Across the gateway of my heart I wrote “No Entry”

But, Love came and said “I entered everywhere”

--From a European Folklore

 Divine love is all pervasive and all encompassing. We may deny it, but it is ever present in our lives. It knows no boundaries. It exists in abundance in many forms in our lives for our protection and uplift. The most recognisable form of Divine Love is Grace.

In my opinion, the grace of God is mostly earned by our meritorious Karmas, but strange are the ways of God. Sometimes His Grace knows no bounds. 

During Ramayana Jatayu and Tataki attained moksha. Jatayu sacrificed his life for the sake of protection of Mother Sita and attained mukti. But Tataki did no such meritorious act. Despite this Lord Rama granted her liberation out of compassion. “Deen Jaani Paramapad Deena”, says Ramacharita Manas describing the event. Which means that Lord Rama granted liberation to Tataki considering her to be in a pitiable state.

Suffice to say that compassionate Lord showers His Grace on everybody without any judgement. I consider myself as one such person who received His Grace out of His compassion. The Grace of Sai descended on me in July 2007.

But before writing about the incident of July 2007, I could like to briefly five an account of me and my family. I belong to a Fauji Sai family, meaning an Army family devoted to Swami.

My father served in the combat arm of the Indian Army who was most of the time busy in active operations. This made our life hard because of frequent shifting from one place to another and we also had to change our schools many times. My father was a not a devotee of Swami before marriage. My maternal grandfather was a devout Sai Devotee and continues to be one. It was during one of the interviews, that my grandfather got from Swami, Swami told him about the future marriage of his daughter with a boy, who eventually were to be my parents.

After marriage my father gradually came into Swami’s fold. Due to frequent movement from one area of the country to another, we could not attend the regular Sai activities like the Bhajans and Bal Vikas. My father was, therefore, concerned that we should get value based education. Many times he planned to get us children admitted in Swami’s school, but we did not have as keen an interest of studying in Swami’s education institutions as our father had.

By the time I as in my final year in the Medical School in Nagpur my sister had joined Swami’s college in Anantapur.

I passed MBBS exam with a fairly good ranking. In medical college I was a part of a group,   which was mainly composed of the cream of the batch.

Our students group started preparing for postgraduate entrance examinations. At the same time I stated to explore the possibility of joining postgraduate courses in various reputed medical institutions. All through my endeavours my father kept insisting upon me to join Swami institution for postgraduation, but I did not pay much heed to what he said.

It was May 2007, a month before Swami Grace came calling. Postgraduate exam results were declared and I got the shock of my life. I was way down in the merit list. It was something unimaginable to me, especially because I had written the exams well. Added to this was the fact that all my friends who had prepared for the exam with me and had written the exam as I did were way above me in the merit list. They got the specialty courses of their choice, while I was left totally flummoxed.

I was disheartened and I started questioning Swami as to how I could score less despite all my hard work. My father pacified me and took me to Swami’s shrine in our house. In our Swami’s shrine was a plastic bag, which contained various chits each with a statement from Swami. When in doubt one would pick a chit after chanting Swami’s name and the message on the picked up chit would be Swami’s message for you. This bag was brought to our home by my sister and it was a replica of the one they had in the Anantapur campus hostel.

  After a silent prayer, my father pulled a chit and the chit had the following message:

“I have some plans for you and that is all that you need to know.”

I could not understand the purport of the message on the chit. But my father was overjoyed. He said that the message was Swami’s Grace, which would surely guide me in the future. He persuaded me to join Swami’s institution for the postgraduate course.

Though not convinced, yet to respect his sentiments I applied for DNB (Diplomate of National  Board) entrance exam at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Sciences (SSSIHMS), in the ophthalmology specialty. However, I had also applied for DNB exam to one more reputed Eye hospital. 

Aside from the prodding of my father to join Swami’s hospital, I quietly preferred the other hospital. But to my dismay I came to know that the entrance exam of both were on consecutive days and with both institutions separated by a distance of more than 700 km, it was impossible to attend both. Not to displease my father I stayed back in Puttaparthi to take the exam.

When I entered the premises of SSSIHMS, something strange happened. It was like a change sweeping over me. All my earlier doubts about studying in Swami’s hospital melted away. I could not understand the reason why, first of all, I was not willing to study in Swami’s institution. Looking at the majestic beauty of the hospital and the enchanting ambiance I just fell in love with it. I wanted nothing else, but to study in Swami’s hospital. It was an epiphany. Nothing else mattered anymore.

Immediately I prayed for Swami’s forgiveness for all my doubts and also requested Him for an opportunity to do my postgraduation course at SSSIHMS. But my heart sank when I came to know that there were three candidates and one had to be eliminated.

I resumed my silent prayer to Swami to bless me with a seat in His hospital. I appeared for the exam and did my best and kept praying.

Later I came to know that the one candidate who was better qualified than me could not make it to the exams due to some circumstances. Hence the other two were selected. Though it seemed natural, but I knew that it was Swami who had it arranged that way.

By Bhagawan’s Grace I got admission in SSSIHMS for DNB degree in Ophthalmology in August 2007. It was a great  pleasure to have gone through the DNB course at SSSIHMS, Puttaparthi. With the training I received at Swami’s hospital, I was able to breeze through the final DNB exams both the theory and practicals. And after completing the course I joined as a Senior Resident in the department.

Later I joined a long term fellowship (super specialization) course in Madurai, in surgical retina. I completed two years of fellowship in surgical vitero Retina successfully by Swami’s Grace. Based on my performance I was offered a job in that hospital itself, but I politely yet firmly declined the offer because I could not imagine living a life away from Swami. I remembered then what Lord Rama had told Lakshmana at the end of the Ramayana war.

“Api Swarnamayi Lanka Na Me Lakshmana Rochate, Janani Janmabhoomischa Swargadapi Gariyasi”. Lord Rama had told Lakshmana, “ O dear Brother, This Lanka though made of Gold does not interest me, my Mother and Motherland are greater than even the heaven”.

Swami was my Mother and Puttaparthi was my Motherland and I had to return to it.

I rejoined duties at SSSIHMS in July 2013 and since then have been serving as a Retina Consultant in the Department of Ophthalmology. Our hospital is undoubtedly a Temple of Healing providing dedicated medical service to teeming millions mostly poor completely free of charge. 

We doctors of SSSIHMS derive great pleasure in serving the poor. The sense of gratitude to Swami, which radiates from patients’s face in most rewarding for all of us working at SSSIHMS. The hospital receives many letters of gratitude from patients and their relatives thanking us for treating and curing them. But little they know that we doctors can only treat, it is the Swami who heals.

Swami’s hidden hand helped me go through ups and downs in life and finally guided me to His Lotus feet. I always cherish the sweet memory of my father pulling out the chit with Swami’s message on it, which ultimately led me to Sai Seva at SSSIHMS. To me the said chit was “ A chit with Swami’s Grace.”

I conclude with offering my heartfelt prayer and Pranams at the Lotus Feet of our Beloved Bhagwan for blessing me with this opportunity to be a part of His Mission of Love All Serve All.

“Dhanya Bhag Seva Ka Avasar Paya”

(Grateful am I that I received this great opportunity of Seva)

JAI SAI RAM