Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VI | Mr. P. Venkata Rao

Mr. P. Venkata Rao,
12 - 667 / 2, Near Seven Hills High School,
Mancherial - 504 208,
Adilabad District

Tel: 08736-252682

      Mr. P. Venkata Rao (41), a Tax Consultant and a senior functionary of the Adilabad District Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I heard about Swami in 1977-78 from my teachers in my native village, Baipalli of Srikakulam district.

We shifted to Karimnagar in 1987, where I came in touch with Sri Sathya Sai devotees. In 1989, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam for the first time. I was fortunate to get padanamaskar. I prayed to Swami to settle me in life. After my return from Prasanthi Nilayam, Mr. G. Rangachari, our guru in taxation matters, advised me to open a branch in Mancherial. I did so in his name. Thus I settled in life owing to the grace of Bhagavan.

In January, 1996, we all came to Prasanthi Nilayam by a special train from Bellampalli but Swami was at Brindavan. We contacted Mr. K.R.Paramahamsa, officer on Special Duty in Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust at that time, who was kind enough to arrange the special train to take us further to Bangalore and from there to Whitefield. We took bath in the train and left our luggage in the train and went for darshan. We were nearly 1200 people that went by the train and another 600 by buses. Swami gave darshan to all of us, materialized vibhuti and even rings for a few of us. He gave us padanamaskar. We were lucky to have listened to His Divine discourse also. One of those sitting by my side had given me a photograph of Swami. Swami going along darshan line came to me and blessed the photograph. While on the day of our arrival at Prasanthi Nilayam, we had resigned ourselves to staying there and returning to our place as Bhagavan was away, we had the good fortune of proceeding to Brindavan, Whitefield in a much unexpected way and having darshan of Bhagavan.

In 1997, I attended the World Youth Conference at Prasanthi Nilayam. We were 11,000 delegates. I was always getting the back seat. I prayed to swami, 'I am not able to see you from near. Bless me with good darshan'. Then someone came and asked me 'don't sit here, get up'. I got up. He took me directly to the front and made me sit there. I don't know who he was and why he took me to the front, but I had good darshan from close quarters.

'All of you assume' Swami said during His discourse 'that I have given you padanamaskar'. After discourse, Swami walked along the line in which I sat. Then I took padanamaskar.

In January, 2000, we went to Siripur for gramaseva. We took some photographs. When developed, we saw rays emanating from the hands of Swami in the photograph placed on the dais.

In December 2002, we went for Gramaseva to Kunchavalli. Our van failed and we were stranded in the forest area around midnight. It is not a road where many vehicles ply. As we decided to walk nearly 15 kms to Kunchavalli to reach the place on time, an empty lorry came there. The lorry driver took all of us to Kunchavalli. We thought that it is Swami who came to us with an empty lorry.

On some occasions, we noticed vibhuti and amrit coming out of Swami's photographs during bhajan or gramaseva.'

-- Mr. P. Venkata Rao

   (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 27.02.2006)