Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group I | Mr. T. Narayana Reddy

Mr. T.Narayana Reddy,
W -- B - , Prasanthi Nilayam
Puttaparthi - 515 134

After serving in the Indian Air Force for a longtime at different places, Mr. T.Narayana Reddy (65) settled at Puttaparthi with a view to spending the rest of his life in the service of Swami. He was a witness to many Sai miracles.

'One of my well-wishers gave me a Photograph of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 1964. As far as I recollect, it was the first time Swami had entered my life.

While I was working in Agra in 1968, we used to attend Bhajans of Swami wherever they were held. In the house of a Malayali family, many miracles used to take place. Vibhuti, Kumkum and sugar candy used to come from Swami's Photograph. Once some oil also came. We, too, went and saw these things. In 1969, it literally rained candy sugar like hailstones!

We also held Bhajans in our house. Once a little quantity of vibhuti came from a Photograph of Swami in our house. We arranged a separate Mandir for Swami in our house. My wife used to decorate it, with colour papers, with devotion. She placed in it Photographs of other gods and goddesses also.

One day, I returned from office and placed the bundle of currency notes I received that day as my salary before Swami's Photograph in the Mandir. My wife was not in the house. As it was time for the evening Haarati, our nine-year-old son was enthusiastic to perform it. I agreed, but when he was giving Haarati, the colour paper-decoration in the Mandir caught fire by his inadvertence. I rushed to remove the Photographs of gods, etc and save them from being gutted.

In my hurry to remove the Photographs, my mind did not think of the salary bundle lying there. Just at that time, one of the colour paper garlands fell down burning, on the bundle. The garland burned on either side, but not on the top portion of the bundle of notes. By Swami's grace, my salary was untouched by the Fire-god. We felt it very strange that the bundle of currency notes did not catch fire at all when a burning paper garland fell on it!

Another time, in 1970, four pieces of sugar candy were offered as naivedyam before the Photograph of Swami. But after a few minutes, there were only three in the plate! There was no scope of anyone taking one.

Once in 1970, we kept a cup of butter as naivedyam. A little later, we found the finger marks on the butter as if someone had put his fingers in the butter, and taken a portion of it.

Also in 1970, when we were boiling milk, the creamy layer formed in the shape of AUM (Aum letter in Devanagari script). When it was re-boiled, the creamy layer again appeared in the shape of AUM in tact.

In 1975, the 50th Birth Day of Bhagavan was being celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam on a grand scale. At that time, I was working in Delhi. I wanted to go to Prasanthi Nilayam to witness the celebrations. I went to my officer and requested him to send me to Bangalore on temporary deputation for 10 days so that I could go to Prasanthi Nilayam and attend the celebrations.

'I can send you to Hyderabad', my officer said, 'but not to Bangalore'. I agreed, and came to Hyderabad. By the time I reached our Hyderabad office, the Officer there was on leave. I had to report there, and get leave to go to Prasanthi Nilayam on a personal visit. How? The P.A to the Officer asked me, 'what is the matter?' I explained to him frankly the purpose of my visit.

'Our Officer also is a devotee of Swami', he said. 'So don't worry'.

He then telephoned to the residence of the Officer and explained about my arrival and the purpose for which I came. The Officer readily obliged me by granting leave, even though his office people raised some technical objections. Thus, I could reach Puttaparti in time for the Birth Day Celebrations of Swami.

While I was at Puttaparthi, I felt that it would be a blessing if I could have a paadanamaskar of Swami. So I went and sat in the front lines for Darshan in the Poornachandra Auditorium. But one gentleman, who was probably a local resident, came and sat before me against all norms. I pleaded with him to allow me to be in the front, as I wanted to have paadanamaskar of Swami. 'Besides, I had been here long before you came,' I told him. Instead of correcting himself, he started talking irrelevant things. 'Don't you know you should not take paadanamaskar now', he told me. 'Swami stopped that. What paadanamaskar you will have?'

I thought that it was no use being courteous with such arrogant people. I quietly got up and went forward and sat in front of him. I don't know what he thought of me but he was silent thereafter. Meanwhile, Swami came along the Darshan-lines, to me and blessed me with paadanamaskar!

