Letters from India - Part 2

39. Darshans & Foot Injury - Oct 1991

Normal Darshans Here

October 7, 1991

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Parents,

Divya conveys her namaskars. Congratulations, you’re the receiver of one of the flimsiest papers made on Earth – an Indian air letter! No one is leaving here till the 21st October so I thought I’d write.

Today was the yearly festival to offer clothes to dead ancestors. Amma (Venkamma) did puja - offering food, flowers, betel-nut, new saris & dhotis to the gods and dead relatives.

Swami gave me first line. To the person before me He said, “Do, do!” So the person touched His feet. Then He came directly to me and put His foot practically on my sari – so I had Namaskar also – Dasara Grace! No volunteer scolded me, either.

A few days ago Amma did “sari clean-out” and gave me two expensive, heavy silk saris, both of which Swami had given her and she had worn often. I can wear them for festivals.

Swami is giving normal Darshan here – more unattached and business-like! Giving interviews as normal, picking individuals much more often nowadays, both foreigners and Indians. He is coming for bhajans early, at Ganesh or 2nd bhajan! Perhaps He likes to see all His old Anantapur students and VIPs, who take up the whole Mandir!

The extension to the General Hospital is mostly finished. On the old hospital site a Guest House building is coming up fast. How the elderly Prasanthi residents and others on the way to the hospital, love to stand and stare at how they do the construction! I don’t know how the workers do it – the gents working only in boxer-shorts and bare feet in the burning sun; the ladies in sari-rags with their small children trailing behind, with huge stones perched on top of their heads!

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya

___________________

Foot Injury

October 18-22, 1991

Prasanthi Nilayam

Divya conveys her namaskars.

18 Oct: Here all is going on as normal. We were disappointed that for the first time ever, Swami did not even have the nightly (and morning) simple Devi Pujas for Dasara, which He always has even if there’s no Yagna. Many crowds came, but there was not even one mantra to Devi. Darshan, bhajan, everything went on as normal. Until the 6th day of Dasara, that is! Then Swami left suddenly for Bangalore! Yes! So, although knowing there was no yagna, thousands of eager devotees continued to pour into Prasanthi Nilayam, craving only for Darshan of the Lord in physical form. Alas – this was not in God's script, He was “gone” and all had to return disappointed.

Remember I wrote you that Swami gave me Namaskar on the first day of Dasara, October 7th? I touched His left foot nicely, which was placed in my lap, practically. A few days later, my left foot (big toe mostly) became all red, swollen and painful. There was no cut or scratch at all. (Two weeks ago I had a cut and bad infection there. I pricked it with a needle, pus & blood drained out. Then it closed up and healed.)

The pain got worse – it was my first experience of constant pain! Finally I made an appearance at the hospital (on October 16), where one is at the mercy of the white-clad ones (each with a different diagnosis and prescription). They all decided maybe there was something inside, that I should take antibiotics for a few days, then the area would be soft & ready to be cut open.

Lo and behold, a doctor suddenly made his appearance at the dressing room (where only a nurse was) and ordered the needle to be boiled! He said, why not do it now! A lady-doctor came and mumbled that the area did not seem ready, but the doctor ignored her. She later whispered to me that she could do nothing, he was a man and elder besides, and had to be listened to.

So, my horror mounting (I also had to remain silent, being in India), I was struck with novacane (AHHH! PAIN!!) and the toe was mercilessly ripped apart, in a most savage manner. Lots of blood came – although doctor said it was “pus-blood” (it looked like normal blood to me). The wound truly looks worse than a Frankenstein movie – the skin is ripped open and curled up in two directions, torn apart most horribly! In-between is sad, meaty flesh! They dressed my poor foot, but due to lack of rickshaw I had to hobble home on it. The bandage became soaked with blood and splotched blood wherever I stepped – but later the doctor said it was OK because more pus would come out. So, I lived with a dried-blood dressing for 24 hours. What to do!

Now, since I was prescribed pain killers, vitamins and 6 antibiotic “tubes” a day, it feels better and it looks like the swollen red-purplish skin of half my foot is now less. But I know not how the Frankenstein-style wound will heal (it’s on the under-part of big toe on left foot). Another warning to beware of Swami’s namaskars - !!!

Anyway, I am getting rest again, thanks to spliced foot and lack of the Lord of the universe (in physical form). Since Swami and all His leeches have gone, I await patiently laying down, unable to run about asking when USA people will leave, so I don’t know when this will reach you.

Now, by the way, don’t think I am not taking care of myself. I wear shoes. Only, what can I do? It is my karma; remember from small age I’ve tended towards foot injuries, yes? So we can be calm about the matter.

October 22: Sai Baba returned today! As for my foot, it’s made a miraculous recovery, thanks to God's Grace (and 42 antibiotic “tubes” over the course of 7 days). The gashed wound is almost completely closed and new skin has come, but I bet a scar will be retained from the experience.

Now, many layers of skin peeled off foot and the place became swollen again – doc said it was only water and pricked the sore area, drained “water” (looked like pus/blood to me) and dressed it, ordering not to touch or wet it for four days. At least it doesn’t hurt!

AMma is fine, but suffering a bit from knee pain. Gas trouble has also returned and although she’s up all night with all nerves aching from gas coming up via burping, she’s ready to work in the morning, happily rushing about, meeting devotees, telling sorties, etc. How she does it, I know not!

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya

___________________________

Raining 24 Hours

October 29, 1991

Prasanthi Nilayam

Here it has been raining for 24 hours. I got this air letter by standing in the cold, dark, rainy night for some time, while the short, elderly post-master came in his own sweet time!

Here Swami is fine and is very busy with construction and other works. He goes out in the car and visits Poornachandra often. Gives Darshan as usual. Amma is healthy except for little things, like knee pain and cough. Hope you are all healthy - physically mentally & spiritually.

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu – OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!

Love,

Divya