Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/21

God can accomplish any task. Sometimes He may give darshan to some people, while others may not have this benefit. Much depends upon their mental attitude. Cultivate unflinching faith and singleminded devotion to God. Several yogis and renunciants yearned for the darshan of God, but few could win that grace with unflinching faith and single-minded devotion to God.

Sometime ago when I visited Rishikesh, I gave darshan to Swami Purushothamananda living in the Vasishta cave located on the way to Badrinath in the Himalayas. He was doing thapas, living alone in that cave. He used to keep a small oil lamp in that cave. The cave was located a little interior from the road point. He used to purchase milk and make some tea with it. That was his only food. The rest of the time, he was always immersed in thapas. Days rolled by. After sometime, he did not have enough strength to come to the road point to purchase milk and again get back to his cave. Hence, he made his trips less frequent, that is, once in a week, to obtain milk.

One day, he came to know that Bhagawan Baba was staying in the Sivananda ashram for a few days. He was longing to have Swami's darshan. He, therefore, sent a letter through a messenger praying "Bhagawan! Please come to our cave and grant darshan to me."

I was aware of his intense devotion towards Swami. I saw his letter and immediately rushed to Vasishta cave to give him darshan . The entrance to the cave was closed with a door. Purushothamananda had no energy left in him to get up and open the door. Kasturi accompanied Me during My trip. He was quite strong then. Both Kasturi and Myself tried to open the door. At last we could succeed in opening the door. Purushothamananda was extremely happy on seeing both of us. He wanted to spend a few minutes alone in the Divine Presence of Swami. He, therefore, advised Kasturi to go inside the cave and have a look at it. Kasturi, with his journalistic inquisitiveness went in.

Purushothamananda fixed his gaze on Me and was lost in bliss. After a few moments, he regained his normal self. I told Purushothamananda that I would visit his cave once again. The very next day I visited Purushothamananda and spent some time with him again. After My return to Sivananda ashram, Swami Sivananda was a bit disappointed that I visited Purushothamananda's cave twice and did not find much time to spend in the Sivananda Ashram.

On my second visit to Vasishta cave, I took a piece of paper from Kasturi and wrote a particular date for My next visit to Purushothamananda's ashram. On the scheduled date, Purushothamananda took a holy bath in the Ganges and was eagerly waiting for My darshan. Deeply lost in contemplation on my divine Form, he had divine vision after sometime. A few minutes later, he left his mortal coil in that deep samadhi state itself.

The news was conveyed to Me while I was in Delhi. I was informed by a telegram that Purushothamananda merged in Swami. I confirmed the news saying, "yes, yes." Strangely, his birthday and the day on which he attained samadhi were one and the same. Later on, when the door of the Vasisthta cave was opened, the entire cave was smeared with vibhuti! The body of Purushothamananda was later let into the river Ganges by the disciples of Sivananda.

From then on, the name and fame of Purushothamananda spread far and wide. The disciples of Purushothamananda thereafter visited Prasanthi Nilayam to have My darshan. They stayed in the ashram for a full ten days. I provided them good accommodation and all conveniences. They enjoyed Swami's darshan, sparshan, and sambhashan in full measure and finally left for their place, carrying with them the love and blessings of Swami. Purushothamananda was a noble soul. He was really a Purushothama (the best among men). This is the story of Purushothamananda.

Every one was happy to read in newspapers that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba had visited on two days the ashram of Swami Purushothamananda. Your happiness is My happiness. The Vasishta cave is still as it was when Purushothamananda lived there. It is perfectly clean and holy, permeating divine atmosphere in the entire ashram. The disciples of Purushothamananda told Me, "Swami! The entire atmosphere in the ashram is permeated by divine vibrations. We feel as though Swami Purushothamananda is still with us."

I told them: "Fine! You continue to feel his presence there and enjoy bliss."

During My last visit to Delhi, I arranged for conducting bhajan on Purushothamananda's birthday, keeping a photo of Purushothamananda there. Thus, several sages and seers display intense love and devotion toward Me and pine for My divine darshan.

SCA NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP RETREAT AT LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA

More than 40 members of NED centre attended the SCA National Fellowship Retreat at Langkawi, Malaysia on October 28 - 30, 2011.

Prof Anil Kumar and Dato Jegadhesan were the special guests who delivered their talks on two occasions, one at the Langkawi Sai Center and later at the De Baron Hotel where the SCA retreat was held.  There were bhajans and several cultural performances on both evenings.  

