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How a 'Hell of Pain' Became a 'Heaven of Love'

…By the sheer power of selfless love

If life is lost in dreaming, and being is lost in becoming, then creation is an eternal saga of searching for joy that is fulfilling. From wealth to power and positions, from fame to relationships, human beings wander all over, seeking that elusive and gratifying joy that may lend a sense of completion and meaning to their lives. 

In February 2009, we, the Heart2Heart team, witnessed and recorded this pursuit of happiness in an unusual setting - an unattended and isolated ward of a premier hospital in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of the east Indian state of Orissa. What we saw simply left us spellbound. What was once a ‘god-forsaken’ corner has today transformed into a laboratory of pure love, where miracles happen almost on a daily basis. How did this happen? Who did it? And, finally, who is the happiest?

Read this real life story and your perspective of life may not be the same again.

Imagine you are visiting a sick friend in hospital. He however has recovered well and that makes you feel happy. You, finally, leave him in good spirits. But as you make your way through the maze of corridors of that huge hospital, accidentally you find yourself at the doors of a murky room.

You are not sure in which corner of the building you are in, but what you see in front is just shocking. The unbearable stench coming from that room hits you like an avalanche; you can barely breathe. The supine people lying on rickety beds look as if they have been given up for dead – they are downcast to the hilt; practically lifeless. You wonder what on earth is going on in that room? It destabilizes you completely. In the next instant, you make enquiries and learn that it is actually a ‘ward’ – a so-called ward, where people are not treated to restore their health, but literally left to die.

“How can this happen?”

“Why should it be so?”

Your heart aches and revolts… and then someone says, “Because these people have no one who cares the least about them; they have no homes, no money and are stricken with dreadful diseases.” 

Bhubaneswar, the capital city of the state of Orissa, east India

You stare at those unfortunate ones in utter disbelief for a few seconds, but can stay there no longer. You leave that place, but only physically. The pitiable scene of that ward refuses to move from your memory; it pulls and tears at your understanding of how life should be. The wide gulf that you see between your life and theirs plunges you into self-introspection. A few hours pass and the restlessness ends.  You are now a different person – you have decided to act, and not just react! You are determined to change that part of the world.

Purest Motives Emerge from the Pits of Misery

But does it sound too good to be true? A nice and inspiring story, but just about that, because isn’t there suffering all around us? But what if we tell you that this is a true to life account? This is, in principle, how a tremendous service initiative started, six years ago, at the Capital Hospital, in India’s eastern state of Orissa.

That single gut-wrenching encounter in the ward of ‘unknown patients’ by a Sai Youth, has started a holistic healthcare movement which has today a contingent of thirty young highly motivated people who have dedicated their lives to lighten the burden of these poor souls.

That single gut-wrenching encounter in the ward of ‘unknown patients’ by a Sai Youth, has started a holistic healthcare movement which has today a contingent of thirty young highly motivated people who have dedicated their lives to lighten the burden of these poor souls. Every morning there are at least six volunteers who spend a minimum of three hours caring and curing these ailing individuals. And like every Sai revolution, this project too is silent, but very potent, and remains untainted by any desire for recognition, reward or publicity.

The Sai youth personally feed, bath and nurse the castaways with a care that is simply moving		Every morning there are at least six volunteers gladly serving the sick

Higher Purpose, Inner Strength Needed to Pursue Pitiable Cause

Surely, this task is not an easy one. It is also not for the faint at heart. When the H2H Team visited this site of service in February 2009, a Sai Youth, Ms. Sanghmitra Nayak, sharing her initial days in the hospital, said,

"I feel deprived of something too precious if I miss even one day of service." - Ms. Sanghmitra Nayak

“At first, the environment in this ward clearly put me off. I had to struggle with the odour of the patients, and the hospital in general; there were terribly depressing sights everywhere. But since I was convinced Baba is pleased more with service than doing bhajans, I held on, and gradually overcame my initial hesitation.

