The Reformative Miracle

This is a story of Sri Halagappa, a homeless wanderer, who was transformed by Bhagavan Baba. Now he is an agriculturist and runs an orphanage at Srirangapatnam in South India.

My parents were devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba. In those days ‘Sai’ was a name often used by our little family, which lived in a village called ‘Kikkeri’ in the Mandya District of Karnataka [southern India]. I lost my parents when I was very young and became an unsettled orphan in a parentless family. I left home and for the next five or six years wandered from place to place visiting holy pilgrimage centers, often in the company of wandering monks.

On one such journey in 1953, I went to Putta-parthi to see the young ‘Sai Baba.’ In those days a metallic arc bearing the words ‘Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Prasanthi Nilayam’ in Telugu was posted on the main gate of Putta-parthi. The word ‘Bhagavan’ [God] attracted my curiosity about the reality of Babaji and I wanted to taste His powers, so I stayed there for a few days. At first Babaji did not impress me as I had been in the company of other sadhus [ascetic holy men] who were familiar with tantric tricks. Instead of giving me spiritual knowledge, my companionship with the ascetics, in the past, had resulted in my addiction to narcotics and allied activities.

I was now about 20 years old and growing up with a distinct personality, I had the opportunity of visiting Rishikesh [a holy town on the banks of the Ganges]. There I met the divine master, Swami Shradhananda. I was blessed to be his servant for some time, and it was he who told me about Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s divine qualities.

Once Bhagavan Baba had visited Swami Sivananda’s ashram at Rishikesh and many ascetics in that area had His darshan [vision of a holy man]. Swami Shradhananda, on the other hand, did not go to Him. He told me that Bhagavan Baba could come to us whenever and wherever we yearned for His darshan (Swamiji was known for his higher attainment in yogic practices). One day, Swami Shradhananda narrated his experience of Bhagavan Baba’s visit to his dwellings, when at the same time Sai Baba was in Rishikesh in Swami Sivananda’s ashram. Swamiji told me that my peaceful future would only be with the blessings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

After Swami Shradhananda took samadhi [merged with God] in Mt. Abu, I returned to South India. My mind was very keen to be at Bhagavan Babaji’s divine feet. I went to Puttaparthi. Babaji did not speak to me. He was so different and unlike many other swamijis [religious teachers] who generally try to impress those who come to them. I was very disappointed and upset because my life had no clear direction. My experience with holy men, who often choose to live by begging, made me feel ashamed of myself. My daily needs forced me to steal valuable things. I was a clever liar and [thus able to] collect money. I was an alcoholic, too.

I was in Bangalore when I learnt that Babaji was in Whitefield. I rushed for His darshan. Just then Babaji was leaving in His car to go to a devotee’s house for lunch and I followed Him on foot. When Babaji saw me standing outside the compound wall, He asked me to have food in that house. When He returned to Whitefield I followed Him immediately. This time Babaji spoke to me at length and advised me to join work without wandering aimlessly.

I followed Babaji’s advice and got a job at the Pandavapura sugar factory, but I yearned to be at Puttaparthi. I was a regular participant at Sri Ramachandra Shetty’s bhajan center in Mysore, South India. Babaji had blessed his house with His divine presence many times. The song  “O! Bhagavan, O! Bhagavan,” was my favorite, and I cried aloud to Baba about my misfortune.

Soon I was thrown out of my temporary job. I rushed on foot to Puttaparthi to have Babaji’s darshan. Babaji Himself stopped me, at the Panukonda railway crossing when He was driving down to Bangalore and asked me, ‘Where are you going?’ I told Him that I was going to have His darshan at Puttaparthi. I also told Him of my problems. He said, “You return to your work now! You will be given a permanent job.” He also gave me Rs. 20 [Indian currency] and my joy knew no bounds. I spent every penny of it right then and returned to Pandavapura.

