“I Know, I Know Everything”

Sri Gangeya, an engineer by profession, was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He later migrated to the U.S. and is currently the devotion coordinator at the Flushing Sai Center, New York. He has been in the Sai family for 35 years and has had many interviews and experiences. In the following article, he shares the precious moments he and his family had with Swami in the interview room.

In 1965, Hilda Charlton, an American psychologist, visited Sri Lanka and spoke about a Swami named Sathya Sai Baba who was residing in India. Later, in 1967, a bhajan [devotional singing] group visited Sri Lanka and narrated stories that convinced me that Swami was an avatar [divine incarnation]—He was all powerful and divine love.

Mid-1967: This was the year when my mother, who was around forty, suddenly fell ill and started to loose weight. She became so weak that she could hardly take a few steps without panting and sitting down to rest. We took her to the best gynecologist; he performed all sorts of medical tests. Eventually, he called my father and said that she had cancer of the uterus. He recommended surgery toward the end of November.

Two or three days before the surgery, my mother went to a Ganesa temple to offer prayers for a successful operation. But as she was walking down the steps she felt that somebody pushed her. She fell and sprained her foot. The surgeon checked her and said that the surgery had to be postponed by two weeks because even though there was no fracture of the foot, she was in intense pain. Just a few days before the operation, the surgeon called and again postponed the surgery by ten days because he had to go overseas on urgent business.

While he was away, my father received news from Madras University that his thesis had been accepted. They, however, said that he would have to be there in person to present it or they would reject it. So my father told my mother that he was going to Madras for the presentation. My mother insisted that she would accompany him and after the presentation we could all go to Puttaparthi for Swami’s darshan [being in the presence of a holy person]. My father tried to reason with her that she was not in a fit state to undertake the journey. But she said that something within her was telling her that she would not have to undergo the surgery.

So the whole family—my parents, elder sister, younger brother and myself—went to Madras and then to Puttaparthi. In those days, it was very cumbersome to go to Puttaparthi, and we reached late in the night on January 10, 1968. Professor Kasturi [late writer/translator], who knew my father was the President of the Sai Samithi in Sri Lanka, helped us with accommodation and we had our first darshan of Swami the very next day. It was Vaikunta Akadashi and Swami gave nectar to about 400 people who were gathered there. In those days the number 400 was very large compared to the millions that flock there now.

On 13^th morning, a memorable day in my life, Swami came up to me and said, “Go into the room.” We all rushed into the small room and sat around Swami. He asked my father, “So, what’s happening?” As soon as he opened his mouth to talk about my mother’s illness, Swami said, “Yes, yes, I know everything. The doctors told her to go for surgery but they don’t know anything. She does not need any surgery.” Then he created vibhuti [sacred ash] and gave it to her and told her to divide it into three portions, dissolve it in water and drink it on three consecutive days while she was still in Puttaparthi. He also assured that there was no need for the operation. My mother was thrilled.

He looked at me and said, “What are you doing?” I said, “Swami, I am studying to be an engineer and I need your blessings.” He said, “Swami’s blessings are always there for you. But to become an engineer you have to study every day.” I felt as though I was in school in front of my teacher and I hurriedly replied, “Of course I study everyday.” My mother looked at me angrily and said, “That’s not true.” Swami looked at my mother and said, “Why don’t you let me talk to my child.” Thus my real mother reprimanded my birth mother for interfering.

Swami again looked at me and said, “What did you say?” Immediately I knew I had opened my mouth too fast. Even now when I think of that moment I freeze because the Lord of the Universe was talking to me and I had uttered a falsehood. Swami again asked me the same question and with a very feeble voice I repeated my answer. Swami said, “I know what you do. Do you want to know? You read movie and sports magazines, and only when you have the time do you open the engineering books, right?” I said, “Yes Swami.”

Swami then looked at me from head to toe and said, “Do you eat every day?” He repeated the question as I didn’t answer. I said, “Yes Swami.” “All the three meals?” “Yes Swami.” “Do you skip any meals?” “No, Swami.” He then very sweetly said, “Studying is like that. You have to study every day. Swami’s blessings are there for you to become an engineer, but you have to do your part.” He recited a sloka [verse] that meant that you have to do your very best when you undertake something; victory or defeat is in the hands of God. He then blessed us all and gave us vibhuti and finished the interview.

