her bedside. He left Tirupathi by car, and arriving at Puttaparthi, proceeded to Bukkapatnam, three full days after the first announcement of Subbamma's end! Her eyes had lost the glint, she was placed on the floor and people were evincing an uneasy impatience. Baba sat by her and in a low voice called out, "Subbamma," "Subbamma," just twice and no more! Then, to the wonderment of everyone crowding around, Subbamma opened her eyes! She extended her hand towards Baba and grasped His palm firmly and began to stroke it lovingly; Baba put His fingers to her lips; her mouth opened a little, as if she knew that Baba was giving her something to slake the thirst of the soul. From the fingers of Baba there poured into her mouth the Immortal Ganga and Subbamma joined the ranks of the Released!

What a deliverance! Can anything better that! Swami knows who deserves what and when. Some people might ask why does Swami resurrect this individual and not another? Why does He save some people from serious illnesses or from near-death situations and not others? Why does He use His powers only for some and not others? Raising Lazarus To this, Howard Murphet gives a beautiful explanation in Sai Baba: Man of Miracles: "Perhaps, in the same way one might ask why Christ did not cure all the sickness around him in his day. And why was Lazarus the only one He called back from the tomb? Did Jesus - and did Sai Baba later - make a special effort against the power of death for a greatly loved family of close devotees? Maybe, but I think there is more to it than that. When Jesus was informed that Lazarus was sick he made the enigmatic remark: 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby'. So what would normally, under ordinary conditions, be a death-dealing disease may be an occasion for the glorification of God through the works of a God-man. Then, too, there is the profound and complex question of karma. To what extent is the specific ailment or the approach of death karmic, and how far should the Godman interfere with the patient's karma?" So, that probably gives the answer. The bottom line is this: God is Omnipotent and Omniscient. He can do anything. He is not in the business of displaying His powers at every opportunity. There must be a very sound reason for Him to do anything. He knows our past, present and future. He knows what is good for us. And He makes no mistakes. Unaware of anything beyond the present and the past of the current life, we sometimes complain. But the solution does not lie in complaining but surrendering everything at His lotus Feet. Because He is ever ready to help. He stands at the doorstep of our heart waiting for a small opening just like the sunlight which eagerly enters a dark room and brightens it by way of even a small slit at the door. So let us open our hearts to Him. Let us Trust Him. For, with Him by our side, nothing is impossible.

Om Sri Sai Ram

Baba and Ramana Maharshi

....at the moment of the death of Ramana Maharshi (one of the greatest Self-Realized Masters of the last century), and extraordinary event occurred in Baba's ashram, giving us a clue both to Baba's identity and His relationship with Ramana. A Sai devotee named Varadu reported what happened:

"...the night when Ramana Maharshi passed away in Tiruvannamalai [14th April, 1950], I was with Swamiji [Sai Baba]. Krishna [another young devotee] and myself were both there. That evening, around 9:00, we continued whatever it was we were doing (I think we were doing a puja) when suddenly Swamiji looked up at us. There was a peculiar way of looking He has which means that He wants to go to His room. The moment Krishna and I went through the door into the room and closed it, Swami fell down. I was ready for it. Krishna and I both held hands, and Swami was lying across them. Then [He] rose up into the air, from our arms. He was as stiff as a board. He started murmuring - something about 'Maharshi has reached my lotus feet.' And then the sole of His right foot split open, and nearly two kilograms of beautiful, well-scented vibhuti poured out from the sole of His foot. I collected the vibhuti while [He] was still levitating in the air.

Then [He] came down and returned to [His] senses and asked what [He] had said. I said, "Swamiji, this is what You said: 'Ramana Maharshi has passed away.' And this is what came out of Your feet." He said: "Put it into packets and give it out as prasadam."

A day or two after this incident, we learned from the newspapers that [Ramana] Maharshi had died. It had been at the time that Swami said Maharshi had reached [His] feet."26

So, at the time of his death, Ramana Maharshi merged in Baba's feet!

Om Sri Sai Ram

In December 1958, Sathya Sai Baba visited Kanyakumari, the Southern most tip of India, with a few devotees. The privileged few were a witness to a charming occurrence there, which demonstrated the divine power and majesty of Bhagawan in no small measure. Here is one of them recorded by Prof. Kasturi:

When a devotee told Baba, "I heard that your Kerala tour was most pleasant and wonderful. I am sad that I was not destined to join," Baba replied, "Have the confidence and hope that when next such an opportunity arises, you may be able to join. Meanwhile, listen to the account given by those who joined, and be happy."

