I met His Holiness Parama Pujya Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji through my brother, Professor Krishan Kumar, in 1972, when I was pregnant with my daughter. I received a letter from my brother telling me that he had met a divine person who is believed to be an incarnation of God, and I must meet Him when He visits my town in a few weeks. My brother often speaks of holy people, but somehow this person he met seemed very special to him so I decided to meet Him myself.
The delivery of my child was due to happen around the same time as His visit, and because of health reasons I was scheduled to have a caesarian operation. Some thoughts ran through my head saying that if I am to meet this holy person I will, and if He is really a holy person I would have my child through normal vaginal birth or deliver before the due date or maybe He can visit me in the hospital. It so happened that my daughter was born on April 30th, twenty days before the due date and by normal delivery. Sri Swamiji visited my town on May 13th.
We took a taxi around noon to seek His blessing; however the taxi I took had no air condition and it was very hot, especially for the newborn baby. We drove for forty-five minutes and when we got to the place where Sri Swamiji was staying, but he was not available; he was taking a rest, so I returned home in the taxi. As I reached home I got a telephone call from my brother saying that Sri Swamiji is giving darshan and I must come right away. Despite my husband’s and mother-in-law’s concern for keeping the baby in the heat, I took her and went once again, in the taxi, to see Sri Swamiji. I felt I had to meet this Swamiji. When I got there He took the baby and held her on His lap, blessed her and named her Poornavati. I left that place feeling that He was a holy man with powers, for I had an early and normal delivery.
In 1978 I was working in the Government Service and wanted to go abroad to do my fellowship. I tested Sri Swamiji saying, “If you are God then please send me abroad.” I submitted my application forms to the Ministry of Health and was told that my chances were very slim for there were seven thousand applicants. I went home feeling discouraged and prayed to Sri Swamiji to do something for me if He was really God. Six months passed and I found out that I had been awarded the most prestigious fellowship in four countries: America, England, Denmark and Sweden. Normally people get in one country
My son, as he was growing up, loved Sri Swamiji dearly and consulted Him on all his life decisions. He was always in the top of his class. Once he received a golden medal and I took him to meet Sri Swamiji. When we showed the medal to Sri Swamiji, He took it and asked, “Is this a golden medal? I will give you a gold medal.” Saying this Sri Swamiji turned the original medal into a smaller one and gave it to him to wear. From that day on my son has become very close to Sri Swamiji. Once He told him, “If you do seva like your mother, you will be the topmost doctor in America and will earn a lot of fame.” My son is now a top cardiologist in America and very well-liked by all, especially Sri Swamiji, He is very fond of him
Later my daughter got married to a boy from India, after which he left for Australia for two years. As he was not finding a good job, he did not call her there. During those two years I told her to do her post graduate work. When she finished she became concerned that she was not with her husband. She asked me to talk to Sri Swamiji for her since she was shy in front of Him. I told her to pray to Sri Swamiji herself. She began praying and within few weeks her husband got thru his exams and got a job also. She joined him shortly after in Australia. This strengthened her faith in Sri Swamiji.
Once, when I was working with the government services, I was told, by my predecessor, of an opening with the World Health Organization. Halfheartedly I applied for the post knowing that it was very unlikely for me the get the job, for I knew no one in the Government Service for reference. I was told that for such a post one needs to approach the Prime Minister. I thought of writing to Sri Swamiji telling Him about the job and that He is my Prime Minister. I also asked if He can give me His blessings. I received a letter from H V Prasad saying that Sri Swamiji had read my letter and said to apply for the job, but do not be disheartened if I don’t get it, just keep praying.
I knew this meant I would not get the job so I forgot all about it. Then one day I received a telephone call that I was not selected for the job. I was a little disheartened, but I just let it go. The same evening I was informed by the personal assistant of my Regional Director that I have gotten the job, but since the original letter which was sent to me was misplaced, a new one will be sent.. I immediately telephoned my brother, Krishan Kumar, and told him what was going on. My brother said that Sri Swamiji is in Machilipatnam and that both my husband and I should come tomorrow to see Him.
The next day we flew to Hyderabad and then headed to Machilipatnam, and my brother joined us also. As soon as Sri Swamiji spotted me in the crowd, He came up to me and said, “I knew that you coming, I have done a lot of hard work for this position so you have to do something for Swamiji.” I immediately replied, “Whatever you say Swamiji.” He then replied, “You have to do seva for the ashram.” I said, “Yes I will do.” I have been doing seva since then until now. I serve in whatever way I can.
During my earlier years of knowing Him I was very demanding and used to test Him After experiencing His blessings one after another, my faith got strengthened and I became very confident that His guidance is always there. In 1986, at the age of forty-eight, my husband had a heart attack and was admitted in the hospital. He had to have six by-passes, as the arteries were ninety percent blocked, but I did not want to get the operation done here in India. Here, there was a high mortality rate with regards to this kind of operation. In my confusion I went to Sri Swamiji and told Him that my husband is ill and I am taking him to America to his brother who is a doctor in Pittsburgh. Sri Swamiji blessed me to go and said that everything will be alright and He will be there with us.
