Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group III | Mr. K.B. Sampath

Mr. K.B. Sampath
3, Lakshmi Avenue, Part III, M.G. Nagar –2
Urrappakkam – 603 202
Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu
Tel: 044-5516 2343

Mr. K.B. Sampath (61), who retired as a Senior Officer of Defence (Military Engineering) Service, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

‘One of our friends Mr. Sundaravadanam and his wife, Mrs. Andallamma went to Puttaparthi for Sivarathri in 1989. While returning, they brought a photograph of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and presented it to us. At that time, we were not devotees of Bhagavan. In fact, we did not know anything about Him. However, we hung the photograph in our house in a slant position with some space behind it.

We used to give harati in the morning and offer what we prepared for us, to Baba. On the Birthday of Bhagavan in 1989, that is, on November 23, vibhuti emanated from the photograph. We were amazed. My wife Mrs. Vijayalakshmi, my only son, Aravinda Maruti also witnessed the miracle. We spread one paper on the floor underneath to collect vibhuti and give it to those interested. As this emanation continued, we used to wash and clean the floor under the photograph daily in the morning.

We also noticed another miracle. We found a large size photograph of Bhagavan behind Swami’s photograph. Next day, vibhuti came as in the previous day and there was a photograph of Shirdi Baba behind Bhagavan’s photograph. Third day there was a photograph of Maha Vishnu.

My in-laws reside in Chengalpat – 45 km from our place. My wife wanted to take the photographs and vibhuti to show them to my in-laws.

‘If you take the photographs which Swami gave us’, my son remarked, ‘they will surely keep them for themselves’.

Next day, there was another set of photographs. It was written on the backside of the photographs: ‘To Mrs. Rangaswami Vedavati (my mother-in-law) and Mrs. Anuradha Ramanujan (my sister-in-law)’. We sent that set to them.

Swami gave us 32 photographs in all, including Lakshmi, Vishnu, Ranganatha, etc. He gave us not only photographs but also much more. We used to find sweets packets, camphor, cashew packets and what not, almost daily, behind Swami’s photograph after we gave harati in the morning.

One day my wife said, ‘my watch needs repairs, you don’t have time to get it repaired’. Next morning there was a brand new electronic ladies watch behind Swami’s photograph!

My son said to my wife, ‘you get your watch repaired. I will take this new one’. Both of them had heated discussion with claims and counter claims on that. Next morning there was another watch for my son. My son told me, ‘see dad! Swami gave mom and me each a watch. You did not get one’. Next morning there was one more for me, too!

At Chengalpat, there was discussion in my in-laws’ house. ‘Our family deity is Lord Narasimha’, remarked my brother-in-law, ‘Swami has not given the photograph of Narasimha yet’. Next day there was a photograph of Lord Narasimha. Under it was written ‘Yadagirigutta’. For Diwali, Swami gave my son a packet of crackers also.

I was married on May 27, 1977. I usually buy a silk sari for my wife on our marriage day. On one such occasion, I had to go to Pune. My wife taunted me, ‘this year you are going to Pune. You haven’t bought me a new sari also’. ‘We will see after my return’, I said and laughed it off.

When I came back from Pune, my wife showed me a new cosy timepiece meant to be kept on table or on the mantle piece. On the bottom of it were written the words – ‘Happy married life – Baba’.

Similarly, in January 1990 there was a card inside an envelope. On the card were words, ‘Pongal Greetings!’ There was no postal stamp or cancellation mark of the post office on the envelope. The script was made of letters cut from the The Hindu in English and a Tamil paper in Tamil and pasted on the card.

Every year, I wear a mala and go to Sabarimalai. I have been doing so for the last 23 years. At the end of 1989, I wore the mala. One day I went to Arkkonam to meet my guru-swami and discuss about our travel arrangements to Sabarimalai. Before starting to Arkkonam, I gave harati to Swami. There was a mala of beads made of Tulasi wood behind the photograph.

‘Here is a mala given by Swami’, my son said, ‘but there is no medallion in it.’ ‘It is given by Swami’, I said, ‘I will wear it whether there is a medallion or not’.

Next morning there was another mala – this time with a medallion in the middle. On one side of the medallion is Aum and on the reverse the picture of Ayyappa.

I wore it along with the mala placed by my guru-swami around my neck.

In April 1990, my mother Mrs. Rajamani Ammal came and stayed with us in our Defence Staff Quarters at Avadi where these miracles were occurring. One day, we found behind Swami’s photograph two empty cassettes. On the cassette case was the photograph of Hanuman.

On seeing the photograph of Hanuman, my mother said, ‘Sita, Rama and Lakshmana are seen when Hanuman tears His chest’.

