B. Aravind graduated from Swami’s university
in Puttaparthi with an MBA in 2007 after his M.Sc in Chemistry. A brilliant
student throughout his academic life, he also got a Gold Medal in B. Sc
Chemistry at Brindavan and was among the toppers in school at the plus Two
level. Aravind is a bubbly individual and is passionate about photography,
writing and music. Its difficult to miss Aravind running about following Swami
and taking photographs of our Lord in Parthi. Currently, he works for Radio Sai
in Prashanthi Nilayam. In this article he eloquently narrates his experience as
a student when Swami crystallized his faith in the power and ultimate victory
of truth.
A
very interesting episode occurred during my school days. Today, when I look
back on it in retrospect, I see that it shows the immaturity of a child’s
thinking and the maturity of Swami’s love! This happened when I was in my 11th
standard (1998) when I had taken the combination BPC ( Bio Science, Physics and
Chemistry).
Before I narrate that episode, let me tell you about the mandir lines.
Everyday, we would go to the mandir (for darshan of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba) from the hostel in ordered lines. And to ensure that everyone has equal
chances of getting physically close to Swami, each day different classes would
go first. For instance, if the first day, the order of the lines was classes
VIII, IX , X, XI and XII, the next day the order would be IX, X, XI, XII, VIII
and so on, in a cycle. Sundays were special because we would go even for the morning
darshan as it was a holiday. The Sundays had a special rotation system of its
own with the cycle changing every week! And this whole thing would be manned by
teachers.
That was fine as far as equality of classes was concerned. But what about the order
of students within a class? There was an unwritten rule (made by the boys, of
the boys and for the boys!)- anyone who could get ready with a wash, shave and
vibhuti dot on the forehead could rush down to the assembling point after (and
only after ) the bell for lines would ring. The order of the boys in different
rows would then get determined as 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and so on. If
anyone was not neatly shaved and washed or missed the vibhuti dot, he would be
disqualified and his position confiscated by the next boy in the order. At
times, this would force us to go to classes after a complete wash up. This was
especially true for the post-lunch sessions on the days when our class would be
first.
On this particular day, we were having our Chemistry lab sessions. As a class
we had disappointed the teacher concerned and he was in an irritable mood. It
was also the day when our class would be first in the lines and there was a
nervous energy all around. We were all the students of the Science section.
There were students of the Commerce section too from our class and so our
silent hope was that our class would be let out earlier than theirs. ( You see,
there were so many levels of competition to be overcome to get first into the
lines!)
With 10 minutes to go, all of us began to automatically wash the glassware and
start winding up for the day. It was a tough task and in the hurry to finish
fast, a few beakers cracked and broke. Needless to say, this irritated the
teacher even more. None of us have ever paid any laboratory fees and all the
chemicals and glassware are provided to us with love by Swami. While other labs
have breakage charges, there are none in our labs. So, naturally, the least
that is expected of us is to maintain these gifts of love with care.
I too was washing away furiously in a hurry, taking care that no glassware
breaks. Finally, within a minute of the final bell, all the glassware had been
washed and arranged in the shelves. My legs were waiting with pent up energy
for the rush to capture a front spot in the lines. As fate would have it, the
teacher began to inspect the washed glassware and he located one beaker that
had remnants of the organic chemicals that had been used. He immediately picked
it up and asked “Whose beaker is this?”
I
realized that it was mine. And I was caught between the horns of a dilemma.
Immediately the little white angel on my right and the little red devil on my
left began their traditional conversation!
“Just keep quiet. There is no way he will find out it is your beaker. He will
get frustrated and let go.”
“No!
That is not right. You know that it is yours and you should own up. Moreover,
instead of letting go, he may punish the whole class.”
“You raise your hand now and your chance to be front in the lines is gone! The
chance to get physically near to Swami is too great to be left for the sake of
a chemical drop on a beaker!”
“You know that the problem is not as skewed as the devil is putting it.
