NS Ramnath
1998 Prasanthi Nilayam

Swami’s 70th birthday was just a few weeks away. People were flowing into Puttaparthi from around the world. The ashram buzzed with incessant activity – huge trucks delivering goods, large tents coming up on open spaces, endless stream of people rushing around. Even Bhajans seemed to be on a faster tempo. Swami, too, seemed busier than ever.

One day, He was distributing clothes to students in Sai Kulwant Hall. Sitting somewhere in the middle of hundreds of students, I couldn’t stop marvelling the speed at which Swami was giving the clothes away – spending just a fraction of a second for each student. The dress material seemed to flow as if in an endless stream from Swami’s hands. I thought it was fast, efficient, and mechanical.

Swami was coming closer and before I knew He was right in front of me. I looked at His face, and for a fraction of a second, His eyes met mine. And at that moment it seemed as if there was no one else, but Swami and me. Time froze. As Swami walked on I looked at the faces of my brothers. They were glowing. And I knew the same love that I felt, each one of them felt. With Swami, it’s not about time, it’s about love.

Do What You Can

Throughout my first couple of years in Puttaparthi, there was one question I wanted to ask Bhagawan. Looking back, I feel there were a couple of occasions I could have asked Him. For some reason I never did. Maybe I felt deep in my heart that the question was inappropriate and maybe it even went against what He taught. And then one day, long after I had left Puttaparthi, I had a dream. In that dream I was in Poorna Chandra Auditorium. I was seated in the very last row. Swami was on His wheelchair; He came to me and asked, “You can ask me now” (Ippudu adugu). And then I asked him that question I always wanted to ask while I was a student: How to get what I want. His answer was simple. He said, “Emaindo chei” (Do what you can). He then moved on as a student pushed His wheelchair away. It was so real and special that the first thing I did after waking up was to call my parents and narrated the dream. I didn’t associate that with anything else. However, when I think about it today, I think of it as a farewell gift, because two days later, I heard he was admitted to Super Specialty Hospital. The year was 2011.

Brother NS Ramnath is based in USA and works in a publication firm. He is part of the alumni magazine Vidyullekha editorial team.