Sai Krishna
2006 Prasanthi Nilayam
I would like to share a story that goes on to say, “What each of us mean to Swami?” With the human mind that is so fickle our perception keeps changing so often. Once we feel that Swami is everything. In another moment of despair we look for Him everywhere except within us. We feel that He has left us and let us down, that He has to come back and take charge. But the fact is that once He holds you, you might leave Him a thousand times, but He never leaves you even for a second! We all mean a lot to HIM. He alone loves us. He Lives only for us. Yes! He lives for each one of us. As I write these sentences, my eyes blur with tears of gratitude and for all that He has been for all of us.
It was on the 3 August, 2007. I just joined Radio Sai with His blessings in June 2007. My parents had come down to Parthi to celebrate my younger brother’s birthday on 4 August. We went to the hostel. Gave him some gifts and came back to one of our Sai brother’s place for dinner. In the midst of the meal, my father turned red. He was unable to eat another morsel of food. He loved and valued food – always and he never wasted even the chilli and the curry leaves. He brushed aside my fears and asked me to just give him anasthalin tablet saying its routine. But it became worse. He was unable to breathe. I rushed and got an auto and took him to the General Hospital. The doctors said it wasn’t a respiratory problem and asked us to rush him to the Super Speciality hospital. I called up few of our brothers working in the hospital. They were waiting at the hospital as we entered. They comforted me saying everything would be alright. Father was wheeled into the ICU. They did quick tests; connected some machines. About an hour later, a doctor came to me and said, “Please sign these papers. Your father will not survive.” I am neither dramatizing nor exaggerating. These were the exact words. I signed the papers. It was 10.00pm. I had no idea what to do. All that was on top of my mind was, I have to tell Swami. Those ten hours between 10.00pm and 8.00am next morning were gruelling. I went to the Mandir in the morning and sat in the Bhajan hall.
As Swamis car came to the portico and the door was opened I ran to Swami, hugged His feet and cried. Swami asked, “Emaindira?”
I said, “Swami, Doctors are saying father will die. He got a heart attack.”
“At what time?”
“8:30 PM, Swami.”
He went into the interview room and sent two Vibhuti packets and told me to apply it on my father’s chest. I rushed to the hospital and did as Swami said. The ejection fraction in a normal human about the age of my father is about 55–60%. But when we admitted him it was below 15%. Today the ejection fraction is 60%. Ask any doctor and they will tell you it’s a miracle to recover in such a way. The story doesn’t end there. After that day, father was in ICU for 14 days. Every single day Swami would come to the Bhajan hall and enquire about his health. On the day they were about to discharge him, Swami was sitting on the throne in the Bhajan hall and I was sitting in the second row in the Bhajan group.
He asked me, “How is father now? ”Swami, they are discharging him today”, I replied. He smiled and said, “But you said that doctors are saying he will die?” I said,“Swami its only Your grace.” Then Swami said the following words which will be there in my heart even if I were to get Alzheimer’s.
“Tell him that it is only my grace that he is living.”
Swami, there is only one prayer at Your feet. Please keep our minds and hearts in tune with Your love. Bless us so that we never forget, even for a single moment, what we mean to You. Let us live the way You live, and let us love the way You love.
Brother Sai Krishna is based out of Chennai and works for a CSR trust of a large organization. He also served at Radio Sai for six years as coordinator of the Telugu stream. He is a Bhajan singer & has opportunity to offer many musical offerings in the Divine presence during his student days.