"Slowly, I joined the others in taking care of the old and the horribly sick. On special days, we bring sweets and other gifts for them and the patients are so delighted. I began cherishing their joy. I thought to myself, ‘I have a home, relatives, and family… but what do they have?’”

Sanghmitra was now is in tears…but soon she composed herself and continued,

“One lady had maggots in her wound. We cleaned her abrasions, dressed it daily, and took good care of her. When she was finally cured and ready to leave, she could no longer withhold her emotions; she hugged us and wept… it was as if she was leaving her parents’ home! We were so overwhelmed to experience such sweetness, and we know, all this comes from our sweet Lord.

"Slowly, I joined the others in taking care of the old and the horribly sick. On special days, we bring sweets and other gifts for them and these patients get so delighted. I began cherishing their joy. I thought to myself, ‘I have a home, relatives, and family… but what do they have?’”

“So many such touching tales of deep love have bound me to this hospital. And so, every morning I am waiting to be here, and often I am the first to arrive. I feel deprived of something too precious if, for some reason, I am unable to make it any day. That is why, even when I am unwell, I don’t miss this. Actually, even today I am not feeling all too well, but how can you resist the happiness of bringing joy to another person?

"I tell all the women members in our Sai Bhajan Centre to come just once and see the patients. Even a few loving words, makes these poor ones too glad. Once you taste that happiness, you will never want to lose it. I constantly pray to Swami to bless me with such opportunities of service till the last moment of my life.”

"Once you taste that happiness, you will never want to lose it. I constantly pray to Swami to bless me with such opportunities of service till the last moment of my life.”

The Genesis of this Glorious Adventure

	Mr. Rajani, the inspired youth leader who is spearheading this project

This is the heartfelt account of just one of the many, for whom this project is their life’s primary passion. Mr. Rajani, a senior Sai youth, is the one, who along with a few others, started this project in 2002, and since then has dedicated himself to this completely. Recounting how this initiative actually began, he said,

“Well, one day we were in this hospital looking for a destitute person. We could not find him in the regular ward. So, we enquired and searched, and finally found ourselves in this most pitiable and absolutely neglected corner of this hospital.

"Nobody here was ready even to touch these patients; let alone help them. I do not know if even the proverbial ‘hell’ would be so bad… it was absolutely distressing. That was it, we decided that we would come here everyday, and transform the place, bit by bit, into earth, if not heaven.

That was it, we decided that we would come here everyday, and transform the place, bit by bit, into earth, if not heaven.

“The first day however was very challenging. The foul odour coming from the bodies of these patients was practically intolerable; it was nauseating, and at times, would lead us to vomit. There were only two of us that day. But with His grace, our number grew, and now we are a group of 30 strong volunteers. Apart from serving in this ward, we are also always available to the hospital to help in any emergency or accident case.

“And whenever we decide to take up a big assignment in this ward like cleaning the entire surroundings, or the walls, etc. many other volunteers too joined in. Besides, we also do our regular, once a year, service duty in Prasanthi Nilayam.”

Patients Stand Testimony to the Far-reaching Impact of Love

Listening to the heart-felt narratives from these inspired youth is simply an eye opener. One wonders how they manage to spare so much time and energy for a cause such as this. But more than anything else, what is it that motivates them to be engaged in such voluntary service on a continuous basis, day after day, and that too for years together?! There surely is a joy that they experience here which perhaps is far greater than anything else that the world outside can offer.

Having found the elixir of true happiness, it wasn’t surprising to find that every Sai youth’s reflection was elevating. But the heartfelt expressions of gratitude of the patients in the ward was even more overwhelming. We met an old man in the ward who was recovering from multiple illnesses and started a conversation.   

They pick up the destitutes from the streets and transform them slowly, day by day		More than the food and clothes, the feeling with which they offer help does all the magic

H2H – Uncle, tell us something about yourself?

