Love of the Divine Everybody experiences the love of one mother in this world. But we see here that the students of Sai experience the love of a thousand mothers. She shapes our destiny. Her compassion and love toward us cannot be repaid. A few of the Divine miracles of such a Compassionate One are given below. In the year 1995, I came here as a Seva Dal. When we were given padanamaskar [touching the Lord’s feet] I asked Bhagavan for admission to His school in the coming year. When I came the next year, Bhagavan told that the admissions were over. One year passed, and after that I joined in Bhagavan’s institution in Alike [a village in Kannada District]. This institution runs under Bhagavan’s direct supervision. There is a short story behind how the family was introduced to the Sai Organization in Kerala. My maternal grandfather was good at singing, and very often he sang in the temples. Once a member of Sai Samiti approached him and requested him to sing in the Samiti bhajans (devotional song). Initially he hesitated, but later he agreed. As he was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva, he planned to sing a Shiva bhajan. Soon after he began singing, a snake appeared on Bhagavan’s photo and remained there throughout the bhajan session. After this miracle, my grandfather joined the Sai Organization. When he came to Puttaparthi for darshan, Bhagavan called him for an interview and told him that He would look after his whole family. His daughter and sons are very well settled. My grandfather was a Sanskrit scholar. Slowly he was drawn to Bhagavan when he heard the miracles and experiences of the devotees. Our home deity is Lord Muruga. After gaining firm faith in Bhagavan, my grandfather became a good devotee of Bhagavan. Thus, his practice became to worship Lord Muruga first and then Bhagavan. When he came to Parthi for the first time, he was fortunate enough to be called for an interview. Bhagavan noticed a photo of Lord Muruga in my grandfather’s pocket. Bhagavan took a close look at the photo. A few moments later Bhagavan blew at it, and to my grandfather’s surprise he found that a portrait of Bhagavan appeared behind Lord Muruga’s photo! Then Bhagavan explained to him that He and Lord Muruga are one and the same. When I was young, my parents had a wish that my ‘Vidyarambham’ (beginning of study) must be done by Bhagavan Himself. So we all went to Prasanthi Nilayam. When Bhagavan came near us, I caught His pada (feet). To release grasp of my hands, Bhagavan held me with both hands and lifted me. He then called me a “Bangaru.” Then He caught my hand and made me write “AUM” on the slate. I have preserved the slate since then. My father works in a bank as a senior manager. When I was studying in third standard my father was posted in a place called Kannur. But my brother, mother, and I stayed back. Since he was staying there, he started to attend the Sai Samiti. At my father’s home, from the photo of Bhagavan Vibhuti started coming out! It was a continuous flow. After two years he got transferred to a place called Trishur. So, we also shifted our residence to Trishur. He had applied for a car loan. In a few months, the money was sanctioned. So he started taking classes at the driving school. But in a dream Bhagavan came and blessed him by teaching him how to drive. This happened regularly. In this way Bhagavan blessed him. My brother, who is now in the Whitefield (Brindavan) campus of the Institute, had a wonderful experience with Bhagavan. When he was in fifth standard, our State President asked my parents if they would like him to sing in the presence of Bhagavan. Later he was joined by two other boys. They learnt a Telugu song and sang it in front of Bhagavan. Bhagavan was pleased and blessed them. My brother asked Bhagavan if he could get admission in His Institute. Bhagavan said, “Yes” and blessed him. Once Bhagavan graciously allowed our district Bal Vikas students to present a cultural program. I was fortunate to be a part of the acting team of the drama called ‘Sai Avatar’. During the stage rehearsal sessions, the drama was shortened from around 30 minutes to 20 minutes. We were not happy with this, but we carried on. On the day of the program, we were all dressed in our costumes and were taken to Poornachandra Auditorium. We were asked to cut short the time further. After a while we were informed that there wouldn’t be any drama. I broke down. Suddenly, Bhagavan came there and saw me so. He signaled me to be calm and referred to me as “chinna (small) Shastry.” We all got padanamaskar. So Bhagavan has His own way of blessing His devotees. Bhagavan’s miracles are mysterious and have a definite reason for them. He never leaves our prayers unanswered. Thus, He alone is the embodiment of love. He works for the welfare of humanity. We are fortunate to have come to His Lotus Feet. Our virtues blossom only because of Him. He alone can lead us to the light of wisdom. My cousin lives in Bombay at Dombivli [a suburb]. He had a serious internal problem near his kidney. My father went to attend the operation. He gave the book ‘Shirdi Sai Satcharita’ to my cousin’s mother. On the day of operation, my father was sitting outside the operation theatre and doing Namasmarana [chanting the Name]. A sadhu [mendicant] dressed like Shirdi Sai Baba came there at the very moment the operation started. He sat there until the operation was finished. Prior to this incident, my father had a similar dream. Thus, the operation was a success. Another way Bhagavan showered His blessings on us. Bhagavan likes people who have good thoughts. He blesses everyone at the appropriate time. He teaches us by setting examples. He loves everyone in this world. He has no enemies or friends, after all we have all

