Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VII | Mr. Parimal K. Vyas

Mr. Parimal K. Vyas,
G 11-12, Vighneswara Estate,
Near Gandhi Smrithi Bhavan,
Nampura, Timliawad,
Surat, Gujarath.

Mobile: 093273-38379

      Mr. Parimal K. Vyas (51), a Chartered Civil Engineer, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'My father, Mr. Kannialal M. Vyas (81) was a devotee of Shirdi Sai originally and later became a devotee of Bhagavan.

I was a student of engineering in the Regional Engineering College, Surat in 1974 when I attended an entrance exam for summer classes conducted by Bhagavan at Brindavan, Bangalore. I was selected. But there was no way of going to Bangalore as railway strike was going on. We had to report within three days. We went to the bus station. The bus station manager expressed his inability to help as all buses were overcrowded. A bus was about to leave for Bangalore. I was praying to the Lord. Then a person got down from the bus. 'I have two tickets for Bangalore' he said, 'I am dropping out. Do you want to go in my place?' That is how Swami brought us to Brindavan on time. We were three boys selected from our place. Swami's grace saw to it that all three of us reached Brindavan safely before the due date.

My mother was suffering from asthma. She wrote a letter to Bhagavan and asked me to give it to Swami. I kept the letter with me. In those days there was no Sai Ramesh Hall at Brindavan. In its place there was a big peepal tree with an idol of Lord Krishna under it. Swami used to give darshan there. A temporary thatched shed was erected for summer course. Swami used to walk along lines even during lectures and notice if we were attentive and taking notes or not.

On the very first day, He walked to me and asked with a smile 'reached safely?'

I said 'yes, Swami!'

I had my mother's letter in my pocket, but forgot to take it out and give it to Swami. Swami took it from my pocket.

'Oh, letter?' He remarked. He did not open it. He put it back in my pocket and said 'When you go back to your place at the end of the course, I will give prasadam for your mother. She will be all right'. I was surprised. I did not tell Him about my mother. He did not read the letter. Yet He answered it.

During the summer course Swami showed us many miracles. Someone in our college at Surat had commented that Swami would hide gold rings, chains and lockets in His shirt sleeves and produce them by the sleight of hand. To remove that suspicion, Swami always rolled back His shirt sleeves above His ankle before materialising anything. He gave chains and rings to some of the students.

'He has been giving them too many', I reflected one day 'but He had not given me any'.

That day I noticed something on my way. I picked it up. It was a plastic locket. If anyone found anything, He should hand it over in the office. That is the rule. Mr. Shyamprakash, the State Convener of Himachal Pradesh, was in our room. I asked him what to do. 'Keep it in your hand when Swami comes' he said, 'if Swami blesses it, it is yours. If not, hand it over in the office.' I kept it in my hand when Swami was walking along the lines. He came to me, put His hand on mine and blessed the locket. Thus He blessed me with His Divine touch. I kept the locket with me. Swami gave the locket to me in a different way though not by materialising it.

During the course, Swami picked a few of us to learn Veda. I was one of them. On June 19, a test was conducted. Those who passed the test were to be included in the team of Veda reciting students that would lead the procession to bring Bhagavan to the dais for the valedictory. Luckily I was one among the seven picked for the event.

On the last day, Swami told me 'don't leave Gayathri and Veda you have learnt here.' He had given us all vibhuti prasadam, photographs of Swami, new clothes and a pen-set before we left. 'He forgot to give prasadam for my mother' I was thinking as He moved along the lines after giving me prasadam 'should I remind Him, but how?' Swami who had gone to the last row returned to me and put a bundle of vibhuti packets in my hands and said 'for your mother'.

The summer camp was a great experience. Many of us had never before woken up that early. Nor had we washed our clothes earlier ourselves. We learnt self-help there. I wrote all exams for my engineering degree with the pen-set presented by Swami.

One of the devotees got a whole set of furniture made for Swami and wanted to present it to Bhagavan. She consulted me as I underwent summer course. She was a rich lady. 'Bhagavan gives but never takes' I told her, 'we have been taught this in summer course.'

'Let us go to Prasanthi Nilayam and ask Swami' she insisted. Another lady donated site for Sri Sathya Sai mandir. She also came with us. We reached Prasanthi Nilayam in the third week of September, 1985. Mr. Kutumba Rao was the Secretary.

'Can we meet Swami and offer the furniture set?' the lady enquired Mr. Kutumba Rao.

'No' he replied.

Whatever we asked, he was saying only 'no.'

'Sir, you told us what you can't do for us' I said in exasperation, 'can you tell us what you can do?'

'I can give you slips to seat you for one darshan' he replied, 'you can come before the token lines are allowed to get in, and sit wherever you want.'

We took the slips. I sat in the corner where Swami would come towards gents from the ladies' side. Swami came to give darshan. He moved along the ladies' side and then walked towards me. He stood right in front of me.

'Swami' I said after taking padanamaskar, holding the photo-album of the furniture set.

'I know' he remarked and did not allow me to show the album or represent the case. He went forward a few paces and came back. 'I will call you' He said and left.

