Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Mr. D.S.V. Ramana

Mr. D.S.V. Ramana
Branch Manager, State Bank of Hyderabad
Indrapalem, Kakinada
Tel: 0884-5588557

Mr. D.S.V. Ramana (50), a senior officer of the State Bank of Hyderabad, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I hail from a well-to-do family known for spirituality and value-based life. My parents used to do daily pooja and were known for their hospitality. Gradually we lost all our property and had to migrate to Vijayawada from Rajahmundry. My father who had been bedridden for six years recovered miraculously after shifting to Vijayawada. Though we have been experiencing the grace of Divinity all through, our link with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba began only at Vijayawada around 1962.

Divine grace came to my rescue each time when I was about to be drowned in water three times. When I was a 6-year old, I fell into a well and was nearly drowned. I felt as if some goddess had placed her hands under me, caught hold of me and lifted up to safety. That was the first miraculous escape. Another time, about six months or so after that, I tried to follow my father in the Godavari. He used to carry me into the water, and bathe me. That day, he was going alone unaware that I was following him. As I did not know swimming, I was being drowned. Luckily my father saw what was happening and came to me in time to save me. The third incident occurred when I slipped and fell into a tank. I was 7 years old at that time. My brother who was swimming in the tank came and rescued me. Outwardly, human action appeared to have been the cause of my rescue each time but, undoubtedly, it was Divine grace that had saved me.

When we shifted to Vijayawada, we stayed in a house, which was by the side of the house of a rich industrialist, Mr. G. Venkateswara Rao. He had a problem in his factory and was at a loss to know how to set it right. Persuaded by his friends he went to Prasanthi Nilayam though he himself was a sort of an agnostic. Swami called him for an interview and advised him on the solution to his problem. He materialized vibhuti and gave him.

Bhagavan gave him a copy of the book Sathyam, Sivam, Sundaram. On return he gave the book to my mother to read. My mother completed reading it and went to Mr. Rao's house to return the book.

'I came to return your book', my mother told him, 'it is, indeed, very interesting'. In fact, my mother was thinking, 'how I wish I, too, had a copy of this with me'.

'What!' Mr. Rao remarked with obvious surprise, 'you already returned it yesterday itself through Subhadra'. Subhadra was the daughter of another neighbour of ours there. He was thinking why my mother had sent it so soon, that too, with that kid instead of personally returning it. It was unlike of my mother to do that. Mr. Rao got up and fetched the book from the shelf, and showed it to my mother. Bhagavan heard the wish of my mother and allowed her to possess the book then in her hands. It was a miracle, which made my mother turn a devotee of Bhagavan that very moment. From that day she began to participate actively in bhajans and seva of Bhagavan. Though she wanted to visit Prasanthi Nilayam, she could not do so owing to financial cringe for a long time.

My mother used to tell us often about another miracle. The date was fixed for the marriage of my sister, Jnaneswari. Arrangements were going on at a tardy pace owing to financial constraints. One gentleman came to our house one day and handed over a packet to my mother. 'Swami sent it for your daughter's marriage', he told my mother and left. When she opened it, it contained currency notes amounting to Rs. 10,000. This was in 1967 when Rs. 10,000 was a considerable sum to perform the wedding comfortably.

My first visit to Prasanthi Nilayam did not materialize till 1985. I came to Prasanthi Nilayam with Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi members in a bus. The crowd was so heavy that we had to sleep under our bus itself. When I had the Darshan of Bhagavan, I thought, 'how lucky I would be if I could get Padanamaskar of this Divine personality!' I returned to my place later. On return, I saw one of my relatives making his children get by heart slokas from the Bhagavad-Gita. 'How I wish I, too, make my children learn the Gita', I reflected, 'but, how? I, myself, do not know how to recite the Gita properly'. I shared my thoughts with my wife.

'If you really care to learn and make our children learn it, it can be done', my wife Mrs. Ramalakshmi told me, 'you seem to have forgotten that I am Vidyapraveena in Sanskrit.'

Thus started our Gita recital. I could get by heart all the slokas in 18 chapters of the Gita in just three months with the help of my wife. It was a gift from Bhagavan.