What I Have Learnt from Sri Sathya Sai Usually, it is very difficult to learn new things, especially for older people. But anyone who tries to learn a new way of life sincerely at the lotus feet of Mother Sai can do so easily. The first and the most important lesson I have learnt in Swami’s school is the observance of silence. It is a very important discipline stressed by Bhagavan. Swami says, “It is only in the depths of silence that the voice of God can be heard.” It means that when we are in the innermost depths of silence and cannot hear even the slightest external sound, we can hear the Lord who is all pervading. He is always calling us, but we are not able to hear Him because we are not tuned to Him. Another important lesson I have learnt at the lotus feet of Mother Sai is to always chant the Lord’s name or sing His glory. As Swami says, we should think of Lord Ganesha before we start any work because He removes all the obstacles. Ganesha is none other than our Sai Ganesha. Before I commence any work, I always think of Swami. It is always a unique experience to stay in the presence of Bhagavan who is Divinity in human form. Whatever He does is dharma and whatever He speaks is truth. His life is His message. He speaks through His actions and whatever He says in words, He puts into action. This is the glory of the Sai Avatar. He is the very embodiment of all the Holy scriptures and texts. What a good fortune that we are in the presence of this great Avatar! When I think of all the days that I have spent in the divine valley of Puttaparthi, many little but significant things come to my mind. I still remember a small yet profound incident that took place during the Dasara festival of 1987. During those nine days, Bhagavan blessed everyone by giving His discourses. One particular day, an elderly gentleman gave a speech that preceded Bhagavan’s discourse. He gave his speech and then sat down on the stage near Bhagavan. Bhagavan rose up and His sweet voice filled the auditorium. After the discourse, as the elderly devotee got up, his shawl slipped down. Bhagavan Himself bent down, picked up the shawl and placed it on the devotee’s shoulder. Swami then held his hand, helped him to get up and lead him off the stage. This simple yet significant act of our sweet Lord Sai taught me a great lesson in humility. We are staying in the presence of the Lord of Lords who is so humble that He stooped down to pick up His devotee’s shawl. This one deed transformed me and gave me a glimpse of the multifaceted personality that Bhagavan is. Bhagavan is always humble. He is the Lord of the Universe and the indweller of our hearts, but He remains humble. If only humility is practiced by the people, ego and enmity would vanish. Ego is the cause for our self-destruction. Ego kills our good qualities. In Bhagavan, there is no trace of ego. He is ever humble. It is said that God is bigger than the biggest and smaller than the smallest. But God is also greater than the greatest and the humblest. ~YS Vijay Sarathy Alumnus, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi NilayamSource: Sai Nandana 1995 (70th Birthday Offering)

Chaksho Suryo Ajayata Dr. T. Ravi Kumar came to Swami’s fold as a boy in the year 1969. In 1981 Swami appointed him as a faculty member in His Brindavan College. Later, when Bhagavan’s University came into being, Swami blessed him to be one of the earliest research scholars at the Department of Chemistry at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus. He received the Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Divine Chancellor in the year 1990. Currently, in addition to being an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry, he is the warden of the hostel at the Brindavan Campus. “…. and when we showed the cast to Swami, He said, ‘Ask Ravi to act the role of the blind beggar boy.’ How lucky you are to be remembered by Swami even in your absence! “It was my senior describing to me the events of the past few days. I had come to Parthi from Anantapur to spend my weekend, as was my wont. I was doing my Masters in Chemistry at the PG [Post Graduate] center at Anantapur, and the alumni of the Brindavan Sri Sathya Sai College had decided to stage a play depicting the life of Jesus Christ entitled, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’. During darshan the next day, Swami told me that he had selected me for the role of the ‘blind boy’ in the drama. He asked us to go to Poornachandra Auditorium and rehearse with Christopher St. John, an actor from Hollywood, who was Swami’s devotee. “I will give darshan to devotees and come there,” He said. My scene was being rehearsed. Jesus asks the blind beggar who prays that sight be bestowed on him, “Boy, do you have the faith that I have the power to do so?” “Yes Lord, I have faith in You.” Jesus rubs on the boy’s eyes and bestows eyesight. Just at that moment, Swami entered the stage. He smiled at us and remarked, “Sai Baba came, and Ravi got back his eyesight.” The next day, again we went for practice. Even as we were practicing, we heard applause outside. Bhagavan was giving darshan to devotees. We continued with our rehearsal. Again at exactly the same juncture, Swami arrived and remarked, “Sai Baba came, and Ravi got back his eyesight.” After the scene ended, I went and sat near Swami. Swami asked me, “Did you hear people clapping during darshan? Do you know why? I gave eyesight to an 18-year-old girl who had been born blind. I gave her eyesight just as Jesus gives it to you in the drama. I shall give you also.” I laughed and took Swami’s remark rather casually. This was toward the end of November 1980. I completed my M.Sc. and Bhagavan blessed me with the wonderful chance to join as a lecturer in Brindavan College in 1981. In 1982, He asked me to move over to Prasanthi Nilayam campus where I could continue to teach and do my research side by side. It was July 1985. I had enrolled for Ph.D. and was doing my experimental work. One afternoon when I was in the lab, the lunch gong sounded. A fellow researcher asked, “Are you coming for lunch?” I said, “Not immediately. I’ll just finish this experiment that I am doing.” I was trying to detect steroids by thin layer chromatography. It was necessary to prepare the Leibermann Burchard spray reagent for this purpose. To prepare this reagent, one has to mix acetic anhydride with concentrated sulphuric acid. As I was doing this, there was a sudden explosion and the next thing I knew, the chemicals had splashed into both my eyes. I shouted ‘Sai Ram’. Hearing this, a few students who had just left the lab came back running. They asked me what had happened. I could only tell them to take me to the nearest tap. The burning sensation was terrible. The nearest tap was dry, and so were the ones in the vicinity. (I found out later that the water line had been closed as some plumbing work was in progress for the new library building coming up alongside.) By the time we found a tap that yielded water, the anhydride-sulphuric acid mixture must have been in the eye for 1½ to 2 minutes. We washed the eye repeatedly. I noted with rising panic that I could not see anything. “Let’s quickly go to the doctor”, said my colleague. There was a general hospital nearby. The route, of course, was much longer than it is today. One had to go up the University road and turn left. As we went in, the nurse who was there said, “Oh! What a time to come! Our (only!) eye doctor, Dr. Wansa (from Sri