Soon after we returned to Sri Lanka my mother, who was all perked up, called the doctor and told him she did not need any surgery as she was all cured. My father explained to the doctor in detail and insisted that fresh tests be conducted before making any decision. After the second set of tests, there were two files: one of tests done in November 1967 with positive results for a tumor and second set of results of the tests conducted in January of 1968, which showed no sign of a tumor.

To this day, even after 37 years, my mother has not had the surgery; she is now living with my sister in Connecticut. This was a major miracle of Swami in our life. As for my grades, they too started to improve as I was reading more of engineering books rather than movie or sports magazines.

Regular bhajans were conducted in our house, but my brother and I would skip them, especially if there was a good movie running or something more interesting was happening.

August 1969: Our next visit was to Whitefield in Bangalore. Every morning we would take a taxi to Brindavan, stay there for the whole day and return in the evening to our hotel. For the first six days there were no darshans as Swami had taken on an illness of a devotee and was semi-paralyzed. On the sixth day when He came out He looked visibly tired.

He looked at me and my brother and said, “The two rowdies are here.” After He moved on we confirmed with each other if we had heard Him correctly. The next day, again as He passed by He said, “Oh! The two rowdies are still here!” Then as He went to my mother, He called her in for an interview and we all followed her.

Swami sat on His chair and my parents and sister sat on one side of Him and the two of us on the other. He looked at them and said, “Lot of bhakti, lot of devotion! You have regular bhajans. Do you know how many times I have come to your shrine room? The garlands start moving and flowers start to fall, have you experienced that?” Every one was very happy with the comments. Then Swami looked at us and said, “You know there are some people in this world who have no time to sing bhajans, but they have all the time to stand for hours in a movie line, right?” I very meekly said, “Yes Swami.” He continued, “You know there are 500 students in California who sing bhajans daily.”

He looked at my sister and asked her what she was doing. She said that she had graduated and was working. Swami asked my parents what was the next step for the daughter as she had graduated and was working. My parents kept quiet and smiled. He said, “Don’t you want her to be married soon?” They said, “Yes Swami.” He said, “When you have found a prospective groom then bring them here and I will conduct their wedding.” Soon after that the interview was over.

Three days later, we were again called in for an interview; we were truly spellbound with happiness. As we were filing past Him into the interview room, Swami pinched my brother who jumped and I started laughing. My mother heard us, looked back and said, “You two, will you behave yourselves?” Swami quickly said, “No, no, it’s not their fault. I was just playing with them.”

As we sat down, He clarified that what He had meant was that He would create the ‘Thaalee’ [an ornament gifted to the bride by the groom at the time of the wedding to solemnize it] for my sister. He then looked at my brother and gestured as if to hit him and my brother moved back. Swami very lovingly said, “Do you think Swami will ever hurt you?” and He hugged him. My mother told Swami that September 1^st was her birthday and He should bless her. When we came out of the interview room, my brother had a teasing smile that said: See Swami hugged me and not you.

From that time onward I started to pray that before we left for Sri Lanka, Swami must hug me too, as it was not fair that He hugged only my brother. So I prayed to Swami desperately. On September 1^st, Swami sent a seva dal [volunteer] to call “the family from Sri Lanka”. We all rushed into the room beaming with happiness. Swami looked at my mother and said, “So, today is your birthday!” He materialized an Indian sweet and gave it to all of us. The sweet, when it touched the hand, felt warm, as though it was just made.

Swami took all of us one by one into a small room and spoke privately. My turn came and in the room He told me that I was doing well now, that I was studying hard and sometimes while reading I would fall asleep with my head on the table. He asked me to take it easy and said that His grace was always with me. Then He gave me a side ways hug and I also hugged him as a reflex action, but I hastened to take away my arm and He said, “Don’t worry, its OK.” When we came out of the interview room, I told my brother that I, too, got the hug.

1970: We went to visit Swami and He called us for an interview. The first thing He asked my parents was about the progress of my sister’s wedding. When my father tried to explain, He said, “I know, He is a doctor, right?” My mother explained that the groom’s parents did not want to perform the marriage till his younger sister was married. Immediately Swami said that when we get to Sri Lanka we would hear the news of her marriage. True enough, as soon as we reached Sri Lanka we heard the good news.

The amazing part of this interview was what we heard as a mixed group of about 20 people from all over India. During the interview, Swami spoke in Kannada Kannada [an Indian language] and my father took notes. When we came out, one man who was also in the room asked my father if he understood Kannada. My father was surprised because he heard the whole interview in English. So, even though we were a mixed bag, we all understood what Swami had said.

