Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prasanthi Nilayam. One more Sivarathri has come and gone; one more time, Sai devotees here in Prasanthi, and indeed all over the world, have kept the all-night vigil. Equally, devotees of Lord Siva the world over [who have still to recognise that the Lord is right now walking on earth bearing the wonderful, magnetic, and charming human form of Bhagavan], have spent the night praying to Him for peace, prosperity, etc.

Come morning, we return to the grind and soon get sucked back into the whirlpool from which we sought temporary escape. Back to the grind we must return, for that is life; but do we continue to let life drift past us without any meaning whatsoever? That is the question we would like to place before you this Sunday morning.

For Swami’s devotees, Sivarathri has a significance much larger than what one might normally suppose, based on mythology, the famous story of Siva sucking the deadly poison Halahala, etc., though the latter too is important. That extra meaning has to do with two facts: 1) Lingodbhavam we have seen on several occasions, both in the days of old as well as in recent times [though, mercifully, not this year]; 2) The VibuthiAbhishekam, no longer seen but immortalised in the films shot by late Richard Bock and late Dr. Fanibanda. The former calls attention to the relationship between the Creator and Creation, while the latter stresses the Ultimate Purity that God represents.

Let us start with Lingodbhavam. What we physically witness is a Lingam , emerging from Swami, sometimes after a long period during which Swami’s body clearly shows signs of going through a painful and agonising experience. Where significance is concerned, the first thing we need to recall is an obvious fact really - and that fact is: Creation has come from the Creator. Three corollaries follow; the first is that since Creation has emerged from the Creator, every bit of Creation is permeated by “Divine genes” if we may say so; it is rather like the DNA being found in all the cells of the body. Incidentally, it is to remind us of this that Swami often tells us that we all are Sparks of the Divine. Corollary number two is that God is the Creator, the Sustainer and also the ultimate Dissolver of the Universe. The birth, the life and the death of the Universe have strong parallels to our own birth, existence and eventual death. The third and the last corollary is that the Creator is rather like our Divine Mother and that the Divine Mother really suffers while bringing us forth. But in that suffering is also embedded the deepest form of Pure Love and concern that only a true mother can feel. In other words, our relationship with the Divine is not a mere mechanical, clinical or causal one; it has extra-ordinary richness and meaning on account of the emotional undercurrents.

Which brings us to our next point, namely, the question that Swami often asks us to pose to ourselves, which is: “Who am I?” Swami also gives many clues concerning how we should go about seeking the answer. Let us say there is a person who is born three times, the first as a carpenter, the second time as a teacher, and the third time as a businessman. Naturally, in each birth, the person would carry a name, have a family and so forth. Now let us say this person asks the basic question “Who am I?” in each of his three separate births. In the first birth, he would probably tell himself, “I am carpenter with the following name”. It is natural to expect that he would do the same in the other two births also.

On the face of it, it would seem this is not only correct but also the only way of answering the question; some would even go further to say that there is no other answer to the question. Swami says, ‘no’. Yes, in a limited context, the question has to be answered with reference to the body, which is where the name, the profession, etc., come into the picture. However, in the larger spiritual context, in every birth the correct answer would be: “Though I have a body bearing the name such and such etc., I am really a Spark of the Divine.” In that sense, there is an uninterrupted continuity and an unvarying identity running through all births. In Spirituality that is what really counts. Why? Let us explore that next.

Once we recognise that we are indeed a Spark of the Divine and fully appreciate the significance of that fact, we become conscious of the following: 1) Our Cosmic Origin, 2) our Cosmic connection to every single entity in Creation, 3) our Cosmic responsibility not only to every entity in Creation but to the Creator Himself, and 4) our Cosmic Destiny. These “four C’s” if we may call it that, are very important for life. In what way? Basically in shaping every action of ours and thereby our life itself.

In the Gita Vahini, Swami says very clearly: “Act in the present and in accordance with the needs of the current and local situation but let the basis of your action be rooted in eternal considerations.” In simple terms, whatever we do, wherever it is and under whatever circumstances it may be, the action should never violate Sathya and Dharma; in addition it must be soaked with Pure Love, meaning, there should not be even the slightest trace of selfishness.

When devotees hear this, they shake their heads and murmur: “Too tough for me!” Sorry, there is no such easy escape! As Swami reminds us ever so often, tough the path might appear, but do not humans put up with so many difficult situations? Think of a person born blind; what a hassle life is for that person! And yet the will to survive makes that person somehow manage and get along. So it is in millions of cases all over the world. People have pulled through in spite of being devastated by war, famine, natural calamities and so forth. Where there is a will there surely is a way, and we have to find that will that would give us firm determination. That determination would develop if we learn to focus on God.

This brings us to our next point. There is no question that all devotees swear eternal love for Swami but if they were to be asked what exactly Swami means by devotion, we are afraid most would be stumped, even though Swami has described it all in incredible detail in hundreds of Discourses.

These days, there is an alarming decline in focus on the teachings of Swami. As if to compensate for this, there is a sharp increase in superficial symbolism and rituals. How many times has Swami quoted the Vedas themselves to remind us that it is not through chanting by rote, charity as a robotic routine, and so on that one gains Liberation but through sacrifice! What is it that Swami wants us to sacrifice? He has made that very clear. Indeed, the first steps we must take are quite simple:

1. We must set apart a little more time for God every day than we care to at present, pleading a busy schedule. In this context, we would do well to remember the powerful lines of BhajaGovindam that Swami often quotes, namely, when the call finally comes, nothing would save us except the Name of the Lord.

