We returned from Hampi to Uravakonda
by a bus.
The next day I had to attend the
school. I was going to the school. The collar pin presented by the Municipal
Chairman of Bellary dropped on the way as I was walking to the school, holding
the books in one hand. It could not be found. But, I was least affected by its
loss. Yet, I pretended as though I was anxiously searching for it. Some boys
who were following Me enquired, "Raju, what are you searching for?" I
told them, "You saw me wearing a collar pin, yesterday.
That is lost. I am searching for
it." They too started Searching for the collar pin all over the place. I
laughed nd remarked, "You are going to the school to study.
Why are you bothered about the collar
pin?" They said, it looked so beautiful when you were wearing it. One of those boys ran to Seshama Raju's house to
inform him about the loss of the collar pin. At that time, Seshama Raju and
Rama Raju were discussing among themselves. "The actions of Sathyam appear
to be v strange. How do we understand his behaviour?" When the boy
reported about the loss of the collar pin My searching for it, they at once
rushed to Me. Rama Raju lovingly put his hand round My shoulder and enquired,
"My dear, what are you searching for?"
replied very innocently, "I am searching for
something"
He understood that there was some inner significance in My
reply and further questioned Me, "Raju, How is it possible in this world
to search for something you do not know?" I then replied, "the collar
pin you gave Me fell somewhere and is not traceable". He said, "OK,
it does not matter. I will give you ten such collar pins. Come, let us go home." Then I sang the
following song, saying, "The worldly link has gone, the moment the collar
pin was lost."
"It was October twentieth, Sunday, Baba returned from
Hampi and was going to school. The collar pin dropped and could not be found.
That was the day of change; The worldly attachment left him
in the form of a collar pin. The
pilgrimage to Hampi too served its purpose.
Baba left home saying
that Maya Could not bind him any longer"
For Me, the worldly attachment was like a pin. And had left
Me. The Bond got separated. Hence I left on the very day. The worldly objects
delude us.
The day we come out of this delusion, the very same day maya
(illusion) leaves us.
In the meanwhile, several people gathered at that place,
among whom was an English teacher by name HS. Venkata Ramana. I was taken to
his house. There they enquired, "Are you searching for God or for the
pin?" I replied, "I need not search for God, since He is omnipresent.
Nor I need to search for the pin, for, everything is in My hand." Then,
Rama Raju questioned Me, "Where is God? Can we see Him?"
Earlier, I had given him a ring. It disappeared from his
finger and came into My hand. He was stunned. He asked Me, "How did it
happen?" I replied, "I can do anything. Everthing is in My
hands." Watching all this, Seshama Raju was astonished and confused. He
gave p the feeling that he was the elder brother of this body.
Shedding tears of joy, he asked, "My dear, you are
all-knowing! Everything is in your hands! Then, what you searching for?" I
also did not address him as brother'. I told him that I was no longer bound by worldly
relationship. I held the hand of Rama Raju and asked, "What is this?"
He replied, "It is My hand Then I took out the fountain pen from his
pocket and asked him, "Whose pen is this?" He said, "It is mine "You say that it is my hand, my pen, my
body, my mind, my senses, etc. The word 'my' indicates that you are different
from all this. Then who are you?" I asked him. Then, everyone started
thinking, "Yes. What Ra says is correct. We say this is mine and that is
mine but we do not know who we are". Everyone was silent
They agreed that they did not know their true identity I
told them that I had come down only to make people realise their true identity.
"It is the eye that sees and the mind that thinks:
(showing the handkerchief) the eye can see this kerchief.
But, to identify it as a kerchief, there must be a basis. Is it not? You say
this is a kerchief. How did you come to know about it? You say, mind is the
basis for all this. What is mind? To whom does it belong?
You do not know. You think you know that which is not known
to you in reality. That unknown thing is, in fact, your true self. Make efforts
to realise it." From that day onwards, many seekers of truth started
visiting Me. They used to discuss among themselves : "What Raju says is
true. But, how do we realise our true self ?. People quotes from scriptures and
talk high philosophy, but do not know
their real meaning. They say, "This is my ring; my body; my handkerchief,
etc. But, they do not realise who that "I" and "My" are.