Elderly Patient – Son, what can I tell you about myself? I used to drink a lot and roam about on the streets.

H2H – You don’t have anyone to look after you?

Elderly Patient – They were all there, but no one is with me now.

H2H – How long have you been like this?                                                                            

"I have no place to stay...I was lying on the roadside"

Elderly Patient – I left home when I was 17 or 18. Since then, I have been a daily wage earner. I worked and lived on whatever I earned. I started when my daily wage was six annas (about 37 paise, 100 paise make 1 rupee). I never had a roof over my head. I stayed in a monastery for 2 years, and again I left.

H2H – But why were you moving from one place to another?

Elderly Patient – What else could I do? I had no place to stay. Wherever I found work, I went there, toiled and fed myself. I have done all kinds of work, from being a labourer in construction sites to cleaning trucks to serving in hotels.  I am illiterate. Whatever I earned, I spent in eating and drinking. That is my life.

H2H – What is your age now?

Elderly Patient – Must be over eighty.

"I am going to die soon, I will not tell a lie. Even one’s own father and mother may not do the kind of service these angels are doing. I do koti namaskar (million salutations) at the dust of their feet. May God give them peace and happiness all their lives."

H2H - Why and when did you come here?

Elderly Patient – I was lying by the roadside. My legs could not support me. I requested some people to leave me in a hospital. Someone brought me in a bus, and left me here about 2-3 months ago. Since then I am here.

H2H - How are you now? How is your leg?

	"May the Lord bless all these white-clad boys eternally"

Elderly Patient – They are giving me medicines. Yesterday a lot of water came out of my leg.

H2H – Are these white clad people (the Sevadals)  looking after you?

Elderly Patien (nodding in the affirmative) – Everyday I pray to the Lord to do good to all of them. My koti namaskar (million salutations) at their feet!

H2H – What are they doing?

Elderly Patient – O my god! What are they not doing! They are cleaning our stool, our vomit, our clothes and our stinking bodies. They are feeding us. They are so young; still they love us so much. May the Lord bless them, look after them and their families always!

H2H – Have you received such care from any one else?

Elderly Patient – No, my son, never. I am going to die soon, I will not tell a lie. Even one’s own father and mother may not do the kind of service these angels are doing. I do koti namaskar (million salutations) at the dust of their feet. May God give them peace and happiness all their lives.

Well, that was just an extract from the many such encounters we had with the patients. Words and expressions were many, but the feeling was one: that of touching gratitude. The destitutes no longer felt ‘god-forsaken’, with the Sai selfless workers with them, they were now ‘god-chosen’.

How evident is the gratitude on their faces once they know they are loved!		Their odour or incoherent behaviour does not bother the Sai youth

When Safe Under Sai Surveillance, What’s a Memory Loss

Applying vibhuti is a part and parcel of every session of treatment

“Over the years, scores of such patients, who were labeled as ‘hopeless’ have returned hale, hearty and healthy,” said Mr. Rajani, and cited one such instance.

“There was a former lecturer, a 70 year old bachelor from Puri, who had come to Bhubaneshwar to collect his pension. Accidentally, he fell down on the road and suffered severe head injuries. In the process, he lost his memory completely. Finally, he ended up in this ward, and we resolved to do whatever we could to restore his faculties.

"'I had been praying to Sai Baba for the past two months for this man’s safety, and He has now answered my prayers through you!’ We were speechless; yet again, it was proved to us, that wherever we go, Sai is always there before us.”

“The doctors suggested various tests, but, with faith in Sai, we persisted with our simple remedies of sincere prayer, vibhuti, and a liquid medicine prescribed by the physicians. After one and half months of sustained care, to our delight, he not only recovered, but also regained his memory. He was able to tell us his address and the details of his family.

"We then took him to his village, which was about 150 kilometres from here. His brother was ecstatic to see him; they had been searching for him for the last two months!

