Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Mr. G.K.P. Mukunda Rao

Mr. G.K.P. Mukunda Rao,
Plot No. 35, Sri Sathya Sai Sadan,
Pandurangapuram Layout,
Visakhapatnam - 530 003
Tel: 0891-2569198, Mobile: 98496-69198

Mr. G.K.P. Mukunda Rao (74), who retired as the General Manager in the Department of Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I had occasion to hear about Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the first time around 1957-58 while I was a trainee at Visakhapatnam. Since then, I have begun to regard Swami with reverence.

I used to suffer from arthritis since my childhood. After my transfer from Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad around 1960, the problem got acute and I was compelled to go on leave. There was a Photograph of Bhagavan in the house opposite to mine, which I could see clearly from the verandah of my house. It was a typical photograph showing the side profile of Bhagavan. While I was on leave because of my problem, I used to sit in the verandah looking at that Photograph prayerfully reflecting on my condition.

One day I went to my neighbour who was an orthopedic surgeon and consulted him on my problem. 'Better you undergo surgery', the doctor advised me, 'the sooner the better'. I had to agree as there appeared to be no choice. Every thing was got ready for surgery. Just then I received vibhuti packets from Visakhapatnam sent by my brother-in-law who was a devotee of Bhagavan. That night I applied vibhuti on both knees and sat all night doing bhajan of Bhagavan sitting before Swami's Photograph in my house. By morning, I could feel free movement of my knee joints miraculously and felt normal. I went to the doctor and said how I was feeling relaxation of my knee joints. He examined me and said, 'there is no need for surgery. You are all right'. I could not myself believe that I was cured of my decades-long problem. This was only the beginning.

The devotees who were residing opposite to my house went to Prasanthi Nilayam for Gurupoornima. When they sat in Darshan line, Bhagavan came and gave them a few packets of vibhuti. Then he gave some more and said, 'Bangaru! These are for Bangaru residing in the house opposite to yours'. While giving those packets to me on their return to Hyderabad, they narrated what Swami had told them giving me the packets of vibhuti. I was amazed at the abundant love and compassion shown by Swami in sending vibhuti prasadam with particular reference to me, even though I had not seen Him by that time. I totally surrendered to Bhagavan with it.

'This is also for you', those devotees told me handing over a Photograph of Bhagavan, which they brought for me from Puttaparthi. It was like the Photograph, though smaller in size, that was in their house at which I used to stare sitting in my verandah while I was not well.

In 1965-66, I was transferred to Visakhapatnam. My second son, Prasad went to bath in the sea in 1973 with some of his friends one day and was drowned. Later his body was recovered. It was a calamity hard to bear. My wife's sister took my wife who was crying uncontrollably to Jemshedpur with a hope that change of surroundings and environment would help her overcome grief. While she was there, she had a dream one night. Swami appeared in it. 'Come to Puttaparthi', Swami told my wife in the dream; 'your son is with me'. She telephoned and told me about it. So we went to Puttaparthi. That was my first visit. As we went near the Mandir, we had Darshan of Bhagavan who was standing in the balcony at 12 noon. He blessed us from there.

Before leaving for Puttaparthi, I called on the leading spiritual leader and President of Divine Light Society and World Teachers Trust, Mr. Ekkirala Krishnamacharyulu (referred to as E.K. by his devotees). 'Go to Puttaparthi', E.K. told me, 'Baba will talk to you'. He arranged to get me a letter from Mr. K.S. Dutt, the leading Industrialist and an old devotee of Swami for securing accommodation. I wanted to meet Mr. Kutumba Rao who was then in-charge of accommodation for getting accommodation for our stay at Prasanthi Nilayam. 'Who is Mr. Kutumba Rao? And, where can I find him?' I asked a person whom I chanced to meet. 'I am Kutumba Rao', he said, 'and what can I do for you?' He gave me accommodation and explained about the daily programme there.

Till I came to Puttaparthi, I used to smoke occasionally. As soon as I got down at the bus-stand I decided to give that up. That is the transformation the very environment of Puttaparthi brought about in me. It was just the first step.

After taking bath, I began to stroll around. I found some people working in the yard by the side of the Mandir. I went there. The Sarvadharma Sthupam - the replica of which is seen in Sri Sathya Sai Emblem - was then under construction. I, too, lent a hand in seva. As we were busy in the work, we saw Swami coming towards us out of a door opposite. At that time Poornachandra Auditorium was not there. There used to be some sort of a guesthouse. Swami used to reside on the first floor of the Mandir. On seeing Swami, I was overwhelmed by emotion and caught hold of His feet. 'His son was drowned in the sea', Swami told the people around me. 'Your son is with me', He told me and materialized vibhuti, which He gave me, 'don't worry.' By that time some ladies including my wife reached us. Swami by then got laddus and vibhuti packets brought there, and gave them to my wife and me. Later, we returned to Visakhapatnam.

