As Life Giver

Sai the Life giver is a shining facet of His personality. Sai can effortlessly, by His mere will, raise anyone from the dead, avert an impending death or prolong the life of anyone He chooses. He can do undo or change the course of action at will, which proclaims His omnipotence.

Sai devotees are quite familiar with the name of Karanam Subbamma, the foster mother of Baba. In his childhood days he spent most of his time in the spacious house of Subbamma, almost next door to His house, under her loving care. Perhaps this Yashodamayee of Swami had greater opportunity to shower her affection on Bala Sai than mother Easwaramma. Baba had assured her that at the time of her death He would be present to give her Tulsi water, a traditional action of filial gratitude. The foster mother was extremely happy and contented on bagging the coveted boon. It was when the construction of Prashanthi Nilayam was nearing completion that Subbamma breathed her last. But Swami was away from Puttaparthi. Her relatives and close neighbours wondered why Baba did not fulfill His promise to her. Since Swami's coming was of remote possibility they decided to cremate her without waiting any further. But the all knowing Lord had already started for Puttaparthi after telling His devotees around Him about this incident. On reaching Puttaparthi Swami straightaway went to Subbamma's house. He called her by name and Subbamma opened her eyes and started shedding tears of joy on seeing Swami, her dearest. Swami told her 'Look Subbamma I have come'. He immediately created Tulsi water and poured slowly into her mouth. She took it with gratitude and held His hand in great affection before closing her eyes forever.

Dr. Michael Goldstein is a living example of His Grace, for the Divine intervened to avert a shooting to prolong his life. Dr. John Hislop, a long time devotee of Baba narrates an incident in his 'Seeking Divinity". One day when Dr. Goldstein was at Prashanthi Nilayam Baba took him for a round in His car. When the slow moving car reached Gokulam and turned to return Baba with a grim face told Goldstein that he was seeing Him for the last time. Upset by this statement, that too from the Divine Master, Goldstein pleaded that, that should not be and he must be blessed to attend the forthcoming birthday celebrations. A seemingly thoughtful Baba, after a pause of a few seconds said, 'Yes, You may come'. The incident that followed confirmed that Goldstein was brought back from the mouth of Death.

Dr. Goldstein and his wife boarded a flight for their return journey. At Karachi Airport a few hijackers armed with sophisticated weapons took all the passengers as hostages. One of them put a gun on the airhostess at the entrance and another aimed his gun at Mrs. Goldstein who was by her side. Mrs. Goldstein started repeating 'Sai Ram' with folded hands as if in prayer almost loudly. The gunman suddenly turned his attention to the other passengers inside. Goldstein who was unhurt and was standing near the next exit door which opened abruptly, started helping the panic stricken passengers one by one by pushing them out and thus saving them from the flying bullets of the hijackers. In that commotion it was not known how many have been killed or injured till the commandos brought the situation under control.

Goldstein returned to California and, after a few months reached Prashanthi Nilayam, his heart still pulsating with gratitude to the Lord. And when Swami came and stood before him Goldstein acknowledged the same with his overflowing eyes. Baba told him that, that day when He told Goldstein that he was seeing Swami for the last time He was actually seeing Goldstein being killed in that terrorist attack. He saw Goldstein being murdered by them . Then he told Goldstein 'I changed the picture'

God alone can change the course of an already destined action as He alone is the Master of creation, preservation and dissolution. And so He willed to change the whole sequence of events.

The twentieth line of Ashtottara Shata Namavali of Bhagawan (108 appellations) reads as Jodi Adipalli Somappaya Namah. There is an interesting story behind this appellation. The story has undergone many cuttings and clippings and additions as usual, as it happened elsewhere. But I had the privilege of hearing it directly from Kasturiji, an excellent storyteller, with the warmth it deserved.

After the Birthday Celebrations in Prashanthi Nilayam a group of devotees left for Bangalore on 26th November 1958. The group had several ladies in it. But while getting adjusted in two cars all the ladies with a two year old child got into one and all gents in the other. Not only that; the car with the gents started first and went ahead of the other. After a few miles of journey at an isolated area the child suddenly developed fits and the breathlessness that followed resulted in asphyxia and finally the child collapsed. The ladies began to wail bitterly. The first car had gone much ahead. There was none on the roadside. The child became blue and stiff. No speeding vehicles that passed at intervals would stop. The women could only cry helplessly. In minutes there came an elderly villager accompanied by a young man and a woman. The villager enquired the reason for their wailing. When he was shown the dead child the young man said that the elderly man with him was a physician and had the experience of reviving such lost cases. The lady asked other ladies to unhesitatingly hand over the child to the physician. The ladies agreed and the physician laid the child on his lap. He asked if they had vibhuti with them. A vibhuti packet was placed in his hand. He applied the vibhuti on the child and, opening the clenched teeth, somehow inserted a pinch into the mouth of the child. The child opened her eyes suddenly and began to cry aloud. The ladies began to laugh happily. Meanwhile the menfolk reached the spot as they could not see the second car. The child's father gave one rupee to the physician, which was politely declined. He was then offered a musambi (a citrus fruit) which he waved around the child to ward off evil eye and threw away as soon as they left.It became rotten! But before leaving they did ask the physician's name. He replied 'Jodi Adipalli Somappa'.

