Excerpts from the speech by Prof. (Mrs.) Jayalakshmi Gopinath, Warden, Anantapur Campus, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, delivered in the Divine Presence on 12th March 2006, in Sai Kulwant Hall.

[Guest guest]

Excerpts from the speech by Prof. (Mrs.) Jayalakshmi Gopinath, Warden,

Anantapur Campus, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, delivered

in the Divine Presence on 12th March 2006, in Sai Kulwant Hall.

 

My hearfelt Pranams at the Lotus Feet of the Great One… the Perfect One…

the Loving One…the all-endearing Bhagawan Baba.

 

It is for me to tell all those who gathered here at the Lotus Feet of

Bhagawan, young and old, fellow travellers to the haven of peace and

love – that He is the crest jewel of the Ratnakaram family. Not that God

needs any introduction through any family or through any people, but He

Willed…and His Will definitely will be translated into action which

brings about tremendous messages to the whole of humanity. I have been

blessed to know dear Baba’s grandfather, the doyen of the Ratnakaram

family. Puttaparthi, then, was a small hamlet and that it has grown to

such proportions with people teeming around the canteen, which caters to

everyone throughout the day and night, a super speciality hospital, the

kind of which you will not find anywhere and all the three educational

institutions, two for the boys and one so lovingly constructed for the

girls because we also, the women community need His Love and Blessings.

One would never understand were I to say, were I to describe, how

Puttaparthi was. But there is one thing which I can never forget, the

wonderful sanctity, serenity, the simplicity of Puttaparthi which was

then in the middle 40’s or late 40’s.

 

Many a time the great doyen, the grandfather of Bhagawan Baba would come

to see his Divine grandson. What a sight for the Gods to see! Blessed I

am indeed, that I have seen it! He was a perfect village chieftain –

tall, gaunt, upright, dignified; definitely befitting to be the

grandfather of Divinity…and he knew his grandson was God Himself. I have

seen the interaction between the grandfather and the little grandson.

Those early years, Swami used to be beautiful; not that He is not

beautiful now…but as so young in his early 20’s, Baba was so very

beautiful. He would walk about so sprightly, so vivaciously, at the same

time, one could never take advantage of Him. He was God; we have to have

our own limits. He would teach us and train us how to behave, both in

the secular way and in the religious way, because we have not given up

our homes and gone to the forest…we are still in the world…and we have

to behave properly even in the world. Baba teaches us even that. So the

great grandfather, he would come, he would not take any support. He

would just have a stick in his hand, straight, upright. When I saw him

he was about 110 years old. And, as soon as he came people around there

would put a chair for him. Those who had seen the Old Mandir then, it

had an enclosed veranda in the front from where we enter and from there

we go into the little sanctum. A chair would be brought and put for him

and word would go for his little Divine grandson. But, of course, Swami

knew that he had come. Swami would come so lovingly as if He was waiting

for His grandfather. Remember, detachment, at the same time loving. That

is the lesson all of us have to learn, imbibe and practise. But, at all

times, how can we combine detachment with love. Here is the supreme

example, our beloved Bhagawan would come to the grandfather as if it

mattered so much to Him. I have seen the interaction between the

grandfather and the grandson. He would be so endearing to his little

grandson, talk to Him. Baba would sit beside him drawing a chair. And we

would just watch what brightness would be on the grandfather’s face. He

was all happiness, all bliss. Baba would be very, very endearing to him.

After some time, he would get up without support. He had the sparks of

Divinity in him because Bhagawan had Willed it that to him should be

born the grandson, who is going to be The Teacher, The Great Teacher,

The Divine Teacher, The Loving Teacher, The Profound Teacher of the

whole world. He knew his grandson was that. That is why his heart flowed

out to him, but at the same time as we would watch he would never take

advantage of Bhagawan. And the interaction is still, as if I have seen

it yesterday. I always tell myself how blessed…how blessed I am! Indeed

so blessed am I that I have seen the great doyen of the Ratnakaram

family. Then he would go back straight, very confident, with the feeling

that I have met my Divine grandson, the great satisfaction would be

there upon his face.

