LIVING THE DIVINE PRESENCE
Reflections on Prof. N. Kasturi, venerated Biographer of Bhagawan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba
The December 25 is celebrated the world over as Christmas. Prasanthi Nilayam
also has its unique way celebrating this festival, and over the decades the
number of overseas devotees coming to the divine feet to celebrate this
festival has ever been on the rise. But December 25 is special for another
reason for the Sai fraternity; for it happens to be the birthday of an eminent,
distinguished and most lovable devotee of Baba - Prof. N. Kasturi. He was much
more than a mere biographer of the Avatar or translator of His discourses.
Though a Professor and scholar, he was a humble student of this ‘school
dropout’. Though a good thirty years older than Baba, he was a child to this
Divine Mother, a friend in mischief. His life itself is an illustration of a
sincere aspirant’s journey with Bhagawan. So to revisit the life of this
eminent servant of the Lord, and remember him on his birthday, we present you
an article by late Prof. Kasturi’s grandson, Mr. Rameesh Kasturi and his wife,
Mrs. Ananda Kasturi.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba who is dearly addressed by millions as ‘Swami’,
was most dear to Prof. N. Kasturi, whose devotion is enshrined in his
autobiography, ‘Loving God,’.
Swami entered N. Kasturi’s heart 63 years ago, while he was serving as
Professor of History at Mysore University. A small picture of Baba, which had
been acquired but kept hidden till then, suddenly came to be enshrined with a
beautiful frame, decorated with fragrant flowers and installed at the centre of
the private altar at home. What brought about this momentous change in the life
of this much loved Professor and famous author of more than forty books in
Kannada language? This moment defined his and wife Rajamma’s life; turning it
on to a new path, a shared journey towards eternal joy that was saturated with
spiritual wisdom, and blessed with living the Divine Presence. But how did all
this happen?
People Instrumental In Leading Kasturi to Sai:
Before this moment of joy, Prof. Kasturi and Mrs. Rajamma had lost their
nineteen year old second son, Atri, the darling of their hearts. A dedicated
freedom fighter and a devoted soul to his parents, Atri succumbed to typhoid,
just nine days after India attained freedom in 1947. Because of this intense
sorrow, they gave away all pictures worshipped at their home altar. Gold and
silver icons of various gods and goddesses were handed over to a passing monk,
with the words, “God has taken away our dear son, therefore God has no place in
our hearts or home.”
Prof. Kasturi would hold aloft a rosewood pot from which torrents of
Vibhuthi would flow, when Swami put His hand inside. Swami performed Vibhuti
abhishekam to the Shirdi idol this way
But very soon Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba would open up and prepare their
hearts. It happened when my father, late Mr. T.P. Balachandran, came to study
Indian History in Bangalore under the guidance of Prof. Kasturi, as part of
preparing for admission into the ‘Indian Administrative Services’ (IAS). My
father was among those chosen few, who were devoted to young Sathya Sai Baba in
the early years, and had great faith in Him as the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai
Baba. The rosewood vessel from which Bhagawan would later create streams of
sacred ash (Vibhuti) and which Prof. Kasturi was blessed to hold on several
occasions, had been brought from Burma by my father`s parents and presented
humbly as a gift at the Divine Lotus feet of young Sathya Sai Baba.
Mr. Balachandran, in his youthful zest started sharing his experiences and
feelings about the charming Sathya Sai Baba with his teacher. But Prof. Kasturi
who was impressed by his brilliant academic outlook, developed a great liking
for this young student and wondered about a possibility to have him as a
son-in-law. Through Bhagawan’s divine Leela and interference, this would
materialize and Prof. Kasturi jokingly mentioned that Swami had created a
son-in-law just as He would create Vibhuti by rotating His divine hand!