Various interesting topics on spirituality, healing, service activities, etc., were presented and discussed in both English and Chinese language throughout the duration of the retreat.

There were also two excursions included in the programme, one was mangrove boat ride at the Klim Geopark and the second was cable car ride at the Oriental Village.

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/20

Once some friends of mine suddenly decided to go into a Siva Temple which we were passing by. I was given to understand that it was an auspicious day. But, according to Swami, the day we spend in the contemplation of God is the only holy day. This point was stressed in the Bhagavatam through Prahlada. Anyway I went with my friends through the milling crowds and stood at the side railings near the sanctum sanctorum. As the idol was somewhat in a lower position, the heads of the devotees on either side of the railings were blocking the view of Lord Siva. Even my height of 5'—8” did not help me to have a glimpse. I resorted to meditation, closing my physical eyes.
When I was trying to mentally picturise the Siva Lingam with the symbol of three sacred horizontal vibhuti marks, I was getting the picture of 'Seshasayi' of Srirangam (the Lord Ranganatha reclining on the serpent Adisesha). Twice, thrice I repeated the exercise, but the picture did not alter. Then I prayed: "Swami, I wanted to visualise Lord Siva right at this moment, but why are you giving the vision of Sriranganatha? I want the horizontal Vibhuti lines not the vertical Vaishnavite lines at present." That very instant, I heard the familiar voice of Bhagawan, with His intriguing smile, saying "Yes, Yes. I know you are going to pose this question and hence this pose. Otherwise, I would have given darshan as Lord Venkateswara in a vertical manner. See what will happen to the namam of Vishnu if he lies down as Sriranganatha. Will they not become horizontal namam, which you are seeking for?" and suddenly His voice became stern and serious. "Am I not telling you repeatedly to give up these names and forms and meditate on the formless!" That very moment the namam of Lord Sriranganatha began revolving and became pure white light with increasing brilliance. I lost all sense of time and place and stood there perhaps for sometime till the Archaka brought me back to consciousness by saying: 'Sir, please take Arati', holding the flame in front of me. So with the Light inside me and that outside I opened my eyes!

Q: Baba, can You tell us how do You produce sacred ash or rings or other objects? I have seen persons who produce things like these but they were unable to explain how they could produce such things. I hope, I am not insulting the yogic power when I mention it to You that some of the persons who possess such powers do not necessarily possess good moral character. I have seen persons who have this power but who, i am told, have taken to drinking and such other vices. I am told also that there are certain lower creatures or deities or genii who do this work of bringing the objects from other source in a very obscure manner. But these are powers of a very low character. Some Yogis, it is said the Shastras, produce things out of their mind or mental stuff. Will You kindly explain to us the process of this objectification or projection?
A: Yes, as you say, these miraculous powers are of different types. Some bring the things from somewhere else, but there are higher powers through which you can project the things out of your mind. You can create the things by mere Sankalpa or auspicious will. Powers acquired through certain processes of Yoga are like a storehouse. They can be used and exhausted. But for one who uses the power of God, there is no exhaustion of resources. It is the Divine Power that is in operation through him.
Q: I remember to have read somewhere that God, Who is Chaitanya, exhibited the whole universe outside, which was already within Him and He is compared to a Yogi who projects things out of his mind without any outside material cause.
A: Yes, it is the same power that created the whole world by mere Will which operates through a Yogi and when it is so, the power is inexhaustible because it is a sort of Nidarshan (Instance) of God's power to create by force or Will. But the Yogi does this with a desire to instil faith in God in all those who observe this Nidarshan or an example motivated by the spiritual aim. The Yogi is a fit vehicle of God to give out this example to man.
Q: When we talk about pleasure, what is the real character? Is the pleasure of worldly life the same as that of Yogi or a Brahmajnani?
A: No, certainly not. The worldly pleasure are nothing but counteractions against pain. You feel thirsty, then you drink water. You are hungry, you eat food. It is not positive pleasure that you have, but you negate the pangs of thirst and hunger.
Q: I am reminded of a verse from Raja Bartuhari's 'Vairagya Sataka', which means that when the mouth is parched with thirst, one drinks water, sweet and scented; tormented by hunger, one takes a morsel of food, that is rice with contiments; when the fire of passion catches the heart the youth embraces the wife; thus counteraction of pains is really misunderstood by people as some positive pleasure.
A: Raja Bartruhari was wallowing in pleasure, being the king of a prosperous kingdom; he gave up all, because he understood that all worldly pleasures were nothing but a sort of counteraction. He wanted some joy. It is vairagya or detachement alone that can lead one on the path of spirituality. When you detach yourself from sense perception or sense enjoyment, you have inner joy or anand which is different from pleasure. This ananda is permanently there in the heart of everyone and everyone is perfectly free to seek it and get it.

