An interview with Anil Kumar

[Guest guest]

An interview with Anil Kumar David: How did you first come to hear about Sai

Baba and what attracted you to him in the first place?

Anil: Back in the year 1970, an eminent devotee and a great scientist by the

name of Dr. Bhagavantam happened to visit the town where I lived, and he gave a

talk, narrating his experiences with Sai Baba in a most scientific manner, which

made a deep impression on me. Later on that year I had some family problems, and

so I went to Prasanthi Nilayam to ask Sai Baba for help. I can tell you that I

didn't get an opportunity to talk to him, I didn't get to touch his feet and,

as a result, I experienced five very unsuccessful days of togetherness. He was

so divinely mischievous. He spoke to almost every person there but me, yet when

I returned home I discovered that the family problem had been solved. The health

of my wife had become very bad and when I was at Prasanthi Nilayam I prayed

within myself saying, "If you really are God, then please give her back to me

in good health. We have four children and if she dies I can't take care of the

children by

myself." Well, without talking to him, without any padanamaskara or anything of

that sort, she regained perfect health. After this I started reading the

discourses, Sathya Sai Speaks, and I became very inspired. As a student I was

always first in elocution and debating contests, never in academics. I was

never a gold medallist in studies, but in all the elocution competitions and

inter-university competitions I always came first. I was very much interested

in public speaking and learning effective communication skills. So having been

inspired by Swami's discourses I started sharing with small groups about them,

and then people started inviting me to come and talk to them about Sai Baba.

This went on for eight years. I went to see Sai Baba on many occasions, but he

ignored me, year after year, and not just me, but the whole row in which I was

seated. I used to tell my friends that they could sit by me in the canteen and

the hotel but never, never sit by me in darshan, because Sai

Baba would certainly never look at them! However after eight long years of

waiting he did call me and, what is more, he asked me to give a talk in the

Poornachandra Auditorium and ever since I have been in close contact with him.

David: Will you tell us about how you first came into contact with Sai Baba? I

know that you have told us this story before, but many of our readers will not

have heard it, and I personally find it very amusing.

Anil: Well, in 1977, after eight years of exile, I was travelling to Prasanthi

Nilayam when Sai Baba's car passed me by on the road going to Anantapur, so I

turned around and followed him to Anantapur. There I discovered that Sai Baba

was busy with some trust committee in the Girl's College. Now, in the Girl's

College, as you well know, even male mosquitoes are not permitted to enter! So

I was stuck outside the gate pleading with the watchman to allow me to enter,

but he would not let me in and so I waited helplessly outside. Then Swami

suddenly appeared at a door, surrounded by several important people, and the

watchman took pity on me and said "Sir, you are free to walk a few steps inside

the gate, but please don't go any further." I said, "OK" and walked in. Suddenly

Swami shouted "Anil Kumar, come here" and I started running towards him, at the

same time thinking, "How does he know my name? Why has he ignored me all these

eight years? Why did he not

look at me? Does he not know my problems?" whilst at the same time feeling

totally blissful. Swami said, "Oh, last night you gave a lecture about me and

everyone liked it" and then he said, "How is your wife?" I replied "Swami, it

was she who brought me to you.I know", he said, and then he materialised

some vibhuthi for me and told me to come and see him in Puttaparthi.

David: Tell us how you came to be Sai Baba's interpreter. What was the sequence

of events that led up to your selection for this job?

Anil: Well, I was the State President of the Sathya Sai Organisation in Andhra

Pradesh, and as the State President I used to attend the World Council

meetings. One year it so happened that Sai Baba convened a meeting of the

members of the World Council in the Mandir. Suddenly he needed an interpreter

and since I come from Andhra Pradesh where Telegu is spoken he immediately

picked me out and asked me to interpret. At the end of the talk he just said

"Oh, fast, very fast!" and that was that and no opportunity presented itself to

act as interpreter again for some time. In 1989 I was appointed the principal of

the Sathya Sai Baba College in Whitefield, the Brindavan Campus, and since that

time I have been the regular interpreter. All that I can say about this role is

that I'm not always a hundred per cent successful in interpreting, I'm not

particularly competent at it and I'm certainly not the only man who can do it.

