Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group III | Mr. Muralikrishna

Mr. Muralikrishna
Venkatagiri
Nellore District
E-mail: yachendra4@yahoo.com

Mr. Muralikrishna, who happens to be the grandson of the erstwhile Raja of Venkatagiri, a long standing devotee of Bhagavan, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'Swami never takes anything from anybody whoever it may be. He always gives and gives. He has everything and can get anything from anywhere. Bhagawan once asked the Raja of Venkatagiri, on one of His visits there, as to the value of the costliest diamond in his palace. The Raja replied that it would cost around Rs.30 lakhs. Bhagavan then turned to the audience of about 150 people sitting there. With a wave of His hand, Swami produced a glittering diamond and said, ' this is the famous Kohinoor diamond, once the world's biggest diamond. Now it is in the crown on the head of the Queen of England reduced to this size'.

'Swami! How big was it?' some one asked. Swami with another wave of His hand produced a huge diamond and said, 'it was this big'. Then He asked the Raja, 'you want me or these'. The Raja with tears said, 'I want nothing but you, Swami'. Then, with a small wave of His hand, the two diamonds disappeared. Swami said, 'see, there is everything for me. Why should I ask anybody anything?' Swami continued, 'Krishna gave Sudama everything, but only after accepting his love. God asks only for your love, and gives you everything in return for your yearning for His love.'

Here is an incident, which happened in the late 1960s. Swami went into the forest with the Raja of Venkatagiri. As evening approached and as the people settled down, there was a loud burst of a gun. Next, they saw a deer shot by someone in the Raja's party. It was a beautiful creature, small and lovely. As it lay dead before them, the Raja pleaded with Bhagavan to do something. Bhagavan then said, 'God does not use His powers to satisfy others, but only to teach a message.

As everyone started pleading with Him, Bhagavan took a solemn promise from everyone there including my grandfather (Raja of Venkatagiri) that they, along with their future generations, would stop eating meat and also stop hunting. After making everyone present there touch His palm and make the promise, Bhagavan bent down and blew three times into the deer's mouth. After a few seconds, the deer stirred and then got up. It looked at Bhagavan as if in gratitude and then ran away into the forest. Everybody was stunned, dumbfounded and rattled by this wonderful act of Bhagavan putting life into the dead creature. Then Bhagavan said that nobody except God had the right to take anybody's life.

In July 1995, Bhagavan was giving Darshan in Prasanthi Mandir when He suddenly stopped before a very old woman sitting in the Darshan lines. Swami looked at her for quite a long time and said in Telugu 'you are from Venkatagiri?' The old woman nodded. Then Swami told her to take padanamaskar. After going forward a few paces, Swami suddenly turned back and came to her. He said in Telugu 'you have never forgotten about the jewels, have you?' The old woman just smiled. Swami gave her His dazzling smile and walked away.

The old woman's name is Vaidehiamma. She is no more now. She died clutching Swami's picture, which Bhagavan had given her earlier. She told me once, shedding tears, that Bhagavan had shown her the world. Hers was a unique experience.

In the summer of 1965, Bhagavan was in Venkatagiri for an unusually long time. One Friday evening, Bhagavan along with others was immersed in the divine melodies of Ram and Lakshman, the two singers who sang for Bhagavan at that time. After the bhajans were over, Bhagavan turned to the Raja of Venkatagiri and asked him whether it would be possible to show Bhagavan the palace jewels. The Raja immediately consented and Bhgavan with about 20 people went down into the rooms where the jewels were kept.

There are about 10 rooms at the basement of the palace where Bhagavan was then staying. The jewels were not kept in glass cases but in shelves, which were locked. Security was not needed because nobody was allowed to see the jewels. For about an hour Bhagavan went on seeing the jewels, and explaining about them to everyone present there. Swami then returned and attended a dance recital.

After an unusually long time of about 40 minutes, the Raja came up and sat in a corner. After the programme, Swami called the Raja and enquired as to what had happened. The Raja feigned ignorance, but Swami persisted with his questioning. Then the Raja relented and reluctantly revealed that a small pearl was missing. Swami then asked whether it was missing during His tour downstairs. The Raja was getting uncomfortable with Swami's questioning and said that it did not matter, as that jewel was not important anymore.

Swami said, 'responsibility is the most important quality that every human being should inculcate'. He then said, 'I take personal responsibility for what had happened. If the pearl is not found, I will pay the equivalent of Rs.30 lakhs (in 1965) to the Raja'. In spite of the Raja's vehement protest, Bhagavan was unrelenting and retired for the day.

The next day, before Bhagavan sat for the evening bhajan, He came straight to a lady of around 56 years of age and asked her 'Bangaru, had you needed, I would have given you anything in the world. Never make the mistake you made yesterday'. The woman did not move. Swami waited for a few moments, and then told the woman to get up and led her to an adjoining room. He was with her for about 3 minutes. When the lady came back, she appeared dazed and was in tears.

Bhagavan came back with the pearl and gave it to the Raja. 'Promise me that nothing would be done to her and that she would continue working in the palace as before.' According to the word given by the Raja to Swami, she was continued in service in the palace where she died subsequently at the age of 95.

In 1994, she told me that when Swami had taken her inside the room, He politely enquired about the pearl. She then took it out from a fold in her sari and gave it to Swami. Swami then held it up in his hand and said 'choodu' (look). In the Lord's hand, she saw the incident where she was slipping the jewel into the fold of her sari. As she wept, Bhagavan said in Telugu 'everything is in my hand, everything. Whatever happens in this world and beyond is because of this (hand) and this only'.

Swami gave her Rs.10000/- and told her never to steal again. This lady stayed all her life in Venkatagiri. She never moved out of the palace. She visited Puttaparthi only once as she felt that she did not have many more years to live, and wanted to have Darshan of Bhagavan before she died, at least once. She died a few months after Bhagavan had spoken to her.'

Mr. Muralikrishna.

(Based on a mail received from Mr. Muralikrishna to info@vedamu.org on March 15, 2005.)