One has to make efforts to realise that truth". I started explaining the
concept further: "There are two important aspects one has to consider one
is drisyarn (that which is seen) and the
other is drashta (seer). It is said, yad drisya evam (all that is seen is bound
to perish). So, whatever you see is only an illusion. You are the Arashta, that
is your true identity."
The English teacher H.S. Ramana was a noble soul. His house
was on the way to My School. He used o sit in the front veranda of his house
and anxiously wait for Me. As soon as he saw Me, he used to call,
"Raju", take Me into his house and offer coffee or
snacks to Me. But, I was not interested in those worldly objects. Earlier I
used to address him as "Sir" But, from that day onwards I started
addressing him as "Ramana". I told him, "You are not My teacher.
Nor I am your student. The teacher-student relationship is worldly. All that
the eyes can see and the ears can hear are only worldly. These are perishable.
One has to go beyond and search for the transcendental reality. From hen
onwards, wherever I went and whomever I met, I used to teach these higher
principles.
Then, one day Ramana called Seshama Raju and told him,
"Seshama Raju, do not trouble yourself much in trying to understand the
behaviour of Sathyam. The boy is delving deeper and deeper into the mysteries
of life. It is not possible for anyone to fathom his to nature. Let us wait for
some time and see." So saying he took Me into his house and offered me
snacks coffee, meals, etc., with great love. Poor man! He did not realise that
I was not interested in such things. I did not touch any of them. In My view,
they were all worldly things which would undergo constant change ,They were not
permanent. “You are treating unreal objects as real and striving to achieve
them. This is the biggest mistake you are committing." Thus, I taught them
higher philosophical concepts. H.S.Ramana used to address Me as
"Raju" till then. From that day onwards he started addressing Me as
"Guruji".
Holding My feet, he pleaded with Me, "Guruji! Please
come to my house." Those who were witnessing the scene were amazed that
this elderly gentleman who was a teacher himself was holding the feet of this
young boy, his student. Then, Ramana declared in front of all of them,
"Not only Me, a day will come when the entire world will fall at his
feet."
I told the people who had gathered there that it we time for
Me to leave the house and the school, embark on My mission to alleviate the
suffering of my devotees I then threw
away the books in My hand on the ground and declared thus:
Know that I am Sai in reality:
Cast off your worldly relationships, Give up your efforts to
restrain Me:
The worldly attachments can no longer bind Me:
None, however great he may be, can hold Me."
(Telugu poem)
Seshama Raju also used to write poetry. He was not in the
house when this incident happened. He came to know about it later through his
wife and commented, Somebody made this boy recite this poem; otherwise, how can
he compose such a beautiful poem?"
There was an Astrologer by name Rama Narayana Sastri in the
neighbouring house. Seshama Raju related to him all My talk on philosophical
truths. He shed tears of joy, on hearing My words. The tears actually fell on
My feet. From that day onwards, everybody in Uravakonda started addressing Me
as "Sathya Sai Baba." This name, however, was not a new name. In act,
it was an old one. The name given to this body Sathya. The visions vouchsafed by
Me to the people were that of Sai Baba. Hence, they combined these two names
and started calling Me "Sathya Sai Baba." I then revealed to the
people gathered around Me, "I have come to spread the Truth. They were dumbfounded
on hearing My revelation. I emphasized the point once again saying, "This
is not a name which gave to Myself. Infact, it is you who gave this name to Me!
I have no name at all!" So saying, I got up and started walking away. In
the meanwhile, all those assembled there including Ramana and Sastri tried to
prevent Me from going. I then advised them, "Do not try to stop Me. What I
expect from you is not outward change. I expect that you undergo mental
transformation. I have come to make you realise your innate truthful nature. I
am not this body. Hence, none can restrain Me. Try to follow what I say. Then
you will understand your own true nature."
