Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group III | Mr. M.S. Sukhadevaiah

Mr. M.S. Sukhadevaiah
18 / 15, Mannappa Lane
Old washerman peta, Chennai – 600 021
Tel: 044-2596 1065

Mr. M.S. Sukhadevaiah (59), who retired as Assistant Divisional Engineer, High Ways, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

‘My wife, Mrs. Iswari has been a staunch devotee of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the last 20 years or more. My two daughters and son were Balvikas students. But, somehow, I had not developed much interest in Swami.

In 1986, Swami came to Chennai. I went there just to see Him. That is the first time I saw Him. Then He called my daughter, Subhashini and asked her to give harati at the end of the programme.

At that time, I was a chain smoker. I took non-vegetarian food daily. Besides, I used to take alcoholic drinks. On the pressure of my family members and some friends we went to Prasanthi Nilayam for Gurupoornima in 1991. We were coming by bus. At Kadiri, I lit a cigarette. Suddenly, I felt an urge to give up smoking. That was my last cigarette. I gave up non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks also that very moment. I did not touch them again. My family members considered it a great Sai miracle to bring about such transformation in me.

Earlier, in 1984, I had heart attack. Doctors advised me to give up smoking. But I could not. Swami brought about that transformation in me even before I reached His abode.

My daughter Subhashini studied B.Sc. (Zoology) during 1994-97 at Swami’s college, Anantapur. After completing her degree, she applied for a seat in M.Sc. (Microbiology). There were only 12 seats in the entire State of Tamilnadu. She got O grade. But the university insisted on getting the Marks Memo. So we applied for Marks Memo to Sri Sathya Sai Women’s Degree College, Anantapur where she studied B.Sc. They said, ‘we don’t give marks but only the grade’. I told them that my daughter’s case might not be considered unless we produce marks. Then they said, ‘why do you worry? She is Swami’s student. Swami will take care of her interests.’ I returned and met Prof. Thyagarajan and represented that the college was not issuing marks and that her application should be considered only on the basis of her grade.

The Professor valued the grade at the minimum of 84%. Miraculously, she got a seat under BC quota even though her merit was underrated. She is now happily married, and also blessed with children.

My elder daughter, Madhumati is a Balvikas guru. She is living happily with her husband and children owing to His grace.

My son, Gopikrishna was an average student up to his class X. He wrote the entrance exam for +2 course in the Higher Secondary School at Prasanthi Nilayam. The admissions were given up to 185 marks whereas he got only 184.5. We waited for a month. One day I taunted him, ‘you always say ‘Swami, Swami’. See, Swami did not get you a seat in +2 even’. My son said, ‘you must wait and see, Swami will definitely give me a seat’. He was so confident. But I was not. After a few weeks, he was sent an admission card. My son who was an average student came out of the college as a gold medallist. The Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant people downgraded one post of SE to that of AEE only to accommodate him, as a Scientific Officer there. Thus he owes all that he has today to Bhagavan.

In 1992, I went to our brother’s house in our native place Arani – 40 km from Chennai, with my wife to attend a function. It was 8 p.m. by the time the function was over. My father said, ‘why travel at this late hour? You can go in the morning’. But I brushed his advice off saying ‘we are used to it’. I started on my motorbike with my wife. We came about 20 km when I failed to notice a bullock cart parked by the side of the road and dashed against it. I fell in the middle of the road and my wife to a side. I was unconscious while she was conscious. Though it is a heavy-traffic road, luckily at that time no vehicle came that way, as I lay unconscious in the middle of the road. My wife was trying to stop any vehicle if it chanced to come that way.

One van came. The driver stopped it and asked her, ‘what happened?’ I was unconscious. She was alone. I had about Rs. 10,000 cash with me. She had jewellery. If the van driver and his colleagues had any other ideas we would have had a worse time. But the driver came to me and tried to pull me up and make me stand. I could regain my consciousness, and went to my motorbike. I started it. It started. Just when I was thinking that we had a miraculous escape, I had pain in my shoulder. I realized that I had a fracture of my collarbone.

Meanwhile the van went on its way. We were going to Chennai while the van was coming from Chennai. We tried to stop some vehicles, which came that side. My wife was chanting Sai Ram incessantly from the time of the accident. Then a lorry came. It did not stop but proceeded a few yards and then stopped. He was an Andhra driver. I could speak Telugu. I explained my position. He seated us in the cabin and loaded the motorbike on the lorry. He brought us safely to our house. I thanked him and took his address.

I had to take treatment for my collarbone fracture. Then one day after I recovered well, I went to the address given by him. It was in Red Hills area. When I went to that area and enquired, there was nobody of that description. I surmised that Bhagavan had come in the guise of a lorry driver to reach us safely to our house.’

-- Mr. M. S. Sukhadevaiah

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 07.05.2005)