Chapter 5
I was there with you

After the devotees from Australia had returned to take their seats in the front room, Swami directed us to go into the inner interview room. My wife, my son, and myself were standing inside the room as Swami entered and occupied His chair. He asked us to sit down. I took my seat by the side of Swami on the right side and my wife on the left side. My son knelt down in front of Swami. We did not miss this opportunity to offer Paada Seva. Swami looked at us lovingly and kindly. He started giving lot of advice to my son.

Swami discussed various matters concerning my family and my business. Suddenly Bhagavan looked at my wife and asker her, “Did you not pray to me one day, in front of my picture in your house, asking, “will not Swami gave such a necklace to me also?” She said, “Yes Swami, but it was many years back, and I had even forgotten this”. Swami continued, and told her that she had recently visited a jewelry shop and enquired about the price for a similar chair. “You were short of funds and could not purchase it, is it not so?” She admitted and started weeping at His Lotus Feet. Now Swami asked her, very tenderly  “Am I with you or not”. She did not need any further proof of His being with us all the time. Pointing me to her, Swami said, “At time, this man gets angry and shouts at you. But he is having problems and mainly financial problems in his business. What about you? You are also quarrelling and raising your voice. Do you know that I have to close both my ears whenever you both start quarreling in your house? You should know that Swami is always with you and you should behave as such!”

Swami put us back at ease, with further conversations cutting lot of jokes and teasing my son. I finally told Swami, that I was tired both mentally and physically and would like to wind up my business and spend the rest of my life at His Lotus Feet. After experiencing the Divine Love and Grace, I did not feel like going back to the mundane world. Swami did not give me permission. He lovingly told me that one should engage himself in his work till he is physically fit ad that he would definitely call me to His presence later on. He said that I should go through all  ‘Prarabdhas’ (karmic duties) or otherwise its effect would follow me here too and that I will not be happy here also. “Let your son complete his studies, involve him into your profession, get him married and hand over the house to him and then you can come to me.”

After taking Paada Namaskarams, we got back to the outer room. Swami called out, ‘Hey! Thailand!” The queen got up, walked reverently inside as on the previous occasion. After making every body happy, Swami came to the outer room and resumed His seat. Swami got up again and asked to wait. He went into His private room and came back with further gifts. He presented a lovely wedding sari of costly silk to my wife and presented me with a set of clothes for safari suit. He went inside again, came with a Polythene bag, and held it to my wife, asking her to put the clothes inside the bag. It was really an experience that Swami looks into every minutest aspects all by Himself. We did not feel like going out. But Swami filled our hands with lots of Vibhuthi pockets and opened the door signaling that we should move out. With tears in our eyes we took leave of /Swami and joined the devotees sitting outside.

Soon it was morning Bhajan time and we joined the group singing. There were surprises for us. In the evening, the 24 hour long Akhanda Bhajan were to start at the Mandir from 6 P.M. onwards and to go on till 6 P.M. the next day. Immediately after Arathi, there was an announcement over the public address system. It was announced that there would be a devotional music programme in the evening at Poornachandra Auditorium by the famous cine play back singer, Ms. Chitra & Party. Normally there will not be any such cultural programmes during the Akhanda Bhajan day. Anyway, Swami had willed it that way. Whatever may be the reason or it might be just a coincidence that a cultural programme was scheduled on that day; it appeared to me, that it was an added gift programme by Swami for my 60^th birthday wedding.

When Swami decides to give Ananda (bliss) to somebody, He does it in a grand manner and showers His Grace abundantly, and then He will ask us what else we want. If and when such questions do come from Him, I feel, we should not ask for anything or crave for something. We should pray to Him that we want Him only. Swami had once told a devotee what one should ask Swami in time of a crisis. The advice of Swami on this question will come up in another chapter elsewhere in the book.

Author's statement in:
http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/SaiGroup-BombaySrinivasan/message/1

Many of you may be aware that I had authored a book with the title "Sri Sathya Sai Hrudaya Nivasi (Indweller of Hearts). This book had seen the third reprint, and is being sold in Bhagavan's Bookstall at Prashanthi Nilayam. Many of you would have purchased and many would not have got chance to go to Parthi and get the book. After the third edition, this may not go to print again. As such I wish to bring the contents of this book to each and every one of you.

Starting from today I shall post one chapter every week or if possible twice a week, depending upon the response I get from you all. I would request you to kindly read it and then re-circulate it to your other friends in the Sai Family.

The text could be transferred to your hard disk, and if possible print outs taken out.

Utilize the contents, as much as you like.

With Lots of Love and regards
Bombay Srinivasan