The Devotee’s Ordeals and God’s Grace

You must acquire the friendship of God. Once you acquire that friendship, you can achieve anything. All happiness can be derived therefrom.

You know how Kuchela was a friend of Krishna in their boyhood. Because of his prolific progeny, Kuchela was immersed in a sea of troubles. His wife reminded him that if he went to Krishna, who was his boyhood friend at the Guru’s ashram and now a ruler at Dwaraka, Krishna would relieve him of his poverty. He had some apprehensions whether Krishna would remember him and receive him, which he got over, and set out for Dwaraka. Though Kuchela was in tattered clothes, the moment Krishna learned that his old friend had come, he rushed towards him and embraced him. He exclaimed: “How long ago is it since we last met? Where have you been all these years? How have you been faring?” Kuchela remembered the Lord only because of his troubles.

Another example may be found in the Mahabharata. After completing their years of exile, the Pandavas returned to their capital. Happy over the safe return of her sons, Kunti went to Krishna to offer her salutations. Krishna said: “Dear aunt! Are you happy? Is there anything more you want? I shall fulfill your wishes.” Kunti said: “Krishna! I don’t need anything. I must enjoy your support, your guidance and your nearness at all times. I must be blessed with troubles always. It was because my children experienced innumerable troubles during our exile in the forest, living on roots and fruits, we found you were always with us, beside us and behind us and you saved us so many times. If we are to enjoy your proximity, we have to face troubles.”

Experience Of Two Local Students Of Ooty

In this context, let me reveal a significant episode in Sathya Sai’s career which is not known to anyone. Every year summer courses used to be conducted in Brindavan. In view of the growth in number of students at Brindavan, we undertook to build a new hostel for them. That year, I took all the students to Ooty during the summer. All the arrangements for the summer course were completed successfully. Swami told the students a day before they were to leave Ooty: “Boys! You have had the chance to come to Ooty. You better go on a sight-seeing trip and enjoy the grandeur and beauties of the Lord’s creation.” Swami asked them to go out sight-seeing, but they insisted on Swami also coming with them. The boys are a stubborn breed. Swami told them that if He came with them, large crowds would gather wherever He went and they would not be able to see anything.

Modern boys have a stubbornness of their own. They said they would not leave unless Swami also came with them. Swami relented and made arrangements for all the students to leave by buses for Doddabetta, the highest point in the Nilgiris range (above 8000 feet altitude). They wanted to take photographs with Swami on the top of the hill and Swami agreed to follow them to take photographs with them. Swami left half an hour later from Nandanavanam to Doddabetta. Two young men went to Nandanavanam to see Bhagawan. They were told that Swami had left for Doddabetta. Immediately the two young men got on their motorcycle and started driving at high speed to catch up with Bhagawan’s car on the road to Doddabetta. Their one anxiety was to get somehow a glimpse of Swami.

Swami noticed the boys and wanted to know who they were. Someone in the car remarked: “They might be some rowdies.” Swami remarked: “No, no. Without knowing the truth you should not make such remarks. They might be boys eager to have Swami’s darshan.” When Swami’s car was taking a turning, the boys came near Swami’s car at high speed. At the turning, the motorcycle fell on one side. Both the boys fell down from the vehicle. Immediately, I stopped my car, went near them, wiped the mud from their bodies and enquired of them: “Boys! Have you suffered any injuries? Why did you drive at such a high speed? You should not have done so. If you wanted to see me, you could have come to Nandanavanam.” I sought to comfort them and gave them two oranges to eat.

The two boys, who were local college students, said: “Swami! We came to have your darshan. Because of this mishap, we not only got Swami’s darshan, but also sparshan, sambhashan and prasadam. If this accident had not happened, would Swami have come near us, wiped our backs and spoken so endearingly to us? Swami! We yearned for your darshan. We earnestly sought you. We got all three: darshan, sparshan, sambhashan (seeing, touching and speaking with you). Any trouble is worthwhile if these three can be got. Please give us always such troubles.”

There Is No Pleasure And Pain For The Lord

Kunti prayed likewise to Krishna. The benignity shown by the Lord to the devotee in the moment of his troubles is not likely to be shown at other times. Of course, the Lord thinks of the devotee even at happy occasions. For the Lord, there is nothing like pleasure and pain.

When Kuchela was in Krishna’s palace, he forgot to ask Krishna what he had come to ask. But, there is no need to ask the all-knowing Lord. After lavishing all hospitality on him, Krishna sent Kuchela back in a palanquin. After going some distance, Kuchela reflected on his folly. “I enjoyed all the sumptuous feast Krishna gave me, but, I forgot all about the plight of my children. I forgot to ask Krishna what I had gone to ask him. What a fool I am!” But when he neared his old home, what he saw was a magnificent mansion. His wife was dressed in fine clothes and was shining with all ornaments. She came out to welcome Kuchela like a queen. Kuchela wondered whether she was some princess or his wife.

She approached Kuchela and asked him: “Lord! What did Krishna tell you?” Kuchela described how lovingly Krishna rushed to meet him and embraced him endearingly. “How can I describe His all-encompassing love? He is love itself. Is there anyone who could confer countless blessings in return for a handful of Kuchela’s parched rice!” (Swami sang a Telugu song). “What a fool I was, not to have realised the boundless grace of such a Lord!” Reflecting like this, Kuchela went round the mansion, deeply moved by Krishna’s love for him.

Believers Will Never Suffer

Nothing will be lacking for those who believe in God. Many non-believers have suffered in life in various ways, but no one who had full faith in God has ever suffered. There are no such sufferers, none at all. Unfortunately, many suffer because of lack of faith. Very often they suffer disastrous losses. On the other hand, the real believers are often carried from the depths of life to the Abode of the Lord! Hence, faith is supremely important. Faith is everything. This faith can be acquired and strengthened only through love.

During the past four days, innumerable devotees from all parts of Andhra Pradesh have come here and experienced the bliss of heaven on earth. All of them are utterly innocent people. Their hearts are pure and unsullied. They have firm faith in God. Bharatiya culture today survives to some extent only in the villages.

No one can adequately describe the joy experienced by these innocent villagers. That is true devotion. All other devotees present in Prasanthi Nilayam were deeply moved by the devotion of these Andhra village folk. I bless all of them to be happy, to be ever blissful and lead sacred lives.

Discourse in Prasanthi Nilayam on 22-10-1996