“One of the villagers came up to us and asked if we were ‘Sai Baba’ people. He then revealed ‘I had been praying to Sai Baba for the past two months for this man’s safety, and He has now answered my prayers through you!’ We were speechless; yet again, it was proved to us, that wherever we go, Sai is always there before us.”

Sai Volunteers Never Give Up - Cure Burns Victim with Alternate Therapy

Mr. Rajani narrated another case concerning a patient with 50 per cent burns. She had been receiving treatment in another hospital where the doctors had given up on her, for they believed she had no real chance of survival. But the Sai youth never lost hope.

	Cleaning the wounds that one can actually barely stand

“When we came to know of her condition,” Rajani narrated, “we literally carried her from that hospital to this ward, and started to nurse her back to life. We took her to an Ayurvedic doctor within this hospital who was confident of not only saving her life but also ameliorating her condition.

"He told us to soak Neem and Betel leaves in a pot of water and clean her burn-injuries everyday using that medicated water. Later, he gave us a bottle of oil to apply, which he had personally prepared. We carried out this treatment plan for three months, and the lady recovered completely. And now she is able even to walk!

In fact, the Chief of Surgery of this hospital was so surprised and impressed with this recovery that now he himself advises patients with burns to try this therapy.”

Though the hospital fraternity is now very appreciative of the work done by Sai Youth, it was not so originally. “Initially the hospital staff and administration were very uncooperative due to government bureaucracy,” Mr. Rajani shared.  “They never admitted they cannot treat these patients, but at the same time said they are too hard pressed for time. For us, however, this was a great opportunity.” he added.

Positive Transformation in the Lives of Young Volunteers

Inquisitive to know what impact this ceaseless service has had in his own life, we asked Rajani, “How has this helped you as a person?”

“Oh…I have benefited tremendously; it has transformed my life. I used to be very crooked, but now I am a different person. Like me, there are many Sai youth, whose lives have changed beyond recognition. One of them used to be a heavy drinker. But after participating in this service, he felt strong enough to keep away from his bad habits and eventually joined the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization.

"Initially their conditions repelled me...now, I am attached to this work" - Mr. Manoranjan Muduli

"There are at least four youngsters in our group of 30, who were initially drawn to  serve in this ward, and only later, came to know of Swami and became His devotees. They are all new individuals now!”

Mr. Manoranjan Muduli, a young man in his twenties, who had been serving for the past 3 months, took up this thread of personal transformation, and said:

“I came here once only to observe, but I felt very uneasy seeing what the Sai youth were doing - it was all strange to me. They were cleaning the wounds of patients, giving them baths, feeding them…doing every other thing for them! For a few days in the beginning, I could not get over my revulsion, though it changed once I started to love the patients.

"Initially I used to wear hand gloves, but gradually I did not even feel the need to use them. However, we do use gloves mainly for the safety of the patients, so as to not transfer any infection from one to the other. And now, I am so attached to this work that if I don’t  come to the hospital for a day or two, I feel guilty!

“Earlier, I wasn’t so much concerned about the suffering of other people. Even if I saw someone in pain, I just said, ‘It is not my business’. But that has changed now; the desire to better the lives of people around us is growing in me everyday. I only pray to Baba to ensure that I am engaged in such activities till there is no more breath in my body.”

“Earlier, I wasn’t so much concerned about the suffering of other people. Even if I saw someone in pain, I just said, ‘It is not my business’. But that has changed now; the desire to better the lives of people around us is growing in me everyday. I only pray to Baba to ensure that I am engaged in such activities till there is no more breath in my body.”