A word about that adjective, 'wonderful': The devotee was referring to a very dramatic, indeed astounding miracle that happened at Kanyakumari. In the evening when the sky had turned into a carnival of pink and purple, and the clouds had decorated themselves with golden fringes, Baba proceeded to the seashore and with His Bhakthas around Him, played with the waves of the seas that mingle there. Each succeeding wave seemed to be more eager than the previous one to touch His lotus Feet, and to offer Him its own special homage. Suddenly, as if aware of the yearning of the seas, Baba stood facing the waters and said to those beside Him, 'See! The Ocean is welcoming Me, with a Garland.'

At the very moment one could discern a stately wave a few yards away, advancing majestically towards the shore and, soon it swept Baba's Feet and receded. Imagine the wonder and amazement of every one when they found, round Baba's Feet a bewitching pearl garland, swaying and swinging with every surge of the waters around Them! One hundred and eight translucent pearls each a priceless gem, strung on a thread of gold! O, how charming Baba looked!

The Avathar of the Lord receiving the homage of Varuna again!

Om Sri Sai Ram

Sri G V Subba Rao, a distinguished diplomat who retired as the Head of the Energy Division in the United Nations, shares this fascinating event that he was privileged to witness when he was with Baba in Kodaikanal a few years ago:

Baba often advises devotees not to be fascinated by the miraculous manifestation of material objects but to concentrate on the spiritual power behind the creation.

Baba, in Kodaikanal, while relating the glorious story of Hanuman's devotion, materialised a most dazzling necklace of 108 large shining pearls and stated that this was the necklace that mother Sita gifted to Hanuman at the Coronation of Sri Rama. But Hanuman's devotion and concentration on the Lord was so one-pointed that he bit the pearls in order to see Lord Rama's image in them but failing to find it, threw away the priceless chain as useless. Hanuman's attention was not on the necklace but on his Lord and Master.

Baba held aloft the necklace and showed it around. I could clearly see the teeth marks on some of the pearls and even the image of Hanuman's face in the pearls!

Swami's miracles transcend time and space, and his miracles are like calling cards - like tickets of entry into the realm of the Divine Caller or Creator…

Once when I remarked to Swami that He is Siddha Sankalpa Purusha, Swami immediately corrected me and said He is Sankalpa Siddha. He stated that Siddha Sankalpa refers to the powers of Siddha Purusha (enlightened being) with acquired - and therefore, depletable Yogic powers whereas Sankalpa Siddha signifies the state "mere WILLING IS FULFILLING “!

Swami's miraculous powers are the most natural and spontaneous manifestations of His love and grace to the devotees”.

Reference: Sri G V Subba Rao’s article “Mind-boggling Miracles of Sathya Sai” in the book “Sathya Sai -The Avatar of Love”, Page: 79-80. Published by Sai Prasanthi Society, Hyderabad under the auspices of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Andhra Pradesh, on the occasion of Baba’s 67th Birthday.

Om Sri Sai Ram

The manifestation of the Kohinoor diamond was a spectacle noticed by the students' batch of 1986 when the MBA batch of that year was called by Baba for a class interview (interview for the whole class). The talk began with a few students questioning Baba about Indian history. The topic ranged from the different kings of India, their adept administration and their love for their subjects. Ranjit Singh's name too was mentioned by Swami as one of those who gave up his life for his subject's well being. Ranjit Singh was one of the great rulers of Punjab and possessed the KOHINOOR, the priceless diamond that is said to be the most fabulous and the costliest ever. Once the topic of discussion shifted to Ranjit Singh, the focus shifted to Kohinoor.

Ranjit Singh possessed the Kohinoor diamond but since he died issueless, as per laws prevalent that time, his kingdom was annexed into the British Union and a Governor-General was appointed on behalf of Her Excellency there. Once the governor came, he transferred all assets chief among them being Ranjit Singh's famed peacock throne and the matchless Kohinoor. Kohinoor and the peacock throne among others have since then been kept in possession of the British Queen in a museum far from the visibility of the general public.

