Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VI | Mr. G.K. Manohar

Mr. G.K. Manohar,
Sadam Jewellers,
Ramar Koil Street,
Chittoor - 517 001.

Tel: 08572-227171

      Mr. G.K. Manohar (42), a jeweller, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I am the third generation devotee of Bhagavan as my parents and grandparents were His devotees.

In 1977, I was coming from Bangalore to Brindavan in a bus all alone. I dozed off in the bus. When the bus reached its destination, the driver woke me up. 'Where should you get down?' he asked me. 'At Brindavan' I replied, 'I have to go to Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Ashram'. 'We have come 18 kms past it' the driver replied, 'now it is already night. You better sleep in this bus and go back with us early in the morning.' 'I will take another bus back' I said, 'I phoned my grandmother who is at Brindavan that I am coming. If I do not turn up she will become anxious'. 'There is no bus now' the driver said, 'there is no phone nearby. So better stay!' 'I will walk back' I said. 'You are a boy' the driver replied, 'the way is through fields, wild growth and one or two cemeteries.' Then a stranger came there. 'I am going to Brindavan,' he asked me 'would you like to join?' I was happy. But the driver was not. 'Don't trust a stranger' he whispered into my ear. 'Swami is there' I said, 'I will go'. We both began to walk back to Brindavan. He was telling me many stories about Bhagavan. I walked as if in a trance. We passed through cemeteries. I saw a dead body being cremated. But I did not feel any fear strangely. We reached my grandmother's house safely. I pressed the calling bell and turned back. There was none. Where was the stranger that accompanied me? I looked into the street. It is a long street. There was no trace of any human movement. He could not have gone away in a trice like that. He must have been Bhagavan only who came to reach me to my grandmother's house safely.

I used to suffer from stomach-ache often. It became chronic. Whenever Swami called my parents for interview, I used to accompany. While I was a child, Swami used to slap me on my cheeks often by way of cajoling me.

In 1984, Swami called us for interview to bless the alliance for my elder sister, Lavanya. Then my mother told Bhagavan about my stomach- ache. Swami smiled and slapped me on my cheek mildly and then rubbed with His hand on my stomach. My stomach-ache disappeared. It has not recurred till now.

In 1986, I was going by a scooter when a jeep hit me. Passers by, later, told me that I had cried 'Sai Ram'. I fell on a basket of lemons which served as cushion to absorb the shock of my fall. Had I fallen on the other side, I would have been crushed under the wheels of the jeep. How I fell on this side was a mystery. I escaped without even a scratch. My scooter also was safe owing to Swami's grace.

In 1992, I married Manasa. In 1993, we all went to Kodaikanal. Swami was there at that time. He called us for interview. 'Take a photograph' Swami told me seeing a camera with me. I asked my parents to stand on either side of Swami and took the photograph. I then explained to my father how to take the snap and went and stood by the side of Swami with my wife. My father never handled a camera. As he pressed the button, I could see that the camera jerked. 'Take another' I cried, 'you have spoiled the shot', but Swami said 'no need. The photograph has come well'. I was not happy but I could do nothing. I went to a studio on return to Chittoor. 'This roll contains very important photographs' I told the studio person, 'be careful and develop it well.' He took the camera and opened it taking out the roll. Inadvertently the roll slipped exposing to light all shots in it.

I was shocked. 'You have spoiled all shots' I cried, 'you careless fellow! Develop them for whatever it is worth.' When developed, only the two snaps we took with Swami came well, and all other snaps did not develop into photographs.'

-- Mr. G.K. Manohar

   (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 23.02.2006)