Anil Kumar's Sunday Satsang at
Prasanthi Nilayam
November 4, 2001
Talk by Prof. Anil Kumar
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba's English Translator Shri Anil Kumar Kamaraju Professor of
Botany S.S.S.I.H.L., Prasanthi Milayam and Former Principal of Sri
Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Brindavan Campus,
Kadugodi, addressed the devotees of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
at Sathya Deep - Dharmakshetra, Mumbai on Sunday 4th November, at
4.30 pm.
Anilkumar shared his
personal experience to the vast crowd who had gathered at
Dharmakshetra, Mumbai. It was the first time he ever spoke about
his personal life, which he had never uttered in public.
He began his
discourse with an old Sai Bhajan " Sathguru Nathanee Vaa Vaa Vaa,
Satchithanandane Vaa Vaa Vaa...." While singing he was highly
inspired, as if powered with a Sai turbo engine and started the
Bhajan directly in the supersonic speed. He was so excited while
singing that he demanded the "Dafli" from us and started playing
while rendering the Bhajan."
He said that he was
born in Guntur which is almost like a furnace during summer and to
cool down, they ate "green hot chillies" ! He was born to a Brahmo
Samajist. His great grand father was a Brahmo missionary in
Calcutta and his father too was a staunch "Brahmo" who never
believed in rituals and idol worship.
His mother is the
first Andhra lady post graduate and that too with a gold medal.
Because in those days girls were not sent out to schools and
colleges. If they did, they were ostracised from the community.
All his brothers along with him were the most eligible bachelors,
because "Brahmos" did not believe in dowry !
His wife was born in
a devout hindu family and would attend the temples regularly.
However Anilkumar never went to any temples being a staunch Brahmo.
He had hired a rickshaw for her to go to the temples. They would
both go in the same rickshaw. His wife would go to the temple and
he would stand outside the temple for temple visit was forbidden
to Bramhos.
Then his wife fell
sick in 1970s. All the 13 doctors whom he met advised them to
undergo surgery for a growth found in her stomach. That was the
end to all the delicious chilly food. She was only allowed to take
curd rice.
Soon after she came
back from the hospital while returning from the temple one day,
they heard a Bhajan and they both visited the place. It was a Sai
Bhajan and after returning home, Anil Kumar says "my plight was
that of Dasharata confronted by Kaikeyi. She said if you want me
to be alive, you must take me to "Puttaparthi' " He agreed on two
conditions that she will never force him to come inside the
asharam premises and the second was that they will return after
one week. And so they both went to Puttaparthi. She would go
inside and Anilkumar with his two children would be roaming around
outside the ashram premises.
After 3-4 days he
was curious to see what was happening inside so he came and stood
outside the gate to have a peep of what was going on. It seems
Swami came directly to him and just looked at him, he also stood
and stared back without offering pranaams. Then he saw Swami was
distributing Ladoo prasadam to the workers who were then building
the Poornachandra Auditorium. That's the time he saw the first
miracle. He saw the plate with Ladoos appearing in his hand and
mysteriously disappeared after distribution of the Ladoos. He
wished Swamy gave ladoos to his children but then that did not
happen.
Since he was a
voracious reader, he bought Sathya Sai Speaks volume-5 and went
back home. When he started reading, he found that it was all the
Bhramha Samaj principle, the Sarvadharma and the Universal
fatherhood of God and Love etc.. He soon went back and bought the
rest of the volumes. Next day Swami again came near him. This time
his hands and legs were shivering He offered his pranaams and
Swami gave a nod and left immediately. It seems Swami did not talk
or acknowledge his (Anilkumar's) presence for nearly seven years.
He said it was like university exams. Appear for exams, if you
fail appear again in September and even that failed again reappear
in April and this went on with him for nearly seven years!
Because he loved
debates and lectures, he would always snatch the available
opportunity and speak. Once he was invited to speak on Sri Ram.
Most of the other speakers were eminent scholarly persons. "So
amongst the list of eminent professors of literature and
philososphy, there was my name in between Mr. Anilkumar without
any titles!"
When he saw the
invitation he rang them up to say that he wanted to be "dropped"
as he did not find himself to be the right person amongst those
scholarly people. The organisers turned down his request saying
that they have already printed and posted the invitations to
everyone. So just like the way he would prepare for the lectures,
he would sit with Swami's "Rama Katha Rasa Vahini" and prepared
himself which turned out to be the best.