Lanka), has gone to get her visa extended.” My heart sank as the nurse examined my eyes and tut-tutted, “I suggest you go to Bangalore”. It was afternoon darshan. I had to be led by the hand as I could not see. Everything was so silent and then it was that the boy next to me whispered, “Swami has come out for darshan (there was no darshan music those days). He has turned to the left…. the ladies side…He is near the Dashavataram gate…gents side…East Prasanthi…He is now approaching us….” I could hear the rustle of silk as the Lord passed by me. I thought, ‘Oh! How unlucky I am to be unable to see the Beloved Face…’ I heard Swami’s loving, soothing voice, “Take this prasadam for three days—three times a day. Everything will be fine. I shall protect you. Start today.” He placed three packets of vibhuti prasadam in my palm. It was the third night after the accident…. I had consumed the last ‘dose’ of vibhuti. As the night prayer ended, I was plunged in thought. I could not control my tears as I recalled all my hopes and aspirations. Having been brought up by Swami as I had lost my mother when I was 4½ years old, I always looked forward to the day when I could finish my studies and in some little way be of service

Sri Sathya Sai: The Omniscient One Denny George Melkey was a student from 2002-2009 at Swami’s University. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning Someone once said, “The cause for all misery in the world is misunderstanding.” Misunderstanding leads to hatred. Is there anyone on the earth who is all knowing and has correct understanding of each and every aspect of the world so that there remains no hatred in him? If there, he would be the ocean of love and compassion without a speck of hatred in him. God has incarnated to lift man from the abysmal depths into which he has fallen. Bhagavan is the omniscient One who is the Master of the past, present, and the future. In the interviews granted by Him, He discloses the innermost thoughts of the person instantly. “It is not”, He says, “that I first enter your mind, and probe it, then come out and tell you what you are thinking or feeling. Actually, I am always residing in your mind and so I am fully aware of all that goes on all times. There is nothing hidden from Me.” Innumerable numbers of devotees have experienced this supernatural phenomenon. They have been wonderstruck and have received an answer to their problems as well as His spiritual guidance on how to improve their character and morality. He says, “People come to Me with prayers of all sorts. What I wish to give them is the boon of liberation. If I confine myself wholly to giving it, no one will turn up here! Therefore, I have to start at their level, granting all their boons initially so as to ultimately equip them to desire what I desire to give them.” The frail 5 feet, 3 inch embodied being answers the devotees unasked, “I know, I know.” Achyut Prasad Sharma, a retired Additional Commissioner of Assam, during an interview wanted to ask a question about his son, Manas Pratik. Even before he could finish his sentence, Baba told him, “You are worried about your son, who had meningitis. He is fully cured. There will be no adverse aftereffects.” Sharma then wanted to enquire about his younger brother, who had become an alcoholic. Before he could put the question Swami interjected, “I know your brother. He drinks a lot. Doesn’t he?” He did not say anything further on the subject. Sharma’s brother died soon thereafter. Then Sharma wanted to ask about the welfare of his children whom he had left behind at Guwahati in the care of his relatives. Baba said, “You have three children, no? Don’t worry. Swami will take care of them.” On another occasion, during an interview, He told Mamuni, the younger daughter of Sharma, who had appeared for her high school leaving certificate examination. “You have not done well in one paper. Don’t worry. All will be well.” On the next day she received the news that she had passed in first division. Swami takes by complete surprise several of the first-time visitors to Prasanthi Nilayam. He picks them from a crowd of thousands in the darshan lines and correctly informs about their country or place of origin. He told Anthony Y. Boafar, Assistant Headmaster of Achitoma School, a reputed school in Ghana, “You are from Ghana.” My father, George Melkay, was a member of the Seva Dal from Kerala. He was on duty at Prasanthi Nilayam for two weeks in the month of January 1994. He was suffering from heart disease, and the doctors advised him to undergo surgery. Then he enquired at the Super Specialty Hospital, he was informed that as there was a long waiting list of patients, it would take at least three years for his turn to undergo surgery. So, he wanted to seek the blessings of Swami and waited for the final day of the visit when Swami gives special darshan and blessings to the volunteers returning home. When Swami came near, he stood on his knees and told Swami in Malayalam, “Swami, I am in deep trouble. I don’t know what to do.” Before he could say anything further, the all-knowing Swami assured him. “Are you afraid? Don’t fear at all. The surgery will be done here.” Within three weeks he was called to the hospital by telegram and the operation was performed successfully. Now he is as healthy as before and has come closer to Bhagavan. This incident led our family to turn toward Swami and made us receive His grace. Swami knows everything. Everything that takes place in this world is according to His Divine sankalpa (will). He says all that happens is for the good of everybody. We must be able to see good in each and everything. If we feel that something that occurs to us is bad, it is just a mistake in our vision. Let us pray to Him to help us rise to His expectations. Source: Sai Nandana 2005 (80th Birthday Offering)

