Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VII | Mrs.Padmamma

Mrs.Padmamma,
Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital,
Prasanthi Nilayam.

      Mrs. Padmamma, an ardent devotee of Bhagavan for several decades, records a few of her experiences in an article published in Arogyapradayini, the Golden Jubilee publication of Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam released in August 2006.

'It was the day of Sriramanavami in April 1957. I had completed my nine months of pregnancy. As per Swami's instruction, I was there in Puttaparthi to have my delivery at the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital. Swami said 'yours will be the first delivery among the devotees'.

I got admitted to the hospital the previous day, as I was having labour pains. Swami Himself spoke to the doctors, and arranged for me a four bedded special room in the hospital. Owing to the pains, it was difficult for me to climb up the hill, where the hospital was then situated. Cars could not climb up the hill, and no jeep was available. When my mother reported this to Swami, he materialized some powder, and mixed it in a glass of water. He sent it through my mother for me to drink, saying that it would help to decrease the pain. I drank it and then the pain stopped. I could climb up the hill, got admitted, and slept well. The next day was Sriramanavami. It was nine in the morning. Bhajan had started, and my dear Swami came, walking all the way, to the hospital to see me! He asked me what had happened. I said 'nothing, no pain, Swami'. He said 'I only stopped it. I did not want the delivery to happen. Yesterday was Ashtami. Today is Navami and Ramanavami. The child will be born today. Do not worry'. So saying, He went back.

As per His words, the pains started by six in the evening. Swami had taken everybody to the Chithravathi riverbed, including the doctors and the lady Lalli, who had to assist me. He assured them that the delivery would take place only after He returned. At Chithravathi, there was bhajan and discourse by Swami. He then materialised the idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana from the sand, and amrtham also. Everybody was delighted.

In the hospital, only my mother and I were there. The pain kept increasing, but there were no other signs of delivery. It was April; the peak of summer, and Puttaparthi did not yet get electricity. So there was no fan even. I was sweating a lot, and poor mother kept fanning me with her hands continuously. She was filled with tension. At this time, Swami was distributing amrtham among the lady devotees at the Chithravathi riverbed. Suddenly, He started sweating profusely, and held His back. He sat down, saying that His back was paining a lot. It was all over in a few seconds, He was then quite well, and He got up. The merciful God had taken over my labour pain! Here in the hospital, my pain subsided. The sweating became less, but I was totally exhausted.

The whole crowd at Chithravathi returned to the mandir by nine. As usual, the idols materialized by Swami were kept in the mandir, and arathi was done. Some ladies rushed to my room and started giving many suggestions. My mother got confused and worried. She ran to Swami in His dining room, and started to weep before Him. He assured her that there was nothing to worry about, and told her that He Himself would come and see me. He materialised vibhuti and gave it to her, asking her to mix it in water and give it to me. She hurried back, and as she was giving me the vibhuti, Swami was there physically at the doorstep! He came and asked me how I was feeling. I replied 'Swami, it is very difficult for me, I am totally exhausted.' He replied with a smile 'this is samsara.' But I said 'it was not so Swami when I had the other two deliveries.'

He paused for a minute and said 'when the pain comes, why do you call out 'amma, amma? Say Sairam'. I had to defend myself saying 'Swami, You know whom I am calling. It is not my physical mother'. He affirmed this and said 'I know, still, when the pain comes, say Sairam - the Mahamantra'. He asked all the ladies in the room to go out and do bhajan. He called the lady Lalli outside and asked her to instruct me to strain myself, when the pain came, saying 'Sairam'. She then instructed me to do likewise. Swami stood in the veranda near the door, which was about three feet away from the head end of my bed. He waved His Divine hand from that distance towards me from head to toe. I felt a terrible blow on my stomach. Immediately, there was pain, I strained, called out 'Sairam' thrice, and the baby was out into the 'Sai World'! Hearing the cry of the child, Swami went down to His quarters. It was a male baby. Doctors declared it a 'precipitate labour'.

The next evening, Swami came, and examined each part of the child. He was happy. After a few weeks, He named the child 'Raja Ram' as he was born on Sriramanavami day. '

-- Mrs.Padmamma

(Extracted from Arogyapradayini, the Golden Jubilee Commemorative volume of the SSS General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam released in August 2006)