Sai Discipline Wins Hospital’s Confidence

The dedication of this group of ‘messengers of love and healing’ was indeed stirring. They start their day’s work by chanting “Omkaram” and surrender their actions and results to Swami. When cleaning wounds, they apply vibhuti and also partake the same reverentially. They know no fear of infections because their faith in Sai is steadfast and they rely on Him and only Him entirely. Even while treating cases like Tetanus, when normally no one is allowed anywhere near an infected individual as the disease is extremely contagious, the Sai Youth enter the ward, treat and dress the wounds, and deliver all round care as usual! And the impact their work has had on the staff of the hospital is marvelous. A chief nurse of the hospital, said,

“The entire look of this ward has changed as a result of the efforts of Sai Youth. Earlier, no one would even want to enter this side of the hospital, but now look how spic and span it is! These volunteers are incredible. Their dedication is exemplary. We find here patients with maggots in their wounds, but these young girls don’t even wince while cleaning them. What our own nurses and sweepers cannot do, they do it willingly. That is the greatest thing, and we are so very grateful to them.

Whom the world ignores and hospitals do not entertain, the Sai Youth welcome, and add life into them		Imagine doing this day after day for six years ceaselessly!

“Because of their care and loving service, patients, who normally take a month to be cured, are being discharged in a week’s time. They not only clean the patients and the ward, but also treat the patients as if they were family. This has a great impact on the patients’ sense of well being.”

“Because of their care and loving service, patients, who normally take a month to be cured, are being discharged in a week’s time. They not only clean the patients and the ward, but also treat the patients as if they were family. This has a great impact on the patients’ sense of well being.”

Her words of praise however do not end with that. She goes on to stress how the dedicated and undaunted service by the Sai youth may well take the government hospital to a new pedestal.

“Not only this, they respond to our call at any time of the day or night. Besides, they pick up patients from the roadside, many on the brink of death, and bring them here. Those who had been left to die get a new lease of life in their hands, and return healed. This is absolutely great work. May the good Lord, Sai Bhagavan, bless them. If they continue doing this work, I have no doubt, one day this hospital will stand as a model for others.”

Bridging the Gaps in Public and Private Health Care

The Sai Youth, however, are not content serving only inside this hospital. Their objective is to impart a holistic and complete patient recovery, and they are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that. Mr. Sushant Kumar Sahoo, another committed Sai Youth, recalled the story of an injured young man and said,

“We came to know of a young man who had a broken thigh bone. When the cast on his leg was cut open, it was found that one leg was shorter than the other by two-thirds of an inch! It meant he would have to limp all his life, and he was only 21!

"Sai is taking care of the patients and me as well" - Mr. Sushant

“The doctor at the government hospital expressed his inability to help, so we approached a specialist in a private hospital, who agreed to operate on him. That gave us some hope. So, we took him there and throughout the period of his recuperation in the hospital, 4 or 5 of us attended on him round the clock taking turns.

"He had no friends or relatives. So, we did everything - brought him food, cleaned his bedpan, changed his clothes, and stayed with him at night. This service continued not for a week or two, but for 5 months and 13 days.

“On another occasion, a patient came to a private hospital in a very serious condition. He had been in coma for the past 10 days, and his condition was so bad that ants had started eating away at him! The hospital was not prepared to admit him, but one of the medical staff, Dr. K.P. Tripathy, took responsibility and accepted him as a challenge.

"This patient too did not have any relatives to look after him. So, the hospital authorities, therefore, requested us to take care of him. He remained in a coma for another 5 days. Finally, when he opened his eyes, he asked for food. His speech was still incoherent, but the doctor assured us that he would be all right.

“Since it was a private hospital, the medical costs were sky-high. But our brother Rajani told us not to worry about money. One good thing, however, in this hospital is that when they know the Sathya Sai Youth are involved in a case, they don’t mind treating on credit. Actually, we knew nothing about this person, and in a few days the unpaid medical bill rose to Rs. 40,000. The chemist hesitated to give us any more medicines, but we persuaded him to continue, and assured him we would pay every rupee we owed him.

“We took the person to a barber in a van and cut his hair, got him clean shaven and ensured he looked presentable. But his speech was still unintelligible. We had no clue where he came from. After this, he was subjected to many other tests, and found to have a plethora of complaints affecting his kidney, heart and other organs!

