Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Mr. Gaurishankar Kanoi

Mr. Gaurishankar Kanoi
408, Sai Kailash Apartments
Chitravathi Road
Puttaparthi - 515134
Mobile: 98313-81771

Mr. Gaurishankar Kanoi (67), a leading Tea Planter from Assam, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'It was on July 27, 1985, that I came for the first time to Prasanthi Nilayam. I was a non-believer and an atheist with scant regard for god-men. My father-in-law, Mr. D.P. Agarwal was a long time devotee of Swami enjoying the prestigious seating in the verandah. Swami used to address my father-in-law as Calcutta Agarwal. There was another Agarwal of Bombay. When we came for the first time, our plan was to be here for a week but Swami's grace made us continue to stay here for 5 weeks.

Though we were having Darshan daily, there was not much of an impact on me. I prolonged my stay to spend my birthday at Prasanthi Nilayam at the instance of my Father-in-law. On August 14, that is, my birthday, I sat in the Darshan line with a tray containing the usual fare for birthday blessing at Prasanthi Nilayam. Swami came along, stopped before me, removed the cloth covering the tray, took akshatas and sprinkled them on my head. He took a clove or a cardamom piece and put it in His mouth before moving on. Swami blessed me thus on my birthday.

On August 16, Swami called my Father-in-law for an interview. My wife and I followed my Father-in-law and Mother-in-law into the interview room. Some others were included in the group such as Lt. Governor of Goa, Mr. Nakul Sen. Mr. Sen was the Chief Guest at the Independence Day function at Sri Sathya Sai College Auditorium on the 15th.

Swami saw the ring on Mr. Sen's finger and said, 'your ring appears to be loose'. He then took the ring Himself from Mr. Sen's finger and blew air softly on it. When He put it back on Mr. Sen's finger, it became too tight to fit. Then Swami took Mr. Sen into the other room. So we had no chance to know what Swami did finally to Mr. Sen's ring.

My Father-in-law tried at the outset to introduce me saying, 'his family is No.1 tea planters'.

'No', Swami corrected, 'family No.2 only'.

Earlier our family was No.1 tea planters in Assam. But as the properties were partitioned over generations, we were reduced to the No.2 position. I wondered how Swami could know about it.

During the interview, I prayed to Swami, 'please permit me to attend Swami's Birthday Celebrations and also participate in seva. Please give me sraddha and bhakthi'.

Swami replied, 'I permit you, and will also give you seva'. But He did not specify the seva, which He would give me. After that, I was writing letters to Swami reminding Him about seva. Even though I was attending Darshan daily, He was not giving me any indication about seva. I became so frustrated on His silence about it that I even toyed with the idea of committing suicide.

One day I went to Dhyanavriksha and sat there meditating. Gradually I fell into a trance when suddenly a golden glow descended on me and enveloped me. After a few minutes, there was some disturbance around, and I woke up. The glow disappeared.

After that, Swami called my Father-in-law and some others for interview. Some who were not called were also trying to go in when Swami, standing near the door, was screening them and sending them back. As I was ascending the steps to go into the interview room, Swami stopped me on the very first step with the question, 'who are you?'

'I am Gaurishankar Kanoi, Swami', I replied perplexed by His question. Then Swami repeated, 'who?'

My Father-in-law intervened saying, 'he is my son-in-law, Swami'.

'I know', Swami replied, 'I gave him interview also'.

Only then did I realize that Swami was not asking about the identity of this body but was enquiring about the true identity of 'I' inside me in spiritual terms.

During the interview, I frankly poured out my frustration at Swami's silence about the seva He had promised to give me and even added, 'I feel very bad about it Swami'.

'I fixed you in my heart', Swami replied. But He did not indicate the seva He would give me.

One day many people were waiting for Darshan. At last, Swami came out of His room and walked straight to the Dasaavatara gate bypassing a large number of ladies. Still there were a few ladies near the gate. I was thinking at that time that it would be better if Swami gave some vibhuti at least to these ladies who had been waiting for long. Swami came to those ladies, materialized vibhuti and blessed them by distributing the vibhuti. I do not know whether it was a mere coincidence or a response to my prayer.

Soon after that, Swami walked towards us when I was mentally praying to Him for an interview. Even before I could ask Him for an interview, a voice was heard from behind, 'Swami! Give me interview'. 'Wait', Swami replied, 'I know you are an engineer'. After Swami moved on, I turned back and asked the person, 'for how long have you been coming to Puttaparthi?' 'This is my first visit', he replied, 'I am from West Indies'. 'What are you?' I asked him. 'I am an engineer' he replied. I was amazed as there was no possibility of Swami knowing about him or his profession. How did Swami know that he was an engineer? I concluded that Swami had some mystic powers. This happened on September 3.

Later I went back to Calcutta and could not return to Puttaparthi till November 20 for Swami's Birthday. I was overwhelmed with amazement to see many new constructions that had come up in those few weeks while I was away.