Kuan Yin's Renunciation Day - 15/10/11

Kuan Yin's Renunciation Day was celebrated with prayers and bhajans on 15 October 2011, at 8.00pm.

Her Boddhisatva vow was read at the end of the session.  It reads as follows :

"Suffering beings are numberless, I vow to liberate them all.
Attachment is inexhaustible, I vow to release it all.
The gates to truth are numberless, I vow to master them all.
The ways of awakening are supreme, I vow to realize them all."

Om Mani Padme Hum.

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/19

Towards the end of last February, one afternoon, I was rolling pappads in my house, when a letter came from Sri Vineethji who was at Bangalore. I did not open it then and there, but, kept it aside. The Postman brought the ‘Pradeepa’ dak and in it there were two letters for me, both from great Yogis of Northern India, who treated me like their disciple and who were interested in my Sadhana. I felt like a child sitting at their Feet. I could not, but open their letters; so, I got my eyeglasses and read them. They had exhorted me to carry on my Sadhana and recommended some further steps.

I felt suddenly sad and lost. I sighed and wept because I was struck by the inadequacy of my efforts and the consequent insubstantiality of the progress made. I prayed to God that He might make me worthy of the tenderness and care that these Yogis were bestowing on me. I got some relief from my agony and resumed my work.

Then, I remembered the letter from Vineethji that lay unopened on my lap. I tore the cover and spread it before my eyes. At the very end of the page he had written, “I had the Darshan of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and He spoke to me, also. He is the Inscrutable Mystery; He is Omniscient; how can I describe Him to you? I shall try my best, when I come, to communicate to you my joy and His Glory.” Believe me, when I read that sentence, I felt a flash of Illumination pass through me; I became unaware of everything outside me. The eyes closed of themselves. There was no body consciousness. It continued like this, off and on, for two or even three days. Meanwhile, Vineethji came back from Bangalore; we decided to reach Puttaparthi a few days prior to Yugadi.

Some days passed, I was immersed in Dhyana, steeped in concentration. Then, when I came down, suddenly, I knew not why, I took paper and pen and wrote a letter to Sathya Sai Baba, the Baba I had not seen! Why I wrote it and what I had to write, I did not know. I only know I wrote. It was a call from Jiva to Siva, a call that did not crave a response.

I was like a tree, putting forth fresh leaves in spring. That letter gave me so much happiness, mere writing and sending it to Baba. Two or perhaps three days later, I wrote again. “Lord, You vouchsafed Darshan to Vineethji; grant me, too, the Darshan and shower on me too Thy Grace. Make my life worthwhile, giving me the Vision of the Form I worship. You are the Ocean of Mercy; You are the Giver of all Boons.” I sent the letter, but, somehow never worried about the reply. The mother is content, if the child’s cry “Amma!” reaches her; she might not care to respond every time. The Lord made everything smooth for our journey; we reached Puttaparthi without any trouble, we had His Darshan immediately on arrival. The next day, He called me in, along with two other elderly ladies, for “Interview”. The door was closed; while He was talking to those others, I was asked to move away into a place from where the stairs climbed to the first floor. I could see Ba ba, talking and blessing. Suddenly, I had a feeling that it was no longer earth, but, Heaven. I thrilled in the Presence of God. I saw God before me in human Form. Baba had His Hand on the wall, when He turned to me, in the midst of His talk with those others and said, “I know, I know, Your Sadhana has all along been for Merging with Iswara. But, why are you worried about that, even when you are in the actual Presence? Do your duties as an embodied Atma and leave the rest to Me.” Thus, I understood that my Lord had known the agitations of my heart. I was overcome with joy at the motherly Love and Grace of Baba.

