Excerpts from the speech by Prof. (Mrs.) Jayalakshmi
Gopinath, Warden, Anantapur Campus, Sri Sathya Sai Institute
of Higher Learning, delivered in the Divine Presence on 12th
March 2006, in Sai Kulwant Hall.
My hearfelt
Pranams at the Lotus Feet of the Great One… the Perfect One…
the Loving One…the all-endearing Bhagawan Baba.
It is for
me to tell all those who gathered here at the Lotus Feet of
Bhagawan, young and old, fellow travellers to the haven of
peace and love – that He is the crest jewel of the
Ratnakaram family. Not that God needs any introduction
through any family or through any people, but He Willed…and
His Will definitely will be translated into action which
brings about tremendous messages to the whole of humanity. I
have been blessed to know dear Baba's grandfather, the doyen
of the Ratnakaram family. Puttaparthi, then, was a small
hamlet and that it has grown to such proportions with people
teeming around the canteen, which caters to everyone
throughout the day and night, a super speciality hospital,
the kind of which you will not find anywhere and all the
three educational institutions, two for the boys and one so
lovingly constructed for the girls because we also, the
women community need His Love and Blessings. One would never
understand were I to say, were I to describe, how
Puttaparthi was. But there is one thing which I can never
forget, the wonderful sanctity, serenity, the simplicity of
Puttaparthi which was then in the middle 40's or late 40's.
Many a time
the great doyen, the grandfather of Bhagawan Baba would come
to see his Divine grandson. What a sight for the Gods to
see! Blessed I am indeed, that I have seen it! He was a
perfect village chieftain – tall, gaunt, upright, dignified;
definitely befitting to be the grandfather of Divinity…and
he knew his grandson was God Himself. I have seen the
interaction between the grandfather and the little grandson.
Those early years, Swami used to be beautiful; not that He
is not beautiful now…but as so young in his early 20's, Baba
was so very beautiful. He would walk about so sprightly, so
vivaciously, at the same time, one could never take
advantage of Him. He was God; we have to have our own
limits. He would teach us and train us how to behave, both
in the secular way and in the religious way, because we have
not given up our homes and gone to the forest…we are still
in the world…and we have to behave properly even in the
world. Baba teaches us even that. So the great grandfather,
he would come, he would not take any support. He would just
have a stick in his hand, straight, upright. When I saw him
he was about 110 years old. And, as soon as he came people
around there would put a chair for him. Those who had seen
the Old Mandir then, it had an enclosed veranda in the front
from where we enter and from there we go into the little
sanctum. A chair would be brought and put for him and word
would go for his little Divine grandson. But, of course,
Swami knew that he had come. Swami would come so lovingly as
if He was waiting for His grandfather. Remember, detachment,
at the same time loving. That is the lesson all of us have
to learn, imbibe and practise. But, at all times, how can we
combine detachment with love. Here is the supreme example,
our beloved Bhagawan would come to the grandfather as if it
mattered so much to Him. I have seen the interaction between
the grandfather and the grandson. He would be so endearing
to his little grandson, talk to Him. Baba would sit beside
him drawing a chair. And we would just watch what brightness
would be on the grandfather's face. He was all happiness,
all bliss. Baba would be very, very endearing to him. After
some time, he would get up without support. He had the
sparks of Divinity in him because Bhagawan had Willed it
that to him should be born the grandson, who is going to be
The Teacher, The Great Teacher, The Divine Teacher, The
Loving Teacher, The Profound Teacher of the whole world. He
knew his grandson was that. That is why his heart flowed out
to him, but at the same time as we would watch he would
never take advantage of Bhagawan. And the interaction is
still, as if I have seen it yesterday. I always tell myself
how blessed…how blessed I am! Indeed so blessed am I that I
have seen the great doyen of the Ratnakaram family. Then he
would go back straight, very confident, with the feeling
that I have met my Divine grandson, the great satisfaction
would be there upon his face.