2. Which automatically means that we must get into the habit of calling to the Lord by chanting His Name more frequently that we care to at present.

In the classical style of Indian music, whether it is of the North or the South Indian type, the Tambura or the drone is a must. This simple looking musical instrument has four strings and when plucked in succession, they create a sound that is almost like the chanting of AUM! This, by the way is no accident, but we cannot get into musical wonders of the Tambura at present. Rather, what we would like to call attention to is that every single participant in the concert, be it the vocalist, or the one playing the violin, sarangi or whatever, and the person playing the percussion instrument [be it the tabla or the mridangam], must be in perfect tune with the Tambura. One refers to this internal harmony by saying that every participant must maintain or adhere to the sruthi, meaning the reference drone provided by the Tambura. Deviation from this basic sruthi is referred to as apasruthi

Believe it or not, all this has deep meaning and implications for our daily life! It is interesting that the word sruthi which, in music, means the basic or reference tone or drone produced by the Tambura, also occurs in Spirituality. In the latter context, it means the Vedas. Thus, where Spirituality is concerned, deviation from Sruthi, means going against the spirit of Vedic teachings; in short, Adharma is the apasruthi of life!

The question now becomes: “How to be tuned to the spirit of the Vedas all the time?” There is a simple formula for it and Swami has actually taught it to us any number of times. The formula is: “Chant My Name as frequently as you can; if possible, continuously, making it automatic, almost like breathing. Any Name would do, as long as it is chanted with love, feeling and devotion.”

The importance of this formula cannot be overstressed. These days, there is almost a conspiracy to constantly distract our attention. Tune in to TV and it is choked with all sorts of advertisements and messages, indeed many on the same screen, a horror unknown until recently. Try to do a search on the internet, the first thing one gets are the ads. And so on it goes. If man’s attention is tuned to becoming totally fragmented, how can one drive safely, how can one do complex surgery calling for intense focus? What goes in the name of market promotion 24/7 is dangerous to society. More than anything else, it makes getting distracted a habit. And when we acquire that, we would find it very difficult to focus on the meaning of the Avatar and His Message.

Vivekananda once declared that mediation is nothing but constant remembrance of the Lord. And the importance of constant remembrance has been stressed by the Lord Himself in the Gita. In a critical sloka that comes right in the middle, the Lord gives the assurance that if the devotee constantly thinks of Him, then He would take care of all the needs of the devotee and give him full protection.

A word now about how critical and crucial this sloka is. These days, violence and terrorism is something of concern not only to governments but even to ordinary individuals. You go for a walk in the early morning, you might be kidnapped. You send your child to school, and that child might get shot at. You go to office riding a scooter, and truck driven by an unlicensed driver who is also drunk might hit you and paralyse you. Who can give comprehensive protection against all this? Is not the answer clear?

These days, there is far too much emphasis on finding “worldly” solutions to problems like terrorism and so on. If we think deeply, somewhere or the other all these problems start because of poverty of Love. No matter how much one might try, the problem of violence cannot be fought merely by deploying more violence. Individual acts of terror cannot similarly be eliminated by state-sponsored military tactics, which too often degenerate into a kind of legalised terrorism.

Insanity, it has been said, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting new results. Or as long as one can remember, violence has been sought to be contained with more violence; it has not worked. Hate can never vanquish hate; only Love can. And, as the Bhajan we all sing proclaims, Prem Ishwar Hai, Ishwar Prem Hai . If we connect to that eternal source of Pure Love, then not only violence and terrorism can be contained, but indeed all problems that originate from Poverty of Love , can be solved.

Going back to a critical sloka in the Gita to which a reference was made earlier, the Lord declares in Chapter 9 verse 22: “Those who worship Me, constantly think of Me and remain steadfast in their love for Me – to all such I proclaim that I shall entirely bear the burden of their welfare.”

While Krishna’s statement is often interpreted as an assurance given to individual devotees, Swami goes further and tells us that if we serve mankind in the firm belief that we are serving the Omnipresent God, then He would indeed help us in our global objective to spread peace and harmony everywhere. If we may put it a bit tersely:

THE ANSWER TO 9/11 IS 9/22!

Clear, is it not? One last word. Bringing the Sivarathri function to a close, Swami said our actions decide the consequences – there is absolutely no escape from it. In practical terms, we cannot, as many naively believe, expect to achieve good using questionable methods. The end does not, as Swami’s words clearly imply, ever justify the means. These days, there is far too often a tendency to engage, invoking Swami’s Name, in actions that are not desirable – in some cases actions explicitly discouraged by Swami; like, worshipping people who claim they represent Swami because they “have” miraculous powers, collecting money saying Swami has authorised it and so on. All these must be avoided.

Sivarathri is a reminder that our birth in human form, our existence with all the powers that the Creator has given us via the body and the mind, are together meant to achieve one goal: To lead our lives such that we are never born again. That Swami makes it very clear in the Gita Vahini.

If we are serious about Swami, then we should become equally serious about the meaning of His teachings. We appeal to all our readers to find time to go through Swami’s teachings , in some depth and digest the full import of the message.

