“If Baba is really God, He will give me admission in His college in answer to your prayers”, I told my mother when she, even after coming to know that the last date for submission of applications was over, insisted that I go to the University Administrative Office and try my luck. It was my mother’s ardent wish that I pursue M.Com. in Swami’s university but I had my own plans and hence was completely unaware of the admission notice issued by the Institute. If not for His Divine Grace, it would have been impossible for me to join the Institute. Later I realized ‘impossible’ becomes ‘Him-possible’ when you surrender to Him. The Sanathana Sarathi willed and orchestrated a number of ‘coincidences’, paving the way to securing admission into the Institute.

After reaching the Admin Office, to my pleasant surprise, I was informed that the last date was extended by three more days! As I had travelled directly from Kurnool, I carried all my certificates, marks sheets of previous semesters along with me. But I needed to submit a photo attested by the Silver Jubilee College Principal along with them. 

Immediately I wrote a letter to my friend, Sri TV Sudhakar, in Kurnool, requesting him to attach a passport size photo of mine which he had with him, to this application, get it attested by the Principal and send it to me at once as there were only three days left for submission. I was sure he had my passport size photo in his album. In order to ensure that the letter reached him the next day itself, I rushed to the Puttaparthi bus stop and requested a complete stranger, who was travelling to Hyderabad, to post the letter in the Kurnool bus stand. He had to get down at Kurnool in the middle of the night, search for a post box and post the letter. It was too much to expect from a total stranger, but thanks to Swami, he (He!) did it. 

On receiving my letter, he felt sorry that the photo album was at his home (Mahabubnagar). That evening he went to the market on an errand. One the way, he stopped at a photo studio where a friend was to meet him. While sitting there, Sudhakar noticed to his utter surprise a negative film of our class group photo, taken three months earlier, on the photographer’s table. It was a mystery even to the photographer himself as to how that particular negative film happened to be on his table at that time. Sudhakar fondly recalls this incident saying that it was unbelievable that he recognised my face in a negative film of a group photo! The photographer cropped my face from the picture and developed it. The Principal was first reluctant to attest the picture as it had only my side profile but on hearing that I was applying for Sri Sathya Sai University, instantly stamped it. Subsequently, the attested photo reached me on the third day, enabling me to submit my application in the eleventh hour. If it was not for Swami’s unseen Hand at work, how can anyone explain such an incredible turn of events? Once we surrender to His Will and do our duty to the best of our ability, He makes all the seen and unseen forces of the universe conspire to put us on the path to victory in all that we do. 

Soon the much awaited results were announced and I was one of 17 fortunate students blessed by Bhagawan with a seat in M.Com. I was the only student selected among the students who did not do Bachelors in SSSIHL. Thus began my most memorable and cherished journey as a Sai student.

Bhagawan teaches us the most significant life lessons in a very subtle and endearing manner. In 1983, my grandmother and father had arrived in Prasanthi Nilayam to have His Darshan. On a particular day, Swami told me that He would grant them an interview but after a very hectic schedule that day, he came to where I was sitting in the Verandah and told me that He could not grant an interview that day but would certainly call us the next day and he did so.

Bhagawan says “My Life is My Message” and every act of His is an ideal for us to emulate.Certainly, Swami did not owe an explanation to me. But He gave it, so that I could learn a lesson in humility and experience His unconditional love through this endearing gesture. Every moment with Bhagawan is a lesson. 

His unseen Hand continues to guide and guard us at every step. I am filled with a deep sense of love and gratitude as I pen down my thoughts reminiscing those golden days at His Divya Sannidhi.  

V Sarvothamudu M.Com, 1982 – 84, Prasanthi Nilayam. Currently works in the central office of LIC of India in Hyderabad. His family has been devotees of Bhagawan since 1948. He is State Vice President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, Telangana.