He called me for interview. 'Why did you trouble the old lady?' He chided me, 'what did I tell you in the summer course? Swami gives, but does not take'. Then He allowed me to call the ladies.

We were there for six days. Swami called me for interview daily during the six days. He was kind to accept the gift.

'Where is the set?' He asked,

'In Surat' we replied, 'we will get it by a van.' He allowed us to make a lightning call from His phone. It was to arrive on the next Wednesday, but did not.

'The driver missed the route' Swami told us, 'He came back to the right track. He is coming.'

Swami materialized a ring for the lady who presented the furniture.

'Where is it?' He asked me.

I could not follow. Then it struck me. He asked for the plastic locket He had blessed at Brindavan.

'I kept it in the locker in my house, Swami!' I replied. He materialised a locket - this time of metal, and gave me.

'Don't compare this with those you find outside for sale at Re. 1 or so' He told me, 'this was materialised by Divine Will. It is raksha for you'.

We returned to our rooms.

'I am past 65' the lady lamented, 'He gave me a ring. How can I wear it at this age? Had He given me a japamaala, it would have been better'.

Next day Swami threw a japamaala of 108 beads at her and said, 'take it.'

'I asked you 'what do you want?' You did not reply. So I gave you the ring. Take this also' He added after throwing the maala.

I was wondering what to do with the locket He had given me. 'Should I get a silver or gold chain to put it? Or, wear it with a thread? He could have materialised a chain also as well and put it around my neck Himseslf.'

I was sitting that day in the 21st or the 22nd line.

He called me.

One or two people stood up to go.

'Not you' Swami told them, 'you' He waved to me.

I went into the interview room.

'Where is it?' He asked.

I gave the locket.

He materialised a chain. The locket was fixed in that chain. 'You want this?' He asked and put it around my neck. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I did not weep even when my mother died. I wept then in ecstasy.

Then He asked me 'happy?'

Swami sat on the chair presented by the lady. When? On His 60th Birthday! On the dais, before lakhs of people! By that time, He had had many expensive silver panelled simhasanas. But He sat on this chair as a token of His recognition of the aged lady's love and devotion for Him.

Swami told us in the interview: 'This is slow spiritual exercise, transformation coming gradually'.

I attended the 70th Birthday of Bhagavan at Prasanthi Nilayam. On November 11, 1995 He called me for interview. On November 24, He called me for interview again along with my uncle. Mr. Ramanlal Singapuri was also there. He was blind. Swami blessed him. When he returned to his room and washing his face at the wash basin, Mr. Singapuri felt excited. 'I am able to see' he cried in joy, 'Swami gave me sight'.

In 1996, Swami called me and my wife for interview. There were others, too. He opened His hand. It was empty. He did not wave it in the usual fashion. He kept it open. Next second there were two golden bangles. 'Who are the lucky ones to get them?' we were thinking.

'Dr. Agarwal' Swami called.

'Today is your 25th wedding anniversary' Swami told him, 'put the bangles on your wife's hand.'

The doctor was stunned. He himself forgot about it.

Swami then materialised a mangalasutra.

'Tie it on her before us' Swami told him.

Then He produced a ring. He gave it to Mrs. Agarwal.

'Put it on your husband's finger' He said.

My wife used to tell me often that I was wasting time going round Swami. I asked her to closely watch. She was stunned to see the miracles.

Then Swami called us for personal interview.

He told her how we would quarrel in the bedroom. He repeated verbatim how she had chided me for going round Swami. My wife was stunned.

'He is God' she told me later, 'there is nothing He does not know'.

In 1997, I came for seva. I was posted at the room of Mr. Chirinjivi Rao. It was an unenviable job. I prayed to Swami. I had no problem with Mr. Rao owing to the grace of Swami.

On the first day Mr. Rao called me.

'Why are you sitting here?' he asked.

'I am posted here, sir' I replied.

'I know' he said, 'but all the time I will be in the mandir with Swami. What will you do here? The room will be locked.'

'Even so' I replied, 'I have to be at the place of my duty'.

'I am permitting you' he said, 'don't waste time here. Go and have darshan.'

Usually those on seva do not have chance to attend darshan. I went for darshan.

'How did you come?' others asked me. 'Why did you leave the place of duty? Besides, you are with Mr. Chiranjivi Rao, you know!'

'It is Mr. Rao that has permitted me to attend darshan' I replied, 'it is the grace of Swami.'

I was called for interview by Swami. I went to the verandah.

'Why did you come here?' Mr. Rao asked me.

'Swami called me for interview, sir' I replied.

'Oh!' he said and kept quiet.

Swami gave me in all eleven interviews. During interviews, Swami used to speak in different languages. He spoke to me in English, Hindi as well as Gujarathi.

My father came with me for seva. When Swami came along darshan line, I prayed to Him to give interview to my father.

'How many?' He asked.

'Two, Swami' I replied.

'Go' He said.

He asked my father about His health.

'Your son is doing good job' Swami told my father.

When you hear a good word about you from elders, you feel happy whether you really deserve it or not. If the testimonial comes from God in person……..'

-- Mr. Parimal K. Vyas

    (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 22.06.2006)