Some Experiences with Divinity Icould not believe that He was what He claimed to be. It was the 22nd day of October, 1983. I was sitting in the darshan line. The day was bright and sunny. A cool breeze blew sometimes, shaking the leaves of the coconut trees and it seemed that the leaves of the Neem [Azadirachta indica] trees were dancing with joy as it was the time for having the Lord’s darshan. It was a unique opportunity and a wonderful experience to sit on the sands in front of the beautiful Prasanthi Mandir amidst many devotees who hailed from various parts of India and many foreign countries. I had never seen such an assemblage of men and women from different parts of the world sitting quietly for hours, some even closing their eyes and meditating and waiting to have a glimpse of an Indian-born God. I, too, was very eager to see Him and was waiting for His arrival. After some time, there was a sudden stir amongst the devotees. I looked around and saw that all eyes were riveted on a door from which He was expected to appear. To the joy of everyone, a short figure clad in a red robe appeared and first headed toward the lady devotees, and then slowly came gliding toward us. There was pin drop silence. All eyes were fixed on Him. He talked a little here and there, took letters from some, smiled at others, looked sternly at some, and simply ignored some. Some devotees were crying, some smiling, some trying to touch His feet, some trying to attract His attention toward them, but most of them longed to get a slight glance from Him. I was looking at Him and the devotees with wonder. The short figure with curly hair, peaceful countenance, and gracious movements, was a wonderful phenomenon. I looked at Him and could not believe that He was God, the Lord of the Universe. I thought, “Oh! He is a great Yogi, a great sadhaka [a person who follows certain spiritual practices]; see how weak He has become by doing strict sadhana [spiritual practice].” My heart was filled with love for this figure. Also, a sense of respect came into my being for such a great soul. He went past without looking at me, turned toward the mandir [temple], reached the portico, and disappeared. All devotees started getting up from their places after darshan. I was now engrossed in the thought as to who this figure really was? What was it that I had seen just then? Could God be a man, a little man? If He were God, then why didn’t He talk to me? Why didn’t He enquire into the purpose of my visit? Many such questions arose in my mind and vanished. Who could answer these questions? I had my own conception of God from my childhood days. I had read many stories of Shiva, Parvati, and other Gods and Goddesses and had a firm conviction that God is the greatest of all. He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. His darshan can put an end to all sorrows and sufferings. If by chance in the journey of life we were to come across God, He would bless us with His abhayahasta [protection-affording hand-pose]. After that our lives would be full of ananda [bliss] and we would become Divine, too. But here I was not getting this sort of experience, and so I started doubting from the very first day. Strange are the ways of the Lord. We do not understand the mystery of His workmanship. He works on us in different ways. He cuts, grinds, and polishes us. Has He not said, “Man is a diamond; he must shine”? I really did not know what it meant. I was in the process of being cut and crushed in His hands. Little did I realize that the next day would bring quite a different experience for me. The next day, luckily I got the first line for darshan. He came with His enchanting smile. He came close to me and stood in front of me. I hesitantly touched His Lotus feet with both my hands. To my utter surprise, my hands received an electric shock, and I was in bliss. He did not look at me but passed on. During the evening darshan, I came with a long letter in which I had poured my heart out. As He came closer, I saw His half-smiling face in full majesty. I extended the letter toward Him. He took it with one hand and blessed me with the other. Suddenly a flash of light emerged from His palm and entered my eyes. Ah! What a wonderful experience! I had received what I wanted from my Lord—the abhayahasta. How could I now deny His omniscience? This act of the Lord was the answer to many of my questions. Now I started contemplating on the mystery of the Lord’s creation and His mysterious nature. I read a lot about Him and made up my mind not to leave this place if possible. Many months passed in His presence. I had many experiences. Swami would come in my dreams and give me advice or predict some future incidents. Many a time I used to ask questions in front of Swami’s picture, and He in person would answer during darshan. Swami, in one of my dreams, gave me an interview. He walked for a long time, and I narrated all the misfortunes I had in my life. Swami listened to everything with rapt attention but did not comment on it. He simply looked at me compassionately. In another dream, Swami called me near Him and said, “You shall continue your studies”. I was unable to believe that I would become a student again, and so asked, “Will I Swami?” He said, “Yes, Yes, certainly. You shall continue your studies.” And needless to say after a long lapse of almost five years I became a student again and started renewing friendship with my old friends (books), with new zeal and growing interest. The following

Love is the Force behind Compassion Our Lord Sai is the most compassionate one. To illustrate this, I would like to narrate an instance. On the 7th of September, 2005, a man had a severe heart problem and was admitted to the hospital. He asked his nephew who was a student at the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School to pray to Swami. September being a festival time in Puttaparthi the nephew forgot about his uncle. Soon after darshan [sight of a holy person] the boy received a call stating that his uncle had been admitted to the ICU [Intensive Care Unit]. The boy felt really bad for not having prayed to Swami. The next day was a special day indeed as the boy saw Swami Himself distributing clothes and other items. Taken away by the love and compassion the boy hardly prayed to Swami to take care of his uncle. When Bhagavan was about to go back, he suddenly recollected what his mother had told him. He immediately joined his hands and prayed in his mind, “Swami please help.” Bhagavan with a smiling face looked at him and the boy felt assured. On the 10th of September the boy was assured that his uncle was out of danger. We often feel that our prayers are being answered, but so intricate is His web that we often tend to lose track and get disconnected from Him. The ever-compassionate Sai’s life is His message, and it’s our duty having received the bounty of His proximity to follow His message. One day as I was going to the mandir [temple], I saw a very poor and helpless woman with her child. The mother went on asking for alms from a man besides her and to give her something to eat from what he was eating. The man gave her a frustrated look. This touched me. It is quite easy to blame God for not having given us the riches, but I said to myself think of the ones who did not have a morsel of food to eat. The day was quite bad as I had scored very badly in physics. This fact soon