 

In these modern days of civilisation, of sophistication, of going to the

United States to learn much more…to learn about what?...do we learn

about Divinity? Do we learn how we should conduct ourselves so that we

live in peace in the world? Are we taught there that to touch the dust

of Divinity’s feet is heaven itself? We go searching into a blind alley.

There is absolutely nothing beyond it and we come back frustrated. Then

we begin to think when it is too late. It is only when you start at a

young age, that by the time you come to my age you would have reached

the absolute proximity of the Divine Lotus Feet. May you be blessed by

Bhagawan with His wonderful experience because I am relating it all of

the great family, the befitting family, it was all Willed by Him that He

should be born in this great family.

 

I have seen the benevolent father, Venkama Raju Garu. What a wonderful

person! The father was also tall and thin, he was also a prominent

person in the village. How simple! how genuine! how loving! not a bit of

ostentation in any of them, and yet, Venkama Raju Garu was the father of

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. It was a very small hamlet as I said and

in those days there were no shops to cater to the devotees who would

come and they had to cook their own food. Now it is a miracle to see the

canteens, it is growing day by day. Venkama Raju Garu was so kind to the

devotees, he knew the difficulties. So, he would get a large quantity of

provisions from Bukkapatnam. He had a small little stall nearby. Let us

learn from him. Any devotee who comes to him, he would lovingly ask,

“Eem Kavali Meeku” (What do you want)? He would speak with such

gentleness and respect. Even to me he would say, “Ammaya, Eem

Kavalamma?” (Mother, what do you want?) Who was I? I was nobody. He was

the father of Divinity, but so simple. We would touch his feet. My

father was very fond of him. It was mutual. We were amazed at his

simplicity. We from the town with all sophistication just cannot fathom.

It comes right from the heart. It does not come from the mind at all.

 

One day my father asked him, Venkama Raju Garu,“Me Koduke Devudu

Aaypoyadu Kada, Mari Meeku Elaganipisthundi” (Your son has become God,

is it not? How do you feel about it?). The same serene face, this was

his answer, “Vitthal Rao Garu, Vadu Devudu Aayipoyadandi, Nake Kadu

Andariki Devudu” (Yes, He has become God. He is God not only for me, but

for everyone). What a beautiful answer! How he had reconciled to the

situation that his beloved son was not only for him, but He was for the

whole world and for the whole humanity. It could break any father’s

heart to think that the son is receding from him and going out to the

whole of humanity. The great Venkama Raju Garu had understood the value

of his Son, had understood the secret of the Divinity of his Son.

 

Now Prasanthi Nilayam has grown to such proportion. This could be a very

small replica of heaven. Once again, let me reiterate the simplicity of

Venkama Raju Garu, the dignity, I have not seen in any modern

individual. I speak the truth. I knew the Divine Mother Easwaramma so

well. It was mutual love between us. I loved her because, on her face

there was such brilliance that you could not find anywhere in the whole

world, on any sophisticated face. Whatever one would put on the face, it

could not match the glow on her face. I have seen it myself. She was as

simple as a child. In the row of houses of East Prasanthi, my father has

got a little house. Can you think of her simplicity! Divinity was her

son. How simple she was! She came to our house and of course, all of us

would touch her feet. I am so glad that I had that opportunity. She came

to my father and said, “Vitthal Rao, Swami, “Pedda Pedda Bhashanalu

Istharu Kada. Vadu Chaduvukoledu Kada. Sarigane Cheputada?” (Swami gives

many discourses, does He speak properly? I am asking because He has not

studied books). What would we say to that innocent mother! She was so

concerned about her son. She knew He was Divine, but such concern! Of

course, we hardly could understand and fathom the meaning of the

wonderful things that Swami used to tell us even in those days.

 

One incident comes to my mind. Way back in 1951; till then Baba had not

given discourses in public. That day He called the men devotees and

said, “Put a table for Me; I am going to speak”. We were all enthralled.