Sorry to have taken so much of your time, but then, Sivarathri does not come every other day, does it?

Jai Sai Ram.

For this Sunday, we have the transcript of a talk delivered during the Morning Prayer session of the Prasanthi Nilayam college by Mr K V S Dileep, a student in the final year of Master of Sciences (Mathematics) class.

"All the world is a stage and all the men and women just players". Shakespeare was definitely in a mood more philosophical than poetic when he composed that particular line. He was drawing parallels between the drama on stage and life on earth.

The word 'drama' is derived from a similar word in ancient Greek meaning action. The drama is of various types. The first type of drama is the opera where the story is enacted in the form of complete sequence of song and there are absolutely no dialogues. Rumours are that the opera singer's range is so high that sometimes the glass windows get shattered. Maybe that's the reason why there are very few glass windows in the Sydney opera house. The next type of drama is melodrama, where there is lot of dialogue that goes on and there are absolutely no songs involved. The varying emotions exhibited by the actors and the engrossing narrative are what keeps the drama interesting for the audience. But melodrama is considered to be aimed at minority audiences who have a penchant for subtle emotions.

A more popular type of drama with a wider range of audience is the musical which is interspersed with both song and dialogue. Both the lovers of music as well as the emotion appreciating audience are satiated with the musical. The Convocation dramas that are put up in the presence of the Lord by the Bhagavan's students on November 22 every year are the best examples of such drama. Next genre of drama is the mute drama where there is absolutely no dialogue at all. Nobody speaks yet everybody listens. This is the motive of a mute drama which carries a message through mere action.

One of the most challenging types of drama is the improvisation and the students of the Sri Sathya Sai University are experts in that kind of drama. Under improvisation the story or the plot is ready and the actors deliver instantaneous dialogues looking upon the audience and adjusting on spot to the situation. Let me just give two examples of improvisation that were witnessed on the Puttaparthi stage.

A few years back the Brindavan Campus came up with the drama of Bhadrachala Ramdas where one of the scenes involved Lakshmana handing over a money bag to Lord Rama which in turn was given to Tanesha, the King. But the actor Lakshmana aspiring for a minute more stage exposure came hurriedly onto the stage forgetting the money bag. Then Rama was looking confidently towards Lakshmana stretching the hand for the bag. At that moment, an empty hand touches the palm of Rama with a hushed whisper so that only he could hear, "I forgot the money bag". There comes the improvisation when Rama with an unwavering smile takes 'empty' air from Lakshmana's hand and puts it into the outstretched hands of the king. The king too in a casual manner places the emptiness onto the table and continues the dialogue. Only the expert yet forgiving eyes caught the incident and remained unmoved. The show must go on.

Similarly on another occasion, there was another incident where the actor forgot an important prop on stage and spontaneously called a fellow actor who was playing the role of his servant and whispered into his ear the prop he needed. The technique of improvisation was perfected by the students by the grace of the Divine Director.

Now let us move on and explore more deeply the drama called life. Imagine a drama containing 20 characters with each character playing an important role and each having a relevance to the plot. It is indeed a difficult task to script this drama. Now, consider the cast to be expanded to 40 characters. Imagine 80,160… 6 billion. This drama can be scripted only by the divine director called GOD.

In the drama on stage the expert and attentive audience on keen observation can predict the twist that is likely to occur. But in life the twists come unexpected, uninvited and so unwanted. The twists in the plot are what make the drama interesting; similarly twists in our life are what make our life interesting. The actors are pained but the audience is entertained in a normal drama, but in life the director shares the pain of the actors. There is a freedom given to the actor of life to choose his story, but the choice is limited by the constraint called destiny.

In life, all of us lament about not becoming what we want. But we have to remember that in the drama of life the director gives us the role we need rather than the role we want. HE knows the entire plot so he chooses his cast with a lot of thought and discretion. Then knowing this why should we complain regarding the role we have been selected to play? Why can't we do our part perfectly and make the director happy so that later HE grants us the role we want?
Sometimes blinded by the freedom when the actors lose their basic sense of acting and jeopardize the larger plot affecting each other, the director at those times dons the role of an actor to teach the basics again. He acts along, walks along, talks along and plays along with the characters HE created in the plot HE made. This is what we call the AVATAR. When man in life loses his own nature or his role and goes deep down in morality and jeopardizes dharma the lord descends for the ascent of man. But it is a real great opportunity for the actors in the drama called life to act along and learn along with the best actor of all. Yes, of course, there are some, who ignore him, but HE has nothing to lose.

The Lord, Our Beloved Swami has himself said that "Jagamulanedi Natakambu naadinthuvuga, Eruga Galara Nee Leelalu Evarainanuga", meaning that the Lord is the One who controls the play called WORLD and that none can fathom the plot. Be not the one who searches for flaws in the plot, but be the one who flows and follows the plot to find the one who made it. Our job is to be a part of the plot and do our role properly. We are the privileged few called upon by the Divine Director and trained under HIM to become the best actors, so that we in turn can teach others how to act. The opportunity is great and so is the responsibility. Hence let us do our part and make him happy. For when the great drama ends, it is the DIRECTOR who evaluates us and it is HIS applause and appreciation that finally counts in the END.

 

Jai Sai Ram.

