Some students prefer to stay with Swami. The students know that at Kodaikanal, Satyajit made a declaration in public even when his parents were present there, ‘I am coming out with my doubt in the open. You must all forgive me. All sorts of officers are coming to Swami. They seek fulfillment of desires and go back. Many business people also come to Swami. They also refer to Swami about their difficulties and go back after securing relief. People with ailments come to Swami and they leave after getting cured. We students have come to Swami. Many of them benefit from the free education given by Swami and leave the Institute.

‘Who is taking care of Swami? Nobody seems to be concerned about Swami’s well being. Many times Swami falls down. Once, when Swami slipped and fell down, a pillar fell on Him. Swami did not care for it. The boys were very much worried in the night. It is necessary that someone should always be with Swami. Only when one or two people sit with Him does Swami take some little food. When He goes alone for lunch, He eats very little.’

My attitude is to eat whatever the students eat. I don’t want to eat separately. Swami came to Brindavan from Puttaparthi and took the students to Kodaikanal. Swami used to eat only ragi and groundnut chutney. At Kodaikanal all were eating together. Swami also took His meals in their midst. If I were to take ragi, boys may not like it. If I want them to eat ragi, they are not used to it. So Swami started eating rice food which students take. Swami likes only ragi; because He stopped taking ragi , He lost 6 kg in weight during 20 days stay at Kodaikanal.

In Puttaparthi, Satyajit was in the habit of taking My weight now and then. He used to plead to Swami to get on to the weighing machine. When Swami was in Puttaparthi He weighed 108 lbs. At Kodaikanal, when weight was taken, it showed reduction by 6 kilos. Swami weighed less than 100 lbs. Satyajit said that he was greatly worried. I told him that he should not speak about this in public.

Satyajit said, ‘I offer my entire life to Swami.’ Swami said that he should not say such things in public. But Satyajit spoke with courage and boldness.

At that time, Indulal Shah, Chairman of World Council and others were present. All of them congratulated Satyajit on his speech. This is a point about which no one has cared for. Indulal Shah said, ‘Even though I am a member of Central Trust I have not thought over this point. This is a grievous lapse on our part. Hereafter, we will bear this in mind and act accordingly.’

God as Mother

It is clear that each devotee has his own ideals and aspirations. But those who are imbued with a feeling of reverence for their mother will always have good feelings. One day Satyajit was concerned about surgery done for his mother’s fractured leg.

As far as I am concerned, all persons are good. But there is something special about this lad Satyajit. He used to take Swami’s permission and massage her leg every day. He wanted to do this to relieve his mother of her pain.At Brindavan, I was lying in bed. He came and started massaging My leg. I said, ‘I have no pain in My leg.’ He remarked, ‘Swami, if You have pain You won’t speak about it. You keep moving about irrespective of the pain.’ Swami then observed, ‘I am used to this’. He said, ‘In massaging Swami’s feet I am rendering service to my mother.’

He left for Puttaparthi and was staying in the hostel. He closed his eyes. He experienced that he was massaging Swami’s feet. He observed, ‘With this experience, how can I be attached to the world?’ Swami remarked to him, ‘Don’t speak in that way. Be silent and carry on your duty.’ He passed his M.Sc. After that he joined the M.B.A. course. I told him, ‘You have already got a P.G.degree. Why do you want to join M.B.A?’ He replied, I can stay with You, Swami, for two more years. That is the reason.’

In this manner, each student has his own desires. There are any number of students imbued with such feelings. Those who develop taste of maternal love adore God as mother. Many boys go out into the world and get caught up in worldly affairs because of their actions in previous lives. Students should feel, ‘Having discovered God, we do not need anything else. God will take care of mother, father, and everyone else.’ They should develop that firm conviction. Without that faith they can have no happiness.

At Puttaparthi, a Reddy from Nellore brought the film Prahlada and showed it to the students. The actors were small boys. The film showed that, while drinking poison, Prahlada was chanting the name of Narayana. His father had Prahlada thrown from a mountain top by two Rakshasas (demons), Chanda and Amarkha. As he fell, he chanted the name of Narayana, and Narayana held Prahlada in His hands. The father wanted him to be bitten by serpents. As he chanted the name of Narayana, the serpent did not bite him. The father tried to get him crushed under the feet of an elephant. As Prahlada uttered the name of Narayana, even the elephant became Narayana and did him no harm. All this was shown in the film; but Satyajit said, ‘I have experienced all this directly. I don’t need to see a film. I only want Sai Narayana.’ It is only because of merit done in previous life that such experiences came to a person from childhood.

The other day, I asked him to participate in Bhajans. He said he would sit under an Ashoka Tree and participate in the Bhajans. Swami does not impose His Will on anybody. He told Satyajit, ‘You may do what pleases you.’

How Satyajit strictly adheres to Swami’s ideals

In this manner, many students are imbued with noble feelings.Some students appear as supreme devotees as long as they are in the college, but the moment they leave the college, they go astray. Their speech and their actions are bad. Hence, I often tell them, as I did at Kodaikanal, ‘Cultivate good speech. Develop a good vision (samyag drishti). This leads to good thoughts. Good thoughts make a person listen to what is good. By listening to good thoughts one is impelled to perform good actions. Good actions lead to liberation.’ Satyajit strictly adheres to Swami’s ideals. He will not look at anybody. I asked him, ‘What is wrong if you see persons with good feelings or to see others.’ He replied, ‘I have no use for such good feelings or to see others. I want only feelings about Swami within me.’ Swami then said, ‘Please yourself.’

Some students are like this. All the boys who came to Kodaikanal this year were exceptionally good boys. How lucky they are cannot be described. I took care of everyone, of all their needs. If there are more such boys, the world will improve vastly. It is only hen individuals improve that society can improve. When society improves, the country improves. Improvements must start with individuals. The individual, the collective, and the world together constitute the Divine. (SSS Vol.31, pp.204-208)