An alumna of the Anantapur campus of the Sri Sathya Sai University from
1992-1995, Bharathi Harihar (nee Shanmuga Sundaram) received her graduation
degree and Gold Medal for B. Sc. (Hons.) Botany from Bhagavan's Divine Hands in
1995. She hails from a family which came to Bhagavan in the late 1980's. After
her Post Graduation and marriage in Bangalore, she taught Biology and Chemistry
at high school. She moved to the USA in 2002 and currently resides in Phoenix -
Arizona. She is actively involved in the activities of the Sai Centre and is
the SSE coordinator at the Scottsdale Sai Center. She also enjoys teaching
preschool and kindergarten children.
What thanks can we render Sai?
For the gifts Thou hast showered on us,
Everyday we blossom in Thy Love and Light.
What thanks can we render Sai?
This was the refrain of the song that went over and over in my mind on May 31,
2004, the weekend known in USA, as Memorial Day weekend. To explain this, I
need to go back a little. On July 4, 2003, the SSE (Sathya Sai Education)
children and teachers were granted Divine permission to perform in the Divine
Presence during the next Guru Poornima celebrations. By September, children
were auditioned for the play based on American heroes. The title of the play
was "Bloom Where You Are Planted."
A part of the huge backdrop for the drama based on American heroes by SSE
children from USA on July 2004
As a mother of a four-year-old, it was my intense desire that Sai Prashanth
should be a participant in it. So, our little son auditioned and did well. But
since my husband’s project extension hadn’t come through, all we wanted was a
minor role.
By November, my husband’s extension came through, and the play practice too
began in full swing. After the voice recording and the music was incorporated,
a CD was given to all parents. Though just four, he learnt entire dialogues
from Abraham Lincoln. But at the practice sessions, he cried a lot and made me
very anxious. For four weeks, I tried all that I could to make him understand
the enormous significance of just standing in front of Swami. But he refused to
be a part of the play, unless I was with him during practice sessions.
Winsome Love and Warm Grace
Saddened by this, I prayed to Swami to guide us. That was the night of February
22, 2004. I talked to Swami saying that if He wished little Sai to be in the
play, He should show us a sign. As I was closing the pooja room door, I
realized it was very cold. Even though I know that Swami is God, I just blurted
out, “Just in case, dear God, You feel very cold, You can come and stand (Oh
God! What did I say?) under the heater here. Goodnight Swami. Please take care.”
The Mysterious Sai
Early next morning around 5am, I experienced someone scratching my hand, and I
got up with a start, thinking a burglar had entered our bedroom. Immediately, I
tried awakening my husband saying someone is in the room. Since I didn’t wear
my spectacles, it took two seconds to adjust to the darkness. And who did I
see? It was my dear Bhagavan, in His beautiful orange Robe, standing under that
very heater, and blessing Sai Prashanth and us as well! I shook my husband
saying, “Please get up, look, Swami has come.” By the time he woke up with a
start, Bhagavan’s form dematerialized, and Shirdi Baba, very tall in His white
kafni (robe) appeared and blessed us. Then He kept His hand on His forehead as
though some big tragedy is going to befall on us. Within seconds His form too
dematerialized. I asked my husband if he saw Swami, he said, “No!” and went
back to sleep.
...I experienced someone scratching my hand, and I got up with a start,
thinking a burglar had entered our bedroom. Immediately, I tried awakening my
husband saying someone is in the room. Since I didn’t wear my spectacles, it
took two seconds to adjust to the darkness. And who did I see? It was my dear
Bhagavan, in His beautiful orange Robe, standing under that very heater, and
blessing Sai Prashanth and us as well!
I was shaken to say the least. I have read about Bhagavan appearing to people -
but to me? It was unnerving, and then my monkey mind started asking questions.
Did I really see Bhagavan? Was it a figment of my imagination? That night
again, my silent conversation with our Lord began. “Oh Lord! You promised in
our final year interview that, though we may get married into families that do
not accept Sai as God, a day will come when we would come to Puttaparthi with
our Bhartha (husband), and the entire family. Did I really see You? If I did,
then please let my husband also experience the bliss of seeing You.” I wished
Bhagavan goodnight and closed the pooja room door.
Early morning, the following day, I saw Shirdi Baba under the same heater, and
He was blessing us. I folded my palms in namaskar and awoke my husband who also
saw Baba (which he mentioned after three months), and immediately after that
Shirdi Baba dematerialized!
The combined play practice then began at ASU’s (Arizona State University)
Gammage Auditorium’s green room. Here our son Sai settled down a little, and
after driving him to SSE class, my husband and I would take more children to
South Phoenix at ASU for the play practice. I would pray during every drive,
“Swami, this is for You, please take care. Though You may not need it, we want
to do it for You. Please be with us.”