As the Kohinoor was being discussed, Baba suddenly felt silent. A few moments later, the entire assembly fell silent, with all eyes on Baba. Baba got up, walked among the students gave a look here and there, came back the same way and sat back on His seat. "Would you all like to see the kohinoor?" asked Baba to the surprise of everyone present there. He suddenly whirled His hand in air and there came in his hand a huge diamond. As everyone tried going nearer in excitement, Baba stopped them and said "Wait, this is counterfeit. Kohinoor is always kept in guard. Two guards always keep watch over it walking form one end to another. If the guards find the kohinoor missing, they will raise an alarm. I have created this counterfeit to replace the actual diamond with this when I actually bring the real one here.

Swami then closed His eyes, and said "Now they are crossing.... time for replacement" so saying Swami let go the diamond that was there in His hand. Almost simultaneously He seemed to say " Come.." and in the air came flying, into His hand, the 'Kohinoor'.

As it came, Baba held it in His hand for all to see. The diamond was quite huge and Baba passed it around for all to see. As it was being passed, Baba said, "OK, Now.... Have you all seen it?". "Swami, a minute more", said everyone. As it kept passing, Baba watched everyone look so eagerly at Kohinoor. A while later He said "All right, That's enough, time to send it back.". So saying, Baba asked for the diamond. As it was handed over to Baba, Baba let it go off in air saying, "go" and as it disappeared into thin air, the imitation came flying into Baba's hand. Baba held it in His hand and blew it, it disappeared.

Baba, after a moment's silence, said, "All of you were so engrossed in looking at the diamond. Did any one of you even glance at ME, who created it, as you clamored for a look at that piece of creation...?" No one spoke for Baba had spoken the truth. Not one of them had done so. Baba continued, "The whole world is like that. It runs after the created, the materialistic desires, and not GOD, the creator".

The assembly remained silent. Baba got up and as He moved towards His room turned back and said "Money comes and goes, Morality comes and grows. Money and materials are temporary. They relate to the body, which itself is temporary. Then how come these materials will give you lasting joy? HAPPINESS IS UNION WITH GOD. SEEK THE HIGHEST AND EVERYTHING ELSE SHALL GET ADDED ON TO YOU."

Om Sri Sai Ram

From an interview with Prof. Anil Kumar

[...] AK: At times, Swami takes the boys out on a picnic, where He almost plays with the boys. Sometimes, He even sings with the boys. All sorts of funny things happen.

GV: Does it all remind you of Krishna and His cowherd boys, the Gopalas?

AK: Yes, I think it is all action replay, like a tape being replayed.

GV: Except for the age difference between the physical body of the Lord and those who are with Him this time?

AK: May be, but Bhagavan crosses all time barriers when He materialises certain things. I know Sir, one year He materialised the ring worn by Lord Rama that was presented to Him by His father Dasaratha.

GV: Oops! The ring that Dasaratha gave?!!

AK: That is right. It was a diamond ring, and Swami was smiling as He looked around while materialising another ring – this time it was a sapphire ring that was presented to Lord Rama by His father-in-law, Emperor Janaka.

GV: I am told these rings are very big?

AK: Very big indeed. I said, “Swami, it is almost the size of my wrist. How come this ring is so big?” Swami replied, “Lord Rama was an Aajanubhau, meaning one of very tall stature.

GV: Eight feet or so?

AK: Yes, Swami then materialised the Mangalsutra or sacred wedding medallion, complete with the sacred thread that holds the medallion. This was worn by Mother Sita at the time of the wedding. I have also seen Swami materialising the chain worn by Ravana.

GV: Ravana?

AK: Yes, complete with 365 Shiva Lingas and a pendant at the bottom made up of three large Shiva Lingas, one yellow, one green and one blue. All the 365 were made of gold while the three in the pendant at the centre were made of crystal. This was the chain that Ravana wore.

GV: What happens to these jewels afterwards?

AK: They go back to SAI STORES (laughter). Swami also materialised a golden replica of the deer that captivated Sita, later landing her in trouble.

GV: Are you allowed to touch these objects?

AK: Yes, sir. On one occasion, Swami said, “Tomorrow is the wedding function of Balarama [brother of Krishna] and Revathi. All of you are invited for lunch!” Sure enough, on the following day, there was a fabulous lunch and in the afternoon Swami spoke about the marriage of Balarama with Revathi. And at the end He materialised a magnificent diamond-studded necklace with three or four rows of diamonds.