overpowered me, and I forgot about the mother and her child. In the mandir my whole attention was riveted to a drama that portrayed the need to serve the poor and needy. After the program was over, I received the coconut sweet that I used to cherish a lot and given an opportunity could eat even three pieces at a time. That day I thought that I should give the prasadam [blessed food] to the crying mother. So I controlled all my senses and began walking out of the mandir fighting the rising desire to eat that sweet. I saw that poor lady, went to her, and called out, “Amma.” She immediately spread out her hand and I placed the packet of the prasadam in her hand. The child smiled seeing this, the mother, too, gave a beautiful smile and suddenly I felt light at heart. Well, being from a scientific background that demands rational thinking, I am clueless and conclude my reverie regarding this incident with the following statement, “Giving away is not only good for the spirit but it is also a beneficial heart stimulant. Health is to a great extent conditioned and controlled by the circulation of blood. That important little circulatory heart, I believe, is influenced to a greater degree than we realize by the other heart, the seat of affections, the seat of beloved Mother Sai.” Swami often says that we must love everyone and be compassionate toward everyone, not so that we are acknowledged but importantly that he on whom we pour our compassion feels that he has been acknowledged. Swami loves people who perform selfless acts. In the old mandir an eye camp was conducted. Soon after the camp was concluded, an old man came to the doctors and pleaded to examine his eyes. Two of the doctors said that the examination was not possible as they had packed their instruments. The old man went to the third doctor and pleaded to him to check his eyes. The doctor took pity on the patient, examined his eyes, and gave him medicines. He also asked the patient to chant, “Sairam.” The next day all the doctors and assistants were seated together. Swami came directly to the three doctors. He asked them what they had told the old man who had come for the treatment. Two of them said that they had sent the old man away without examination as their instruments had already been packed. The third doctor said that he had examined the old man and had given him the necessary medicines. Swami added, “You also told him to repeat ‘Sairam’, is it not?” Swami asked the doctor to take padanamaskar [touching the feet]. He materialized Vibhuti [holy ash] and applied it on the doctor’s forehead. He also materialized a ring and put it on the doctor’s finger. Swami then asked the doctors, “Who do you think that old man was? It was me!” Swami appreciates those who really love people and give away everything. In one of His discourses, while speaking about sacrifice Swami said that sacrifice is giving away something that both the giver and the acceptor need. Einstein once stated that a human being is part of the whole world we call the universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts, and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical illusion of his consciousness. This illusion is a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and showing affection to the people who are nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison, widening our circle of compassion, embracing all living beings and all of nature. Compassion is the attitude of the heart, and this must be learnt from within. Loving our fellowmen takes us closer to God and makes us dearer to him. ~B. Shashank Kumar, Alumnus, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary SchoolSource: Sai Chandana

What Sri Sathya Sai Taught Me Photo of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai BabaProf. S. Siva Sankara Sai was a student and Research Scholar from 1982-1989. He was the former Head and Dean of the Sciences, Department of Physics, and has also been the Warden of the Sri Sathya Sai senior boys hostel. Currently, he is the Director of The Prasanthi Nilayam campus of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. Our Lord Sai is an eternal teacher. He is praised as “Gurunaam Guru“, the teacher of teachers. He teaches, molds, guards, and guides all of us every moment. We only need to tune ourselves to receive these lessons and teachings from Him. For some of us who stay at Prasanthi Nilayam and see Him daily, His maya [illusion] deludes us and we miss the Divine lessons He is teaching through His own example. One of the most important lessons that I have learnt at His Lotus Feet is not to waste time. He never wastes a single moment of His precious time. It is said that water that flows under the bridge and the time that passes away can never be retrieved. Bhagavan not only utilizes every moment of His time but packs many things in every minute. Take the example of darshan [seeing a holy man] time. In the ten minutes or so of darshan time, He interacts, inspires, admonishes, and encourages many people through a word here, a word there, a smile here, and a glare there. He radiates love and transforms several hearts during that brief period. He is a perfect manager of time. On every birthday festival we see Him giving clothes, padanamaskar [touching His feet], and prasad [blessed food] to many people. At such times, we often see the volunteers and those who are carrying clothes for Him unable to keep pace with Him in either giving or in walking. Paying attention to details is another unique aspect of this Avatar. He takes meticulous care about all details in every small endeavor. He often takes pleasure and care in enquiring about the food prepared for students in the hostel. He chides us even if one of the items is not up to standard. On a particular Thursday, our hostel mess in-charge and I were very happy with ourselves for serving big and attractive mangoes to all the students, instead of the routine Thursday sweet. We were praying fervently that Swami should enquire about that day’s menu. All knowing as He is, He did ask about the menu and about the special sweet. We told Him jubilantly that we had served mangoes. His immediate question was about its cost. We replied that on an average each mango would cost about three rupees. He then admonished us for purchasing those mangoes when sweets could be made in the hostel for a lesser cost. We tried to be smart and told that mangoes were very big and tried to show the size of the mango with our hands. He listened and quipped that “If the mango is so large in size, the seed inside would be equally big, so you need not boast about having