Remember that more than the nearness, the dearness to Swami matters. And by
following the truth, you will please Him.”
“Satyameva
Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) is a motto for the aeons gone by. It is not
relevant now.”
“Truth is for ever and it always triumphs. You speak the truth and you will be
rewarded. That is for sure. ”
“Tell
me! Whose beaker is this?”, the voice thundered again.
I immediately raised my hand and said, “I am sorry sir! That is mine.”
The
teacher’s eyes immediately seemed to calm down. He said, “All can leave now.”
Even as I prepared for the sprint, he said, “Aravind. Stay back.” I was
punished. I was given a load of glassware to wash and then alone could I leave
for the mandir. I was immediately fraught with disappointment and sadness. It
then erupted as anger within me.
“I thought that speaking the truth will save me. It only put me in deeper
problem. Forget the front lines, I doubt whether I will even be in time for
darshan!”
As
I angrily continued the washing, I failed to notice that the teacher had
punished himself too - by not going to the mandir till I was done. I was too
busy with my own ‘misfortune’ to think about him. My mind continued to speak
“This Satyameva Jayate really seems to be relevant only for the past. I
don’t care how, but if it is relevant even in the modern times, then Swami, I
want you to bless me today. I want you to accept a handkerchief from me and
smile at me. I don’t know how you will do it but you must do it if you want me
to have faith in the truth.” I threw this as a challenge to Him. I felt
slightly happy within because I was in a win-win situation. At a time when I
was sure to be late for darshan, if Swami were to give me that chance of
offering a handkerchief to Him, my day would be so special. In case that did
not happen, I would have no problem lying myself out of future situations! (
There! This is what I referred to as the immaturity of the child.)
So many things depend on His smile...
Finishing
my punishment, I informed the teacher who was still waiting patiently for me.
He too seemed sad. I felt that he deserved to miss darshan for he had made me
miss mine. ( Later, I found out that he was sad because he felt responsible for
me missing my darshan and he was praying to Swami to wait till I arrived! Wow!
The teachers here are some magical creatures of love!)
I
went to the mandir and there was no music on. I was sure that darshan had been
complete. I was shocked to find out that for some reason, Swami had not yet
arrived for darshan! (This was very very rare those days. Swami was always on
time!) And as I walked in to the students’ area, I saw one empty space right in
the first line. How could anyone have missed it? I asked the boy seated there
whether that space was reserved for someone and he replied in a negative. Once
again, the immature thinking set in.
“Swami
wants to make it easy for Himself to prove to you the importance of Truth. If I
sit here, He will create vibhuti for some devotee and take the handkerchief
from me. I shall not make it that easy for Him!”
Thinking
thus, I gave up that space and went to sit in the portico outside the interview
room. This was a region that was manned by two of Swami’s assistants and in
case He created vibhuti here, they would offer the kerchief to Him. I wanted
concrete proof of His response and as I did this, I could see the little red
devil snickering at the little white angel. I felt a little guilty too, but I
went ahead with my plan.
What happened, completely bowled me over. I sat in the portico and the darshan
music began. Swami arrived and completed His darshan rounds. He came to the
portico and began to speak to some devotee. And at the end of the two-minute
interaction, He began to swirl His palm to create vibhuti. He gifted the
vibhuti to the devotee. I was a good 3 meters away from Him. But, out of sheer
instinct, I had tugged the kerchief out of my pocket. However, I stayed put in
my place and one of the two assistants went to Swami with a handkerchief.
Swami just looked away from him into my eyes. He smiled and stretched out His
hand seeking the kerchief in my hand. Like a robot, I got up from my place and
went to Him. I gave the hand kerchief to Him. He wiped His hand, smiled at me
and threw the kerchief back to me. I returned to my place in a daze.
Even as I sat, my senior beside me nudged me and said, “You are a ‘form’ boy
man! He specially wanted you. Did you have some sort of a prayer-deal with
Him?”
