Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VI | Mr. Tumuluru Krishnamurthy

Mr. Tumuluru Krishnamurthy,
'Anasuya', C-66, DD Colony,
Hyderabad - 500 007.

Tel: 040-2742 7083
E-mail: hyd1_tumuluru@sancharnet.in

      Mr. Tumuluru Krishnamurthy (77), who retired as Secretary, Brooke Bond India Ltd, Kolkata, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I heard of Bhagavan for the first time in the fifties. In 1974, I came to Bangalore with my wife planning to go to Mysore for sightseeing. Mr. Ramnik Vithalani, a colleague of mine, came to receive us. 'Why not we go to Brindavan ashram and have darshan of Sri Sathya Sai Baba?' my wife suggested.

'Don't change the programme' I told her, 'we came here to go to Mysore'. Mr. Vithalani then said 'don't worry bhabiji! I will take you to Baba'. We went to Mysore, completed our sightseeing and returned to Bangalore. Mr. Vithalani took us to Brindavan on January 11 when we had darshan of Bhagavan. Then I tried to take a photograph of Bhagavan. My people told me later that Bhagavan had placed His hand on my head by way of blessing which I had not noticed while being busy with the camera. The photograph came excellently though it came cross in a horizontal manner as I was not well versed with the use of camera.

On January 18, we reached Hyderabad and went to see our house there which we had let out to a tenant. Before letting out, we got an attic made in the house, put all our kitchenware and that of my brother in it and locked. When we entered our house, I noticed that the lock of the attic was in unlocked condition.

'How is it that the attic was unlocked?' I asked them. Later, we left. After reaching Kolkata, I received a nasty letter from my tenant. In that letter, he alleged that his wife had gone insane because of the shock. He accused me for unnecessarily blaming her as a thief and given the innocent lady the shock of her lifetime. He wondered how a fellow of my type and calibre was selected for a responsible post by the Company. As I was reading the letter that came to my office address, I could not understand what he was driving about. I did not say anything to his wife except asking her merely about the lock of the attic remaining un-locked. I never accused her of stealing our goods. Nor did I talk to her in any unpleasant or accusing tone. Why this? Blood was gushing to my temples as I went on reading that letter. For a moment it appeared that I might get brain haemorrhage due to the tension in which that letter had left me.

Then suddenly the glass-sheet that was laid covering my table suddenly cracked into two making a sound 'tup'. Instantly, I felt that the blood that gushed with force to my temples drained off, as if the veins had split letting the blood out. At once I was free from the tension. I took the phone and dialled my home. My wife came on the line when I told her about the letter. She had an experience exactly at the same time. She was in sleep when Swami came in her dream as a person of small stature. He pressed her temples tightly for a minute and left. When she awoke the phone was ringing. I was on line when she lifted the receiver. Later we both discussed and deduced that Swami had pressed her temples and transferred my tension through her to the glass. The moment the glass split, I was relieved of my tension. Had not Swami done so, I don't know what would have happened to me. This has happened on the 24th January 1974 after I returned to my room from the Board meeting where my Assistant Mr.Bishnupada Chatterjee and my Secretary Smt. Suvarna Choudhary were in the room and they witnessed the miracle.

In 1974, my wife proposed that we visit Prasanthi Nilayam for Dasara. 'If you want, you go with children' I told her reprimanding her about her entanglement with Babas 'I have work here. 'I can't come.' She was not willing to go alone and prayed to Swami. 'Swami, pray take us all as a family unit to you' she prayed to Bhagavan in her mind, 'I don't want to come leaving my husband alone here.' I got tickets booked for them. That night, I had a dream. Swami appeared. At once I, too, decided to join. I arranged for reserving a ticket for myself. It was the time of Dasara. So leave was not a problem, as there were many holidays in Bengal for Devi pooja. My father-in-law and his family also joined us unexpectedly. We were in all ten people. We stayed at Kothacheruvu and used to come to Prasanthi Nilayam for darshan, and return to Kothacheruvu for the night. We stayed for ten days. Swami responded to my wife's prayer and made us all come to him as a family unit. We used to attend the Vedapurusha Jnana Maha Yajnam every day, which was then going on at Prasanthi Nilayam.