Source: Heart2Heart Oct,28th,2007

For this Sunday, we have an article by Sri B Arvind, a former student of Sri Sathya Sai University.

The long day finally came to an end and with all eagerness I looked forward to hitting the sack as soon as possible. The bed seemed to be beckoning me and I felt that we were made for each other. With the softness of the pillow below my head and the warmth of the blanket over me, I snuggled inside and then was lost to the world.


Soon another world opened up to me. I was somewhere in the deep woods walking all alone. The heavy overhanging creepers gave me the creeps and the dense interlocked branches barely allowed a few beams of light to percolate to the ground level. It was by the yellowish colour of the light beams that filtered down that I realized it was day and not night. The only sound I could hear was the soft crunching of the moss and ferns under my own feet as I walked. I knew not where I had come from and had not the slightest idea where I was headed to. Uncertainty and fear haunted me as I was unsure of what I would meet on the road ahead.

Out of the blue, there were loud howls from the treetops above. A fierce group of some primates seemed to have found sudden interest in me and they were charging down towards me. I broke into a run. Dashing wildly along an imaginary path, among the thorny bushes and slippery ferns, I moved with a speed that amazed me. But that is the way anyone would run when in mortal danger.  A roar now echoed from my left. To my horror, I saw that it was a black panther - a mother guarding her cubs. Not exactly pleased with the intruder, she decided that I would make a good meal for her family. She joined the chase that was getting worse every moment for me. I was now palpitating - more out of fear than exhaustion. And then the worst happened. A tiny slip followed by a huge fall. It was sickening to hear the cracking of my own bones.  I rolled over the mossy yet stony forest floor and felt as though my right leg did not exist.  As I tried to get up an excruciating pain shot up from my knee and traveled the length of my body. It was a hopeless condition. Automatically tears coursed down my cheeks and I just lay there waiting for the inevitable end. The apes above and the panther below - what a gruesome exit it would be! I closed my eyes and for the first time in my life, I seemed totally blank.

I woke up gasping in my bed. Beads of perspiration rolled down my fear stricken face. I sat with my mind in the same state of blankness. A few moments later, I was gulping down a glass of water. The last week had been terrible. Every night scary dreams haunted me. Every night, I woke up in the middle of my sleep feeling helpless. What should I do? Who would help me? I decided that the dreams had gone too far this time. I would put an end to them before they ended me. What an irony! I create the dream and it tries to destroy me? I walked up to the mirror and looked at mySelf. The image there seemed to speak to me:


"You are the one who has created that dream. You can change anything that you want. You need not feel helpless because everything there is just a manifestation of your mind and your will. You are the creator and so create whatever you like. Do not suffer the limitations that you create for others. Nothing can limit you. Whatever your mind can think of, you can do because you are the creator. But remember, you must Know who you are. Otherwise you will again get overwhelmed by your own creation."


I walked up to my walkman now. I recorded whatever MySelf had spoken to myself. I plugged in the earphones and played the tape. I heard it over and over again till once more, I was lost to this world. I was again in the deep woods walking all alone...........

Fast forward to where I lay on the floor awaiting the panther and the apes. All of a sudden, there I found a walkman next to me. I put on the earphones and heard what MySelf spoke to myself. I Knew. It is a dream and I am just creating it. Then as the panther lunged at my throat, I willed it to be transformed into a sweet kitten. It sat in my arms mewing. I looked at my right leg and willed. It was as healthy and wholesome as never before. Another will later, the apes brought me food and water and seemed to massage my feet. Then I realized that I had stopped thinking. I just seemed to know everything. I knew I was in New York and I was walking barefoot on the streets there. Everyone around thought that I was mad and it just did not matter for me. I once again Knew that they appreciate me a lot and at that instant there was a huge gathering waiting to hear me speak. I didn't want to speak for I was lost in the bliss of my new found Identity- my true one in fact. I knew that I would fill everyone with the same bliss and the next minute, all seemed so ecstatic.


I then knew that I was gone and the next moment I was on the slopes of the Himalayas . I knew that the cold would never be able to touch me and sure enough, it didn't. I came to understand that the New York Times carried my picture on the front page with the headlines, "Miracle Man vanishes into thin air!" I felt that....sorry I knew that humanity had been misguided. By now, I had stopped thinking and feeling. I just knew everything, for I was and am the creator!

As I walked the great Gangetic plains, I knew a wave of kindness and with a wave of my hand, I healed all the sick there. I created a world just as I wanted. Years passed this way. It was so simple. Since I was in charge, I traversed through time too. Time travel was not a myth. I knew it and so could do it. Then I knew I was back in New York . People rushed to me from everywhere and then I was facing a mammoth gathering in a super-dome. Everyone addressed me as God! Oh my God! This was crazy. Didn't they realize that this was all a dream. If I was God, then they too were God equally.


It was only out of supreme compassion that I spoke. I said, "There is only one thing that you need to know. You are all God too. You can do all that I do only if you know this Truth. The difference between me and you is that I know the Truth while you do not!" Well, the people adored me but they were not ready to understand what I said. They felt that I was muttering the impossible. Bound in their own narrow realms, they refused to see the Truth. I told them, "You do not have to achieve anything. Just Know. That's all." This simple statement for them seemed the most complicated. But I just knew that wherever I go, I would just speak the same thing - that alone was the Truth, everything else an illusion.


