Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group V | Mr. Rao K. Garuda

Mr. Rao K. Garuda,
1620, Shaker Bulward,
Cleveland, Ohio,
44120 - USA.

Tel: (216) 642 9211
E-mail: raogaruda@aol.com

Mr. Rao K. Garuda (63), President and CEO, Associated Concepts Agency Inc., USA, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I am grateful to my wife, Mrs. Radha Garuda, M.D., for bringing with her Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba into my heart and life after our wedlock in January 1969. Since I began to learn more and more about His glorious life and message, I have been experiencing His grace in every turn in my life. I have always been thinking of what I could do to make Bhagavan happy as a measure of gratitude for all that He has been doing for all of us.

In 1986, I had a dream in which I saw Bhagavan very clearly as if in real life. 'Your parents are not happy at visakhapatnam' Bhagavan told me, 'make them happy. That will make me happy'. My father distributed his business among his four sons. He did not keep anything for him. I contacted him, and arranged to get a new house bought for him on the beach road where both my parents could lead a peaceful and comfortable life. After that I had another dream. Swami visited my parents in their new home in that dream. I had not seen that house till then. I saw it only in the dream with Swami. Swami then turned to me beaming with His Divine smile.

I rang up my father that I wanted to go to Prasanthi Nilayam and he, too, wanted to come with me for darshan of Bhagavan. Therefore, I came to India and took my father with me to Prasanthi Nilayam. We got token No.1 and could sit in the front line. This was in 1987. When we go to a superior, it is customary to go in formal and full dress. So I wore a blue suit with a tie. May be I looked odd man out. Swami came to my father and me. He pulled His sleeve up, turned His palm downwards making circular movement with it, and materialised vibhuti and gave my father and me. 'Chesuko (take padanamaskar)', He told my father. We both took padanamaskar.

I had a letter with me. Swami took my letter. In that letter I asked Him five questions. Swami did not open the letter, but then and there answered all my five questions one by one in the same order in which I had written them in my letter guiding me what to do on each. One interesting and amazing thing was that Bhagavan gave me darshan as Lord Siva when I saw Him walking towards us. I was a devotee of Lord Venkateswara, but Bhagavan gave darshan as Siva, may be, to emphasize His Siva-shakti aspect or to assert that Siva and Kesava are one and the same. Incidentally, I was named Sivakesava Rao originally.

My son was studying in the Medical School at Akron, 50 miles from Cleveland. Once my wife and I wanted to go to his hostel, pick him up and take him for dinner with us. That day, there was snowfall. The road was covered with snow. As I was taking a turn, my car skidded. I cried 'Sairam' three times in total helplessness as the car got out of control. Then the car came to a halt on the road very miraculously after 20 feet without going astray. We were saved by Bhagavan. 'Now I understand' my son told me, 'why you are so attached to Baba'.

In 1991, I had been to New York to see one of my clients. He is Bhagavan's devotee. We all went to a Chinese vegetarian restaurant and had dinner. During dinner, we discussed his investments. He put all his money only in real estate. 'Why keep all eggs in one basket?' I told my client, 'better diversify your investments'. 'I will follow your advice' my client told me, 'if Bhagavan indicates thus to me'. Meanwhile, the waiter brought us 'fortune cookie' that contains a message for each diner. I opened my message which read: 'It is ok to put all eggs in one basket, and keep an eye on the basket'. I was amazed and felt happy at the spontaneous response of Bhagavan.

In 2005 (this year), four hurricanes struck the American continent. I own an apartment in Palm Beach, Florida, which was devastated time and again because of the hurricanes. Mine is on the 5th floor of a five storied building. The impact of hurricane will be usually on the high side as we go up. So I phoned up the manager of the apartment about the damage caused to my flat. He went round, inspected and rang me back. What he told me is, indeed, amazing. The apartment was spread from north to south. The thick concrete roof was ripped open from the southern side, and rose up to the force of the hurricane, as a table cloth rises up to the force of wind. The damage occurred to the building was devastating. But the stunning miracle is that my flat remained untouched and safe without any damage amidst that horrible scene of total devastation. I had put a photograph of Bhagavan in that apartment when I left it some time ago, and prayed to Bhagavan to protect it. And He did protect it.'

-- Mr. Rao K. Garuda

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 26.11.2005.)