Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Mrs. Bimla Kanoi

Mrs. Bimla Kanoi
408, Sai Kailash Apartments
Chitravathi Road
Puttaparthi - 515134
Mobile: 98313-81771

Mrs. Bimla Kanoi (64), writer in Hindi of spiritual articles and author of 3 books, relates her experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in her own words.

'My elder sister, Mrs. Kamala Goenka, went to Puttaparthi in around 1971 to attend a marriage in Dr. S. Barua's family held there. After seeing how Swami conducted the wedding with sanctity in spiritual environment, she was impressed very much. It was she who first spoke to us about Swami.

In 1973, Swami came to Jaipur. At that time we were there. On the advice of my elder sister, we went and had Darshan of Swami. On that day Swami came late to the meeting. 'I don't believe in your God', I told my sister, 'what sort of God is He, if He cannot observe even punctuality?' But gradually, with His boundless compassion and love, Bhagavan drew me to Him completely.

My Father came to Bangalore in the eighties, and bought a factory there. Mrs. Hazra, whom we met there, was a longstanding devotee of Bhagavan. 'Once I invited some people to have prasadam in my house' Mrs. Hazra told us, 'we expected 50 and there was an unusual turnout of 120. The preparations were utterly inadequate. I prayed to Bhagavan, put some vibhuti on the preparations and covered it with a cloth. We served the preparations to the devotees, without completely removing the cloth over the containers. Not only the food was sumptuous to all of them, but also much more was left'.

In those days, my parents used to visit Puttaparthi, have Darshan and return by night to Bangalore by car, as it is not far off.

My Mother was worried that we did not perform the marriage of my daughter, Ms. Ranjana even though, at that time, she was aged 22. So my Mother began reading Sai Saccharitra daily for 7 days. During that period, I had a dream in which Swami appeared. He was travelling with us in a train. He gave a sweater to my husband and also a diary to me. He mentioned some names and said, 'they should all help you perform your daughter's wedding. How is it that they are not doing so?'

Later, some devotees of Bhagavan whom we met told me that dreams in which Bhagavan appears should be treated as true and not as mere dreams. This was in the last quarter of 1982. Soon after, my daughter was engaged and her wedding was consummated in February 1983. In those days, our financial position was not good. However, owing to Swami's grace, we did not feel any financial cringe while performing it.

In our homes, there is a custom that we should welcome the bridegroom with a plate full of moong seeds (whole grain of green gram). 'Groom is arriving', they told me, 'receive him with the plate of moong grain'. On hearing that, I was totally upset for we lost sight of this custom while paying more attention to other items. Where could we get moong seeds just at that time? I went and searched the shelf 3 or 4 times, but in vain. Again I went to the shelf, unlocked it and was searching it even though I knew pretty well that there were no moong seeds. I was praying to Swami all the time. Miraculously, moong seeds began to pour from the top shelf down into my hands as I held them together. I felt immensely relieved, thanked Swami and rushed to receive the groom ceremoniously with moong seeds and all.

The marriage was well attended. Though we bought provisions in a planned manner sufficient for the expected number of guests, the turnout was much more than our expectation. I prayed to Swami for the success of the function. People ate sumptuously, and much more was left. One miraculous feature was that though we had used major portion of the provisions bought, there were still so much in the store that they lasted for nearly a year, even after giving to our uncle a large portion of the left over provisions for Bhagavathseva.

My mother advised me to visit Prasanthi Nilayam after the marriage to thank Swami. We started for Prasanthi Nilayam in July 1983 from Bangalore. When we went for Darshan, Swami called us for interview. On seeing Swami I could not contain my emotion of gratitude to Him and literally broke down and wept. It was, of course, a cry of joy.

'Why are you crying?' Swami told me in consoling tenor. He placed His hand on my head and blessed. We returned to Bangalore the same day.

In 1984, we performed the marriage of our elder son, Mr. Rajesh. After wedding, the new couple left for Prasanthi Nilayam to have the blessings of Swami.

'Come next year', Swami told them in the interview room blessing them, 'with your son'. The following year, my son was blessed with a son.

In 1987, we went to Swami with our younger son, Mr. Ravi. Swami called us for interview.

'He is a good boy', Swami told us, pointing to my son, 'get him married'. True to Swami's word, he got married in 1988 a few months after Swami said so. Ravi, too, left for Prasanthi Nilayam with his bride after the wedding for the blessings of Swami.

'You, a two-legged fellow, have become now a four-legged one', Swami quipped as He blessed the couple in the interview room. 'Next year, return as a six-legged one'. True to Swami's blessing, he, too, was blessed with a daughter the following year.

In 1988, my daughter, Mrs. Ranjana was awaiting a child. As she began to feel labour pains, there was heavy flood in Calcutta. She could not be taken to the hospital for delivery. She was suffering a lot, gasping for breath. We were praying to Swami intensely. Next morning the floodwater receded. Her in-laws could take her to a nursing home. There they conducted caesarian operation and took out two babies; and one of the twins was stillborn. 'It is a miracle', the Doctor said, 'that the other child survived at all, considering that she was having pains all through the night; it is the grace of the Lord that the mother and the child are ok now.'

In 1985, my daughter had a kidney problem. We went to Swami who called us for interview.

'No danger to her life', Swami assured me, 'why fear when I am here? I will give vibhuti prasadam for her'.

Swami materialized vibhuti for her. She became all right with Swami's vibhuti.

In an interview, Swami asked me, 'where is your locket?'

'You haven't given me any, Swami!' I replied.

Swami materialized a locket and gave me. I am wearing it still in a chain of pearls.

On April 5, 1984, Swami appeared to me in a dream and said, 'I will give you Ashtasiddhies and Navanidhies'. Then the dream ended.

On August 31, 1985, Swami called us for interview. I asked Swami, 'guide me spiritually towards self-realization. What is meant by it?'

'Cotton becomes thread', Swami explained, 'and the thread is woven into cloth. Where is the cotton now? It is all over the cloth. You are not just the creation. You are the Creator.'

'You are God, Swami', I said, 'you are the Creator'.

'You are also God', Swami replied, 'I know but you don't know it.'

Once when I was in the interview room, I prayed to Swami in my mind, 'Swami! Please give me writing skills so that I can write about your glory.' Soon after, I began writing. My articles regularly appear now in Dainik Viswamitra - a daily. By Swami's grace, I wrote three books, which have already been published.

In 1988, Mr. P.R.Rao (P. Sairam) requested us to host Bhajan in our house.

'How many are expected to participate?' I asked him.

'About 50, I suppose', he replied.

After Bhajan, we wanted them to partake of dinner as prasadam in our house. We prepared food accordingly. That day, unexpectedly, the turnout went up to around 125. What to do? There was no time to cook afresh. I remembered what Mrs. Hazra had told us long back. I put some vibhuti on the items, covered the containers with a cloth, and prayed to Bhagavan. Then, without lifting up the cloth fully, we began serving. Even after all of them ate well, there was still much more left!'

--Mrs. Bimla Kanoi

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at her residence on 09.08.2004.)