I woke up in the morning, gently this time. I felt in supreme control of myself. The time was 5:30am . I washed and dressed and flicked on the digital radio set and tuned into RadioSai. Swami's sweet voice floated into my room. The Youth Conference Valedictory discourse was on.

"You are all God. Everything you see is God.  You spend hours in meditation and spiritual activity. 11 seconds are enough. Keep yourself steady and Know, 'I am I'. That's all there is to be done..................."

My ears were deaf to any more words. I was lost in a trance like state. Deja vu? A sudden flash of realization? I don't know what exactly I felt. I fell on my knees and hoped that once again myself would listen to MySelf.

Dear reader, though this story is a fiction, the point it conveys is profound. In short, we can create our own world, the exact world that we want to live in, ourselves. We have that power in us!


Jai Sai Ram.

Source: Heart2Heart Aug,26th,2007

Think about it! All the best.

Jai Sai Ram. H2H Team.

"He is my swami"
part - I

 

This is the transcript of the conversation between Mrs. Padma Kasturi, daughter of Sri N Kasturi, and Ms. Rajeshwari Patel, a former student and faculty member in the Anantapur campus of Sathya Sai University aired on Radio Sai a few weeks ago. The dialogue begins after a few words of introduction by Ms. Rajeshwari Patel.

Who has not heard of Prof. Kasturi – the famous translator of Bhagavan’s Discourses and biographer of the Divine life-story of Bhagavan Shri Sathya Sai Baba? Professor Kasturi’s style was inimitable and un-matched. He brought to life for millions of Bhagavan’s devotees’ the thrilling, exhilarating accounts of those early golden years.

One feels as if one is present on the occasion when one reads Swami’s biography Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram. He had a special Kasturi-touch – literally. It would be impossible however to bring Prof. Kasturi to the studio of Radio Sai! But we have a very special person with us today; one who has inherited his precious legacy – maybe not like that of the inheritors of the Tata’s, Birla’s (Popular business families of India) and such; but something richer and more enduring - Divine Grace and proximity.

Smt. Padma - fondly referred to by Bhagavan as Padmamma - is the privileged daughter Professor Kasturi. Less well-known by people generally, she has made her quiet presence felt in the Prasanthi Nilayam ashram for several years now.

 

Rajeshwari Patel (RP): Welcome Smt. Padmamma to Radio Sai Global Harmony.

Padma Kasturi (PK): Thank you Rajeshwari.

RP: Let us begin first by talking about your father. When did your father come to Bhagavan and how old were you then?

PK: We saw Bhagavan in 1948 in Bangalore; I was just 14 years old then.

RP: Tell us a little bit about your father’s early life – before he came to Bhagavan.

 

Early Years and First Meeting of Prof Kasturi

PK: He was born in the state of Kerala, in Tripunittura which is in Ernakulam District. He was from a very deprived family – he had lost his father when he was just four years old. His education was very poor and his grand-father wanted him to attend Vedic classes because he couldn’t afford him any English education.

But my grand-mother insisted that he should go through the English Education; so with the help of her brother, he studied up to the high school, and there he got his scholarship and thus he could graduate with Bachelor of Arts (B.A).  Then he got a job in Travancore and he was married when he was just 14 years old!

RP: But his English is so excellent! I mean, the language in Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram and in Sri Sathya Sai Speaks is marvelous!

PK: Yes. Then he came down to Mysore for a job. When he was 21 years old, he got a job in a high school as a teacher; then he was taken to the University and he continued there, and after his retirement, he came to Swami and settled here – he stayed in the ashram for 40 years.

RP: So in which year did he come to Bhagavan?

PK: We met Swami in Bangalore in 1948, and in 1947, I had lost one of my brothers – he had a typhoid attack. My father was then very attached to the Ramakrishna mission. When he was in high school, one of his teachers was very impressed by Swami Vivekananda and used to talk a lot about him, from then on my father had become very attached to Sri Ramakrishna Pramahamsa.

RP: Now, who did not get influenced by Swami Vivekananda at their younger age!

PK: My father served as secretary for the Mysore Ramakrishna Ashram for 25 years. But then, after he lost his son, he was very depressed. My mother was a very ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara of Tirupathi, but they lost all hope.

 

How The Divine Prepared His Blessed Destiny…

After three months of my brother’s death, he met one of his old friends who was a devotee of Sai Baba. That person had come here for Dasara celebrations. After the function, he came down to Bangalore and gave us some prasadam and said, “There’s some Sai Baba in Puttaparthi. Why don’t you go there?” You will get some solace and peace.

But my mother didn’t like it, and rejected it saying, “No Sai Baba is going to help, because nobody helped me – not even my Tirupathi Rama! How can Sai Baba help me?”

But after that, somehow, my husband – Balachandran – was then a student, studying for IAS and used to come for tuition in the University with my father.

He was a distant relative and used to come there and they were already devotees of Sai Baba. So whenever he came, he used to talk about Swami. My father got little inquisitive and said, “This young man is saying so much about Sai Baba; let’s go and see!” Swami had come to Bangalore and so we went and visited Him there. In the very first visit, Swami gave an interview to my father!

RP: In the very first visit? Were all of you called?

