Learning in the Presence of Bhagavan

We came to the presence of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 1948, and since then Bhagavan has been guiding us. In the presence of Bhagavan we have learned so many things; in fact, just by sitting at His lotus feet one is transformed.

India became independent in the year 1947. At that time, we were the rulers of the Sandur state [in Karnataka]. The new Government of India decided that all the Indian states should accede to the Union of India and thus Sandur merged and integrated with the Union of India. At that time, we envisioned bleak prospects. How to live without any work was a big question before us. We had to chalk out our children’s future. Young children could learn new things and settle down to the new way of life, but it was very difficult for those of the older generation like us to adjust to the new way of life after leading a princely life.

In Indian states, Maharajas never used to engage in business enterprises. After the merger of our state, we had to do something. My husband Maharaja Yeshwantrao Ghorpade went to meet Bhagavan, seeking His guidance and blessings. At that time, Bhagavan was a young boy of about 21 years old. Bhagavan told my husband to start an industry in our hometown and advised him not to leave the place. Accordingly, my husband started thinking along that line. Running an industry is quite different from governing a state. To run an industry, one must have practical knowledge in that field. As it was Bhagavan’s command, my husband decided to establish a mining and metallurgical industry in Sandur and applied to the Government of India for a grant of mining lease. There was lot of competition to get mining leases in Sandur because rich deposits of manganese and iron ore are in the Sandur Valley.

One day my husband went to Delhi to meet Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru [he was the Prime Minister at that time] to explain the situation and to request him to help in the matter. The people of Sandur state were also to be protected by providing work for their livelihood. Pandit Nehru was kind enough to listen and graciously told the concerned department to pass the orders for a grant of a mining lease. The department brought forward many difficulties, but, Nehruji said, our “Rajas” (rulers) want to work, therefore they must be given first preference. By Bhagavan’s guidance and Panditji’s help all formalities went through smoothly, and we were able to set up a mining and metallurgical industry. Bhagavan visited our mines and ferro alloy industry in 1974 and blessed us. Bhagavan always says:

Life is a challenge meet it
Life is a game play it
Life is a dream realize it
Life is love enjoy it

My husband took it as challenge and succeeded in it.

We learned many things just on one word of advice from Bhagavan. In the presence of Bhagavan, one received peace of mind that was the highest gift. People came to Prasanthi Nilayam from all over the world to pay their homage to our beloved Bhagavan because their minds were transformed, because they got peace in their lives. We are really fortunate that we were born in this world at a time when the Lord took a human form to help mankind, and that we were able to take full benefit of His presence.

One day during the first summer course at Brindavan, a devotee had brought some Alphonso mangoes from Bombay. Bhagavan distributed those mangoes to all the devotees standing there. One mango remained in Bhagavan’s hand with which he was just playing. Everyone was looking at that mango thinking who would be the fortunate one to get that fruit. That day, we were a little late in getting to the ashram because the railway gate was closed on the way. As soon as Bhagavan saw my husband, He came straight to him and gave him that mango. It was clear that Bhagavan was waiting for my husband to give him that mango. The devotees said that my husband was lucky to receive that mango from Bhagavan’s hand. Next day, Bhagavan was leaving for Bombay to attend the Dharmakshetra annual day function. After Bhagavan’s discourse, we came back home.

My husband told me, “See, Bhagavan gave me a mango, he did not give you.” I said, “I am happy that you got the mango from Bhagavan’s hands. Bhagavan has always some purpose in doing things.” My husband wanted to share that mango with me as prasad [blessed food], but I said, ‘No. Bhagavan has given it to you, and only you should have that full mango. It was given to you and not to me.’ We were soon to discover why.

The next morning, when my husband got up and went to the bathroom to wash his face, to his utter surprise when he looked in the mirror his face was crooked. He had had a facial paralytic attack. Doctors came and examined him and told him that they couldn’t say how long it would take to cure; it might take a month or even more. The doctor started treatment and advised my husband not to go out in the open and to be in a warm room.

After a two-day visit to Bombay, Bhagavan returned to Bangalore. I took my husband, against the doctor’s advice, to Whitefield in a closed car. Bhagavan saw my husband from a long distance and came close to him and asked, ‘What has happened to your face?’ My husband said, “The doctor says that it is a facial paralytic attack.” Bhagavan laughed and gave a slap on the affected part of his face, and at once his face became normal! After listening to Bhagavan’s discourse, we returned home. Next day in the morning, the doctor came as usual for a check-up, and he was surprised to see that my husband’s face was absolutely normal. The doctor had no words to say except to do namaskar [bow down folding his hands] to Bhagavan’s image. He folded his hands in prayers to Bhagavan and said, only Sri Sathya Sai Baba can perform such a miracle.

In another instance of Swami’s grace, my youngest daughter-in-law was expecting a child, but she was not normal from the first month of the pregnancy. The doctors who were examining her were of the opinion that the pregnancy would not last. Hence, my daughter-in-law wanted me to go to Bhagavan and bring vibhuti [holy ash] for her. I went and brought Bhagavan’s attention to my daughter’s health problem. Bhagavan said, ‘don’t worry’. I came home and gave her Bhagavan’s vibhuti and told her that Bhagavan has said not to worry. She was on bed rest the entire time, and in the beginning of her ninth month she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. It was nothing but Bhagavan’s grace that my grandchild was born safely. One day Bhagavan Himself named that boy “Gautam.” He is about 14 years old now.

Again, just by the blessings of Bhagavan, incurable diseases were cured. In my husband’s case, once he had a malignant tumor on his intestine that doctors said was cancer.

My husband and I went to Puttaparthi. As soon as He saw my husband, Bhagavan asked him, “Why have you come?” My husband said, “Bhagavan, doctors says that I must undergo an operation.” Bhagavan blessed him and told him to go. I could not keep quiet. I told Bhagavan that it was cancer. Bhagavan looked at me and said, “Bhagavan has cancelled the cancer. Go, nothing will happen to your husband.” Bhagavan gave us vibhuti and then we returned to Bangalore.

The operation day was scheduled, and all my sons and daughters were informed. They all came to Bangalore for their father’s operation. They all knew that he had a cancerous tumor. The operation was successful and after his recovery, my husband came back from the hospital and lived for about 11 years without any further sign of the cancer. Bhagavan Baba had indeed “cancelled the cancer.” This was another way that we learned to have firm and full faith in Bhagavan.

We should learn to live like a Lotus flower that grows in muddy water. Bhagavan says:

The Lotus is not defiled by mud nor is it wet by water
Yet it cannot survive even for a second without mud and water
Man’s accumulated samskaras [mental impressions] of past lives are like mud
The present life can be compared to water.”

Like that, Bhagavan teaches us to live like a Lotus. Bhagavan always guides us with love, teaches us with love, talks with love and He explains:

“Only through love one can have the vision of God. One can see one’s own reflection in the mirror only when a particular chemical is coated on the other side. Likewise, coat the chemical of love on your hridaya [heart] in order to have the vision of God. Fill your heart with love, then there will be no place for evil qualities like jealousy, anger, and hatred.”

He teaches us so clearly with simple language. If, in spite of His message, we do not learn to love, we will become lesser than the mud, and not at all like the Lotus.

Bhagavan has always told us about the moral and spiritual uplift of humanity through satya, dharma, shanti, and prema [truth, righteousness, peace, and love] and that we should learn to adopt them in our daily life. Only then we will definitely enjoy the essence of peace and bliss in our life, and our atma [soul] will merge in the lotus feet of Bhagavan.

~Mrs. Sushiladevi Ghorpade Rajmata of the Royal Family of Sandur
Source: Sai Vandana 1990