When He had told us, time and again, wearing His self out. I don’t want

to be sentimental over it. But it breaks my heart. We have seen Baba

walking so fast, all over. Now He is suffering for the sake of humanity.

What can we do? We cannot do anything. Just lay our tarnished hearts at

the Lotus Feet and pray, “Swami, don’t suffer for our sakes. We are not

worth it.” That is what I feel all the time. That day Swami asked the

table to be brought. The microphone was put on the table. Baba was young

then. Let us remember what He said, at that young age. The wisdom and

the love that overflowed, they were joined together. Baba has nothing

but love and love and love within Him. I can assert and if it has to be

announced on the house tops, I am prepared to do it. Or, if I have to

take a megaphone and asked to go to all the countries and tell that

there is a wonderful little God with us…Our great God, who is the very

incarnation… Oh come, come, come and see Him and experience Him, I can

definitely do it because I have the conviction. I have known Him as a

young girl. Baba is a wonderful mixture of grace and stability. He is

both feminine and masculine. These are the attributes of God.

 

He came down; of course, none of us had the doubt that Baba could not

speak well. We were all waiting anxiously, breathlessly. All fellow

devotees, youngsters and elders, if I tell you what He said that day; it

will make your hair stand on end. He just thumped at the table hard and

then said: “Remember, I am God.” Take it in. So many of us cannot take

it in because we do not know God, we do not love God and if God were to

come and tell “I am God”, we would be blind to the reality. That was the

first announcement (declaration). The second announcement, He thumped,

“I am the Upanishads”; the third announcement, “I am the Vedas”; the

fourth announcement, “I am the scriptures”. “I have come down for the

sake of humanity.” And then He says, “Remember, why are you vacillating?

I have nothing that is personal in what I tell. It is for your benefit.

Cast off all your doubts, all your vacillations. Come here and try to

take in arms full. The wonderful teachings, the wonderful things that

you see is not just confined to only as we may think to religious

rituals, but a combination of what humanity in toto is – the heart, the

head, the intellect, everything.”

 

He said, “Let us remember this, it is the same people who come to Me,

adoring Me and offering Me gifts; the very same people after some time

malign Me. It does not affect Me. Whether you give anything to Me or you

do not offer anything to Me; it makes no difference”. Beautiful things…

He told us that day, young Baba. Even today, I remember the Mandir of

1951. Some of the things are etched in our memory that it makes an

indelible impression. These are the scriptures that we should treasure,

Sai’s scriptures.

 

There was another incident involving an old Brahmin lady. That was again

here in 1951. She was very insistent that wherever she was, she should

follow the brahminical rituals. It was ekadasi and she would fast the

whole day. She would not take even a drop of water. She used to stay in

the makeshift bamboo houses behind the Mandir. She was so very insistent

and somebody called her rigid. Her husband was a great scientist and if

she had a bath and wore what we call the madi Sari, she would not even

serve her husband. She would throw it on his plate. People used to laugh

at her. When Baba used to be that side of the Mandir in those days, with

lot of love she would prepare something and she would like to offer it

to Swami. She would put it there and not even touch Baba’s Feet because,

she was in madi. So, people thought, what a strange creature she is!

But, I tell you, Baba does not see the exterior, dear youngsters and

elders, Baba sees the interior, what we are.

 

One day, it was ekadasi, and as usual we would have Bhajans for a long

time. The strict discipline was followed; ladies on the one side and

gents on the other. Baba came and sat on His throne and asked: “Where is

Janakamma?” She was sitting away from the crowd because it was ekadasi.

She was in the madi clothes, nobody should touch her. Baba with such

compassion asked us to move and make place for her. We did, and He asked

her to come and sit near His throne. She did so. What love! What love!

It is something that one has to experience.

 

He asked her, “Today is ekadasi, isn’t it.”

She said: “Yes, Swami.”

“You haven’t eaten anything?”

“No, Swami.”

Then He said, “In the evening on an ekadasi, what would you do?”

She said, “Swami, I would go to the temple where some knowledgeable

people or the priest would tell about the puranas and great stories of

God. I would go there and listen to it.”

