Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group IV | Mr. V. Sreeramulu

Mr. V. Sreeramulu,
Talwalakatta Veedhi,
Pamidi - 515 775,
Anantapur District.

Mr. V. Sreeramulu (77), a retired Senior Accountant in a private firm, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'Originally we belonged to Tirumani in Karnataka. My sister, Ms. Ademma was given in marriage to Mr. Venkateswerlu of Muktapur in Andhra Pradesh. After the death of my father, I went to Muktapur to stay with my sister and study in the school there. Mr. Ranga Raju was our teacher. His nephew, Mr. R. Satyanarayana Raju, who is now well-known worldwide as Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba, used to come to him during the holidays. He is two years older than me. But He used to play with us cordially whenever He came to Muktapur. Our teacher used to make us enact some plays taking the script from our textbooks. Mr. Raju, whom we used to call Satya, was also acting in them whenever He was in Muktapur. I remember that He acted as Siva in a play in which I was given the role of Siriyala. He also used to play the role of Narada in a play the name of which I don't remember now. The plays were big hits in Muktapur.

One day we all went to an agricultural well to bathe and swim. We all jumped into the water and began swimming. Satya said that He did not know swimming and was sitting on the last but one step in the well near the water line. As we were enjoying in the well, some one said that the owner of the well was coming. All children feared him, as he was known to beat children whom he happened to catch in his field. Therefore we all ran helter-skelter. After we assembled at a safe distance, we noticed that Satya was missing. What happened to him? Did the owner catch him? We, who had enjoyed swimming in the well, were safe. But an innocent boy from another village was caught and being punished for nothing. We decided to go to the owner and plainly tell the facts and get the release of Satya.

When we went and explained to the owner, he said there was no one there when he went to the well. 'Go and look for him, if you want,' he told us. It was unlike of him to be so considerate and polite. We went down the steps into the well but Satya was not seen. He was neither outside nor in the well. As we were wondering about what had happened to Satya, one of us noticed some cloth-piece in the water. When we were examining it closely, a hand rose from the water. We caught hold of it and pulled out Satya from under the water. We could not understand how Satya, who did not know swimming, could remain under water that long and survive in good shape. Anyway we were happy that he was safe and returned to our houses.

We used to play with small flat stones. One day Satya took two small flat stones and threw them a little away. Those two stones began to fight each other as if two cocks were fighting. The fight went on for some time as we all watched it with interest till Satya waved his hand and stopped the fight. We could not understand how he could do so, and thought that he knew some gosai-chitikelu (some tantric tricks practised by wandering mendicants), but did not realize His Divinity.

Later, I went to Mamillapalli and began to reside there in the house of a Brahmin and study there. One day Swami came to that village. By that time He was acknowledged as someone who had some powers in Him, and called Swami by the people around. He saw me and called to Him. He put two small Shiridi Sai medallions on my collar, one on each side. 'There will be bhajan in the house of so and so (He named someone whom I do not remember now) here every Thursday,' He told me, 'attend it.' But I could not do so. I don't know what turn my life would have taken had I followed His advice.

Once, Swami came to Kallur. My uncle and his family called on Him. He was very affectionate and enquired about me. Unfortunately, I missed to go to Kallur on that day even though I knew His programme.

I came here on August 16, 2005 to have a check-up in the Super Specialties Hospital. Everyone said that it would be difficult to get date for surgery there as there would be waiting list. When I went there, I not only got admission at once, but had the surgery fixed for September 1, 2005 itself. As I was waiting in the hospital, I clearly felt some one tell me, 'this squares up the deal between you and me'. When I told my wife about it, she said, 'you pulled Him out of water in the well earlier. Now He promises to pull you out of the surgery safely. This squares up the deal between you two.' The fact that I got admission and also the date for surgery so soon made me feel reassured that He has been with me caring for and protecting me.

I feel sad that I could not have His darshan in the Prasanthi Nilayam for the past several decades in spite of my best efforts to visit here. My son and my wife came here for darshan earlier. I have had His darshan at Prasanthi Nilayam only on my present visit here.'

-- Mr. V. Sreeramulu

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam when he came for darshan just a day before surgery, on 30.08.2005)