Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group III | Mr. M. Saibaba

Mr. M. Saibaba
20/86, Gandhinagar
Machilipatnam – 521002
Tel: 08672-250191

Mr. Saibaba (46), an active member of Sri Sathya Sai sevadal in Krishna District, relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

‘In 1987, I married Ramadevi from a family of devotees of Sri Sathya Sai. At that time I was not a believer in Baba. Far from it, I was somewhat critical of Baba, too.

I came to know later that my in-laws were in a dilemma whether to give Ramadevi to me or not. About that time I was an Accounts Officer in a big firm. Being a postgraduate, I had chances of going up in that line. But I decided to resign and lead a life of leisure, being my own master. So they were hesitant to accept me as their son-in-law.

As is their wont, they wrote a letter to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Swami said ‘manchidi (good).’ Therefore, my marriage took place with her. My wife was a Balavikas teacher at Visakhapatnam before her marriage. She has been an ardent devotee.

In 1988, I was blessed with a daughter, Katyayani. My mother-in-law was keen to have the aksharabhyasam done by Swami. So we all went to Prasanthi Nilayam in 1991. I got second line. Swami came to me and looked into my eyes standing right in front of me. He threw two chocolates at me. It had an electrifying effect on me. He did not perform aksharabhyasam to my daughter. So we returned home. Later, I did aksharabhyasam to my daughter myself. After that I happened to go to Prasanthi Nilayam four or five times – more on hospital work than with spiritual urge. However, we used to have Darshan whenever we went.

In 1994, jyothi of Bhagavan came to our place. We obtained a photograph of Bhagavan and kept it in our pooja room. When my wife prayed to Bhagavan about my being a non-believer, a flower dropped from Bhagavan’s photograph at the time of jyothi bhajan. That year I came for seva in November. I donated blood on Bhagavan’s birthday. All members of sevadal were seated separately in a line in mandir on November 26. Swami came and gave padanamaskar to all. He tapped me on my head and said, ‘go home!’

Actually I was advised by many to pray to Bhagavan for a male issue, as my daughter was 6 years old. By the grace of Bhagavan, I was blessed with a son, Satya Sai Sivakrishna in 1995. Swami who knew what I was praying for granted the boon by tapping me on my head - I thought.

In January 1995, Swami called us all for a group interview. ‘What do you want?’ Swami asked me. ‘Your mercy’ I replied adding, ‘I want to be here’. ‘Not now’, Bhagavan told me and moved.

In 2002, 34 of us came to Prasanthi Nilayam on scooters and motorcycles from Machilipatnam. We engaged a TATA Sumo for our luggage. Near Pamarru, we met with an accident in which three of us were involved, but escaped with minor injuries. On the way we covered 54 villages, conducted audiovisual publicity and reached Prasanthi Nilayam in seven days. For two days Swami did not talk to us though He was smiling at us. On the third day, while talking to youth from Mahabubnagar District, Swami asked ‘where are Machilipatnam people?’ ‘They were here till now, Swami,’ they replied.

I had gone to the hospital with a colleague. We had to wait till 10:30 a.m. in the hospital for his reports. When we returned, we learnt that Swami had asked for us. We came for evening Darshan. There was heavy rain. Swami called us and asked, ‘where had you been? I waited for you for a long time?’ He repeated three times. Then He materialized vibhuti and gave us. ‘Have the ladies come?’ Swami asked. ‘No, Swami’, we replied, ‘excuse us.’ Swami tapped us on our cheeks and said, ‘you haven’t done any mistake’.

Swami went to each of us moving in the line and individually enquired about their desires and needs. My colleague, Mr. K. Shyam Prasad said, ‘we are unable to bear separation from Swami, which has been widening’. Swami replied, ‘there is no question of any separation between us. I am you’. He materialized a ring and gave it to Shyam.

I explained briefly the work we had done in 54 villages. Swami went through each page of the album shown by me. One of us asked, ‘Swami! Give us more energy. We feel that we are weakening’. Swami said, ‘it may be so in worldly affairs, but for Swami’s work the batteries will always be fully charged’. Swami condescended to have a photograph with us. We all gathered around Him to pose for the photograph. Inadvertently, I placed my hand on Swami’s shoulders. ‘Place it’ Swami consented kindly. He asked the photographer to take one more photograph from a different angle also.

‘When are you going?’ He asked.

‘Whenever Swami permits’, we said.

‘Swami gives prasadam on Toli Ekadasi. Go after that. Copies of photographs will be ready by tomorrow. Leave them on my table. I will bless them and give you’, Swami said. Swami blessed the photographs and gave us later.

Sometime back, I bought a site for Rs. 10,000 at my place. During the time of Pushkaras, it was sold for Rs. 1, 60,000 owing to Swami’s grace. The buyer gave cash up to Rs. 1,50,000 in advance, which is unusual because he paid without registration.

My wife, Mrs. Ramadevi used to walk very slowly. Though there was no other problem, we took her to many doctors. No one could properly diagnose. We took her to Sri Sathya Sai Super Specialties Hospital at Bangalore. They did all tests including scanning, but could not detect any problem. When we went to Brindavan, Swami came to me and gave me two chocolates. He went to my wife and daughter sitting in the back. My wife asked, ‘Swami! Prasadam.’ He put His fingers on the forehead and gestured as if He was drawing out negative forces from her body. Then He turned to my daughter and said ‘study well’, and moved on.

We returned home. There was a pup in our house. It suddenly died. After a few days, we learnt that some stranger had gone to the houses of our relatives and told them that my wife died. We started receiving telephone calls. In fact, some of our relatives dropped in even. Some people said that Swami had removed the bad omen that was to have come to her, by the false news spread by a stranger for no obvious reason. My wife has been all right since then.’

-- Mr. M. Saibaba.

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 28.04.2005)