Swami said, “Is that so? Sit down, I will tell you the story of God.”

How beautiful it was! ... when people laughed at her, saying she was

mad, she was rigid. The Gita tells us that anything that you do, do it

sincerely, that is enough. No need to ask for any approbation from

others. The heart must be pure and the love for God must be absolutely

transparent and sincere. This is what Bhagawan Baba gave us, so many

opportunities to learn that He was the one behind all these things. No

religion mattered to Swami; it is only the religion of Love. Every

religion tells the same thing. Treat everyone as your brother, the whole

humanity is your kin at every stage, at every step. He taught us these

things by His own example. Bhagawan sets an example. He is not angry

with any of us. An ordinary preacher feels so self important, and if we

do not listen to him, his ego is hurt. But, Bhagawan has no ego. He has

come to love and serve humanity, to teach us what love is. Love, which

is unsullied and pure.

 

There is one instance which Bhagawan told us. In an interview, there was

an individual. Constantly he was putting snuff into his nose. Naturally,

people who use snuff should have a big handkerchief. He would blow his

nose into the handkerchief which would be all soiled. Baba looked at him

and said, “See, this doesn’t look good. You are blowing your nose and

making the handkerchief dirty. No, no, no. Give it up, give it up. It

isn’t good for a person of your stature, your age”. So, he conceded. Oh!

it is beautiful! Then Baba used to eat betel leaves those days and He

used to wipe His mouth with the white handkerchief. There were slight

red marks in the white handkerchief. It was not even an afterthought.

Instantaneously, then and there, Divinity resolved that He would never

eat betel leaves again. That He has to do, what He asks us to do…that we

should learn. It is not that on a New Year day or a holy day, we should

remember these wonderful things, these examples that Baba has given us.

 

We talk of asceticism; we talk of giving up this, giving up that. It is

the purity of the heart, the intensity of love, thinking of God all the

time and His beauty. That is the only road to God. No need of wearing

rags. No need of saying, I have given up this, I have given up that. It

is not giving up the worldly things that matters, but it is giving up

bad thoughts, the negative thoughts within us. Everything is God. Why do

we see the difference because, we have it in our mind. We have to go

beyond, as Bhagawan says, beyond these dualities and understand that He

says, “Everything is God.” Baba said, the whole world is God. That is

what Prahlada told his father, Hiranyakasipu. …And when Hiranyakasipu

asked, “Is He there in this pillar?” “Yes father.” So Hiranyakasipu

broke the pillar and there came Narasimha Swami. He was in such a

dreadful shape that Hiranyakasipu could not withstand it. But, Prahlada

saw. He was God Himself. He went and embraced that fearful form. I am

not able to see God except in His physical form here because my eyes

have the cataract. If I could remove that cataract all that blinds my

vision, I could see the whole universe as Bhagawan Baba. I pray, let us

go to those heights of meditation, prayer and love, that everywhere we

can see Him. That is the only heaven; that is the only bliss; that is

the only thing we must work for and live for. All of you know it; I do

not need to say. There is nothing in earning more and more money; there

is nothing in craving for greater and greater status; there is nothing

in feeling that I must be a great intellectual and achieve this and

that; nothing in telling ourselves that I must be a great religious

teacher. …Of what avail? All that matters is I am the child of God; I am

the servant of God… Suffice it. That He loves me and I love Him. That is

paradise enough. All these material things just do not matter. You might

say, “I have reached this age and I have come to this conclusion.” No. I

have been at the Lotus Feet at a young age. I have understood what the

great One is trying to impart to us. He wants each one of us to be happy.

