ARTICLES FROM THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN...JAPAN

Ratanlal-( MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE DIVINE )

Ratanlal chairman of several business enterprises and eminent social worker of Bombay.Sri Ratanlal has also been the chief whip of the Congress in Maharastra legislative council  for 10 years, Currently. Mr. Ratanlal resides in Brindavan.

In early ‘70’s, there used to be a smaller crowd of devotees compared to what we witness now. Bhagavan used to dwell at length on spiritual length on spiritual subjects with devotees, collectively and individually.

One day, I was sitting at the lotus feet of Bhagavan, and He was explaining the significance of “Tat-twam-asi” to me .It implies that the essence of the individual and the universal is ONE i.e. ‘the divine atma’. He was kind enough to explain this in details. After about half an hour, my gaze turned towards my lap. There in my utter amazement, I saw a lovely unseasonable red apple from Kashmir. It was my favorite apple variety of apple. The apple was not there placed by any body, nor have anybody entered the room. I asked Bhagavan with surprise, “Where has this apple come?

Bhagavan very sweetly smiled, and said, “Oh! You did not have any Tiffin and lunch. So I thought that you would be hungry.” His thoughts can take the shape of concrete objects. I immediately pocketed the apple to share it later with my family members, seeing this Bhagavan said, “No! No! It means for you. You eat it right now. “Bhagavan also gave me a small knife to cut it, and as per His divine command I ate then and there.

In Brindavan, we normally stood in the compound of Bhagavan’s mandir along with students. One day, Bhagavan came near me and gave me a wet leaf from a shrub, He said, “Take it and keep it in your hand,” remarking, “this too is God”, I held it tightly in my fist. Bhagavan went out to give darshan to the devotees and returned after about twenty minutes. He came straight to me and asked me for the leaf.

I opened my palm and He picked it up and blew on it. It was instantly transformed into a small “SIVALING”. Bhagavan handed to me and asked to wear it around my neck. “I noticed that there is no hole in it. Give it back to me” Bhagavan blew on it once again and the hole appears in it.

On another occasion, we were standing outside Trayee Brindavan mandir. As Bhagavan came out of the mandir, He gave me small tulsi leaf. I held in my hand. After giving darshan, He came back and went straight into the mandir. I was quite perplexed. I wondered what I should do with the perishable tulsi leaf. Bhagavan was leaving for Prashanti Nilayam within an hour. As we waited outside, Bhagavan came out and called the students inside. All others assembled there followed them.

When I went Bhagavan called me and enquired about the tulsi leaf. I still had it in my hand. In front of everyone, Bhagavan blew on it and it transformed it into a golden tulsi leaf. Then He stood and broke that golden leaf, and inside, there was the original green tulsi leaf. We all stared wide-eyed at this phenomenon. As if that was not enough, Bhagavan again blew on it. The golden leaf disappread, and the original tulsi leaf lay on the palm of His hand.

Earlier, in 1967, Bhagavan made me a member of His service and spiritual organization in Bombay by placing a badge on my shirt. Later, He told Sri Kasturi to take me to the canteen for a cup of coffee. As we returned to the room, where Bhagavan was standing along with other members of the Organization, Bhagavan looked pointedly at me and in a stern voice asked me, “Who are you?  I heisted to give an answer. With hands folded I looked humbly at Him. Then, Bhagavan started talking to some other people for about ten minutes or so, and again in the same manner He asked me, “Who are you”? As if I had intruded into the gathering. Again, I remained silent with folded hands. Again Bhagavan talked to other people for fifteen or twenty minutes and then for the third time looked at me piercingly and asked me, who are you?  Upon hearing this, Sri Kasturi took pity on me and tried to intervene by telling something to Bhagavan. Bhagavan immediately asked him not to intervene. Third time also my reaction was the same.

I stood in silence with folded hands. I took it as an informal method, not ritualisc, of His intiating me on the path of self-enquiry. Thereafter I read some books on Vedanta and started practicing self-enquiry. After about twenty years, once I was with Bhagavan in His car. He said, “The core of your being is consciousness, but do not meditate or contemplate on consciousness (Sat) aspect, but on your eternal being (Chit). If you concentrate upon consciousness, the mind jumps and bumps.

Bhagavan Says, “God is as far away from you as you are from yourself implying that self and God are identical. He also says that He knows how, when and what to do with each one of us. He teaches us to accept the will of God without any reservations. Let us cultivate absolute faith in Bhagavan and surrender to Him totally.

