I will never forget the interview we had with Sathya Sai Baba along with an Indian family back in 2004 when in Prashanti Nilayam.
Swami called my brother and me in for an interview along with an Indian family. The family consisted of husband and wife, their son who would have been in his twenties, and the grandparents, mother’s side I think. We all sat at Swami’s feet in the outer room. Swami with a wave of His hand created a materialized substance for each of us.
Devotees know this substance to be called prasadam. He looked at each of us then said: “EAT, it is good for you.”
The taste was very delightful. I am at a loss to give a hint of its flavor because I have never tasted anything like it before. And it was still warm as if it just came out of the oven. Then the father and son began trying to get Swami to accept a gift from them.
The gift was a helicopter in which they want to have it painted white like Swami’s car. They kept saying: “Swami we have plenty of money and because you saved our lives, we want to give something back to you in showing our thanks, we love you Swami.” My brother and I just sat there watching this drama play out with great fascination, and Swami knew this because He kept looking at both of us smiling as if to say: “Are you both enjoying this?”
Of course, they also kept saying: “You are God Swami, we love you very much please accept this helicopter, you can get around much quicker instead of going by car.”
Then Swami said: “I do not need a helicopter or a car, I am everywhere, in time people will see me everywhere. What use to me is a helicopter, besides its very expensive, save your money.”
The son then said: “But all the money we have is yours, let us buy this gift for you.”
Swami again protested with love and smiles, thanked them, but refused and said this is final, no helicopter.
Then the mother spoke: “Swami, thank you for saving our lives.” Before she could utter another word, Swami interjected by saying, “How did I save your lives?” (Swami wanted her to tell the story of this miracle so my brother and I could hear. Maybe so I can tell it here because I have mentioned this numerous times to others.) The mother, father, and son all spoke at once until Swami stopped them in mid-stride. With a beautiful smile, Swami asked the mother to speak.
She said: “As we were driving a very large truck swerved across the road and came straight for us.” “Then the father said, there was no time to get out of its way.”
The mother quickly said: “I screamed out your name BABA, then we found ourselves on the other side of the truck. The truck had to have gone right through us, there was no other way, we didn’t know what had happened.” Then the son spoke up in saying: “We all sat there in silence for a long minute or two trying to understand what had occurred. Then I turned to my father and said – it must have been Swami who saved us.”
“YES”, Swami said, “I passed your car through the truck. If I hadn’t have done that you all would not be here today. I saved all of you.”
The mother then said: “Swami, when I saw the truck my heart screamed your name, I thought I was going to die along with my family.”
Right at that moment when my brother heard the words of the mother and how much fear she held. His heart whelmed up with compassion, then all at once Swami very quickly moved forward in His chair and looked straight at my brother with a big smile.
We all know Swami lives in our heart, and He has said often that His food is our love. The love that rose in my brother’s heart from hearing the words of the mother, Swami instantly received. OM SAIRAM