With those comforting words I took my husband to a hospital on Pittsburg, Pennsylvania where my brother-in-law was working. All our relatives gathered there in the hospital for my husband’s operation. They were worried and crying and asked me why I was not worried. I told them that I knew that Sri Swamiji will take care of everything. I was even consoling them. I had tied Sri Swamiji’s raksha on my husband’s wrist before the operation and I instructed all the nurses to keep the picture of Sri Swamiji on his bed. My husband’s operation was a success and everyone was surprised at my calmness during the whole process. This was all due to the grace of Sri Swamiji. This major event further strengthened my faith in Him.
Once, I was in Haridwara with Sri Swamiji; when I was leaving I told Him that I was going to Sri Lanka for six months on a UN assignment because of the recent tsunami. Sri Swamiji blessed me and said that He will come there soon. I went and completely forgot about Sri Swamiji saying that He was coming. One day Prasadi phoned me and said that Sri Swamiji wants to come to Sri Lanka and visit the Sri Shankari Devi Temple. He said that Swamiji had visited five temples in India and the sixth and last temple is in Sri Lanka.
At that time it was difficult to move around to different places because of the civil war. Anyway, I found out about that there was a Sri Shankari Devi Temple at a place where I could not travel to because of the riots. The only way someone can go there was in a bullet proof car. I phoned Prasadi and told him to tell Sri Swamiji that now was not a good time to visit; maybe He can come at some later date. Prasadi told me that Sri Swamiji is coming in spite of all this.
I immediately made preparations for His visit; hotel, cars etc. When Sri Swamiji arrived in Sri Lanka He told me that I have to accompany Him to the Sri Shankari Devi Temple., I was worried about getting good cars; and then a man called up during Sri Swamijis presence in my apartment and asked if I wanted any help for the trip. I told him I wanted two good cars for Sri Swamiji and some of His devotees. He said he had two big Mercedes cars and he will send them over the next day. I was happy that I got good cars for Sri Swamiji, although I knew this was all His doing.
Next day I accompanied Sri Swamiji and a few other devotees to the temple and we all stayed at a hotel near the beach. The present temple is built on the sunken ruins of the original temple. We met the priest and Sri Swamiji was very happy, He turned to me and said, “You have given me so much happiness, I cannot express it, people give me crores and crores of rupees and I may not be happy, but this was my wish and you fulfilled it. You have given me maximum happiness.”
After we returned to the hotel, Sri Swamiji and I spoke for a long time, like friends. He said that I can talk to Him about anything, that He is my Appaji and I can demand anything from Him at any time, just like I would demand from my parents. He said He has given me the right to do that from now on. After this I became more vocal with Him and my faith grew stronger.
I am not a very healthy person, so Sri Swamiji always shows concern for my health. He always tells me He has to do some poojas for me. Every month some poojas are performed at the ashram and I get the prasadam. I used to be a very nervous and emotional type of person, but with a mentor such as Sri Swamiji I am better. Sometimes I felt like dependence is not good and I should not bother Him with all these things, but one day He said, “You have to tell me if there is anything, I am there for you.” So from that day onwards, I share everything with Him.
One day, Sri Swamiji took a ring off His finger and placed it on mine. It was a ring with Lord Ganesha on it. I wore it on one hand and my diamond wedding ring on the other. One day when I came home I realized that both rings were missing. The days following I became very ill and could not pin point any special ailment, so I took antibiotics. I prayed to Sri Swamiji telling Him that since I had lost the ring I am sick and since He cannot come physically to bless me, He must come in a dream. The next day I got a message that Sri Swamiji was visiting the Delhi Ashrama for a few hours. I went there and heard Him giving a talk, mentioning that a devotee had called Him. After the speech I went up to Him in the queue and told Him that I had prayed yesterday and today He is here. He said, “Maybe I came only for you.” I told Him about the ring and my health. He said that He will find it for me. Later Prasadi took me to Sri Swamiji and He told me that I did not need the old ring and He gave me a gold pendant and said that it is for good health and I should wear it as a necklace.
This is our life. People look at my life with Sri Swamiji and ask questions about Him. I give them His photo and tell them to pray to Him, He will listen. My sister-in-law, in America, wanted to know how I am so peaceful and happy. I told her it is because of Sri Swamiji. She was having a lot of problems in her career and marriage. I gave her His photograph and told her to pray to Him for His help and when He visits America she can have His darshan. She began praying to Him and had His darshan. Now her life has completely changed. She got divorced, re-married, got a better job and is very happy, all because of Sri Swamiji’s blessings. She started believing without even seeing Him.
At my retirement ceremony, my senior manager praised me saying that I am a model for the whole country. Now when people ask me about my strength and abilities I say it is not me, it is Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji. I am only the vessel.
Jaya Guru Datta