1971: On November 29^th was my sister’s wedding, and we reached Puttaparthi on the 24^th. We were about 20 of us. Two days before the wedding, He called us in and materialized the ‘Thaalee’, which was about the size of my palm and had Goddess Lakshmi sitting on a Lotus flower. He gave it to my brother-in-law and told him to tie it on the day of the wedding. My father was a little apprehensive about finding the auspicious time. Quickly Swami set His mind at rest and said, “I know all that. The time is just right and you don’t have to worry about it.”

On the 29^th we went into the room for the wedding with garlands and more. Swami conducted the wedding: He materialized the auspicious yellow thread used for the ceremony, slipped the ‘Thaalee’ in the thread and asked the groom to tie it around my sister’s neck. While He was doing that, Swami had His hands on their heads and there was light falling from the hands.

After the wedding, Swami sat on the chair and asked my sister, “What is your husband’s name?” My sister said, “Swami, Sivalokanathan.” Swami said, “Aren’t you a Tamil woman, and is it proper for you to mention your husband’s name?” Everyone in the room burst out laughing. Afterward we all garlanded Swami. Before we came out of the room, Swami told the bride and the groom that He would call them both for a private interview in the evening.

In the evening Swami gave a sari [Indian women’s garment] to my sister and a dhoti [Indian men’s garment] to my brother. He said to my sister that she had to learn to do all the work on her own. She had no clue what He meant by that. He then told her that next year she would be blessed with a son. He blessed them profusely.

My nephew was born in December 1972. In 1973 they went to visit Swami at Puttaparthi before joining a job in United States. Swami blessed the family and He materialized a pendant for the baby. Within a week of reaching USA, my sister wrote back to my mother and said that only then did she understand what Swami had said to her after the wedding, as she was now a cleaning person, a cook, a driver and a gardener, all rolled into one.

1975: We went to Puttaparthi for Swami’s 50th birthday. My father was appointed a world council member for the first world council meet. Swami told him that he had to spread Swami’s message in Sri Lanka. This was also the year when my father published a book entitled ‘Sai Baba and the Hindu Theory of Evolution’, which was released by Swami in Puttaparthi. Subsequently it was translated into Spanish, just before my father passed away two years ago.

1977: My parents visited Swami for my father’s 60^th birthday. Swami called them in for an interview and gave a sari to my mother and a dhoti to my father. He also materialized a ring for my mother. He said to her, “Recently you have been experiencing some numbness in your right hand and the doctors have told you that you might have paralysis. Don’t worry, Swami is always with you.”

1980: This was the year when I got married. When the invitation cards came home, I told my mother that I was going to mail the first card to Swami. She said, “Don’t mail it, I am going to hand deliver it.” I said, “What if Swami does not take it from you.” She said, “Don’t talk negatively, only be positive. Swami is going to bless it.”

My mother went to Puttaparthi and she sat for darshan with the card. Swami came up to her and said, “What is the news?” She said, “Swami, our son is getting married and we want Your blessings.” Swami took the card from my mother and asked her the date of the marriage. She told Him that it was on July 9^th. He took the card and went to the room.

1982: My mother, my wife and I visited Swami in Puttaparthi. On Thursday Swami came up to me and I said to Him that we were leaving on Saturday and we needed to talk to Him. He walked up a few steps and said, “You are leaving on Sunday.” I had booked my tickets for Saturday and I didn’t know what to do. But my mother, without any hesitation, asked me to change the tickets. On Saturday, Swami called us in for an interview and the first thing He said was that there is a time for everything.

In the interview room He asked me if I was married. I was about to answer Him and He said, “I know, I know, I was just joking.” Then He looked at my wife and said, “You could not bring your daughter because she is too small, but my blessings are there.” The interview lasted for about 10 to 15 minutes, and as we were coming out of the door I asked Swami when He would visit Sri Lanka. He put His hand on my hand and said, “Yes, yes, I will come.” Quickly I covered His hand with my other hand and said, “But when are you coming?” With a loving admonishing look He said, “Get out of my way!”

That was the last interview I had, but ever since then we have had a number of experiences that have shown that He is always with us, looking after us and protecting us. I know that it is not the length of the time one has known Him for or the number of interviews one has had with Him but the most important thing is to follow His teachings. As long as we do that we are being good devotees.