Divine Omniscience…
Friday, January 13th, 2012
Bhagawan’s myriad expressions of Love, Omniscience and Divinity are experienced by devotees the world over in varied fashion, proving time and again that He and He alone is The Lord in their hearts, Who listens to their heartfelt submissions. ‘His Students’ are ‘His Properties’ who are the chosen ones to experience His close proximity and thus stories galore of His Love, Omniscience and Divinity. Read on a beautiful recountal, of an interesting episode with Bhagawan, by Sri N. Sudhindran, a former student at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.
I was studying in the second year of B.Com (Hons.) at Brindavan Campus of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. It was during the month of December 2000 when the preparations and practise for the Annual Sports & Cultural Meet 2001 was going on in full swing. A few of us who were part of the equestrian display item came from Brindavan to Prasanthi Nilayam to attend the Christmas celebrations in Bhagawan’s presence. While everyone else from my group were students of the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus and were therefore accommodated in their Hostel, my accommodation was arranged in the Ashram. So all of us alighted at the hostel and I was to go to the Ashram. One of my student brothers offered to drop me off at Ashram in the hostel scooter. So, I was pillion riding with him to the Ashram. And that’s when this unfortunate (or should I say fortunate?) incident happened.
On the way to the Ashram, there was a speed breaker and next to which there was a milestone. In order to avoid the speed breaker, my student brother rode the scooter off the road along the side and… THUD! The little toe on my right leg that was dangling by the side, hit the milestone hard! The pain was intense and so was the swelling. Immediately, he rushed me to the General Hospital and we got the injury dressed. Later, after a lot of apologies, he dropped me off at the Ashram. But I knew that it was not entirely his fault, as I should have placed my foot on the footrest on either side of the scooter instead of letting it dangle carelessly.
Now having got to my room, I limped about in pain trying to freshen up and get ready for Darshan. And that’s when I realised that I now faced a bigger problem. The Sports Meet was about 2 weeks away and how was I going to take part in the practise sessions when I was limping with pain. Fortunately or unfortunately, the equestrian display item that I was involved in had attracted Swami’s personal attention and if He saw me limping about what will He say? “Say”? That’s rather a euphemism! I was sure that Swami was going to chastise me and not just me, but everyone involved in the accident. So, because of my carelessness, the student brother who dropped me in the scooter and wardens of the Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan campuses were sure to get dragged in to the line of fire! And probably Swami’s anger on them would get reflected on me eventually! I was now in a frame of mind that was a combination of guilt, fear, helplessness and depression. Finally I knew only one solution out of this complex problem looming large in my mind. And that was prayer. I prayed to Bhagawan thus: “Lord, I realise that it was my mistake. But if I were to physically mention to you about this, I may displease you and also put so many people in to trouble. Please demonstrate to me that you are already aware of the entire episode and you have forgiven me.” After my prayer, I rushed to the Mandir to have His Darshan.
After Darshan, I was called in to the Divine Presence and I went limping inside. But Swami apparently did not notice that. Swami then talked about various matters and I was soon lost in His Divine Love. All of a sudden and rather out of context, Bhagawan asked in His sweet Telugu: “Noovu Chenchu Natakamu Choosava?” meaning, “Have you watched Chenchu drama?” Had it been some other day, I would have replied in the negative and totally forgotten about the mention of this folk drama hitherto totally unfamiliar to me. But when I saw His mischievous smile on His lips and glint in His eyes, I realised that He had answered my prayers. For, in a most subtle way, He had acknowledged that He knew about the entire tragic drama without me having to inform Him physically. The student brother who dropped me on the scooter was known as “Chenchu” in the hostel, as that was how Bhagawan once addressed him in the hostel, (as it is a part of his full name) later picked up by hostel mates! Swami had cryptically referred to the entire episode as “Chenchu’s drama!” Thus, Bhagawan demonstrated in a wonderful way that He is the Omniscient Lord and He is indeed aware of everything, be it small or big, which happens in the universe.
II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
Posted in Reflections |