My husband, not much of a talker, but a doer, would drive in Phoenix ’s 120°F
(around 48°C), without grumbling, because this play meant so much to me. By
then, I too began actively to help out as an SSE teacher’s assistant. Then came
Easwaramma Day, the last day of play practice, following which everyone was to
assemble by June 18, 2004 in Puttaparthi. As I was talking to the SSE children,
I narrated the beautiful experiences of Bhagavan coming to the Vidyagiri
Stadium to watch us practicing for Sports Meet. One child asked, “Will Swami
come to watch us too?” I looked at a photograph of Bhagavan and said, “Yes! If
our focus is just Swami, then He will surely come.” In my heart I sincerely
prayed for these children, who would be visiting India and Puttaparthi for the
first time, to be blessed similarly.
The Divine Chancellor - constant guide and caring guardian A sportsmeet
rehearsal session of the Anantapur campus
I was to enroll Sai Prashanth in a kindergarten school in India, as my husband
planned to return to India after the completion his project in USA, and join us
in India in December 2004. By May 10, 2004, my husband said, “It looks like my
project would be extended, so are you willing to come back to U.S. ?” I agreed,
but would I get return tickets with just twenty days left to travel? Well, if
Bhagavan wished, it would happen. By May 12, the booking agent said we would
get good deals only from May 31. By May 25, all aspects of the journey were
confirmed.
The Eternal as ‘Ed’ - Roadside Rescue
On May 31, 2004, at 3.45am, we started our drive to Phoenix International
Airport. As we were about ten miles to the airport, I smelt gasoline, and
within a minute we entered a four lane freeway tunnel. Suddenly we heard a loud
bang, and our car swerved out of control; it went spinning. Later, we
understood it was a tire blowout. A huge container truck, which was following
us, narrowly missed hitting us, and we spun from the right most lane to the
left most, and turned 360* and back into the right lane.
In that instant, knowing that it was impending death, I kept chanting “Sairam,
Sairam!” and closed my eyes. The car came to a screeching halt, and when I
opened my eyes, I saw we were now facing the oncoming traffic, and waiting for
a mid-sized van to run into us. “Sairam! There comes Lord Yama (God of death)!”
I thought. Amazingly, the van came to a halt just centimeters from our car, and
the van driver got down and enquired as to what happened.
Soon a police car arrived, and I was sitting behind the wheel, while my husband
and the van driver, Ed, pushed the car towards the shoulder of the freeway (a
narrow strip of paved road to help drivers to safely park their cars during
emergencies). The police officer started asking me questions, thinking I was
the driver of the car. By then I had tears in my eyes. Swallowing my tears, I
told him that in an hour I was heading to Los Angeles, and from there
proceeding to India. He said,” No problem, Madam, I can drive you and your
child to the airport.”
My husband came forward and explained the situation, wherein the police officer
gave a tip to park the car on the shoulder, and that the car should be parked
along the flow of traffic. That way it would not be towed, and we could avoid
an unnecessary expenditure of about $200. They looked at the car tire, and
shook their heads in disbelief that we survived without even a scratch on our
bodies on such a high speed tire blowout!
In that instant, knowing that it was impending death, I kept chanting
“Sairam, Sairam!” and closed my eyes. The car came to a screeching halt, and
when I opened my eyes, I saw we were now facing the oncoming traffic, and
waiting for a mid-sized van to run into us. “Sairam! There comes Lord Yama (God
of death)!” I thought. Amazingly, the van came to a halt just centimeters from
our car, and the van driver got down and enquired as to what happened.
The van driver, Ed, (he was about Bhagavan’s height) said, he was an airport
employee and would be happy to give us a ride to the airport. Luckily, he had a
car-seat for my son, and we transferred the luggage and proceeded to the
airport. We had just fifteen minutes to check in, and thanked Ed for his
kindness.
He just nodded and drove away as the sun was just rising over the horizon. In
that hurry, we didn’t have the presence of mind to ask him for his address. In
my heart, I had a strong feeling that he was Bhagavan Himself as Ed. It was on
the tip of my tongue to ask him to reveal Himself. Then again, I felt it was
just His Grace that we were all alive.
Until that moment, my husband would use the term ‘Baba’ to refer to Bhagavan.
But on that day, as we checked in, he said, “This trip is a pilgrimage for you.
Don't worry, Swami will take care of you.” We boarded the airplane with
Bhagavan’s name on our lips.
My husband then called a friend, who rode him back to the freeway tunnel and
helped him change the tyre. After this was done, when he started the car, the
song “Sab kaa Malik Sai Bhagawan” (Sai is the Master of Everyone) began to play
from the CD a Sai sister had given us a few days ago. We reached India safely,
and everyone was amazed when they heard about the incident, and how the Divine
Hand protected us.
Divine Darshan on July 5, 2005
We stepped in Prasanthi Nilayam on the afternoon of June 17, 2004. My
mother-in-law and father-in-law had traveled for the first time to Puttaparthi
to watch their grandson perform. We went to the assigned room to unpack and
went for Darshan. We heard the bhajans and then the arathi, and waited with
bated breath to see our dear Lord.
