Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VII | Mr. N. Venkata Rao

Mr. N. Venkata Rao,
D1, Kanakalakshmi Apartments,
Road No. 6, Himayathnagar,
Hyderabad - 500 029.

E-mail: venkat_rao7@yahoo.co.in

      Mr. N. Venkata Rao (52), a Central Government Officer at Hyderabad, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I used to be a devotee of Bhagavan since late sixties. Once Swami came to Rajahmundry, may be prior to 1970, when I had His darshan for the first time.

In 1977-78, I went to Brindavan. It was when the Kalyanamantapam was inaugurated. Swami came to me. 'Bangaru' He said to me affectionately as if He had known me for long, 'are you fine?' I was in the first row. Even since, it has so happened that I am always in the first row for darshan owing to His grace. And, since then, there has been no looking back for me.

In 1977, Swami came to Prof. B. Rama Raju's house. We went there. He gave me vibhuti.

I got married in 1983. I used to keep pictures of many gods in my bed room. As my parents were not, then, devotees of Swami, I used to keep Swami's photograph in the almirah for my private darshan.

'Which of these' I asked my wife showing the pictures of gods, 'is your favourite God?'

She showed me the picture of Bhagavan. I was overwhelmed with joy because of her being a devotee of Bhagavan like me. Like in many other ways, in this also, we seemed to be made for each other.

In 1980, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam and had darshan of Bhagavan. I came again in 1983 and gave my wedding card. Swami took it and blessed. I had the good fortune of having taken padanamaskar many times. He blessed me with vibhuti prasad also three or four times.

In 1993, I participated in paduka utsavam with my wife, as a member. In His Divine discourse, Swami touched upon devotees breaking coconuts for the Lord and asked 'what will God do with the coconuts? Will He do chutney?' He then suggested 'with the same amount you can help the poor.'

The message went to our heart. We decided that we should do something on a sustained basis. In the beginning, I sent some blankets and bed sheets, first to Prasanthi Nilayam and then also to Brindavan.

I went to Brindavan after I completed my Ph.D thesis. I dedicated it to Swami. Swami blessed it. He materialised vibhuti and gave me.

I came to Prasanthi Nilayam in February 1996. Mr. Janaki Ramaiah, the brother of Swami, took me to Swami. 'I know him' Swami remarked, 'no need to introduce him to me.' Since then, owing to His grace, I have been permitted to sit in the verandah whenever I am at Prasanthi Nilayam for darshan of Bhagavan.

At the instance of Mr. Janaki Ramaiah, I could get an opportunity to do my little bit for the Bukkapatnam School in which Swami had studied once.

I made it a point to send some amount out of my income every month to Bhagavan by way of participating in His seva programmes. I used to send the DD by post every month.

In 2000, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam for darshan and gave the cover to Swami in person.

'Why do you send it by post?' Swami asked me, 'you can as well come here and give.' I took it as Lord's order of love, and have made it a point to come to Prasanthi Nilayam every month to submit in person my token contribution. This (July, 2006) is the 83rd month of my continuous visit to Prasanthi Nilayam / Brindavan for this purpose. Whenever I come, Swami blesses me with padanamaskar usually. He has been giving me that coveted opportunity even after He formally announced the discontinuance of that practice of giving padanamaskar. Whenever I think of visiting this place, everything moves on, as well-oiled machinery, right from the availability of the amount to getting reservation on the train and accommodation at Prasanthi Nilayam, as if some invisible hand was arranging all for me.

I came here for the 75th Birthday of Bhagavan. Narayanaseva inspired me much.

'Swami' I prayed to Bhagavan when I had the opportunity to talk to Him, 'I want to do service.'

'What will you do?' was His question.

'Let me send 100 bags of rice for use here' I replied. Swami agreed. He enabled me to send one lorry load of rice each in 2001, 2002 and in 2003. In 2004 and 2005 Bhagavan gave me the ware-withal to send two lorry-loads each. He has given me permission to send three lorry-loads of rice for the Birthday this year.

On December 19, 2005, I met with an accident. I was coming on scooter when some auto-rickshaw dashed against my scooter. Owing to the impact, I fell down. A bus was coming from behind and went over me. I cried 'Sai Ram'. Miraculously the tyre of the bus touched my neck but, instead of running over my neck, stopped there as if held by Divine Hand. All the on- lookers had written me off. Then one boy of four years came there from nowhere.

'What happened, uncle?' he asked, 'do you want water?'

He gave me water. After that I got up on my own. There was no injury except on my wrist. My wife came running there on hearing about the accident.

I went to a doctor for check-up. He said that I would have to get operated for the fracture in the wrist. He told me that he would tie it up with wire, etc.

I was grateful to Swami for saving my life. I was praying to Him. Next morning I went for surgery. The surgeon opened it and pressed the fractured bone. It was just set. No need for surgery.

'Such thing I have never seen' he remarked, 'it is a miracle.'

Yes, it was Swami's miracle. No problem at all, later.

In 2003, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam. We were scheduled to leave for the USA - my wife, my daughter and I. On June 15, Swami called me. He blessed me. 'How can we leave without Bhagavan for a foreign country?' I said.

'Why?' observed Swami, 'I will be with you (venta, janta)'.

'When are you going?' He asked.

'On June 29, Swami' I said 'I want to take my wife and daughter.'

'Take them by all means' Swami said.

My wife had no visa for travel, but everything went on well. All necessary papers could be procured in time. We started on June 29 as planned. It was His grace.

Right from the start of our journey Swami was demonstrating to us His presence with us in an incredible manner. When we were looking for a porter, our luggage was brought by Swami. We could see His Divine Form and listen to His Divine Voice saying 'here is your luggage.' Next second, He was not there. This happened throughout.

On our return trip to India, we missed our flight. If we missed it, we would miss the connecting flight in Paris. This was on July 30, 2003. We began to pray. Even without any effort on our part, an airport official came to us and arranged to send us in another flight on the same ticket and ensured that we caught the connecting flight in Paris.

We are strict vegetarians. That flight had no facility to supply vegetarian food. The Air Hostess brought us lot of fruits, biscuits, etc and we did not feel lack of meals.

Once, in 2004, we went to the USA and returned. We had a bag in which we kept our Passports, FDRs and other valuable documents. By oversight, some servant threw it in the dustbin. We realised its loss after two days. When we got the dustbin in the street searched, the bag was not there. The garbage was sent to the dumping ground. Before going there, I typed a message to Swami. Just when it was completed, there was power failure. We rushed with it to the fax counter. There was no power supply. We thought that it was a bad omen that we could not send it.

Next morning we sent the fax at 7:30 and then rushed to the dumping ground. There were four large heaps. The workers began to search for the bag. It was all filth. We felt sick even to look at that. How they were searching standing thereon, God only knows! Three heaps were over. I grew desperate. 'Sir, you go home' my Assistant told me, 'you can't stand here. I will be here.' I came home and sat before Swami's photograph praying intensely. Just then the phone rang. 'Sir!' my Assistant was on the line. I braced myself to receive the bad news.

'Our bag is located in the fourth heap. Everything in it is intact. Moreover, no damage to any document!'

I thanked Swami. In those poor workers who had dug into the filth with bare hands, I saw Bhagavan who came to help us. So next day I treated all the thirty of them for lunch as my honoured guests and presented new clothes to them.'

-- Mr. N. Venkata Rao

    (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 12.07.2006)