Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group IV | Mr.Julio

Mr.Julio,
'Ganesha', Caracas,
Venezuela (La Trinidad),
South America

Mr. Julio (25), a lawyer, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'My mother, Mrs. Marisol became the devotee of Bhagawan first in our family. She used to get books on Swami and tell us about the miracles He has been performing. But we used to brush her off. My father used to call her crazy.

In 1996, my mother came to Prasanthi Nilayam and had darshan of Bhagawan. My sister, Ms. Catherine who had no belief in Swami accompanied her for company-sake. Swami called them for interview. He materialised vibhuti at the outset and gave it to all except my mother. But He came to her later in the interview room, and materialized fistful of vibhuti and threw it on the left side of the face of my mother a few times. Before doing that He looked at her very severely for a few seconds. My mother felt overpowered by some inexplicable feeling when Swami was looking at her that way. When He threw at her face a fistful of vibhuti, she was real scared. 'Swami is angry with me', she thought.

My sister was also in the interview. She was 13 years old. But she did not mature still. My mother was a little worried perhaps on that account. Swami came to her and looked at her, waving His hand on His stomach. He smiled at her and left, to speak to others. Miraculously, my sister matured at once. She became a devotee that very moment.

My mother, after coming out of the interview room, was still worried that Baba was cross with her. When she shared her fears with co-devotees, they allayed her fears saying that Swami had blessed her and removed some negative effects from her life by throwing vibhuti at her forcefully. So she returned happily to our place.

I did not come under my mother's influence however much she tried. On the other hand, I began to live a fast life. 'As long as you are good at your studies,' my father used to tell me, 'you hoodwink other things'.

One day I was going in a car with my girl friend. It was in 1997. She was driving. When we entered a narrow lane near our house, we dashed against another car coming opposite to us. The wind shield broke and the splinters of glass flew at my face. There were many cuts on my face - all on the left side only. I used to keep a photograph of Bhagavan in my pocket. It was given by my mother. I used to keep it in my pocket not so much out of devotion but only to humour my mother. I don't know what prompted me to do it, but I took out the photograph and clutched it desperately at that time. I was afraid that both my girl friend and I would die by the impact of the collision. I was rushed to the hospital and a few stitches were done on my face by my doctor. It is a wonder that we both escaped with only splinter hits without any fracture. However, our car was damaged badly. I came to the conclusion that Swami had saved us. He not only saved me, but also saved my sight. Could there be any connection between Swami hitting my mother's face with vibhuti on her left side, and our getting only splinter scratches on the left side in a major accident?

Though I became a devotee, I did not give up my fast life. I went to a party with my friends. I drank heavily. In that drunken state, I got into my car and began to drive it. At that time, one of my friends wanted a lift perhaps. With a view to stopping me, he hit on the windowpane on my side. Then the glass broke and some splinters flew at my face. It hit me on my left side near the eye piercing my eye ball. I was rushed to the hospital. The doctor told me, 'it is strange that the glass splinters did not go inside your flesh in a straight line as they always do. Had it happened that way, your optical nerves would have been cut and there would have been permanent damage without a chance to repair. It is a miracle that the splinters travelled in curves avoiding the optical nerves, which is nothing short of a miracle. We have to operate and go in for cornea grafting but I cannot assure you of the result. There may be fifty-fifty chance'. He also advised me 'pray to God! He alone can save your sight.'

I underwent surgery and also cornea-grafting. After my discharge from the hospital with the bandage, my mother said, 'it is time for you to go to Swami. Now go to Prasanthi Nilayam and pray to Bhagavan to save your sight. After all, eye is the most important part.' I came to Prasanthi Nilayam in February, 1999 with the bandage on my left eye, against doctor's advice. It was my first visit here. I sat in the darshan line and had darshan of Bhagavan for the first time. I was in the first line. Bhagavan was walking in those days. He came to the place where I was sitting and paused for a moment. He also looked at the bandage on my eye somewhat seriously. The person sitting by my side touched Swami's feet and signalled to me to do likewise. I was not aware of the practice of padanamaskar at that time. However, I did as he did. At once I felt some inexplicable bliss. I thought, 'I am in the Divine presence for sure. I feel bliss'. I was overwhelmed with joy. I stayed on at Prasanthi Nilayam till Sivarathri. I had the good fortune of witnessing the Lingodbhavam by Swami on Sivarathri day. I remember that he had taken out not one, but three lingas that time.

After that I went back to my place. While I was at Prasanthi Nilayam, I removed the bandage myself. The doctor examined my eye and suggested certain exercises which I followed for two months. My eye was saved. The doctor told me, 'this is a miracle. Nothing short of it! Did I not tell you to pray to God?' Sure he did, and I prayed to God in human form moving on earth. He saved my sight out of His love and compassion.

I came to Prasanthi Nilayam in February 2000 and stayed on until Sivirathri. I had the good fortune of watching Lingodbhavam on that Sivarathri from close quarters. During my stay at Prasanthi Nilayam, I bought three lockets. One has Krishna on it, another Jesus and the third Aum. All have the picture of Sri Satya Sai on the reverse. I sat in the darshan line to get them blessed by Swami. But Swami did not look at them. Next day, I bought another with Siva on one side and Swami on the reverse. I sat in the darshan line. Swami came to me and put His hand on the lockets kept in my raised palm and rubbed a little hard. He told me 'I bless you, my son!' and moved on. My joy knew no bounds.

When I returned to my country, three of my devotee friends met me. 'I have brought these lockets from Prasanthi Nilayam duly blessed by Bhagavan', I told them, and 'each of you take one.' I gave each of them one each. When I looked at what was left to me. It is the one that I purchased last. It has Swami on one side and Siva on the other side. 'You had witnessed Lingodbhavam on Sivarathri day. So Swami gave you the one with Siva', my friends commented.

I have now been to Prasanthi Nilayam again. I went to Kodaicanal, too, as Swami had gone there. The crowd there was relatively small and I could get darshan from close quarters. On one day He looked at me and blessed me raising His hand. On another day He gave me a few packets of vibhuti. Twice He blessed me with padanamaskar. Once I could touch His feet while He was going in the open car, though with my left hand.

I bought there six large-size photographs of Swami and took them to be blessed by Him. I thought that they would not permit me to take them in, but, owing to Swami's grace, no one objected. Swami came to me and blessed all the six photographs.

At Kodaicanal, we witnessed Sai miracles galore. One day Swami materialized a number of things. One of them was a ring of very large-size with a number of rubies on it. I had not seen the like of that anywhere earlier.'

-- Mr. Julio

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 09.07.2005.)