There are 30 such Sai Youth who dedicate three hours every morning to worship their Lord this way		Some of the conditions are too pathetic to behold and too bad to cure, but the youth persevere

“Twenty six days of continuous caring left us really tired. I needed to write an exam and had to cover many kilometers on a bicycle every morning to attend on the patient. Additionally, I conducted tuition for a few youngsters to manage my own expenses. I found it extremely difficult to meet all the demands on my time, patience and resources. The other boys working with me were also exhausted.

“One day I decided I would have a chat with the doctor and discontinue my service. When I arrived at the hospital that day, I found another patient being admitted, and this new person immediately recognised our patient, as they belonged to the same village. We easily collected his address and went to inform the family about his condition.

"Personally, I feel, it is the hand of Lord Sai which was taking care of that person and doing the right thing at the right time; not only that, it is the same Hand
which is looking after me as well.”

"They were so full of gratitude for all the care we have taken, and without losing a moment, came to the hospital to take charge of their relative. In a few days, he recovered well and was discharged. Personally, I feel, it is the hand of Lord Sai which was taking care of that person and doing the right thing at the right time; not only that, it is the same Hand which is looking after me as well.”

Serving Others is Serving One’s Self

Sushant then went on to narrate how Swami has been always with Him as he immersed himself in His work. He said,

“Initially, when I began by cleaning the patients’ wounds and their clothes, I felt like vomiting. I could not eat anything for two days. Then, I stopped going to the hospital. But…I could not help myself from returning.

When they numb their senses and serve sincerely, the Lord, in turn, numbs their problems		Steadfast service has perhaps benefitted the volunteers more than the patients

“Now I have undergone a big change in personality. I have become more open to others’ suffering. I do not feel any revulsion from the horrible smell some patients emit as I can work with any patient without any reservation. I have also been blessed with a very practical benefit. Previously, I used to sit in the library the whole day and study for my exams. Now, I get much less time to study. Nevertheless, my level of success is nearly four times than before! Isn’t this purely the blessing of Bhagavan?”

"So beautifully, we can share God’s love with each other. I passionately feel that of all service projects, seva to the distressed in the hospitals is the best. There is nothing like this!”

Ms. Sanghmitra Nayak had a similar story. Jubilantly, she said,

“Initially, I was working in a small company. But suddenly, I had a windfall gain – I was asked by a big company to join them at a much higher salary. This is purely Bhagavan’s grace. He has given me more money to use for the needy. My only regret is, as I am a girl, my movements are restricted. If I had been a boy, I would have done even more. Once I met a gentleman on the road. He greeted me and said, ‘Sister, do you recognize me? You looked after my wife at the hospital. She is quite alright now.’ I was so moved. So beautifully, we can share God’s love with each other. I passionately feel that of all service projects, seva to the distressed in the hospitals is the best. There is nothing like this!” 

The inspired team of Sai Youth who have transformed the Infection Ward into an "Affection Ward"!

Truly, there is nothing comparable to genuine selfless service, because it has the power to bestow on us that perennial joy which is actually the eternal quest of every being on this planet. When love is shared or accepted in its most undiluted form, the bliss that it can confer is unbounded. And this small but strong Sai group of angels in Orissa have tasted this spring of eternal joy! They have demonstrated to the world what Pure Love in the guise of compassion can do to society, as well as to each one of us. It is only up to us to open our hearts and relish this innate yet glorious miracle of our lives.

Dear reader, many of the associated pictures of this story are too gruesome to share, for they might turn many a stomach! Therefore, we have used only a select few, and we hope this amply conveys the message that the most abject and pitiable scenes that surround us can elicit the most beautiful response from our hearts in the form of compassion. Let us keep the flame of love glowing in our hearts.

- Bishu Prusty
Heart2Heart Team

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