The Princess of Belgium meets Swami - 2

                         

( Continued from The Princess of Belgium meets Swami - 1)

The Princess and the young Prince of Belgium were a regular sight in Brindavan whenever Swami would come there. I‘share here 2 events concerning them.

The Prince ( I do not know if he was the elder or the younger one ) would come inside Swami’s residence area, where we worked, and stand with a group of students for darshan. In the evening, he would go and sit in the students block for bhajans. During the day, one of us boys had to escort him to the foreign canteen for food.

The Prince had received an interview a few days back and Swami had blessed him with a magnificent gold watch.  One of my friends while sitting with the Prince during his lunch, happened to notice the watch and just couldn’t stop raving about it. He said it was as if a gold snake formed the strap to hold the diamond studded dial. A watch fit for a Prince!

I don’t care for watches much, but anything materialized by Swami evoked a childish enthusiasm in me. So each of us boys would try to take turns to escort the Prince and have a look at the watch. Many succeeded and added their own praises to the divine gift. I was the only one left out who hadn’t seen the watch yet. One day I heard that the Royal family had left.

Utterly disappointed, I somehow let go of my obsession to see the watch.

A few days later, Divine grace fell on me. I was called for an interview. Inside, Swami materialized a beautiful watch for a devotee, then went inside to give personal interview to some other devotee. As I tried looking at the watch Swami gave the devotee I wondered how fortunate these souls were; not because they had received a gift of a gold watch; but because something about them please the Lord and evoked such grace from Him.

When I looked up, Swami had emerged and was looking at me piercingly. Before I knew it, He began waving His hand and materialized another gorgeous gold watch. He beckoned me, as I nervously and excitedly went to Swami, He very lovingly strapped the watch on my right hand.

My focus was on Swami’s presence during the interview, it is only when I came out that I saw the watch closely. It was truly beautiful. Some of my friends gathered around me to see it, when suddenly someone remarked “Hey! That’s the same watch that Swami gave to the Prince!”

In 2007 Swami returned from Kodaikanal to Brindavan for the Summer.  Amongst Swami’s guests who had returned were the Princess of Belgium and her friend.  A new VIP house had been built behind Trayee where such guests were to stay. I and 2 other friends were serving there taking care of food arrangements and any other needs of the guests. 

We learned that both the ladies were very sick. Apparently the spicy southern Indian food hadn’t suited them and they had suffered much ill health while they stayed in Kodaikanal. Karma burning in the Divine Presence!

When we learned this, the three of us went out of our ways to ensure their stay there was comfortable. Swami has asked Mrs Ratanlal to send food for them from her house. We brought food from different places, got fruits and coconut water ( which they loved) got ice creams and whatever we could. Our feeling was that these were Swami’s guests and so mustn’t suffer any more then they already have.

Since the guest house was new, it wasn’t equipped well. We did not have proper cutlery. The royal guests not used to eating with hands were having a difficult time. I brought a new set of spoons and forks and soon some new set of plates and bowls also came along.

Within a week we noticed them regaining their health completely and they would participate in darshans and bhajans. Everyday they would thank us and praise us for our efforts. If they had liked something while eat, they would shyly ask us if we could get some more of that thing. We were only glad to oblige Bhagawan’s guests.

Soon the time came for them to leave. Swami graciously blessed them with an interview. Utterly excited they mentioned this to me as I went up to their room to give them some things. They then asked me what was Venkateshwar, what was Tirupati?, .. that Swami again and again mentioned these names to them during the interview. I tried explaining it to them but as we didn’t have much time, I promised to mail them all details.

Then they remarked something that Swami had told them in Kodaikanal  “I know you haven’t been well here , but don’t worry, when we reach Brindavan, I will take very good care of you!”  The Princess and her friend looked at me and thanked us again for our service saying that Swami indeed had taken very good care of them.

Stunned by the remark. I went down and shared this with my friends. We were speechless and overwhelmed and thanked Swami profusely for giving us the opportunity of being His instruments.

The Princess of Belgium meets Swami - 1

The Belgian Princess from childhood has always been a devout Christian. She had always followed her individual duty and duty towards the society. She used to regularly have Sai Baba’s dream where He used to tell her repeatedly to visit him in Puttaparthi. She was not very inclined to do so since she thought going to Baba would be against the Christian faith, which she had been following for so long. She was of the opinion that her dreams may not have anything serious to think about since she was nothing even remotely connected to India and she had never heard of Sai Baba and hence no question of going to India.

An old friend of hers’ once met her during one of her outings. Meeting after a long time they both talked for a long time. During this conversation, her friend mentioned to her in passing that she had met a spiritual teacher in India whom she had accepted as her Guru (preceptor). Having heard her friend mention India, the princess asked her as to whether she had heard of someone called Sai Baba in a village called Puttaparthi. Looking a little surprised, she said

“Well, He is the one I am talking about. Sai Baba!" So saying she showed the princess His photograph. She looked at it and was stunned. The features of the man in the photograph were exactly the same as that of the person, who in her dreams was asking her to visit him.

