Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group III | Ms. Kristina Gale & Mr. Kumar

Ms. Kristina Gale & Mr. Kumar
Authors of ‘Scriptures Are Fulfilled’

Here is an extract from the article ‘Wondrous Miracles’ by Ms. Kristina Gale & Mr. Kumar on the Divinity of Bhagavan brought to their notice by Dr. Haraldsson.

‘One of the most astounding examples of Baba’s bi-location ability had been extensively researched by Dr. Haraldsson. According to Dr. Haraldsson’s personal investigation, Sathya Sai Baba appeared on two separate occasions - December 13 and December 24, 1964 – in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ram Mohan Rao who lived in a small town named Manjeri in the South Indian state of Kerala. The Raos’ daughter was suffering from a severe form of eczema, which had disfigured her leg and caused her great discomfort. On the night of the 12th December 1964, their daughter named Sailaja had wept in front of Sai Baba’s picture in their prayer room, pleading for help.

The next day a ‘stranger’ who greatly resembled Sathya Sai Baba knocked on their door and proceeded to go to Sailaja when Mrs. Rao let Him in. He said to her, ‘you called Me last night and now I have come in the morning and will cure you’.

He then went to their family prayer room and sat below the picture of Sathya Sai Baba hanging on the wall. The family followed Him. Next He materialised vibhuti and applied it to Sailaja’s leg, saying she would be healed in three days, which she indeed was!

Then He asked the Raos to invite their neighbours for a bhajan session (the singing of devotional songs to the Lord). At least two dozen or so attended the session during which Baba taught some Sathya Sai Baba bhajans and materialised a songbook containing them. He materialised a number of items and gifts for various members of the group and healed at least one other person. Then He had a simple lunch with the Raos and, after promising to return again, He left.

Baba next appeared at the Raos’ home on the Christmas Eve – the night of the 24th December 1964. The Raos had gone out for a walk and had locked theirr doors. Upon returning, they were startled to see lights on in their house. They tried both doors, which were still locked, and after unlocking the front door and entering their house, they were stunned to see Sathya Sai Baba in their prayer room once again, making preparations for another bhajan session!

How had He gotten into the locked house, coming ‘like a thief in the night’, as one neighbour put it? But then does not the Lord Himself say in the Book of Revelations:

Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake and keeps watching (for Me), keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!’ (That is, blessed is he who keeps the Lord’s commandments, doing Good Works, so that when the Lord comes he will be able to stand in front of the Lord without shame or regrets.) (Rev.16:15)

After the bhajan session, Baba took the photo of Himself out of the prayer room and hung it inside Sailaja’s room. From that day onwards, vibhuti had been materializing periodically on the photo! Family problems (of which Baba demonstrated clairvoyant knowledge) and spiritual discussions then took place until 1:00 a.m. when they all retired.

Baba was up by 4:00 a.m., took a cold bath, had breakfast with the Raos and asked them to organise another bhajan session with their neighbours. Several dozen people attended this session also, during which Baba again materialized all manner of gifts and food items, as well as vibhuti. Then explaining that devotees were waiting for Him, He left the Raos’ home at about 4:00 p.m. on Christmas Day.

First it must be noted that at the time these visits took place, the Raos were not Sathya Sai Baba devotees. They did have a special reverence for Shirdi Sai Baba, and because of Sathya Sai’s claim of being Shirdi Sai’s reincarnation; they had hung a photo of Him in their prayer room. Second, Baba’s visits to them were confirmed by Baba Himself years later when they went to Prasanthi Nilayam for the first time. Baba readily recognised them. Third, Baba made several predictions concerning their future, all of which came true, including the future birth of a baby boy (who was born several years after Baba’s visits). Fourth, during the initial investigations, several of the Raos’ neighbours were shown a photo of Sathya Sai Baba without His name being given and asked if they had ever seen Him before. They answered in the affirmative, saying He had come twice to the Rao’s house.

Why is this so remarkable? The answer is that Baba never came to the Raos’ house in His physical body! He appeared to them and the dozens of neighbours at the bhajan sessions in His astral or fully materialized spiritual body! For His physical body was far away on the opposite side of the Indian peninsula at the Palace of Venkatgiri in Andhra Pradesh state (about 100 miles north of Madras)!

Baba was a guest of the then Raja of Venkatgiri, the palace records verifying Baba’s presence there along with several devotees at that time. On the 13th December, Baba had given a discourse at the Raja’s Palace to a large group assembled there. And on the 24th December, He and His devotees were in Baba’s ashram in Bangalore, having just returned from the Palace, the group arriving just in time to celebrate Christmas together!

Lastly, Sathya Sai Baba has been appearing on a regular basis to a small group of individuals who are currently living in a cave (guha) ashram high in the Himalayan Mountains. The story about the small group is relayed in detail in Swami Maheswarananda’s wonderful book entitled ‘Sai Baba and Nara Narayana Guha (Cave) Ashram’.

It seems, in the early 1980s, Baba called together a small group of highly evolved individuals and told them to go to the Himalayan mountains near the holy shrine of Badrinath to perform ‘tapas’ (worship) and to ‘practise the highest form of meditation that leads to trance and connects you directly with the Atmic Principle (God)’. Most of the eleven called were young – in their 30s – and had come from exceedingly wealthy backgrounds. But their hearts were clearly into spiritual life, and, as per Baba’s instructions, they made arrangements for their heirs and gave up all their worldly possessions and attachments. Two of those called were already in spiritual life, being quite advanced in spirituality and age!

Sai is said to have gifted the group an incredible vessel called the ‘Akshaya-patra’, meaning the ‘never-declining, the ever-full’ vessel. (Remember, Sathya Sai Baba was born in the Hindu year called ‘Akshaya’: the ‘never-declining, the ever-full.’) The vessel is so-named because it spontaneously manifests all manner of food, fruits, milk, prasad (sacred or consecrated food), etc., to sustain this blessed group of eleven!

Baba told them when giving them the vessel, ‘whenever I notice that you are hungry, the necessary food required by you will automatically appear in the container under My Divine Will’.

Sai Himself appears to this group of eleven very often, initially appearing every month to give them personal Direction and Guidance. Now His visits come about every six months or so, all His visits being clear examples of bi-location, as His physical form is in the deep south of India while the cave ashram is located in the far northern region of the country.

Though Baba in His physical form has only toured India and parts of Africa, He has literally roamed the Earth in His astral body, materializing physically and appearing in dreams wherever He wills.

-- Ms. Kristina Gale & Mr. Kumar

(Source: ‘Wondrous Miracles’ by Ms. Kristina Gale & Mr. Kumar from the book ‘Baba is God in Human Form’ by Prem Luthra – Serial No. 4.)