The following month
he heard that Swami was in Hindupur and so he took a bus to go
there. On his way to Hindupur, he saw Swami's red car going
towards Ananthpur. He alighted from the Bus and took another Bus
towards Ananthpur. He says being from a Co-ed school and college I
did not know at that time that, at Ananthpur Girl's college no
males were allowed, not even a male mosquito!! And without knowing
this he barged into the campus where he was duly stopped by the
watchman and was asked to stand out.
But Anilkumar
wouldn't give up.He requested the watchman, that all that he
wanted was a mere glimpse of Swami. At last the watchman told him.
OK keep your luggage here and you may go up to the tree, that's
all..not even an inch further. After keeping his luggage he went
near the tree to have a closer peep. He was not aware that there
was a meeting of all central trust members going on there
comprising of Dr. Goldstein, Mr. Craxy, Mr.Subba Rao, Mr. Gokak
etc. etc.
Then after sometime,
he saw Swami coming out of the complex and he waved out " Hey
Anilkumar Come here". Anilkumar it seems thought that Swami was
calling the watchman. And Anilkumar asked the watchman, what's
your name. He replied his name was "Chellaiya". Then Swami again
called, "Hey Gunturkara Anilkumar, ikada raa" (hey Gunturman
Anilkumar come here). And so Anilkumar was called by Swami for the
first time and was introduced to other trust members. "This is
Prof. Anil kumar. A good Botany teacher, He also conducts special
classes for aspiring medical students and all his students have
become Doctors. He is also a good orator and recently enthralled a
jam packed audience with Raamkatha !!" Anilkumar says I was
flabbergasted beyond words to see my bio data coming out from the
Lord.
After the lengthy
introduction, Swami created Vibuti and said this is for your wife
who is sick and not for you!!. Anilkumar was wondering Where was
Swami all these years ?" Then Swami told Anilkumar that you will
speak on Dassera Day.And he spoke. Next day when he came out for
Darshan, Swamy told him to go and sit in the veranda, "Which was
then heavily guarded by huge sized Delhi Sevadals" Swami came
closer to him at the veranda later and put an envelope into his
pocket and Swami said stitch a pair of pants and shirt and this
money includes the stitching charges as well. Come for the
birthday wearing the new clothes. Then it seems Anilkumar told
Swami that his birthday was over. Then Swami told him, "for my
birthday"!! And ever since I have been asked to speak and
translate on many occasions.
It seems on
Novemeber 1st Anilkumar was sitting on the veranda, when Swami
showed an article in the newspaper. Swami knows that Anilkumar
reads newspaper and listen to news and so swami gave him the
newspaper. The news item was as follows: INDIA NEEDS PEOPLE LIKE BABA: GERMAN LEADER
Apart from this
another incident he narrated was of The Nobel Prize Trust chairman
who is also the grandnephew of Albert Nobel. He had come to
Puttaparthi. Soon after visiting the Hospital he asked for the
feedback book and wrote that "Bhagwan Sri
Sathya Sai Baba is a Gift to Humanity". I am so
fortunate to be here.
Finally Anil Kumar
went on to say that Sri Sathya Sai Organisation is no more a
provincial organisation, its no more a state organisation, its no
more a national organisation, but it is an international
organisation and he quoted the above two instances. He said it is
not enough that we share the joys of Swami with our members of the
family, but we must share this with our other friends who do not
know about swami for their happiness. For this he said that more
and more people must join in the Sai Organisation and each one of
us much play our part in increasing not only the quantity but also
the quality of people to join in the fold.
He concluded his
discourse with a lively Telugu Bhajan, playing the "Dafli" once
again, and the vast crowd who had assembled there joined him
enthusiastically, to the fast beat of the bhajan, and sending all
of them into raptures. And finally he prayed to Swami to bless
all of them who had assembled there.
Jai Sai Ram
? Anil Kumar Kamaraju 2004 - Here
reproduced for personal use of the devotees for the purpose of
seva.
Anil Kumar website:
http://www.internety.com/anilkhome/ -
http://www.internety.com/saipearls/
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