An amazing experience with Sathya Sai and the Suka Naadi

It was sometime in the beginning of the year 2010 that I suddenly had some questions in my mind. I had three particular things troubling me a lot. And these three things, I felt, were defining things in my life. Of course, some of those feelings have changed over time. But well, at that time they felt very important. Why am I beating around the bush and not coming straight to the point as to what they were?

I have been forbidden by the Lord from revealing them but that should not be a matter of concern because their exact details are not important for the narrative here.

After a lot of thought, I decided to consult with the Shuka Naadi. For those who are reading about this term for the first time, let me delve a little into the explanation. The Naadi Shastras as they are called, are famed to have everything about everyone written down in great detail. But not everyone can access them. Even the people who will be accessing them are mentioned in these ancient texts along with the time and place of such a rendezvous. These manuscripts can be read only by an authentic and scholarly reader. Wisdom is necessary for interpreting the otherwise mundane statements listed under each person’s name. (It is like the prophesies of Nostradamus. Unless you know to ‘read’ them in a manner more than simple literacy, you will not understand them!)

Thus, there are Naadi texts named after great sages of the past viz. Shuka, Agastya etc. Since there is a lot of interest in past lives and what the future holds, the ancient science became very popular. But that popularity brought its own ills. What was once done for the sake of the science has now got commercialised and there are hundreds of ‘Naadi experts’ who have sprung up. There is no way to verify who is genuine and who is not! For, it is like dentistry.

My mother had her teeth repaired and arranged by an orthodontist more than 35 years ago. Now, when she had a few problems, the current dentist says that the previous dentist did a shabby job! What I mean is, unless you go through life, you cannot discover the expertise of a dentist or a Naadi reader!

I came to know from my sister of an ‘authentic’ Naadi expert. And I decided to approach him to get the answers to my three questions. I called her and fixed up an appointment with him for the 12th of May, at 10:30am. Having done this, I felt a bit excited and wondered how I would be able to contain the same for two more months. The current date was 11th of March, 2010.

On the morning of the 12th of March, Swami arrived for morning darshan. I rushed to the mandir as soon I came to know He had come and reached there in time. I quickly wrote a letter about my decision to go for the Naadi reading and my reasons for the same. I have always been very frank and forthright with Swami. Whatever I feel, I just tell Him and seek a response.

I actually wrote, “Swami, you know everything but you don’t tell me anything! Since I want to discover the answers to these three questions (and I listed them), I have sought and appointment with a Naadi expert.”

For those who concluded that I must be the greatest fool, I can agree more with you! For those who concluded that I had lost my mind in some illusion, I want to say that I have the exactly same conclusion now.

The happenings of that morning are recorded in my personal diary and I reproduce my entry for that day.

12/03/2010

I was praying that somehow He takes my letter for these were really thoughts that have bothered me and kept me thinking for so long. Swami spoke to school P about some changes in the construction of his house. As He came near the birthday boys area, some M.Tech boys got up and showed a card. He saw it and even before He came near me, three people away from me, He stretched out His hand for my letter! He knew how important the letter is for me!! And then, He even opened it and read part of the letter and the signature part. When He came up on the stage, the second letter He opened was mine!! Was I thrilled. (Even B told me later at lunchtime that it was my letter.) He read every line for about 2 minutes and then handed it to D, who was by His side, for safe keeping. I was so happy.

A few days passed and suddenly a fear gripped my mind. I felt foolish that I was seeking solace from some ‘Naadi expert’ when I had my Lord with me. I felt that maybe I angered or hurt my Swami. And this was not the first time I had been 'angering' Him with my foolishness. I had experienced how His 'wrath' could be on one occasion before.

Swami says that God is nothing but reflection, reaction and resound. As I thought, Swami seemed to become that way! Thus it was, that over the next few days, I felt that He was upset with my foolishness, audacity and complete idiocy. The more I thought of it, the more scared and foolish I felt and the more He reflected myself to me. I was soon convinced that Swami was angry with me for I was not receiving those loving looks which I was so used to. I was convinced that I had been struck by the ides of March, as Shakespeare called them! The only solace came from my mother who kept assuring me that Swami never gets angry. He is all Love and whatever I was receiving was also His love.

