Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group IV | Mr. A.V. Srinivasan

Mr. A.V. Srinivasan,
4-95, 'Prasanthi Nilayam',
Bhuvanagiri Complex,
Behind Sai Reshma Lodge,
Prasanthigram - 515 134.

Tel: 08555-288054, Mobile: 98664-38589
E-mail: saicheenu@hotmail.com & saicheenu@rediffmail.com

Mr. A.V. Srinivasan (36), a leading Tax Consultant from Delhi, presently a resident of Prasanthigram, Puttaparthi, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I had a vision of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the first time in the year 1975 when I was five years old. Having never seen His photograph or His physical form prior to this incident I was unable to recognise Him. In my vision, I found Him sitting on a chair chewing pan (betel leaf) and smiling at me.

The same vision repeated in 1978. Even at this juncture, I could not identify Him. On November 23, 1983, I had the same vision again. All the three times, that is, in 1975, 1978 and 1983, Swami appeared in the morning. However on the third occasion, I could see Him very clearly. 'I am coming to you for the third time' He said and added, 'yet you do not recognize me! The day will soon come when you will meet Me.'

That happened to be a Wednesday. On that day, at school, one of my classmates gave me a photograph saying 'you can keep this for yourself. He is God'. I looked at the photograph. I was astonished. The photograph, beneath which is written 'Baba', is exactly what I had been visualising. Somehow, I could not accept the thought that He is God. Apart from our family deity, Balaji, we also had pictures of Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Siva at home, whom we worship as Gods. I simply gave the photograph to my sister, Ms. Meena (now Mrs. Meena), who, in turn, was very happy receiving it. Soon she became so attached to the photograph of Baba that it has been no longer a mere photograph for her, but Baba Himself. She submits to Him any problem that comes her way and obtains a solution. She was mediocre in studies but after the photograph came to her, her academic performance improved much to the surprise of all of us as well as her teachers. Later she was married happily. She is blessed with children and continues to be devoted to Bhagavan.

On the day I received that photograph, I had a slight backache, but I did not pay much attention to it. From that day I could not concentrate on my studies. Whatever little I read was forgotten, and never retained in my memory. I had no sleep because of a disturbed mind. But somehow Baba's smarana did not leave me even though I had my own reservations in accepting Him as God. The backache continued for ten years. During that period, I had brain attacks too, which made me feel that someone was hitting my head with a hammer.

In 1985, I appeared for the Board Examinations of class X. Though I tried hard to study well, I could not concentrate. While going to the examination, I prayed to Baba 'If I fail in these examinations, I will be in a hopeless situation. You have to please save me'. In the examination hall, each student was seated on a separate bench to prevent copying. The bench that I sat upon was initially vacant. But, the moment the question paper was given, I found Baba sitting by my side sharing the same bench. Baba wrote answers to questions, which I did not know, on the desk and I copied them on the answer sheet. One of the invigilators, who observed me staring at the desk and then writing, became inquisitive. He approached me and searched the desk thoroughly, but in vain.

'Why are you staring at the desk each time you write something?' he questioned me.

'I am only trying to recollect the answers' I replied. He smiled and left. After that, he did not bother me. Owing to the grace of Swami, I could get through comfortably my class X and class XII exams. Eventually I also completed my B.Com and M.Com with Bhagvan's grace. In each of these exams, Swami sat by my side writing the correct answers on the desk and helped me out.

Swami appeared to me often (in the astral plane) and gave instructions on meditation and performance of rituals.

In 1987, I heard Swami's voice giving me guidance. I happened to listen to a taped version of Swami's speech in someone's house and so could recognise His voice. In 1992, the marriage of my sister was performed with the grace of Bhagavan.

We came to Prasanthi Nilayam for the first time on the 17th November 1993. We had darshan from a distance. On November 18, Swami performed mass marriages, which included 75 couples. It was telecast live through the internal circuit TV. We could witness the entire function on TV sets arranged outside Poornachandra Auditorium. Bhagavan materialized mangalasutras for all the 75 couples.