There was a big rock in the compound of Anjaneyulu's house.
Anjaneyulu was as an Exercise Inspector in Uravakonda. He was a great devotee.
I went and sat on that rock. Anjaneyulu used to experience in My presence an
inexplicable joy and see this spiritual Aura of Swami. His house was in the
same street as the school in which I was studying then. He and his wife used to
wait anxiously at the entrance their house with some coffee and snacks for Me
on My way to the school. If by any chance their children were there at that
time, they used to send them inside the house, lest the couple may have to face
some embarassment before their children. As soon as arrived at their door, they would prostrate
before Me, holding My feet. I used to argue a lot with them saying,
you are older in age. You should not do such os." But,
they used to reply, "Raju, it is true that we o2 older in age, so far as
the body is concerned. But, we are very insignificant in knowledge and wisdom.
You are Lord Krishna, verily." They were afraid that
others might make fun of them if they extolled Me like this in public. Hence
they used to express themselves in private.
I went and sat on the boulder in the garden in the compound
of Anjaneyulu's house. He felt very happy saying, "Aha! Raju has
come!". He went into his house and told his wife to prepare a variety of
dishes. But, I did not touch any of them. I exhorted the people gathered there
to sing the bhajan "Manasa Bhajare Guru charanam Dusthara Bhavasagara
Tharanam"
(Oh Mind! May you serve the lotus
feet of the Guru, which will take you across the formidable ocean of
samsara.)
All those people gathered there were very much surprised,
"How such a miraculous change has taken place in this young boy!"
Seshama Raju then approached Me and requested Me, "Sathya, come, let us go
home." I replied, "I will not come." It was not My nature to disobey the commands of elders.
Seshama Raju was therefore surprised that I was for u first
time giving a reply to him. He wondered, "How dia this Sathyam pick up
such courage!" While looking at him gently smiling with a calm and serene
face, he saw great effulgence round My face. Whi returning from the school
Seshama Raju tried his to take Me home. But I told him frankly that I would not
come. Anjaneyulu then tried to convince Sesham Raju saying, "My dear Sir,
you don't trouble him. Le him stay here itself. After some time when he becomes
normal, I will myself bring him home."
In the meanwhile, different types of people gathered there
and started questioning Me, "Who are you? Are you a devil or a
ghost?" I firmly replied in unequivocal terms, "I am neither a devil
nor a ghost. Know that I am Sai, in
reality.” They then enquired, "How
are we to believe that you are Sai Baba?" In those days nobody had ever
heard the name 'Sai Baba' in that area. In fact, the name of Sai Baba was not
known to anybody in the entire district of Anantapur.
Then someone brought some flowers there. I took those
flowers in My hand and threw them on the floor. The flowers arranged themselves
as "Sai Baba" in Telugu letters. While I was sitting on that boulder
in Anjaneyulu's house, one photographer came there and took a photograph of
Mine. When it was developed and printed, a small stone in front of Me appeared
as Shirdi Sai Baba, in the photo. Copies of that photo were distributed to all
the people gathered there on that occasion. The boulder on which I sat on that
day is still re in Uravakonda. The President of the Andhra State Sathya Sai
Seva Organisations, Pradesh annayya, built a beautiful Mandir and a hall in
that place. Nobody knew about Sai Baba in those days.
When I returned to Puttaparthi from Uravakonda after My
annunciation, the villagers heard the name "Sai Baba" for the first
time. They then thought that I had adopted a Muslim name. But, Sai Baba
transcends religion and caste. Wherever you seek, there you will find Him.
The Vaishnavas say Vishnu is great; The Saivites say Shiva
is great; The Ganapathy say Ganapathi is great; The Educated say Sarada is
great:
The Muslims say Allah is great; The Saaktheyas say Sakthi is
great; My devotees say Sathya Sai is great; Yet some others say all forms are
one; However, you must proclaim the truth that all religions are one; And
Brahman is one and only one.
What more can I explain?
Oh! Men of noble qualities assembled here!