In these
modern days of civilisation, of sophistication, of going to
the United States to learn much more…to learn about
what?...do we learn about Divinity? Do we learn how we
should conduct ourselves so that we live in peace in the
world? Are we taught there that to touch the dust of
Divinity's feet is heaven itself? We go searching into a
blind alley. There is absolutely nothing beyond it and we
come back frustrated. Then we begin to think when it is too
late. It is only when you start at a young age, that by the
time you come to my age you would have reached the absolute
proximity of the Divine Lotus Feet. May you be blessed by
Bhagawan with His wonderful experience because I am relating
it all of the great family, the befitting family, it was all
Willed by Him that He should be born in this great family.
I have seen
the benevolent father, Venkama Raju Garu. What a wonderful
person! The father was also tall and thin, he was also a
prominent person in the village. How simple! how genuine!
how loving! not a bit of ostentation in any of them, and
yet, Venkama Raju Garu was the father of Bhagawan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba. It was a very small hamlet as I said and in those
days there were no shops to cater to the devotees who would
come and they had to cook their own food. Now it is a
miracle to see the canteens, it is growing day by day.
Venkama Raju Garu was so kind to the devotees, he knew the
difficulties. So, he would get a large quantity of
provisions from Bukkapatnam. He had a small little stall
nearby. Let us learn from him. Any devotee who comes to him,
he would lovingly ask, "Eem Kavali Meeku" (What do you
want)? He would speak with such gentleness and respect. Even
to me he would say, "Ammaya, Eem Kavalamma?" (Mother, what
do you want?) Who was I? I was nobody. He was the father of
Divinity, but so simple. We would touch his feet. My father
was very fond of him. It was mutual. We were amazed at his
simplicity. We from the town with all sophistication just
cannot fathom. It comes right from the heart. It does not
come from the mind at all.
One day my
father asked him, Venkama Raju Garu,"Me Koduke Devudu
Aaypoyadu Kada, Mari Meeku Elaganipisthundi" (Your son has
become God, is it not? How do you feel about it?). The same
serene face, this was his answer, "Vitthal Rao Garu, Vadu
Devudu Aayipoyadandi, Nake Kadu Andariki Devudu" (Yes, He
has become God. He is God not only for me, but for
everyone). What a beautiful answer! How he had reconciled to
the situation that his beloved son was not only for him, but
He was for the whole world and for the whole humanity. It
could break any father's heart to think that the son is
receding from him and going out to the whole of humanity.
The great Venkama Raju Garu had understood the value of his
Son, had understood the secret of the Divinity of his Son.
Now
Prasanthi Nilayam has grown to such proportion. This could
be a very small replica of heaven. Once again, let me
reiterate the simplicity of Venkama Raju Garu, the dignity,
I have not seen in any modern individual. I speak the truth.
I knew the Divine Mother Easwaramma so well. It was mutual
love between us. I loved her because, on her face there was
such brilliance that you could not find anywhere in the
whole world, on any sophisticated face. Whatever one would
put on the face, it could not match the glow on her face. I
have seen it myself. She was as simple as a child. In the
row of houses of East Prasanthi, my father has got a little
house. Can you think of her simplicity! Divinity was her
son. How simple she was! She came to our house and of
course, all of us would touch her feet. I am so glad that I
had that opportunity. She came to my father and said,
"Vitthal Rao, Swami, "Pedda Pedda Bhashanalu Istharu Kada.
Vadu Chaduvukoledu Kada. Sarigane Cheputada?" (Swami gives
many discourses, does He speak properly? I am asking because
He has not studied books). What would we say to that
innocent mother! She was so concerned about her son. She
knew He was Divine, but such concern! Of course, we hardly
could understand and fathom the meaning of the wonderful
things that Swami used to tell us even in those days.
One
incident comes to my mind. Way back in 1951; till then Baba
had not given discourses in public. That day He called the
men devotees and said, "Put a table for Me; I am going to
speak". We were all enthralled. When He had told us, time
and again, wearing His self out. I don't want to be
sentimental over it. But it breaks my heart. We have seen
Baba walking so fast, all over. Now He is suffering for the
sake of humanity. What can we do? We cannot do anything.
