Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VII | Mr. A. Krishna

Mr. A. Krishna,
309, Srilakshmi Apartments,
R.S.Road, Kurnool.

(M) 98858-76545, 98855-52706

      Mr. A. Krishna (60), a retired lecturer, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I happened to have the darshan of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the first time at Anantapur when He came to participate in the School Day function of Sri Sathya Sai Girls' School, in 1965 or 1966.

In 1969, I was looking for employment after post-graduation. As my efforts bore no fruit, many of my relatives began to criticise my father for wasting money on my education. My father, though poor, got me educated to the post-graduate level, no matter what difficulties he had to face in the process. So when my relatives were criticising him I felt sad and unhappy.

One day I was reading Bhagavan's journal after lunch. That issue carried Bhagavan's photograph on the cover and carried an elaborate cover story on Him. I was much impressed by that article and earnestly prayed to Bhagavan to show me a way out of my pitiable predicament. Then I fell asleep when Bhagavan appeared in my dream and blessed me. I thought that Swami had come to my house, and woke up looking around for Him. Then I realised that it was only a dream. I did not tell this to anyone.

That day I had to go out on some work. There I chanced to glance through Andhra Pathrika in which an ad for the posts of tutors and Assistant Lecturers in English in N.B.K.R Arts & Science College, Vidyanagar, Nellore District was there. The ad called eligible candidates directly for a walk-in-interview. I borrowed Rs. 20 from my friend and started for Nellore on September 25, 1969. I went to Nellore and from there to Gudur where I got into a bus bound for Vidyanagar. It was already 6 p.m. and the bus was jam-packed. One of the passengers offered me a seat. His name is Mr. Venu, an employee of the then Land Mortgage Bank, Gudur.

'Why are you going to Vidyanagar' Venu asked me.

'To attend an interview in the college' I replied.

'I think you are new to the place' Venu said, 'there are no lodges there. You better come with me. I am going to a friend's room.'

I thanked him, and thanked Bhagavan in my mind. Venu took care of me that night.

Next morning I got ready and proceeded to the college for the interview, after praying to Swami in my mind. I had no recommendation from any one. So I was thinking that God was my only hope. The interview was conducted by Mr. N. Janardhana Reddy, the correspondent of the college, assisted by the head of the Department of English Mr. V. Krishnamurthy.

'Take that young chap' said Mr. Reddy to Mr. Krishnamurthy, 'and ask him a few questions.'

Mr. Murthy asked me six questions. I answered five correctly and for the sixth, I said 'sorry sir! I don't know.'

Mr. Reddy then asked Mr. Murthy 'are you satisfied? Issue him the order of appointment and ask him to go to class'. Thus, I secured employment within a few days after my prayer to Bhagavan. Though I had become a devotee of Swami, I could not visit Prasanthi Nilayam for a long time.

In 1986, I was transferred by Government to Kadapa along with six of my colleagues. One of them was Mr. M. Thimmaiah, a critic of Bhagavan. However, he was a voracious reader, particularly of Vivekananda literature. We both used to visit nearby holy places. He used to tell me about his difficulties. He incurred a debt of Rs. two lakhs. His income from agricultural lands was marginal. He had to perform his daughter's marriage, which meant doubling his debt burden.

'What do you advise me to do?' He asked in desperation.

'Pray to God' I replied, 'His grace alone helps us tide over the difficulties.'

One day he surprised me with a proposal.

'The birthday of Sri Sathya Sai Baba is being celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam' he told me, 'let us go and attend.' I readily agreed. We had Bhagavan's darshan at 4 p.m. on November 23, 1987. Swami looked into my eyes seriously during darshan. I thought He was hinting to me 'you should have come here long back!' Mr. Thimmaiah also had a similar feeling.

We spent that night near the precincts of Swami's abode. That night I had a strange experience. Swami came to me and touched my left leg rubbing it from the knee to heel. I tried to wake up but could not. Next morning, I found that the muscle pain in my left leg that had been there far a long time miraculously disappeared!

After return from Prasanthi Nilayam, Mr. Thimmaiah's fortunes changed for the better. His daughter's marriage was fixed. He could perform it well by incurring a debt of Rs. two lakhs, of course. Mr. Thimmaiah had brought a few packets of Swami's vibhuti from Prasanthi Nilayam. He mixed the vibhuti with the fertilizers and used for his fields. That year he had such a good crop that he could clear half of his debts. Next year, he repeated it and could get rid of all his debts.

'There are days when I lamented that I might die indebted' Mr. Thimmaiah recalled, 'Swami's grace saved me from that disgrace.' Later he was transferred to Yemmiganoor and I was transferred to Porumamilla, but we used to meet every year at Prasanthi Nilayam for Gurupoornima. He had been a chain smoker, but owing to Swami's grace, he gave it up. He could influence the villagers also profoundly and bring many of them into Sai's fold.

I used to go to the temple and attend bhajans in Porumamilla regularly. At Chennakesava Swami temple, I met a Swamiji one day.

'Are you a devotee of Sri Sathya Sai?' he asked me. 'Yes, Swamiji' I replied.

He stared into my eyes. His power was such that I lost consciousness. My friends told me that I was laughing and weeping like a new-born without any obvious reason. After a few minutes, I was my original self.

In 1989, we conducted Swami's Birthday celebrations in Porumamilla. I invited Sri C. Rajagopala Naidu, DEE of Telugu Ganga Project.

'I will definitely come' he said, 'if I am exempted from election duty by Swami's grace'. We were both exempted, and attended the celebration. Mr. Naidu had a dream in which he heard the announcement of results of the elections. The announcement was in favour of Congress. Immediately he woke up and told me about it.

'You have interest in politics' I said, 'so Swami hinted about future political developments'. After two days, the results came. What Mr. Naidu had heard in his dream came true.

Sometime later, I applied for transfer from Porumamilla to Kurnool for compelling reasons. By that time, Mr. N. Janardhana Reddy became the Chief Minister. I went and met him. I told him that I had worked in his college. He asked me to give my application to his PA.

That year I came to Prasanthi Nilayam a day in advance to Gurupoornima. That night at about 8 p.m. I had an urge to leave Prasanthi Nilayam. Some Divine force was telling me to leave at once. I was in a dilemma. Should I stay on and listen to Swami's Divine discourse on Gurupoornima as I had planned originally? Or, should I leave at once complying with the Divine urge? I hurriedly packed up and left for Hyderabad. Next day I went to the Section Superintendent. 'Your application was endorsed by the Chief Minister' he told me, 'wait for a while and take orders'. That is how I got a transfer to Kurnool owing to His grace.

My wife was a bitter critic of Swami. She used to ridicule me for my blind faith in Swami.

'How can you consider a man as God?' she used to ask.

She was a heart patient. She was suffering from mitral-stenosis for the past 25 years. She was treated by the best of experts in the medical field with no improvement.

I took my wife to the SSSIHMS, Prasanthi Nilayam for medical check-up. Swami was not there at that time. That night Swami came into her dream. 'Bangaru! You are all right' Swami told her, 'you have no pain. Tell me where your pain is? You are telling lies.' 'I have got pain in my chest, Swami' my wife replied, 'but now there is no pain. I wonder how it has gone.' Swami allowed her to do padanamaskar. Then she woke up, and her dream ended.

After a gap of three months, we went to Prasanthi Nilayam again. Swami was there. My wife could get the front line. Swami came straight to her and gave her five chocolates. He stood before her till she did padanamaskar, and blessed her. She was immensely happy. Since then she has been free from her heart complaint.'

-- Mr. A. Krishna

        (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 19.06.2006)