I regard the role more as an

opportunity extended to me than something that I have sought. It is more like a

blessing conferred on me than an answer to a prayer. I have faltered many times

and Sai Baba always corrects me, so I know that I still have a long way to go. I

know that I am not perfect, but I just hope that I fulfil the needs of the

devotees.

David: By most people's standards you are very close to Sai Baba and I say this

not only because you are his interpreter but also because, sitting on the

verandah, you are in his presence most days and are always chatting to him.

What has being close to Sai Baba taught you about him?

Anil: I will be very frank with you, because I know that Western people, people

such as the Americans and the British, appreciate frankness and I, in turn,

appreciate them for that reason. Firstly, you say that I am close to Swami but,

in my experience, the way to get close to Sai Baba is to never discuss personal

matters with him and by personal matters I mean things like family problems,

ashram problems, problems with colleagues, problems with the College, problems

with my health, problems at home. Secondly, I'm very much interested in the

message of Sai Baba and so I want to know everything about him, I want

clarification on all his teachings because I'm interested in sharing them with

anyone who wants to listen to me. It is a fact that when I talk and share with

people about Sai Baba I forget where I am, I forget all my problems. I forget

everything, because sharing the message of Sai gives me the greatest joy. So

when I have doubts about any

aspect of the teachings I want clarification, and who else can tell me but Sai.

So, slowly, I begin to tickle and tease Swami, to put him in an inconvenient

position, even sometimes to cause irritation, so that I can draw a divine

answer out of him, which I can then share with everybody. Thirdly, I tell him

quite openly how happy I am with him, how nice he looks that morning, how

beautiful is his dress, how sweet was his morning darshan, how well behaved are

his schoolboys, how wonderful was his morning discourse and how well received it

was by his devotees. I think that it is these three factors that have brought me

close to him.

David: What is the greatest truth that Swami has taught you?

Anil: The greatest truth that Swami has taught me is a kind of preparedness to

accept anything that comes to me in life, good or bad, acceptance, or if you

want to use another term, spiritual surrender. Surrender, I think, is a higher

word than accept. If something unpleasant happens in my life, well that doesn't

make me run away from here. If manna from heaven falls upon me, well that

doesn't make me feel egotistical or proud. I am prepared to accept with

equanimity whatever happens to me, both the good times and the bad times, and

no matter what does happen I will continue to love Sai Baba, to listen to his

message, to share the joy, the thrill, the excitement of his mission with

everybody. The greatest gift that Sai Baba can give me is to allow me to

participate in his divine mission.

David: I think that for most devotees that is a very difficult lesson to learn,

especially for those who have got close to Swami, when he apparently starts

ignoring them, and note that I say 'apparently'. They go to see him one trip

and he recognises and speaks to them and then on the next trip he totally

ignores them. They feel quite rejected.

Anil: It's courtship!

David: Yes, that's right, but it's still very difficult for devotees to accept

what appears to be rejection.

Anil: It is very similar to problems at home with the wife or with the

children. If I spend a lot of time away from home working in the college or the

ashram the children will say to me "Daddy you have no time to spend with us."

Being a father is very demanding; I know that to be true.

David: Would you like to tell us about the greatest manifestation that you have

ever seen Swami do?

Anil: For me his greatest manifestation is what I call his concern, his love.

Let me give you an example. Several years ago I was waiting for the results of

my son's engineering entrance examination, but on the very morning when the

results were to be published the President of India, the first citizen of this

country, was to visit Prasanthi Nilayam. Sai Baba slowly, softly, smilingly

came walking up to me in darshan and standing in front of me he lifted up both

of his arms and he enquired, "How are you, Sir?" I replied, "Swami, I am very

fine." Sai Baba then said to me "How about your son?" and I replied, "Waiting

for the results, Swami." Sai Baba responded "No, no. He is going to be

selected, he is going to be an engineer, he is going to pass with distinction,

don't worry, Anil Kumar." I immediately fell at his feet and I thought to

myself "Oh God, when the President of India and all the VIPs are waiting at the

door, you still manage

to show concern for this little, unimportant fellow, Anil Kumar. I am grateful

to you Swami, for this concern, this love, which rises above position, status

and money." So, yes, for me, his biggest manifestation is his love.