At Prashanthi Nilayam Baba was to come out of His room in the afternoon. Kasturiji was waiting to receive routine instructions. As soon as Baba came out He told Kasturiji with a drawn face 'Kasturi that child of ……… died on the way to Bangalore'. Kasturiji was a bit shocked as the child had on the previous day attracted the attention of everyone as a sprightly little girl, running and jumping and hopping happily. 'No Swami, that should not have happened' said Kasturiji in glum. Swami said 'Do you think I would allow it to happen?.' Kasturiji immediately pulled out his small handbook and pen and was in readiness as he knew he was getting some hot stuff for his pen. And Baba narrated every detail. He had to assume three forms, one of the physician, another of an young man to introduce him and speak of his capability and a woman to instil courage in the ladies and ask for the child as they were all women. He asked for vibhuti which He only had given them, for, they would have recognised Him if He were to create Vibhuti then and there. And to the child He appeared in His original form, which frightened the child to cry much to the relief and joy of the women. Kasturiji noted down all the points carefully and asked for the explanation of the name He had given to Himself. Swami said, 'Jodi means pair, Adipalli means first village i.e., Kailas belonging to the pair and Somappa means with Uma (Sa+Uma) or Umamaheswara'. 'I asked them to offer an Arathi to their 'Ishtadevata' on reaching home, they did it for Lord Venkateswara, ignoring My picture, little knowing that I am Lord Venkateswara Himself'. On the third day Kasturiji got a letter from the child's father wherein he ticked all the points correctly.

Even after seeing, experiencing and receiving several favours of Grace, most of us have not realised that He is Sarvadevata Swarupa and that prayers offered to any name or form will reach Him and Him alone.

Let us take the case of Kuppam Radhakrishnayya, head of a family all members of which were highly devoted to Swami. Radhakrishnayya had a chronic stomach ailment which medical care could not cure. All the same, the family, especially the wife had pinned her faith to Baba and Baba alone.

Once on 5th August 1953 with unbearable pain, which lasted for two days, he rushed to Swami's room and fell at His feet for merger in Swami's Lotus Feet. But Swami consoled him and sent him back. The whole of the next day he could not pass urine and his condition became miserable with a stomach that had bloated to the bursting point. His pulse became very weak and breathing became irregular. His condition became worse at 6 o' clock. His body became black and the nails blue. All pleadings from his near and dear ones to immediately shift him to a big hospital for a last attempt to save his life were rejected by his wife who left everything to Swami's will and waited for his intercession. At 4 am close relatives around him began to wail. His daughter went upstairs to Swami (the family was given a room closeby in the Nilayam by Swami for their stay) to report and bring Him to the patient thrice. But Swami was preoccupied with some personal work. At last He came to the room where all near-ones were virtually bidding farewell to Radhakrishnayya. Entering the room Swami asked everyone to go out. Nobody knew what had happened inside, but moments later Radhakrishnayya was found sitting on his bed and smilingly enquiring from everyone as to what had happened to him. Turning to his wife Swami reminded her of a past conversation in which Swami had assured her to save the life of her husband. He said 'You have forgotten…. But I have not forgotten that conversation. Today I have given the gift of Mangalyam to you by the gift of life to your husband'.

But Baba had already confided to Kasturiji about this saying that 'His children are still young. He did not even write a will. He has yet to perform marriage of his children. That is why I saw to it that he was brought back. The extra years of life I have given him I shall deduct from his next birth'.

The Omnipotent Almighty that He is, life or death is a mere sport for Him. But one must deserve such a grace.

