Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group II | Mr. Saibaba Subrahmanyam

Mr. Saibaba Subrahmanyam,
E.B.Quarters (Opp. Salem Camp)
Mettur Dam - 636 456
Salem District, Tamilnadu

Mr. Saibaba Subrahmanyam (69), who was an employee of the Mettur Chemicals, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I had ulcer in the stomach in 1964. Though I used medicines, it did not heal. On the other hand, the trouble aggravated. So I stopped using medicines. My friends told me, 'go to Puttaparthi Sai Baba. He will cure you'. So I came to Puttaparthi in 1964 for the first time. I arrived on the 2nd day of Dasara festival there. In those days Sai Kulwant Hall was not there. We all used to stand in the open outside the Mandir. Swami used to come into the verandah on the first floor and give Darshan. I, too, went in the morning and Baba blessed me during Darshan by raising His hand in abhaya-mudra. I returned to Mettur.

I went to Puttaparthi again in November 1964. Swami wrote 'Aum' in air in Tamil on one side, and came to the other end in the Mandir to give Darshan. He waved to me, 'no interview. Come later'. So, I again went back to Mettur.

I came to Puttaparthi in Januanry 1965. I went to the Mandir. There were many Photographs. I saw a new Photograph of Baba. In it Baba was seen in a rose flower. It is said that Baba gave Darshan like that to a devotee. As I was looking at it, Swami, inside the flower in the photograph, expanded to life size and gave Darshan to me for a few seconds. He was smiling, and gestured with His head, 'come!' I could not understand it. Was it magic, illusion, or true?

It was a Thursday at Prasanthi Nilayam. That night, I slept in the open. In the early hours, some one kicked me. I thought that some one's foot had touched me by mistake. Then I felt that some one had beaten me with a stick. I woke up. There was none. Devotees were doing 'Aumkar'. I, too, got up and did Aumkar. I realised later that Swami had woken me up so that I could join in reciting Aumkar. But He did so with His astral body. I did not know its significance then. After some months, I happened to read a poem written by Avayyar, the famous devotee. It says, 'oh! Ganesha! You woke me up by kicking at me with your foot!' I understood then that Swami granted me the bliss sung by Avayyar. Swami gave me interview on Friday. He materialised vibhuti and gave me and said, 'ulcer will be healed'.

In those days, I was the only sevadal in Salem District. I wrote to the State President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization to give me seva at Prasanthi Nilayam. He gave me a chance. So I came for seva and stayed at Prasanthi Nilayam for 10 to 12 days. Swami gave vibhuti and Padanamaskar. My ulcer too came under control owing to Swami's grace. Earlier, I could not eat any food mixed with mirch powder, but later I was able to tolerate it.

I came for seva during Swami's 60th Birthday celebrations. I was at Prasanthi Nilayam for a month. I did several types of service then. I drove a matador van also. I was in-charge of decoration of the chariot. Horses were brought to pull the chariot. The organizers were afraid that one of the horses, which was new to crowds, might get frightened and go astray. I told the volunteers, 'put vibhuti on the horse. Put some on its driver'. The horses went along in the procession quietly and peacefully. When Swami alighted from the chariot, we found a coin on the footboard. The person who brought the horse gave the coin to me. I told him, 'take it. It is for you' and gave it back. He was very happy to have it. He said that he would keep it in his pooja.

In those days, I was having fever. I attended to seva with fever. One day I was given food sufficient for two persons in the canteen. As I was suffering from fever, I could not eat. So I packed and kept it with me to give to some beggar. When I went out for seva, they insisted elsewhere that I should take tiffin with them. So I ate tiffin with them. When I returned from seva it was 12:30 in the night, I could find no one to whom I could give the food packet.

Just then a car came from Bangalore. There were two passengers in it, the owner and the driver. They did not take meals in Bangalore as they thought they could have it enroute. They did not stop anywhere. So when they arrived at Puttaparthi, the canteen and the hotels were closed. They had no food. I gave them the food packet. They were happy to have a meal at that time, which was beyond their expectation. Then I realized Swami knew they were coming without taking food, and kept the meals ready for them using me as an instrument.

