First Impressions
It is indeed difficult to select a few notable memories from the many precious ones of my days as a student at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam. But these couple of incidents have been chosen as they are the earliest experiences and are completely awe inspiring.
Sri Chettiar’s Padanamaskar on Independence Day 1997
Described below is an incident that would always remain fresh in my memory as a splendid example of Swami’s Love. It was 15th August 1997, my first year in Parthi.
After the flag hoisting ceremony in the Institute lawns by the venerable Vice-Chancellor, we all rushed to the Mandir, but Swami’s Darshan was over. I was among the first batch of students to reach the Mandir and so I got to sit in the portico. It was the first time I was seated in the portico and I was excited to see Swami at such close range.
One of the devotees seated in the front of the portico was the late Sri Subramanian Chettiar of the Padhuka Trust. He was apparently planning to return to his home town that morning and was eagerly awaiting Swami’s blessings. Swami finished the interviews and came out to speak to the elderly devotee. After speaking to him, as Swami was about to go back inside, Sri Chettiar requested Swami for Padanamaskar. Swami agreed and Sri Chettiar bent to touch His feet. Since he was old, he could not reach the ground enough to touch His feet. Swami then asked him to stop bending saying,”Nenuisthanu” (I shall give). Then, He leaned against the pillar, lifted His robe, raised His left foot and placed it on Sri Chettiar’s lap. The elderly devotee had a lavish Padanamaskar. Swami smiled at all present and went back inside as if nothing unusual had happened.
I was dumb struck by His munificence. The UG boy sitting next to me was shedding tears of joy. “Look at Swami’s love”, he remarked. Many eyes in the portico were moist, I noticed. All were thinking how fortunate was Sri Chettiar to receive so much love from Bhagawan. And, how lucky were we to witness this splendid episode.
The group photo during Padhuka Pooja 1997
During my first year in Parthi, after the Padhuka Pooja got over in 1997, Swami had asked for some boys to come and sort the offerings given by devotees during the course of the Pooja. I was among the lucky fifteen students chosen for the assignment. We toiled hard for two whole days in Poornachandra auditorium to sort and distribute the offerings. All things under the sun were offered by the devotees and there were several mountain-sized packages to be sorted out.
It was hard back-bending work and we really slogged it out. He best thing about this whole episode was that Swami would suddenly come into the auditorium. He would walk around and observe how we were working. Occasionally, He would pick up a fruit or sweet and distribute it among the boys. Just imagine Swami amidst only fifteen boys! What a lion’s share of experience for each student! When the work finally got over, Swami asked for a camera. We were about to get a group photograph with Swami! I was kneeling behind Swami’s chair and I observed that all boys were holding Swami’s Hands or Feet. I wondered, “Can I too hold His hand? Would He object to it?” Immediately, without even turning back to look at me, He smiled and nudged my ribs with His elbow. I got an answer to my doubts and grabbed His hand and the photo was taken!
Lunch with the Lord during the summer of 1999
This experience took place when some of us were travelling with Swami from Brindavan to Parthi. It was the summer of 1999. We had stopped at Muddenahalli for lunch. We were walking behind Swami as He walked us through the Mandir at Muddenahalli.
We finally entered the dining hall. I was the last to enter and found to my utter sadness that there was no seat left for me. I was left standing. Seeing me stand simply, Swami ‘angrily’ asked me to sit down somewhere. I, frightened, followed a Muddenahalli teacher who led me to another room.
Here, a large rectangular table was arranged with sumptuous food. I took one of the seats and waited eagerly for food to be served. Few moments later, Swami walked into this room with senior devotees. I did not know what to do. Being a student, I did not want to be in the same company of these very senior devotees. There was no way of going out of the room as well since Swami had already arrived.
Swami was standing at the head of the table on the left side. I thought I should move to the extreme right so that the senior devotees can sit around Swami. I slowly got up and sat at the extreme right end. All the other devotees also sat. All waited for Swami to sit.
He was just chatting with the devotees present and was looking at everyone’s’ plate. Walking slowly, He came to the head of the table at the extreme right… and sat down. I was right next to Him! His left elbow almost touching my right elbow. Imagine, I was scared one moment when He spoke angrily, and the very next moment I was seated next to Him for lunch. I do not remember what He spoke while having lunch. I was clearly out of my comfort zone and ate my lunch silently. Only much later I realised the good fortune I was bestowed with.
