I am going to share with you a couple of incidents that prove that Sri Sathya Sai Baba really does know everything about us, including every single thought we have before we even think it. Notice also that I say ”does know” and not ”did know”, because even though Swami is no longer with us in physical form his Omnipresence is as strong as ever.
The first incident is one I have spoken of many times before and also mentioned in my book, Astral Travelling, The Avatar and Me; the reason I continue to mention this particular incident is because I find it so highly amusing. It concerns an American devotee, who knowing that Swami does not encourage the consumption of alcohol, succumbed to the badgering of his work colleagues and allowed himself to be persuaded to go for a ”few beers” after work on a number of occasions. He was blessed to receive the call to travel to Baba’s ashram, Prashanthi Nilayam, and even more blessed to be called in for a private group interview along with a number of other devotees. But as he entered the interview room, little did the American realise that he was moments away from the embarrassment of his life. As everyone sat in Swami’s presence, in great anticipation; out of the blue and in front of the entire group, Baba suddenly pointed at him and exclaimed ”look at him, Heineken here, Heineken there!”
The second incident has only recently come to my attention but it is equally humerous. In his book, From Where Did You Come, Charles P DiFazio relates this wonderful story about two American ladies, Lynne and Linda, who out of their craving for nicotine, also fell foul of one of Swami’s pranks. The ladies had attended darshan at Baba’s ashram in the mountain retreat of Kodaikanal. Swami liked the cooler climate at Kodai and would visit when he wanted a break from the fierce heat of Puttaparthi. After darshan the two ladies were gasping for a cigarette, and as smoking is strictly forbidden on the ashram, they went into the village and purchased a packet of cigarettes from a kiosk. They were standing on the street puffing away when all of a sudden a great excitement filled the air. They realised that this could only mean one thing; Swami’s car was coming. They quickly stubbed out their cigarettes and joined the throngs lining the streets waiting for Swami to drive past.
A short time elapsed and a bus carrying Baba’s students slowly drove past; following immediately behind was Baba. As the car went past, Swami leant out of the window, and with an impish grin on his face, put his middle and forefingers to his mouth and simulated a puffing action.
There are literally thousands of such incidents that have occurred over the years, and as I write I feel compelled to share just one more example of how Baba used humour with great effect in order to demonstrate spiritual lessons.
In the days when Puttarparthi was still a tiny hamlet and Baba was but a mere child he would teach all the other kids in the village devotional songs, and lead them in the singing. The kids loved Baba; especially so, because from a very early age he would materialize books, pencils and sweets for them out of thin air.
Little Sathya knew that one of the prominent figures in the village was corrupt. So he taught the other children a song that exposed the man’s crooked activities. he told the children to follow the man around every where he went and taunt him with this song. This they did with great delight. In the end the man couldn’t take anymore so he went to Baba, who was but a child himself, and pleaded with him for the taunting to stop. Baba made the man promise to change his ways; and only then did he instruct the other kids to leave him alone.
Wonderful! The beauty is that there is a bottomless pit of stories such as these.
Author - Richard F Holmes 