(Telugu poem)
Divinity has no particular name or form. Whatever form you
contemplate upon, it assumes that form. Did Lord Rama or Krishna incarnate with any
particular name? It was only after th incarnated that people gave them names.
It is said that the Karshatheethi Krishna, which means one who attracts all
people is Krishna. Krishna was really the embodiment of Bliss.
Who can give a name to the Atma Tathwa, which is the
embodiment of eternal bliss, wisdom absolute beyond the pair of opposites,
expansive and pervasive like the sky, the goal indicated by the mahavakya
Tathwamasi, one without a second, eternal, pure, unchanging and witness to all
functions of the intellect?
"The Atma Tathwa is immanent in every individual, nay,
every living being. In fact, I have come into this world only to make people
realise this truth". I explained thus to the people who had gathered
around Me. Seshama Raju then questioned Me, "Who are you?", I
replied, "You are calling Me "Sathya'. Hence, I am Sathya. If you
call Me 'brother', I am "brother'. Whoever calls Me by whatever name, I
assume that form. To tell you the truth, I have no worldly relationship with
anyone. I answer by whichever name you call Me; all these names are ascribed to
Me; they are not the names with which I have taken birth in this world. I have
come into this world only to make you realise this truth."
Seshama Raju was utterly confused and dumbfounded at My
reply. He did not know what to do in the circumstances. He thought he should
send a telegram to the parents asking them to come immediately. But it took a
long time in those days for a telegram to reach Puttaparthi from Uravakonda. Hence.
He sent a message through one of his students asking Pedda Venkata Raju and
Easwaramma to come to Uravakonda immediately. They both came post-haste.
Seshama Raju brought them to the place where I was sitting. Easwaramma cried
inconsolably and pleaded with Me, "Son, come, let us go to your brother's
house." I replied, "I will not come anywhere. If you so desire, I will accompany you to
Puttaparthi. I will provide joy to all the villagers of Puttaparthi and
thereafter go to any place of My liking".
In the meanwhile, there was a lot of commotion and enquiry
such as, "Where is Raju? Where is Raju?" since I did not attend the
school that day. None of the boys attended the prayer meeting. All of them
rushed to Anjaneyulu's house.
But, I did not look at anybody. I just sat on the boulder
looking somewhere. Observing Me, the children started thinking in different ways
like, "There is a lot of change in Raju. He appears to be mentally
deranged. Perhaps something might have happened in the house after he returned from Hampi, and so
on I then advised the children that one of the bo must sing the prayer song in
My absence and the school be started thereafter.
Twentieth October was the day on which the entire town of
Uravakonda underwent a total change. In tune with this, great change had also
taken place in the student community. Their love and affection for Me increased
beyond description. A small incident to illustrate the point. I used to sing
the prayer song everyday morning in the school assembly. Our Headmaster used to
appreciate My song saying, "Raju, though you are very young, the prayer
song you sing stirs our souls." I used to sing the following prayer song
daily in the school assembly:
"Moment to moment, thy clarion call resounds Hearing
thy magnanimous words, The Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees, Muslims and
Christians, Come to thy throne, from East and West, Making the garland of love.
Hail to Thee who unites all humanity!
Hail to Thee who controls the destiny of Bharath!
Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!
Thus, I taught the unity of all religions in the world even
in those days. The prayer song used to be sung happily in the school every
morning by every one including the teachers in one voice. After 1 left the
school on that day, one Muslim boy by name Abdul Gafoor was asked to go up the
stage and sing the prayer song. He had a melodious voice and could sing well.
He went up the stage, but could not sing since he became highly emotional
thinking of My separation from him. He wept uncontrollably. The students and
teachers also wept, unable to bear My separation. After some time, the
Headmaster, Lakshmipathi, could regain his poise and announced before the
assembly, "No more prayer for today. Come, let us depart silently. Unable
to bear the separation of Raju from us, our weeping itself is prayer for
today." The prayer ended thus in great agony for everyone and a holiday
was declared for the school.
