Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group I | Mr. Challa Prabhakara Rao

Mr. Challa Prabhakara Rao,
Accounts Officer (Rtd), APSEB,
H.No. 3-336, I Floor, Sai Pinky Apartments,
West Cross Four, Gopuram Road,
Puttaparthi - 515134.

Mr. Challa Prabhakar Rao (63) who retired as Accounts Officer in the APSEB has been a resident of Puttaparthi for the last 3 years. Swami has blessed him with several mystic experiences of which a few are recorded in his own words.

'Usually I prefer back seats in the Sai Kulwant Hall during Darshan and Bhajan. But on January 2, 2003 I felt impulsively to be in the front lines. So I went and sat there. There I felt like closing my eyes again impulsively. I did so; I had a clear vision of an undefinable panoramic form (Virat Swaroopam) landing as a large focus of light on my head. Right before my eyes was also a large waterfall. Idyllic scenes began moving before my eyes one after the other in quick succession. A beautiful garden! Clear blue sky! And what not. This mystic experience lasted for about five minutes, and then I was back to my normal surroundings.

This was not my first experience, which is beyond any rational explanation. I am quite certain I was not imagining things. Though my eyes were closed at that time, I clearly 'saw' those scenes. Though I had earlier many experiences owing to the grace of Swami, this was totally different from my earlier experiences.

My experiences can be classified as those relating to (1) health, (2) road accidents, (3) peace and tranquility, (4) visions of Swami, (5) experiencing divine fragrance and (6) other mystic experiences.

On May 24, 2000, I had chest pain while proceeding to my office in an 'auto-rickshaw' at Hyderabad. I asked the auto-driver to turn back to my house, picked my wife, and proceeded to Kamineni Super-specialties Hospital. By the time we reached the Hospital and I was admitted there, I was un-conscious. I was kept in the ICU and was treated. While discharging me after 10 days, the Doctor said, 'only God has saved your life. Had you come a few minutes late, we don't know what would have happened.' My wife, a Sai devotee, was praying to Bhagavan ardently all the time.

I had a second attack in June 2002 and was admitted again in the Kamineni Hospital. The diagnosis, after all the tests were conducted, was that three valves in my heart were damaged. I needed to undergo triple bypass surgery within a month to avoid risk of another attack. I did not know what to do. It was very expensive. Results could be unpredictable.

Then I came to Puttaparthi and stayed here leaving my fate to Swami. However, I continued to use the prescribed medicines. Darshan and Bhajan, morning and evening, have been my daily routine since then.

I am not in the habit of performing any pooja (rituals). Of course, I give Haarati (with camphor) to Swami daily in my flat. Gradually I have been experiencing several divine miracles, which have served to reassure me that Swami is with me. Inspired by those experiences, I have felt confident that Swami has been taking care of me. 'When it is so, why rely on medicines?' Thinking like that, I gave up all medication after December 2002.

Ever since my visit to Puttaparthi, after discharge from the Kamineni Hospital in June 2002, I have been staying at Puttaparthi. Only occasionally I visit my wife and children, that too, for a few days. I have not so far felt the need for the open-heart surgery considered necessary by the surgeons in June 2002.

My friends, relatives and the medical Doctors are all wonder-struck on the state of my present heart and health condition.

When I gave Haarati (with camphor) to Swami on January 3, 2003, I could 'see' Swami's physical form clearly in the flame. After the flame subsided leaving a mark on the semmi (neerajanam-holder), I could see Swami's form in it also. This experience repeated almost daily for a while. I used to find Swami's form even in the Vibhuti Bharani (container of Vibhuti) and Kumkum Bharani (container of Kumkum). Some of my friends came to my room and saw these forms of Swami in the Neeraajanam-holder and the Bharanis (containers). Sri Narasimha Rao, a retired Accounts Officer of the APSEB, Sri Y. Subrahmanyam, Sri D.V.Krishna Rao and Sri M.S.Murthy are among those who personally witnessed these forms of Swami.

On August 10, 2003, I made an offering of a banana (naivedyam) to Swami, but left it untouched, as I did not feel like eating it after the formal prayer was over. On the 13th August, I found that its cover turned black. As it was prasadam, I did not like to throw it away. When I took a little bit of it, I found, to my surprise, that far from being spoiled, it had a fine fragrance and excellent taste, the like of which I had not tasted earlier!