Prof. Kasturi was once invited by his young student’s parents to join them in a
visit to their guru, Sathya Sai Baba. The day Prof. Kasturi met Sai Baba in
Bangalore, he met the Divine in form. Baba spoke to him, consoled him, accepted
him and blessed him in this very first meeting to be His future Biographer.
Sathya Sai Baba spoke to Prof. Kasturi about many hidden thoughts that were
lingering in his mind and burdening the depths of his heart.
The immense joy of this meeting was such that Prof. Kasturi and his wife
recovered the hidden picture of Swami, dusted and framed it, and installed it
in the center of the altar, which had been empty for long. This was the moment
Swami entered their hearts as Divine light and their lives began anew, filled
with the Divine Presence of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Later on when they had settled in Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, every morning at
dawn Mrs. Rajamma would gather small, fresh flowers from the surrounding bushes
and, hand them reverentially to her husband. Prof. Kasturi then would go to
Swami’s room upstairs in the mandir, and would adorn Baba’s feet with the
fragrant offerings. In the true Indian Brahmin tradition, Prof. Kasturi and his
wife considered themselves as two halves of one life. And their combined
worship of Bhagawan’s sacred feet on this planet Earth went on for 25 years.
She was the silent support of her husband and shared every occasion of Divine
revelations with him as soon as he returned from the Divine Presence of
Bhagawan.
Living in Puttaparthi, the tiny dot on the 20th century world map, a tucked
away hamlet in South-India, softened by the divine footprints of Sathya Sai,
Prof. Kasturi moved his pen. Scribbling down and collecting many drops of
loving messages from Baba, be it of intimate compassion, or thundering thoughts
delivered to eager but ignorant people. The 'Sathya Sai Speaks' series as well
as the 'Vahini' series of Bhagawan’s discourses and articles were, for several
decades, under Prof. Kasturi’s able pen growing (He translated into English,
most of these works). Each sentence that he noted, he could go up to Bhagawan
Himself and verify.
Prof. Kasturi and his better half, Mrs Rajamma spent 25 blissful years,
worshipping together, the Lord of their hearts. The couple is seen here
performing the anointment ritual on Bhagawan's Birthday
He unravelled the magnificence of Baba’s miracles, defining the Divine and
defying the mundane. For example, Baba created a stunning diamond and gave it
to a devotee, while pronouncing the inspiring message, “Die-mind,” whence only
we could receive the marvel of the dimensionless Divine. Prof. Kasturi who was
a witness to this incident and revelation, seized the ‘Diamond message.’
>From Death to Immortality
During one of their early visits, when Prof. Kasturi and Mrs. Rajamma arrived
in Puttaparthi, a young family member of Swami had passed away due to a dog
bite. Everyone gathered, mourned and cried and Prof. Kasturi too was moved to
tears by the painful incident. Swami approached him, but did not show any sign
of distress. Prof. Kasturi took a chance and asked Bhagawan,”Why is Swami alone
not affected by the feelings of suffering?”
Swami revealed the highest Truth in one simple sentence, which later Prof.
Kasturi mentioned as the defining occasion, realizing that Swami is really
Bhagawan, truly God. Swami said, “How am I to spend time, if there is no birth
and death?!” For Prof. Kasturi, till then, death was a biological
inevitability, understood as material or elemental disintegration, nothing but
an intellectual explanation. But at this moment the message of Swami was the
nectar of immortality, and eternal wisdom poured into his starving heart. The
painful memory of the death of his own son Atri was erased at that very instant
and Prof. Kasturi and his wife had a conscious glimpse of the true nature of
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Rishis, Saints and holy people of ancient Bharat
spent their lives in penance to receive such powerful insights, and here it was
granted by the Divine Incarnation Himself. In his last book, “Prasanthi -
Pathway to Peace,” published by the Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications
Trust, Prof. Kasturi referred to Bhagawan as `It`, the Divine entity incarnated
in a most charming form, but is actually formless and nameless.
‘Go and Dance!’
