Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group I | Mr. Kalyan Ram Gunturi

Mr. Kalyan Ram Gunturi
10239 Lawler Road
Dallas, Texas 75243, USA
Tel: 972 234 2265
E-mail: sairam@juno.com

Mr. Kalyan Ram Gunturi (57), a businessman staying in the USA since 1983, relates his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'Owing to the grace of Bhagavan, I, along with some others, was instrumental to establish Sri Sathya Sai Centre in Dallas in 1984. Earlier, we had been devotees of Shirdi Sai. As we believed that there is no difference between Shirdi Sai and Parthi Sai, we have begun to worship Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai. My wife, Mrs. Vijaya, a Balavikas guru, is presently the regional coordinator for Education, Texas. Both my daughters graduated from Balavikas.

In 2000, I started a Vitamin Store in Dallas renting a shop in a commercial complex. The business was good for two years. After the terrorist attack on September 11 on the World Trade Centre building, my business started collapsing. So I decided to close it down. But the lease for two more years was still there. It would mean paying the lessor $ 45000 if I were to close the shop two years ahead of the lease. I was unable to pay that, and yet I had to close it down owing to loss.

I prayed to Bhagavan and also started reciting Dattatreya Mantra. One day I went to meet the Chief Executive Officer of the Company that had leased the shop to me and discussed about the lease situation. I explained my position.

'I agree with you', the CEO told me, 'tell me how much will you pay?'

'I cannot pay anything', I replied, 'that is the truth'.

'To relieve you from the obligation', the CEO said, 'I must show that you made some payment. Pay us three months rent'.

In monetary terms, it meant paying around $ 5000.

'I cannot', I told him frankly, 'the balance in the Bank is only $ 1300. I have to meet small obligations up to $ 500. So I will be left with a balance of $ 800. Please take it and relieve me.'

When I went to meet the CEO, I took a Photograph of Bhagavan with me. I put it before me and did the talking with the CEO looking frequently at it.

Surprisingly, the CEO accepted my proposal and wanted me to pay $ 800. Where is $ 45000, and where is $ 800? If he accepted it, it was all owing to Bhagavan's grace only.

Though I was relieved of the obligation orally by the CEO in our gentleman's understanding, my name was still there as a lessee. 'Unless some one leases that shop, your name will continue to be on the records', they told me. I was praying to Bhagavan to ensure relief on technical grounds also. As many as 15 shops were vacant at that time in that complex. So the chances of my shop being leased out were totally bleak. I prayed to Bhagavan about it. Surprisingly again, my shop was the first among the vacant shops to be leased out. I was relieved of the obligation technically also.

My wife was in-charge of a drama troupe of Balavikas members that came to Brindavan in June 2003 to put on boards a play 'Unity of Faiths'. After arriving at Brindavan with 55 children, they were told that Bhagavan was not giving Darshan for three weeks as He had sustained a fracture in a fall. In such a situation, when and how could they stage the play in the Divine Presence of Bhagavan? They all began to pray intensely.

Miraculously, Bhagavan allowed them to stage the play on June 26, 2003 and watched it for 55 minutes! He was, we were told later, appreciative of the play, particularly the devotion of the group. All the members of the troupe left happily for the USA. I stayed behind and attended the Gurupurnima function when Swami asked Mr. Narasimha Murthy to address the gathering. It was heartening for me to listen to Mr. Murthy make a reference to the play 'Unity of Faiths' staged by the Balavikas children from Dallas and pay tributes to the devotion of the group.'

-- Mr. Kalyan Ram Gunturi

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 18.07.2004.)