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

Mr. N. Purushotham,
No.8, 14 / 4 - G.G. Apartments,
3rd Kasturi Street, Chennai - 600 086

Tel: 044-2499 1359

Mr. N. Purushotham, who retired as an Agent of the Life Insurance Corporation of India, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba came to Chennai in 1959. I had His darshan when He was staying in the house of Mr. Venkata Muni. Next day I went again, and Swami called me for interview. 'I know you well though you don't know me,' Swami said, and 'I know you in all your births.' Then He added, 'come to Puttaparthi.'

'I don't know how to go over there', I replied, 'in fact, I have not heard about the place.'

Swami then carefully explained to me how to go to Puttaparthi, without leaving any relevant detail, however small it might be. A few days later, I reached Prasanthi Nilayam at 5 p.m. I slept in the verandah of the mandir. Next morning, I went and sat for darshan. When the door of Swami's room opened, Swami called us in. 'Take padanamaskar', Swami told me.

I bent and took padanamaskar. I was there for a day and returned.

After ten days, I went again to Prasanthi Nilayam. Swami called me for interview. He took us to the Chitravati River. We sat in the sand around Him and did bhajan. He materialized amrith in a small silver container with a silver spoon, and gave us all each one spoonful.

'How does it taste?' Swami asked me.

'Splendid. Like of it I have never tasted', I replied.

'Want more?' Swami asked. 'Yes, Swami ', I said stretching my hand.

'How greedy!' Swami remarked. He laughed moving forward.

Later, He took us back to the mandir where a sizable crowd was waiting. There might be about 500 people that day. Swami gave amrith to each one of them from the same small container. It was amazing how that small container was replenishing amrith without getting exhausted.

During darshan, I met a person called Mr. Eshwar. He told me that it was his first visit there. Swami called Him for the interview.

'Remove your pants,' Swami asked him as he went in. Mr. Eshwar was shocked, and hesitated.

'Come on, man', Swami asked him 'what are you waiting for?'

He was still hesitating when Swami said, 'I know your problem. You are going to get operated for hydrocel soon.' So saying, Swami materialized a small bottle of medicine and rubbed it on the abdomen of Mr. Eshwar.

'You can go now' Swami told him, 'no need for any surgery'. Mr. Eshwar told me all this after he had come out of the room. He was cured completely, and there was no need for the surgery as Swami told him.

I went to Prasanthi Nilayam in 1960 or so. Swami was at Whitefields. Immediately I went there along with five others. At that time there was no Brindavan Ashram. Swami was staying in someone's house there. We were there by 10:30 p.m. and Swami had already retired by then. We were allowed to sleep in the garage. We cleaned it and slept there. Early in the morning we got up and brushed our teeth when a call came from Swami. He told the volunteer to call the six persons who came from Puttaparthi the previous night. We had not sent any word to Bhagavan. In fact, we were not ready also. We hurriedly went in. Swami asked me to take padanamaskar.

'I have not had my bath yet, Swami' I said.

'I will give you bath,' Swami told me, materialized vibhuti and gave us. 'Now you have had your bath' He said smilingly, 'have padanamaskar.'

I had the good fortune to be at Prasanthi Nilayam when electric power supply came to Prasanthi Nilayam and the first electric bulb was switched on there. Earlier there was no power supply. In those days, Swami used to allow us to talk freely and frankly. I was there on the occasion of Sivarathri one year.

'Swami' I prayed to Him, 'give me the chance to give harathi to you on Sivarathri day'.

'How is it possible?' Swami asked,' there will be a huge crowd.'

I did not give up. At last He said, 'all right, you come here exactly at 6:00 p.m. sharp'. I bought a coconut, some banana, flowers, camphor etc and borrowed a plate from Swami's sister or mother, I don't remember. I went with the paraphernalia of harathi. Volunteers came to me and asked me to vacate and go. 'Swami asked me to come, I won't go', I replied. Some one came and began to shout at me. 'Don't shout' I told him, 'If you shout, Swami will shout at you.' Adamantly, I sat there when suddenly the door of Swami's room opened and Swami called me in. He bolted the door and said in a hushed tone, 'quick, give harathi and get lost.' I gave harathi and was about to break the coconut when Swami stopped me saying, 'oh! No! Not here, outside.' Then He asked me 'happy?' and said 'go!' I came out. .