GV: My GOD! How big was the necklace?

AK: About 15 cms. At the centre of the arch-like necklace there was a Swan suspended by a gold chain. The Swan was clear and you could look through its eyes, beak, stomach, and so on. Every body started looking at it. Swami came to me and said, “Look, look deep”. I did so and there in the middle of the stomach of that bird I could see Bhagavan Baba in a reclining posture, the classic reclining posture of Lord Narayana, reclining on His Thousand-hooded snake, Adisesha. That is what I saw. It was absolutely fantastic. Swami also materialised the CHOODAMANI or the ornament that Sita used to wear on her head. This was theCHOODAMANI that Hanuman brought back as proof of having met Sita, when he reported back to the Lord Rama.

GV: How do the boys feel on such occasions? They must be transported to a different world.

AK: That is right, into a totally different world. They had come so close that they even took the liberty of almost pestering, saying, “Swami, let us see, let us see!” Swami gave ample opportunities for all to see these manifested objects at close quarters. He would keep them on the table so that everybody could later see at some leisure. Photographs would be taken and some of them are here in our MUSEUM also.

Om Sri Sai Ram

The following is the story of the Krishna statue as told by Swami's longtime devotee, Mr. Ratanlal, to Joy Thomas, and printed in her book, "Life Is Awareness":

"It was in nineteen sixty-nine or seventy that Rajmata of Jamnagar invited Bhagwan to visit Jamnagar, to be a guest on the Rajmata's estate, and to visit the temple in that area. I was also invited to stay in Rajmata's house along with Bhagwan. Incidentally, Bhagwan's mother, Easwaramma, was there at that time. I had the good fortune by the Lord's Grace to sit in the car in which He Himself was riding.

"First, we were taken to see the Krishna temple. It had not been announced that Bhagwan was going, but how the word spreads! There was such a large number of people there that it was impossible to get near the statue of Krishna. So, we returned to the car and, as we were going to someone's house for lunch, I said, 'Bhagwan, we didn't even get to see the statue of Krishna because there was such a crowd.'

"He replied, 'Do you want to see it?'

"I answered, 'Bhagwan, I am very happy with our Sai Krishna,' that is, Himself.

"So, after we had our lunch and rested, we were returning to Janmagar. We crossed over a little hillock to find to our surprise that the sea was in front of us.

"Bhagwan asked that the car be stopped. We all got out. This was an absolutely unknown spot. Bhagwan asked if anyone had a camera, and it seemed that I was the only one who had. So I took a few pictures. Bhagwan lifted His robe and waded into the sea, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the outing and the beautiful scenery.

"After a while, Bhagwan sat down in the sand. He began to pull the sand toward Him and form a mound. He appeared to be drawing something in the sand on top of the mound He had made. Finally, He announced, 'Now, it is ready.' He pulled up the sleeve of His robe and put His arm down into the mound of loose sand. To the amazement of all of those present, He took from the sand a large, solid gold statue of Krishna. I prayed that I might take a picture and the permission was granted. This is the picture that I have given you. There was absolutely nothing there in the sand until He willed it to be there. His will is supreme."

 

---

 

This picture was taken by Ratan Lal on 15 May 1968. The event took place near Dwaraka, where Krishna lived, which is on the west coast of India, about 325 miles northwest of Bombay. The description of this event is given by N. Kasturi in Sathyam Sivaram Sundaram, Part III, on page 183-184. We paraphrase:

While returning to Jamnagar in the evening, Baba suddenly said, "O, the sea is here!" and the cars stopped. We came upon a wide patch of sandy shore, with a temple on a heap of rocks at one end. Baba walked along the watery edge and sat on the sands at last, as Krishna must have sat some fifty centuries ago.

He heaped the soft sand to the height of a cubit in front of him, putting us all into a state of extreme expectancy. He flattened the heap and, with his finger, drew a three-slanted line, a rough circle on top of it, a small triangle over that, and finally a short line across the circle. "It is ready," he said. Digging his hands deep into the pile, he drew forth a bright golden image of Lord Krishna playing the flute. "You did not getdarshan of Krishna in the temple; have it now," he said.

Kasturi surmises that the long line was for the body, the circle for the forehead, the triangle for the peackcock feather, and the short line for the flute.

Om Sri Sai Ram