given big mangoes.” He tells us to be alert and pay maximum attention to small details, so that we may not go wrong in bigger matters. Even though He is innately aware of His Divine nature, He is intensely human in His approach. His zest for life and His humor enlivens the atmosphere. Wherever He is, we see and hear peals of laughter and joyous ‘ums’ and nods from the devotees surrounding Him. His charming nature and sharp wit make us all feel younger in His presence. He splits every word and gives a new meaning. On one occasion, we went to Bhagavan seeking His advice for a dramatic performance. He enquired the cause of our coming to the Mandir [temple], to which I replied, “Swami, please fix the characters for the drama.” He asked again, “What?” Thinking that I spoke too softly I repeated loudly, “Please fix the characters, Swami.” He immediately retorted, “No, ‘characters’ cannot be fixed like appendages. They should be developed naturally with effort.” I was taken aback at this revelation. Yet another lesson I have learnt (and am still learning!) at His Feet is that we should never separate secular and spiritual life. He emphatically tells us to spiritualize everything by our own practice of mind control. In fact, the very purpose of Sai education itself is to integrate secular learning with spirituality and morality. To please Bhagavan, on one occasion, a group of students undertook Akhand Bhajan [uninterrupted spiritual singing] during the night. The next day He corrected all those students (and the warden for allowing them to do so!) and said, “You have classes the next day, if you don’t sleep during the whole night how will you attend the classes? Do you think your class work is not spiritual?” It is our attitude that should be changed and not necessarily the act. He declares that if one corrects one’s drishti (looks or attitudes) then one perceives the whole srishti (creation) as Divine. He even gives us the advice that whenever we take bath, we should feel that we are doing abhishekam to the very Lord residing inside because our body itself is a moving temple! Above all, I have experienced in my own humble way that He is the loving God who takes care of us, whether we are consciously aware of this fact or not. At the time when I was doing my doctoral study, for some reason Bhagavan was pained by the behavior of senior students, including research scholars. He completely avoided talking to us. He often puts us through this test so that we may introspect, find our mistakes, and correct them. During that time, my mother was suffering from cancer and doctors pronounced that a surgery was required. My father did not want to take any decision without Swami’s explicit blessings and consent. He told me to pray to Him and get His blessings and prasadam. I wrote many letters and

Lessons from Sri Sathya Sai in the Kodai Hills Ihave been blessed to be a part and parcel of the Institute since the year 1997. I sometimes wonder as to how this institution is able to transform ordinary individuals to men and women of character in a short span of time. Is it the academic rigor in the Institute with focused and disciplined attention, the practical learning in various self-reliance departments of the hostel, the time spent in the Mandir in the Divine Presence, or accompanying the Lord on occasional trips to Kodaikanal that brings in the desired transformation? The answer is neither straightforward nor does it exclude any of these factors. But, certainly, the opportunity to observe the Lord from very close quarters and come under His transformative influence in the Mandir and to a much greater extent during the Kodaikanal trips is unique to Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, facilitating imbibing of incomparable and invaluable lessons from the One whose life itself is a living message. Certainly, there is no better place to transform ourselves into better individuals than being with Bhagavan in Kodaikanal. The Vedic injunction of Atithi Devo Bhava (consider the guest as God) and the definition of being cultured as, ‘having concern for others’ come alive from the very first moment we are in the presence of Bhagavan in Kodaikanal. He plays the role of a perfect host. From the inspection of bathrooms to the serving of dishes as per the taste and health requirements of individuals—nothing escapes His keen attention. In the year 1998, the new air-conditioned bus that we were travelling in was unable to keep pace with Bhagavan’s car and, thereafter, a traffic jam on the way left us miles behind Him. Feeling lost, in the middle of nowhere, we were pleasantly surprised to see an elderly devotee of Bhagavan approach us in his car with plenty of snacks, which He said Bhagavan had sent for us. We were moved to hear that Bhagavan had enquired about us tens of times and had repeatedly refused to have food or retire before seeing His children eat. Tears flowed freely from our eyes. Finally, when we reached Sai Sruthi, well after 9 p.m., we found the Lord standing at the doorstep with intermingled feelings of anxiety and joy writ large on His face. He welcomed us in with smiles and a loving pat on our backs, asking each one about his comfort. The Lord ushered us straight into the dining hall and asked us to wash our hands and sit for dinner with Him. He personally inspected the serving of one of our most sumptuous dinner sessions in decades and only then, to satisfy us, did He take a mere spoonful of rice, before retiring. Our fatigue had disappeared, and our hearts were full of an indescribable ecstasy as we spread our beds just next to the door of His room. I could hear the footsteps of Bhagavan moving inside, and immersed in His love we slept with His thoughts. From the very next day, we realized that we would be having sessions of over seven hours each day with the Lord. Deepest of philosophies and peals of laughter intermingled with perfect ease in His presence. “This has to be heaven”, I concluded, at the weather, the beauty of the place, a beautiful lake with lotuses, with clouds floating all around, and the presence of Bhagavan. That day, the Lord said that He would take us for a picnic to the Hill Top bungalow. The Lord had just materialized the gigantic ring that King Dasharatha had gifted to Lord Rama before the marriage. It had happily fitted the right thumb of Lord Sai Rama. Everything just seemed perfect—the milieu, the presence of the Lord, and we, like monkeys, surrounding Him and laughing with Him, our beloved. Suddenly, the Lord became serious and peered out through the drawn curtain. He asked the bus to be halted and we were all