Here are a few excerpts of Prof. Anil Kumar’s talk delivered in the Divine Presence on the 13th july 2004.
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet. Revered elders, brothers and sisters.
“You Should Know That I Know”
These were the days when I was there in Brindavan quite fresh to the Sai system of education and the campus as well. (Prof. Anil Kumar had newly joined the Brindavan campus as the Principal of the college).
One Sunday Bhagavan drove straight to the campus about 8 am. Luckily I was there, even though usually we would take rest on Sundays but I congratulated my stars that they had driven me to be present on that day most unexpectedly.
At that time there was a gentleman named Col. Sood from Punjab who, along with 18 associates, was working in the garden. Well I did not know who they were but someone told me that they do the work regularly.
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Bhagavan got down from the car and asked me who are those men. I replied that I did not know. Bhagavan immediately said 'Can anybody step into the college like that and do work without your permission?' (Prof. Anil Kumar being the Principal).
What am I to do? But then I wanted to be smart and said 'Bhagavan shall I ask them to get out?' Bhagavan replied, 'Since you did not ask them to come in, how can you ask them to go?' I was stuck in between 'to be or not to be that is the question'. Swami smiled and left.
Then I thought it is my duty to keep myself abreast of the situation. I slowly approached Col. Sood and did some homework: who he was and his associates. I became familiar with all the data: so and so from Kerala, another from Tamil Nadu, etc.
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Bhagavan again came to the college campus at 4 pm . Without being called to come close I ran up to Bhagavan and started to exhibit my knowledge. So and so is Col Sood, so and so from Kerala, so and so from Tamil Nadu.
Swami heard this and I thought that He appreciated my knowledge. Swami walked to Col. Sood and materialised a big ring for him. He then enquired about his son and daughter saying that she must be in her final year of medicine and that his son is in Patilia… He went on talking like this.
I was really non-plussed at that moment. I went up to Bhagavan and said 'Swami, when You know him and everybody very well, why did You ask me about them? Why did You listen to all this information from me?
Swami's reply is the message that we should take note of. He said,
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"I know everything but you should know that I know - therefore I ask you."
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Bobattoo and Birthday
It happened to be my birthday, October 25th and I came from Bangalore to Prashanti Nilayam campus on official duty. My family was away at that time and I received a box of sweets - a special preparation called in Telugu bobatoo (a sweet chapatti). Bobattoo is the favourite dish of every Andhrite - circular, brown in colour and bathed in ghee, so sweet it goes straight into the gullet and you will feel the sweetness till the evening.
That is the height of its taste and I received six of them from Guntur (his hometown) to be specially consumed by me alone.
But what happened was that my room was overflowing with devotees asking me about the latest miracle from Swami. Well I was talking, but my concentration was,only on bobattoo. What was I to do…?
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Somehow using all my intelligence I chose Darshan time when no one would disturb me. I bolted the door from the inside switched off the light, it was still dim, and started eating them, all six of them in quick succession, as an NCC parade salute - as quick as that. But I did not want anyone to notice this, so I took some cloves so that nobody could smell it.
I sat there for Darshan and usually Bhagavan comes and walks in a curve but that day He comes straight to me - then I thought something is waiting for me. Then Swami came close by and said,
'Ah, safe, safe now; all the six are safe now. Why did you eat all six of them? Can you not distribute them to friends? Are six enough or do you want 60?'
Then Bhagavan smiled and said, 'I know today is your birthday' and He gave me Padanamaskar.
This action that I did secretly, in the dark without anyone's knowledge, stomach being the only witness, but Bhagavan starts to tell everybody there so that I felt very much embarrassed!
Anything Can Happen At Anytime
Another experience that I wish to share with you happened in Kodai Kanal. We were all seated at the breakfast table and by my side was one gentleman by name Mohan Das. A very good gentleman of my age group and both of us usually sit together. Swami walked slowly up to us and said 'What is the breakfast?' Then I replied, 'Swami, poori and idli.'
'Oh I see' said Swami, 'good, good' and looked at the plate.
Then Swami came close to Mohan Das and picked up one poori saying, 'It is well done' and tore it at the centre. A diamond ring appeared there! Swami put it on Mohan Das' finger!
Watching all this I started to eat slowly. Bhagavan asked me why I was eating slowly? I replied,
'Swami who knows there may be a diamond ring in my poori also. I want to be extra careful so that it does not get stuck in my gullet by accident!'
Baba reposted, 'I am not going to give - ask your mother-in-law.'
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So I saw the materialisation out of a poori ! Anything can happen at anytime
He Can Never Forget You
I remember Bhagavan attending a music concert in Choudaiah Memorial Hall in Bangalore . A very good music programme attended by the Chief Minister of Karnataka, the Chief Commissioner, the Railways Minister and Bhagavan presided over the whole programme.
At the end of the programme while Bhagavan was leaving the auditorium I saw an old couple who must have been in their 90's at the back of the hall. Swami went all the way there, took the old man's hand and asked him how he was. Swami blessed the couple and then left.
I was very much surprised at this but later I came to know that he had been the Electricity Board chairman and also an ardent devote of Bhagavan for a long time.
This only goes to prove that Bhagavan will never forget us. We may find it difficult to walk because of age, we may find it difficult to hear but Bhagavan always remembers everybody.
Long back in the 1980's a yagna was taking place in the Poornachandra auditorium. Next to me sat a man called Rajagopal, a revenue inspector from Venkatagiri. He told me that he had visited Prashanti Nilayam many years ago but he is returning now after 20 years. He related that Swami would visit Venkatagiri every year and sang some of the songs that Swami used to sing.
Around 9 am Swami started walking in the midst of the devotees, came straight to Rajagopal and said, 'Rajagopal, how are you?' This man was shocked! Swami remembered him after 20 years! And then Swami looked deep into his eyes and said,
'You might have forgotten Swami but Swami has not forgotten you.'
Swami remembers every one of you.
'Now this is My car’
Once a man brought a brand new car and asked Swami to accept it. Swami said that He did not want it. The man started crying but Swami replied,
"If I accept all the cars offered and they are all piled one on top of the other there will be no space to walk. So I do not want it.'
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Then Swami gave him an interview but still the man was crying in the interview for Swami to accept the car. Bhagavan said, 'Alright, where are the keys?"
Swami took the keys saying,
Now this is my car. You run the car in My name; the car belongs to Me. You use it, you understand.'
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He gave him back the keys.
“I belong to the whole universe”
This is the hand that never receives only gives and gives. I recall the speech made by Smt. M S Subbulakshmi before her concert at Guntur attended by 10,000 people. She told us,
I am a devotee of Bhagavan. I have visited so many universities and educational centres and charitable institutions. Wherever I go the trustees ask me to give a musical concert to raise funds; and in this way so many institutions have been built.
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But I went to Prashanti Nilayam where instead of asking me to perform, Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba gave me a diamond necklace and it is my experience that He never accepts anything.'
Once I said to Swami concerning some matter, 'In our area things will not happen like that.'
'Why do you say our? I belong to everybody; do not say our place
I belong to the whole world. I belong to the whole universe.'
We are in front of the Cosmic Personality, the Divine Personality and we are an international fraternity.
Jai Sai Ram!
