Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Mr. N. Swami Sastry

Mr. N. Swami Sastry,
W1-B2, Prasanthi Nilayam - 515134

Mr. Swami Sastry (73), Telugu Lecturer in the SSSIHL, Prasanthi Nilayam, relates some of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I was working as a Telugu Pandit in Nellore. One day some devotees of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba came to me and said, 'would you help us by taking Balvikas classes?' I gladly agreed. That was how my link with Bhagavan began. For teaching Balvikas children, I had to read about the life and message of Bhagavan.

When I retired, my colleagues in the Accounts Department in the High School were non-cooperative to process the file relating to my terminal benefits. Many people advised me to go and request them to expedite matters. But I did not do so, as I left everything to Bhagavan. Strangely, they themselves came round and processed my file, which they had neglected that far. Miraculously I received all my terminal benefits within fifteen days owing to the grace of Bhagavan.

I attended at Prasanthi Nilayam the 60th Birthday celebrations of Bhagavan as a delegate, and also participated in seva. Lakhs and lakhs of devotees turned up for the function; many of them had to be accommodated in big circus tents. On the night of November 22, I was standing along with others in the open. I was wearing ordinary hawai type chappals. I felt something at my feet. When I looked at my chappals, I found a black scorpion of large size (Mandragabba). Usually it is notorious for its highly poisonous and painful sting. It was a surprise that it did not sting even though I treaded on it. I was very frightened to see it, but it somehow crawled out of sight within a few seconds without harming anybody in the crowd.

Later that night a black cobra was also found at the place where several ladies including my wife were sleeping. But it did not do any harm to anyone and disappeared. I took a torch and began to search for such creatures when I found another black scorpion. I killed it, but, later, felt remorse for doing so.

On November 23, in His Divine Discourse, Swami referred to thousands of devotees lodged amidst bushes near the forest covered hill side on unpaved floors in tents and asked, 'has there been a single case of any one being bitten even by an ant?' Then I understood why the scorpion had left me alone even though I had offended it by trampling on it. Even the black cobra known for its ferocity and deadly poison went on its own way without harming anyone of the throngs around it.

On Swami's Birthday, clouds formed heavily. It began to drizzle also. We were silently praying to Swami to ward off rain, as it would inconvenience all the people that gathered for His Birthday. Students and staff were near Swami. Swami looked at the sky and waved His hand. The drizzle stopped at once. Clouds dispersed to the relief of all.

After my retirement in 1989, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam for Gurupoornima. On July 26, Swami was coming along Darshan lines. When He paused near me, I requested, 'please grant me seva here. I am a retired Telugu Pandit'. 'Join the Junior College tomorrow' Swami said, 'you meet the Principal'. He pointed to Mr. Hub, the Principal who was sitting nearby. I went and met him.

'Sir!' I told Mr. Hub, 'so far I lived selling education. Now I want to turn a new leaf. It is enough if you give me accommodation. I don't need any salary'. He was visibly surprised and also pleased.

On July 27, Swami came to me in Darshan lines, blessed me and said, 'report today'. I wanted to take padanamaskar, but before I could think of it Swami moved. However, He paused at the next person as if to afford me an opportunity to take padanamaskar. At once I took padanamaskar.

It was in 1990-91. All sat in the open ground before the Mandir for Darshan. I was in the verandah. Swami came out and entered the ladies wing when rain started. He moved on, at His normal pace, along by Dasavatara gate, walked through the gents' side and came to my side. In that short duration, there was such a heavy rain that water began flowing on the open ground. When Swami was passing by me, I was amazed to note that not even a single drop had fallen on His gown or hair though His feet were wet as if some one had washed them just then.

Once in 1991-92, I was in Darshan lines in the evening. As Swami was moving through Darshan lines, I saw His hair turning into complete white. It was so for a few seconds. After that it came back to its normal dark hue.

One year - may be it was 1993 - no celebration was held far Dasara at Prasanthi Nilayam. Swami came and sat in His simhasanam when bhajan commenced. I was looking at Swami only. Then suddenly I saw Him wearing a nose stud. His face turned very delicate and looked like a lady's face. It was Maharnavami Day. I used to recite Lalita Sahasranamas since my childhood. Once I did with the permission of Swami Sata Chandi parayanam with purnahuti at Nellore. Swami might have given me Darshan as Devi that day as if to tell me that He had known about my Sri Vidya background.