 

One very casual incident when He came to our hostel... We were all there

in the staff room. Baba would come to us very often, very casually and

as Mira sang in her Bhajan “Andanalum Vandidado Brindavanatil, Kannan

Valarthan” (Would those days come again when Kannan (child Krishna) grew

up in Brindavan.) Those days, when He would come to Anantapur, so

casually without previous announcement, sit with us in the staff room,

talk to us; not as one of great Divinity, but on equal terms. I was

wondering, Baba has placed me here; how much can I fulfil His trust in

me. Some children can be very naughty. Sometimes they do not know, not

that they do it purposefully. I know it now. They all have innocent

hearts. Sometimes they are unmanageable. So, when Baba was sitting

there, He asked me, “Jayamma, Andaru Bagane Unnara Pillalu?Bagane Anni

Chesukuntunura? (Are all the children alright? Are they doing well?) And

ignorant as I was, I said, “Swami, Andaru Bagane Unnaru, Kani Kondaru

Koncham Vinatamledu (everyone is alright, but some are not listening to

me). Immediate answer, Evaru Cheddavaru Undaru, Mana Drishti, Andaru

Manchivalu (nobody is bad, good and bad lie in our vision. Everyone is

good). That is a message for all of us. Be good, do good, see good. That

is Bhagawan’s message. All the Vedanta, all the scriptures, all that the

Bible has to say or the Quran or the Zoroastra religion comes to this

essence, “Be good, do good, see good”. Understand that this alone will

take us to the haven of the Lotus Feet of our most Beloved Loving Bhagawan.

 

Volumes have been written about the great Avatars, Rama and Krishna and

what they did when they set their Divine Feet upon the earth - to redeem

and to love mankind. As I said, it was Willed by Bhagawan that I come to

Him at a young age. Blessed, blessed, tremendously blessed I call

myself. I do not deem anything more.

 

In those days, Old Mandir was a very small building. We have all seen

it. Now, of course, it is much changed. Can we ever conceive it? Thrones

bedecked with special gems, people sitting at their feet and fanning the

king and those around singing songs of His glory. But the great God

lived in that little Mandir. It was a rough construction of stone and

the front was a veranda, now where the weddings take place. Just a few

steps from there is the sanctum, wherein it was installed with all

religious rituals, sanctimoniously Baba’s image and Shirdi Baba’s image.

That is where some of us, ladies would sleep and men would sleep in the

outside veranda. Mira sang, “Would those days of Brindavan ever come

again?” Well, I also feel the same. He would take all of us, men, women,

young and old to the sands of Chitravathi. It was almost an everyday

affair. How can I describe how Puttaparthi was? There was no obstruction

of all these buildings. It was just greenery all around, tall trees,

which had grown from the silt of the sacred Chitravathi; so green, so

cool, so beautiful, so comforting to the eye. We would go; we were not

so many. Baba would walk ahead and we of course ladies would keep to one

side and men to the other side. It used to be a wonderful experience

where Baba would take us right to the banks of Chitravathi. Eventide is

very beautiful time and myriad shades of the sun through the trees were

enchanting. They would fall upon Baba’s lovely Feet as He walked the

sands of Chitravathi. There He would sit, He would select a place, all

of us would sit and again according to the discipline.

 

There is so much to be told, but Bhagawan asked me to tell just one or

two incidents. We read about the ten Avatars. We have seen them in

pictures drawn by very good artists. When we see them, it makes an

impression on us. And we wonder why God had taken all these forms? You

and I cannot fathom it. He is trying to tell us that He is in every

creation and He has bestowed on man the greatest gift of intelligence

and discernment. It was one such day, when it was evening, almost dusk

coming in, it was getting a little dark. We were all there, and suddenly

Baba disappeared. Where is Swami? Where is Swami? Because in those days

those hills were thickly forested, and we were told there would be

cheetahs and tigers around. Baba was small and delicate. Where is Swami?

Where is Swami? We could not find Him. But we heard His voice right on

that hill. It is there even now. “Look here”, He said, a stentorian

voice, the voice of Divinity which can reach out to the periphery of

eternity itself. And dumbfounded, aghast, we were just tantalised. We

were just looking upon the hill, a brilliant dazzling light. The

panorama of all the ten Avatars one by one went across, as if, I would

say it was the silver screen. Each one of them perfect, we were just

standing there aghast, not petrified, but looking at the whole thing

with such wonder. Ultimately, it was Bhagawan’s image in a bright halo

of light. Oh! Then we knew the director behind all this. We knew that it

was His Will. Oh ye devotees! Oh ye human beings! Remember, I am the

Creator, I am The One who has presented before you all the various

aspects of My creation.