David: Ann and I were present Anil, that night in his house at Kodaikanal, when

Swami materialised that watch for you after you had translated his speech. What

is the greatest physical materialisation that you have seen him do?

Anil: I don't know how many of you have heard of Balarama. Now Balarama was the

brother of Krishna. Sai Baba announced one day that on the very next day he was

going to invite his schoolboys and some guests to a very special lunch. I asked

Swami why the lunch was 'special', to which he replied that he was going to

speak on the subject of the wedding of Balarama to Revathi, because tomorrow

was the anniversary of their wedding day. The lunch was to be a banquet with

twenty-five items on the menu. So on the very next day this special banquet,

the wedding lunch, took place with twenty-five items on the menu, and

foreigners and sundry guests of honour attended it. That evening Swami gave a

talk. He described how all the Gods and Goddesses attended the wedding of

Balarama and Revathi. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva all attended this divine

celebration with all the other Gods and Goddesses and towards the end of the

ceremony Brahma gave a wedding

gift. Someone asked Swami "What was the wedding gift?" At this point in time

Sai Baba's hand described three circles in the air, there was a buzzing sound

like that of a honeybee and to the shock and astonishment of those present he

materialised an article that was the size of a jug. Well, let me describe that

article. It was an arch studded with diamonds, four rows of four, and there

must have been around 200 diamonds in the arch. The frame of the arch was made

up of gold with again diamonds in rows of four. There was a platform of gold,

and in the centre an ornamental swan hung by a golden chain with diamond eyes

and in the centre the stomach of the swan was like a glass, it was transparent.

Everybody started looking at it in sheer amazement. Sai Baba said "Anil, look at

it.Oh, it is wonderful, Swami" I replied and he said "No, look at the nose of

the swan." I said, " Yes, Swami, it is so beautiful." Sai Baba then said "No,

look at the eyes of the swan.Yes,

Swami" I replied, "They are made of diamonds.No, no" said Swami, "You are a

fool," to which I responded "Swami, that is nothing new. I know that I am a

fool. That is not saying anything that I do not already know. I am not about to

become a fool all of a sudden. Let me continue to be a fool!" Then Swami said,

"Look at the stomach, you fool." I looked at the stomach and what did I find

there, nothing less than the figure of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in a

reclining posture. Now that is manifestation. I don't think that I will ever

see another manifestation like that in the years to come.

David: We once made Sai Baba laugh in an interview by using the expression

'Baba stories', which is the name that we use to describe the stories that

devotees pass around about Sai Baba's doings and materialisations. Indeed,

Swami himself once said that Baba stories are better then bhajans, because

people often go to sleep in bhajans whereas people always stay awake when Baba

stories are being told because they are interested. What is the best Baba story

that you have heard?

Anil: Yes, some people do indeed go to sleep during bhajans, but that is for

one reason only, they don't understand the meaning of the bhajans. They go to

sleep because there is no yearning, no sincerity, no pining for God. People

only sleep because they don't understand the meaning, because their heart is

not ready, because their mind is full of worldly thoughts, of business and

day-to-day matters. Baba stories, on the other hand, never put people to sleep

because they are understood immediately, because they are full of fun and

frolic, because they apply to our day-to-day situation, because they make you

laugh. Let me give you a simple example. One day, in darshan, Sai Baba was

talking to the children from the primary school. He asked one young boy, just

six or seven years old, "Where do you come from, boy?" The boy replied,

"Swami, I come from you." Sai Baba then turned around and said to all the

VIP's sitting on the verandah "See, if

I was to ask you that question, you would say "I come from Bombay" or "I come

from Madras" or "I come from England", but this little boy says "I come from

you", now that is divine. Children are divine. Then Sai Baba put a second

question to the boy "How many brothers do you have?" Back comes the reply

"Swami, all are my brothers," Sai Baba then said "See how broad minded children

are. This little boy considers all are his brothers, but if I were to ask you

that question, you would say "Two brothers, Swami" or "Three brothers, Swami",

you are so narrow minded." Then Sai Baba put a third question to the boy "How

many sisters do you have?" Back comes the reply "Swami, all are my sisters."