Just lay our tarnished hearts at the Lotus Feet and pray,
"Swami, don't suffer for our sakes. We are not worth it."
That is what I feel all the time. That day Swami asked the
table to be brought. The microphone was put on the table.
Baba was young then. Let us remember what He said, at that
young age. The wisdom and the love that overflowed, they
were joined together. Baba has nothing but love and love and
love within Him. I can assert and if it has to be announced
on the house tops, I am prepared to do it. Or, if I have to
take a megaphone and asked to go to all the countries and
tell that there is a wonderful little God with us…Our great
God, who is the very incarnation… Oh come, come, come and
see Him and experience Him, I can definitely do it because I
have the conviction. I have known Him as a young girl. Baba
is a wonderful mixture of grace and stability. He is both
feminine and masculine. These are the attributes of God.
He came
down; of course, none of us had the doubt that Baba could
not speak well. We were all waiting anxiously, breathlessly.
All fellow devotees, youngsters and elders, if I tell you
what He said that day; it will make your hair stand on end.
He just thumped at the table hard and then said: "Remember,
I am God." Take it in. So many of us cannot take it in
because we do not know God, we do not love God and if God
were to come and tell "I am God", we would be blind to the
reality. That was the first announcement (declaration). The
second announcement, He thumped, "I am the Upanishads"; the
third announcement, "I am the Vedas"; the fourth
announcement, "I am the scriptures". "I have come down for
the sake of humanity." And then He says, "Remember, why are
you vacillating? I have nothing that is personal in what I
tell. It is for your benefit. Cast off all your doubts, all
your vacillations. Come here and try to take in arms full.
The wonderful teachings, the wonderful things that you see
is not just confined to only as we may think to religious
rituals, but a combination of what humanity in toto is – the
heart, the head, the intellect, everything."
He said,
"Let us remember this, it is the same people who come to Me,
adoring Me and offering Me gifts; the very same people after
some time malign Me. It does not affect Me. Whether you give
anything to Me or you do not offer anything to Me; it makes
no difference". Beautiful things… He told us that day, young
Baba. Even today, I remember the Mandir of 1951. Some of the
things are etched in our memory that it makes an indelible
impression. These are the scriptures that we should
treasure, Sai's scriptures.
There was
another incident involving an old Brahmin lady. That was
again here in 1951. She was very insistent that wherever she
was, she should follow the brahminical rituals. It was
ekadasi and she would fast the whole day. She would not take
even a drop of water. She used to stay in the makeshift
bamboo houses behind the Mandir. She was so very insistent
and somebody called her rigid. Her husband was a great
scientist and if she had a bath and wore what we call the
madi Sari, she would not even serve her husband. She would
throw it on his plate. People used to laugh at her. When
Baba used to be that side of the Mandir in those days, with
lot of love she would prepare something and she would like
to offer it to Swami. She would put it there and not even
touch Baba's Feet because, she was in madi. So, people
thought, what a strange creature she is! But, I tell you,
Baba does not see the exterior, dear youngsters and elders,
Baba sees the interior, what we are.
One day, it
was ekadasi, and as usual we would have Bhajans for a long
time. The strict discipline was followed; ladies on the one
side and gents on the other. Baba came and sat on His throne
and asked: "Where is Janakamma?" She was sitting away from
the crowd because it was ekadasi. She was in the madi
clothes, nobody should touch her. Baba with such compassion
asked us to move and make place for her. We did, and He
asked her to come and sit near His throne. She did so. What
love! What love! It is something that one has to experience.
He asked
her, "Today is ekadasi, isn't it."
She said: "Yes, Swami."
"You haven't eaten anything?"
"No, Swami."
Then He said, "In the evening on an ekadasi, what would you
do?"
She said, "Swami, I would go to the temple where some
knowledgeable people or the priest would tell about the
puranas and great stories of God. I would go there and
listen to it."
Swami said, "Is that so? Sit down, I will tell you the story
of God."
