Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group I | Mr. R.Nageswara Kumar

Mr. R. Nageswara Kumar,
5462, West Maple, West Blue Field,
MI - 48322, USA
Tel: 248 855 0353
E-mail: sainagesh@yahoo.com

Mr. R. Nageswara Kumar (51), a Software Engineer working in Automotive Industry in the USA, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I used to tour villages on my official work as a Bank Official, during 1980 to 1990. Though I used to go up to Penukonda in Anantapur District, I never had any inclination to visit Prasanthi Nilayam. Same was the case with Brindavan, though I used to touch the neighbourhood occasionally.

In the year 1990, my Accountant came to me with a Photograph in his pocket. I could not understand what that Photograph was. It was not my nature to ask anyone anything, much less my subordinate staff. I asked him, 'will you give me that Photograph?' I don't know why I did so. He just took it out and gave it to me. It was the Photograph of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I was having not so favourable an opinion about god men, as I used to hear all sorts of stories about some Babas. I just took the photograph from him and put it aside. I clean forgot about it. That is how Bhagavan entered my house for the first time in 1990.

Later, a colleague of mine in the Bank was getting applications for some officials in the Bank for passports. He asked me to apply for a passport.

'I am not going anywhere leaving my family and people', I told him, 'why do I need a passport?'

However, he managed to take my signatures on some papers and got me a passport. One of my colleagues, who was trying to go abroad, pressurized me into applying for VISA.

Finally I was the only person who got the VISA. Many who came for the interview failed to get it. Though I dodged my departure to the USA for 2 months, I had to leave for the USA in October 1990 eventually under the pressure of my colleagues. Before leaving for the States, I went to take leave of my Executive Director for whom I had high regard. Then he gave me a book on Sri Sathya Sai Baba! I kept it with me more owing to my regard for my E.D. than out of devotion to Baba.

On reaching the USA, I came to know that there was no job waiting for me. After a few days, I could secure a job. My first posting was at Eagan (Minnesota). It is a beehive of staunch Sathya Sai devotees, most of whom are Telugu-speaking people. I used to attend Bhajans with them, more to take video than to participate. However, I began to read many books on Bhagavan, which helped to erode my unfavourable feeling towards Sri Sathya Sai. However, I did not become a devotee of Swami yet.

The same year, some of my friends planned a tour by road to California for sight seeing. I was included in that 2000 mile-drive in a car and a van. I was in the car, which was following the van. On the way, the van met with a serious accident. Right before my eyes the van made five somersaults rolling over on its sides. Its rear door was ripped open by the impact throwing the passengers and baggage in all directions vehemently. One can imagine the severity as one lady who was thrown out of the van landed at a distance of 150 feet!

I was so shocked that I forgot to film the accident, though till a minute back I was taking video of the van, which was going in front of us. We took all of them to a hospital fearing that most of them would have sustained fractures and grievous injuries. But, after a thorough check up and treatment as outpatients, all of them were discharged within 3 hours. None of them had any fracture or grievous injury.

There was a small Photograph of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai on the windshield of the van. The glass on it cracked badly by the impact of the accident except some space like a circle around Swami's Photograph. How the glass around the Photograph of Swami did not develop cracks is a mystery, as the entire glass surrounding it cracked. Being a witness to it, it made me think seriously. For the first time, I began to take Swami seriously. It was a turning point in my life.

My contract at Egan ceased, and I got a job with another Company in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). I joined there and began to work. At that time, I was a staunch devotee of Lord Venkateswara. So I wanted to have Darshan of the Lord at the Venkateswara Temple in Pittsburgh. I am generally good at finding places, but I could not locate this Temple even after searching for 3 hours.

Suddenly I remembered Sri Sathya Sai. 'I am here for a good cause to visit the Lord's abode. If you are God, show me the Temple', I prayed in exasperation. Then a thought crossed my mind, 'how will Sri Sathya Sai show me the Temple?'

So I wanted to make enquiries. I saw a gas station at a distance and parked my car at the roadside a little away from the gas station. I did not even get down, but was in the process of doing so. Then a white man was seen coming running on the road. The time was 2 p.m. It was not time for jogging. He came straight to me and asked, 'are you looking for the Temple?' Wondering how he could infer so, I nodded in assent. He tried to direct me there.

'I can't make out any thing', I said, 'will you please come with me and show it?' In the USA, people are very busy. They don't usually bother to pause and answer, much less to come with us and show addresses. But he readily obliged; came with me, showed the Temple and left. For 3 hours, I was searching for this very Temple in vain. The moment I remembered Swami; there he came in a white gentleman's form to take me to the Temple straight.

By December 1991, that is, on my hardly continuing in the job in Pennsylvania for 3 months, my company sacked 20 persons in my branch including me. Nearly 100 people were shown the door under various sub-contracts. I was informed on the 5th that I would have to quit on the 7th. I was worried very much.

I write 'Sai Ram' everyday at least for 5 pages. On the 6th, I was so worried that I wrote as many as 50 pages. Same day, I got a phone call from Eagan that all of them were buying house sites at Puttaparthi. Would I care to join? Here I was in a pitiable plight after getting the sack; 'is it the time for me to go on a real estate buying spree?' I prayed to Bhagavan intensely. 'If you get me a job', I challenged Bhagavan, 'I will buy a house site at Puttaparthi'.

On the 6th itself, I got a call from another Company showing me a placement. That was at Pittsburgh. I thanked Bhagavan. I was the only one to get a placement out of all those that were sacked in that batch. Immediately, I sent money and bought the house site at Puttaparthi.

I had the Darshan of Bhagavan for the first time in Brindavan when I came to India in 1993. The same year, my wife and daughter also had Darshan of Bhagavan at Brindavan. 'Swami stood before me for several minutes', my daughter Ms. Gayatri used to recall, 'at that time I did not know that I could take Padanamaskar'. Swami had thrown some chocolates. One of them fell in the lap of my wife, Mrs. Vijaya.

