Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VI | Mr. A. Roy

Mr. A. Roy,
India.

      Mr. A. Roy was an investigator as to the Divinity of Bhagavan. As part of his intent for investigation, he came to Prasanthi Nilayam and had an encounter with Bhagavan. He had the account of his investigation published in the Blitz dated August 14, 1976.

'It was the 30th of January, 1975 - my first visit to Puttaparthi, when Sai Baba picked me from the crowd for an interview. I was not at all prepared for this unexpected opportunity.

As I waited anxiously in the right wing of the mandir, I could easily recognise two parapsychologists from New York (Elendur Haraldsson and Karlis Osis) sitting close to me who had become a familiar sight at the Ashram due to their unusual activities.

Unlike Dr. Narasimhaiah, who drew his hasty conclusions after sending a few letters by post, these two scientists of moral integrity had chosen a more sensible method of on-the-spot investigation to determine whether what was being published in the United States about Sai Baba was a hoax or whether there was truth in it.

Over a period of more than three months, they recorded statements of many men of unquestionable honesty who were expected to know Baba from a close distance, and cross-examined hundreds of people from the crowd who had been granted an interview. Using movie cameras, they filmed many incidents of materialization. In short, they had collected unimpeachable documentary evidence relating to the validity of the miraculous powers attributed to Sai Baba.

I was sitting in the group of eight visitors who were asked to sit separately. Besides the two investigators, the group contained a couple from Los Angeles, a lady from Sri Lanka, a gentleman from Hong Kong and a doctor from Bombay.

Soon we were called in a small room, 10' x 10' approximately. We squatted on the floor facing Baba. He too sat on the floor instead of the chair lying behind. Immediately on our arrival, as a gesture of welcome, Baba waved his right hand in the air, created some vibhuti and distributed it to the group.

Calm and serene, Baba smilingly surveyed us with his fathomless eyes. I had a chance to watch him intently from a distance of four feet. He looked exceedingly youthful and handsome. He was buoyant, cheerful and as simple in his expressions as a child, in marked contrast to his normal reserved and imposing appearance observed in a crowd. Soft and sweet words effortlessly rolled out from his tongue.

Touched by his hospitality we felt completely at ease. For a moment, I forgot that I was face-to-face with the most powerful and unique phenomenon of our times who is revered by millions in India and abroad.

Then to my great surprise, without any prior knowledge about me and my Hindi-speaking capabilities, he asked me to get up and sit beside him to interpret his Hindi into English which I did to the best of my ability.

As I sat almost touching Baba, He leaned affectionately on my left shoulder, repeatedly placing His right hand and arm over me in such a way that I could have detected even a small pin hidden in his sleeve, if there was one.

Baba then turned towards the American couple (Mr. and Mrs. Krystal) and asked whether it was their 33rd wedding anniversary on that day. Surprised, they replied in the affirmative.

'I will perform your spiritual marriage according to the Vedic rites,' He said. Expecting something miraculous to happen, we all became very alert. Baba waved his hand in the air and materialised a golden ring with His bust embossed on it. He asked the lady to present it to her husband.

He next directed the couple to move further away and put himself in clear view of every one so that they could watch Him. He pulled his sleeves up and offered his stretched empty hands to the group for a close examination. This time, as if not to strain our eyes, he did not wave his hand in the air. With the palm facing upwards, he slowly closed his left fist for every one to observe clearly.

There was a pin-drop silence. As I sat abreast, I could see something glittering inside his fist. Using his right hand, he slowly pulled out a large dazzling necklace (mangalasutra) about 30" in length and too big to be accommodated in a closed fist.

We became speechless watching the incredible happen in front of our eyes. He explained the significance of 40 rare gems (including diamonds) used in the necklace, which contained a large golden lotus with a bust of Baba on it. He handed it over to the husband and asked him to put it around the neck of his wife.

Looking towards the dumb-founded investigating team Baba humorously questioned, 'tell me how did this happen?' There was no reply. 'I am giving you repeated chances to observe me closely and listen to me because I know you are good at heart and are interested in helping humanity by your investigations,' Baba added.

A very illumining question-answer session between Baba and the group followed. When the group interview was drawing to a close, one of the members of the investigating team (Karlis Osis) observed that an oval stone (¼" x ½") fitted on the ring worn by him, which had earlier been materialised by Baba, was missing after he had entered the room. As some of us started searching for the missing stone, Baba took us one by one for a personal interview in an adjoining room. Unable to trace the stone, we looked towards Baba. He smiled but made no comments. It was apparent that it was He who had de-materialized this stone.

After the interview was over, the gentleman asked for a magnifying glass and observed that the serration, in which the stone was inserted in the ring, was unaffected. After the inspection, he confided in me that if Baba could bring the same stone back on the ring, he would take it as a conclusive proof of his Divinity.

In a subsequent interview, to which I was again called to act as an interpreter, Baba blew air three times on the ring and re-materialized the same stone. The members of the investigating team literally shrieked with amazement. There was no more evidence required to prove the Divinity of Baba.'

-- Mr. A. Roy

      (This article was originally published in the Blitz dated August 14, 1976. This article was taken to the book 'God Lives In India' by Mr. R.K. Karanjia, the then editor of the Blitz, published in 1994. This write-up is extracted from the book 'God Lives In India')