sFeatures | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group I | Mr. R.D.Sharma

Mr. R.D.Sharma
H.126, Shastry Nagar
Meerut - 250 004
Uttar Pradesh
Tel: 0121-2767695

Mr. R.D.Sharma (67) who retired as Asst. Controller of Defense Accounts has had many experiences of which he relates a few in his own words.

'I read in an English Weekly about Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The account given in it was far from complimentary. It did not, therefore, make any favourable impression on me.

When I was at Shillong, I attended a party in the Officers' Mess. During that party, a Colonel told me that he had seen vibhuti coming out of a Photograph of Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the house of his in-laws.

'You seem to be full (under the influence of drinks)', I told him and tried to dismiss his story in a casual manner. His narration did not make any impact on me.

I think it was in 1984 that I had to go to Aizol, the capital of Mizoram, on official work, via Silchar, where I was put up in the Circuit House. That was Thursday. As I went for a stroll, I happened to pass by a big hall where some Bhajan was going on. I walked in and participated in the Bhajan. I enjoyed it well. Then I wanted to know about Sri Sathya Sai Baba and requested them, after the Bhajan was over, to enlighten me on Baba.

'Who can enlighten you on Baba except Baba?' they told me with humility. They, however, took me to a library from which I selected a book written by Ms. Indradevi, a devotee settled in the USA. As I went through it, I was convinced that Swami is a living God. I returned the book on my return from Aizol. I have continued to read literature on Bhagavan since then.

When we were at Shillong, we used to attend Bhajans regularly. There was a Photograph of Swami in the Bhajan Hall. My wife liked it very much. 'We must have one like that in our Pooja room', she told me. So we went to the library cum bookshop at the Bhajan centre where they sell Photographs of Bhagavan also. There we found a Photograph exactly similar to the one my wife wanted to buy.

'Can we take this?' I asked the shopkeeper, 'we will pay its price'.

'One gentleman left it there', the shopkeeper told me, 'if he does not turn up, you may take it. Please wait for a few minutes'.

We waited. The gentleman did not turn up. So the Photograph we wanted to have became ours. It is still in our Pooja room. Swami's arrival at our home in the form of Photograph my wife liked is, in my opinion, the first blissful experience we had of the Divinity of Bhagavan to my knowledge.

Later, during 1990, I had to go to Port-Blair (Andaman & Nicobar islands) on posting. As I went alone, I was staying in the Officers' Mess. As the food was not agreeable, I shifted to a private accommodation. The house owner provided a gas stove and a cylinder to me. I purchased a new gas stove locally to return the gas stove barrowed for my use. As the owner of the gas stove came to collect it and as my attendant was not available, I tried to connect the cylinder to the new gas stove.

As I was about to connect it, the power supply went off. I lit a candle and continued my work. As I pulled the tube from the old gas stove to connect to the new one, it caught fire as the knob of the gas cylinder was on. The flame rose in a huff. The kitchen was small. I was at a loss to know what to do. I was face to face with death. I called Sai for help unknowingly and instantaneously. I found that the flame was put out by itself suddenly. At once, I switched off the cylinder knob. How was the flame put out while the gas cylinder was full?

Every one, who was around, felt that I would have been burnt alive or blown to smithereens in explosion of the cylinder. But nothing of that sort happened. I could see no reason for the flame to be putout on its own except the grace of Bhagavan, and I was saved unhurt miraculously.

Again while I was in Port-Blair, an officer invited me for dinner. I had to agree, as he was very insistent. I started on my scooter. Even before I could go a few furlongs, rain started. Soon it was raining heavily, affecting visibility.

I could not see the road that lay before me. I was wearing a raincoat. So, I did not care for the rain and continued my journey. But suddenly, the scooter pulled to a side and skidded. I fell down and injured my cheek and teeth. Had the scooter run to that side a little longer, I would have fallen into the deep valley as I was going along a road passing by it.

Suddenly, I heard a voice calling 'Sharmaji' as a hand caught hold of me, and made me stand on my legs. The voice continued, 'you better go back to your place. Forget about the dinner'. I could not identify the voice though it called me by my name, and knew where I was going. The person checked my scooter, started it and said, 'it is fine. You can go home safely'. I returned to my house. Who was he that had come from nowhere in that hilly area while it was raining heavily for my help? I made enquiries later to know who he was, but in vain. Who, but Sai would have come in that rain to save me?

When I was working of Meerut, I was returning from Sai Bhajan on a Thursday to my house. After journeying half way on my scooter, I suddenly fell down along with my vehicle. Immediately I lost my consciousness. I do not know exactly what had happened. When I came to my senses, I was in a Nursing Home. The Doctor told me that some one had brought me there who also had telephoned to my house. That person also told the Doctor, 'his son would be coming soon'. He brought my scooter, my briefcase, purse, wristwatch and gold chain - all intact to the Nursing Home and delivered to the Doctor.

'You are lucky', the Doctor told me, 'you have had six of your ribs fractured. Had any of the broken ribs pierced your lungs or heart, you would have been dead'. My son came to the Hospital and attended on me. I tried my best to locate the person who had rescued me from the roadside, taken me to the Hospital and even telephoned to my house. Who could it be but Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba?'

-- Mr. R.D.Sharma

(As narrated to Mr. B.Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 11.06.2004.)