After that, I went to the hospital for a check-up regarding my backache. The doctor called me by my name and was discussing my case without even looking at the reports that I had brought. I wondered how he had known my name and ailment without seeing the case sheets. When I insisted that he should see my reports, he said 'I already saw them. Swami showed them to me in the morning when He called me for an interview. Swami also gave me a few packets of vibhuti to be given to you as prasadam'. Saying so, he handed over those packets to me. I took a small portion of it and applied the same on my back. That day, after nearly a decade, I could sleep peacefully. Gradually I began to recover.

In 1994, I had come for seva to Prasanthi Nilayam. My duty was at the top floor of South 6. One day, while on duty, I happened to look down. At that moment, I felt giddy and having fallen down from the top floor. A doctor, who was nearby, and some others rushed to the spot to help me. As they were trying to lift me up, I regained my consciousness. They questioned me 'what has happened to you?' I requested them to take me to the hospital as I lost all sensations due to the fall. They laughed at me, and that irritated me a lot. They told me that nothing had happened to me and made me sit. To my surprise, I was only on the top floor of South 6 and not on the ground below.

During these days, I was once asked to clean Swami's car. While cleaning, I sat for a jiffy in the driver's seat and wondered 'how fortunate I would be if I were Swami's driver?' Later while cleaning the rear seats, I sat in the place where Swami would sit and wondered what it would be like if I were Swami.

After seva, we were asked to go to Whitefield for padanamaskar as Swami had already left for Whitefield. While giving the padanamaskar, Swami stood in front of me. I offered a letter to Him. Collecting the letter, He said 'you had fallen from the top floor. I held you, put you back in place and saved you'. And then He remarked with a bewitching smile 'you want to drive Swami's car? You want to become Swami? First become Swami, then Swami will grant you a car.' As Swami glided forward, I found some petals at the place where He had stood a few seconds before. As I collected them in reverence, Swami looked at me, smiled and blessed.

In November 1994, I came once again to Prasanthi Nilayam. In those days, one of our relatives was residing in our ancestral house at our native place in Tamilnadu. One day, she left all of a sudden, without even locking the doors. At Prasanthi Nilayam, I was sitting in the first row for darshan. I had some letters of devotees in Delhi. Everyone thought that Swami would come to me, take letters and would give prasadam also. I, too, fell a prey to the ego. Swami came, stood in front of me and took letters from all those around except me. His robe was almost touching me but He did not look at me. I felt so disappointed that I cried bitterly after returning to my room. 'If I am egoistic, punish me' I prayed before His photograph, 'but what is the fault of those devotees who sent letters through me?' I bought some phenyl and went on cleaning all toilets late in the night. After that I took bath and sat in the darshan lines.

Unfortunately I got the last token. Swami came along and beckoned me. I ran to Him and knelt down. 'Take out the letters from your pocket', He said. I took out the letters, which He graciously accepted. Then He gave me padanamaskar, vibhuti and chocolates. One person brought a photograph to be blessed by Swami. Swami took that photograph from him and gave it to me, much to the displeasure of that person.

Swami said 'leave for Madurai immediately. Your house is left unlocked. Get the photograph framed and do bhajan. People will come.'

That day I left for Madurai. When I went to our ancestral house, I found the doors wide open. Some stray dogs settled inside the house. I cleaned the entire premises, had the photograph framed and started doing bhajan. A neighbour, who was happy to see me back in our house doing bhajan, brought some prasadam to be offered at the end of the bhajan. Unexpectedly people began to join the bhajan. As the bhajan was going on, to the delight of all the devotees gathered there, vibhuti began to emanate from the photograph. I distributed the vibhuti that Swami had given me during the darshan at Prasanthi Nilayam.

Being sceptical about the reality of Swami giving vibhuti to me, the local convenor of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samiti thought 'if Swami shows some proof, only then will I believe.'

On November 23, 1994, we were doing bhajan for Swami's Birthday. Vibhuti began to flow out of Swami's hand in the photograph. The convenor came, prostrated and prayed, 'Swami! Please excuse my doubting temperament. I am fully convinced of your leela'. He apologised for doubting me.

In August 1995, I once again came to Prasanthi Nilayam for seva. At that time, Likhitha japam books were being deposited at the northern corner of Sai Kulwanth Hall on which Hanuman statue was to be installed that day. We went around the mandir, doing pradakshina. I wanted to carry the statue along with the others. As I was moving towards it, Swami said 'you have backache. Don't go that side. Come here'. Swami broke some coconuts then. The beauty of breaking coconuts by Swami that day is that while He threw the coconut onto the floor to break, he was retaining the water in it, in His hand. He then sprinkled that water on me. Swami told me 'you come for padanamaskar at the end of your seva. You will be alright'.

In those days, I used to wear a belt as I was suffering from backache. On the day of padanamaskar, Swami came to me and remarked 'have you become an old man to wear a belt!' Then He said 'remove it'. I removed and put it on the ground. He placed His feet on the belt and said 'take padanamaskar', I couldn't bend without a belt, and so hesitated. He commanded again when I prostrated. He then slapped on my back and said 'you had a knot at the end of the spine obstructing the flow of kundalini. This caused the pain and I removed it. Henceforth there will be no pain'.

One among those present there was a doctor. He took me to the hospital and found that everything was perfectly alright as foretold by Swami.

In 1996, I was working as Financial Manager of a private firm at Chennai. As the Company was passing through a financial crunch, I was not paid any salary. I was passing through a hard time. I, however, continued to work hoping that they would pay all arrears when they turned the corner. One day I found that there was no fuel in my scooter. I wanted to borrow a sum of rupees fifty from one of my cousins. I told him that I needed money to fill in petrol for my scooter. I lied to him that I had some money in the office with which I could clear the hand-loan. When we went to the petrol bunk pushing the scooter all along, to my utter surprise, I found the tank full! I began to ride the scooter and Swami was all the time in front of me, facing me. As long as I rode the scooter, He was coming along with me in the front, facing me. I was afraid that I might run over Him. A few days after this, our M.D. came and began to take me to task for the poor state of finances. He reprimanded 'you fellows are sitting idle. Henceforth you, too, go for sales promotion'. That day I felt humiliated and prayed to Swami asking Him why I was placed in such a predicament.

I wanted some respite and went to attend a local bhajan. As the bhajan started, there was fragrance all around. Soon there was vibhuti all over me. Some of those present thought I was playing some trick to gain cheap popularity. They took me into a room, tore all my clothes except the underwear and beat me to admit my mischief. 'I don't know anything' I replied, 'my only worry is to procure some thing to eat. I am missing my meals and tiffins for days on end.' I saw Swami smiling at me. This infuriated me, and I wanted to box Him and closed my fists tight. Swami vanished, and I thought 'He is God and I am helpless'. I released my fists in despair and down poured kumkum and vibhuthi from either hand. There was an old devotee who took pity on me. He chided them 'don't beat him. You are doing wrong'. He arranged for some new clothes to be bought for me from the market. Later this gentleman dropped me at my residence.

Once again, in the next week, this same gentleman came to my house to pick me up for bhajan. I refused to go, owing to the bitter experience I had had the previous week. He assured that no such thing would happen this time and he would look into the matter. On this occasion, water oozed out of my head while I sang 'Hara hara gange…..' and drenched me. Water fell on the devotees around. I was afraid that I would be ripped of my clothes once again. But, to my surprise, they hugged me and accepted all these as leelas of Swami.

After this incident, a devotee came to my office and said 'I want to invest Rs. 10,000 in this company'.

'This Company is at stake and could be liquidated at any point of time' I told him frankly, 'I do not want to tell you lies and make you invest here'. Even after hearing what I had said, he was insisting that I take the money though not used in investing; it could be of help to a Sai devotee. I said 'well! Then I will take Rs. 5,000 as a month's salary and deposit the remaining amount in the Company's Account. I will resign and leave for Delhi'. This made the donor happy. I did accordingly assuming that Swami had arranged to help me go back to my parents.

In 1997, I went to Chennai to attend a wedding. It so happened that Swami, too, was at Chennai during that period. I went to see Swami. There was a big crowd in the street waiting to get a glimpse of Bhagavan. It was raining. I, too, stood in a corner. One sevadal came to me and took me in. 'Swami asked me to fetch you. He told me your name, the spot where you are standing and also the clothes that you are wearing' he explained as we went in. As we entered, Swami caught hold of my hand and asked 'will you lead a bhajan?' I agreed and sang a bhajan.

He then asked 'do you have any of my old photographs?'

'No, Swami', I replied.

'Swami put you to lot of suffering' He said, 'it will not recur.' He then materialized a photograph of Swami of His younger days and gave me.

He also said 'when you come for seva hereafter, render your services at the hospital and not in the mandir.'

In 1997, I came for seva and was posted in the hospital. I was there for ten days. I took permission on the 10th day and went for darshan. I got the front row. Swami came along and stood before me. 'Watching movies?' He asked. I was embarrassed. Then He added 'along with your father?' That gave some relief to me.

'Cinema' explained Bhagavan, is pronounced as 'maneci' in reverse, which in Telugu means 'to give up'. He continued 'what do you see in the movies? Nartaki Nachta. What do you mean by nartaki? It is 'kirthana' in reverse. So sing the glory of God. Go to hospital. You have duty there.'

I returned to the hospital. At 11 p.m., after locking all the doors, I was in the reception doing bhajan all alone. After the bhajan was over, I heard a sound. I looked around and found no one. A lady was prostrating to Swami as she noticed a packet of vibhuthi come into my hand from Swami's picture. Then she opened the door, and I found two serpents going out of the door. During my ten days stay, I never saw staff members walking around at that hour of the day. So I was shocked to find this lady and wondered if it was a human, or spirit.

This particular lady who happened to be a staff member asked me for some vibhuthi from that packet. I was not aware of it, so I wondered which vibhuthi she was talking about. My fists are normally closed, and without my knowledge the vibhuthi packet was present there. She narrated what she had seen and I learnt that the vibhuthi packet had come from Baba's photograph. On the next day, a few patients and staff members came to know about this and partook of the vibhuthi.

On the twelfth day of my service, I was posted at Gokulam for three hours as the shooting of the T.V. serial Shirdi Sai - Parthi Sai was going on. Swami came along. I looked at Him eagerly watching His movement. He pretended as if He was not looking at me, but in fact looked from the corner of His eyes. 'Swami is playing pranks with you' Mrs. Anjali Devi remarked, 'you are blessed.'

On the same day in the evening, there was a programme in the Poorna Chandra Auditorium and I was seated behind Swami's chair on duty. After finishing bhajan at the Kulwant Hall, Swami came to the Auditorium. He put His hands behind the chair and lifted me up beckoning me to come near. He introduced me to Mrs. Anjali Devi 'he is My bangaru'. Later, as He went up the stairs, He held my hands and said 'your father is passing through 7½ year Saturn period for the third time in his life. Bring a sphatika mala for him.'

I went out and tried to buy a sphatika mala in the market, but could not do so as my purse did not permit it. 'Swami said, so He will make the arrangements to procure it' I thought.

On the day of padanamaskar, I sat in a particular line. One of my friends who sat in another line was asking me to join him. I told him I was happy where I was, but he kept on calling me. People who were around asked me to go to him as he would not stop calling until I went. So I went and sat there. Swami went to the ladies side and gave padanamaskar to the women sevadal, but did not come to our side. The other sevadal said 'you did not observe discipline. That is why Swami did not come to our side'.

That evening Swami came for darshan, but did not come to us to give padanamaskar. He went straight to the bhajan mandir. 'Swami! Kindly bless us with padanamaskar and pardon us for our indiscipline' I prayed to Him in my mind. Swami came out of the bhajan mandir and came to us. He stood right in front of me. I put my arms around His waist and almost arrested His movements.

'What about sphatika mala?' Swami asked me. I explained that I could not afford to buy it.

'Who asked you to buy?' Swami asked me, 'create one.' I was stunned. 'I?' I asked in disbelief. Swami nodded in the affirmative. Then I closed my fingers involuntarily. When I released them, there were two sphatika malas in my hand. He blessed them and said 'father, sister'. I understood that one each should be given to them. To my surprise, I found two vibhuthi packets also which Swami manifested in my hands along with the malas. The vibhuthi in these packets was sweet in taste. He then asked me to release Him. I let go Swami by taking off my hands that were around His legs. Giving padanamaskar, He patted on my shoulder saying 'jnaanamisthanu, vellipo (I will give you wisdom, go away).'

Earlier, some doctors told me that I might not survive beyond 1997. As this thought crossed my mind, Swami said 'Swami's last breath is yours.' This implied that I would live as long as He is on this earth in His present form. Later, I left for Delhi.

While I was in Delhi, I got a phone call from Chennai. 'I am leaving for the States. Would you mind coming over here to take charge of the old-age home' was the message. It was from a philanthropic lady who established an old-age home at Chennai. I knew her and helped her in supervising its construction work when I was in Chennai. I went to Chennai, looked into the affairs of the old-age home, did penance and attained realisation.

Later in 1998, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam. One evening on the 28th June, I was strolling near the canteen when I heard someone call, 'Srinivasan from Delhi.' I waited to see if any Srinivasan would respond to the call. Since no one responded, I went to him and said 'I am Srinivasan from Delhi.'

Saying 'Swami is waiting for you. Come with me', he took me from the ladies side. A lady who was cleaning the floor told me 'no admission now. Come tomorrow morning'. Meanwhile, word came to send us in. We went towards Swami's residence. There were three steps to go into the front side of Poornachandra Auditorium. Swami was coming down the stairs to receive me. He gave me darshan as Balaji, our family deity. He then turned into Sri Sathya Sai and led me to His room upstairs through a flight of steps. Bhagavan directed someone to get a chair, which was immediately brought. Swami sat on a sofa and I sat at His Lotus Feet. I placed His Feet on my lap and was massaging them. Swami closed His eyes and began to sway His hands in a mysterious way. As I found no fan in the room, I looked around for a newspaper to fan Him assuming that He was feeling hot. Bhagavan, still in His blissful mood, closing His eyes and swaying, said, 'Bangaroo, Swami does not read newspaper. Take your seat.' As I watched Bhagavan intently, I saw some rays emanating from Bhagavan's hands. Soon some silver cutlery - plates, glasses, bowls and spoons - got materialised. They were meant for my use. He placed them all on a table. In the meantime, someone brought dinner for Swami served in a silver plate. I thought that I was disturbing Swami since it must have been time for His dinner.

'I never take dinner' Swami said replying to my thought, 'only barley water'. However, on that particular day, He partook dinner with me. I was asked to sit along with Bhagavan to dine. Bhagavan served some payasam and a little rice from His plate onto mine. There was a cup of curd into which He added some water and made it into buttermilk. 'Never take curds' He counselled, 'buttermilk is better.'

'Now tell your prayers' Swami asked me. I recited my usual prayers that are meant for sanctifying the food.

'No! This is not enough' Swami said and began to recite some mantras from the Rig-Veda in a beautiful manner. I wondered what these mantras are which I could not even pronounce correctly. While I cried profusely overwhelmed with emotion at the thought that Bhagavan Himself was offering food to me, He finished His dinner. Saying 'you aren't eating anything', He mixed the rice with buttermilk and lovingly fed me with His own hand. After the meal was finished, He said 'go and wash the plates'. As I was washing the plates, a few drops of water fell on the floor. At once, Swami got up, took a cloth and cleaned the floor. 'Whatever you do, you must do carefully' Swami told me. (This is a lesson that I should be perfect in everything that I do, and lead my life in a perfect manner.) Then He placed my plate and His plate one over the other, and they became one. Swami said 'when any one comes to you at meal time, you have to feed him unmindful of his caste, creed or colour. I gave you dinner in order to teach you this lesson.'

'Athidhi devo bhava -guest is God' Bhagavan explained. 'First feed him and then partake what remains as prasadam.'

Swami then opened an almirah. There was a box meant for betel leaves, nut powder, etc and also some hair conditioning shampoos inside. Swami offered them to me saying 'if you use them, your hair will be as soft as Mine.' 'No, Swami', I said declining the offer politely.

Later Swami asked me to sing bhajans. As I was humming, still deciding what to sing, Swami placed His hand on my head saying 'you young boys don't follow the old bhajans'. He wanted me to sing His favourite bhajan 'Dehi Sharanam Simha Vahini….' I sang this followed by 'Hari Om Anand Narayana…' and 'Namo Namo Hari Narayana….' Swami followed the bhajans.

Swami then gave me a harmonium. He said 'play', and started singing 'Madhura Madhura Muralighana Shyama….'; 'Madhuvana sanchaari Shyama Murari….';'Prema Muditha Manase Kaho….' which I followed. He was giving beats on His betel leaf box. After the bhajans, He advised me 'If someone sings with bhava, though there is no raga, you must follow, and never try to correct while the bhajan is in progress. However they can be trained and corrected later.' (This is a lesson to follow the Master and not to try to correct Him.)

Swami asked me what I wanted. All of a sudden, I could see my father in the room. He was hinting me to ask Swami about my settlement in life. As I asked Swami about the same, Swami just looked up. I felt that I was wrong and my father disappeared. I understood this was an illusion. After Swami gave me food with so much love, instead of asking for wisdom, here was I asking for material benefits. Swami said 'look', thrusting His hand onto my face. I fell down. I could see rays emanating from His hand and penetrating my eyes. Swami then said 'No! No! No!' three times, and added 'you are not for normal life'.

I had a vision in which I saw 96 year old Swami walking along the Chitravathi. Then I saw all the fourteen of my previous incarnations. With this I was totally blinded. Swami told me that it was 9 p.m., and time to go. He asked me to join the hospital duty. As I could not see anything, He brought me down. He put some vibhuthi packets in my pocket. He hit me on my head saying 'old man, cannot see anything!' Then I developed a hazy sight. He called a sevadal and asked him to drop me carefully at my room. With my poor vision (sight), I really needed help to reach my place. After reaching my room, I gradually became normal.

In 1999, we were doing pooja on Sivarathri day. We arranged the pooja, just outside our house in Delhi. That year, Justice Sridharan and some others went to Prasanthi Nilayam from Delhi. On Sivarathri day, Swami told Justice Sridharan 'I am reminded of Srinivas today. Take these and give them to him in Delhi'. Two photographs of Sri Raghavendra Swami of Mantralaya, a picture of Goddess Lalitha, a cassette containing Lalitha Sahasranama and a packet of cashew sweet were brought along with a message 'do Lalitha Sahasranama and Vishnu Sahasranama every week for 48 weeks'. So we began doing the above mentioned every Sunday at our house.

We have a photograph of Shirdi Sai and one of Parthi Sai hung on the wall in our house next to each other. One day when bhajan was going on, both the photographs began to swing on their own. 'Swami, If you like to have a cradle, we will arrange', my father prayed to Bhagavan. So we bought a cradle. This happened a few months before we were asked to do sahasranamas. When, after namam recital, we started to give arati, the cradle began to swing on its own to the amazement of all those present. There was no one near the cradle who could have jolted it to swing. No power supply to it to think that it was electrically moved into a swing. This miracle was seen every week, for all the 48 weeks. The cradle used to come to standstill immediately after the third 'Shanti' was uttered at the end. Many people used to come just to witness this leela.

I came to Prasanthi Nilayam another time in January 2000. On the 26th January I was in the darshan line and Swami came to me. I brought some padukas to be blessed by Swami for distribution in Delhi. I also brought a letter from my sister for Swami. 'Bless the padukas, Swami' I prayed.

'Place them beneath My feet' Swami said. He slid His feet into the padukas and consecrated them. He stretched His hand forward to take my sister's letter. As He was taking it, it fell down. On the pretext of giving it back to Him, I once more took padanamaskar.

I asked Swami about organizing Sri Sathya Sai Vratas, and to get Tamil copies of the vratakalpam blessed. He asked me 'when do you want to do it?' 'On the 17th November' I replied. 'Why on that date?' Swami asked. 'Many ladies come for the Ladies Day on November 19, and it will be convenient for them to attend both' I said. Swami agreed. He gave me padanamaskar once again.

In June, 2000 Justice Sridharan met Swami at Whitefield. He submitted the Tamil version of Sri Sai Sathya Vratakalpam and my biography to Swami for His blessings. Swami blessed vratakalpam, and gave it to the State Convenor of Tamilnadu. As Swami kept the biography with Him, the Convenor asked for it. Swami said 'no, this is personal and different' and gave it to Justice Sridharan to give it to me with His blessings.

On October 9, 2000, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam. At that time, there was a function organized by Paduka Trust of Madurai. As I knew some of them, I was accommodated in the front line. Swami came and asked 'when did you come?' 'Today, Swami' I replied. 'When are you leaving?' 'Whenever Swami permits me to leave' I replied.

After this, for three or four days, I was regularly attending darshan, but Swami did not call me. On October 14, Swami gave me a Ganesha for my father and said 'your father worships Ganesha. Give this to him.'

On October 17, Swami gave a sari for my mother, Mrs. Rukmini.

Earlier, when Swami talked to me, I prayed to Him about arrangements for Sai Sathya Vratams to be performed at Prasanthi Nilayam on a mass scale. Swami suggested that I meet a particular aide of His. When I went to him, he said 'I have no instruction. Don't talk about it with me any more.' I felt hurt for his rude response. When Swami gave Ganesha to me, He asked 'how are arrangements going on?' I explained what had happened when I had met Swami's aide as per Swami's instructions.

Swami was annoyed. 'Who is he?' Swami said, 'the vratas will be done on November 17.' The aide concerned was behind Swami observing all this.

Some students asked me earlier to come to the hospital. So I asked Swami 'may I go to the hospital?' Swami said 'yes, you go'. He gave me vibhuti prasadam and some sweets.

I went to the hospital. Unexpectedly Swami came to the hospital that day and patted me on my back remarking 'you have come here also!' Then He told me to go upstairs. I ran up the stairs. By the time Swami came by lift, I was already there.

'How could you come even before Swami?' Swami jocularly remarked. There He saw some patients, materialized vibhuti and gave them. Swami completely healed one patient then and there.

Suddenly Swami turned to me said 'prepare arati' and then asked 'are you a staff member?'

'No, Swami' I replied. The senior doctors were looking at me as an intruder. Then Swami said 'when Swami says you are staff, you are staff. Why deny?'

I felt greatly relieved. Swami then asked me to give arati. I went to a staff member to get wicks and oil for arati. By mistake, he gave me phenyl assuming it to be oil. I went and lit the lamp when Swami remarked 'you want to clean all with phenyl?' Then I realized what happened, and put away the lamp.

Swami said 'you go to Chettiar and tell him that I sent you. Finalize arrangements of Sai Sathya Vratams with his help'. Swami even gave me the telephone numbers of Chettiar. He gave me padanamaskar again.