In those days Swami used to call students appearing for public examinations such as classes X, XII, etc. In 1992, I happened to be with them. Swami was explaining secrets of Ramayana, and students were listening with rapture. Then small drops of dew began forming on the walls. The walls of the room were built with rocks quarried from the hill. There was no scope of water leaking through them. How did the water drops form on walls? Students said, 'Swami! Water is coming out of walls'. 'Yes!' Swami replied, 'even stones melt listening to what I am now telling you'.

I could not bring my family for sometime even after joining Swami's service at Prasanthi Nilayam. My wife was in Nellore. One day the children of Mr. Sarma, residing in the house opposite to my house in Nellore, saw Swami moving in my house, as if He was protecting my family.

In 1995, summer classes were held at Brindavan. I had to go to Brindavan from Nellore. I went to the Bus-stand to find out bus convenience to go there and was returning on a cycle. Then an auto hit me and dragged me to some distance of about ten meters. Passersby thought that I must have sustained serious injuries. By Swami's grace, I was unhurt. When I finally reached Brindavan, Swami, coming in Darshan lines, stood near me, and stared at me for a few minutes.

Once, in summer, I went to Brindavan. Swami was talking in Trayi with some teachers and students. I was there. 'It's very warm and sweaty', Swami was telling Mr. Anil Kumar, puling His gown a little as if to allow some air to touch his chest. Then He waved His hand a little. Immediately a fine, cool breeze came. It was very refreshing. 'Ah!' Said Swami, 'it (weather) should be like this!'

Once, during a summer course, Swami materialized a mini hamsa (swan). 'This is the miniature figure of the Hamsa which acted as the mediator between the king Nala and his fiancée, Damayanti', Swami explained and said, 'see!' When we looked at it closely, we found that Swami was seen in that mini creature-thing reclining happily. We all saw it.

In another summer course, Swami materialized an atma-lingam. He borrowed a paper from a student and put the lingam in it. He made a small pellet. He gave it to the V.C. After going to His car at the end of the session, Swami asked the V.C., 'where is the lingam I gave you?' The V.C. took out the packet and unfolded it. There was nothing. The V.C. was shocked. He wanted to run back and see if the lingam had slipped out of the packet and fallen down somewhere. 'No need', Swami stopped him, 'It has gone back to where it belongs'.

In 1997, I was not well. My wife went to Darshan with a letter about my ill health. When Swami was coming, some girls offered a bouquet to Swami. Usually, Swami does not take any. On that day, He took the bouquet and carried it till he came near my wife. Before she could give Him the letter, Swami threw the flower bouquet on to my wife.

My disease grew worse and was diagnosed as jaundice. I was admitted in the SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram. Despite treatment for 15 days including giving saline, my condition began to deteriorate. My daughter gave a letter to Swami about my ill health. Swami gave vibhuti materialized by Him and told her that I should take rest.

My daughter had a Photograph of Swami, which was blessed by Bhagavan when she was a student in Swami's college at Anantapur. She brought it to the Hospital and put it in a window on the side of my head, close to my bed. One day she cleaned the Photograph as she used to do daily, and lit an incense stick there after her morning bath. I went to the bathroom and looked at the Photograph of Bhagavan while returning after bath. To my amazement, I found a thick layer of vibhuti on the forehead of Swami. On seeing it, I was overwhelmed by emotion. Tears began to roll down my cheeks. 'Swami! You gave prasadam', I prayed to Bhagavan in anguish, 'but not in the way I can take it. 'How can I take it when it is in the Photograph?'

I wanted to take a book to read. There was a tablet like thing on that book. I took it to see what it was. It was vibhuti in the shape of a tablet. I swallowed it at once. Swami gave vibhuti in the form in which I could take in response to my prayer instantaneously. By Swami's grace, I turned the corner. My health began to improve miraculously. Many doctors and staff of the hospital used to come and see the vibhuti on the forehead of Swami in the Photograph. They took photographs also.

Swami's miracles are countless. Once I sat opposite Swami during Darshan at Prasanthi Nilayam. It may be in around 1999. They put a table before Bhagavan on which they arranged some jaji flowers in a circle. Swami casually picked one and put it in His mouth. 'What! Swami is behaving like a kid!' I was thinking. Then Swami took the glass with water, which was on the table, and sipped a little and placed the glass back on the table. After a few minutes, He smoothly touched his neck with His hand, and picked the same jaji flower, which He had put earlier in His mouth and quietly replaced it in its place!'

-- Mr. N. Swami Sastry

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 25.11.2004.)