Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Mr. P. Anjaneyulu

Mr. P. Anjaneyulu,
Head Master, Smt. Eswaramma High School,
Puttaparthi - 515134
Tel: (O) 08555-287397, (R) 08555-288893

Mr. P. Anjaneyulu (51), Head Master, Smt. Eswaramma High School, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I heard about Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the first time in 1970 at Guntur from local devotees. I came for seva to Prasanthi Nilayam in 1972. That was my first visit to Prasanthi Nilayam.

When we were all sitting in a row at the end of seva, I had Padanamaskar and vibhuti prasadam. I had the good fortune of enjoying the Divine touch of Bhagavan when His Hand fell on my head by way of blessing. I came subsequently to Prasanthi Nilayam several times.

When I came to Prasanthi Nilayam for Sivarathri in 1977, I was blessed with Darshan of Bhagavan when He was taking out Atmalingam out of His mouth. That was the last time Bhagavan had taken out the linga from His mouth in that series of years. Of course, Bhagavan has resumed it after a long gap.

A day after Sivarathri I was appointed temporarily as a teacher in Smt Eswaramma High School at Puttaparthi owing to the grace of Bhagavan. However, the joy was short-lived as my appointment was only for a few weeks. I was called again to work in the same school. I joined on Aug 29, 1977 and was subsequently promoted as a B. Ed. Assistant and later as the Head Master of the school owing to the grace of Bhagavan.

One day I gave a letter to Bhagavan about my upanayanam. 'Oh! You want licence to go and fish', Swami quipped, 'well! I will do, wait!' Swami was remarking in a lighter vein that I was eager to get eligibility to marry (permission to fish).

In 1979, my brother, Mr. Ravi Kumar was indisposed. I sat with a letter to Bhagavan in Darshan lines. Swami took it. He sent vibhuti prasadam by the same envelope to me through our school the then Head Master. I kept it safely in a suitcase, as I had to send it to Guntur for my brother. The perfume of vibhuti engulfed the whole room even though the packet was in the closed suitcase.

After some time, my mother and my brother came to Puttaparthi. I gave a letter again to Swami about the health of my brother. 'Swami! My mother has come with my brother', I told Swami. 'Well', replied Swami in a lighter vein, 'break a coconut and give harati to her (by way of reception)'. They left after a day or two. 'Where is your brother?' Swami asked me after they had left. 'They had left, Swami', I replied. 'Send your brother this', Swami said, handing over two or three packets of vibhuti, 'send them by post'.

Some time later, my brother was getting temperature daily. His ESR was on the high side. Tests revealed that he had infection, though it could not be identified.

Once again, I broached about my brother's health with Swami.

'Is yours good?' Bhagavan quipped. When I told Swami that the Super Specialties Hospital gave a date to do angioplasty to him, Swami gave vibhuti as prasadam. My brother underwent angioplasty without any hitch. His health improved owing to Swami's grace.

My father had a massive heart attack at Guntur. Swami was in Brindavan. I could not leave the school, as it was the time of exams. I prayed to Swami. My father survived the attack and recovered owing to Bhagavan's grace.

In 1983, Bhagavan performed upanayanams on mass scale. I requested for my inclusion.

'Is there any one else?' Swami asked.

'My younger brother', I replied. 'Tell Kutumba Rao to include you both', Swami told me. So we both were included, and had our thread marriages performed in the Divine Presence. At the last minute, my uncle, Sri Viswamji, Bhagavan's devotee, and a spiritual guru considered by his devotees as an incarnation of Dattatreya himself, requested for inclusion of my cousin. Swami sent deeksha-vastras for him also out of His abundant love and compassion.

At the time of our house-warming ceremony at Guntur, Bhagavan blessed a Photograph of His, taken by me to Darshan. I took the Photograph along with us to the new house and installed it there. Ten days after the function, vibhuti emanated from the lips of Swami in that Photograph for about 10 to 15 days.

My father was raising with me the issue of my marriage. I wanted to marry only when Bhagavan said so. One day I mentioned my father's request to Bhagavan.

'Marry and make them happy', Bhagavan told me giving handful of vibhuti packets.

In August 1990, my marriage took place. I was blessed with a son in June 1991. Bhagavan named the boy, 'Sai Gunaranjan'. Bhagavan performed Annaprasana and Kesakhandana to my son Himself. Bhagavan performed Aksharabhyasam and also upanayanam to my son when He performed mass upanayanams at Prasanthi Nilayam. My son is now studying VIII class in Swami's school at Prasanthi Nilayam.

In 2002, some students told one teacher in a classroom of our school, when he was taking class, that vibhuti was emanating from the Photograph of Bhagavan displayed in the classroom. He got the Photograph cleaned. Next morning, when the classroom was opened, it was noticed that vibhuti had emanated again from that Photograph. We performed Satya Sai vratam there. I arranged to take a photograph of that and showed to Bhagavan. Swami patted me on the back and said, 'keep it'.

Bhagavan came to the school one day on December 21, 2002. 'How many students are there?' He asked me. I mentioned the number. 'Bring them tomorrow for Darshan', He said and left. We took the students to Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagavan distributed prasadam and new clothes to all of them. On January 9, 2003, Swami came to the school again. 'Bring the girls tomorrow for Darshan', He told me, 'don't bring boys'.

I took the girl students for Darshan on January 10. Swami gave watches to all of them, perhaps as a New Year and Sankranthi gift.

In November 2000, one of the senior functionaries in the Mandir asked me, 'have the students got the new clothes stitched?' 'Cloth has not reached us', I replied. Usually Swami gives new cloth for dress to students. Our students (being outside the fold of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust) get new cloth once in five years. They were due to get it in 2002. But that being the year of Platinum Jubilee (75th Birthday) of Swami's advent, our students were secretly hoping for the bonanza.

The functionary who asked the question was annoyed. 'How can you say so?' he asked, 'Swami might have sent it without your knowledge. Enquire!'

I knew that the cloth had not come to our students, but I kept quiet. I wrote a letter to Swami and sat in the verandah with it. Swami came along the lines, but moved past me. After going a couple of paces, He turned back and came to me.

'Have your students got new clothes stitched?' Swami asked the same question.

'Cloth has not reached them, Swami!' I replied.

Bhagavan nodded and moved on. That evening all our students received new cloth for their dress.'

-- Mr. P. Anjaneyulu.

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 28.01.2005.)