Letters from India

47. Back at Prasanthi Nilayam & My First Funeral - Feb 1986

Back at Prasanthi Nilayam

February 9, 1986

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Family,

Jai Sai Ram! Swami came back to Madras from Bombay on 29th January. Only 1/3 of the usual crowd was there to greet Him. When He came at 3:40 PM (we had been waiting in the sun since 1:30 PM!) He waved and smiled away. Looked fresh & new, shining and bright – like He usually does when He’s just returned from a long, tiring journey!

Night bhajans, but no announcements of Darshan the next day, so strong rumors started that He’d leave the next morning. A group of foreigners left that night in different ways – SH went too and although my heart was saying stay and don’t leave before Him, being weak I got swept along in the current, and took a bus to Bangalore with her. We arrived early morning of 30th, and went to Brindavan ashram. They were expecting Him 11 or 12 noon. We waited there until 1:30 PM, when they got a phone call from Madras saying Sai hadn’t left! SH immediately sped back to Madras (a 9-hour journey), I decided to save moola and go formless, find Sai inside and stay.

The next day, the 31st, Sai arrived in Brindavan at 5:30 PM.

February 3rd after morning Darshan, Swami left for Puttaparthi. I followed in government bus, arrived at 10 PM and stayed in SH’s room that night, then the next day got a room with Barbara and three others in round Building #5.

On the 6th Swami did the groundbreaking ceremony for West Prasanthi 6; I came late, only when He lit the arathi lamp. His robe was all splattered with coconut water. I was bemoaning my terrible fate – I didn’t see Him break the coconuts! When He rode by the in car, He ignored the entire line of people on the other side of the street, and looked & looked at me! I admit it was consoling. :-) Well what could He do, let me bemoan the rest of the day about coconuts?!

A recent leela is a job offer in Punjab state. I’ve kept in contact with the family I stayed with in Punjab. You know how people are – they want me to come back and stay there, etc. So now their uncle (a Sikh also, and rich) has written me with a job offer. It’s working as a “assistant to lady doctor and as a lab technician” in the uncle’s big hospital. Rs 600 a month, free food & accommodation (I spend around Rs 400 a month, but that’s mostly for food & accommodation!). But, I’ve refused the job. Why leave Prasanthi when I don’t need to, yet? I just finished the letter refusing the job, when Sai came to Darshan. He gave a really nice, deep look to me.

Days are spent as usual, in Darshan and bhajan and waiting for a glimpse of the Lord. I'm usually up at 6:30 AM and to bed at 10 PM, with no afternoon naps due to activities like picture-sorting, washing, cleaning up and making food.

Om Sai Ram!

Love,

Eileen

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My First Funeral

February 19, 1986

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Peoples,

All is well here. :-) Sai’s been infinitely kind to me, the Lord’s nature is infinite love, mercy and compassion. He’s been giving me so many front rows it’s amazing.

On the 9th a girl from Canada died here. She had been in Madras in our dorm, and I was “Sai Ram” friends with her (short “Sai Ram, how are you” conversations). Most of my “circle of friends” Rohani, Barbara, Anna, SH, etc., knew her (maybe cuz we’re all around the same age – she was early 30’s I think).

She choked to death - Bettina was there when it happened. She got asthma - due to eating a salad with peanuts in it, which she was allergic to. It was over very fast, ten minutes then left her body. A couple of days before, Sai had called her for an interview and talked to her, asking how was her 2nd husband - meaning Himself! So she was very happy the last days, thinking of Sai as her “husband”. Bettina and a couple of others were there chanting OM when she died.

On the 11th we had a funeral for her, we went in a procession with incense, and singing bhajans, from the hospital to the Chitravathi sands – where cremations are done now.

Video of the services was made for her parents (non-devotees) in Canada. She was Catholic, so we did the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Marys, and other prayers while she was cremated. Sai had sent a special sari that her body was dressed in. It was the first funeral I ever attended. Isn't it interesting that I attended a funeral before a wedding? I still have never seeen a single wedding in my life.

Recent interviews: Swami told London group He’d come in April. Told Argentines He’d come in May or June, and He’d let them know His travel plans “within a month.” Told them He’d come, “In this form, in this physical body.”

Love and peace and bliss to all there. May we forever radiate in His Divine light and love, the aura of Divinity, of the Lord of Sai!

Love,

Eileen