How beautiful it was! ... when people laughed at her, saying
she was mad, she was rigid. The Gita tells us that anything
that you do, do it sincerely, that is enough. No need to ask
for any approbation from others. The heart must be pure and
the love for God must be absolutely transparent and sincere.
This is what Bhagawan Baba gave us, so many opportunities to
learn that He was the one behind all these things. No
religion mattered to Swami; it is only the religion of Love.
Every religion tells the same thing. Treat everyone as your
brother, the whole humanity is your kin at every stage, at
every step. He taught us these things by His own example.
Bhagawan sets an example. He is not angry with any of us. An
ordinary preacher feels so self important, and if we do not
listen to him, his ego is hurt. But, Bhagawan has no ego. He
has come to love and serve humanity, to teach us what love
is. Love, which is unsullied and pure.
There is
one instance which Bhagawan told us. In an interview, there
was an individual. Constantly he was putting snuff into his
nose. Naturally, people who use snuff should have a big
handkerchief. He would blow his nose into the handkerchief
which would be all soiled. Baba looked at him and said,
"See, this doesn't look good. You are blowing your nose and
making the handkerchief dirty. No, no, no. Give it up, give
it up. It isn't good for a person of your stature, your
age". So, he conceded. Oh! it is beautiful! Then Baba used
to eat betel leaves those days and He used to wipe His mouth
with the white handkerchief. There were slight red marks in
the white handkerchief. It was not even an afterthought.
Instantaneously, then and there, Divinity resolved that He
would never eat betel leaves again. That He has to do, what
He asks us to do…that we should learn. It is not that on a
New Year day or a holy day, we should remember these
wonderful things, these examples that Baba has given us.
We talk of
asceticism; we talk of giving up this, giving up that. It is
the purity of the heart, the intensity of love, thinking of
God all the time and His beauty. That is the only road to
God. No need of wearing rags. No need of saying, I have
given up this, I have given up that. It is not giving up the
worldly things that matters, but it is giving up bad
thoughts, the negative thoughts within us. Everything is
God. Why do we see the difference because, we have it in our
mind. We have to go beyond, as Bhagawan says, beyond these
dualities and understand that He says, "Everything is God."
Baba said, the whole world is God. That is what Prahlada
told his father, Hiranyakasipu. …And when Hiranyakasipu
asked, "Is He there in this pillar?" "Yes father." So
Hiranyakasipu broke the pillar and there came Narasimha
Swami. He was in such a dreadful shape that Hiranyakasipu
could not withstand it. But, Prahlada saw. He was God
Himself. He went and embraced that fearful form. I am not
able to see God except in His physical form here because my
eyes have the cataract. If I could remove that cataract all
that blinds my vision, I could see the whole universe as
Bhagawan Baba. I pray, let us go to those heights of
meditation, prayer and love, that everywhere we can see Him.
That is the only heaven; that is the only bliss; that is the
only thing we must work for and live for. All of you know
it; I do not need to say. There is nothing in earning more
and more money; there is nothing in craving for greater and
greater status; there is nothing in feeling that I must be a
great intellectual and achieve this and that; nothing in
telling ourselves that I must be a great religious teacher.
…Of what avail? All that matters is I am the child of God; I
am the servant of God… Suffice it. That He loves me and I
love Him. That is paradise enough. All these material things
just do not matter. You might say, "I have reached this age
and I have come to this conclusion." No. I have been at the
Lotus Feet at a young age. I have understood what the great
One is trying to impart to us. He wants each one of us to be
happy.
One very
casual incident when He came to our hostel... We were all
there in the staff room. Baba would come to us very often,
very casually and as Mira sang in her Bhajan "Andanalum
Vandidado Brindavanatil, Kannan Valarthan" (Would those days
come again when Kannan (child Krishna) grew up in
Brindavan.) Those days, when He would come to Anantapur, so
casually without previous announcement, sit with us in the
staff room, talk to us; not as one of great Divinity, but on
equal terms. I was wondering, Baba has placed me here; how
much can I fulfil His trust in me. Some children can be very
naughty. Sometimes they do not know, not that they do it
purposefully. I know it now. They all have innocent hearts.