"No, no, no" said Sai Baba, "All are your sisters excepting one, your wife."

Well, everybody laughed and then Sai Baba asked the boy "How many wives do you

have?" to which the boy replied, "Swami, all are my wives.Oh no, no, no, you

are wrong," said Sai Baba, adding, "That boy

thinks that he is smart enough to give a reply to Bhagavan." Then Swami said to

the boy "Who are you?" Back comes the reply "Swami, I am God." Sai Baba then

said, "Well, if you are God, then you can go and give darshan " and everyone

burst into laughter. People love his jokes, his humour.

David: What do you regard as being the greatest success that has come from your

relationship with Sai Baba?

Anil: Yes, that is a good question. Do not misunderstand me if I put across

this point of view. You may not agree with me. The Hindu philosophy is so vast

that it can be very confusing. One school of philosophy speaks of Non-dualism

or Advaita, another speaks of Qualified non-dualism or Vishista Advaita,

another speaks of Dualism or Dvaita. Yet another school of philosophy advocates

the worship of God in form, Sakara, another wants you to worship the formless

God, Nirakara, another wants you to worship God without attributes, Nirguna,

another wants you worship God with attributes, Saguna. What am I to do? One

guru says that you should follow the path of action, Karma Yoga, another says

that you should follow the path of devotion, Bhakti Yoga, and there are nine

ways of devotion, another says that you should follow the path of wisdom, Jnana

Yoga. There are literally thousands of Gods in existence and I sometimes think

that the number of Gods exceeds

the human population. What am I to do? It is at that moment that Sai Baba steps

into my life. He teaches that jewels are many, but gold is one, that cows are

many, but milk is one, that flowers are many, but worship is one, that beings

are many, but breath is one, that stars are many, but sky is one, that nations

are many, but Earth is one, that forms are many, but God is one. He teaches the

principle of oneness, of unity, of Advaita. So the greatest gift that I have

received from Sai Baba is clarity in my thought, accuracy in my approach,

exactness in my practice, giving no scope for any doubt or confusion

whatsoever. I've now got very clear views; no one can confuse me, because Sai

Baba has given me a clear picture of philosophy. That is the greatest gift that

Sai Baba could have given me and I want nothing more from him than that. I don't

want any of the rings, chains or lockets that he gives away. That stage has gone

forever.

David: Can you look back and see some incident in your relationship with Sai

Baba where at the time you thought it was a great mistake, a failure, but, on

looking back now, you can see it as a great learning experience? Was there ever

a time when you thought that you had really blown it but, subsequently, it

turned out to produce a giant leap in faith or consciousness for you?

Anil: On a personal note, I come from a family that, for three generations now,

has followed a religion, which worships God without a form; a God Who does not

experience either birth or death. We worship a God without attributes. We don't

believe in reincarnation. We don't accept Rama and Krishna. We don't follow any

form of worship. We think of God as a phenomenon, as a being Who is beyond

birth and death. Now I was brought up in that belief, so Sai Baba took eight

years to make me deserving enough to accept him, to make me ready to accept his

philosophy, to make me ripe enough to absorb what he had to give me. So I had an

eight-year period of probation, to make me more sympathetic, more receptive, to

him. At the time it wasn't a very pleasant experience, but looking back now I

can see that it was necessary for me, and so I have no regrets.