PK: My mother, father and I had gone but we didn’t know if we should also follow him for the interview. He had called my father, so he went alone. And He said everything – about the death of my brother and his working in the college, and then He asked him, “After your retirement, you must come to Puttaparthi and settle down here.”

RP: So, after that first interview, what was his first impression of Swami? Did he come and tell you anything about how he felt? This was a command of settling down after retirement…

PK: He felt some Power; but he didn’t feel that Divinity then; because at that time Swami was too young - He only 22 years old!

RP: Yes. He was only 22 then!

PK: So he said there is something wonderful in this young man. That’s all he felt.

RP: Did he get that solace for which he had gone?

PK: No. Not in the first interview. It all happened only after my marriage. Because when Balachandran was coming to our house from the University tuitions, my father and mother felt that it would be nice if we give our daughter in marriage to him – because he was very mild mannered.

 

“This is My agya!”

So they went and asked his parents but they were not willing. But through them, they made another alliance! It was almost certain that they would be coming. There is that formality procedure that they had to go through.

So one day – it was a Thursday – my father went to their house. All this was arranged through the Balachandran family. He asked them to bring the other family to our house to see the girl. But that time, Swami was in Bangalore and on that Thursday morning, He came in the dream of my father-in-law and told him: “Come to see Me immediately; I have arranged your son’s marriage!”

RP: So before this meeting could be arranged with that other boy, Swami had already changed it!

PK: Yes. My father-in-law took leave from work and went to see Swami. Swami said: “See, we have arranged for your son’s marriage. For the past six years they have been asking you but you have been rejecting it! She is a very good girl and you must go and get him married with that family. Her father is a Professor and their house is near Wilson Garden…” and He gave all the details! And then He said: “This is My agya (command)!”

RP: His command!

PK: Yes. So when my father went to their house, they said, “Swami has already arranged, so we should get them married!” My father was very happy when he came home. And the next day both our families went to Him - Swami was staying in Mrs. Nagamani Purnaiya’s house. We all went there and Swami called both - my father and my father-in-law - and said: “This is a very good alliance and you should get these two people married. The marriage will be celebrated here in Puttaparthi itself. You can fix up some date and come to Puttaparthi.”

RP: You had never been to Puttaparthi?

PK: No. So He asked my father to come once to visit Puttaparthi and see the place.

RP: So did he retire after your marriage?

PK: He retired in ’54. We got married in ’50.

RP: And since then he has been in Puttaparthi!

PK: Yes. My father and mother came to Puttaparthi and saw the place then.

RP: But in the intermediate period, before his retirement, did he have any meetings with Swami?

PK: No. Nothing.

RP: So even when Swami came to Bangalore he just went for Darshan?

PK: Yes, just for Darshan – not for any interview. It was only after marriage which was celebrated here.

RP: And of course it coincided somewhat with his retirement too.

PK: Yes. He came in ’54 and then he went back to Bangalore because he was appointed in the All-India Radio as an Assistant Producer. He came back in ’56 because the Sanathana Sarathi (Ashram magazine) had to be started.

RP: Then he passed away in ’87…after practically 30 yrs of retirement!

PK: Yes, after 30 years.

 

Divine Intimacy At Its Best

RP: Now, what was the relation between your father and Bhagavan like?

PK: It was very, very close – I could say like a father and son; and even friends. Swami used to like him very much. He would give him good food and would ask him to eat with Him, and also would take him with Him wherever He went on His tours.

RP: He was a translator in those early days as far as I remember – he went with Bhagavan to East Africa too; because that’s where I saw him!

PK: Yes, he went to East Africa and he followed Him on almost all the tours!

RP: And he was a really good translator too!

PK: Yes.

RP: You were saying that he was born in Kerala, then how did he learn the Telegu language?

PK: He learnt Kannada too and after coming to Mysore he wrote so many books in Kannada. And after coming to Andhra Pradesh, he learnt Telegu too.

RP: And he was so proficient that he could translate. He could easily translate Bhagavan’s poetic language too!

PK: Yes, it was a gift for him from Bhagavan!

RP: So pertaining to that intimate relationship, do you have any experiences that you could share with us?

PK: They were very close! When Swami had that paralytic attack, it happened when my father was there and my father was with Him through that entire episode. Also, when Swami was in Goa and had that appendicitis operation, father had to go to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and had booked everything for Swami to go with him!

RP: He was a witness to many of these momentous events in Swami’s life. He was very fortunate to be so close to Him and that is why he was such a good biographer too because he saw everything with his own eyes.

PK: Yes. Actually, when he came to Puttaparthi, Swami told him: “After retirement, you come and stay here and write my biography.”

RP: Oh! So He had commanded him already! So had he started taking notes then?

PK: Yes. Swami told him: “I will help you and will tell you who you must interview. The biography was ready but I think, it was published in 1964.

 

Prof. Kasturi - A Heart of Gold

RP: Now what about your relationship with your father?

PK: Since my father was a teacher, he was a guide too for us. Because my family was with Sri Ramakrishna, and since he had liked all those villages and harijan (deprived) colonies, he used to take all of us and the students to serve in the villages – like what Swami does - Grama Seva. At that time there was no feeding but he used to teach them about cleanliness and health all that. Also, if there was any dispute in the villages, he would help.

RP: Oh, so he used to go around door to door talking to them about health and hygiene?