Soon after my return to Visakhapatnam, I came to know that I was nominated as the Secretary of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi there. This good news was followed, after a few weeks, with the news of my transfer on promotion to Eluru. My promotion evoked mixed reaction in us. We did not recover completely from the shock of our son's accidental death, though our trip to Puttaparthi helped us to overcome the grief to a large extent. My elder son was working as apprentice in CALTEX at Visakhapatnam. So we were not ready for a shift. So I prayed to Bhagavan about our predicament. Even to try for my retention at Visakhapatnam was unthinkable as the post at Visakhapatnam was for only an 'engineering qualified' person while the one at Eluru was a non-engineering post. Then a miracle happened. The then Director of Industries proposed that the engineering post be shifted to Eluru and the non-engineering one be brought to Visakhapatnam. Actually, to do that the approval of Government was required. I do not know how it happened, but I was promoted and retained at Visakhapatnam. I thanked Swami in my mind for not effecting my shift at that most inconvenient juncture.

I think it was around 1977 that I was transferred to Hyderabad. When I was working at Hyderabad, I had chest pain one day. I underwent tests at the Cardiac Research Centre in Gandhi Hospital. I was advised to have the same tests repeated at another place also for a second opinion. Then my wife and I rushed to Prasanthi Nilayam. On the second day, Swami accosted me, 'when did you come?' He called us for an interview. 'Don't worry', Swami told me, 'it is just palpitation. I will take care of it'. He then removed the buttons of my shirt, placed His hand on my chest and rubbed. He materialized vibhuti for me as well as a ring with Shirdi Sai's Photograph on it. We returned to Hyderabad happily and the cardiac problem never bothered me again.

We visit Prasanthi Nilayam frequently. Whenever I come to Prasanthi Nilayam, Swami invariably talks to me, if not call us for interview.

Once I was called for an interview. Dr. B. Rama Raju, Professor of Telugu from Hyderabad was there with me. He took one foot of Swami into his lap and began to softly press it. I took the cue from him and began to press Bhagavan's other foot softly. From then onwards, whenever I was called for an interview, I used to take Bhagavan's foot into my lap and press it softly. My wife also used to do the same with the other foot.

In 1976-79, I told Swami in an interview about my intention to get my daughter Ms. Lakshmi married. I was considering marrying her off to my brother-in-law's son. 'I will do it', Bhagavan told me, 'and you need not bring anything'. He also okayed the alliance. We were happy. We waited expecting that Swami would arrange the marriage as He Himself volunteered. Months passed by but there was no indication from Swami. I told Mr. Janakiramaiah, the brother of Swami about it. He broached the subject with Swami. 'Let him go and perform the marriage' - this is what Swami told Mr. Janakiramaiah. 'But my advice is', Mr. Janakiramaiah told me, 'better wait'.

The same day, Swami moving in Darshan lines came to me, 'you have not given up your government temperament', Swami chided me. (That is to say that I was trying recommendation to get my work done.) 'Get a muhurtham fixed keeping the girl's angle in view and come to me.' So I got a muhurtham fixed which Swami okayed. Swami attended the marriage and blessed the couple. He materialized Mangalasutram and gave it to the bridegroom to tie it around the neck of the bride. He arranged for the stay of all of us, as well as for our boarding without allowing us to spend anything. He gave new clothes to the married couple, as well as to my wife and the mother of the groom. 'What have you arranged for the marriage feast?' He asked Mr. Kutumba Rao. When informed of the menu, He remarked, 'what! You are giving the marriage feast without paramannam?' Mr. Kutumba Rao saw to it that paramannam was also served to us. The marriage was performed in Pata Mandiram in the Divine presence of Bhagavan under His personal supervision. Swami gave flower garlands to the couple and asked them to exchange. He gave them Padanamaskar.

When I proposed to construct a house at Visakhapatnam, Swami personally blessed the plans. When the building was ready, I went to Him with new clothes for Swami. Bhagavan fixed the muhurtham and said, 'oh! You have named it 'Sri Sathya Sai Sadan! Well!' and added, 'go ahead, I, too, will attend'. The house warming ceremony was held in a fitting manner owing to His grace. I am sure He attended though we could not understand in which form He came. This was in 1990.

Once I had a desire to have Padukas of Swami in my pooja. In those days, Padukas were not as popular as they are now. I caught hold of one Mr. Kumar who was then in charge of security duties at the Mandir and could get the measurements of Bhagavan's Holy Feet. Then I got silver Padukas made through Pembarti artisans. We brought them in a velvet case to Prasanthi Nilayam and sat in Darshan lines. Swami came along and went by, but did not look at them. Next day I removed the velvet case and took the Padukas wrapped in a towel. Swami called us for interview. Then He said, 'get them!' I placed the Padukas before Him. He wore them and said, 'keep them in your house. I will be there hereafter'. They are there in our pooja receiving daily worship.

We once organized an exhibition of Vinayaka idols of 34 different modes in 23 different media. Out of them, I selected a few and brought them to Bhagavan. Bhagavan began to explain to those that were around, which of the idols was kept where and how the inaugural function went off well as if He was physically present on that day at the exhibition during its inaugural ceremony.

After retirement, my only avocation became activities of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi. Acting as the convener of Sri Sathya Sai High School, Visakhapatnam has kept me busy. Owing to His grace, this year the school completed two decades of fruitful service to the cause of Education with Human Values propounded by Bhagavan, with its old students raised to important and lucrative placements in India and abroad.'

-- Mr. G.K.P. Mukunda Rao.

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 15.01.2005.)