My eyes opened a little. I recollected who I was and where from I had come. I saw before me in a flash, Narayana Himself, my Ishtadevata, my Upasanadevata, He who came as the Friend, Guardian and Companion from Birth to Birth, through countless ages. As a hungry man gets calm when he has secured a plate of rice, I too got Shanti, at the sight of the Lord. I had not spoken a single word so far. Now, I was seized by the urge to speak. I placed my hands across my heart and said, “Lord! The ‘I’ must go, now, here; ‘You’, ‘You’ alone should exist.” He said, “It will, it will.” I held His Hand in mine (!) and said, “Prabhu! Narayana! You must dwell in this heart.” He replied, “I shall, without fail.”

Two days later, Baba called both of us into that room; I feared that I will have to return to Dharwar and it will be some long time before I could sit at the Feet of the Lord. Then, I felt I had not so sat at all, I entered the room wishing that He would give me that joy. He closed the door and asking us both to sit on the carpeted floor, He sat down Himself, very near in front of us. Saying with a smile, “You desired to sit like this, is it not? Well. Do sit down now.” “Come, come take the Saguna aspect also little by little.” He ordered. I replied, “How can I stop with the Saguna? I do not succeed when I try to halt at that stage. In that vast splendour, this little light gets merged. How can I keep the mind on exterior things? Something pulls it in, every time I try. If you grant me the capacity, I may succeed.”

Baba smiled meaningfully and nodded that He would grant me the skill. He said, “While on the path of Sadhana, this experience is quite natural. You see, this is unreal; that too is unreal. The Atma alone is Real and it is neither this nor that. Still, one has to pretend that both are real and carry on. This is one cage; that is another; this is iron, that is gold; but both limit and imprison.” Suddenly stopping His speech, He said, “You know this; why should I repeat it now?” “Just a little anger remains; a passing phase, but still, a little blot is seen more clearly in a clean cloth, remember. Drive it out and become and more perfect,” He advised. I cannot express in words the fullness of my heart at that moment. I felt that Sri Krishna Himself was before me; I was overwhelmed. With a quivering voice, I said, “Lord, I am in highest Bliss. Yes, My life shall be as the life of a flower.”

I am generally very patient and quite; but, I cannot tolerate anyone walking away from God, or trying to force the world on me. Then, I really do get angry. How can I keep this trait away from the all-knowing Lord before me?

Both of us were with Baba again, for a few minutes. The next, we left. “The external life is a dream, it is hollow. How then can it be worthwhile?” I despaired.

The train moved on; men came in; men got down and disappeared; every one was on the move, endlessly, tirelessly. I came to know in a flash, “The core of life is steady, and the hub is fixed; only the rim goes round and round. If the hub is steady, the rim can move faster and faster, round and round.” “The external life is the rim, the internal is the hub.”

We reached Dharwar. The film moves on and the pictures are focused on the screen; on the back wall of Ananda the pictures of sadness and joy, of meanness and nobility, move on and on. Let them move, I decided. I shall be the wall, the Ananda; My Lord has given me the way to reconcile this with that. “Lord, with one glance from Thy Eye, you have transformed my life into LIFE.”

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/18

Time is fleeting like a fast moving wind. The Body is melting away from moment to moment like a block of ice. And, man is discarding his mortal body without performing his duty.

If human life does no more than, being born, brought up and die, then what is its achievement? What is the fruit of all the effort? Is this the use to which the education and training that man acquires are put?

Why should one make a special effort to acquire such qualities if it is only to know what is already known. One should use one's intelligence to know what we do not know.

The beasts and the birds too eat and sleep: they express fear and love in the same manner as men do. The differences are only in appearance and in name; the desire and the passion, are the same for man and beast.

How can we then establish the uniqueness of man? In spite of the fact that wisdom and judgement are special gifts to man by God, if man does not draw upon such gifts, of what use is it to proclaim the sanctity of the human species? What is the use of claiming supremacy? There is no sense in such pride. To relate one's actions with one's utterances and to relate one's utterances with one's thoughts is to be human. If on the other hand, there is no correspondence between one's utterances, one's actions and one’s thoughts, the individual can be only a man in outer shade; truly, he is devoid of all title to life.

Your hearts should be filled with compassion towards all living beings. You should fill suffering hearts with Prema. You should radiate thoughts that can generate Ananda.

The heart is like the overhead tank. Actions are like taps. Whatever quality of water is used to fill the tanks, only such will flow out of the taps. Fill the heart with Prema; then, Ananda flows from the taps. It will reach the world around us.