I always used to wonder if I would ever construct a house of my own. Within a few months after my return from Prasanthi Nilayam, I was persuaded by my friends to buy a site. Many of my friends advanced hand loans even without my asking them and I could construct the house. But I had to repay an amount of Rs. 75,000, which was a very big amount for me at that time. Just then I was transferred to a village in Karimnagar district. It was a naxilite-infested village. Everyone began to pity me. But the ways of Bhagavan are unfathomable. It is such a place that you simply could not spend money however lavish you might be in spending. So we could save well and clear all our commitments on the house just within two years and three months. As soon as the loans were all cleared, we were brought back to Vijayawada, owing to Swami's grace.

I was told that a branch was being opened at Puttaparthi. I wanted a posting there but I could not get it for various reasons. The real reason, of course, we could not gauge at that time. Both my parents passed away in a year - my mother in April 1996 and my father in May 1996. Had I been shifted, it would have been a serious inconvenience to all concerned. So, Bhagavan, perhaps, in His abundant love and compassion spared me that. During those days, my Branch was declared a member of the CGM's Club in terms of performance. It enhanced the prospects of my promotion. My colleagues used to ask me in lighter vein, 'do you want Padanamaskar (a transfer to Puttaparthi) or a promotion?'

'Padanamaskar, by all means', I used to reply emphatically.

Bhagavan had His own plans. I was given a posting to Puttaparthi in 2000. In less than a month Bhagavan granted me Padanamaskar - fulfilling my 15-year long wish. In 2001 also, I was in Darshan lines on January 13. It was Bhogi (eve) of Sankranthi. Swami came along the line, looked at me and paused when I could take Padanamaskar.

In May 2002, one of my relatives came to Prasanthi Nilayam. He was called for an interview. When I heard about it, I felt somewhat unsettled. 'When can I have such luck of sambhashanam with Bhagavan?' I reflected. On May 8, I was in Darshan lines when Bhagavan came along. He looked at me but moved forward a few paces. Then He turned back and came to me. 'What do you want?' Swami asked me. 'Pray give me Prasadam, Swami!' I replied. Bhagavan materialized vibhuti and gave me vibhuti prasandam. That way He granted me the bliss of sambhashanam with Him also.

My friends used to ask me long back whether I wanted Padanamaskar or promotion. Bhagavan gave me Padanamaskar and also promotion. I was transferred on promotion from Puttaparthi to Indrapalem (Kakinada) Branch in 2002.

After my transfer to Kakinada, my daughter, Prasanthi, who is B.E. (Electronics), got a good job. Later, she was married to one working in the USA. It is a good alliance. When she went to get her visa, she was told that during the previous couple of days, they were on a rejecting spree. But owing to Swami's grace, she got her visa without any hitch. We came to Prasanthi Nilayam and had Darshan of Bhagavan. At Puttaparthi my friends presented me with some photograph. I did not see it, as it was gift-packed. I bought a photograph of Bhagavan for my daughter.

As we boarded the Prasanthi Express, I was appreciating the photograph we had bought for our daughter so much that I felt like having one like that for me also. Getting ready for bhajan in the train, we opened the gift- pack with a view to putting that photograph also in the bhajan. It was a pleasant surprise that it is exactly like the one we had bought for our daughter. It is the very same one, which we felt like possessing a few minutes ago. Swami responded promptly granting our wish on the spot!

My second daughter, Annapurna was in the final year, M.Tech. at Visakhapatnam. One day I had a dream in which Bhagavan appeared. He was busy at a computer. I could not fathom the meaning of that dream. I told my wife. My daughter was then having campus recruitment by the Tata Consultancy Services. So my wife phoned up and told my daughter about my dream. 'Swami is doing your work', she told my daughter, 'you are sure to be selected from the indication given by Swami in the dream to your father. So do your bit with confidence. However, don't think it is your merit but only Bhagavan's grace, if you are selected'.

'I know', my daughter replied. 'Why should I fear when He is here?'

Subsequent developments showed that Bhagavan was with her. She got an order, 'report in two days at Trivendrum'. Trivendrum was, of course, an inconvenient place of posting for an unmarried girl. She rang up the office and asked, 'how can I come in two days to Trivendrum from Visakhapatnam?' 'OK', they said, 'report at Hyderabad!' So, Swami averted a long distance posting.

She had to complete her project work before she could receive her Master's degree.

'Do your project work, working at Hyderabad', the officer told her, 'and we pay you your salary alright'. First she was posted at the High Tech City, and finally to Nampally. There will be no end to what Swami does for us all the time. Even to simply list them out, let alone explain in detail, is humanly impossible.'

-- Mr. D.S.V. Ramana.

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 18.01.2005.)