Next morning there was that very same photograph of Anjaneya showing Sita, Rama and Lakshmana on his torn chest. It was framed, too.

One day my mother said to me, ‘you give coffee or tea to all guests. Why not give Rasna or something – a cool drink – as a change?’

‘We have to get Rasna’, I replied, ‘and also sugar. All expensive. Where to get all that?’

Next morning there was a packet of Rasna behind Swami’s photograph. ‘Who will give sugar now?’ I commented on seeing the Rasna packet.

My wife and I left for our work places in the morning. My mother and my son stayed in the house.

‘I hear some sound coming inside’, my mother who was writing Ramakoti told my son, ‘go and see’.

‘Ah! Some sound somewhere’, my son replied. He did not care to get up and see, as he was busy with his homework.

My mother said again, ‘go and check what that sound is’.

My boy got up reluctantly and went in.

He saw sugar emanating from the hand and head of Bhagavan from the photograph of Swami. The sugar was falling down on the ground in a heap. It was making a peculiar sound. My son was stunned. ‘I will get some newspaper, collect and pack it’, he thought. By the time he was back with an old newspaper, he was astounded. All the sugar that had fallen down from the photograph in a heap was neatly packed in one old newspaper. Who did it in a couple of minutes? When my wife and I returned from offices, this story was awaiting us. We went in and carefully examined the floor. When we collect sugar from the ground, a few grains of it at least are sure to be found somewhere. But here there was no trace of even a grain of sugar.

We used to keep as naivedyam some food in a plate before Swami. We used to keep a glass of water with one or two Tulasi leaves in it. We used to keep also a white handkerchief, neatly folded for use by Swami. We used to find afterwards the food in the plate mixed as if Swami had partaken it. We used to find that Swami drank all water in the glass. The empty glass used to be filled with sugar and ravva or sugar candy. The neatly folded kerchief used to be found in a crumpled state as if Swami had used it to wipe off His hands and mouth after finishing His meal.

All this went on for about nine months. Daily we used to be expectant as to what Swami would give us that day. When we found some thing behind Swami’s photograph we used to fondle it and talk about it excitedly for sometime. This had become our routine.

Many people used to come daily to witness this. We used to give them vibhuti prasadam or something such as sweets Swami had given us that day.

One day I bought a small idol of Shirdi Sai as my boy desired it. We kept it on the fridge. Amrit began to flow from it. We kept a bowl underneath and collected it. We used to give a spoon each to visitors. This went on for four or five days.

On Vaikuntha Ekadasi day in 1990, a photograph of Bhagavan blessing with both hands was found behind Swami’s photograph. It was a framed one. Not only that. There were three nails and three clips given along with it to fix it on a wall. Swami provided them so that we could mount it on a wall without delay.

One of our friends who returned from Prasanthi Nilayam gave us a packet of vibhuti. We used to keep it in a new plastic bottle and use it daily. One day we found that it was almost empty. ‘We should get some more vibhuti’, we were discussing as we found the bottle empty. We kept the bottle before us as we discussed. Then right before our eyes the bottle began to get filled with vibhuti. It became full in three steps. My wife, my son and I witnessed the miracle with awe and reverence.

In 1986, I was attending to some fault in the electric substation where I was on duty. Inadvertently, I came into contact with 11 KV line. I was pushed off from a height of 20 feet. Anyone in my place would have died on the spot. The Divine Providence let me escape with an injury on my forehead near to eye. Had I been hit half inch this way or that way, it would have proved fatal. Or, I would have lost my eye. Neither happened. I sustained severe burn injuries. I was in the ICU for thirty days and another twenty days in the ward in the hospital. Finally, I was discharged and could rejoin duty. But there was severe pain in my shoulder. My right hand began to shiver whenever I tried to hold any instrument, even a pen.

In that condition I continued for about seven years. I took many medicines. All were in vain. After Swami began to show miracles in my house, I began to go for seva at least twice in a year to Prasanthi Nilayam.

Like that, I came for seva to Prasanthi Nilayam in May 1993. At the end of seva, all sevadal were seated in lines. Swami coming along the lines gave us padanamaskar. He materialised a ring and gave it to my colleague sitting by my side. I could witness it clearly. When I narrated this to my wife afterwards, she said, ‘He would have given you also a ring had you prayed for it. You could have, at least, mentioned about your pain in the shoulder and shivering of the hand to Swami.’

‘He has been giving many things to us without our asking for any of them’, I replied, ‘why ask Him now for something?’

In October 1993, I came for seva again. At the end of seva, Swami gave us all padanamaskar. While moving in between us, He casually tapped me lightly on my shoulder. That instantly cured the shivering of my hand. The pain in my shoulder has not bothered me ever since owing to His grace.’

-- Mr. K. B. Sampath

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 06.05.2005)