In 1975, we came to Prasanthi Nilayam for Gurupoornima. I saw Swami coming along. 'Swami' I said, 'I want to have darshan'. Swami smiled and said 'chesuko' and left. Later, my wife said 'you should have asked Swami to give interview. You have been having darshan already. Why ask it again?' Then I realized that I had used the wrong word though what I wanted to ask was only the interview.

We came to Prasanthi Nilayam for the 50th Birthday of Bhagavan. We were here from the 4th to the 28th November, 1975. I could somehow go into the Poornachandra Auditorium on the Birthday, but my wife could not enter because of the heavy crowd. She began to weep as she could not stand the feeling that she was missing the celebration even after coming here all the way from Kolkata. Then a person came to her and asked 'why are you weeping?' She explained. He said 'don't weep. I will take you in'. He took her from behind the stage and made her sit in the front row in the VIPs' enclosure. Later, we learnt that he is Mr. Kishtappa, the cousin brother of Bhagavan.

We participated during our stay there in service also carrying bricks, or clearing stones from the area, etc.

In 1976, we came for Swami's Birthday. My wife compiled 'Sri Sathya Sai Sooktulu' which she sent to Swami. It was received by Swami. In November Bhagawan made me to compile 'Sai Avatar' Vol 2, while Vol 1 was compiled by Sri C.L.Gandhi

In 1977, we went to Brindavan where summer courses were being held. Somehow we could get in owing to Swami's grace despite strict restrictions on allowing others into the hall. There we came to know that Swami was performing mass upanayanams. We did not know whom to approach. Just then, I met Mr. Ranganayakulu, a retired Principal who was then residing at Prasanthi Nilayam. 'What are you waiting for?' he asked me, 'Swami is performing upanayanams. Go to Achari and get your son's name included.' As we were talking, Achari came there as if God-sent. 'Achari, why don't you include Mr. Krishnamurthy's son's name?' Mr. Ranganayakulu confronted him. Achari smiled and included my son's name also.

On May 19, 1977, mass upanayanams were held at Brindavan in the Divine presence. My son Kumar also was one of those for whom upanayanam was performed then. We were there for 32 days that time, and had the good fortune of attending the Ramayana lectures of Bhagavan.

In 1978, Swami came to Delhi. We went there. Sri C.L.Gandhi of Kolkata offered a printed book of 'Sri Sathya Sai Sukthulu' compiled by me and my wife, to Bhagavan in Sohanlal's house in Delhi. Sri Gandhi printed this book. Bhagawan blessed this book. This book is very popular even now having gone through a number of editions and is now being published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publication Trust, Prashanti Nilayam.

Later, I went to Brindavan for Gurupoornima in 1978. Swami signed on the book at Trayee and gave me saying, 'bagundi (it is good)'. He gave me that book on Gurupoornima day.

In 1979, we came to Prasanthi Nilayam for Krishnashtami. I brought some tea packets of our Company along with sweets, etc for Swami. Mr. Kutumba Rao broached about it with Swami who permitted him to accept our gifts. This was on August 15. On the opening day of Thrayee Brindavan 'Sai Avatar' Vol 3 compiled by me was printed by late T.S.Sadasivam and offered it to Bhagawan.

