Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group III | Mrs. Lalitha Omapathi Rao

Mrs. Lalitha Omapathi Rao,
A. No. 10-1-1195 / 2, A.C. Guards
Hyderabad - 500 004
Tel: 040-23397783

Mrs. Lalitha Omapathi Rao (77), Convener, Mahila Vibhag, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, Hyderabad, relates a few of her experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in her own words.

'I had the Darshan of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the first time in about 1953 at Hyderabad. I have been a devotee of Bhagavan ever since.

I think it was around 1958 that Engineer Sri Ramanatha Reddy invited Swami to Horsely Hills. Swami agreed to stay there for a week. Swami sent his cousin Mr. Kishtappa to bring five or six devotees including me. So I went along with the family of Mr. Ramanatha Reddy and other selected devotees to Horsely Hills. We were a limited group - five or six gents and an equal number of ladies. We had a happy time in the Divine Company of Bhagavan there.

There ladies and gents were put up separately. Ladies did not mix with gents. Even when we accompanied Bhagavan or sat to listen to His Discourses, we used to maintain distance from males.

One day Swami was taking meals along with males while we, ladies, were inside. Swami finished His food and was coming out. As He was crossing the threshold of the dining hall, he suddenly fell down. We all ran towards Him in anxiety literally crying. Gents also came out in haste. No one knew what happened. I thought that Swami fell down as His foot struck to the threshold. I was by the side of Swami. I saw His fingers tightly closed around His fist. Someone tried to open them but could not do so even after applying strength. Someone checked if Swami was breathing normally by placing his finger across the nostrils of Swami. There was no passing of air.

Meanwhile I noticed that some foam-like-thing was coming out of His mouth. Something had spilled over my sari. I was stunned. Almost all were at a loss to know what to do. Many began to cry and shed tears.

Suddenly Swami sighed, remarking 'one life has gone'. And He got up as if nothing had happened. We were all happy that Swami came out of His trance and was normal. As I looked at my sari, I was pleasantly surprised. It was full of vibhuti! Even today I do not know why vibhuti was showered on me that day.

Afterwards we came to know that Swami had gone into a trance, as a relative of Mr. N. Kasturi had died that day. Perhaps, Swami was referring to that event when He remarked: 'one life has gone!'

In around 1962, our eldest son, Rajeswar was suffering from stomachache. He was 10 years old at that time. He suffered for nearly 10 months undergoing different types of treatment such as Allopathy, Homoeopathy, Unani and even of native vijjus. All were in vain. X-ray was taken, but it was normal. Doctors could not diagnose anything. His problem was becoming acute day by day. He could not take water even without getting a bout of stomachache.

We decided to take him to Rayavellore. We thought of having Darshan of Swami before we proceeded there. Swami was at Chennai at that time. So we took him there. 'Stay in the house of Venkata Muni', Swami asked us. We stayed there for a few days. One day Swami took our son into His room alone. 'He materialized a needle', our son later narrated to us what had happened inside, 'and pierced it into my stomach'. Pain had begun to alleviate gradually from that day. Within 10 days, he could normally take meals and digest without any problem. He has no recurrence of it till now.

In 1964, we went to Prasanthi Nilayam. Swami called us for an interview. Swami materialised a japamala of crystals and gave me. He also taught me a mantra. After our return to Hyderabad, I used to get up early in the morning and do japam.

Within a few days after that we incurred loss in business. When we went to Prasanthi Nilayam next time, I told Swami, out of my ignorance, 'Swami! After you gave me that chain of crystals, we incurred loss in business!' 'Give that to me', Swami said, 'if it is so'. But I hesitated to return it.

After staying for a week in Prasanthi Nilayam, we were returning to Hyderabad by train. My husband was in service at that time. So he could not come to Prasanthi Nilayam frequently. My children and I entrained at Dharmavaram. I woke up in the early hours and looked for my japamala to do japam. I was shocked to find that all my saris, jewellery and japamala, all gone! When the train stopped at Mahabubnagar, I went and told the Station Master about the theft. One Railway Officer came into our compartment, and recorded my complaint.

Though I lodged the complaint, I was not hopeful of recovery. I was praying to Swami. Within a couple of days, a Railway Officer came to my house. That day we were all frightfully busy as Swami was coming to our house from Prasanthi Nilayam. 'Your jewellery and clothes have been recovered', the officer told me, 'you have to come and identify them'. I went with him and identified my jewellery and clothes. 'There should be a japamala of crystals' I asked them. 'These are all that were recovered' they told me. It was the japamala alone that was lost.

'Swami! All my jewellery and clothes were recovered owing to your grace', I told Bhagavan at my house, 'but the japamala of crystals which Swami had given me was missing'.

'Yes! I know', Swami said, 'you did not want it. So it returned to Me'.

He, however, was kind enough to materialise a rudrakshamala and gave it to me. Even that was misplaced and lost sometime later. I told Swami about it. 'You don't need it now', Swami assured me.

This happened long time ago. I don't remember the date. We went to Prasanthi Nilayam. Swami called us for interview along with a few others. Among them was a small group of devotees from Germany. We all had the good fortune to go inside and sit.

'Do you know English?' Swami asked them.

'No! Swami!' they replied by turning their head across.

'How does Swami talk with them now?' we wondered, 'in which language?'

Then Swami began to talk to them. They were listening to Swami with rapt attention. Conversation was going on. There was no indication of unintelligibility in any one's face. I could not understand even a word of what Bhagavan was saying.

After a while, Swami turned to me and asked, 'do you know which language it is?' I turned my head across.

'This is German', Swami told me. (Many people think that Swami does not know any other language than Telugu because He always speaks outside in Telugu with someone translating it into English.)

'Why are you keeping us under maya (illusion), Swami?' 'You can see my illusion only', Swami replied, 'you will run away if I show you my real form.'

I remember another incident that happened long time back. I was in my room at Prasanthi Nilayam. It was early in the morning. Nagar-sankeerthan was going on. At that time there was no press in Prasanthi Nilayam. Some people used to take notes of Swami's Discourses. We used to borrow and copy them. I was copying some notes that morning. Swami used to call me a bundle of doubts.

As I was immersed in writing, there was a thud all of a sudden. I noticed a slab of white stone like thing that had fallen by the side of my book. I could not understand what it was, or how and from where it had come. I touched it. Was it a slab of stone? Or, was it a slab of candy? I took a little of it and put it in my mouth. It was sweet. So it was sugar candy. I kept it in a tin. I thought that it would disappear as mysteriously as it had come.

On return to Hyderabad, I opened the lid of the tin and peeped in. It was still there. Was it Swami's prasadam? I didn't know. I used to take a little every day. Usually no lady eats any thing without sharing it with her husband and children. I don't know why but I used to eat it myself - a little of it daily.

Another incident. This, too, happened long time ago. Once Swami came to Hyderabad and was returning to Prasanthi Nilayam. Some of us followed Swami. We all prepared several varieties of eatables and carried them with us. We wanted to eat them as if in a picnic. On the way we found a small hillock with a flat wide stone. Swami said, 'let us stop here and take food'. We placed leaf-plates and began serving food. I was pouring water in glasses. When I came to Swami, I faltered and water spilled into the plate. I shuddered in fear. Swami took it sportively and said, 'what does it matter? Put another plate and serve. It's all right.'

-- Mrs. Lalitha Omapathi Rao.

(Taken from Sri Sathya Sai Balvikas, Telugu monthly, Hyderabad.)