Sometimes they are unmanageable. So, when Baba was sitting
there, He asked me, "Jayamma, Andaru Bagane Unnara
Pillalu?Bagane Anni Chesukuntunura? (Are all the children
alright? Are they doing well?) And ignorant as I was, I
said, "Swami, Andaru Bagane Unnaru, Kani Kondaru Koncham
Vinatamledu (everyone is alright, but some are not listening
to me). Immediate answer, Evaru Cheddavaru Undaru, Mana
Drishti, Andaru Manchivalu (nobody is bad, good and bad lie
in our vision. Everyone is good). That is a message for all
of us. Be good, do good, see good. That is Bhagawan's
message. All the Vedanta, all the scriptures, all that the
Bible has to say or the Quran or the Zoroastra religion
comes to this essence, "Be good, do good, see good".
Understand that this alone will take us to the haven of the
Lotus Feet of our most Beloved Loving Bhagawan.
Volumes
have been written about the great Avatars, Rama and Krishna
and what they did when they set their Divine Feet upon the
earth - to redeem and to love mankind. As I said, it was
Willed by Bhagawan that I come to Him at a young age.
Blessed, blessed, tremendously blessed I call myself. I do
not deem anything more.
In those
days, Old Mandir was a very small building. We have all seen
it. Now, of course, it is much changed. Can we ever conceive
it? Thrones bedecked with special gems, people sitting at
their feet and fanning the king and those around singing
songs of His glory. But the great God lived in that little
Mandir. It was a rough construction of stone and the front
was a veranda, now where the weddings take place. Just a few
steps from there is the sanctum, wherein it was installed
with all religious rituals, sanctimoniously Baba's image and
Shirdi Baba's image. That is where some of us, ladies would
sleep and men would sleep in the outside veranda. Mira sang,
"Would those days of Brindavan ever come again?" Well, I
also feel the same. He would take all of us, men, women,
young and old to the sands of Chitravathi. It was almost an
everyday affair. How can I describe how Puttaparthi was?
There was no obstruction of all these buildings. It was just
greenery all around, tall trees, which had grown from the
silt of the sacred Chitravathi; so green, so cool, so
beautiful, so comforting to the eye. We would go; we were
not so many. Baba would walk ahead and we of course ladies
would keep to one side and men to the other side. It used to
be a wonderful experience where Baba would take us right to
the banks of Chitravathi. Eventide is very beautiful time
and myriad shades of the sun through the trees were
enchanting. They would fall upon Baba's lovely Feet as He
walked the sands of Chitravathi. There He would sit, He
would select a place, all of us would sit and again
according to the discipline.
There is so
much to be told, but Bhagawan asked me to tell just one or
two incidents. We read about the ten Avatars. We have seen
them in pictures drawn by very good artists. When we see
them, it makes an impression on us. And we wonder why God
had taken all these forms? You and I cannot fathom it. He is
trying to tell us that He is in every creation and He has
bestowed on man the greatest gift of intelligence and
discernment. It was one such day, when it was evening,
almost dusk coming in, it was getting a little dark. We were
all there, and suddenly Baba disappeared. Where is Swami?
Where is Swami? Because in those days those hills were
thickly forested, and we were told there would be cheetahs
and tigers around. Baba was small and delicate. Where is
Swami? Where is Swami? We could not find Him. But we heard
His voice right on that hill. It is there even now. "Look
here", He said, a stentorian voice, the voice of Divinity
which can reach out to the periphery of eternity itself. And
dumbfounded, aghast, we were just tantalised. We were just
looking upon the hill, a brilliant dazzling light. The
panorama of all the ten Avatars one by one went across, as
if, I would say it was the silver screen. Each one of them
perfect, we were just standing there aghast, not petrified,
but looking at the whole thing with such wonder. Ultimately,
it was Bhagawan's image in a bright halo of light. Oh! Then
we knew the director behind all this. We knew that it was
His Will. Oh ye devotees! Oh ye human beings! Remember, I am
the Creator, I am The One who has presented before you all
the various aspects of My creation.
