Letters from India

88. Meetings with Venkamma & Mandir Discourse - August 1988

Meetings with Venkamma & Mandir Discourse

August 17, 1988

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear All,

I went to Bangalore for visa work. I had adventures in rickshaw, road, bus; in offices, homes and hotels. Finally I managed to get everything complete (took 1½ day) and I came back to Prasanthi Nilayam. The Bangalore police (the man there naturally knows me, as I’ve done visa there so many times!) were very kind about the situation. They told me they’d submit my papers to Delhi; however they may be delayed there (they have such an Indian workload there) and the reply may take 3-6 months! Meanwhile, he gave me one paper saying I’ve filed, and I'm legal until an answer comes. They had me file for ONE YEAR!

Stayed at Malini’s parent’s house - they were very kind to me and made me feel comforted in that noisy, terrible city.

Sometimes it seems easier to remember God while doing outside activities, then sitting in a quiet lonely place doing meditation. Even here, sometimes I have more concentration when around people, then when closing eyes in a quiet place (which is impossible anyway around here!).

Ah well, doesn’t matter Mom that you’re not thinking of moksha. Venkamma is always saying we shouldn’t ask anyway, so, you’re following her words more than I! Well, to you “spiritual” and “worldly may be the same, I guess that’s good. But to me, I need outside spiritual environment always. It is my breath to be surrounded by spirituality.

When I got back from Bangalore, it was 10:30 PM at night. In the morning I wanted to wash my hair immediately (before Omkar) but then I thought, “No, then Venkamma won't notice because it will be dry by the time I see her! If I wash my hair just before Darshan, she will see and ask if I had head bath. That means more Venkamma Darshan for me!” So I did like that. When I saw her during morning Darshan, of course she asked if I washed my hair. I had left my hair loose, and tied a knot at the bottom. She took my hair, undid the knot and with one of her hands began stroking my hair, to dry it! I’ve seen her do this to her own hair when she washes it. See how my simple thought of ‘more Venkamma Darshan’ was fulfilled so nicely!

Before I left to Bangalore, I happened to come to Venkamma’s room when she was about to do her morning puja. I’ve seen it several times. She lights an oil lamp, puts flowers on Shirdi Sai photo (that Sai had materialized for her when she was in her 20’s), on Sathya Sai photo and on idols of Vishnu and Lakshmi, then she lights incense and does arathi with it. At the end, she bows to the puja. This time, just before she did namaskar, she turned to me and with a sweet and sly smile she said, “May Divya get her visa!” Then she bowed!

It’s true that Prasanthi Nilayam is rather noisy and a bit distracted but, I can see through it and keep quiet inside. Prasanthi Nilayam is Home Sweet Home. :-)

I’ve found one great tree in the ashram – the drumstick tree. Its leaves are small and tender, and full of iron, vitamin A, vitamin C etc. I pick the leaves and cook & eat them – yum – and nutritious also. Venkamma has one tree outside her house. One day, one branch fell and so, I decided to take those leaves as prasad. I was taking them when she suddenly came out! She helped me take all the leaves off the tree, then she said, “I’ll eat them today too!”

About coffee, Swami’s whole family seems to have been brought up on it! They say even Swami still drinks it; and He served it to all His boys in Ooty/Kodai. Parvatamma drinks it and Venkamma also. Sometimes Venkamma gives me coffee - those times, I get no bad reaction and in fact, I get blessings of great peace, love and joy! As if she’s giving light directly from her hands, in the form of coffee!

Just now Rohani from Malaysia asked me about something. As I was telling her, Venkamma came and called us both to her room. Then Venkamma proceeded to read us the whole “Adithya Hrudayam” or prayer to the sun god. In the middle of it, a monkey came into her room and stole a bag of popcorn seeds meant to go to Swami – and quickly left! Adventurers in Prasanthi Nilayam. :-)

Venkamma has been taking injections for energy (Vitamin B12). When she showed me the marks on her wrists, I couldn’t help saying, “But you’re the embodiment of shakthi! You’re energy itself!” She laughed at this and gave a nice pounding to me.

When I got the West Prasanthi (W5 B13) room, I happily showed Venkamma the key. Later I was near her puja looking at the pictures there. She came up to me and joked, “See, God has given you a room, aren’t you going to offer something to God for it? Give, give!” I thought, and decided the only thing I could give was the room key! So, when she wasn’t looking I put the key near her Rama idol. After when she passed me going to bhajan (she locks her room to come), I whispered, “The key’s at Rama’s feet! The key is at Rama’s feet! You said I should give something!” It took her a moment to realize what I was saying and her eyes got big in shock! After bhajan I went to get the room key again, while she was muttering that I was crazy!

I asked Venkamma the other day, “Why were we born, why did we come to the earth?” My plan was to make her admit we’ve come for moksha! But, her surprising answer was, “To suffer; we’ve come to suffer!” I tried to argue but words didn’t come!

Venkamma saw me writing this letter and asked what am I doing? When I told she said, “Good – write, write, write. Send my blessings.”

Swami gave a discourse in the Mandir on August 5th, for all foreigners. Naturally many didn’t get in, as there were so, so, so many. I happened to get in front row inside, and, when Swami came He asked us all to move forward, so that I ended up literally on Shirdi Sai Baba’s feet! (The Shirdi Sai statue at the very front of the Mandir!) (That only the head priest is ever allowed to touch!) My cross-legged knees were sitting right on top of Shird's feet!

Swami talked in Telugu; it was translated into English, and that was translated into Italian. Mostly all spiritual matters. At one point, He said, “Everything in the world is in My hands. Whatever I want instantly comes.” And He materialized a big diamond and showed it to all! “See – a big diamond.” After He showed it He said, “And if I want it to go, it will go,” and He opened His hand wide - suddenly it was gone!

Swami went up the main aisle four times, teasing people, asking questions, looking at all. At one point, He saw someone with a Prema Sai photo. He said, “See, this is not true. It is not Prema Sai. Why do you want photos of Prema Sai? He is not here; he is only yet to come. This photo is an imitation only, don’t have it. Don’t be concerned with Prema Sai photos.”

At the end of His discourse, instead of singing a song, Swami looked at all of us and asked innocently, “Am I causing any trouble to you?” Everyone kept quiet - they couldn’t understand what He meant!

Two days later, Swami called two groups from London into the Mandir for a special interview. Swami had said that He had given the special Mandir foreigner’s interview because there were so many new groups, big groups, and He couldn’t give them all a regular interview.

I realized I didn’t mention Parvatamma yet! She is still suffering from much pain. They took the plaster off her side, but she’ll remain in the hospital another two weeks at least. She’s still finding it very difficult to move about. No one in her family has come to see her at all! When I sometimes mention Parvatamma, Venkamma isn’t very appreciative and tells me not to be so sympathetic! Venkamma also asks if I'm deserting her (Venkamma)! I take it symbolically, God not wanting me to be too sympathetic towards the world!

It seems as if the office is giving more troubles about me staying longer and I may have to leave soon - like tomorrow. Venkamma said that if I go, I should return for Dasara, which is mid-October.

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya