Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group III | Mr. C. Dakshinamurthy

Mr. C. Dakshinamurthy
Prajeya City, Plot No. 201, IX Block,
Miyapur, Hyderabad 500 049
Tel: 040-23047484

Mr. C. Dakshinamurthy (61), who retired from the Office of the Accountant General, Hyderabad, in a senior position relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'It happened on December 10, 1995. The day began normally. I attended the pulse polio work throughout the day. The day seemed to be heading to end normally as I completed my work in the clinic. Later I visited one or two hospitals where I usually see patients, called on the would-be-in-laws of my daughter and returned home driving my car myself all through. On returning to my house, late in the evening, I felt uneasy - I don't know why. I lost my temper while taking my dinner. It happened never before. I had a feeling that there was not enough air to breathe, and proceeded into an open lane adjacent to our dining hall. There, all of a sudden, I slumped and fell flat. When a person slips and falls down, it will be difficult for him to get up and stand until a few minutes. But I stood up at once as if it were a spring action. I could get up very fast as if someone was physically lifting me up and putting me erect. If a person falls down due to heart attack, it could be very serious - even fatal. As a medical Doctor, I knew that I had a heart attack but could not understand how I could be back on my feet again.

'Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba came in 1985 to Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar located in the Welfare Centre near Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad. I happened to have His Darshan there for the first time. To be frank, I was not impressed. At that time I was facing severe financial crunch for no fault of mine. Six months after I had the Darshan of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, my problems began to get solved in a miraculous way.

In 1986 or so, I had to go to Anantapur on inspection tour. Our work was in Sericulture Department there. One of the devotees of Bhagavan there proposed a visit to Puttaparthi and took us all there. That was my first visit to Prasanthi Nilayam. We reached there around 2 p.m. By that time Darshan was over and Swami retired into His room. As we stood before the Mandir Mr. Janaki Ramaiah, brother of Swami came to us and explained that we would have to wait up to 4 p.m. for Darshan. That day was Vinayaka Chaturthi. 'So Swami may give Discourse even', Mr. Janaki Ramaiah told us, 'don't miss'. I was not enthusiastic because that would delay our return to Anantapur in time for dinner. Just then Swami came out of His room and stood in the balcony. 'See. Swami came out, which is unusual. Don't treat it casually', Mr. Janaki Ramaiah told us, 'there is some inexplicable link between you and Baba. So stay and listen to the Discourse and go.' We stayed on and returned to Anantapur after the Discourse was over.

After my return to Hyderabad, the marriage of my eldest daughter was consummated unexpectedly. I did not have any savings. In fact, the jewellery of my wife was already under Bank's mortgage. Owing to Bhagavan's grace, all the money required for the marriage came without difficulty, and I could perform the marriage very well. That induced me to involve myself in activities like nagar-sankeerthan and bhajan regularly.

One day I had an urge to go to Prasanthi Nilayam with family, and got tickets reserved. But I had to cancel the trip as we came to know that my younger brother planned to have the housewarming ceremony in his new house only then. 'Swami!' I silently prayed to Bhagavan, 'I had to incur unnecessary expenditure on railway reservation and cancellation. Now it is for you to take me to Puttaparthi without making me spend a pie'. After about 3 months, my colleagues in office planned a visit to Puttaparthi during holidays. They obtained RTC bus pass chits. Even without consulting me in advance, they booked RTC passes for me also as well as for them. My prayer - which was more a challenge to Swami than a prayer - was answered. I was taken to Puttaparthi without paying a pie.

On reaching Prasanthi Nilayam, Mr. Sharma, the shed in-charge, told us that he was waiting for us only. 'There are three vacancies in the shed', he told us, 'go, and occupy'. So we reached in time to get the last three places remaining in the shed for occupation. And, we got that accommodation even without our asking for it.

That night I had an attack of malaria fever. I was shivering even after many blankets were covered on me. Around 8:30 p.m. I wanted to send my colleagues to get me some medicine. Then I heard a voice speaking to me. Earlier, I heard the discourse of Swami. So I could at once recognise the voice as that of Swami. 'Don't take that (the medicine I was about to arrange to get), by your side is a student with vibhuti ready in his hand. Take it', the voice told me. I looked around. To my surprise, there was a student who had vibhuti ready for use in his hand as foretold by Swami. I sought a little vibhuti and put it in my mouth. 'Keep this packet also with you', the student told me and gave the packet.

'Fever has not abated', I was telling Swami in prayerful reverence a little later. 'Take one more dose', Swami told me. Like that I took three doses of vibhuti on His repeated prescription. It was raining heavily outside. I had to go to bathroom. If I went out, I would be drenched, and would not be able to stand the cold. 'Go! It has stopped raining', Swami told me. I rushed out. There was no rain. I could hardly ease myself when pat came Swami's order, 'go back! The rain is back'. I rushed into the shed. Next second, there was heavy rain.

In the early hours, I pleaded, 'is it to miss Aumkar and nagar-sankeerthan that I had come here?' Next moment, I fell asleep. I was so for 15 minutes. When I woke up, I was all right. So I could go out and participate in Aumkar and nagar-sankeerthan. Then I remembered what Mr. Janaki Ramaiah had told me on my first visit, 'He is God. Don't treat Him casually.'

'If you are God', I prayed within me - it was more a challenge than a prayer, again - 'give me more Darshans than you give to others. My younger brother has no spiritual urge and is rude to me. He should change. The third wish is that you have to tell me what I should desire for. First fulfil these wishes. Then I will agree that you are God.'

During Darshan time Swami was coming and going. 'Now He is seen on the balcony; now on the stairs; now in the verandah and now in the hall.' 'Count', Swami's voice goaded me as He continued to give Darshans with a small gap like that. I counted eleven. Then I came out. Swami was there at the gate going somewhere in His car. Then I had a thought, 'how lucky I would be if I can do some seva here?' Next moment, a sevadal came along announcing in Hindi, 'volunteers are needed to work in the press'. Despite my ill health I enlisted. Some one said, 'Swami is going to the press'. 'You are coming wherever I am gong to give me maximum number of Darshans', I prayed in my mind, 'don't come to the press'. They said, when I reached the press, 'Swami was expected here. In fact, He started this way, it appears. But He did not turn up'.

There was heavy rain for three days. I was getting fever on alternate days. One morning, Swami called me for an interview along with a few others. Before me sat one tall person blocking my view. We all sat in lines. But this tall man was not in line. 'He is blocking my view, Swami!' I prayed. Next moment, the tall person began to turn his head this way and that way as if he was listening to music. That gave me a chance to have Darshan of Swami off and on. It dawned on me that Swami was continuing the score of Darshans according to my first wish. I began counting whenever Swami came into my view by the swing away of the tall person's head. I counted 32. The interview was over.

In the evening, as we all waited for Darshan, it was still drizzling lightly. Swami came out and went into the auditorium in a flash. Everyone was waiting for His return from the auditorium. 'I want you to give me Darshan exactly at 5:45 p.m. Not a minute before or after', I prayed, again as a challenge. I returned to the shed and relaxed. I got up at 5:35 and walked towards Mandir. I did not put on the watch. I forgot to do so. 'The fellow on your side has a watch', Swami's voice told me; I looked. It was clearly visible. 5:40, 5:41, …. Tension was mounting. Did Swami come earlier? 'No', the man by my side answered, 'I am waiting here from the moment He went into that auditorium'. I looked at the watch 5:43, 5:44. Exactly at 5:45, Swami came out of the auditorium.

That day itself was the day of our return journey. I packed my things before coming for Darshan. I picked up the luggage and ran to the bus-stand. My colleagues were already there. As I got in, the bus started as if it was waiting for me.

After my return from Puttaparthi the marriage of my second daughter was settled. This match was suggested to me earlier. I did not go and propose even though it was a good match because I was afraid that the dowry would be beyond my reach. My relatives sent the horoscope of my daughter to them. It tallied. So they themselves came forward. It was settled. Money came from various sources. One of our family friends who was in a high position sent me 4 cars for use at the time of the marriage. 'He says he has no money; and borrows from us. Hires cars to make a show. When it comes to repayment, he will sing the old tune, 'I have no money', - my relatives who had advanced money of their own accord for the wedding to me were saying. My wife heard them and felt hurt. 'Swami! Help us to perform marriages of our other daughters without begging any one for loans', she prayed.

I could perform the marriages of my third and fourth daughters without incurring debt owing to His grace. The money required came from the LIC and the GPF loans, and also by disposal of a house site I had in a cooperative Housing Society.'

-- Mr. C. Dakshinamurthy

(As narrated to Mrf. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 14.02.2005.)