In 1963, my mother asked me to get married. I wanted to go and stay at Prasanthi Nilayam. I came to Swami and told Him that I would stay here. 'Not now, Bangaru!' He told me, 'get married as per your mother's wish. You have to go through your karma.'

When I heard the word karma, a chill passed through my back. 'Why fear?' Swami told me in a loving tone 'I am here'. He then hugged me caressingly as if to reassure me. He fixed the date of my marriage as January 26, 1964. I married Ms. Neetha on that day. We both came to Prasanthi Nilayam after our marriage. Swami called us for interview. He materialized vibhuti and gave us. He blessed us by touching on our heads.

On the day of my marriage, one of my friends brought a gift to me. I kept it aside. 'No, open it now and see', He insisted. I opened it. There was a beautiful photograph of Bhagavan. I prayed to Bhagavan to attend my marriage when He fixed the date for us to get married. 'It's not possible. I will be at Coimbattore that day' He told me, 'but I am always with you'. When I saw the photograph, I was reminded of His words. Yes. He is always with me.

I can't say why, but after my visit to Prasanthi Nilayam after my marriage in 1964, I could not visit it again till 1978. I was, of course, having darshan of Bhagavan at Chennai or Bangalore whenever He came there.

In the LIC, I was already a Member of the Zonal Manager's Club. My boss called me one day and asked me to try to become a Member of the Chairman's Club. But I would have to do a lot more business than I had achieved thus far. It was already February. Could I do that much in a month? That, too, from 500 persons! I prayed to Bhagavan, 'You have to do, not I'.

The next day, my boss again called me and said, 'I will tell you a way out to achieve your target. You have nearly 450 customers. Ask each one to give you a policy of just Rs.1000. Nobody will refuse. You will achieve your target.' I did likewise. When I asked for a policy of Rs.1000, they used to say 'how can we give you such small policy? Give me a policy for Rs. one lakh'. I realized that Swami was in action. I completed the target easily and was selected as a Member of the Chairman's Club.'

In 1978, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam. It was my first visit since 1964. After staying for a few days, I wanted to go back. 'Swami' I said in the darshan line, 'I am going today'. Swami took a few seconds before He said, 'All right, go'. Why was the hesitation? I was a little perplexed. I went to Bangalore where I boarded Chennai Mail. During midnight, I awoke as the bogey was rattling hopelessly. When the train stopped at the next station, we went to the Guard to complain. He seemed to be heavily drunk. The Station Master was there, but he did not interfere. The train began to move and we all jumped into our compartment. I prayed to Swami. Then the Station Master noticed the rattling and immediately stopped the train. He got the bogey detached. We were permitted to go and occupy any berth we found vacant. I could get one vacant berth and slept comfortably. Then I realized why Swami had taken a few seconds before He permitted me to leave.

In 1980, I was going to Salem. I had a ticket, but it was not confirmed. The Ticket-Inspector saw it and said, 'your ticket was not confirmed. There is no vacancy. You have to get down at the next station.'

As I was placing the ticket back in my purse, he saw the photograph of Bhagavan. 'Oh, you are a devotee of Baba' he remarked, 'I hear that He comes to the rescue of His devotees in times of need. Let us see how He will save you today.' He did not even conclude, 'here is a vacant berth', a voice said, 'you can give it to him'.

'How can there be a vacant berth?' he shot back, 'the chart is full.'

'I have taken two berths, one for me and another for my child', the voice said, 'my child is afraid to sleep alone, and has come to me. You can give this berth to him.'

'Your Baba came to your rescue' he told me, 'go and occupy that berth.'

I thanked Swami and had a comfortable journey.

I have been praying to, indeed, begging Bhagavan to give me seva at Prasanthi Nilayam. He promised to take me for seva after I crossed sixty, when He had asked me to get married. I have only been waiting for His call to come to Prasanthi Nilayam on crossing sixty.

My grand son, Neehal had the good fortune to act as the child Sai in the film 'Shiridi Sai and Parthi Sai. He and his sister are now Swami's students at Prasanthi Nilayam.'

-- Mr. N. Purushotham

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 30.07.2005)