Travelling with the Lord during the summer of 2000
The preparations for the Super Speciality Hospital in Brindavan was in full steam and Swami was selecting students to take part in this huge endeavour. One of the lucky ones to be selected was my brother Ajith. He was selected (along with Ashvin Varan) to go to the US for training on the Heart Lung machine. They were to leave for the US in the second week of June 2000.
I had just returned to Parthi from Brindavan on the last day of May. I was summoned to Brindavan by Swami since my parents had come to see off my brother. On the day they both left for US, Swami called the parents of both boys and blessed us with photo sessions in Trayee. He told my parents that He too would be leaving for Parthi the next day.
I was staying with some of my batchmates at Gokulam. We had all packed our bags the next morning and were waiting for Swami to start to Parthi. We had also booked a van to travel to Parthi behind Swami. As we were waiting for Darshan, I received an urgent message. Swami had summoned me inside Trayee. I went in and Sri Narasimhamurthy told me that I was to travel with Swami. “What about my bags?”, I enquired sir. He told me that I cannot carry my bag. I ran back to my friends and informed them of the new development. My request to them to carry my bags along with theirs was readily obliged.
I went back and waited inside Trayee for Swami to make His appearance. As I waited, I grew anxious. This was a new experience. I stood next to the security van ready for the signal to board. Suddenly, Brother Sathyajit appeared from inside Trayee and called me inside. I went in. Swami was interacting with the Brindavan teachers and blessing them. After a while, it was time for Him to start.
As we came out of Trayee, I was asked to sit in Swami’s car! “What!”, I asked myself. I hesitated… until I was asked a second time to sit. Perspiring profusely, I sat in the car. The fragrance in the car was out of this world. The car started from the garage and went to the front where it stopped near the Trayee steps. Swami was coming down the steps with boys lined on either side. He walked outside Trayee and took Arati that was offered near the entrance of Sai Ramesh Hall. Then, He got into the car.
After we came out of Brindavan Ashram, He finally asked, “Who is it in the front seat?”. I turned around and faced a smiling Swami. I never expected such a blessing and I silently expressed my gratitude for this experience.
The car was being driven by Shri Balram Nichani and Brother Sathyajit was seated behind with Swami. As we drove towards Parthi, Swami spoke about many things. He would always notice devotees standing at vantage positions to have a glance of Him and would glance back at them happily. He would pinpoint places He had been to. He pointed out places where some of His devotees lived, and so on. For a while, He perused through the day’s newspapers. After some time, He offered snacks to us in the form of fried peanuts and little samosas. They were extremely delicious. Sadly, He gave me only once.
As we neared Parthi, He mentioned about a coconut seller who always offered tender coconut to Him whenever Swami travelled that way. As He spoke, the car reached the mentioned place and needless to say, among the eager crowd waiting for Him was a coconut seller with a fresh tender coconut in his hand. Swami lovingly opened the window and blessed him with a currency note. The coconut seller received the same with ecstasy.
As we drove along, Swami was silent for a while. Sitting in the beautiful car, I never realised that I too dozed off for a little while.
For lunch, Swami stopped at Bagepalli. He addressed a gathering at the place and spent few moments with the family that takes care of the Old Age home there.
After lunch, Swami resumed His journey to Parthi. Many a time, as a student, I have waited along with thousands of other students to receive Swami at Parthi. We are all happy and eager to see Him. This time around, I was witness to the fact that He too is equally (if not more!) eager to see us. As the car reached the gates of the Primary School, He said, “Look! These kids always stand in line outside the school to see Swami. Have you seen this before?” I replied humbly that I was always on the other side and that it was the first time I am seeing everything from ‘this’ side of the event. Swami giggled as I said so.
The car reached Sai Kulwant Hall and Swami got down to take Arati. The car was driven to Poornachandra. I waited at Poornachandra for Swami to arrive. He came into Poornachandra and we went to the dining hall for some snacks. He ate just a few crumbs and then slowly got up from His chair, came over to my seat and looked into my plate. Silently, He left the dining hall and retired to His room. After a few moments, it was time for me to face reality. I was back in the streets of Puttaparthi. As I walked barefoot back to the hostel I was pinching myself. “Did this really happen? Would somebody seeing me walk barefoot in the streets of Parthi ever believe that I had spent the previous 4 hours and 41 minutes in the direct presence of Swami?” Nobody would ever believe it!