On January 30, 2003, I was sitting in the Sai Kulwant Hall when I smelt a fine fragrance of Swami's Vibhuti. I have had such experiences afterwards several times in the Sai Kulwant Hall and in my flat, too. Many of my friends such as Sri Narasimha Rao, Sri Simhayya Gupta, Sri M.S.Murthy, Sri B.Parvatala Rao as well as his wife Smt B. Sarojini Devi remarked, on entering my flat, that there was fine Vibhuti fragrance around.

Whenever I think of Swami and do Padanamaskar in my mind, I feel the actual experience of physically touching the Divine Lotus Feet of Swami.

When my wife was returning from her office on an evening in 1998 in an auto-rickshaw (from Nampalli to Vanasthalipuram in Hyderabad), a matador-van dashed against the auto-rickshaw. Owing to the impact, the auto-rickshaw turned over making three somersaults. The onlookers at the sight thought that there was hardly any scope for those in the auto-rickshaw to escape serious consequences. My wife cried 'Sai' the moment the van collided with the auto-rickshaw. To the surprise of every one there, my wife escaped without a scratch! Whenever she mentions about that accident, she invariably acknowledges Swami's grace saying: 'It is only due to Swami that I am alive today.'

In July 1999, I was returning in a car from Vijayawada to Hyderabad with my wife and nephew late in the night. After we crossed Suryapet, our car dashed against and landed over the road-divider making a frightful sound. My wife was praying to Swami frantically. Surprisingly none of us sustained any injuries. How to take the car out, from over the road-divider? Though we were on the National High- way, there was unusually no traffic at that time. There was no one around to help.

Just at that time, four persons came to the car from nowhere! They physically lifted the car and put it on the road and left! When the driver started the car, it was all right. In the same car we could safely reach Hyderabad. It is such a god-forsaken place that you won't get any help, even on payment, to do such jobs, even during daytime. Then from where did these four persons come at that unearthly hour? But for Swami's grace we would not have been safe / alive in the first place; and would not have been able to return to Hyderabad in the same car.

I am used to do deeparaadhana (kindling a lamp) everyday before Swami's Photograph in my flat both in the morning and in the evening. I was pouring oil from a bottle daily twice into the kundi (container for wick and oil for the lamp) before kindling it.

On February 18, 2003, I casually looked at the oil bottle and found, to my surprise, that the level of oil in the bottle was unchanged. The level did not come down even a little though I was using the oil for deepam daily twice! My friend Sri M.S.Murthy was a witness, too.

On January 17, 2004, I had a peculiar desire. I thought 'Swami is giving me so many experiences. I long to see vibhuti emanating from the picture of Swami'. I mentioned of this desire to one of my friends who commented that it was funny. This discussion was going on between my friend and me in my room at about noon that day. To the surprise of both of us, Vibhuti started coming from Swami's Photograph in my flat! It came from the Photograph that was showing Swami in white dress displaying his 'Abhaya Hasta'. Vibhuti started to fall down from Swamy's forehead and hands in a small quantity. My friends Sri Narasimha Rao, Sri M.S.Murthy and Venkataiah came to my flat, and saw the vibhuti that had fallen down from the Photograph of Swami.

When I was sitting in the Sai Kulwant Hall at 4 p.m. on February 1, 2003, I experienced fine fragrance around me suddenly. On February 7 also I had a similar experience. This time the fragrance continued even after I left the hall and came out into the open. On February 14, I experienced again fine fragrance around me when I was at Gayathri mandir. For the next two days this persisted. Even now, I experience, though occasionally, fine fragrance both in the Sai Kulwant Hall and outside. However, in many cases, I could not identify the fragrance whether it was jasmine scent or vibhuti perfume or some other thing.

On January 2, 2003, I was looking at Swami's Photograph in my room when I clearly noticed that Swami was moving his lips and eyelids.

I am experiencing similar things now and then. I see several colours in the Photograph. When I look at the Photograph of Swami, it won't be like seeing a mere Photograph of Swami, but Swami in flesh and blood; I clearly notice rays in different colours emanating from the hands and face of Swami in the Photograph. Many times I see Swami's form in the kitchen on the walls and floor, and even in the bathroom. I sometimes notice Swami's face on idli and other eatables.