The mind-boggling experience of Walter and Elsie Cowan immediately after the All India Conference at Abbotsbury, Madras in December 1971 loudly proclaims that He alone has the power to give life to anyone as the Supreme God. I had the chance of seeing the couple at the conference as they were being guided to the dais to be seated at a vantage position. After the conference was over the Cowans stayed at Connemara Hotel at Madras. It was there that he became seriously ill with an attack of pneumonia and died. On their return to America Elsie Cowan described the event at a limited gathering thus: "We have come from India, my husband and I, brimful of the most astounding news that can happen to anyone. It is so fantastic that many of you may doubt it, because hardly any of us realise the great importance and the tremendous powers of this Great High God, who not only walks the earth but also cares for all the planes from earth to eternity. Walter died at Madras. Sai Baba resurrected him."

Kasturiji tells the story: "Cowan died and his body was kept in the mortuary"

"Mrs. Cowan came to Swami, who was in a conference. It was for that conference that Mr. and Mrs. Cowan had come to Madras. I was there when Mrs. Cowan came to Swami and told Him about Cowan's death. Swami said, 'Chey! Chey! Papam. It should not have happened. Now this old lady will have to take that old man's dead body to America. Coming all the way from America to take back his dead body there! No, No. He told her 'I will come to Hospital at 11 O'clock. You may go'. Instead of 11, He went at 10 am an hour early. He could not remain in his place unless the injustice was corrected. That is the extent of His compassion. He went and rised up Walter Cowan, the present Lazarus! Later Cowan came to Bangalore when Swami was in Whitefield. I was there. They were received by Swami and were brought to Swami's bungalow in a procession with Sai Gita, the elephant in the lead and college students playing the band.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cowan were made bride and bridegroom once more and a second marriage was celebrated. Dr. Bhagavantam was there, and Swami told him ' Ask him what happened in Madras? Bhagavantam asked him 'Tell what happened at Madras' and Cowan started telling "I died at 5 O' clock…. Never a man says, I died!"

Dr. Hislop and his wife were the first to rush to the Hotel room where Cowans were staying as soon as they got the news. Mrs. Cowan told them 'Yes, During the night, Walter died. I went down the hall and got Mrs. Ratanlal to come and help me'. They lifted Cowan to the bed, called for an ambulance and Walter was taken to a Nursing Home…. Mrs. Ratanlal and Mrs. Cowan went to Swami's house to tell what had happened. Then Swami said ' Do not worry, I will go to the Nursing Home at 10 O'clock in the morning'. When Mrs. Cowan arrived in the nursing Home, she found that Swami and Mrs. Ratanlal had been there an hour before and that Cowan was alive".

Let us hear from Mrs. Ratanlal as to what had happened when Swami arrived in the Hospital at 10 am. 'Swami and I arrived at the Nursing Home. We went into the room where Walter's corpse was lying covered with a sheet - cold as a fish. Dead as dead could be. Swami stood beside the body and raising His hand, He struck Cowan across the abdomen saying, 'Rise up, Cowan'. Then He did it once again 'Rise up Cowan'. Cowan did not rise. Then a third time 'Rise up, Cowan' Cowan started to move, sat up and was alive once again.'Hislop adds "Now, Walter Cowan's part of the story was that he died. In the ambulance on the way to the Nursing Home, his body was bouncing around. He felt himself apart from his body looking down at it. Then he said Swami came and took him away, way up in the sky where there was a building. The headman in this building was the accountant who is inside each of us, recording every thing that happens, and he was reading Cowan's history. So by and large, Swami said ' Release this man to me, I have use for him'. Then Walter was told, Go down into your body Cowan'. Cowan did not want to go back to his body, but he had to. After Swami had revived Walter, his wife transferred him to a Hospital.

"Now the same day all this was happening at the same exact time, Swami was in an auditorium, on the stage, giving talk to a large group of Sevadal ladies. He was presenting each of the ladies with a beautiful sari. An Indian chap and I were on the stage with Swami, sitting up against the wall, and we were watching Swami every second of that address. We can both testify that Swami never left that stage, even for a moment.

But as soon as the talk was over, Swami said, Come let us get into the car and go". As we were getting in the car He said, "While I was talking, Mrs. Cowan called to me. Cowan had died again, so I went to the hospital and took care of matters."

"We were off to have lunch with a devotee. There was this other chap and myself and Baba in the car, we went to the home of the devotee where we were to have lunch. When we arrived Swami turned to me and said, ' Hislop I am afraid you cannot join for lunch. I want you to take this vibhuti to the hospital, rub some on Cowan's chest and put some in his mouth. I just gave him life again, he needs this… If you just walk upto the corner, you will find Mrs. Hislop in a taxi around the corner…' Together we went to the hospital and Mrs. Cowan said 'Walter died again. I called on Swami, He came and gave Walter life again'. I gave Cowan the vibhuti and left."