Experience of Divinity of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba by Mrs. Subbalakshmi

[Guest guest]

Mrs. Subbalakshmi,

2-340, Satya Deepa,

3rd Road, 5th Cross,

Anantapur - 515004.

 

Tel: 08554-226327

 

 

Mrs. Subbalakshmi (74), a housewife, relates a few of her

experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in her own words.

 

'When my father, Anjaneyulu was working at Uravakonda, Bhagavan Sri

Sathya Sai Baba (then called Sathyanarayana Raju) came to study

there staying with his brother Sri Seshamaraju.

 

Swami used to come to our house frequently as our house was very

near to the school. He used to call my father 'Ayyagaru', and my

mother 'Ammagaru'. He used to wear a half sleeved shirt and

knickers.

 

'Today we will have bhajan in your house, Sir' He used to tell my

father now and then.

 

'By all means, have it' my father used to say.

 

Once we played a drama, Parijaataapaharanam. My father procured all

material required for staging the play from a dealer using his good

offices. Swami played the role of Satyabhama while my elder brother

Narasimha played Krishna. I was Rukmini. My mother made Swami wear

her silk sari. He looked like a lady to the surprise of many.

 

On the day of the drama, Swami came to my brother.

 

'Narasimha garu' He said, 'you are playing Krishna and I

Satyabhama'.

 

'What of it?'

 

'Satyabhama has to kick Krishna in the play. How can I do so to

you?'

 

'Never mind' my brother replied, 'after all you are only acting'.

 

The play went off excellently well.

 

Once we all went to Hampi and from there to Hospet. Swami was seen

then by His brother and others both in the temple and outside at the

same time. It was in that trip that Swami was given a collar-pin as

a present. The trip went on well.

 

By the time of return of Swami and party to Uravakonda from Hospet,

my mother had already delivered a daughter. She had taken her bath

of purification at the end of the period of ten days. Swami

hurriedly came to our house. The child was on the cot. He came and

lifted her only on His right hand and said 'you have come! You, too,

have come into this illusion!' We could not understand what He was

driving at.

 

Later, we all started to go to the school. We used to enter through

a gap in the fence and walk to the class rooms. There was a patch of

green grass across after the fence. Swami was searching for

something.

 

'What is it you are searching?' we asked.

 

'Collar-pin' He replied, 'I lost it here'. It was not found. We went

to attend the prayer. Someone went to Seshamaraju, the brother of

Swami and conveyed the news of the loss of the collar-pin.

 

'I don't know' he remarked, 'let him go to his sister-in-law and

report.'

 

Swami left the school and went to His house. He threw the bag of

books on entering the main door. His sister-in-law came out of the

kitchen to see what was going on. She saw a bright hallow around

Swami's face.

 

'Who are you?' she was reported to have cried, 'you are not our

Sathyam.'

 

'I am leaving' Swami was reported to have remarked, 'I am not your

Sathyam. My devotees are calling me. I have work'.

 

He left the house. Just at that time, my father returned from camp.

He saw Swami coming out. He put his hand on Swami's shoulder and

asked 'why are you going to our house now?'

 

'All this is illusion' Swami said and walked into our yard. My

father saw hallow around the head of Swami. 'You are not our

Sathyam' my father said. He prostrated before the boy.

 

'Get the tiger skin' my father cried, 'spread it on the rock.'

 

There was a rock in the garden of our house on which Swami (Sathyam)

used to sit earlier. The tiger skin was spread on it. My mother

brought some food; 'mix all' Swami said. So my mother mixed curry,

chutney, rice and curd into one. She put a morsel in His hand. He

ate it and washed His hand saying 'enough!' He reclined on the tiger

skin on the rock. A sizable crowd gathered around. They started to

do bhajans. Three days passed. His parents came. He agreed to go to

Puttaparthi with them. On the day of departure, we hosted lunch for

the entire family. My father brought new clothes to Swami. Swami

wore the half sleeved shirt and dhoti for the first time in our

house.

 

My father called the photographer Mr. Sreeramulu to take a

photograph of Swami. My mother brought the idol of Shirdi Sai which

was there in our house, and placed it on the rock before Swami. The

photographer objected.

 

'No use!' he said, 'it will appear like a stone and not as an idol.'

 

Swami overruled him. So my mother placed the idol before Swami. This

idol is with my younger brother even now. It is not correct to say

that there was a stone before Swami which appeared like Shirdi Sai

idol in the photograph. This is the version given in many books. But

it was my mother who had actually brought the idol and put it there

before Swami for the photograph.

 

The song 'Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam!' was one of the songs sung

by Swami in our house during bhajans. He used to sing another song

which was written by Him only. That is, 'Baba Ra Ra, Sai Baba Ra

Ra'. Soon after He sang it, Shirdi Sai Baba used to possess Him in

our house on Thursdays earlier.

 

Swami was given a warm send off with band and music. He was taken in

procession. 'Sri Sathya Sai Baba!' my father told Him while taking

leave of Him, 'You bless us all.'

 

That is the first time Swami was called thus. My father was the

person who christened Him thus. Swami invited my parents to

Prasanthi Nilayam many times after He became famous. But somehow my

father could not go. After his retirement, he went to Prasanthi

Nilayam once. Swami came to him and placed His hand on the head of

my father and rubbed. There was heaps of vibhuti on my father's

head. After that my father was in a blissful state for several

days.'

 

-- Mrs. Subbalakshmi

 

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Anantapur on

28.04.2006)