I saw Swami's form on eatables for the first time on August 15, 2003. This experience continues even now. First a square appears, and Swami's face followed by body forms within the square. Several forms of Swami appear and disappear in quick succession.

On November 15, 2003, I had a friend in my flat at the time of giving Haarati to Swami's Photograph. I saw Swami in physical form in it. Then suddenly I felt that the flat was swinging as if there was an earthquake. I saw Swami's eyes radiate divine light, moving his lips, eyelids etc. The friend who was with me at that time was Mr. P. Rajeswara Rao from Hyderabad. He was a Section Officer in the State Secretariat there, and a Sai devotee.

On September 30, 2003, I saw Swami (in the Photograph) moving his lips and eyes. As I was watching Swami's face, I felt as if I was watching Swami in person with his hair, teeth and face in a lively fashion. I could see vibhuti on his forehead and great aura around him. I was in my flat only at that time, but I saw Swami going along darshan lines and taking letters from devotees!

About that period, I used to see Swami coming and sitting on my cot in my flat. Sometimes I used to feel that Swami was moving in my room in a subtle form or not clearly seen. I could smell his fragrance. I used to see Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Kali (both ugra - fierce and soumya - pleasant forms) in addition to Swami in white robe. When I took vibhuti prasadam into my mouth, I used to feel mogali poola vaasana (fragrance of caldera flower).

On October 2, 2003, Mr. Krishna Rao (a friend of mine) was looking at Swami's Photograph in my flat at around 7 p.m. He clearly saw Swami lifting his right hand fingers and waving his hand; he saw Swami doing like this twice. Then he had a feeling that Swami was telling him 'you had wanted to see this twice, and I showed you twice. It is not proper on your part to wish to see it again'.

On the night of September 2, 2003 eight devotees some of whom came from Bilaspur performed Bhajan in my flat. All of them could see Swami's forms that appeared on the pedestal in our kitchen after Bhajan. Only one of them Smt. Vijayamohan Reddy could also see Swami in the flame of Haarati when Haarati was given. She is a resident of Puttaparthi.

On June 21, 2003 at 7 p.m. I offered a mango fruit as naivedyam to Swami. After an hour, I found that a small piece was taken from the fruit. I was there throughout and there was no chance of anybody taking a piece out of it before our eyes. Besides, Swami's form appeared under the fruit. So we concluded that Swami had accepted the Nivedana (offering) and took a small piece as a token of his acceptance.

On January 3, 2003, I was still awake around 9.30 p.m. when I felt that some magnetic power was flowing into my body (heart). A few minutes later I felt numbness in my hands. All this was not my imagination but clear physical experience; and then I laid my hands on my stomach when the flow of the magnetic power stopped! This was a peculiar experience, which I had not had earlier. This experience occurred the next day also.

On January 4, 2003 I had an experience of actually going into Swami's room. Swami saw me and said, 'sit down!' After 2 minutes, Swami looked at me and said 'you can go!'

On January 6, 2003, I was in my flat. Between 6 to 7 p.m., I experienced some white smoke-like thing blowing out of my Sahasraram; next moment, I could see Swami's feet entering and getting installed in my heart. I felt immensely happy, and also felt great relief.

On January 8, 2003 I was sitting in Sai kulwant Hall. Suddenly I was looking into myself - a strange experience, indeed, when a number of lingas were seen going round and round in a circle in my heart. After 5 minutes, all but one of the lingas disappeared. Swami was seen sitting on the linga, which was left behind. I felt that I was performing abhishekam to that linga. From that day onwards, I have been experiencing performing of abhishekam inside me daily in the morning.

On July 4, 2003, I was getting ready to go out after the abhishekam to the linga in my heart. I found Swami in front of me seated on a throne. He was looking at me. Between Swami and me, there was a linga with lamps on either side. As I moved out of my room, this whole setting too began to move in front me. This type of experience has been continuing ever since. I find sometimes a number of thrones with Swami seated on each spreading in the street from one end to the other. All those move in front of me backwards step by step, as I move forward step by step.

When I travel by bus or train I find Swami coming in the air along side and I can see him through the window.

On July 8, 2003, I had a dream while I was asleep. Swami was in a helicopter, which was flying over Sai Kulwant Hall. It later entered the hall and was flying over the devotees seated there. Swami was giving darshan from the helicopter and blessed the devotees raising both the hands. However, the helicopter did not land.

