excerpts from anil kumar's satsang

[Guest guest]

I know you for the last ten lives

Then the topic switched over to many of the artistes who visited Bhagavan fifty

years ago. He mentioned the names of a number of artistes: dancers, singers,

vocalists, instrumental musicians - so many people. He went on mentioning all

the names.

I asked, “Swami, one gentleman, Chowdayya, a violinist, has he come here, Swami?”

“Yes, he came. He gave a performance.”

“I see, Swami. Then Dwaramvenkata Swamy, also a violinist - Swami, did he come here?”

“Yes, he came here.”

Any name I was telling, He said they were here.

And then Swami said, “One fellow by the name of Gaggayya came.”

“Oh, he was also here?”

“Nagayya, a film actor, was also here.”

Like that, He was mentioning so many names.

Then I said, “Swami, Ghantasala, a playback singer in Telugu, a very famous man,

did he come to this place?”

“Yes, he came.”

“Oh, I see.”

“He stayed with Me for two months.”

“I see.”

And Swami said, “He followed Me wherever I went.”

“Mmhmm?”

“But, he came here during the last stages.”

Then I picked up, “Swami, I heard the speech of Ghantasala.”

“Speech? No, no, he’s a musician. What speech?”

“No, Swami, before the music programme, he spoke a few words.”

Swami said, “What did he say?”

Ghantasala, the famous playback singer, was totally down with cancer when he

came here for the first time. Swami never looked at him. He returned to his

room in East Prashanti and started crying, “Oh God, is this the way You treat

me, when I am known to everybody. You have ignored me. I am insulted, Bhagavan.

I am humiliated. People will laugh at me. Is it on purpose that You do like

this?”

And he composed a song in Telugu there, which you must have heard here a number

of times. And then one day, after bhajans, he was lying on his bed without a

shirt - just a towel over him. He was very sick at that time, lying on the bed,

crying for Baba’s help. Suddenly, Ghantasala heard a sound. He lifted his head

and saw the door being opened - and Bhagavan coming into the room! Bhagavan

came in, sat on the bed and applied vibhuthi all over his body.

“Don’t worry, Ghantasala, I know you for the last ten lives. I assure you that

your name will be remembered in South India so long as sun, moon and stars

shine. You’ll be remembered as the top-most singer.”

So saying, Bhagavan left. Then, that man composed another song: “Ah what a nice

day it is! Bhagavan came with a smiling face. I could not see You, oh Lord,

because of the tears coming across the sky on the surface of my eyeballs.

(Laughter). The eyes were not helping me to see You because they are totally

wet, with the tears rolling down. How can I see You, my Lord? But blessed is

this day because of Your Divine visit!”

That is the meaning of that song, which is also repeated by our boys. That’s

what I said about this episode and Swami said, “Yes, yes, yes, yes.”

 

Singer M.S. Subbalakshmi

Then I should also mention another episode. There is a lady by the name of M.S.

Subbalakshmi. M.S. Subbalakshmi is a very, very great lady. She is a great

singer and she received the highest award - a national award. Not only that,

she is the only singer who was permitted to render a classical music programme

in New York during one of the sessions of the United Nations Organization. At

the end of the music concert, all the heads of governments stood and gave her a

standing ovation. Such a great lady is Baba’s devotee. When she sings, her voice

goes to a very high pitch.

Swami said, “Oh, she comes here regularly.”

“Oh, I see, Swami. I heard her words also, Swami.”

“What did she say?”

“Swami, she said that wherever she goes, wherever she gives a concert, she

donates some funds to every institution. Almost all big institutions have

received fabulous amounts from her, through her music concerts. That’s what she

said in a public meeting.” “She further added, ‘There is one place I have been

to where nothing is expected from me. No one asks anything from me. And I met a

great personality, who materialised a chain of 100 diamonds and gave it to me on

the dais. He is Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.’ There was thunderous applause and

ovation listening to her statement.” This I told Swami and everybody heard and

they were very, very happy about it.