David: More and more foreigners are coming to the ashram, especially in recent

years. As I look at the scarves of the devotees in the darshan lines I am

continually seeing the emblems of countries that I have never seen before, some

from quite small and remote countries. Has Sai Baba ever said anything to you

about the foreigners that come to the ashram and what is their purpose in his

mission?

Anil: Well, I'm not very happy when I say that I have to envy you your

position. We Indians feel very, very jealous about this, but I will be honest

with you! Sai Baba is often telling his students and those people who are very

close to him physically that if they want to learn what devotion is they should

watch the foreigners. Sai Baba says that even if he doesn't talk to the

foreigners, even if he doesn't look directly at them, even if he does not get

physically close to them, what a tremendous satisfaction they still get just

from watching him in darshan. He says that their eyes dance in ecstasy, their

faces break into smiles and are fall of joy and bliss, like 1,000 watt light

bulbs, whereas many of the Indians are unsmiling and their faces look like

they've taken castor oil. Sai Baba also says that if he says "Hello" to a

foreigner and asks him where he comes from, all of his friends gather around

him afterwards and say "Swami talked to

you, what did he say, share with us how it felt" and they share their joy

around, whereas many of the Indians are jealous and feel envious that Swami has

spoken to someone else. Swami also points out that immediately after darshan

many Indians get up and walk away, whereas the foreigners sit in silence and

meditate and think of Swami and, as a result, they receive the divine energy

from Swami, whereas the Indians start to gossip and so lose that energy. Sai

Baba compares the foreigners to honey bees who fly long distances, land on the

lotus flower of Bhagavan and suck up the nectar of the divine, partake of his

message and mission, and then return to their own countries full of

satisfaction, joy and bliss, with good thoughts of Swami whereas many Indians

are like frogs, hiding under the leaves of the lotus flower, unaware of the

divine nectar that is available to them. Sai Baba says that they are near but

not dear to him. On one occasion Sai Baba used the analogy of a

lighthouse to make the same point. He said that Sai Baba is like a lighthouse.

The light from the light house goes to far off distances but right underneath

the light house there is a shadow, a place of total darkness, and so those from

afar bask in the light of the lighthouse, whereas those that are close to it

live in darkness or ignorance of the light. Sai Baba has also said that many

foreigners have a better knowledge of Sai Teachings, read more of Sai

literature, exemplify his message more purely than many Indians. Finally, most

foreigners come from a very high standard of life and here in Puttaparthi they

bear many inconveniences gladly. Why do they do this? It is for Swami. Anyway

I am going to stop here because I don't want to criticise myself anymore by

recalling anything further that Swami has said about this subject!

David: The next ten years are supposed to be very difficult years both for the

planet and for Humanity living on it. Have you heard anything about this from

Swami, about what is going to be taking place on the Earth in the next ten

years and I'm talking now in terms of major Earth changes?

Anil: Well I personally don't think that such changes are all going to happen

in a ten-year period. Sai Baba has talked about the future, but only in general

terms of it being confusing, disturbing and agitating. He has said that there

will be no peace in the home, no harmony in the home, no understanding even

amongst the members of the same family. There will be no peace in society at

large as, with the advances in the fields of science and technology, Man is

acquiring more and more conveniences, more and more material possessions and,

as a result, is becoming utterly selfish. As a direct result of this Man is

denied both joy and happiness and a realisation of the divinity within him He

is living the life of an animal. It is because of this that Sai Baba is here.

It is in this time of turmoil and turbulence that the Sai message is so

desperately needed. The Sai Baba mission has come to teach us satisfaction,

commitment, dedication and

selfless service, love and forbearance. Our divine qualities will give us

greater joy than any business or self-centred interest, they will remove all

traces of I and mine and family self-centredness.

David: Even though more and more Westerners are now coming to India each year

to see Sai Baba, it is obviously impossible for all Westerners to do this,

because they cannot all fly to Puttaparthi, both for reasons of money and

airline availability, so in what way do you think Swami is going to reach those

Westerners who cannot come, how is he going to touch the consciousness of the

West?