Swami revealing His divinity to the people around, made Prof. Kasturi busy with
his pen, his own soul dipping into the Divine. Prof. Kasturi drank the nectar
Divine in Baba’s presence and shared the sweetness with thousands of devotees
through his writings and narrations. Every time he was invited to speak to a
group of people about Bhagawan, Swami told him, chuckling, “Go and dance.” The
listeners would sway to the happy explanations of the divine stories of Baba.
‘Srimad Bhagavatam,’ an epic of yore, revered and enjoyed by millions of
devotees in India, had the power to console and conquer the cycle of life.
Prof. Kasturi wrote a ‘Sai Bhagavatam,’ a poem of the same effect, describing
the joy of his living in the Divine Presence. This poem he translated into
seven languages and recited several hundred times. During many performances,
Prof. Kasturi was accompanied by his first son Murthy, who was an ardent
devotee and had spread Bhagawan’s message in the North-Eastern part of India
during the 1960-70s.
Like any other true Indian couple, Prof Kasturi and his wife, considered
themselves as two halves of the same whole, and they lived and
shared the joy of Divine company thus
Prof. Kasturi represented three linguistic regions of southern India and was
prolific and humorous in his writings. Entertaining and guiding subtly in an
India under British rule, he canvassed for a free India in his own unique style
as teacher, lecturer and guide to his students. He used his wit and wisdom to
keep the heart of Bharat throbbing to the songs of godly grandeur by, for
example, staging educative dramas with his students in villages around Mysore.
Human values were naturally imbibed by the simple village folks, and his
linguistic marvels were widely appreciated.
Poorna Means Fullness:
Prof. Kasturi was born 25 December 1897 as Narayana Kasturiranganathan Sharma
in Tripunithura, Kerala. His parents offered the little baby in front of a
sacred deity, called Poorna-thresa, the full incarnation of the three deities
Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. His family hailed from Tamil Nadu, belonging to
the well versed, sanskritised culture of ancient Bharat. Prof. Kasturi would
later settle in Karnataka and finally reach Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh,
safely ensconced at the Lotus feet of the Poorna-avatar, the full Incarnation
of the above mentioned Godheads. On the way, he dropped his long name, to be
known worldwide as Prof. N. Kasturi, a name that carries the beautiful,
spiritual meaning of, ‘The sacred musk dot adoring the forehead of Lord Vishnu.’
Prof. Kasturi was drawn to Baba by His magnetic power and divine love. Like a
bee to the flower, or an ant to the sweetness of a sugar cube. He found his
heart singing the glory of Baba, carrying the song to many people across the
country. Prof. Kasturi travelled far and wide all over India to spread the
message of his loving God and also became the willing pen in the hands of his
beloved Bhagawan, transcribing tirelessly Swami’s discourses, articles and
Divine revelations. Till the end of his life, Prof. Kasturi was busy picking up
the gems from his Master’s words. And through the ‘Sanathana Sarathi,’ the
monthly magazine of the Prasanthi Nilayam ashram, of which he was the editor,
he would share these treasures with all.
For many years Prof. Kasturi played the role of an able instrument,
connecting the devotees to their lord, as the editor of the Sanathana Sarathi.
The Real Sai Beckons
When he had settled in Puttaparthi, a small group of Prof. Kasturi’s old
friends and admirers came to visit him. They were dismayed at having lost such
a prolific writer and narrator to a young guru by name Sai. Prof. Kasturi was
very happy to introduce them to Baba and, because of his intimate proximity to
Baba, he suggested having a divine session on the banks of the Chitravathi,
hoping for a transformative effect on his friends. But Baba innocently posed a
question, “Why Chitravathi? It is a long way to go!” Prof. Kasturi corrected
his stance and said, “There is nearby the mandir a mound of sand, sufficient
space for the group to sit in a circle around Swami.” Baba queried, “Why on the
sand?” drawing the enlightenment nearer. Prof. Kasturi joined the dialogue with
the Divine, “Would it be ok to sit in the verandah of the mandir? Just a wave
of Your hand, or even the turning of Your palm could dispel the darkness, doom
and dismay of these people.” Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Divine master
and redeemer, found the moment to light the lamp of wisdom in the mind of Prof.