The utterance of Tukaram, "Dil ka Ram; Hath ka Kam" should be regarded as the motto of life. Prema is the main pillar of the Sai teaching. Life should be filled with Prema. The world should be looked at with Prema. Society should be contacted with Prema. Fulfilment of one's life should be through Prema.

Prema alone is God. Prema alone is Life. There is no living without Prema. Life devoid of Prema is equivalent to death. Life filled with Prema is Ananda. Life without Prema is sorrow, Prema is festivity. Absence of Prema is mourning. Prema is fearlessness. Absence of Prema is fear. Prema is the messenger of good. Absence of Prema is the harbinger of death.

心灵对话：丰足喜悦 (Abundance Of Joy)

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/17

Prasanthi Nilayam.... the Abode of Peace. That heart leaps at the very mention of the Name. How we long to be there! We greet with joy those who are just returning from there, hoping that some of the lustre and grace of the Sai drenched devotees may rub off on us.

To me, Prasanthi Nilayam means, simply, Home. It is my Mother's Place. When Mother calls, i go to Her. She knows what is needed. She gives it, namely Her Ananda in plenty. One returns from Mother rested and restored, and refreshed in body and spirit always. Many of the trees in the Nilayam can be recognised in mediaeval paintings, depicting scenes from Lord Krishna's career on earth. Near the Mandir, on the west side is a beautiful tall tree, which blooms around early Dasara and waft the lovely fragrance into Mother's Room. This tree can be noticed in many of the Rajasthan miniatures painted by mediaeval artiste devotees as well as the Deccani and Early Mughal painters. The neem, the coco nut, the tamarind, the banana, the rose, the jasmine and mogra bushes all offer their beauty and their scent for us to admire and offer gratitude to the Mother.

Mother's Darshan in the morning! A flash of red, the graceful Form arrives, closer and finally, a deep look and a compassionate smile, —can any mother on earth, cause such an ecstatic flutter in all hearts? Mother is loving, yet, detached—every movement, gesture, flash, smile has a meaning and a lesson. Only Mother knows the agony of each of us each step, especially to those of us who have already taken the wrong ones. If Mother smiles, all is well; the heart is light and filled with joy.

But, let her turn away or look over us into the beyond, then, gloom descends. "What have I done, now?"...a great deal of interpretation and interrogation, in the quiet of the room. And, soon, the answer comes. A prayer for forgiveness, a promise not to repeat the mistake, and a renewed dedication, to please the Mother and the Mother only—regardless of what others may say or think. Please her, with each little thought, word and deed—and, Peace reigns again.

Mother smiles, at the afternoon Darshan. Ah! I was right! Even the slightest deviation from the path towards the ideal is noted by Sai Mata, for, She is Omnipresent. She is everywhere, in us, with us, beside us and behind us. A poem written in the room to Her, reaches Her as soon as line is formed in the mind. A wish, a thought, all is known and if only you trust in Her, she keeps the lines straight and true. She is the world's greatest teacher of the art of Positive Thinking. As soon as you grasp the Universal Laws of Love, Service and Compassion, as taught by Her, Mother takes you closer. She is helpful; you make less mistakes. Sai is pure Bliss. Mother, i love Thee.

Since at Mother's house, I am care free of kitchen chores. Mother has a lovely Dining Hall, with many varieties of delicious and nutritious dishes, very lovingly prepared by devoted hands. Out of sheer happiness, I had all four meals on the first day—breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. But, it was really too much. I restrained myself to one meal a day, with some banana and curds, now and then. Mother spoils us thoroughly with Her Love. She knows that we must relish the stay with Her, away from kitchen chores. She is such a practical Avatar.

The Gokulam Milk is the world's most blessed milk. It is rich, sweet and sustaining. Behind the Hill Is a Tree, behind the Meditation Tree, and this is the place I go to, in the early dawn. Just before sunrise, the hills are purple and the dark green forests and fields oblige us to give a glimpse—a silvery glimpse—of the river, Chitravati. The golden sky is streaked with pink and orange. Oh! How Mother would enjoy a morning walk in the cool crisp air listening to the tinkling of the cow bells, as She used to do for years in the past and as Krishna in Brindavan! I am wrong in believing that this is not being done now. She must be with me now, as I watch these skies and fields, for, how can I visualise the beauty if She did not reveal it to me? She has taken upon Herself the heavy burden of saving Mankind. Multitudes are following Her whenever She goes or stays. Mother is busy with prayers from all around the globe; She has to watch every ch ild of Hers while it sleeps. The child may forget the world, but, the Mother cannot forget the child.