I returned to Hyderabad to get back to my Headquarters, but I could not get accommodation in any train and in any class. How to get back in time was a big question. The Officer at Hyderabad came to know about my plight.

'A plane is going to New Delhi from Hyderabad', he told me. 'Would you like to go?' It was, indeed, a God-sent offer! No need to add that I jumped at it. Swami thus arranged for my comfortable return journey in a couple of hours by air.

In December 1975, vibhuti came out of Swami's Photograph in our Pooja room, that too, not in small quantities, but in abundance. Many people used to visit our house to see the miracle. After a few days it stopped. Was it due to any shade of ego in my mind? I can't say!

While I was working in Bangalore, I used to go frequently to Whitefields for darshan of Swami. Sometimes I used to get a very rare opportunity of attending on Swami doing some petty jobs. After Swami finished his lunch, I used to take out the plate, and give a little bit of leftovers as Prasadam to others, and take a little myself. Swami used to feed deer personally with fruit. When he was through with it, I used to offer Him napkin to clean / wipe His hands. Sometimes He used to look at me for long.

Swami used to organize mass-marriages. At that time, they used to keep a small silvery box of cloves on a stool by the side of Swami's chair. When I saw that box on one such occasion, I felt like having at least one clove as Prasadam. Just then, I don't know what happened, but that box of cloves over turned and fell down on the floor. Anything fallen on the ground was never offered to Swami. As such, I could get more than a fistful of the cloves, then fallen on the ground. Even though I wanted only one clove, Swami made over a fistful come to me!

Once I was at Brindavan when there was distribution of mango fruits to devotees as Prasadam. The fruit that came to me was not a good one. When I pointed it out, they gave me another. But that, too, was not a good one. I ate part of it as Prasadam and had to throw out the rest, as it was rotten.

The next day Swami came in Darshan lines to me, and said.

'The mangoes were not good. Were they?'

'The mango that came to me was not good', I conceded.

'Don't worry', Swami told me. 'I will be getting Rasaalu (juicy ones) soon. I will give you a better one'.

One day I had a desire to give Haarati to Swami. But how would it be possible? I was at Bangalore at that time and Swami was in Kodai Canal. Then I came to know that Swami was expected back at Brindavan. So I went there. Many big-wigs were waiting there to receive Swami. I too remained there waiting. It was nearly past 9 p.m. Swami did not turn up. Most of them thought that some Bhajan programme might have been arranged on the way and hence Swami might have been delayed. So they all went, probably, to come back later. I did not leave. At 9.30 p.m, Swami arrived. As I was the only person available there, I took the Haarati plate and gave Haarati to Swami.

Swami materialized vibhuti and gave me on two occasions, though I do not remember the dates now.

When I was working in Bangalore, I came to know that Swami, who was then at Whitefields, was going to visit the house of the Commissioner of Police there. I wanted to have darshan of Swami there. I rushed from my office to the locality in which I thought the Bungalow of that officer was located. But there was no sign of any movement of VIPs there. I went to a woman who was coming that way and asked, 'which is the house of the Commissioner of Police?' Usually such passers-by would not know about VIP houses. But that woman promptly said, 'where is his house here? It is there in another locality'.

She guided me to that locality. I immediately rushed there. As I was in the Air Force uniform, the sentry at the gate did not stop me. But as I was crossing the verandah into the hall, a person in civilian clothes came to me enquiring who I was. But before I could reply, the telephone rang inside, and he left me and rushed to answer the call. That little gap was enough for me to quickly walk in, and sit in the rear somewhere. Soon Swami arrived. He straight came to the place where I was sitting, and gave me paadanamaskar.

He stared at me and commented, 'you are forgetting Swami'.

'How can I, Swami?' I protested.

'Just as you munch a pickle now and then….', Swami remarked, adding, 'I won't forget you!'.

Yes! Forgetfulness is the lot of human beings. How can God forget anyone anytime?'

-- T.Narayana Reddy

(As narrated to Mr. B.Parvatala Rao on March 7, 2004 at Prasanthi Nilayam)