And then came the 22nd of March. It was a week when the Srimad Bhagawatham, which deals with the stories of Lord Krishna, was being read along with commentary in the Sai Kulwant hall. Swami went into the bhajan hall for checking some details. My colleague, V, was seated there. Swami called him and asked as to what he was doing. This was the time when the directing and shooting of the Message of the Lord video series was being planned. And so two more of us were also called and we began to tell Swami about that project we were planning for His 85th Birthday celebrations. Along with the details of the project and about how it would reach millions around the globe, we sought His blessings and permission to go ahead. Swami blessed the other two boys with a smile. And I felt ignored!

I felt that the idea of going to the Shuka Naadi was real stupidity for which I wanted to apologise. What happened next has been captured in my diary entry for that day:

Referring to the Message of the Lord, I said, "Swami it is a very big project. Swami should give strength to complete it. When done, all the people around the world can watch it on their computers." He nodded and agreed to give us the strength. I bent down and kissed His lotus feet so firmly. I was so amazed with His love and concern. Aha! How much I had pined for this chance and now that am getting it, will I simply throw it away? I was reminded of a poem that Rituraj Maharj sang which said, that many times, foolishly, to get a little, man throws away great things.

As Swami was leaving, I got up and told Him, "Swami sister arranged for me to meet with a person who reads the Shuka Naadi. I was foolish and in maya (delusion)as I thought that I can find out about my future from that. Listening to the Bhagawatham it hit me that when Swami is here with me, why do I need all that?"

Swami then said something like (referring to my Naadi reader), "He keeps telling things to people!" He smiled at me. It was so beautiful and reassuring- that smile. I agreed and said, "Swami, I had thought of going but now, I promise you not to go there!" Swami nodded and then moved out of bhajan hall as I took namaskar again.

So many things happened after that session with Him. We got involved in the production, direction, scripting and editing of the 30 episode video series. Days, weeks and months passed this way. Swami was our constant source of Love, guidance and inspiration.

As part of the video documentaries, we thought of shooting the episode of the Good Samaritan from the Bible. This was to emphasize the importance of love and empathy and to bring out the concept of a ‘good neighbour’. I was cast in the role of the Good Samaritan. We hired a couple of donkeys for the shoot and after donning our costumes, started the actual shooting. It was going on well. My scene came and I mounted the donkey. As I neared the ‘injured man’, my cellphone, in my trouser pocket, began to ring.

This was an anti-climax! The shooting halted and I extracted the cellphone through the sack gown that I was wearing. The call was from my classmate in Bangalore.
“Hello, Aravind?”
“Ya R! Tell me.”
“Are you busy?”
“I am very busy. In fact, right now am riding a donkey and am setting out to save an injured man!”
“I just wanted to tell you something that Swami told me to tell you.”
I froze. I jumped of the donkey wondering how Swami told something to my classmate in Bangalore when I was in Puttaparthi, at His abode. I requested the crew permission to take the call. He continued,
“Swami came in my dream. But all the while He was speaking to you. He told you some things and then looked at me and said,’Do not tell anyone.’ I woke up and thought I will share the dream with you.” I told so because I am convinced without doubt that dreams of Swami are true.

And thus, R went about recounting his dream. At the end of the call, I told R, “Hey! Those things that Swami told you are real interesting. Can I call you after an hour? Repeat the dream for me so that I can write it down.”

We then went about our shooting. After we wound up, I returned to my office at Radiosai Global Harmony and called R. I wrote down everything he said. His dream was pretty interesting. Right then, I got another call. This was from my sister in Bangalore. When I picked her call, she said,
”I am missing you big bro!”
“Aha! To what do I owe this honour?”
“You were supposed to be here today. But you are not. So I miss you.”
“How was I supposed to be there today?”
“Today is May 12th! You had your Naadi appointment which you cancelled.”

My jaw dropped. I quickly realized that Swami had given the exact answers to my three questions through R’s dream. I scrolled through the received calls in my phone and came to R’s call. I stood with goosebumps on my skin - he had called at 10:30am, the exact time when I had my appointment!

Tears dropped from my eyes. Swami always gives. And He never forgets!