Experiences from Childhood
Our family, my grandmother, mother, aunty, my brother, and younger sister, used to stay in Bangalore. Both my sister and I were then studying there. My grandmother and my mother came to know about Sri Swamiji in 1947 through an uncle of ours. My mother and my aunty went to Puttaparthi to have darshan [sight of a holy person] of Sri Swamiji and came back very happy, saying that they would take us to Puttaparthi for Dasara [festival]. On the Dasara trip we stayed in Puttaparthi for 12 days.
From then onward, for every holiday we used to go to Puttaparthi. It used to be a tough journey, but we were never bothered and enjoyed it thoroughly. Sri Swamiji used to wait near the entrance of the old mandir [temple] to receive us, and again He used to send us back with lot of love and blessings. We, as children, used to cry when we had to leave Baba and go to Bangalore. Sri Swamiji used to call me Godavari and my sister Chitravati [names of rivers]. Since I was older, He said that the river in Shirdi that is Godavari will be my name and Chitravati will be my younger sister’s name.
In the mornings, after getting up from bed, we used to go to Chitravati River for our daily morning chores, and then we used to be with Swamiji all the time, carrying a hand fan or paan daan (a small case for betel nuts and leaves) or towel, etc. In the evenings Sri Swamiji used to take us to the riverbed and tell us stories and also give us discourses on many spiritual and philosophical subjects. He used to materialize idols and photos and give them to bhaktas [devotees], and to us children he gave fruits and sweets.
After coming back from the river, all would chant bhajans for an hour or so ending with arati [sacred flame]. In the night, on the open portico of the old mandir we used to sit and make garlands from fresh jasmine flowers and garland Sri Swamiji and do padanamaskaram [touching the holy feet] before going to bed.
As a teenager I have witnessed many miracles—Swami curing diseases, going into ‘trance’, and materializing things. He used to take devotees suffering from stomachache or tonsillitis inside a chamber separated from the main room by a curtain (which was used for interviewing) and perform operations, and would ask us to fetch water for washing his hands after the operations.
Once I had some allergy and my whole neck was covered with blisters. No medicine in Bangalore could cure my allergy. Ultimately we came to Puttaparthi and my mother implored Sri Swamiji for a cure. He gave me some green paste and also touched my neck. Within three days my skin was back to normal. Then he materialized a pendant for me and asked me to wear it all the time; today I am still wearing it.
Once my sister and I quarreled over who was to take Swamiji’s paandaan and padukas (wooden footwear) to give it to Him, and she being younger, I gave it to her and she took it and gave it to Baba. He was very happy and asked her what she wanted, whether bhakti [devotion], yukti, shakti [divine energy], bhukti [epicures], or mukti [liberation]. She immediately said, “Mukti, Swami.” Then He said, “Do you know what it means.” She said, “Yes Swami, it is Your place where You stay.” Swamiji asked her again, “What will you do if you want to see your mother and others?” Then she said, “You will show them to me.”
Then he became very serious and kept quiet. After four or five days, we left Puttaparthi as our schools re-opened. Before our leaving, Sri Swamiji exclaimed about my mother “Papam Rajamma! (Poor Rajamma) (my mother’s name is Rajamma). She had nice time here.” My mother couldn’t comprehend why He uttered that.
After coming to Bangalore, my sister expired within a week. It happened this way: She purchased flowers and garlanded Baba’s photo and then she said she was not feeling well and that she did not want to go to school. By afternoon she died of meningitis. At that very moment Sri Swami informed everybody at Puttaparthi about this incidence. He came later to Bangalore and summoned my mother to Rajkumari’s house (that was the place where he was staying at that time) and told her that Chitravati wanted mukti and so she got it, and He consoled my mother not to be sad about her and gave her strength to bear the loss.
Several are the instances and incidents I feel like writing about. Everyday and every minute He shows His presence in one form or other. It’s almost 43 years since I saw Swamiji first but His love and affection is just the same even today as what it was then. His blessings are always there. As He told me once, that it is because of the punyam (essence of good deeds) done in previous janma (birth) we have His grace now. We should try to see that we deserve the love and affection that He showers on us. I pray to Him to give me strength to lead my life in the right direction.
~Smt. Yamuna Ranga Rao, India
Source: Sathya Sai—The Eternal Charioteer