On arrival, I was given the scarf and was allotted seva at the VIP enclosure in the Hill View Stadium. By the time we reached the place, many villagers came and squatted there. We requested them to vacate as it was reserved for VIPs but they said, 'we came around midnight and sat here the whole night. Now you come and ask us to go. Where can we go?' We implored them in many ways. 'You have all come here not only for your happiness but also to make Swami happy with your good behaviour'. I pleaded with folded hands, 'how can you make Him feel unhappy by making His guests go without seats?'

After this many of them vacated quietly, but still there were at least 25% left. Time for VIPs' arrival was nearing. Then one senior devotee-organizer came there and asked us to physically lift those people and throw them outside the VIP enclosure. Many of them were hefty and rustic. If they rebelled, there would be ugly scenes. We could not withstand them. I did not know how frail persons like me could lift those rustic people and throw them out. Yet we did attempt to remove them from the enclosure. There was no rebellion. All was done neatly without creating a scene. It was all owing to Swami's grace.

In this melee, I lost the key bunch of my VIP suitcase. I discovered the loss only after arriving at my room. It was impossible to find it in the sand that was spread all over the stadium even if I went back and searched. My Mother-in-law told me to go and report at the 'Lost and Found Property Counter'. When I went there, I found two key-bunches. One of them was mine!

In 1992, I went to see the Super Specialties Hospital part of which was still, then, under construction. I met Brigadier Bose there. He was supervising the construction work there. He told me how Bhagavan had revived him even after he 'died'.

I was made the Chairman of the Managing Committee for celebration of the 25th anniversary of West Bengal Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation and the Second State Level Devotees Conference in 1992. We decided to hold the function in Nazrul Munch Stadium in Calcutta to accommodate large number of devotees. The celebration was to be preceded by Sobhayatra on August 15 and the celebrations to continue on the 16th also. There was heavy rain on the 13th, the 14th and even on the 15th.

Everyone was apprehensive of the function being demurred. I was praying to Bhagavan, 'Swami! This is your function. You have to make it a success'. In the early hours of the 14th, I had been reclining on my bed. I was wide-awake by that time and was waiting for my bed tea. My wife was still sleeping on a bed nearby.

Suddenly I saw the feet of Swami by my bedside. Within moments, I could see up to the knees as if He was sitting on a chair. His ochre robe was also seen. Then the scene melted away, and I saw Swami entering the room from a window in white dress. I was too overwhelmed by amazement that I was stunned to inaction. Neither did I remember to get up and do Namaskar to Him, nor to wake my wife up. I was just turning my head towards Him as He paced from one side of the room to the other and back, around my cot in a semi-circle. Then the scene melted away. He returned to His original position as if sitting in a chair before me. That scene, too, disappeared after a few seconds.

I then woke up my wife and said, 'Swami has come. Our function will be a grand success'. Strangely, the feeling of pressure, anxiety and tension about the function left me. I was calm and happy. On the 15th morning, there was a suggestion to cancel Shobhayatra, because of the rain. I did not agree. Shobhayatra was performed successfully, as the rain abated while the Yatra was on. The entire function went off well. The Stadium was packed to the full. Though it rained heavily, the rain did not cause us any problem or hindrance since the stadium was fully covered.

I requested in 1992 the West Bengal government for a site to construct Sri Sathya Sai Ashram. They agreed to give 150 acres in Kultali area of Sundar Bans. We brought the plans, etc for Swami's approval. Swami gave us an interview. 'Oh! Is this the Rs. 120 Crore project?' Swami asked. 'Only Rs. 72 Crores', I replied. 'I know' Swami said, 'go ahead'. He approved our plans.

The next day He called me for interview again. He advised us to wait, cautioning about financial problems. Swami's clearance to move forward on the project is still awaited.

In one interview before 1992, I was praying in my mind, 'Swami! Give me a room in the Ashram (Prasanthi Nilayam)'. Swami came to me. Though I did not utter a word, he said, 'Room! Room! Room! Tell me how many rooms you want? I will give'. He stretched His hands widely. I said nothing. His offer to give me a room is also yet to materialize.

In an interview, Swami materialized vibhuti, gave it to the ladies first and the balance to the gentlemen. There were about 30 to 40 in the room. Swami was asking every one, 'what do you want?' He was giving them a ring, a talisman or a chain as He wished. I was then thinking in my mind, 'many people talk of Akshayapatra. I may not deserve one. But can't I be blessed with seeing one?'

I was sitting near Swami and witnessing what all He was doing. He materialized something for a person near me. I was wondering whether it was Akshayapatra, but did not utter any word. Swami said immediately, 'no! It is Neelkantha lingam', as if He was answering my doubt.

After that He waved His hand again. There was a casket in His hand. 'Akshayapatra!' He whispered into my ear bending a little towards me, before he handed it over to the person for whom He intended it. He is omniscient, and He understands what all goes on, in our minds. Before handing it over to the person intended, Swami gave a demonstration of how it worked. Swami opened its lid. Out flowed vibhuti, over its sides. Swami's robe was filled with vibhuti. He put the lid on and gave it to the person for whom He had materialized it. Later, he dusted off His robe. I felt that He was dusting off my inner consciousness, cleansing it from all negative and sinful thoughts.'

-- Mr. Gaurishankar Kanoi

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at his residence on 08.08.2004.)