Kasturi. He revealed, “Why the need of a hand movement, or the palm being
circled? The Will of God is enough blessings. Thereby His creation receives
transformation!”
Puttaparthi was aglow with such Divine revelations and Prof. Kasturi’s heart
was now the willing recipient of these Divine sparks. He and his wife lived the
Divine Presence every moment of their blessed togetherness.
Shiva Shakthi Swaroopa:
Prof. Kasturi’s most defining point in time came when he realized the
triviality of the world of elemental compositions. He was the closest attendant
and witness throughout the death-defying happenings during Gurupoornima, 1963.
It is chronicled in detail in his book, 'Shiva Shakthi Swaroopa'. Bhagawan Sri
Sathya Sai Baba demonstrated to the awe of thousands of devotees that the
Divine energy of Shiva-Shakthi, which integrates and disintegrates behind the
universal, visible and invisible existence, is manifested in Him.
For a period of seven days, Baba’s body suffered a paralytic stroke along with
four heart attacks. Thousands of people around Him mourned, watching the
thirty-six year old Baba, the hope of the world for spiritual regeneration, at
the brink of departure from this hopeless world. But Baba was not the physical
body, as everyone thought! When He threw off his severe sickness and calamitous
condition with a sprinkle of water, He reminded the world that He is the
eternal, everlasting, never-ending Divine power of Shiva-Shakthi, beyond the
sensibility and far beyond even the imagination of anyone present at that
event. He is the Power of cohesion of universal existence, the Sustainer of
every being.
Merging with the Divine
Having lived a long and blessed life together, Mrs. Rajamma passed away in 1985
in Prasanthi Nilayam. Prof. Kasturi, as well as his daughter Padmamma (Mrs.
Padma Kasturi) had cared for her and Swami made sure she had a grand farewell.
He sent a special silk sari for her and asked all the ladies of the ashram to
join the funeral procession from the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital to the
Chitravathi river bank. In 1987, when Prof. Kasturi neared the end of his
life’s sojourn, he was nearest to Baba’s presence and every footstep outside
his room made him think that Swami was visiting him, as the beloved Sai had
done on so many occasions. Nearing the embrace into the arms of His Divine Lord
and loving God, Prof. Kasturi was whispering to himself, “Within and within….as
we spread ….thinner and thinner….and our thoughts….become His creation….and He…”
This Prof. Kasturi wrote on 24.06.1987, his last words in a book of a Sai
brother, Mr. Jagadeeshan from Malaysia. The book’s title was, of course, ‘The
Journey Within.’
His last day on the blessed planet earth was 14 August 1987 and, having lost
consciousness, he regained it when Swami entered his hospital room, calling out
softly, "Kasturi, Kasturi.” Only Bhagawan, Prof. Kasturi’s daughter Padmamma
(my mother) and myself were present at that time. Swami tenderly bent over His
Kasturi and stroked his fragile bodily frame. Bhagawan then lovingly closed
Kasturi’s eyes with his own Divine hand. Swami next ordered both of us to take
padanamaskaram, and we gently touched His divine Lotus feet. He commanded that
no one should touch Prof. Kasturi’s body anymore. Opening the door and letting
the doctors and nurses enter, He advised that Namasmarana should commence. When
Swami left, He quietly announced that it would take one more hour and, true to
His word, after one hour Prof. Kasturi followed into the Divine Presence
forever. His funeral was watched by Swami, standing on the balcony of the
Prasanthi Nilayam mandir.
Jai Sai Ram.
With humble Pranams at the Divine Lotus feet of our most beloved Bhagawan Sri
Sathya Sai Baba.
- Rameesh and Ananda Kasturi
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