In those days, Swami used to take letters liberally. I too gave Him a letter. He took it and gave Padanamaskar. Then I was cured of my ulcer completely.

We wanted to perform 'puttu ventrukalu' ceremony (to give hair-cut to a child for the first time) for my child. My mother wanted that it should be done in the Temple of Subrahmanya in Palani. I wanted that it should be done at Puttaparthi only. We came to Puttaparthi. Swami called us for interview. Even before I opened my lips, He said, 'perform puttu ventrukalu ceremony here only. Do it today. And do it now only'. So we came out, went to a barber and performed it.

I don't remember the date, but I came to Puttaparthi again. Swami told me, 'stay'. It was Wednesday. On the evening of Friday, two days later, He said, 'go home today'. I was thinking how I could leave as no conveyance would be available at that time. Then Swami told me as if He was answering my thought, 'may be you will get some taxi now'.

I came out. I was told that there was no bus. Just then a taxi came from Bangalore to drop some people. He was returning immediately to Bangalore. So I could go in it. When I got down at Bangalore, the bus was ready. As I alighted at Madawalam, there was a lorry going to my place. I could reach my home around 2:30 a.m. in the night. On reaching home, I learnt that my mother, Mrs. Kuppammal was not well. So, Swami sent me home that night. I brought a doctor next day. He said, 'she is old. No use of medicines'. I lost my father, Mr. Vadamalai Naidu when I was 10 years old. My mother brought me up. So I was much attached to her. So, I prayed to Swami, 'if You want to give her long life, save her. If You want to take her, take her away peacefully'. I arranged abhishekam for her in the Temple of Ganesh. The theertham of abhishekam was given to her. She sipped it, and passed away peacefully in my hands.

Earlier for four years, she used to have serious indisposition on an Ekadasi. She used to turn black as if she was dying. I used to apply vibhuti, give a little in water to her as theertham and sit praying to Bhagavan. She used to recover completely. This happened for four years. Finally, she merged in Bhagavan.

Once I came to Puttaparthi with my newborn son. It was in Dasara days. When we were at Puttaparthi, the golden kalasams on the gopuram were installed. Swami called us for interview. 'Tell Me a name for your son', He said. 'It is for You to name him as You please', I replied. 'No! you tell a name', He insisted. 'As You please, Swami', I replied.

'Ok!' said Swami, 'call him Vijaya Sai!'

Later at Brindavan, Swami christened another son of mine as 'Sai Karthikeya'.

When in Brindavan, we went one morning for Nagar Sankeerthan. At that time Sai Ramesh Hall was not there. After Nagar Sankeerthan, we used to have Darshan of Swami. Swami used to stand in the balcony of the first floor and give Darshan. On that day, I saw beautiful radiance around Swami's head. The Divine aura I saw was splendid, as seen around the heads of deities in paintings.

In those days the idol of Krishna was there. I went to a shop and found two garlands of sampenga flowers (Michelia champeka). I bought one. When I saw the idol of Krishna, I put it on the hand of the idol so as to hang from the thumb of the hand. Then I went back to the florist and found that the second garland was there still unsold. I bought that, too, and took it to Darshan.

Swami came to Darshan lines and went past me without taking the garland. I was crestfallen. Then, suddenly, He turned back and took it in such a way as it stood hanging from His thumb exactly as I had put the garland on Krishna's idol. Swami used to give garlands etc to sevadal accompanying Him. But this garland He took it with Him to His room in the same posture hanging from His thumb. On seeing His kindness, I broke down in happiness and wept contentedly.

Once when I was at Puttaparthi, I broached with Swami about the marriage of my daughter, Krishnaveni. Swami came in the Darshan lines and told me, 'perform the marriage' and left. Owing to His grace, the marriage of my daughter was held soon after. When I took the invitation for that wedding, Swami blessed it. He blessed likewise at the time of the marriages of my sons Vijaya Sai and Sai Karthikeya. In the case of Vijaya Sai, He took the invitation away along with Him.

