Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group I | Mr. S.V.Subba Rao

Mr. S.V.Subba Rao
Sri Venkateswara Vastralayam
Nageswararao Pantulu Road
Satyanarayanapuram
Vijayawada - 520 011
Tel: 0866-2533130

Mr. S.V.Subba Rao (58), a cloth merchant, relates his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'Mr. V.L.Narasimha Murthy, my house owner told me about Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in about 1968-69 and encouraged me to participate in Bhajans, Nagara Sankirtana, etc. Since then, I have been attending to Bhajans.

In 1974, my third son became ill in the night. I suspected that he was suffering from what we called 'Chinnapilla Noppi' (convulsions). I ran to my uncle who advised me to chew an onion and to blow that strong odorous breath on to the nostrils of the boy. But I could not do so as I was prohibited from chewing onion by my homeopath. I thought of carrying him to a Doctor nearby and lifted him up saying 'Sai Ram' aloud. On hearing that, my neighbour's wife came with vibhuti and put it on the child's forehead. On seeing the condition of the child, I lost hopes.

However, I took him to the Doctor. By that time, the child might have recovered because the Doctor told me that the child did not have any convulsions. I was not satisfied and, on my insistence, he gave an injection usually given to those that had convulsions. My son recovered well. I feel that his recovery was, in fact, due to applying vibhuti than the injection administered, as the Doctor could not see any symptoms of convulsions when the child was taken to him.

I was being advised by my family and friends to give up anger and irritation. I had become a devotee of Bhagavan. So I tried to follow that advice for about three months strictly. Then one day I saw my daughter Nagalakshmi coming from school. She was chewing a pencil. On seeing that, all the anger pent up in me for 3 months came out in a flood. I flew into a rage for nothing, and beat her severely. She fell down gasping and unconscious. On seeing her condition, I came to my senses. I carried her into the house and made her lie down on a cot. I applied vibhuti. I was ashamed to take her to a Doctor. By Swami's grace, the child was all right by the next morning.

I used to subscribe to Sanatana Sarathi. In one of the issues received by me, my name appeared as the proprietor of our cloth shop on the address label. My father, not I, was the proprietor then. I gave my address as C/o Venkateswara Vastralayam. How and why the address was changed citing me, as proprietor, was a mystery. After six years, my father transferred the cloth shop to me and I became the proprietor. Swami indicated six years before what he was going to bless me with!

In 1971, I happened to visit Shirdi. While making pradakshinam, I expressed three desires - one at the end of each of the three pradakshinas. I never expressed desires like that earlier when I visited temples. I do not know why I wished thus. I wished to have a house of my own, a shop of my own and also a house site. By Swami's grace, I could buy a house site, a house and a shop in different years, of course, within the next few years.

In connection with the marriage of my daughter, we had an eye on a particular match, but were hesitant to move because the match was beyond our level. I decided to give a letter to Swami. On enquiry, I learnt that He was visiting Hyderabad. So I wanted to go there. As I was new to the place, I wanted to accompany our Sathya Sai Samithi president. By the time, I went to the Bus- stand; he was already in a bus in which I could not get a seat. I boarded the next bus.

But owing to Swami's grace, my bus reached Hyderabad earlier. So I could catch him and accompany him to Sivam. At Sivam, I sat in Darshan line with a letter. Swami came near me, took letters from many near and around me but did not take my letter. Naturally I thought that it was not Bhagavan's will that the match we had in view should fructify. As I was thinking thus, Swami went and sat on the throne for a while. Then He came straight to me and took my letter, and that too, only my letter! Afterwards the same match was settled, and the marriage was performed very well to the satisfaction of all - particularly, those on the bridegroom's side.

My marriage was performed in 1967. We went to Tirupati on pilgrimage at that time. Then a thought crossed my mind. My father-in-law was keen on bringing fair complexioned matches to his children even though his children were not fair skinned. 'I too should emulate him', I thought. By Swami's grace, what I had wanted to do then came true. My daughter-in-law and sons-in-law are fair complexioned. This shows that Sri Venkateswara of Tirupati, Sri Sathya Sai of Puttaparthi as well as Sai Baba of Shirdi are one and the same.

In 1996, the owner of my shop building asked me to vacate. I did so. Then he proposed to sell it away. I was interested but I did not have enough money. So I wrote a letter to Swami. That day I met the owner who was also a Sai devotee. He read my letter before I posted it.

I don't know what happened, but he greatly reduced the price and accepted to sell it to me. I agreed to pay him an advance of 50% within a day but had no money. Those whom I had approached regretted that they had no ready cash to lend me. I came home in a mood of disappointment, and prayed to Bhagavan intensely. Strangely, the very same persons who said that they had no cash to lend me phoned to me to say that the amount was ready. Instead of an advance of 50%, I could pay the whole amount in less than 24 hours by Swami's grace. The registration was also done without any hitch.

Owing to Bhagavan's Sankalpa, I could come to Puttaparthi several times for seva and Darshan. I remember that I was at Puttaparthi when Gokulam was inaugurated. I was also in seva when the canteen building was constructed. I had the good fortune of personally participating in the construction work as a member of sevadal. That year they gave scarves to all who came for seva. But they did not give me. I requested them in vain. Then I prayed to Swami in my mind, 'Swami! If a scarf is given, I go back home more happily'. I took my luggage and was leaving. Then they called me and gave the scarf. Swami heard my prayer and responded at once.'

-- Mr. S.V.Subba Rao

(As narrated to Mr. B.Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 01.07.2004.)