Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Mr. R.S. Mani

Mr. R.S. Mani
Assistant General Manager
Bank Of India, Zonal Office
PTI Building, Hyderabad - 500 004
Tel: 040-23730359 (R)
E-mail: rsmanik@rediffmail.com

Mr. R.S. Mani (51), Senior Executive in a Nationalized Bank, relates his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'It was around 1976 that Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba came into my life in the form of a photograph. At that time I was the Branch Manager of the Bank of India at Bhavanipatnam (Orissa). The mother of the District Collector, Dr. Ganesan I.A.S., who returned then from the 60th Birth Day Celebrations of Bhagavan at Prasanthi Nilayam, presented me that photograph along with a Japamala.

After a few days, I had the opportunity to go through a book by Murphet on the miracles of Baba, which left a profound impact on me. Later, on my transfer, one of the presents I received was a photograph of Sri Sathya Sai. After my transfer to Sivakasi, on the very first day, I received a photograph of Swami. All this has helped constantly remind me that He has been with me all through. Problems, encountered by me, have begun to get solved miraculously by Baba's grace.

For example, we wanted to shift a Branch of our Bank now at Mandapasalai, but the local Grameena Bank was opposing it for fear of losing its business. Matters went to a stage that it appeared impossible to shift our Branch there, but got diffused miraculously, and we could shift our Branch there without any problem later on. This was in 1980.

In 1981, Mrs. Balasubramanian, the wife of one of our Bank Officers had some kidney problem requiring kidney transplantation. I took them to Ms. Kavita at Chennai. On my advice, Mr. Bala Subramanian brought some grapes for offering as prasadam. Ms. Kavita used to keep an empty vessel and prasadam before the Photograph of Bhagavan. There used to be Bhajan. At the end of the Bhajan, the empty vessel used to be found filled with Gangajal. On that day, a grape or two were found at the lips of Swami in the photograph signifying that he had accepted prasadam. After that, Mrs. Balasubramanian underwent kidney transplantation successfully and recovered well.

In 1982, I went to Bijapur on Bank's work. At that time, I was working in the Zonal Office, Chennai. At Bijapur, I found one of our Officers, Mr. Ramachandran (whom we used to call Ramu) suffering from stomachache. I gave him Swami's vibhuthi and a Photograph of Swami along with a key-chain carrying Bhagvan's Picture. He was apprehensive that he would have to undergo surgery and was urging me to take him to Chennai in case he was to undergo surgery. I sat with him for a few minutes telling him not to worry. I was repeating in my mind the name of Bhagavan (Sai Ram, Sai Ram) and tried to caress him softly on his stomach with my hand, just by way of re-assurance.

Then a miracle happened. Swami relieved him of his pain instantaneously. 'Gone', Ramu got up and cried in joy, 'my stomach pain is gone.' Such was the grace of Bhagavan who made me his instrument to fortify the faith of Ramu in Him by this leela.

In 1989, when I was working at Madurai, I had fever. At that time, I was planning to perform the 60th Birthday of my Father in a fitting manner. As the fever did not abate, I was admitted in a hospital at Madurai. Despite Doctors trying various medicines, there was no improvement in my condition. The fever was as high as 104 or 105 degrees F. I used to pray to Bhagavan keeping a laminated Photograph of His in my hand. A friend who had bought it for me at Prasanthi Nilayam gave it to me when I was in my bed at the hospital. On that day, I asked the Doctor to send me a tape recorder so that I could listen to some Bhajan songs. The Doctor thought that I was reaching the stage of delirium owing to high fever, and wanted that a word be sent to my people to come to the hospital. Obviously he thought that I was in my last stages.

As I was looking at the laminated picture of Swami in my hand, I saw it glow with some indescribable incandescence. I felt that it was no longer a picture for me, but Swami bestowing on me His very presence. Then I had a feeling of vibhuthi being put in my mouth. My wife who was by my side noticed that my teeth were clattering making sounds like 'tut, tut'. I felt as if Swami was cleansing my interior of all negative matter. `Swami is cleansing me', I told my wife cheerfully, 'I will be OK by tomorrow morning.' I was doubtful if any one took my words seriously as the Doctor told them that I was slipping into delirium. Later that night a tape recorder was brought, and I began to listen to Bhajans. At around 3 a.m. that night, I passed into sound sleep listening to Bhajans.

Next day, according to a programme scheduled earlier, I was taken for total body scanning. After the scan, the report indicated that every thing was normal. My fever disappeared and I was allowed to attend the 60th Birthday celebrations of my Father at my native place Kovilpatti, which is 90 km away from Madurai.

I returned to the hospital soon after and stayed there for 3 or 4 days before I was discharged. The Doctors were surprised at my recovery. After a few days, I read a book on Swami in Tamil 'Anyada Saranam Nasti'. It opened with a reference to a case of fever, which was cured by Swami miraculously. It confirmed my belief that it was Swami who had healed me. Later astrologers told me that it was a rebirth to me according to my chart.