Bhagavan was sitting in the golf-cart, and I felt He was looking at me, and
heard Him asking, “So when are you leaving?” I could not make up my mind
whether He was referring to my leaving Puttaparthi or returning to the US ; so
I just kept staring at Him and His golf-cart proceeded.
The practice session for the play began on the afternoon of June 20, and again
Sai Prashanth started crying, and wouldn’t let me go for Darshan. By then, I
too had tears. I was having Bhagavan’s Darshan after three years, and the inner
conversation with Bhagavan began, “Bhagavan, I have come from so far just to
have Your Darshan. Why is it that I can’t even see You?”
Five minutes later, as the children were practicing in front of North 5, one
sevadal ran to us saying Bhagavan’s golf-cart was coming to that part of the
ashram. Sure enough, we all had a beautiful Darshan! And after the practice,
the children ran up to me and said, “Aunty, it just happened as you told us.
Bhagavan did come to watch us as we were practicing.” I had until then, a
lingering doubt as to how, if ever, Bhagavan would come, because the previous
year Bhagavan had undergone a hip surgery. Once again, I knew and was convinced
that Bhagavan is a silent listener to all our conversations.
The Much Awaited Moment Arrives
The play was scheduled for the afternoon of July 5, three days after Guru
Poornima, in the Sai Kulwant Hall. The day dawned bright and beautiful, and the
children awaited their beautiful moments with the Lord.
Bhagavan arrived at 2.45 p.m. (it was earlier than usual) and asked for the
play to commence. He asked the child who carried a bouquet, “Who is Sojourner
Truth? Who is Abraham Lincoln?” The little girl answered well and Bhagavan
turned to everyone sitting around Him saying that even small children knew the
play well.
The Serene Sai watches... The little performers of "Bloom where you are
planted"
When the play started, a short circuit occurred exactly at that scene, where
the play was stopped twenty days ago during practice session, when Bhagavan
suddenly had arrived in front of North Block. The serial lights above Bhagavan
started bursting like tiny fire-crackers, but Bhagavan sat blissfully, totally
unaffected. Then He looked up for a second and it stopped. However, Bhagavan’s
swivel chair was moved to the left, near to the men’s side of the portico.
Bhagavan asked the narrator to continue, and one year’s practice surely served
its purpose. Very confidently, the children began from where they stopped. Soon
the recording resumed, and the play continued with a final scene with all the
children singing a bhajan. After the play, a senior SSE student requested
Bhagavan for a group photograph, and Bhagavan in His Infinite Compassion,
blessed the teachers and assistants too with a photograph. So we too could
treasure and cherish that precious moment forever.
The priceless gift of a sealed moment with the Lord The actors with the
Divine Director
A Child’s Wish Fulfilled
Immediately after this, Bhagavan sent word for something, and big bowls of
apples were brought by the students. Bhagavan personally gave the apples to the
Bal Vikas boys. Now, my Sai Prashanth, who was acting as a slave, posed for the
photograph, and was completely oblivious to the fact that Bhagavan was
distributing apples right behind him. He happily sat removing the stitches from
his patchwork. Frantically I began praying to Bhagavan to bless little Sai too
with the prasad. Suddenly, Sai got up and Bhagavan called him “little boy” and
blessed him with an apple. It was then that I recalled a casual conversation
with little Sai in Phoenix, when he was just learning the alphabets. I was
explaining to him that Bhagavan can give him anything good he wants, provided,
he stays in the play practice without crying, and then I had asked what he
would like from Bhagavan. In his own sweet way, he had replied, “Umm, I think I
will ask for an apple!” Thus, even the wish of a small child was granted.
Little Prasanth (extreme left) with folded hands as Swami showers on them
many golden moments While everybody is in smiles, Prasanth is at peace
busy with his apple!
Drenched in His Love, I called Phoenix and narrated everything to my husband.
At the end of our conversation, he said, “Guess what? I went for seva
yesterday.” It was the first time he had the intrinsic desire to go to the
welfare center in our one and a half year’s stay in Phoenix, though he would,
without protesting take me for most of the Sai center activities, and here
Bhagavan was blessing our son with His love!
Infinite Grace of the Indweller
With beautiful memories of our trip, we all returned to our native States to
visit grandparents and in-laws. I, then, started my return trip with my little
son. International travel is not my forte, but Bhagavan gives strength always.
This time the flight departure from Chennai ( Madras ) was delayed by two
hours, and so when I reached Singapore, I had just fifteen minutes to change
terminals. A kind hearted Singaporean at the help desk, rushed Sai Prashanth
and me through the sky train and into the next terminal, and we boarded the
plane with just a minute to spare. We returned safely to Phoenix.
Our dear Lord, who promised that He would be with us, was and is always
watching over us and guiding us!
What thanks can I render Sai?
For the gifts Thou hast showered on us.
Everyday we will blossom in Thy Love and Light,
What thanks can I render Sai?
For Thy mercy and Thy Love,
How can we repay Thee,
We will offer Thee ourselves,
For we belong to Thee,
Yes, we belong to Thee!