Babaji’s words came true. I was again given a job in the same factory where I was working earlier. Though I got a job, it was really difficult to manage with my earnings of just Rs. two per day; my bad habits were many and my daily needs had to be met. Once during a Shivaratri festival I was at Puttaparthi and had stolen some devotee’s clothes, when I returned home, I exhibited them as gifts given to me by Babaji!

The journey to Puttaparthi was not so expensive. A trip up and down was just Rs. six. However, I was not fortunate enough to have even that amount at times. Once I was at Puttaparthi and I extended my stay beyond my limits as far as expenses were concerned. So, I stole a suitcase belonging to a devotee and hid it on the top of the hillock beside the big boulders overlooking Prasanthi Nilayam. Babaji consoled the devotee who had lost his suitcase and assured him that he would get back his things soon.

I was standing among the devotees for Babaji’s darshan, when Sri Kasturiji asked me to see Babaji in His room. Babaji admonished me for my bad behavior and asked me to return the suitcase immediately. I pleaded with Him to pardon me and told him that I would not do such things only if He blessed me with a decent life. I also explained my fear of the police and the publicity I would get, and I pleaded for His protection.

Babaji blessed me with His protection and told me, “No big police officer, whatever be his high rank, can ever touch you as long as you have Me as your protection!” Then He Himself sent Sri Kasturi instead of me to collect the suitcase. He never disclosed this incident to anyone else. This time He gave me vibhuti [holy ash], but no money. After hearing everything about me and my devotion to Baba, Sri Kasturi told me that I was really blessed, and he paid for my return ticket to Pandavapura.

My job was unsatisfactory, the wages very meager, I had many bad habits, and I also wanted to have Babaji’s darshan often. By now, on the advice of my well-wishers, I was married. But my grief had doubled in every respect, especially as my journeys to Parthi became impossible. I had to satisfy myself with a photograph of Bhagavan kept for my daily worship at home, and I became an example of wonder to the people around me for my degraded situation.

On Gurupoornima day in 1963, I was in Puttaparthi. We learnt that Babaji was suffering from a paralytic stroke. Sri Kasturi explained that Babaji’s sufferings were a result of His ‘taking over’ the pains of a devotee. It was already a week. On the day before Gurupoornima, Babaji was brought out for public darshan. He was carried in a chair held by a number of devotees. We saw Babaji completely helpless, as His left hand and leg were stiff. All of us were very upset and it struck that even God could be in such a situation.

Just then Babaji asked for a glass of water to drink, which was given to Him immediately. He had a few sips of water, and seeing Him thus I felt bad and broke into tears. I cried as if Babaji had left His body, ending His Avataric mission! But lo and behold! Babaji was standing in front of us, speaking to us with His sweet and melodious voice.

This incident had a forceful impact on me. During the speech [that day] He explained to us that His leela [divine play] of taking over diseases of His devotees was a part of His mission. He also told us about His three divine incarnations: one as Shirdi, the second, present one, at Puttaparthi, and the third to come as Prema Sai at a place in Mandya District of Karnataka on the banks of River Kaveri.

One day I was thinking that I would be a completely changed person, devote the rest of my life to His service, lead a life remembering His name and settle down on the banks of the River Kaveri only if He would give me padanamaskar [touching the feet reverentially]. The very next day Babaji gave me padanamaskar.

Babaji blessed this poor soul and fulfilled his desire, so whatever I am today is His grace. His shower of blessings washed every cell in my body and gave me—an aimlessly wandering man—everything I dreamt of. Besides blessing me with a shower of vibhuti and a flow of amrita [nectar], He changed me totally to become a useful instrument, to render small help by giving shelter to many orphaned children who live with our own children in our house.

My house is now full of the sweet names of our Lord. When I call my children Sai Prasad, Saiprema, Saikumar, Sai Ganesh, Sai Shankar, Chithravathi, Prashanthi, and so on, I feel blessed to be constantly remembering Bhagavan Baba and His greatest leela of reforming me and holding me strongly in His divine embrace.

~Sri B. Halagappa
Source: Sathya Sai—The Eternal Charioteer