Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group V | Mr. T.L. Kanta Rao

Mr. T.L. Kanta Rao,
Cene Actor,
Padma Colony, Nallakunta,
Hyderabad - 500 044.

Mr. T L. Kanta Rao, past 75, has been a well known Telugu cine actor of the yester years and is an ardent devotee of Bhagavan. He narrates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'Swami used to come to Madras in the fifties, sixties and seventies, but I lost golden opportunities to have His darshan for want of proper understanding of His Divinity. I have a daughter and four sons. My daughter developed a health problem in her 16th year which was like epilepsy. She used to have fits. Doctors gave some medicines, but there was no improvement. We tried bhoota-vaidyam, talismans and vastu rectification, etc, all in vain. Some devotees of Bhagavan advised me to see Swami. Though I went to Whitefield and Prasanthi Nilayam, Swami did not talk to me.

In 1972, Swami came to Madras. I took my daughter, who had an attack just at that time, to the house of Mr. Venkatamuni where Swami was staying on that occasion. By that time Darshan was over, and Swami retired to His room. The house-owner gave me two packets of vibhuti and asked me to come the next day. I bought her home and chanted continuously 'Sairam' into her years like lullaby till she slept. At 12 midnight, she woke up saying, 'Baba! Baba!' 'How are you?' I asked her anxiously. 'Swami was sitting on my bed a few seconds back', she told me and asked 'where has He gone now?' Later, she again fell into sleep.

Next morning we went to Abutsbury for darshan of Bhagavan. Swami seemed to be coming to me, but turned to another direction midway. Next day Bhagavan visited the house of Mrs. Anjali Devi. I went there when Swami had already been there before me. I caught hold of His lotus-feet. He turned at me sharply as if a cobra turned up with open-hood if any one touched it. 'Kindly excuse me, Swami' I prayed. 'Come in the evening here' Swami told me. I went in the evening. Swami called me for interview. He materialized a ring for me carrying the three figures of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara for which I had been longing for years. He materialized another ring for my daughter and said, 'this is for your protection'. My daughter was been healed of her ailment ever since.

In 1973, I went for a film-shooting on boats in the sea. Just at that time cyclone was raging. As it enhanced the effect of the fight on the ship, and chasing by boats, we continued the shooting. I was to jump from my boat into that of the villain. But, because of the tide, the gap between the two boats widened suddenly and unexpectedly. I do not know how I could make that long jump. I made it to the amazement of all. Had I fallen into the sea, no knowing what would have happened to me that day. My children, who were on the ladder of the ship witnessing the shooting, were about to fall into the sea due to the swing of the sea tossed by waves. But, somehow, they fell into the ship miraculously, and were saved. The director of the film and members of the unit who were in another boat fell flat in the boat when it shook owing to the tide, but were safe.

After three days, we reached Madras safely. By the time I went there, my wife already received a letter from Bhagavan. 'I saved Kanta Rao from drowning into the sea' Swami wrote to my wife, 'tell him not to do risky feats! I will be protecting your family. No fear!' We were all amazed.

Swami fixed the date of wedlock of my daughter whom He had healed earlier. Marriage took place on a grand scale owing to His grace. My wife was coming with children to Madras by train. She got lower berth inside. But she herself changed to the side berth in which she slept keeping with her the box containing jewellery of my daughter. At Ongole, someone stole the box. They gave police report. Even after three months the case was not detected. I happened to go to Whitefield while returning from film-shooting at Mysore. 'Were they recovered?' Swami asked me. I could not understand what Swami was talking about. 'The things lost in the train' Swami added; 'those who stole the box are greater devotees than you'. Swami's remark was ironical. Then He said, 'come tomorrow with your wife for darshan'. I phoned up my wife and asked her to go over to Whitefield. We went for darshan next morning. Swami called us for interview.

'When a good seat was given in the train' Swami told my wife, 'you changed it unnecessarily. So this happened. Come to Puttaparthi for Gurupurnima'. We reached Prasanthi Nilayam for Gurupurnima. Swami called us into the room and gave a diamond necklace. It is with rubies. He also gave her a chain of gold, and blessed.

I played the role of Sri Pedavenkama Raju (the father of Bhagavan) in the tele-film produced by Mrs. Anjali Devi with the title 'Shirdi Sai Parthi Sai Divya Katha'. Before the second schedule, I slipped and fell down when four of the fingers of my feet were fractured. I gave a telegram to Swami. Doctors asked me not to move for six weeks. As I could not turn up, alternate names for that role were also considered; but Swami said 'no, let Kanta Rao play it'. They shot the film keeping my feet under a cover and avoided filming my feet. Swami looked at my feet severely when I sat in darshan line. Those who sat by my side said, 'with Swami's look, your feet would have been healed'. I went to the doctor in Hyderabad after the shooting was over. The doctor said 'it has healed well' and removed the bandage.

Swami gave us the good fortune to celebrate the marriage of my son, thread marriages of my three grand children and my shasti-poorthi in His Divine presence.'

-- Mr. T.L. Kanta Rao

(Source: 'Nivedana', Swami's 80th Birthday Commemoration volume in Telugu, released by Bhagavan at Prasanthi Nilayam.)