Jai Sai Ram,

Posted on 01.11.2004

10^th Anniversary of Osaka Sai center  

Sai Ram

My humble Pranaams at the divine lotus feet of beloved Bhagavan. honored guest, Respected elders and my dear sisters and brothers.

We are very much grateful to Swami for giving us an opportunity to witness the 10^th Anniversary of Osaka  SAI center.

We thank Br. Manu Bhagchandani -sister Otani and his committee members-who have worked hard for the past two years-not forgetting Br Dayal for his support in the center.

We now welcome-the new president Br. Norimoto and his committee. Please welcome Br.Norimoto.

I am very happy to share Swamis teachings and His Miracles of old times and I am sure you all will enjoy sharing Swami’s love with others.

One time Swami called students--- for studying for their masters-Business Administration He told them (No Shares) I want You to remember (No shares)

The boys says Swami We promise we won’t play in the stock market and get involved with any shares. Swami Said no sharing Do not share GOD with anything else or anyone. You must be one hundred percent with God and Only with God. And then Swami told number of stories from Indian epics.

One of them of Draupadi….who was the wife of Pandavas. She was being forcefully dragged into the court and disgraced in front of all elders. In her distress she called out to the Lord for help but even the Lord did not respond. Finally in total resignation she let go of everything and surrendering her self her body & soul, to do what He wills.

Immediately Krishna showered his grace on her, her Saree become longer and longer without end and her honor was preserved. When you turn towards GOD then God turns towards you- when you surrender totally to Him- He looks after everything. That is Swami’s message. Rely on Him…100%.

Now, we are gathered here on this auspicious day The10^thAnniversary of Osaka Sai center in Swami’s name, and  when this program is over, we will be filled with His loving presence and gain the felling that He is everywhere including inside us.

But then we will go home , to our wordily life. We will do our work. We will go about our own business and perhaps we have been making a habit of spending a little time each day, in spiritual practice, going to Bhajans once a week. That we say is God's time and the rest is our time

Dear Sisters and Brothers this is not what Swami means. By no share. He said. There is no separate God’s life and worldly life. Swami says, do not separate your day into God's time-and your time. Make all your work Gods work, all your time Gods time. No shares one hundred percent with Swami.

It does not mean, that we should neglect our worldly work? No of course not Swami says {Do your duty} in the world. Engage yourself into your professions, take care of your family responsibility but perform all these activities in the name of God and for Gods sake offer them all to God.

Swami tells us that human life is not filled with peace but is broken into pieces. There is no unity anywhere. Swami tells a story of how to bring peace and wholeness back into human existence, and unity into the world.

He tells us :-There was a little boy, who found his way into his father’s study  room where he normally is not permitted, because there are some valuable papers inside, and the door is kept closed. But one day the door was opened and he went inside and found a beautiful piece of paper, which was a very old and rare map of the world with so many colors.

The boy looked at it then he bent it and making a little boat out of it, and then a hat, and then a house , but the ancient map could not stand so much bending, and soon it was in many pieces. When the father returned, he was very much disturbed, he said Son , you should not have torn the world into pieces and to teach him a lesson, the father gave him a tape and asked him to paste it together.

But then a gust of wind came and one of the pieces turned backside. There on the backside of the paper, he saw a human eye. He turned the other pieces and found  a  hand, a shoulder, a foot and different parts of a human.

Well now,even a little boy knows what a means look like. Pretty soon he could put together all the pieces and made a complete image of man. Swami said the whole world is in pieces and no one knows how to put together again, but to put man back together and the whole world comes together automatically.

That is really what human values education is all about and that is something, we must foster and spread in the world. Let each one to become whole again. One by one, the message of unity will spread, and the whole world will come together again.

(Experience of Prof Anil Kumar)

In Brindavan there was a certain old man Mr Ramabramam who stayed for thirty long years at Brindavan, to serve Bhagavan as a care taker of His abode

What he says that if I have done some mistakes, then Bhagavn will ask me to get out from here. what I will do. I will come out and sit quietly, my eyes closed and sit out side of the gate. This happened to him many times, and if some one ask him Hi Ramabraham what happened to you, did Swami throw you out and why you are sitting at the gate out side. He will not speak a word but say only Sai Ram

Bhagavan will watch him through the window. He would never get up even for a sip of water. If he is thirsty, then he will eat some peppermint. By evening Bhagavan would call him inside and ask him (He Ramabraham did you have your lunch) No Swami ? Then Bhagavan will say, I too did not eat lunch. Come let us eat together. This is Swamis love for a devotee.

