Our family belonged to Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. We were a family of six. I had three elder sisters and we lived with our parents. We had lost our father at a young age and two of my elder sisters who had got married later did not have a happy married life. All this had made me detached from the worldly things and the society. We had been devotees of Swami from my young age and I felt that I would dedicate my entire life in Swami’s work.  Our first opportunity to visit Prasanthi Nilayam came in 1985. By then I had completed my 12 standard. I remember it was Swami’s 60th Birthday. Swami’s presence, the yearning of the sea of humanity to have a glimpse of Swami's Darshan, filled my heart with so much of bliss that my resolve to serve Swami became stronger.  

When I shared my heart’s desire with my sister, she said she too felt the same. When we confided our desire to my mother, with two unmarried daughters in the house, she was a bit apprehensive about the whole idea. But we prevailed upon her and convinced her that staying in the Ashram permanently was the best thing. We requested our mother to ask Swami and if He gave His consent then we would stay in Prasanthi Nilayam permanently and if not, we would go back. We were financially well placed and therefore could afford to stay back in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram. 

One day when mother went for Darshan, she got the first line. When Swami came close by, she told Swami about her daughters' proposal. Swami looked at her and gave her Abhaya while softly saying “Shanti, Shanti, Shanti”. It was as if Swami was telling her to relax. From that moment onwards she was confident that Swami would take care of us come what may. And all of us stayed back in the ashram permanently ever since.  

After our mother’s interaction with Swami, all three of us started performing seva in the South Indian canteen. 

Just a few days had passed since we started doing seva in the canteen that we received a word from Bhagawan. Swami gave us a permanent accommodation in one of the ladies dormitories of the Ashram. The Ashram officials were instructed to provide the whole family all three meals in a day free of cost. It was a boon from the Divine Mother.  

The officials who brought this pleasant information also told us that Swami had instructed them to take care of our family nicely as we were sincere workers. 

These words from Swami filled us with unspeakable joy. 

What more could we ask for? We started performing the seva with renewed vigour.    

From 1985 till the start of the Super Specialty hospital in 1991, I continued to work in the canteen. 

While working in the canteen, one day some doctors from Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital came and told me that Swami was starting a Super Specialty hospital and as I was educated, I should apply for the post of a nurse there. I told them I do not know anything about nursing.  “Swami is going to train the nurses in the nursing school and then only they would be given jobs in the hospital”, the doctors said. They also told me to be ready with two applications - one for submitting to the hospital and second to hand over to Swami directly. 

During Darshan next day, I got to sit in the first line and was holding the application in my hand. When Swami came close by, I got on to my knees and prayed to him, “Swami I want to work as a nurse in your hospital.” I thought Swami would take the form, but He blessed my form and assured me, “Isthanu” (I will give).  That was the first time Swami had ever spoken to me. 

A few days later Swami called around 30 women who had applied for the nurses’ training for an interview. 

That morning after the Bhajans, we all assembled in the Bhajan Hall. Swami came and sat on the foot stool in front of His chair and asked Dr. Safaya, the first Director of the SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, to address us, the nurse aspirants. While he was speaking to us about the duties and responsibilities of the job, all our eyes were glued to Swami. Noticing this, Swami would indicate with hand gestures that we should look at Dr. Safaya and not at Him.  Swami also spoke at the end of the session. Swami told us that a nurse is equal to a mother and that she should treat the patients like her own children. After His address, Swami gave all the candidates Padanamaskaram. Eventually, 20 out of the 30 candidates were selected by Swami for the nurses’ training. 

I never imagined that being a nurse involved so much of study and exams and that we had to be one our toes all the time. Those days, I was not at all fluent in English and was finding it difficult to cope with the course. One month after the course started, during a Darshan session, our in-charge, Ms. Parvati, requested Swami to grant an interview to all the trainee nurses. During the interview, like a mother, Swami asked all of us how the course was and whether we were having any problems. I could not control myself and cried in front of Swami. I blurted out everything in front of Swami. I told Him that I was not able to cope up with the course because of my lack of English knowledge. I told Him that I had difficulty in communicating with others also.   After pouring out all my agony to Swami, when I looked at Him, He was smiling. “Don’t bother about language problem; what I want is the language of the Heart, which you have in abundance.  And you have blessings of Mother Saraswati. I am here to take care,” Swami affirmed. 

Swami then created a ring with the Image of Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Learning) and told me wear it. It was a perfect fit. In just a matter of weeks all my fears, agony and problems evaporated. I started communicating easily in English, and the course became a ‘cake walk’ for me. 

After completing the training, I joined the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram. Initially I worked in the Urology ward, Urology ICU and the Cardiology ward. Whatever duty I would get, I would complete it while also chanting Swami’s name. 

During the initial days, I used to lose my patience with some of the patients when they would not follow the nurses’ instructions. Later I would feel sorry and tell myself that I should have been more patient with such people. I would pray to Swami to give me strength and patience. One day Swami came to the hospital and addressed all the staff members. In the middle of His discourse Swami mentioned that all the staff should be calm and composed while dealing with patients. That was exactly what I had been praying for. Suddenly some strange feeling of calm descended over my whole being. Strangely, from then on, I never lost my temper with any patient.  When I look back, I realize that it was Swami’s Grace descending on me which completely transformed me.  

One day, we finished duty and went to have Darshan. Swami those days would not generally come early, but that day He came very early for Darshan and started distributing His robes to the medical staff. I was surprised to see Swami walk right up to me with a smile and gracefully hand over a neatly folded robe to me. That robe has remained the most precious possession of my life.   

While working in the sample collection area, I was preparing to draw  blood of a lady patient when I realized that she was weeping. I stopped and asked her what the matter was. What she narrated then, still gives me goosebumps. She said, “Amma, wherever I had been before, all the hospitals treated me very shabbily because I had no money to pay them. They did not even look at me like a human being. But then I came to Swami’s hospital. Here I realized what God’s love is. Doctors and nurses took such a good care of me and not a paisa was charged for anything. Such love, I had never experienced in my whole life. Amma, these are tears of joy” she said. 

Similarly on another occasion, another patient told me that in every hospital he had visited, he only found that the focus was money and not the treatment of the patients. “Nobody is interested in speaking to a patient lovingly or to understand his problem and provide treatment. Swami’s hospital is the only place where I have seen people talking with love and compassion,” he said.   

When I look back at the years I have spent at Swami’s hospital, I feel that it was my greatest good fortune that I could be a part of Bhagawan’s mission. I only pray that I get this opportunity in every birth. 

Jai Sai Ram