PK: Yes. And he used to ask us children to play with those children so that they would keep themselves clean and the next day their mothers used to give them a bath and keep them neat so that they can play with us! Sometimes he used to bring the villagers and the people of the harijan colony to see the Mysore city!

RP: You were just saying that it was after your marriage, that your father virtually, physically came to Swami – even though he knew Swami since 1948. But do you think that it is your father essentially who brought you all to Swami then? He was already in the Ramakrishna Mission and he was very deeply involved with all those activities so it was a very natural corollary to that, that he should actually come to Swami!

PK: Of course! It was there.

RP: So what sort of an influence did your father have upon you?

PK: My father never liked these japam, dhyanam (chanting, meditation, etc.) and all those things because Swami was very much for these social services and feeding the poor. My father liked that because in the Ramakrishna Ashram too they did these Daridra Narayana Seva - Swami Vivekananda was very much for that too.

RP: So your father was very drawn to that ‘upliftment of the oppressed’.

PK: Yes. He liked those teachings of Swami a lot and was very attracted to that.

RP: So your mind must also have been shaped in that way.

PK: Yes, of course.

 

Divine Mystery Drowns the Professor in Bliss

RP: What were your reactions to some of the experiences that your father had with Swami? Did he come home and tell you about them? I have heard of an incident, in which Prof. Kasturi was asked by Bhagavan to get properly dressed for a photograph that Bhagavan was to take Himself – apparently for a newspaper article!

We were talking just a while back about the intimacy between the two of them; so anyway, as it turned out that it was a trick that Swami had played on him; because the camera was just a toy one! And Bhagavan had a hearty laugh at the discomfiture of Prof. Kasturi. Were you present then? Did he come home and talk about it?

PK: No. I wasn’t present here, I was in Bangalore.

RP: Any other incidences that you can tell us?

PK: Yes. I can tell you another incident. Formerly, Swami used to go in trance and give Darshan to some in some distant places.

And after He used to come out of the trance, He used to tell us all that happened there. But father was not very much satisfied – he was not very sure about all that Swami had said after coming out of the trance.

RP: Whether it was authentic or not?

PK: Yes. But once, when father was there in Swami’s room, Swami suddenly fell and went into a trance, and vibhuti came out of His mouth and hands. And after He came out of the trance, He said: “I had been to Dehradun because one Dr. Krishnamurthi – who is coming here to Puttaparthi – his mother had passed away and she was asking for My Darshan and at her last moment, I went and gave her Darshan.”

Then He started telling him who else was there and my father got interested and asked Swami if he could take down notes? Swami gave him a slip of paper and father took down notes as to who else was there and all that happened, etc.

Then Swami said: “A letter will come after 3-4 days and then you can bring your list and tally it!” Then after 4 days a letter came but He didn’t open it however! He sent word for my father.

RP: He knew all along that Professor was not very convinced!

PK: Yes! Then my father went up and He asked him to read both – the letter and the notes - and it was exactly the same!

RP: It exactly tallied with what Swami had told him!

PK: Yes! So my father was very much excited and came running home from the mandir shouting: “Anandam! Anandam!” (Bliss! Bliss!) I was there but I didn’t know what had happened to him! He said: “Oh! We have got Bhagavan! How fortunate we are! Bhagavan! Bhagavan!” He didn’t take any food – he was so excited!

RP: He was himself in a state of bliss!

PK: Yes! My grandmother who was there was very worried: “Oh! What has happened to my son?” When we offered him tea, he didn’t want that either! He said: “No! Bhagavan is here! I don’t want anything when our Bhagavan is here! We have got Bhagavan! Why do I need anything else?”

In those days, during the evening bhajans, Swami used to come in people’s houses. He passed our house and asked my grand-mother: “How is Kasturi? What is he doing?” She cried: “Oh Swami! He is not taking any food! All he is saying is: “‘We have got Bhagavan!’ I don’t know what has happened to him!” Then Swami said: “When the Truth is revealed, that’s what happens. So don’t worry! I will make him alright.”

Then after bhajans, He called him upstairs to His room and He joked with him and gave him something to eat and then He brought him down!

RP: Back to the plane of earth!

PK: Yes. That was a really great thing.

RP: What does it feel like to be Prof. Kasturi’s daughter?

 

Being Kasturi’s Daughter…

PK: Of course, I am very proud. My father led a very saintly life and everybody liked him and loved him; there was nobody who said anything against him. So to keep it up – as Kasturi’s daughter – it is very difficult. Because as soon as someone says: “She is Kasturi’s daughter!” everybody looks at me in a different way!

RP: Of course, they would! I think some of the nobility has rubbed off on you too. Now, what are your feelings of some of the changes that have occurred in recent years - what Bhagavan was then, and what He is now? Swami is no longer very accessible to us – He was so very accessible to all of you then – does this change hurt?

PK: Yes. Sometimes it hurts me – because I can say that for the past 25 years I didn’t get an interview or anything like that. But I am very proud of it; I am very happy about it – because the whole world has come to Him and they have all realized that He is God.

At that time, the intimacy was so much that I can say – at least for myself – that I didn’t feel the Divinity in Him. The relation was different then. He was like a family member – He used to come home and talk to us and play with the children…

 

“He is my Swami!”

RP: And yet, He was closer than a family member!