Once I had a dream. In it I saw Swami smoking! The room was completely filled with smoke. 'Don't prove that you are a man, Swami!' I told him in anguish, 'for me, you are God'. Swami, in the dream, asked me to open the windows, gesturing with his hands widely. I opened the windows and all the smoke went off.

In those days, I was facing some litigation. If I lost it, I would have to pay large amount to the claimant. A few weeks after I had that dream, the litigation was settled amicably. I was let off with payment of a meagre one per cent of the claim, owing to Swami's grace. The smoke in the room symbolized my problems. When it had gone, my problems also disappeared.

In 1997, we were asked to vacate the house we rented, as the owners wanted it for their personal occupation. My son was in the final year, and any change at that time would affect his education. I began praying to Swami. In October 1997, I had a dream. Swami put His hand around my shoulder and we both were walking along the basement of a house. 'You have bought a good house', Swami said, 'very good and very big!' I saw in the dream the house, which Swami was telling me as the good house I had bought. The dream ended.

I vividly remember even the carpet in that house. Later, I was going in search of a house. When I saw the house, which was shown to me by Swami in the dream, I went in. The carpet, too, was the same, which I had seen in my dream. The owner was willing to sell, but demanded an exorbitant price. I thought I could not afford it. After some time the prices of real estate came down. I went and sounded the owner again. We negotiated. Finally, owing to the grace of Bhagavan, he came down largely. So I could buy it.

I was surprised to find that the house was tailor made to hold Bhajans, etc. On enquiry, I was told that the owner was a devotee of Sri Sri Tridandi China Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami. Sri Jeeyar Swami had laid the foundation stone to it! After completion, he stayed in it for sometime. So, the house was designed with a big hall to hold Bhajans. There was a school opposite that house where persons that came for Bhajans in my new house could park their cars. Thus, the parking problem also was alleviated.

Our son and daughter developed interest in music because of attending to Bhajans. When we were at Bangalore, I tried to get them learn Veena. They showed no interest. Now, because of Bhajans, they wanted to learn music themselves. Then Mr. Kumar, who used to sing Bhajans before Swami, came and stayed with us for a week. During that time, my children picked some good hints for singing. Another devotee also used to come to us. He was also a composer. He, too, helped my children learn music. Our children, owing to Swami's grace, can now play on Harmonium and Tabla, and can sing well. They also went for Balavikas.

Once we were all coming to India. 'Postpone it, dad!' our daughter pleaded, 'if I attend summer and spring classes, I cannot make it'. I did not like postponement. So she came with us reluctantly and had Darshan of Bhagavan. Though she missed about 25 days of school, she worked hard and completed all her school hours after returning to the USA. By Swami's grace, she scored very good marks in exams despite loss of school days owing to our trip to India.

In 2001, our daughter came with Young Adults team of girls to Prasanthi Nilayam. At that time we were considering a proposal for her marriage. In the social environment of the USA, girls and boys prefer late marriages. As parents rooted in Indian culture, we were keen to get her married soon after her education was finished. My wife was keen that our would-be-son-in-law should hail from our own people. I used to write letters to Swami about the marriage of our daughter. Our daughter, being a devotee of Swami, wanted Divine guidance.

When she was in Prasanthi Nilayam, she wrote a letter to Bhagavan on the proposal under consideration, and was holding it in Darshan line. Swami came along and took the letter. She concluded that Swami had given His blessings to the alliance, and gave her consent. It so happened that the alliance we got for her was tailor made for our aspirations. The bridegroom was, as desired by my wife, from our people. In fact, he was related to her. The marriage was performed, owing to Swami's grace, in 2002 at Visakhapatnam.

Our son wanted to go to Prasanthi Nilayam in 2002. I was hesitant to send him alone. But some one bought him tickets, and he left with Youth Adult team to Prasanthi Nialyam. Swami materialized vibhuti and gave it to him. Swami took his letter also. He sang songs in the Divine Presence and returned happily to the States. On arrival, he told me, 'see, dad! You hesitated to send me alone. With Swami's grace, I had a very satisfying trip'. I had been trying to get him a job for some time. All my efforts were in vain. The position of employment in the USA was not the same as earlier. But on return from Prasanthi Nilayam, owing to Swami's grace, he got a job.

We have a number of experiences like this. No day passes without some experience or the other. Once we were taking a Photograph of devotees to be sent to Swami with some of our people going to Prasanthi Nilayam. We all posed for the snap. I was in the side. My position was not a conspicuous one. 'Swami' I prayed, 'I am not in a position to come to you. I am happy that at least my photograph is coming to you. But in that also, should I be relegated to some corner.' As I was thinking like that, the cameraman said, 'the light is poor here. Let us go to that side'. We all moved to the place indicated by him. There, I got a place in the centre!

Once I was at my computer working on something. It was giving trouble. I tried to get things to order but in vain. After struggling for sometime with it, I began praying, 'Swami! I cannot do anything now. You are the sole rescue'.

'Hey! Man! What are you doing? It is a mistake. Look! Do like this', I heard a voice just from behind me. He was one of my colleagues in the computer line, but in a different group. Usually he does not come to my office. I did not notice when he came, and for how long he was observing from behind me what I was doing. I did what he told me. It worked! My problem with the computer was solved. It is simply wonderful how the solution came in such a simple manner, the moment I prayed to Bhagavan, but not earlier.

If we are what we are today, it is only owing to His grace. He has given us not only money, but everything. Many things He has given us cannot be bought with money, but can come only owing to His grace.'

-- Mr. R. Nageswara Kumar

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 19.07.2004.)