In 1991, I was at Chennai working there in the Zonal Office. We had a young Marwadi customer suffering from some brain problem. He was required to undergo brain surgery. He was in Appolo Hospital. I went to see him. I was told that one Dr Rama Murthy was the only specialist-surgeon who could perform that operation, but it was difficult to get his appointment for weeks. My Zonal Manager knew a Doctor who was a friend of Dr. Murthy. Through him, I approached him. He was leaving for Japan in a few days and was frightfully busy. After seeing all medical reports, he asked me 'are you a Marwadi?'

'No', I replied.

'Why are you taking so much interest in him?'

'He is our customer', I replied. 'And he is too young'.

I don't know what moved him. Surely it is the sankalpa of Sri Satya Sai. He accepted to perform surgery on him in the WHC Hospital in a couple of days. Incredible!

Meanwhile, we went to Ms.Kavita, the Sai devotee at Chennai and explained about the Marwadi customer's problem. As she was meditating on Swami, she felt sick and vomited. She assured us, 'nothing to worry'.

Dr. Rama Murthy performed the intricate surgery on the brain of our customer with success. The young Marwadi recovered well owing to Swami's grace. Swami, perhaps, transferred the problem to Ms. Kavita and removed it from her through vomit, we don't know.

While I was at seva in Prasanthi Nilayam, I had several experiences. In 2002, I was the group leader at the telephone booth. One of my colleagues said, 'our previous group leader arranged for distribution of prasadam to those who were on duty in the booth. You must also arrange it'. 'If we all work well', I replied, 'prasadam will come to us'. In fact, I did not know whom to approach for prasadam. For the seven days during which we were on duty at the booth, we used to receive prasadam daily. On some days we used to get so much of it that we were distributing it to those who came to use the telephones even.

In March 2004, I was on seva posted to security duty in the shopping complex area. Those who were on seva should not go for Darshan. 'If we do our duty sincerely,' I told my colleagues, 'Bhagavan will come to us and give Darshan. Why worry?' After a few minutes, we heard the siren of the police pilot jeep. Many devotees were running saying `Baba is coming'. We did not run leaving the place of our duty even though we desired very much to have the Darshan of Bhagwan.

Swami's car took a turn unexpectedly and went along the road right in front of us bestowing on us the bliss of His Darshan. It was as if Swami overheard all that we said and responded at once.

During the Holy festival in 2004, I was at Prasanthi Nilayam for seva. On the day of distribution of prasadam, I did not attend duty, as I was not well. Next day when I turned up for duty, my colleagues told me, `As you were absent, we ate your share of prasadam also'.

'If Swami wants to send me prasadam,' I replied, 'it will come to me'. Soon after, four persons came to me, one after the other, with prasadam, which they said they had preserved for me.

Once my daughter came with us to Prasanthi Nilayam. She wanted to give Swami a letter. I did not give any letter to Swami till then. As I sat in the lines, one person gave me a paper and another a pen and said, 'If you want to give a letter to Swami, you may write it'. So I wrote a letter. I did not get the first token. I was in the 3rd or the 4th line during Darshan. 'If you accept me as your devote' I prayed to Swami, 'kindly take this letter from me today'. Swami came along the Darshan line. He came near me; signalled to people to make way, stepped in and took the letter from my hand. I sat crying in ecstasy. 'Don't cry', Swami said softly in a tone filled with love and care and moved away. That was the first letter of mine that He took that day.

In around 1979-80, I was in the audit wing of our Bank. I had to visit a Branch in Baripada district of Orissa. That area was then notorious for dacoit activities. There was a dreaded dacoit in that area called Kalachand Sardar wanted by police for grave offences like murder, etc. When I was in the Branch he came there. All my colleagues shuddered. After talking to me for a while, he invited me to his place. His hut was in an interior tribal hamlet inside the thick forest.

'Now I am busy', I replied, while thanking him for his invitation, 'I will come next time'.

After about a year and a half, I had to go to that Branch again. I did not know how he had come to know about my visit; he came to the Branch. 'You promised to visit my place', he reminded me, 'let us go this evening. You come in your car. I will wait at the market.'

So I had to oblige him. He sat in the front and directed the way in the forest. At his hut, he told me, 'please take me to Swami. I have committed several crimes.' He called me in his language 'a devotee official'. I was, indeed, touched by his request. He made me sing a Bhajan on Bhagavan and he liked it much. How he came to know of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and how he developed a yearning to see him, I don't know. Though I promised to take him to Swami, I could not fulfill it, as it was not possible for him to come out of his area without getting arrested.

When I was returning that day, 'I won't harm your Bank people', he told me. I returned safely to the Branch to the relief of our staff. It was like putting one's head in the mouth of a tiger and taking it out safely. But I do not give much importance to that aspect. What I always wonder about is `How on earth that hard core dacoit carved out a niche in his heart for Bhagavan, and yearning to have his Darshan.'

--- Mr. R.S. Mani

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Hyderabad on 23.08.2004.)