PK: Yes. But now, even though that intimacy is not there, just the way the whole world is craving to have a glimpse of that Darshan; that makes me proud – because He is my Swami!

RP: Who is being worshipped now by so many people!

PK: Yes. Sometimes I do feel bad that He is not accessible and that those days are gone. I do feel: “Won’t He call me ‘Padmamma’ once more?” I want to hear that sweet voice but it is not there! But I have to satisfy myself…

RP: How do you sustain yourself then? I mean during this period when you know that He is not accessible to us as He was to you – from what do you take strength then?

PK: You just remember all that happened and are happy with those memories.

RP: So you have a lot of memories, isn’t it?

PK: Yes. I have not forgotten those things even though I lived with my father for 19 years. I have forgotten so many other things, but with Swami – from all the interviews that I have got – I have a lot of good memories of all that. I can remember everything and even narrate everything.

 

(to be continued...)

 

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For this Sunday we have for you an inspiring message from Swami taken from The Hatfield Sai Center Magazine, March 2006 issue.

Why get agitated? Let Me take care of your business. I shall be the One who will think about them. I am waiting for nothing else than your surrender to Me. I intervene only when you know how to completely surrender to Me, then you do not have to worry anymore about anything. Say Farewell to all fears and discouragement. You demonstrate that you do not trust Me. On the contrary, you must rely blindly on Me.

To surrender means: to turn your thoughts away from all your problems. Leave everything into My hands saying: Lord! Thy will be done, Thou think of it. That is to say: Lord, I thank you for You have taken everything in Your hands and you will resolve this for my highest good.

Remember that thinking of the consequences of a thing is contrary to surrender; that is to say when you worry that a situation has not had the desired outcome. You thus demonstrate that you don't believe in My love for you. You will prove that you don't consider your life to be under My control and that nothing escapes Me.

Never think: how is this going to end? What is going to happen? If you give into this temptation you demonstrate that you don't trust Me. Do you want Me to deal with it, yes or no? Then you must stop being anxious about it. I shall guide you only if you completely surrender to Me and when I must lead you into a different path than the one that you expect, I carry you in My arms.

What seriously upsets you is your reasoning, your worrying, your obsession and your will to provide for yourselves at any price. I can do so many things when the being, as much in his material necessities as in his spiritual ones turns to Me saying: You think of it, and rests quietly closing his eyes. You will receive a lot, but only when your prayer will fully rely upon Me. You pray to Me when in pain so that I will intervene, but in the way you desire it. You do not rely on Me, but you want me to adjust to your requests.

Don't believe like sick ones who ask the doctor to treat, all the time suggesting the treatment to him. Do not do that, but rather, even in sad circumstances say: Lord! I praise and thank you for this problem, for this necessity. I pray to you to arrange things as You please for this terrestrial and temporal life. You know very well what is best for me.

Sometimes you feel that disasters increase instead of diminishing! Don't get agitated. Close your eyes and tell Me with faith; Thy will be done. Thou think of it. And when you thus speak, I even accomplish a miracle when necessary. I only think of it when you trust Me totally. I always think of you, but I can only help you completely when you rely fully on Me.

 

Dear readers, today is Easter Sunday and it is only appropriate for us to ruminate on what Swami has said on Jesus and His supreme sacrifice for mankind. Here are excerpts of Swami's Discourses delivered during Christmas celebrations of 1997 and 1978 taken from the book "Be like Jesus".

Jesus Faced Troubles Like Other Divine Personalities

There were controversies regarding Jesus. These differences were the cause of the ordeals he had to go through. But Jesus was prepared to face any trouble or any penalty. He considered compassion as the supreme quality. By chastising the rich and ministering to the poor and the diseased, Jesus taught his disciples a new way of life based on faith in, God. Jesus demonstrated and preached the power of faith and, ultimately, invited on himself the supreme sacrifice of life itself. When his disciples started abusing his tormentors, his voice warned them to desist: "All are one! Be alike to everyone."

You have to remind yourselves of the ideals Jesus stood for. For ages, from time to time, many noble souls, endowed with immense spiritual power, have taken birth to propagate sacred teachings to the world. They struggled hard to make the world a good place to live in. But without understanding their noble intentions, foolish people tried to ridicule and persecute them. Right from his birth, Jesus had to face many trials and tribulations. When the name and fame of noble souls spread far and wide, many people become jealous.

In the past, many evil-minded people were jealous of the Divine personalities who attained worldwide fame through their teachings of truth and righteousness. Even today there is no dearth of such wicked people. If one cannot undertake meritorious deeds, it is better to keep quiet instead of indulging in such sinful deeds.

With faith in the oneness of humanity, Jesus stood against all of his opponents and critics and confronted their onslaughts. Every saint and prophet, who strove to uplift the downtrodden and open the eyes of the blind to the splendour of God's Grace, had to be ready and willing for the ultimate sacrifice. One has to expect trouble and welcome the chance for sacrificing all that one clings to, while one is upholding truth and righteousness. Faith in God is the bedrock that can save man from downfall. It is only when we look upon the universe as permeated by God that we acquire the strength to fight the forces of evil.

There can be no sinner worse than the one who criticises God. There can be no hell worse than distancing oneself from God. God is the eternal witness. It is a great mistake to criticise God. You may argue that there