In November 2000, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam. On the 10th November, during the morning darshan, Swami said 'why did you come for darshan? You have fever. Come in the evening'. Swami gave me vibhuti prasadam. Actually I had no fever till that moment. But after Swami said so, I developed fever. I could not come for darshan in the mornings and had to confine to my bed. November 17, the day of Sai Sathya Vratas, was fast approaching, but I could not do anything. On November 17, my fever had gone. I went to the venue where vratas were to be held. Swami came there and went round along the lines of devotee couples or individual devotees doing vratam, and blessed them. He came to my mother. She said 'I don't want to use the spectacles, Swami. Please grant me good sight' and threw away her spectacles. Swami smiled and blessed. She never required spectacles after that. Swami granted her perfect vision. Vratams were performed successfully owing to Swami's grace.

In October 2001, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam and stayed for five days. I brought a letter to be given to Swami. For five days, Swami did not look at me. 'If Swami does not take my letter today, I will end my life' I resolved. That day, it was raining heavily. There were only three or four people in token lines. So I got the front row. I closed my eyes praying to Bhagavan and kept the letter up in my hands. I was sitting like that. Swami came. He stood before me. His robe was touching me. He took the letter. I opened my eyes. 'Swami' I prayed, 'I know you have stopped padanamaskar. But may I have padanamaskar?' 'Yes' Swami assented, 'but touch gently!' I took padanamaskar. Swami said 'follow me'. I followed. We went into the interview room. They were distributing apples as prasadam. Swami gave an apple to me. 'Have patience' He told me when I tried to broach about the hospital which He wanted me earlier to construct. 'See, it took Swami 60 years to build the hospital here.' Then He asked me to stretch out my tongue and wrote something on it. He gave me a packet of dry fruits. I was shedding tears of ecstasy. He wiped the tears with His hand kerchief, and gave it to me.

'Go to Vasantha Mai in Tamilnadu' Swami told me and gave some instructions. She is a devotee residing at Vadakampatti near Madurai. I went there. When I went there, she asked me if I had eaten anything. I said 'no'. 'Very well' she said and wrote something on my tongue. Then she fed me with milk-food. 'I have given you atma-sanyasam' she told me. 'Yes, I know' I said, 'Swami told me. In fact, He already gave me atma-sanyasam Himself. He also said that you too would give it here.' When I revealed this, she became emotional and wept. I gave her the kerchief given by Swami to wipe her tears. 'It is the kerchief of Swami' I said, 'He gave me.' 'I don't have anything of Swami with me' she told me and asked, 'may I keep this'. I nodded in affirmation and she took it happily.

In May 2003, I went to Kodaicanal. Swami came to me in darshan line. He materialized a watch and gave it to me. He told me certain things that are going to happen between His 80th and 85th birthdays and said 'move to Prasanthi Nilayam before December 2005.

We sold our house in Delhi and bought some site near SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram. We constructed a house. My father invited Bhagavan for gruhapravesam. 'I cannot come physically there' Bhagavan told him, 'but I will be present'.

It was on January 31, 2005. That day it was raining. In addition to gruhapravesam, we performed bhoomipooja for construction of a school building. We also performed namakaranam to the child of a devotee and upanayanam for the son of another devotee. One day prior to gruhapravesam, on January 30, 2005, an emerald lingam materialized in my pooja owing to His grace.

On gruhapravesam day, an aura in the outline of Swami was seen in the video film. The aura was moving in the house, and also sat for sometime in Swami's chair. My father sent by courier a robe to Swami. It was accepted.

In May 2005, Swami gave me instructions on doing meditation and performing rituals. He did this in the astral plane.

Swami told me one day 'take your father to Kedarnath. I will transform him'. This message came in the astral plane.

On May 12, 2005, we were at Kedarnath. It was very cold, the temperature being -10°C. There I saw a sadhu without anything on his body except a loincloth around his waist. He had a kamandal in his hand, which was full of vibhuti. At once I could recognise that He was Swami. 'Have darshan and come' the sadhu told me, 'I will transform your father.' As He raised His palm in order to bless, I clearly saw the lines on His palm. They were exactly like those on Swami's palm.

My father had a vision of Parvathi and Shiva there. A great change came about in him after this incident.'

-- Mr. A.V. Srinivasan.

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at his residence on 27.10.2005)