surprised. The Lord pointed toward two poor women carrying bundles of firewood on their heads at a distance and asked them to be escorted closer to the bus. The middle-aged women, when told that Sathya Sai Baba was calling them, rushed to the presence of Bhagavan. The Lord enquired about their welfare as a loving father and blessed them with His smiles and Abhaya-Hasta. He then directed and ensured that they were given Rs.500 each. The women were quite stunned and looked dazed at their great good fortune. After the Lord had showered His blessings on them, He asked the security personnel to help them keep the bundles of firewood back on their heads. “What a great lesson for all!” I thought. Two days later, we were having one of our dining sessions with Bhagavan. I was part of the serving group, which served everybody before having its food at the end. After we consecrated the food with a prayer to Lord Brahma in the very presence of Lord Sai Brahma, to our great surprise and joy the Lord got up from His chair and keeping a small towel on His right shoulder walked between the two rows of dining tables, carrying with Him a small silver bowl containing salted white peas. He ate a few as He ambled along, aware of the students’ furtive looks and asking us occasionally to serve again the items some boys had finished eating. Standing afar, I prayed to the Lord. When the Lord turned back, I knew He would answer that prayer of mine. The Lord came close, looked straight into my eyes, smiled, took a spoonful of peas, and to my great delight, gave them to me. Then, purposely, He dropped a spoonful of peas on the ground. I went on my knees behind Him and collected them all. I was beginning to realize that sumptuous food of diverse variety can both be a blessing and a curse. With an average of 20 items, sweets and fruits included, like many others after the

Thrice Blessed by Sri Sathya Sai Subramanian, a student of Sri Sathya Sai College from Whitefield (1977-1980), is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher learning, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus. It is near to 17 years since I woke up to the presence of the Lord on this earth and more than 13 years since I entered the sacred precincts of Brindavan [Baba’s ashram in Bangalore]. As I pause during my life and glance at the past, I compare my life that has been these many years with what it would have been. As I look at myself, I notice the changes effected in me—my personality, thinking, habits, ambitions…. And taking stock, I consider myself thrice blessed to have been a student in Bhagavan’s college, to be a resident of Brindavan, and to have become a follower of Bhagavan. Living in the Hostel in Brindavan is a unique experience. Here one must lead a disciplined and holy life punctuated with religious and moral learning. The Hostel is isolated from the disturbances and pressures of the world. Here one meets a wide variety of people, young and elderly from various sections of life, possessing a high degree of maturity and understanding of the world, and filled with love for God. The serene, holy, and austere atmosphere breeds a healthy mind possessed with calmness and clarity of thought that brings about a gradual but permanent change in one’s personality and a new attitude toward life. Crowning all these is the opportunity of being in the proximity of Bhagavan when He is in Brindavan. The morning and evening sessions in the Mandir [temple] are the most cherished periods of time during one’s stay in the hostel. It is during these periods that Bhagavan bends down to our human level and through humor, playfulness, concern, and even through silence fills us with joy, peace, and spiritual elevation. Any evening session in Brindavan finds one and all eager to be nearest to the Divine Chair, jostling for space. When Bhagavan has seated Himself, everyone sits in rapt attention drinking in His benign smile, the loveliness of His form, and nectarine sweetness of His child-like sport. And this way the face is relieved of tension and fear and the heart is cleared of worry and sorrow and is filled with happiness and delight through light talk, conversations, and discourses. He impresses upon the students the need to become disciplined and morally upright. He not merely preaches but also practices. He does not impress or overawe the students by a display of His formidable powers or by philosophic complexities. He leads a life of openness and continuous activity. Depending very little on others, He performs His personal tasks with cheerfulness and efficiency. His life is one of continuous sacrifice and great austerity. A master in time management and planning. He achieves varied momentous tasks within the framework of a tight and unvaried routine. He is a perfectionist in tasks—spiritual or most mundane. Come the Veda Purusha Yajna during Dassara, He expects a strict adherence to prescribed Vedic injunctions and a perfect recital of the mantras [holy verses]. Come the Annual Convocation of the Institute, He issues instructions to the minutest details for taking care of the guests, for stage arrangements, etc. It is in the light of these qualities—perfection in action, purity, dedication to a task, disciplined living, self-sacrificing, modesty, total goodness, to name but a few—observed in Bhagavan that a student sees in Him a perfect human being, a Master, an Inspirer. Through no prompting, a student resolves to acquire at least a fraction of these qualities for himself. There is none to equal Bhagavan in the handling of adolescent students. It is a most wondrous sight to see students filled with restless energy and great dynamism being held spellbound and captive by His mere Presence, alert at His slightest gesture, and eager to fulfill His smallest wish. The power that Bhagavan wields over the students is that of love and understanding. He exhibits infinite tolerance for their shortcomings and exercises great patience in the face of their waywardness and vacillation. Though He deals firmly with any deliberate mischief, His actions are permeated with love. Love that is the magic wand Bhagavan uses to control the students and bind them to Himself. It is this bond of love that prepares a student to accept Bhagavan’s teachings and His mode of education. Through His teachings, which are simple but effectively worded, often couched in attractive terms and beautiful phrases, He sows the seed of transformation in every student. He allows enough time for the seed to sprout, flower, and [come to] fruition. No student who has passed through the portals of His college can remain