Another incidence :-

Once Bhagavan gave Mr Ramabaraham His divine Robe.  And asked him to wear it in the presence of students. Mr Ramabraham was fat much larger than Bhagavan, may be 3 or 4 times more and very heavy and Swami told him to wear it. He said Swami how can I wear it, even my one hand cannot pass through, how can I wear Swami it is impossible.

Then Swami came near and touch the Robe and it expanded  2 times , 3 times , 4 times and it fitted him perfectly. This is Swami. On another incidence Ramabraham lost his son . He came with his wife to Bhagavan crying , crying , non stop-then Bhagavan asked him why are you crying.? HE IS IN ME. Then Ramabraham said Swami you say HE is in you, but I am out of you, how can I believe? .Then Swami said CHE - Go into that interview room, and their he saw his son standing, who died some months back, he could see him, he talked to him and returned happily, With tears of joy falling at His lotus feet.

This is Bhagavan , we cannot describe the greatness of Swami. He is smaller than small and bigger than biggest. He is present everywhere and in all things at all times, only we have to develop our faith and one pointed devotion, then He is all yours.

JAI SAI Ram

Talk given by Br. RamChugani in Osaka Center.

10^th Anniversary of Osaka Sai Center .

Posted on 01.11.2004

Brigadier  S.K.Bose  His Experience with Swami

The author of these stories, Brigadier S.K.Bose after retirement from Service as commandant of the College of Military Engineering, Pune, and ITT Bombay and ITT Kharagpur as Directors has dedicated himself wholly to serve under Sri Sathya Sai Baba and to humanity in general.

He said the first lesson was learnt during the construction of the “Serva-Dharma-ALKYA STUPA” to mark His 50^th Birthday. It was the first task given to me by SWAMI. The work had to be completed by 23^rd November within 60 working days without the help of any contractor. All unskilled work was to be carried out by SWAMI’S devotees only Work commenced in this fashion.

Before the construction of the central pillar, the five sided pentagonal structure was done by constructing the stupa some 7 feet high by filling it up with earth.

We worked for 3 days, brought earth from a distance (mostly by lady devotees) and filled the inside of the stupa to the configuration of a truncated pentagon (5 side). One day we all worked till evening to complete the earth filling work and then we dispersed.

At about 3 AM in the night, heavy rains lashed the site of work. I woke up by the sound of heavy rains and felt a great disaster had been created by the rain on the new earth-filling, sloping all the five sides.

Early in the morning I went out to see the extent of the damage caused by the rains. I was completely surprise to see that there was not a drop of water mark on the surface of the filled-up earth. It was an experience of witnessing the “GIRI GOVERDHAN’ Leela of the Lord, which I had read of but could not believe.

At about 10.00 AM, SWAMI came to the site as usual, to see the progress of the work. I approached HIM with folded-palms saying “SWAMI I witness an unprecedented Glory of God this morning.” Swami smiled and asked me . “You could not sleep in the morning hours?” I said, me, “Yes Swami” He inquired if I felt that all the earth work was damaged? I said, Yes Swami.

He taught me a lesson by saying, “Whenever any work is done by devotees with full devotion, no damage can come to their work.” I said to the students I had several such experiences in carrying His work with devotion and I could witness how He came to help.

Jai Sai Ram

Posted: 31.10.2004

Swami in one of His poems said, in Telugu “Vishwamantha Vyapiyai veleyuvadu. “He said I am the person found all over the cosmos.” ‘ Vishva ’ means cosmos, His creation into which He has entered. Some devotees wrote Baba that in his village, every house Swami’s Bhajans are sung, and in every house there are Swami’s picture.

Swami wrote in Telugu “Inti inti Swami namam, inti inti Swami roopam…Swami said “inti inti kaadu, inchi inchi, not in every house, but, in every inch of universe…”Bhoovalayamantha Sancharinchunu.”

I am found all over the cosmos. There is no place, not even an inch of space where I am not.

It is no exaggeration. He has contacted people who have His impact on them in Japan, in Iceland, in Argentina and all over the world. Wherever HE is called. You may not know that He is there, but He is everywhere.

Swami says, “For devotees I am always available.” But what is the proof of Swami being available all over cosmos?

If He is available only for His devotees, and who are not His devotees? Is it Sai devotees only? Swami says, you are all part devotees. In an assembly of twenty thousand people here, He says there is no single devotees. “You are all part-time devotees wearing the uniform of a devotee.”

He says, just a policeman wear his uniform when he is on duty and when he comes home he changes to a civilian dress and is happy with it. Prof Kasturi says, we also wear our uniform of devotion and throw it when we go home from Puttaparthi and are happy.

