Vivekanand Sahoo
2003 Prasanthi Nilayam
During my childhood I was made to believe that parents were the only ones obligated to love you – from the rest of the world you had to earn it. Indubitably, when He walks into your life it’s only then you realize what unconditional love is and how abundant it is.
The truth is this – love is not determined by the one being loved, but rather by the one choosing to love. He chose to love us and life was never the same again.
Sometimes I wondered if it was sane to think about someone all the time and waiting for eternity to have a loving word or just a glimpse. Is it sane if everything you do in your mundane life reminds you of that person? No one pervades our being and every moment’s smallest detail like the way He does. And there is a good reason for this.
I, just like countless others, realised that in this wide world – Unconditional love is hard to compete with. There is nothing we could ever do to make God love us more; there is nothing we can do to make Him love us less.
In one of the interviews, after Swami had shared a nectarine discourse, He asked us, “Do you have any questions? You can ask me.”
Some enquired about their parents’ health, some about an occupational promotion. He answered them all. Then there was a silence. He asked, “Anything else?” With prayers in my heart and on my lips, I kneeled and with a quivering voice uttered the prayer that was so deeply personal, so pervading my entire being, a thought so obsessed in my being that it rested upon the hinge where my existence drew sustenance. Words which spelled out as “Swami, please make all of us like You. Like God.”
The playfulness disappeared. His look was austere. Deep. It pierced my soul fathoming for the truth in that prayer. I heard Him, “Do you realise what you have asked for!?”
Mustering every ounce of my faith I prayed, “Swami, If I don’t ask You, whom else can I ask? And if You don’t give this then who else can?”
Tears were rolling down my face as testimony for the authenticity of this prayer. His look softened only a bit. He asked me, “Do you want My powers?”
A half smile came on my lips and words tumbled out – “No Bhagawan, I don’t want Your powers. I only want to love everyone, the way You do, unconditionally. Give me that unconditional love.”
And that moment, His countenance changed. It bore a triumphant smile beaming with joy. The student had finally learnt his lesson. He called me to Him and putting His palm on my heart said, “Swami promises! I will give to all of you. All of you will realise that you and I are one.”
It was a moment of eternity. Everything stood still. As His words slowly nestled in the abyss of my being, I held His hands in gratitude and kissed them.
Years have rolled by since that afternoon in Sai Kulwant hall. His masterplan is unfolding infront of us. I feel a deep sense of immense and immeasurable love within my heart for all things. This love is so much bigger and greater than I am. It is all encompassing and all unconditional. I kneel in gratitude, and with full purpose and sincerity of heart, to my most beloved Swami as I submit all of me – all that I am – and all that I will ever be, to have divine love to be present each and every minute of every day for the rest of my life. My Lord, please let me always be, divine love in action! Let each and every one of us be divine love in action.”
Brother Vivekanand Sahoo is based in Mumbai & works for a private bank. He is a part of the alumni initiative called Sri Sathya Sai Anandam at Bhubaneswar in the state of Odisha which is a home for orphans. He is the designer of alumni magazine Vidyullekha and plays an active role in Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization. During his student days he was part of the fine arts, dramatics and cultural team in the institute.