Guru Poornima 2009 - Swami on His Three Jewels

[Guest guest]

Swami spoke wonderfully about Sarvasree A.V. Appa Rao, Financial Controller of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, A.V. Sathyanarayanamurthy, Senior Engineer in the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prof. Nanjundaiah, Controller of Examinations, Sri Sathya Sai University and Prof. A.V. Lakshminarasimham, Registrar, Sri Sathya Sai University

 

In the morning there was no time to talk about these people. Ever since our hospital started functioning, Appa Rao has been working there as an auditor. For fourteen years, he worked hard, day and night. I am pleased with his work. He came here with the sole intention of rendering selfless service, not with any other motive. Those were the initial stages of the Super Speciality Hospital, so there was plenty of work, day and night. He alone had to attend to everything … receiving parcels of medicines, checking them and noting them down. In spite of being a non medical person, he worked untiringly taking care of patients also. He is meticulous in checking all details. He has worked with full satisfaction. All these fourteen years, he never aspired for anything.

 

He did not accept even a naya paisa. Everybody in the hospital earns these days twenty to thirty thousand rupees. But he has not taken any money. He had to climb up and down the stairs many times everyday, while looking after the stores, patients, nurses and doctors as well. He looked after so many things, all alone. He never complained to Me also.

He has been adjusting himself. He has never been deficient in his work.. I Myself used to see him now and then to enquire about the work. We should express our gratitude to such a dedicated worker.

With much compassion towards him, I told him, “Appa Rao, Now the number of patients coming to our hospital has increased by thousands. Mentally, of course, you are quite alert, but physically you are weak. Therefore, take rest at home. You have come to serve Swami. There was no shortcoming whatsoever in your service.â€

His wife also supported him and has been taking good care of him at home, looking after his food and other needs meticulously. He has no habit of taking food outside. So, when necessary, she used to send his food to the hospital.

Appa Rao has also been taking care of poor people in many respects. He rendered help in many heart operations to the poor people. He used to send free medicines to the homes of those heart patients even after they were discharged. He worked very hard. My heart melted at his service. How can we leave such a person who worked so hard? Everybody, including students, sought his help. I tell our students often, “Help ever, Hurt never.â€

We do not take even a paisa from anyone for rendering medical services.. Our hospital always gives and never takes. He rendered seva (selfless service) with the feeling, “This is my hospital, my Swami’s hospital.†He considered the hospital as his own and served it selflessly. Even when I was away physically, I helped him in all that he did.

As this is our first Super Speciality Hospital, he had to work very hard for its development. Subsequently, another Super Speciality Hospital has been established in Bangalore. There is an Orthopaedic division also in our hospital here. Appa Rao has been looking after all this. I liked his work..

Before this, he worked for the government. There also, he rendered good service. As he utilised all his experience for the benefit of our hospital, today we have gathered here to honour him.

 

His younger brother Murthy is an electrical engineer. He is also working with us. Whenever there is any electrical problem he is called by telephone, and he attends to it immediately. Even at night, he is ever ready to do service.

The youngest brother Lakshminarasimham worked in our university as Registrar. He is also growing older, and needs a little rest. He has not married, so there is no bondage. He has been totally dedicated to our university.. He first joined in Seva Dal. He did Ph.D. with the intention of joining our college. These three brothers have been rendering good service. They have been very helpful to us, in spite of many troubles they had to face.

Nanjundaiah has been the controller of examinations. He has been very kind to all students. He has been working day and night in order to declare the results well in time. He never used to take rest even for a while. He would engage himself in correcting papers even while suffering from fever. Everybody was depending upon him. He had to take much trouble in sending results to Anantapur and Bangalore colleges. We were very much concerned at the troubles he had to face. His wife also has been taking good care of him at home, providing timely food and looking after other needs meticulously.

 

What Great words coming from our Divine Lord - Service is everything.

 

Om Sai Ram