“Swami says “I am all over the cosmos, which is a happy news for mankind.

Here is a phenomenon in human form, ever present, ever loving, ever merciful, ever anxious to implant a seed of love and ecstasy in our heart even though you lock the door of your heart, someone inside a room has attached himself to appearance, is in darkness. Swami wants to save him, show him the reality, wants to lead him to light, wants to teach him eternal truth, because He has come for that purpose, But the fellow inside, putting wrong steps into bottomless pit…What can Swami do if he does not open the door.

In His anxiety to save him from the tragedy of ruining himself, Swami breaks open the door! Mercifully He does it. For instance, He broke open our hearts door, so that Swami could get in.

Jai Sai Ram

Posted: 30.10.2004

***Why fear when I am near*** 

Experiences of Maj.Gen. S.P. Mahadevan (Retd) from India's Armed forces after a long distinguished service and was awarded AVSM for his outstanding services and his story "Baba is God"

In 1973, I was lucky to receive a silver ring materialized by Baba while He was traveling with me in a military staff car on the way to Wellington Barracks in Nilgiris district to bless soldiers of the Madras Regimental Center and their families. Later in 1974 during an interview graciously granted to me and my wife in Brindavan, Bhagavan declared “Why fear When I am near.”

I had read about His earlier saying “Why fear When I am here”, but His statement “Why fear when I am near” turned put to be more direct divine assurance for a military man like me. At that time I was General Officer Commending of Mountain Division in the snow covered area of Ladakh facing  the Chinese on one side and the Pakistan on other side.

I had my usual quota of anxiety, worries, problems , and fear about the hostile weather, inhospitable terrain and the adverse aggressive actions which either the Chinese or the Pakistanis or both could launch without notice. Armed with Baba’s, assurance I was able to ensure the security, sovereign and territorial integrity of our motherland during my tenure of 3 years in that in the land of sub-zero temperature in spite of numerous ceasefire violations by Pakistan army and many intrusions by armed Chinese patrol.

In Treta Yoga, Lord Rama kept His word given to Sugriva and Vibhishana. In Dwapara Yuga, Lord Krishna kept His word given to the Pandavas. Similarly in Kali yuga, Lord Said had been keeping His word given to an ordinary devotee like me.

When I suffered a heart attack on 24^th April 1986 during my visit to Hyderabad. Lord Sai as “Apadhbandhava” not only saved me by responding immediately to my wife’s prayer but also mentioned to some devotees in Prashanhi Nilayam on the same day that I had suffered a heart attack and that He had saved me.

In addition,  in His infinite mercy. He had sent me through theAndhara Trust Convener, who had gone to Prashanthi Nilayam, the Divine Vibhuthi Prasad, a basket of citrus fruits and also a letter full of His love, compassion and blessings saying “Don’t worry, I am with you and around you guiding you and guarding you.” Later, on 18^th July 1986 Bhagavan gave me a pleasant surprise by coming all the way to Madras unannounced just to bless me and my wife.

Whenever I prayed to Him sincerely with full faith in Him, He responded promptly and saved me from dangers, difficulties and near death situation. Once in a helicopter crash over Kardungla pass in 1974,   in snow –Avalanche in 1975,  In head-on car collision in 1982 and also during Bangladesh operation. When I wanted resign in 1983 as chairman Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, being very unhappy and agitated due to the political pressure exerted on me by Ministers, MIPS and ML As for selecting their candidates.

Bhagavan counseled me not to resign and gave me very valuable advice.”You need not oblige all the time, but you can always speak obligingly.”This golden advice stood me well during my full six years tenure as chairman of TNPSC.

In December 1977, He saved my youngest son who is an officer in Indian Navy from a scooter accident, in June 1985 He saved my second son who is pilot in the Air Force from an air crash north of Hyderabad, and in 1980, He saved my eldest son who is an Army Officer from bullets during internal security duties.

My wife who is Sai devotee does not take medicines except Vibhuti given By Swami.On many occasions I have received in person during interview or listening to His Divine discourse or during His appearances in dreams or hearing His words directed towards somebody else sitting nearby. Time again Swami had made me realize by His mysterious ways that He is omnipresent, omnipotent and Omniscient, knowing all about all our past, present and future and also that He is always residing in our hearts. We are lucky or to be contemporaries of the Sai Avatar. Let us pray to this “Living God” who is also the ”Loving God” to bless us all.

Jai Sai Ram 

Posted: 28.10.2004

Ram.Chugani Kobe (Japan)