Then hardly
had we got out of this wonderful experience, we were almost
glued to the spot, Baba was amidst us. How could He come
from that hill? …as if like lightening, He was amidst us!
And He spoke to us almost casually as if He was not the One
who did all these things. He was just the little Sai Baba of
the Old Mandir. That is our Swami. No ostentation. No self
glorification. The tremendous power lies in the
unostentatious nature of Divinity. And at other times, He
had shown us so many other things, which if were to relate
to you, would become a great scripture in itself.
This is
absolute truth, take it from me. I have known Bhagawan, I
have kissed the dust of His Feet for 57 years. …and so how
could I speak something which is not truth? I have collected
the sands on which He had walked. They are still with me.
There was a lady who had collected the sands of Chitravathi
on which Swami had walked. I did not know her personally,
but after some time, when we had gone to Bombay (Mumbai)
with Swami, I met that lady and she said, "Do you know, I
collected the dust under His Feet from the Chitravathi sand
and this is what it has been transformed into". They have
all become precious gems. I have seen it with my own eyes.
These are the wonderful things I have seen. Therefore, I
feel that the only place for all of us is the Lotus Feet of
Bhagawan Baba, to be in the close vicinity of this loving
Divinity, to bask in the sunshine of His loving grace, to
get redeemed. When I say redeemed, I don't mean a static
phase. But, whenever God wants to come to the world, as
Kanakadasa says, "Everybody be a witness, let me come with
You again and again". I don't want to stay in heaven for
ever. I want to come to the world whenever Baba comes to the
world, so that I can see the leelas, so that I can drink
deep, the glory, the Divinity, the love. And all that He is
offering us every moment.
Another
incident shall I say what He taught me. This is for all of
us. I know all of us are feeling bad that Baba, who was so
agile, so graceful, He would sometimes be ethereal when He
walks. When we see Him walk, we know, not that physically He
is not undergoing pain. We know what it is, even a small
stone when it hits us, how we feel the pain. But, He just
overlooks it, does not mind it.
Dear
Devotees!
Why have we to travel overseas, searching for a model so
that we get eminence and fame? Sit at the Feet of Divinity
and learn these precious lessons. In Kodaikanal, I got the
opportunity, I mustered courage…looked at Him and said. He
had just got up from the chair. He was so concerned whether
everything was ready for the dinner for all of us. He hardly
eats anything, I know it. As He was coming, I said, "Swami,
it is not difficult for Swami to cure Himself; Swami just do
this, everything will be alright". And you know the answer,
fellow devotees. It went like a shaft into my heart. I could
write it in golden letters and stand on top of Mount Everest
itself and proclaim, "In the whole world, God is perfection.
I will tell in Telugu, it will be more sweet. Nenu Mee
Andariki Mee Jabbalu Nayam Chesthana? Mari Nenu Naku Endaku
Chesukuntanu? (Do I cure the diseases of everybody? So why
should I cure Myself?) What an ideal! When He saw the man
with that snuff handkerchief, Baba gave up eating betel
leaves. The feeling that He is not curing, we have our
Prarabdha (results of past lives). We cannot ask God to cure
our diseases which we have brought with us from life to
life. He will mitigate it. But the answer He gave was, "When
I am not curing your diseases, how can I cure Myself?" This
is perfection! Enough…we sit at the Lotus Feet and redeem
ourselves and fill ourselves with love and intensity of
devotion to Bhagawan Baba, the sweet Lord, the loving God.
God with a heart that is so expansive which is even beyond
the creation. He feels for everyone. When He feels somebody
is so sick and they are in a condition where perhaps they
cannot do anything with themselves, He goes to them
personally. But let us remember, we have also to eke out our
Prarabdha. …And with His grace, chanting Bhagawan Baba's
Name, miracles will become common when Divinity inherits the
earth.
Sai Ram