unmoved, unshaken. The most important change that has been wrought in me by Bhagavan, as I see it, is the development of a strong faith in God; more, a love for God and spiritual matters. Faith in God is acquired in many ways. I, among the many fortunate ones, could develop this love for God by living near Him, observing His actions with my physical eyes, experiencing Him, and witnessing manifestations of His power and glory. Bhagavan’s words and teachings touch one’s heart. They stir up in one’s heart a longing for something not found in this world. When one sees Him and comes close to Him, one realizes that there is no need to search anywhere to fulfill this longing. When I see Him, I remember the words of Lord Jesus: I am the way, the truth, and the life. He has taught that I must feel His presence in myself. A life lived for the service of the Lord becomes devotion in itself. Work, when performed the right way with the right spirit, has a liberating effect. He has taught that God is for those who are not for themselves and demonstrated how one can perform all the allotted duties cheerfully and remain detached from the results. When God is the focus of one’s life, the vision is clear and penetrating. Through His words, He has given a proper understanding of religion and

‘His’ First Step, ‘His’ Hundred Steps Swami says, “If you take one step toward Me, I will take a hundred toward you.” One of the most memorable and cherished experiences that one can ever have with Bhagavan is how He first enters our lives and draws us toward Him. This is my story of how the Lord took me into His Divine fold and changed my life. I was not chosen by Bhagavan to join His educational institution when I tried for admission in the 11th standard for reasons He knows best. So, after two years I applied for the Undergraduate program of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. This time the call letter for the admission test arrived but left me in a dilemma. I had applied for another entrance examination as well in my place and found that the test dates were scheduled on successive days in June. The examination centers were Puttaparthi and Darjeeling respectively, almost 2,000 kilometers apart, so I had to choose only one test to write. My parents have always encouraged me to make my own decisions and this time, too, they let me decide. I was in a fix because selecting one option would be deserting the other, and there was no guarantee of getting admission in both cases. Also, back then even though everyone in my family were Sai devotees, Swami was not so much a part of my life as He is now. My mother saw my confused state and told me that it was up to me to choose, but the opportunity of getting admitted to Bhagavan’s College was not an ordinary one. She told me that I could get an education anywhere but finding a place where God resides and values are imparted was rare. Needless to say, I took her advice and when I look back now at that moment four years later, it was the most important advice I have ever received. However, carrying the choice was still not as easy as it seems. “Test is My taste”, says the Lord and He was true to His words, for what followed was His difficult test of the decision of coming to Him. All these so called ‘plans’ of mine to come to write the admission test in Puttaparthi was made in mid-April of 2011 and just a few days later the unexpected happened, as Bhagavan left His physical body. After recovering from the initial shock of the news, doubts slowly began to surface in my mind as to whether I should consider changing my plans. ‘Would things still be the same there?’ ‘Would I even make it through the test, forget about the interview?’ were the thoughts that I was having. More importantly the main question was, ‘Was He still there in Puttaparthi?’ However, in this moment of chaos, a small voice inside me kept saying that it was a decision made for Him and changing my decision would be turning my back to Swami. So, gathering all my faith and trust in Him, and leaving it to His Will, my father and I left for Puttaparthi. After arriving at Puttaparthi I felt at home. Even though the physical frame of the Lord was not present, His Divine presence still lingered on. I had visited Puttaparthi once before with my parents, but I was very small at that time. Now, after going around the place and looking at the institutions, I wanted to study here even more and my prayers to Swami became more intense. The day of the entrance test finally arrived and I the found that except English, the rest of the papers were quite tough, especially the Chemistry section, which was definitely not my forte. I was halfway through with my paper when I realized that some boys had already finished and were leaving, too. This scared me at first but there was still time left and I managed to complete on time. When I returned to the room, my father asked how I had written, and I managed a weak “Good” as I wasn’t sure whether I would make it or not. The results were to be put up the next morning at 4.00 a.m., and considering the odds stacked against me I did not feel so confident of finding my name there, even as my father insisted we go and check the next morning. I offered a prayer to Swami that night with a heavy heart and went to sleep. I had a very strange dream the next morning. In the dream I found myself in the South Indian canteen, and funny as it seems the names of the selected candidates were supposed to be put up on the wall there! I saw two boards with lists of names on the wall and then searched for my name (much later I discovered that Swami’s photos were hung there). It was not there! Even in the dream I felt immense sadness as my hopes or rather my faith was slowing crashing down. I would have even cried, but then I saw an old South Indian ‘Amma’ (mother) in a sari walk toward me. The entire canteen was empty except the two of us, and I could see that she was short-statured with white hair. She asked me lovingly as to what happened, and I confided my disappointment to her. She asked me my name and looked at the board as I stared down at my feet completely broken. Suddenly she took something in her hand (which looked like a metal spatula with a long, thin handle) and pointed out my name. “Here it is son… the spelling is wrong, that’s all,” she said smiling. To my utter amazement, I looked up to find my name there on the same list I had gone over thoroughly, with my surname comprising three alphabets spelt wrong. It was typed ‘Vivek Rui’ instead of ‘Vivek Rai’, a ‘huge’ spelling error for me to have overlooked but for the Master’s maya! The feeling