The day of departure arrives. The tears well up, the hand quivers, as Sai Mata comes for a last look and smile. Ma! Ma! I am going, today.... "Accha!".... She is off. In a trice, teaching us the higher Truth, the Reality, that She is in every atom of the Universe, and that we cannot go to any place where She is NOT.

Prasanthi Nilayam...leaving Mother is so hard. The last glimpse of Mother, among Her, children.... and the last cry..."Mother! Call me again soon!"

Shirdi Sai Jayanti 2011

Shirdi Sai Baba's Jayanti was celebrated on 27 September 2011, at 8.00pm.  We chanted Vedas and sang bhajans.  As the date coincided with the 1st day of the Chinese lunar month, we also chanted Tibetan Buddhist mantras.  Refreshments was served after arathi.

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/16

There are dogs who swim and dogs who hunt

And dogs which crouch thro’ snowy peaks;

There are some who yelp a pigmy grunt

And some whose barks are tiny squeaks.

Some guide the blind, some, sledges drag

And some like Leika are shot through space;

There are dogs of whom their masters brag

And long legged-ones that race.

But, of all the dogs that wag the tail

The purest, the best, is Kuttan, the Lame.

Of all the dogs that follow the trail

The saintliest one is Kuttan! The same!

No pedigreed dog; he was limping, cold,

Wet from the rain, with a cough on his chest

When he came to Bikkati, a pup of gold.

His manners were good, his habits, best.

He served the village as if duty bound

From dusk to dawn, from dawn to dark;

He growled and prowled like a hefty hound;

The village slept to the music of his bark.

‘Twas April sixty-one, twenty second day,

Bikkatti rose, full happy and gay,

For Baba was coming, He was on the way;

‘Twas no longer a question of `may’.

The valleys deep in ecstasy did thrill;

The road was sad, it hair-pinned so;

‘Sai Ram! Sai Ram’ repeated each hill

as the wayside trees did bend so low.

Believe me, it was Kuttan’s gladdest day!

He ran, he leaped, without reason pranced;

He whined, he wailed, he barked jai

When Baba came, he knew his God; he danced.

His lotus Feet he saw; he took his stance

And fell as humans do, mumbling a hymn;

He smelt those fragrant Feet, O, Lucky Chance!

Baba smiling waved His Hand; and ... called Him?

Soon as Baba left us lonely, we gave to all

The feast that He had touched;

Kuttan’s ear had caught the Call;

He gulped the sacred meal and lurched.

Half blind with tears, he sniffed the air

He reached the Holy Dias and kept

His head on His Footstool there!

He breathed his last!…….the village wept!

We rolled him in the silky sheet

Which Baba’s soles had pressed;

We dug his grave near the sanctified seat

And showered the flowers by Baba blessed.

We are proud of our brother, proud of the way

This Bikkatti Kuttan spent his day.

Dear Kuttan the Lame, he taught us the way

To live and—how to get away.

Sai Spiritual Showers - Issue 3/15

This is a story about Krishna.... In a way, the story was not completed until November, 1975.

A number of years ago, 1 was in Bhagawan's car. He was in the rear seat with two persons, one on each side of Him. I was in the front seat, with the driver. We were on our way to Puttaparthi.

Driving in the car with Swami is a fascinating experience. Not only is there the thrill of being close to the Divine Lord Himself, but, sometimes He will give you the opportunity to ask questions. Sometimes, He engages in animated conversation in Telugu with the companions. Sometimes, He indulges in jokes with one or other of them. Sometimes, He remains silent, making the characteristic gesture with His Hand that seems to indicate that He is giving attention to something quite unknown to us. And, very often, He sings bhajans, with every one in the car joining in the chorus (except me, who has a musical voice, akin to the crow). The net result of all this enthralling activity is that my neck is constantly being twisted in order to see what is going on in the back seat. Swami understands my plight, but, does not advise me to desist; He allows me the liberty to turn round. Of course, I do not stare all the time. I look only so l ong as I dare and then I resume my posture, turning to the front again. So, my looking at Swami is intermittently back and forth.

