The Divine Child

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The Divine Child

 

Compassionate young Sathya

 

Sathya was the darling not only of the Raju family but also of the

village. It was a joy for all to watch his radiant face and curly

locks of hair. It is said that even at the age of four He had

concern for human sufferings. He never allowed beggars to be turned

away. Nor did he like killing of fowls for food. Other family

members except Kondama Raju being non-vegetarians he ate only at the

neighbouring house of Karanam Subbamma, a pious brahmin lady who was

His mother Yashoda.

 

HIS earlier school days

 

Sathya had his schooling initially at Puttaparthi Primary School and

then at Bukkapatnam Middle School and the Kamalapuram and Uravakonda

High Schools where his elder brother Seshama Raju was a Telugu

teacher. He earned the name of 'brahmajnani' at the age of six in

his school. The teachers and students got a glimpse of His divinity

when, at the age of 8, his teacher who punished Sathya for not

taking down notes, by asking him to stand upon the bench for the

rest of the period, had to remain glued to the chair till the time

he was asked to get down at the behest of another teacher whose

period it was. At the age of 12 he accompanied his brother to

Kamalapuram and later to Uravakonda. At these places Sathya was

known for his mysterious power of tracing lost properties and

identifying the culprits. At the High School he attended the first

year and a few weeks of the second year. He was extremely popular in

the school among students and teachers alike who often enjoyed the

fresh sweetmeats and sugar-candy pulled out from his bag saying that

they were from the village deity. Mystery thus grew around the young

Sathya. His close relatives looked at it with awe and suspicion.

 

Signs of Divinity

 

On the 8th of March 1940 Sathya suddenly became unconscious as if

stung by a scorpion for which the place was known. In fact he had

left his body to save some devotee in distress as was His wont in

later years. His reserved nature and behaviour as if possessed made

his people conclude that he was under the influence of some evil

spirit. What followed was a series of harassment to his tender body

from doctors, quacks and sorcerers who had vowed to release him from

the clutches of the evil spirit. Sathya suffered all this silently

which in their eyes was confirmation of their conjecture. None

realised that the divine being had no body consciousness. Explaining

the situation much later Swami Himself said "I wanted to make known

that I am Divine stuff impervious to human suffering, pain or joy".

 

He declares: "I am Sai Baba"

 

On the 23rd of May 1940 Sathya was in a very happy mood much to the

relief and satisfaction of his close relatives. He created flowers

and sugar candy and gave as prasad to all assembled. He also gave

them a ball each of sweet rice cooked in milk. But the father, when

told of this welcome development, only became wild with anger and he

lifted a stick to draw an answer to his question, who he really was?

Pat came the reply "I am Sai Baba… I came in answer to the prayers

of Venkavadhoota". Venkavadhoota was the patron saint of the family

who died years ago. Their reverence to this great man forced them

into silence. But one among the melting crowd asked for proof.

Sathya asked for jasmine flowers which when he threw on the ground

formed into telugu letters "Sai Baba". Sathya became so popular that

there was thick crowd on Thursdays for the puja and worship of the

little master who created vibhuti and other articles for his

devotees.

 

Omnipresence at Virupaksha Temple

 

But Seshama Raju was bent upon drawing Sathya back to his High

School studies. So in order to change Sathya's mind he thought of

taking him to Hospet and to Hampi, places of interest, in response

to an invitation from friends. Hampi was the capital of the famous

Vijayanagaram empire, now in ruins but housing the temple of

Virupaksha, the tutelary deity of the emperors of Vijayanagaram. But

inside the temple it was Sathya who received aarti from the priest

in place of Virupaksha once again affirming that he was none other

than the Lord Himself. To those who rushed out to confirm this

Sathya was seen leaning on the wall outside the temple, his eyes

fixed on the horizon. Seshama Raju had no option but to accept this

though he tried to cling on to his ill-based conviction.

 

THE AVATARIC MISSION BEGINS…

 

On the 20th day of October, 1940, the day after they all returned

from Hampi by special bus, Sathyanarayana started for school as

usual. The excise Inspector of the place, Sri Anjaneyulu who was

very much attached to the little Baba, accompanied Him, as far as

the school gate and went home, rather reluctantly. He seemed to see

a superb halo, round the face of Baba that day and he could not take

his eyes away from the enchantment. Sathya returned from school

quickly. And, standing on the doorstep outside the house of his

brother Seshama Raju, Sathya firmly declared after casting the books

aside "I am no longer Sathya, I am Sai" and to the sister-in-law who

was in surprise and anguish he said "I am going, I don't belong to

you…. My devotees are calling me,….. I can't stay any longer….. I

have My work." The pleadings, first from the sister-in-law and next

from the brother had no effect as Sathya moved into the garden of

the Excise Inspector Anjaneyulu and sat on a rock. Neighbour

Narayana Sastri who rushed to the spot saw a halo around the face of

Sathya as he pronounced the historic declaration. So did Anjaneyulu

see earlier as he escorted him upto the gate for the school. People

rushed from all sides to offer flowers and fruits and to prostrate

before the Lord. It made news everywhere. Bhajans rose in full-

throated ease. People rejoiced as they got what they longed for. And

the young Baba taught them, nay, the whole universe, the first

prayer that day:

 

"Manasa bhajare Gurucharanam

Dustara bhava sagara tharanam"

(Meditate in thy mind on the feet of the Guru; that can take you

across the turbulent sea of samsara).

 

Different phases of His Mission

 

Baba was given a fitting welcome at Puttaparthi. He first visited

Karanam Subbamma's house then the family house. He, however took

residence at the house of Subbamma, His Yashoda, and she not only

looked after every need of Baba but also His ever swelling number of

devotees. Consequently everyday bhajans which started to be

accommodated in a room extended to a shed and finally a bigger hall.

The spacious house of the Karnam became insufficient. Baba would

feed everyone and His express blessings averted shortage of food at

any time. But in order to accommodate all the devotees a much bigger

shed or open space was required. So the bhajans were conducted on

Chitravati sands almost regularly in the evening. Kasturiji has

recorded: "Baba Himself has said many times that in His life, the

first sixteen years shall be marked mainly by Leelas, next sixteen

by Mahimas or miracles and the subsequent years by upadesam". He has

assured of course, that leela, mahima and upadesam will be main

notes but the other two will not be absent during every stage.

 

Source: http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Bhagawan/Divine_Child.htm