Anil: Sai Baba has given us an example. In an army a general is in control of

a formation of ten thousand men. The general is one, but he controls thousands

of men and in similar fashion every foreigner when he returns home will be able

to influence thousands of other foreigners. Those who come to Puttaparthi are

the selected few who are going to influence thousands of devotees both now and

in the future. For example, Howard Murphet's books have influenced thousands

and thousands of people all over the world and will continue to do so. Remember

the influence of Jesus Christ's apostles, how they spread his message all over

the world. Similarly, today, the few disciples of Sri Rama Krishna have spread

the Rama Krishna mission all over the world. Change is always going to be

brought about by the few. Remember it only takes a spoonful of sugar to make a

tumbler full of water sweet. So one person is all that it takes to bring about

a change

in many.

David: One of the main points of misunderstanding between Westerners and Sai

Baba, in my opinion, is over this issue of time. Sai Baba says "I will see you

tomorrow", but then tomorrow comes and he doesn't see the person, because his

'tomorrow' is obviously not our 'tomorrow'. Some devotees get really upset by

this apparent breaking of a promise, by someone who they have been told is God

not behaving as they think God should. What is your experience of Swami's

time?

Anil: Yes, there are two standards of time. Human time is bound by the sunrise

and sunset, the day and the night, and is based on the now, whereas divine time

encompasses the past, the present and the future. Whatever Sai Baba says is

based on divine time. For example, when I say tomorrow, I mean during the

twenty-four hour period of the very next day, whereas when Swami says tomorrow

it could mean any day because he thinks of the past, the present and the future

as one. Then you may say "Well, why is this so, why does he confuse us?" The

answer is that it really doesn't matter what day he sees you, because the day

that he chooses will serve your purpose the best in the long run. He is not

just thinking of the immediate future, as you do, he is thinking of past,

present and future and of what is going to help you in the long run. You tend

to think only of material benefit, whilst he thinks of spiritual benefit,

benefit for all time.

David: Anil, what has your relationship with Swami taught you about God?

Anil: I take it by God, you mean the God within?

David: Yes.

Anil: Whenever I give a talk, either in Kodaikanal or in the EHV Building here

in Prasanthi Nilayam, I never prepare my talk beforehand. Moreover, Swami will

suddenly say to me "Anil, get up and say something" and if I feel like talking

on devotion, then, he will ask me to speak on wisdom and vice versa! So all my

talks are unprepared and that is the way that Swami has brought me up ever since

1978, when I gave my first talk. The miracle of miracles is how everything

always works out and how it always seems to be what people want. This, of

course, is all down to Swami, because he chooses the subject matter, the points

to be made and the way in which the talk unfolds. So this, above all, makes me

feel that he is God. When he asks me certain questions and I answer, I often

wonder how I managed to answer like that, because I know only too well how I

would normally answer. One thing I do know is that you will never have the last

word with Swami;

he will always outsmart you. Let me give you an example.

An elderly professor who sits on the verandah one day told Swami that he was

suffering from cataracts and so Swami told him to go to the hospital and have a

check up. Then he looked at me and said, "You also have cataracts." I said,

"Swami, I have glasses, I don't have cataracts", to which Swami replied "I can

see you have glasses, but you have cataracts in both your eyes." I said "Swami,

me?Yes, you!" said Swami. "One eye is suffering from the cataract of

attachment, the other eye is suffering from the cataract of ego" to which I

replied, "Well, if that is so, Swami, then it is time for an operation. You are

the divine doctor, so why don't you operate right now." Everybody laughed. Then

Swami, who is the divine master and always has the last word said "But the

problem is not only in your eyes, because from top to bottom you are diseased

with ego and attachment. "Then" I said to Swami "This calls for major surgery,

an immediate operation, please

do it at once." Sai Baba replied "Oh, no, if you don't come to me what can I do.

If you come to me, then, I will operate, but you have not yet come to me, so

what can I do?" I then said to Swami "Swami, when am I not with you? Am I not

serving in your college for the ninth successive year?Ah" said Sai Baba "You

are physically here, but mentally you are somewhere else, so unless you are

mentally and physically here and totally surrender to me, how can I operate."

