Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VI | Ms. Meera Manikkavachakan

Ms. Meera Manikkavachakan,
Lecturer in Home Science,
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning,
Anantapur Campus.

Ms. Meera Manikkavachakan, Lecturer in Home Science in the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur Campus narrates her experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in her own words.

'I am, indeed, fortunate to have come into the Divine fold at a very young age. My uncle got married to the daughter of a staunch Sai devotee. His father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer of the rectum and was asked to undergo surgery immediately. The surgery was scheduled two days later. But he pleaded with the doctors and requested them to postpone it by a few days, and the doctors agreed.

From then onwards, he and his family members prayed intensely and sought Swami's blessings and guidance. He went to the hospital after ten days, and got himself admitted. The preliminary preparations were made. Before the operation, the doctors checked the extent of the growth of cancer. During the tests, they were confounded to find no evidence of cancer. Further, they even discovered healed marks of an operation that had been performed. The doctors were shocked, and asked what had happened. So the patient related what he had done in the past ten days. This happened in August, and they came to Swami the following Shivarathri. Swami called them for an interview. My aunt informed Him about the cancer. Swami then said with a mischievous smile, 'cancer is cancelled.' Faith in God does wonders in life. This incident instilled in our family a deep faith in Bhagavan, and that is how we came into the Sai fold.

During the 1983 riots in Sri Lanka, unimaginable events took place in our lives. That fateful morning started just like any other day. But as the day progressed, there were calamities everywhere. People were tortured, brutally murdered and burnt alive. Homes were looted and burnt. Everything was set ablaze. Terror was unleashed. Children were stranded in schools and colleges, and elders in their work places. People were separated from their near and dear ones. It took days for families to reunite. The gory carnage shattered our belief in humanness. Our house was looted and damaged and a bonfire was made of the rest of the things. We lost all our material possessions and had to depend on kind-hearted friends even for immediate change of clothes. But it is a miracle that only our house was not burnt down in that area. It was a joyful reunion for us after a few days.

That was the turning point in our lives. Our perception towards life changed drastically. We took a U turn towards Bhagavan. We understood the impermanence of material possessions and were grateful to the unseen Hand which had protected and saved us. As soon as we could take control over our lives, my mother brought us to Prasanthi Nilayam. The most merciful and loving Bhagavan took charge of our lives thereafter. From then on, there has been no looking back. We had indeed burnt our bridges to Sri Lanka!

After completing my studies at Anantapur, I went to Bombay for my higher studies. During my stay there, I suddenly fell ill. I was diagnosed with typhoid and treated for it. But my condition showed little improvement. Then I was treated for malaria but my health deteriorated. I became very weak due to continuous fever and vomiting. I could not even walk a few steps or sleep a few hours. I felt miserable and sick, as I didn't have my family around me. I thought of Bhagavan incessantly, and prayed silently to Him to show me a way.

One day, when I dozed off during the day time, Swami appeared in my dream and commanded me to start immediately for Prasanthi Nilayam, and assured me that He would be with me. I told my friend to book a ticket and asked her to put me in the train. It is only Swami who gave me the strength to board the train. In the train, I got the lower berth and was lying down all the time without eating or drinking anything. In my mind I had only one thought - that was to reach Prasanthi Nilayam. I felt that something was drastically wrong with me. A kind-hearted co-passenger enquired about my welfare, and asked whether he could do anything for me. I thanked him and requested him to tell me when the train reached Dharmavaram station. And, promptly at Dharmavaram, the well-wisher helped me alight with my bag.

As I alighted from the train, two young boys came running toward me calling 'akka, akka (sister, sister)'. They helped me with my bag and said that they had come to receive a particular family. Since the family hadn't arrived, they offered to take me in their van to Puttaparthi. They talked to me as if they had known me very well. Sensing my hesitation, they assured me that they had known my aunt, a doctor in the General Hospital at Prasanthi Nilayam, very well. I relaxed in the back seat and asked them to drive me straight to the General Hospital. Once we reached the hospital, the doctor on duty took me by a wheel chair to the ward and sent word for my aunt. As soon as she came, I told her to pay the boys. But when she went out, there was neither the van nor the boys anywhere. Who else other than our Beloved Lord could give such timely help?

In the General Hospital, I was diagnosed as suffering from severe jaundice, and I soon slipped into a semiconscious state. The doctors administered intravenous fluids. With Swami's vibhuti-prasad, my condition started to improve slowly.'

--Ms. Meera Manikkavachakan

(As extracted from the souvenir Ananta Prematarangini published by the Anantapur Campus of the SSSIHL on the occasion of the 80th Birthday of Bhagavan)