At some point in the journey, maybe about half way, Swami was talking and I turned to look. My breathing stopped and I was transfixed! I could not credit my eyes. His devotees see Swami's Face as beautiful indeed, although the chief impression I receive from His feature is that of Power and Majesty.

What transfixed my movement and stopped my breathing was Swami's Face... The Swami I know was not there! Instead, there was a Face of the most extraordinary beauty, quite different of shape and cast from the features of our Beloved Sai. The charm was so great, so poignant that my heart seemed to twist, almost as though it were in pain. Never in life, nor in photos, nor in painting by great artists have I seen a Face of such exquisite beauty. It was beyond imagination and concept, totally out of experience.

And His colour was blue. Not just blue, not the blue with which artists paint Krishna but, a deep blue, like the velvet blue that sometimes can be seen in a dark sky, like a blue that I have at times seen from the deck of a ship thousands of miles from shore on the Pacific Ocean. I do not know how else to describe it.

I could not remove my eyes from Swami. At length, I caught myself and turned away. But, at once, I looked again, and the same beauty surely not of the world, was still there. This continued for at least fifteen minutes. The two men sitting with Swami were beginning to look at me with somewhat puzzled expressions for, my staring was different from what they had become used to.

After a few miles, Vittala Rao (on Swami's left) asked me, "Hislop! What were you staring at Swami like that?"

Instead of answering, I directed a question to Swami, "Swami! What was that blue colour?" Swami replied, "Oh! That? Whenever there is something of unfathomable depth, it appears to be deep blue.”

That was the end of the conversation. Naturally the thought had come to mind that may be this was Lord Krishna, but, neither then, nor at any time in connection with this experience did I ever say the name of Krishna to Swami.

There the matter rested until November 1975. It was before people started to arrive in multitudes for the Birthday. Swami's schedule was still somewhat free and He was taking me with Him in the jeep and so on... and probably, that was why I got invited into the Interview. An army man and his wife had come from Assam. They were devotees, but this was their first time to actually see Swami. Often people wait for months for interview, but this family was called as soon as they arrived. I was seated on the verandah of the Mandir and saw them go into Swami's room. No sooner had they entered than Swami motioned to me.

There was the mother and father, the son and daughter. Swami spoke to them most lovingly. He knew everything about their lives and it was very evident that He was an intimate member of that household.

After a while, Swami asked me, "Hislop! Tell them some experiences.” I complied and after mentioning some incidents, I told the same story just now related in these pages, but, not even then, did I mention the Krishna name. The man was deeply impressed and words broke from His lips, "Oh! That had to be Lord Krishna"

Swami smiled and said, "Yes, that was Krishna; not the Krishna pictured by artists and imagined by writers. I showed Hislop the real Krishna.” The man said, "Oh! How I want to see Krishna.” Swami smiled again and said, "Wait; wait.”

There is a sequel to this story. About a month later, in December, at Brindavan, I was talking with Swami and I brought forward the names of some famous saints and gurus of the past and Swami said some things about them. Then the idea struck me that, wonderful though it must have been to know those great personages and learn from them, the present day was the first time since Krishna lived that one could have God Himself as Guru. So I started to say, "Swami! In the thousands of years of time, since Krishna...."

Swami interrupted me before I could say another word and exclaimed "Time since Krishna...? I am Krishna. Where is Time?" I folded my hands and bent low to Him and said, "Well, Swami. This is the best of all times, to be born!"

Swami replied, "Yes; the most fortunate of all times. Even more fortunate to be born now, than during the Krishna Avatar.”

Once before, within my hearing, Swami declared Himself as Lord Krishna. This story has been told in detail elsewhere. It happened in Dharmakshetra, at Bombay (Mumbai), and came about as part of the extra ordinary drama of `the weeping saris' to which a few of us in the room with Swami were the fascinated witnesses. I had exclaimed that this had to be the reenactment this very day of the drama of the mountain that had occurred in the Avatars of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna. Bhagawan replied, "Yes; it is the selfsame Rama and the selfsame Krishna Who is here this very day.”

In the light of what has been recited in the preceding pages by me, a direct witness and participant, we need never look back with even the slightest tinge of envy to those fortunate people who lived during those wonderful days of the Krishna Avatar. This very day, and every day that we look at our Beloved Sai, we are, gazing directly at Sri Krishna.

Let us treasure His Divine presence. In ages to come, the rich experience of our days will be told and retold as the wondrous story of the Sai Avatar.