My introduction to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was through my co-brother in the year 1966. I was working as the Accounts Officer in the Accountant General’s Office at Gwalior in the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. He was the first to tell me about Swami, about His astounding miracles, His care for the sick and suffering and the divine love He showered on everyone.  My curiosity was piqued and I started reading about Swami and also started attending Seva activities of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation. The more I read and the more I participated in the Seva activities the more strongly my faith in Swami became. I yearned to have His Darshan. But for some reason or the other, I could not visit Puttaparthi or have His Darshan. In my moments of reflection, I would always wonder when the time would come, when I would have Swami’s Darshan.

The opportunity finally arrived in 1975 on the occasion of the Sri Sathya Sai Second World Conference. I attended the conference as a delegate and it was the first time that I had the Darshan and Padanamaskaram of Swami. It was a thrilling experience. I felt as if a thirst of a lifetime had been quenched. Those days, for the employees of the Central government, we had scheme whereby an allowance was given to us for travelling to our hometown once in 2 years. Also, allowance was given to us to visit any part of India once in 4 years. We put our native place as Puttaparthi and at every opportunity visit would Puttaparthi only.

After the conference when I went back, I was made the convenor of the Sai Samiti and later the District President and Joint State Sevadal Coordinator.  

In the year 1981, I came to know about the inauguration of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning at Prasanthi Nilayam.

I happened to visit Puttaparthi in 1983 and met the then Registrar Sri Chakravarthy Garu and the then Vice Chancellor Sri V K Gokak Garu and expressed my desire to join the college in any capacity they would deem fit and that I would not require a salary.  I wished to take Voluntary Retirement from my job in the Accountant General’s office.  Swami approved my appointment and I joined I joined the SSSIHL as an Administrative Officer.  I believe that it was the best day of my life. The day I joined I was taken to be introduced to Swami formally. This was my first interview with Swami.

It has been almost four decades, but I remember the day as clearly as it was yesterday. After the formal introduction Swami looked at me and said, “The salaries have to be paid to everybody on the 1st of every month, without fail and second point He mentioned that all the taxes to the Govt. should be paid promptly. There should be no delay in these aspects.”

I wondered, on one hand Swami is the Lord of the Creation, on the other hand He is a strict superior. Everything what had to be done had to be done perfectly. There was no room for any slack. I was told by my superiors that Swami was extremely strict with accounts. All accounts had to be flawless.

As the time passed, I was given the additional responsibility of being the Deputy Warden and to take care of the sick students in the Senior Boys’ Hostel.

An interesting incident occurred during those days. I wanted my sacred thread to be blessed by Swami. Along with me were two more colleagues. During Darshan Swami looked at the sacred threads of my colleagues asked them, “What are these threads for?  My colleagues did not know what to say, so they kept quiet. Then Swami came to me and blessing my sacred thread asked. “What is this for?” I mustered some courage and replied, “Swami, I do Gayatri everyday Swami”.

“Hmm…how many times should you do Gayatri? Swami asked and then He Himself answered. “On week days do it 12 times, and on Sundays do it 108 times.”

I have been following Swami’s orders ever since.  

As we have heard many times, if we perform Seva given by Swami sincerely, then Swami takes care of all our needs.

The incident I wish to narrate next is regarding the marriage of my son. We had fixed a match for him and when we went to give the marriage invitation to Swami, He asked, “Is the match done?”

“Yes Swami, I replied.”

“I will tell,” Swami said and went away.

I did not understand what Swami meant by that. Did He approve of the match or not, or did He mean something else?!

I waited every day during Darshan to get a word from Swami about the match. After a few days, Swami finally said, “Get them on Thursday.” I felt relieved. So on the following Thursday, the bride’s family and our family came and Swami called all of us into the interview room. There were around 20 of us in the room.

Swami called the bride and groom to sit in front of Him. I was sitting right next to Swami. With a wave of His hand Swami created a Mangalasutra and told my son to tie it around the neck of the bride. Also instructed my son, “You need to put three knots. After my son tied the three knots, with a wave of His hand Swami created akshatas and showered them on the newly married couple. In a trice the marriage was performed by none other than God Himself!

Swami then told all of us that we should have lunch in the South Indian canteen. He also instructed Sri Charanjeevi Rao Garu, who was then the canteen in-charge to make the required arrangements. Swami was like the elder of our family, who took complete care of the whole wedding. This was something beyond our wildest imagination. Much later when a baby boy was born to my son and daughter-in-law, in Puttaparti, Swami Himself named him Vijay Sai.

One incident  I wish to narrate here regarding Vijay Sai. He was studying in Brindavan campus of SSSIHL. One day while playing cricket the leather ball hit his right knee. His knee was injured badly. He was rushed to the SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram. Dr. Varadachari, Chairman of the orthopadics department checked the knee and told that an immediate surgery had to be performed. But I wished to have Swami's opinion before the surgery. During Darshan I asked Swami. Swami said tersly, "No surgery necessary". We came back and told the same to Dr. Varadachari. He replied, " When the universal surgeon says surgery is not required, then it is not required." By applying Vibhuti on the knee, my grandson recovered completely in a few weeks and rejoined college. 

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram was inaugurated in November 1991. And in 1993 I was transferred to the hospital to take care of the new canteen, which had been established and also to look after accommodation for the Hospital staff in the campus. Few days after I joined the hospital, Swami came to me during Darshan and asked me:

“How is the canteen running?”

“With your Grace Swami it is going on well.”

“That is good. Make sure that the resources are utilized to the optimal. There should be no wastage and no losses.” Swami said

“Yes Swami,” I replied. This incident I narrate to again drive home the point that Swami was very strict with discipline. Be it physical, mental, moral, societal or monetary.

As time passed, I was given the responsibility of managing the accommodation of the staff members of the hospital. And I am continuing to perform that duty till now.

I have spent almost 40 years in Swami’s seva in Puttaparthi. I do not have words to express my gratitude for the opportunity Swami has given me. Before coming to Swami I would always yearn for an opportunity to just visit Puttaparthi. That little desire Swami converted into a 4-decade long life spent at His feet. With whatever little of Swami I have understood in my time spent in Puttaparthi, I can say one thing. If one has a sincere good desire, Swami will fulfill it. In fact, He would give much much more than what one had asked for. That is Swami and that is His love of a thousand mothers towards His devotees. 

JAI SAI RAM