I have been faxing to Swami my experiences every Thursday from August 7, 2003 onwards. So far I have sent fax like this 10 times. Before sending the fax, I keep the papers before Swami's Photograph. Within seconds, I could see Swami's forms appearing in 5 or 6 shapes on the papers.

When I was writing this chronicle of my experiences on February 3, 2004 at 11.30 p.m., I saw Swami's forms on the paper on which I was writing the sub-heading: 'Divine Fax Papers'. There were three of them appearing suddenly. Swami used to appear earlier only after I put the papers before Swami's Photograph. This time the images of Swami formed even before I kept the papers before the Photograph of Swami.

Among those who witnessed the images of Swami on papers to be faxed were Sri Narasimha Rao and Sri Y Balasubrahmanyam.

On October 15, 2003 at 8 a.m. I was on the lawn near Subrahmanya temple in the premises of Prasanthi Nilayam. Suddenly I had an impulse to look at the sun. I know that by looking at the sun one runs the risk of losing one's sight permanently. But I could not resist.

When I looked at the sun, I saw Swami's face in it. He was radiating with great incandescence. I could not believe my eyes and looked up again. Again, the same scene! This is not hallucination. I was wide-awake and was looking at the sun. Then the face of sun became blue though radiant as before. Around the sun were multi-coloured circles, which started rotating around the sun in great speed. Next all those colours dissolved into space diffusing in all directions. In a few minutes all those colours were back on earth, and I started seeing them on all individuals before me. When I moved into Sai kulwant Hall, I could see the colours on all devotees seated there. I could see the colours not only on their wear, but also on their faces. I could also see a circle of aura around each individual in the hall.

Ever since, I have been experiencing this daily. I look at the sun daily for a few moments and see the sun dipped in thick blue light while multi-coloured circles form around the sun. I also see colours on all individuals. I have not had any eye defect. Nor looking at the sun daily has damaged my eyes in the least.

On November 10, 2003, I was in the Sai Kulwant Hall. At about 4 p.m. I observed a multi-coloured light flowing into the hall from the dome. The light went very fast towards Swami. Swami was completely inundated in the flow of the light. From that day onwards, I have been observing the multi-coloured light-flow descend from the dome and inundate the whole hall. Sometimes, I see a rainbow, too. Sometimes, I feel that light radiates from my forehead, eyes and Sahasrara, but that does not, in any way, affect me.

Since January 8, 2004 I have been having another strange experience. I have a feeling that my body is being trampled upon by me, under my own feet! I clearly see my head coming under my feet as I walk along. Simultaneously, I continue to see Swami being seated on the throne in front of me with a lingam and a pair of lamps in between us.

My other experiences like seeing colours come down from the sun, colours on individuals, colour flow from the dome of the Sai Kulwant Hall drenching all those seated there, and experience of fine, unidentifiable fragrance - all continue till this day.

Swami has brought about a perceptible transformation in my temperament for the better. Earlier, while I was in service, no one dared approach me for fear of my short temper, which was known to all in my home as well as my office. It is a pleasant surprise to me as well as my friends and relatives that I am a totally transformed person these days, enjoying peace and tranquility. It is my firm conviction that the Darshan I have of Bhagavan everyday is the cause of the transformation in me.

I have not shared these experiences with anyone except a few close friends. As I contemplate these experiences, I feel that there is a pattern in them.

It all began with natural scenes like waterfall, gardens, etc which represent the manifested aspect of the Divine Power. Next came appearance of Swami everywhere, abhishekam to Atmalingam and emergence of fragrance. These represent visualizing divinity in the manifested aspect of the Divine. Next follow the forms and visions of colour, light and incandescence representing gradual transformation towards the Un-manifest. Seeing myself trampled under my own feet points out that I am different from my body. I have not done any sadhana. Yet Swami, out of his compassion and love, seems to be leading me over various spiritual steps towards the more sublime goal. No one can gauge why and when Swami does anything, or whom He chooses to display His leelas, as an instrument. The 'I' that surfaces often in this narration is not to be taken as Ch Prabhakara Rao. The 'I' stands for the instrument in His hands. These leelas, like the infinite other leelas, of Swami reflect His love and compassion for us as well as His abundant grace.'

-- Ch. Prabhakara Rao.

(As narrated to Mr. B.Parvatala Rao on February 5, 2004 at Prasanthi Nilayam)