The Birthday of my father, Mr. Ramajogirwara Sarma was on August 3 that year according to the Telugu calendar. We celebrated it at our house in Kolkata when he was with us there. We informed him that we would be going to Prasanthi Nilayam for Krishnashtami. He did not feel happy that we were leaving while he was with us. We arranged with my brother who was in Delhi then to keep him in Delhi till we returned. Reluctantly, he left for Delhi. On August 16, Swami came along darshan lines at Prasanthi Nilayam. I was there but He did not even look at me. He looked an embodiment of ferocity, which was unlike Him. I could not understand why He was looking so furious. As soon as we came out of darshan, I was told that a lightning call came for me. I contacted the house of Mr. Vithalani at Bangalore. 'Don't worry' the mother of Vithalani who came on the line told me, 'your father passed away today (August 16)'. August 16 was the date of my father's birth as per the Gregorian calendar. We rushed to Bangalore and stayed for the night at Vithalani's place as his mother insisted. That night I informed my brother to proceed with cremation without waiting for us as there was no flight available to take us to Delhi on time for the cremation. That night, I sang a bhajan at 4:30 a.m. to provide a vent to my pent up feelings on hearing about my father's death.

In 1980, I went to Brindavan. I took with me two copies of the Digest of Sai Sayings prepared by me in alphabetical order, in box files. Swami came and stood at a distance. I could clearly see on His forehead three distinct lines of vibhuti as if three bright silver foils were pasted on His face. I wondered because Swami never wears vibhuti like that. Perhaps, He was blessing me with darshan of His Siva aspect. I was also carrying a letter in my hand. Swami came to me. Breaking the discipline I stood up with two box files containing the Digest 1 typed sheets. Swami did not talk to me but snatched the letter from my hand while he poured a lot of Vibhuthi in my hand and left. I was stupefied and could not utter a word. This happened on a Thursday and on Saturday I went to Brindavan and called on Mr.Kasturi.

'Swami blessed the Digest' I told him, 'He gave me vibhuti prasadam.' 'First check up if you have any disease' Mr. Kasturi told me, 'may be He gave you vibhuti to heal you.' Then I remembered. For some time, I had developed a white patch on skin which was to be removed by surgery as it was suspected to be malignant. On my return to Kolkata, I had planned to undergo surgery immediately. I swallowed the vibhuti. Next day, swami came to me in the darshan line. He asked me 'what is it?' I was holding the copy of the Digest. I explained. He signed on the book as a mark of His approval. I went back to Kolkata. The same doctor who had told me earlier that I should undergo surgery for the skin patch said that there was no need of surgery. It did not bother me again.

Once, when I was in Brindavan, Swami told me that Mr. Craxi of Italy would print the Digest. I asked Mr. Craxi. 'Swami has not told me' Mr Craxi replied. Later, Swami called Mr. Craxi for interview and told him to publish the Digest.

In 1988 March, my wife and I were discussing about the marriages of our daughters. We went to Brindavan. Swami did not look at me. Later, Swami told Mr. Gopala Rao, Ex-Chairman, Andhra Bank 'check up where Mr. Tumuluru Krishnamurthy is and bring him with you for darshan'. So Mr. Gopala Rao searched for me and took me with him for the evening darshan. But Swami did not look at us. Next day Swami asked me in darshan line, 'has your wife come?' I said 'yes, Swami.' He called us for interview. He told us about our heated discussion regarding marriages of our daughters. 'Leave it to me' Swami told us, 'I will perform'. He materialised a lingam and gave it to me. This was just before my retirement. I was then having pain in my right hand. I did not tell Swami about it. While giving the lingam, Swami said 'perform abhishekam to this and take that water as theertham. Pain in your hand will disappear' Swami materialised three rings at a time one a navaratna and two diamond studded rings, and gave navaratna ring to my wife and the diamond rings to my daughters. This was in 1995.

We performed the marriage of our elder daughter Gouri on August 29 and that of the second daughter Sri Sai Lakshmi on October 21, 1999. Both marriages were performed at Pedavenkamaraju Kalyanamantapam in Puttaparthi. Swami blessed the couples after marriage, and gave them new clothes.'

-- Mr. Tumuluru Krishnamurthy

   (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 01.03.2006)