Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group V | Mr. P. Siva Mallappa

Mr. P. Siva Mallappa,
P.O. Vennached - 509 229,
Ranga Reddi District, A.P.

Tel: 08412-241010

Mr. P. Siva Mallapa (46), a businessman running a rice mill, relates his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'When I was studying in VII class, the sister of our Head Master's wife came to our village to spend a few days with her sister. Our Headmaster's family and the guest were devotees of Bhagavan. We learnt about Bhagavan only from them. Our headmaster's wife's sister gave me a photograph of Swami. Ever since that day I began worshipping Swami. This was in 1972.

In 1977, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam for the first time and had darshan of Bhagavan. Swami walked just in front of us, as we sat in the sand outside the mandir, and the experience was truly electrifying.

We came here again in 1978. Swami was not in the ashram.

In 1990, we came for Swami's 65th Birthday as a group. I wrote a letter and held it up in darshan line. Swami came along, but did not take my letter. He moved on. Then I was literally in tears. 'Swami, I came here with lot of expectation and hope'. I prayed to Him in my mind, 'the whole group from my place is looking. If you don't take the letter, I will lose my face in the village'. Swami then turned back unexpectedly, came straight to me, took the letter from my hand and left. I was immensely happy.

There was no mandir in our village at that time. We wanted to construct one. 'Yours is a small village' our district convener remarked, 'how could you think of such big project?' We did not give up; and I went to Prasanthi Nilayam with another person from my village. Swami came along. 'Swami' I said, 'we want to construct a mandir in our village'. 'Santhosham (Happy)' said Swami and moved on. Encouraged by Swami's blessings, we started the work. The work, however, did not move smoothly. We went to Prasanthi Nilayam. Swami came along darshan line. 'Swami' I prayed to Him as he stood before me, 'mandir work is not moving smoothly!' Swami materialized vibhuthi and gave me. He sprinkled the balance vibuthi from His hand on my head benevolently. Earlier I took padanamaskar. As Swami sprinkled Vibhuthi on my head, I felt ecstatic and forgot myself as if I were into a trance.

In 1997, the mandir in our village was completed. We went to Prasanthi Nilayam, bought a photograph of Swami to be kept in the mandir and sat in the darshan line to get it blessed by Bhagavan. Swami came and blessed it by touching it. We went back happily and installed it in the mandir.

Some devotees of other villages who constructed mandirs in their villages installed the idols of Swami. On seeing that, we, too, wanted to ask Bhagavan for an Idol. I sat in the darshan line. Swami came along. 'Swami' I prayed to Him, 'pray, give us an idol to be installed in the mandir.' 'Install yourself' Swami quipped jokingly and added, 'is not my photograph enough?' This was in 2000.

In 2002, I wanted to construct a rice mill on partnership basis. We bought the site and tried to get a bore well drilled for water. Nowhere in the neighbouring fields was a bore well a success. So everybody tried to discourage us. We put a photograph of Bhagavan at the site, put some vibhuthi and asked the person who was to drill, 'drill here now. Go up to 200 feet or till water is struck' He drilled up to 150 feet and gave up as only rock was there. I asked him 'why did you give up? I wanted you to drill up to 200 feet'. So he recommenced the work. He came up to 185 feet. No water. I wanted to put some vibhuthi again. But, how? The dust, etc., was being thrown out with force. How could vibhuthi enter the hole? As I was thinking thus, the chain of the drilling machine slipped. The drilling work stopped for a few minutes to put the chain back. Then I seized the opportunity to put a pinch of vibhuthi in the hole. When the drilling restarted, water gushed up with force within minutes, as every one was amazed at the scene. 'It is only His grace' they said, 'otherwise, how could this bore well become success when all bore wells in the vicinity failed?'

In 2003, I suffered heavy loss financially. Then I was considering alliances for my daughter, Bhagaya Lakshmi. 'Swami, You are putting me to test with the heavy financial loss' I prayed to Him standing before His photograph in my house, 'now I, too, put a test to You. Pray arrange marriage to my daughter with a good alliance. The alliance should come to me. I don't go searching for it. I can't arrange expensive wedding.'

Some persons from Karnataka came to our house one day. They are multi-millionaires. 'We heard you have a daughter of marriageable age' they told me, 'we want to have her as our daughter-in-law!' They were not devotees of Sri Sathya Sai though they were very spiritual in orientation.

'I am poor' I told them, 'I am afraid I cannot meet your demands'. 'There are no demands' they said, 'except that the bride and bridegroom should like each other. You spend only what you can. You need not even arrange the wedding. We do it in our place, if you agree'. I agreed, thinking that it was the answer from Bhagavan for my impudent test. Till then everything that was important was happening only on Thursdays. Water was struck on a Thursday in the bore well; the marriage proposal came to my house on a Thursday. 'If only the wedding also takes place on a Thursday' I was wishfully thinking. The priest who was called to fix up muhurtham said, 'you can have it on June 6th. There is no better day'. By Swami's grace it happened to be a Thursday.

After the marriage, we brought the couple to Prasanthi Nilayam. It was nearly 3 months by the time we could make it to Prasanthi Nilayam after the marriage. We sat in darshan line. I prayed to Bhagavan to bless me with a grand child. Soon after our return from Prasanthi Nilayam, word came to us that my daughter was in the family way. She delivered in due course a male child.

I have 2 sons besides the daughter. They are twins, Veerendrappa and Mahendrappa. They wrote X class examinations when we came to Prasanthi Nilayam in April, 2003. Both my sons and I gave letters to Swami. He took them. 'What did you write in it' I asked them. 'We wanted to pass our exams well and pursue higher studies' they said. They had to write the exams in different centres, 5 kms apart. Both passed X class in II class. Owing to Swami's grace, the total marks obtained by each was the same: 337.

Earlier in 2000, my mother Mrs. Veeramma was not well; she suffered a stroke. 'She is aged' the doctor told us, 'paralysis at this age is difficult to cure!' He gave us some oil to be rubbed on her paralyzed hand. I used to apply the oil, chanting 'Aum Sri Sairam'. I did so only for three days when she began to move her hand freely. In a few days, she became normal, could walk on her own, and attend to her work herself.'

-- Mr. P. Siva Mallappa

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 21.11.2005.)