In 2001, I was in my third year of engineering and quite unremarkably, I was all set to continue my higher education abroad in the USA. However, I felt an unexplainable urge to go and see Swami in Whitefield on my birthday and my parents and I found ourselves in Sai Ramesh hall on the 27th of May. That day, Swami gave a blistering discourse on the greatness of our country and how those who stayed back to serve the land would receive His blessings and that those who had gone abroad would soon come back to India. That talk of His changed me and I told my mother in front of the Saraswati statue that if I were to study further, it would only be in Swami’s college. I finished my BTech course and applied for the MTech course in SSSIHL, keeping that as the only option. Unfortunately, MTech was not meant for me, and I applied for the MBA program next year. Those who have received the postcard will know the supreme joy it confers upon the recipient and his/her family. 

I entered the home away from home, filled with His handpicked, chosen ones, united in their intense love for Him.  Every single act’s sole purpose is to make Him happy. One of the opportunities He gave us was the ‘program’.  During our time, Swami gave permissions for frequent programs and dramas. What began in 2004 like street plays with no costumes or even dialogues have now morphed into mega productions! 

In the path breaking Independence Day drama that was presented on August 15, 2004, I was to play the role of a boy called Bishu who, having completed his studies, wants to leave his country and go to America to settle down because he thinks there’s nothing good in India. His grandfather is upset with this decision and inspires him. The entire drama is a sequence of moving events from the history of the Indian freedom struggle but it ends with a much higher message – that true freedom is not just the physical freedom or freedom from immorality, but freedom from body attachment. I felt it was so strange that I was to play the role of a boy leaving India when I had refused to leave India listening to Swami’s words!

On the morning of 15^th August, Swami had called two brothers involved in the drama into the interview room where they were to tell the story of the play to Swami. As soon as they entered the interview room, Swami looked at AB and said, “Hey! Are you the one running away to America?” AB said, “No Swami, that is another boy, but he doesn’t go to America, he has a change of heart and stays back.” And Swami was pleased with the answer. After that, instead of these two telling Swami the story, Swami told them the entire drama, scene by scene!  

The drama was in the afternoon and it was a magical 50 minutes that passed. There was not a single dry eye in the audience and Swami was very moved. By the end of the drama, ‘I’ decide not to go abroad and ‘I’ make a promise on behalf of the youth of the country to stay and serve our nation. The drama ended with the National Anthem and every soul in the hall rose and sang in one voice, Bharatha Bhaagya Vidhaatha, Jaya He! verily looking at the source and objective of the song, our Swami, who was so beautifully receiving all our combined prayers. 

After the anthem, Swami got up, and softly said, “Center boy!” and beckoned to me. What can I say? I was thunderstruck and just couldn’t process what was happening because it was so unexpected. As I took a few steps forward, Swami began to wave His hand. I simply knelt down before Him and just looked at His loving face with tears in my eyes. He had my right hand in His, but I was oblivious to anything else. As I looked at His face, He held my hands and a ring into my ring finger and said, “Idha nee eppome kai vittu edukkakoodaathu. Eppome Kaila irukkanam.” * (You must never remove this ring – it must always be on your finger). He patted my cheek and I fell at His feet. It’s only after I came down that I even saw what He’d given me, a green ring. Swami was so pleased with the drama that He materialized three more rings for three other actors, each one a different ‘model’!  All that I know, Swami, is that this band of gold and green is a sign of Your love for me and I keep feeling your love, over and over again!

Prashanth Raju MBA, 2003 – 2005, Prasanthi Nilayam. Currently is the CEO of Trayee Business Solutions, a BPO based in Chennai. He co-founded Sai Seva Business Solutions, a pioneering rural BPO in 2006 in Puttaparthi, aimed at providing sustained employment opportunities for the educated youth while providing cost efficient business solutions.