Game, set and match to Swami!

Once I said to Swami in Kodaikanal "Swami, you say that I am not the body, I can

accept that. You say that I am not the mind, I can accept that too. You say that

I am not the intellect, that seems reasonable too. You say that I am atma, I

hope that that is true. So the question I want to ask is this - when you ask

someone in darshan "When did you come?" what exactly are you asking, because if

we are not our body, then, the body has not come, if we are not our mind, then,

the mind has not come, if we are not our intellect, then, the intellect has not

come, so I can only be here as atma, so why do you bother to talk to me? Swami

replied "If you really feel that you are atma, then, I wouldn't put that

question to you at all, but because you think that you are the body, then, I

ask you that question. If you really feel that you are the spirit, I would not

put that question to you at all." Game, set and match to Swami again! You can

never

catch him out.

I find that there are the moments of personal attachment, when God enters into

my life and I get closely linked and associated with Him, when I am touched by

His love and concern for me. The mistake in identity only comes when we put God

on a high pedestal and say to Him "I know that you are God and that I am human,

nevertheless, I know that I can meet you when I go to church on Sunday or when

I go to temple on Thursday, because I know that you will be there." The

reality is not like that at all. God is in your heart and understands

everything that you think, say and do. He knows the innermost secrets of your

heart. Let me give you one final example. One day, in darshan, I was reading a

letter from my daughter, who is a doctor in the USA, in Minneapolis. She was

doing her internship there at the time and she had written me a very touching

letter in which she told me not to worry about her, adding that Americans were

very kind people, who

were always ready to help her. She had experienced no problems in settling down

there and in being accepted by American society. She then went on to relate

about a little miracle that had happened to her.

One day, while returning home from the hospital, she missed a turning and got

lost. She could not find the way back to the hostel where she was staying. Even

though she felt like crying, she began singing some of Swami's bhajans instead

and prayed to Swami for help. Immediately an American stopped his car and said,

"May I help you? Where do you want to go?" She gave him her address and he

dropped her off at her hostel. She concluded her letter by saying "Daddy, don't

worry about me." I folded the letter and put it in my pocket, wiping away the

tears of joy that were flowing down my cheeks, and then suddenly I realised

that Swami was standing in front of me and so I started smiling and pretended

to be happy. Swami said to me "Where is the letter?" I replied "Letter,

Swami?" not wanting him to know about my daughter's letter. "Yes, the letter,"

said Swami "the one that is there in your pocket, give it to me." I replied,

"But Swami, it is a

personal letter" to which he responded, "Oh, is there anything personal between

you and me? Shall I tell you the contents of that letter? If you are not going

to give it to me, I will tell you what is written in it." I said, "Swami, it is

a letter from my daughter." Sai Baba then said "Your daughter in America

constantly thinks of me, whilst you, who are here close to me, think only of

your daughter in America! That is the difference."

Ann: I would just like to ask you one question before we finish this interview.

I have got very confused lately, because although I used to be very attached to

Swami's physical form I am now starting to relate more to his omnipresence, but

I find it very hard to relate the form to the omnipresence. I know that I am

looking at his body and that he is not the body, or even the mind, as you have

been saying, so how do you handle this problem?

Anil: Well, I think that the answer to that question is going to be the next

step in your spiritual sadhana. There are many instances when we see Swami's

face right in the face of the man sitting next to us. Even though he is

formless we still see Swami's face there. Similarly, when we are listening to

someone talking to us, we suddenly hear Swami's voice. Sometimes we might even

feel that Swami walking along side us. Now that is omnipresence. So let us just

remember that all names, all forms are his, and try to shift our consciousness

from the limited to the unlimited, from the finite to the infinite, from the

form to the formless.

http://saibaba.ws/articles/interviewanilkumar.htm

http://www.ramalacentre.com/newsletter03_99_03.htm

 

"...always look at the positive side of things... " sri sathya sai

dorisdv (AT) (DOT) es