I bought one lorry and started 'Sri Sathya Sai Baba Lorry Transport Company' and ran it for about 5 years. One fellow who was running my lorry on contract evaded payment to me up to Rs. 5,000. I learnt later that he had incurred a loss of Rs. 50,000. I wound up that business because of my age.

Once I performed pooja with ashtottaram to Baba in Ganesh Temple, but forgot to fill in the vibhuti casket while bringing it to the Temple. When I saw the vibhuti casket after Pooja to distribute to devotees, it was empty. I prayed to Swami. I had a thought to look at it again. When I did so, there was some vibhuti. I distributed it as prasadam. Even though I went on distributing it from the casket for nearly 3 months afterwards, it was still coming as if it was akshayam.

Once amritam came all over a Photograph of Sri Krishna in my house. Mr. Kasturi told me once that akshaya vibhuti, etc would cease to emanate if others touched the containers. As he said, vibhuti stopped coming in my vibhuti casket as well as amritam on Sri Krishna's Photograph, as some outsiders touched them, perhaps.

Whenever I saw the devotees of Ayyappa, carrying Irumudlu on their heads, I used to wonder at their fortune. Once when I was in Prasanthi Nilayam for seva, the idols of Sri Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman were being installed. I was one of the few who were asked to bring the bundles of Ramakoti books on our heads to the place of the Temple for being deposited under the idols. Then I thought that swami granted me the fortune of carrying these as the devotees of Ayyappa carry irumudlu on their heads. Like this, Swami fulfilled my desire. As I was nearing the place, Swami was standing there. He called me and said, 'go round the Mandir in pradakshina and bring them here'. So I made a pradakshina to the Mandir with books on my head and brought them to the spot.

Once when Swami was being taken on the golden chariot, I was in the crowd. He looked into my eyes and blessed showing abhaya-hasta.

Once I had a dream in which I was asked by Swami to come to Prasanthi Nilayam for seva. But I was not taken for seva on the plea that I was past 60 by the then State President. He was replaced later. When I came to Prasanthi Nilayam, I ran into the new State President in the canteen and told him that I was denied a chance to serve while others past 60 were allowed. Owing to Swami's grace, he allowed me to do seva. Since then, I have been coming to Prasanthi Nilayam regularly. Thus, I am continuing here on seva till the Birthday of Swami this November 2004. Swami who bid me in my dream to come for seva made it happen even though the State President had earlier refused permission.

When I was at Prasanthi Nilayam once, Swami was distributing laddu prasadam Himself. I received one from His divine hand. Then I was thinking in my mind that if Swami gave me one more, I could give Prasadam to others in my village also. By that time Swami went forward a few paces. Suddenly He turned back and threw one laddu in such a way that it fell exactly in my hand.

One day I was singing bhajan songs sitting in a chair under a mango tree in the front yard of my house. Later, my mother asked me, 'who are the Brahmin couple that were standing before you while you were singing bhajans? When I tried to ask them, they signalled to me not to disturb'.

'There were none', I replied. Then I understood that it was Lord's leela. My mother was fortunate to have their Darshan.

Once I was driving a willy's jeep. After the work was over, I was returning to office in the night. It was around 2:30 a.m. When I was nearing a masjid on the way, I saw Shirdi Sai Baba with a huge body on the road. Next second, He was by my side in the jeep. Within a few minutes, I suddenly dozed when the jeep went out of control and was about to fall in a roadside ditch. Sai Baba then turned the steering in time to avoid the accident. Then I awoke in a jolt, and He was not there. After that, I did not get any sleep and reached my place safely. As I entered the yard of our Company, there was a Photograph of Swami in the sentry room. I made namaskar gratefully to Swami for saving my life.

Recently, I had a fracture of my wrist. I came to Prasanthi Nilayam for seva with the fractured wrist against the advice of my family members. It is completely healed now. I am able to do seva without any problem owing to His grace.'

-- Mr. Saibaba Subrahmanyam.

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 02.11.2004.)