“You belong to Me.” When Bhagawan said these words gazing deep into my eyes during the trip to Kodaikanal in the year 2005, little did I understand how deep that ownership would go. A couple of years later, Bhagawan was having a fun session in the Interview Room. He was asking four other boys including me the meaning of our names. One boy mentioned his name and said that it was another name of Krishna. Swami nodded to him and looked at me. Feeling mischievous that day, I replied, ‘Swami, my name is Harish and Hari means Monkey’. Swami looked very surprised at my statement and then I thought I needed to remind Swami about His own Chinna Katha (short story) and narrated it to Him in all earnestness the story of Narada asking for ‘Hari’ Mukha (face of Lord Hari or Lord Vishnu) and getting the face of a Monkey instead while going to woo a princess, because Hari also meant monkey.

At the end of the story where Lord Vishnu mocked Sage Narada’s ego, I felt very proud at having used this opportunity to both, tell Swami a funny story and to advertise my knowledge of His stories. The irony was totally lost on me then. However, at the end of the story, I noticed absolute silence and Swami did not appear to have received my story well and the others, reading the gravity of the situation, kept a stoic silence as well.

Bhagawan then appeared to admonish me for mocking the name kept so lovingly by my parents. I then followed Swami to the Bhajan hall with my head held low due to my joke having fallen flat. However, Swami’s spirits appeared to be still very high. He then started asking the Bhajan singers the same question. Surprisingly, he then turned to me and asked, ‘What is your name?’ Even as I was saying ‘Harish’, Swami quipped, “Hari means Monkey”. As soon as He said it and the way He said it, the entire Bhajan hall roared in laughter. Though, I was a little shocked for a second, I had to join in on the laughter. Who can resist when Swami makes a joke? I did not think more about that for some time. But when I thought back on the incident, I realized that such is His ownership of us, His students, that we don’t even have a right to mock our own names. Even that right is relinquished to Him.

“Swami’s mission happens despite us and not due to us.” – An elder brother who had been associated with Bhagawan for many years said these words to me a few months after I had commenced my ‘duty’ of accompanying Him during darshans. I responded to Him saying, “I am painfully aware of the same and I have no understanding why Bhagawan puts Himself through so much difficulty picking someone as ineligible as me for such an important task.” I have since felt that this was the way He showed the world that He qualifies the called and does not need to call the qualified. The brother then reverted saying, “This is how you may feel now, but a day will come when you will have an elevated sense of worthiness. Remember my words on that day.”

About 5 years thence, in the year 2010, I had started feeling a sense of comfort about this ‘duty’ of mine and felt that I had kind of got a hang of the ropes. There was one occasion when the international choir was putting up a programme in His presence and I felt that Swami would surely ask for water for all the performers and I went inside and got a tray full of water-tumblers ready for the participants. As I was walking out of the interview room back to the stage, I noticed Swami asking the conductor if he needed water and the smart devotee who knew better than to say ‘no’ to the Lord, immediately said, “Yes, Swami”. As Swami started turning to the left, He along with everyone in Kulwanth Hall noticed me walking out with a tray full of water. The water was there even before Swami could ask for it. The devotees burst into applause and my head started moving up into the clouds. I felt that I was indeed Lord Hanuman who could discern the most subtle and discreet commands of the Lord and that unlike Sage Narada mentioned earlier, I was enjoying my ‘Hari’ Mukha. As soon as I took the water to Swami for His blessings, He chided me, “Buffalo, why did you bring water, you should have brought juice.” Immediately it was apparent that Swami had to prick my ego-bubble which was floating evidently for everyone to see, and I chuckled at Swami and He let a small smile come to the end of His lips and asked me to distribute the water.

The qualifications we possess are what He has chosen to bestow upon us due to His calling. Let us forever remember that and live our life in gratitude to Him.

Harish Krishan MBA, 2003 – 2005, Prasanthi Nilayam. After completing MBA, he worked in Bhagawan’s Trust till 2012. Currently works in the data analytics team of the Global Audit Department at the headquarters of Walmart based in Bentonville, Arkansas, USA. He helped setup the first Sri Sathya Sai Center in the city where devotees hold weekly virtual Bhajans.