 

Then hardly had we got out of this wonderful experience, we were almost

glued to the spot, Baba was amidst us. How could He come from that hill?

…as if like lightening, He was amidst us! And He spoke to us almost

casually as if He was not the One who did all these things. He was just

the little Sai Baba of the Old Mandir. That is our Swami. No

ostentation. No self glorification. The tremendous power lies in the

unostentatious nature of Divinity. And at other times, He had shown us

so many other things, which if were to relate to you, would become a

great scripture in itself.

 

This is absolute truth, take it from me. I have known Bhagawan, I have

kissed the dust of His Feet for 57 years. …and so how could I speak

something which is not truth? I have collected the sands on which He had

walked. They are still with me. There was a lady who had collected the

sands of Chitravathi on which Swami had walked. I did not know her

personally, but after some time, when we had gone to Bombay (Mumbai)

with Swami, I met that lady and she said, “Do you know, I collected the

dust under His Feet from the Chitravathi sand and this is what it has

been transformed into”. They have all become precious gems. I have seen

it with my own eyes. These are the wonderful things I have seen.

Therefore, I feel that the only place for all of us is the Lotus Feet of

Bhagawan Baba, to be in the close vicinity of this loving Divinity, to

bask in the sunshine of His loving grace, to get redeemed. When I say

redeemed, I don’t mean a static phase. But, whenever God wants to come

to the world, as Kanakadasa says, “Everybody be a witness, let me come

with You again and again”. I don’t want to stay in heaven for ever. I

want to come to the world whenever Baba comes to the world, so that I

can see the leelas, so that I can drink deep, the glory, the Divinity,

the love. And all that He is offering us every moment.

 

Another incident shall I say what He taught me. This is for all of us. I

know all of us are feeling bad that Baba, who was so agile, so graceful,

He would sometimes be ethereal when He walks. When we see Him walk, we

know, not that physically He is not undergoing pain. We know what it is,

even a small stone when it hits us, how we feel the pain. But, He just

overlooks it, does not mind it.

 

Dear Devotees!

Why have we to travel overseas, searching for a model so that we get

eminence and fame? Sit at the Feet of Divinity and learn these precious

lessons. In Kodaikanal, I got the opportunity, I mustered courage…looked

at Him and said. He had just got up from the chair. He was so concerned

whether everything was ready for the dinner for all of us. He hardly

eats anything, I know it. As He was coming, I said, “Swami, it is not

difficult for Swami to cure Himself; Swami just do this, everything will

be alright”. And you know the answer, fellow devotees. It went like a

shaft into my heart. I could write it in golden letters and stand on top

of Mount Everest itself and proclaim, “In the whole world, God is

perfection. I will tell in Telugu, it will be more sweet. Nenu Mee

Andariki Mee Jabbalu Nayam Chesthana? Mari Nenu Naku Endaku

Chesukuntanu? (Do I cure the diseases of everybody? So why should I cure

Myself?) What an ideal! When He saw the man with that snuff

handkerchief, Baba gave up eating betel leaves. The feeling that He is

not curing, we have our Prarabdha (results of past lives). We cannot ask

God to cure our diseases which we have brought with us from life to

life. He will mitigate it. But the answer He gave was, “When I am not

curing your diseases, how can I cure Myself?” This is perfection!

Enough…we sit at the Lotus Feet and redeem ourselves and fill ourselves

with love and intensity of devotion to Bhagawan Baba, the sweet Lord,

the loving God. God with a heart that is so expansive which is even

beyond the creation. He feels for everyone. When He feels somebody is so

sick and they are in a condition where perhaps they cannot do anything

with themselves, He goes to them personally. But let us remember, we

have also to eke out our Prarabdha. …And with His grace, chanting

Bhagawan Baba’s Name, miracles will become common when Divinity inherits

the earth.

 

 

Sai Ram