Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan | Group V | Mr. V. Srinivasan

Mr. V. Srinivasan,
All India President of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization,
Chennai.

Mr. V. Srinivasan is an Engineer and Industrialist. He has been associated with Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization for several decades. Currently he is the All India President of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization. An ardent devotee of Bhagavan and close associate, he relates a few of his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'In 1970, I first met Bhagavan when He came to Madras. My father-in-law, Sri N. S. Sethuramon was pressing me to go with him to see Bhagavan. I was not very enthusiastic, but since my father-in-law was repeatedly requesting, I agreed. We went to the house of Sri J. H. Tarapore, who was a good friend and to whose house Bhagavan was going that day.

There were many people present and I was at the back of the large room, where Baba was seated in the front. Baba spoke to several persons and then said that anybody could ask any questions. Somehow people remained silent. I had been attending some lectures of Sri. J. Krishnamurti, which interested me quite a bit. I made hold to raise some spiritual matter and Bhagavan looked at me with great love which totally encompassed me. His words went straight to my heart. I was overwhelmed. While leaving, Baba looked at me and said 'come to Puttaparthi'.

When I went home, I narrated my experience to my wife and we decided to go to Puttaparthi soon. So it was in February 1971 that I came to Puttaparthi for the first time. We reached there by about 9 a.m. I met Sri Surayya, who was kind enough to give us a room. This was near the old post office and even had a toilet, which was a luxury in those days. He was also kind enough to send us a carrier with lunch, saying that it was Bhagavan's prasad. The Lord thinks of every need of His devotees! When we sat in the darshan line in the afternoon, Bhagavan was gracious to call us for an interview. That was an exhilarating experience and I felt that I had found my destiny.

Bhagavan, during one of His visits to Chennai, agreed to give an audience to select businessmen and industrialists, who were overjoyed at this unexpected opportunity to meet Him. They flocked in large numbers to the venue and Bhagavan graciously mingled with them and had a word for each one of them. He also agreed to address them. He suddenly looked at me and indicated that I was going to translate His address from Telugu to English. My knowledge of Telugu is imperfect even now, and at that time was even worse. Nevertheless I obeyed Bhagavan's command. I decided to look into Bhagavan's eyes and, wonder of wonders, the words came out of my mouth. Those who knew me were astounded as to how I had become proficient in Telugu. At the end of His Discourse, Bhagavan told the audience, 'poor fellow, he does not know Telugu'. With Bhagavan, anything is possible.

Bhagavan has love and concern not only for human beings but for all creation. During one of His visits to Kodaikanal, we had gone for a drive past the Pillar Rocks. When we had gone for some distance, Bhagavan suddenly asked me to reverse the car. I slowly did so and Bhagavan lowered the window and gazed into the distance. We followed His gaze and saw a horse standing amid the trees. Bhagavan kept looking at the animal with great love and concern. After a few minutes, when the horse took a step forward, we could see that it was lame. It kept looking at Bhagavan who continued to shower His Grace on the fortunate being. Only after about five minutes, Swami asked me to proceed. From that day, the particular location on the Berijam road is known to us devotees as the Lame Horse Point. It was unique demonstration of the love of the Lord for every single being in creation.

I had gone to New York in transit to another city, and was staying at my sister's apartment in Manhattan. I was to leave the next morning to Chicago and I had planned to take the shuttle bus from the West Side Air Terminal to the Kennedy Airport. I planned to leave the apartment at about 7:15 am and walk to the nearby air terminal to take the 7:30 a.m. bus. Around 7.a.m , the late Ghandikota Subba Rao , who was then the Convener of the Sai Centre at the United nations, knowing that I had come, rang up to my sister's apartment. We began conversing and, as Sai devotees do, forgot the time. I realized that it was past 7:40 a.m. and that I would have missed the bus.

I quickly left the apartment and went to the elevator, and pressed the down button, after noting that the elevator was heading down. The elevator arrived and I pressed the Lobby button. To my surprise, the elevator started going up. I mentally felt that the day was not a good day and things were going out of kilter. The elevator went up several floors and the doors opened. I saw there two gentlemen in airline uniforms who came in. They looked at my suitcase and said, 'looks like you are travelling somewhere'. I replied that I had planned to take a particular flight to Chicago, but, most probably, I was missing the flight. They smiled and said 'you are not missing the flight; we are the pilots of it'. They then took me in their car right up to the aircraft; I got VIP treatment. When we are engaged in Bhagavan's leelas, He takes care of us in every respect.

When our second son was born, he developed a fever which persisted even when he was about three years of age. We consulted many doctors and did all kinds of tests, but to no avail. This went on for several months. We took him to Prasanthi Nilayam and Bhagavan, in His infinite love and mercy, called us for an interview with the child. He then asked the boy as to what was wrong with him. Our son began to reel off all that doctors had said and Bhagavan patiently listened and encouraged him to talk. After hearing all that the little fellow had said, Swami materialized some vibhuti and asked him to take it every day. The very next morning the fever disappeared.'

-- Mr. V. Srinivasan

(Source: The devotee's article in the special souvenir Tribute published by the Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust on the occasion of the 80th Birthday of Bhagavan.)