Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VII | Mr. Harshed K. Naik

Mr. Harshed K. Naik,
B-101, Abhilasha Apartments,
(Behind Doctor's House),
Halar Road, Valsad - 396 001,
Gujarath.

Tel: 02632-254990     Mobile: 98790 60540

      Mr. Harshed K. Naik (60), a retired High School Teacher, now serving as the District President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, Valsad, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'We came to Prasanthi Nilayam in 1979-80 for the first time. Swami was not there. So we went to Brindavan, Whitefield, Bangalore. There I had darshan of Bhagavan for the first time. I offered a letter but He did not take it.

'If Bhagavan does not take my letter today' I told my wife the next day, 'I will tear it off.' Swami came for darshan late that day. We had to leave that moment. When I was thinking of just leaving, Swami came to give darshan. He came to me and took my letter. When we rushed to the railway station after darshan, we learnt that our train was delayed for departure that day. We could catch it comfortably owing to His grance. At that time we had no children. So I wrote about it to Bhagavan in my letter. After our return, my wife was in the family way and we were blessed with a daughter owing to Swami's grace. We named her Khyathi.

We had no bhajan mandir of Bhagavan at our place at that time. Our area is not rich and many of our members in Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization are not rich. Even though we had no money, we decided to build a mandir to serve as the centre for bhajan and seva activities. We took some site and made ambitious plans for the mandir. We started construction.

Our State President, Mr. Manohar Trikkannad was going to Prasanthi Nilayam for Mahasivarathri. 'Give me a photograph of the mandir under construction' he told us, 'I will try to get it blessed by Swami'. He took it. But the crowd was huge. There appeared no chance to show the photograph to Swami. He was holding it in his hand. Suddenly, he found Swami coming to him. He held the photograph up. Swami placed His right hand on it and blessed. After that the construction work proceeded without any hitch. We don't know how the money came. The building, as we planned it, was completed well on time and was opened on April 9, 2006.

Before the inauguration, I went to Prasanthi Nilayam for Diwali in 2005. No date was fixed then for inauguration as the building was incomplete. I wrote a one-line letter to Swami 'Pray attend inauguration of our Vulsad mandir'. Swami took it. So I was happy that Swami would come. On the day of inauguration, there was a sudden gush of wind. One of Swami's photographs placed on the dais fell down. As we were setting it right, there was fine fragrance which everybody felt. One of our members came running to me saying excitedly 'vibhuti is coming on the photograph of Swami kept in the hall of the new mandir.' We all ran there. Then we realised the cause for the fragrance - Swami's presence. He confirmed it with vibhuti.

The new mandir has become a beehive of seva activities. Whenever we planned a programme like medical camp or narayanaseva or distribution of books to poor students, etc we started with no money. But miraculously all our programmes used to meet with success more than our anticipation by His grace. This has been our experience in almost all our programmes.

Emboldened by this, we planned to build a big complex named Sri Sathya Sai Human Values Research Centre with many wings such as vocational training centre, free dispensary for accident cases with an ambulance, auditorium, etc. One day one member of the management of a local high school came to us. 'I will give site for the centre' he said, 'pay me just one Rupee as a token'. We were happy. We got plans drawn up and took them to Prasanthi Nilayam. Swami blessed them.

In 2001, we were performing the marriage of our daughter Ms. Khyathi. The marriage date was May 18. On May 17, I was supposed to go to the in-laws' place, welcome them to our house and bring them with band and music as the custom demanded. As I was about to start, an aged person of about 65 years came to me.

'Pray, tell me how to go to Puttaparthi' he asked me, 'I am coming from Bhavnagar'. Bhavnagar is quite for off. Why he came to Vulsad only to enquire the route to Puttaparthi? I had no time to dwell on this. So I gave him a brochure we brought out for the information of our members giving the details about the route to Puttaparthi. 'My daughter's marriage is fixed tomorrow' I told him, 'I am going to her in-laws' place. But you please stay on, take lunch and then only leave'. I left. Later, I was told that when lunch was served, he requested the people to bear with him for a few minutes and recited Brahmarpanam mantra as is done in Prasanthi Nilayam, and then only allowed them to eat. I thought that it is Bhagavan who came to bless us in that form.

Before the new mandir complex was built, we were doing bhajans in the houses of our members by turns. One day the bhajan was taking place in the house of an old devotee. Vibhuti emanated from the photographs of both Shirdi Sai and Parthi Sai placed there, to the delight and excitement of all present. It was in April 2006 on a Thursday.

We witnessed many such miracles by the grace of Bhagavan.'

-- Mr. Harshed K. Naik

    (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 21.06.2006)