Instead of going home, all the teachers and students
gathered round the house where I was staying, Several students came to Me and
started reminding Me of their acquaintance with Me saying, "Raju, do you
remember me? I used to sit behind your desk." But I did not even look at
their faces. They were very much disappointed and wept inconsolably and left
for their homes. That was really a pathetic scene. But, I acted like that
purposely with a view to bring about a change in them. Since then, the students
were continuously after Swami. The students of those days were so pure in their
heart and innocent. They never used to indulge in any sort of criticism,
impertinent questions or thoughts. In contrast, the students of the present
times are becoming more and more intelligent, with noble qualities decreasing
day by day. In those days, they were less in intelligence but more in good
qualities
Finally when I started to return to Puttaparthi, all the
boys insisted on accompanying Me. In those days. there were no buses plying to
even Bukkapatnam. They were plying them upto Penukoda only. From their one had
to reach Puttaparthi by a bullock-cart. That was the state of transport
facilities in those days. The boys were not prepared to listen to anyone. They
insisted, "We will also go with Raju". How could this small village
of Puttaparthi accommodate so many people? I, therefore, requested the
Headmaster to convince those boys not to come to Puttaparthi. I boarded the
bus.
The Headmaster also shed tears at the time of My departure.
Everyone present there felt very sorry that I was leaving. But, I did not give
importance to their feelings. I am not one to be carried away by such emotions.
I should not.
While I was coming away from Uravakonda, two boys who used
to sit on the same desk alongwith Me in the school ran after Me calling,
"Raju! Raju!" From then on, My very form had changed. My words had
changed. I was questioning them, "What is the relationship between us?
From where did you come? Who are you? Who am I?" When Ramesh and Suresh
observed My strange behaviour, they were mentally upset. With gf at mental
agony they yearned for Me calling, "Raju! Raju! Raju!" The bus
started. Unable to separation, Ramesh, the son of the Sirasthadar, ran towards
a well nearby and suicide by jumping into it. He said to himself, 10 want to
live without Raju". The second boy became mad, always babbling,
"Raju! Raju! Raju!" Day in and day out he was talking to himself.
"Raju, why did you leave us? Why did you leave us?" He did not take
food and water and always chanted My name for days on end. This type of madness
was nothing but spiritual yearning. This boy Suresh was then taken to Bangalore
and admitted in a Mental Hospital. His father approached Me and prayed,
"Swami! He was sitting by your side on the same desk in your classroom in
Uravakonda High School. He is my only son. Please come once and see him."
I told him, "That boy Suresh was different. This Suresh is a different
one. No useful purpose will be served by My coming." But, the boy's father
insisted. Hence I had to go to Bangalore and see the boy in the Mental
Hospital. He was constantly chanting, "Raju! Raju!" He was not looking
at anybody.
1 called him by his name and told him, "Suresh! I am
Raju. I have come to see you." Immediately he lifted his head and looked
at Me. Thereafter, he closed his eyes and died peacefully. Both Ramesh and
Suresh used to tell Me always,
"Raju, we wish to be with you always. We cannot bear the separation from
you, even for a moment."
After both these boys died in such tragic circumstances, the
classroom in which all the three of us used to sit on a desk was locked
permanently. The desk on which we three used to sit is there even now.
It was christened as "Sri Sathya Sai Baba desk."
All the students in the school used to love Me as their very life-breath. I
also reciprocated My love intensely. I used to share the vedas, pakoras, etc.,
prepared in our house with them. In fact, Ramesh and Suresh gave up their lives
for the sake of Swami's love. Someone asked Me later, "Swami! you wrote
the examination paper on their behalf and put their names on their answer
sheets. How was it?" I replied, "Ramesh is also My name. Similarly,
the name Suresh also belongs to Me. All names and forms are Mine." When I
answered thus, they could not say anything further. Thus, if I go on narrating
'My story', there will be no end to it.
Dear Students when I was a student in those days, I used to
help everyone, provide happiness and joy to everyone and be jovial with every
one. Since you are students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, you
emulate My example and help everybody and share your joy with everybody
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