A week later the Belgian princess was on her way to India, with her friend accompanying her. All through their journey, they about nothing but Sai Baba. The more she heard about him, his miracles and his work, the more she curious she became. The princess alighted in India and as she moved closer to Puttaparthi, her heart beat faster and she asked herself --

“Who is Sai Baba? And How on earth does He know about me?”

In Puttaparthi, she checked into an accommodation generally provided to people coming to have accommodation. But being the princess of a nation, she was entitled to government of India’s hospitality. The princess herself never informed the accommodation authorities of her royalty status. But the foreign affairs ministry received a phone call from the Belgium High commission (who were told of the visit by a royal palace communique) that Her Highness The Princesss of Belgium was in India to visit Sai Baba. The foreign ministry informed the concerned authorities at Puttaparthy and the princess was moved to the VIP guest house.

Seated in front, the next morning, along with her friend, the princess waited for Baba. As the music started (generally every darshan at Puttaparthi and Vrindavan begins with Indian Classical music being on the Audio system and continues till the end of darshan), her heart fluttered in anticipation. “Will He recognise her? Will He speak to her? --” All sorts of questions came on to her mind.... Baba walked slowly along the ladies side. As He came near her, He stopped and spoke.... to a lady next to the princess. As He was speaking to the lady, the princess bowed to touch His feet. Baba turned, placed his hands over her head and said  “So, You have come.”

Baba called her into the interview room along with her friend. They went in and took their place. Baba materialised two medallions of Jesus and gave it to them. These materialisations are normal for a regular visitor to Puttaparthi but for the princess this was something she never expected, leave alone expecting she never even thought it was possible!

The medallions were similar with a slight difference. The one given to the princess’ friend showed the full picture of Jesus on the crucifix. The one the princess had showed him only up to the waist. Both looked at Baba , who smiled and said ---

“You have been a sincere devotee of Jesus from childhood. You have followed righteousness through out your life. That is why I called you here.”

He stopped for a while and said again ---

“Princess , Do you remember, at the age of five, you saw a movie called ‘Jesus of Nazreth’? That was the movie, which attached you to Jesus so much. The scene where Jesus was crucified made you cry. Especially when His legs were nailed, You burst out and cried for two days. It has since then left an indelible mark on your life.”

As Baba mentioned these words, that phase of her life passed through the princess’ mind. But it struck her that that something which only she knew. How did Sai Baba come to know of it?

He stopped for a while and spoke again --

“I never give what people don’t like. You love Jesus, so I gave you a medallion of Jesus Himself. But your medallion doesn’t show the nailed legs of His. That made you cry a lot. I don’t want you to cry now.”

After Baba spoke, there was silence for a while. The princess now spoke--

“All along I thought my dreams were imagination. Never did I think that they would lead me to where I am today. How do you know about all these things concerning me? I still have to understand you but from what I have experience here so far, I can say that whatever you are, You are remarkable.”.
Baba spoke again --“Child, You have a pure heart. That’s why you are here. You have never reneged on your duty. I am pleased by your steadfast adherence to duty and dharma. Ask me what you want, anything and I shall give.”

The princess remained silent for a while. Her thoughts flew to her sons at Harvard. They were good children but she had one problem, they never believed in God. They never accompanied her on her visits for Sunday mass or regular sermons at church. She wanted to ask Baba about them but something stopped her and she kept quite.

Baba asked -- “You want to ask me about your sons -- at Harvard, isn’t it? So why don’t You just ask?”. Witholding nothing more from Baba and convinced of His omniscience , the princess spoke  with a mother’s concern--

“Baba, My children ..... My children don’t believe in Jesus. I am quite concerned about them. Please change them, Baba.I know You can do it. I’ve faith in You.”.
“Alright , speak to them about me tonight and tell me about their reaction.”-- replied Baba. The interview then drew to a close.

The next day, They were called for interview again. As soon as Baba came in, He asked her -- “Did You speak to them?”. The princess replied hesitantly “Yes, I did. But .... But they were not interested. They said “You keep your Sai Baba with You. Don’t involve us in it.” and hung the receiver”. Baba said  “Never mind, Speak to them again tonight... (Silence for a while) and tell them I will give them an experience.”. She did as was commanded. Her sons, however, refused to take any serious view of Sai Baba, who for their mother was a phenomenon not different from the kind Jesus was. The princess informed Baba about her talk with the two princes. Baba said-- “Good. Now, Wait till tomorrow”.

The next day at Darshan, Baba enquired from the princess about her children again. “Speak to them again today and then tell me what they spoke about.”-- Baba commanded. After darshan, the princess and her friend went towards the telephone centre to call her sons , without the least indication of what had happened in Harvard with her sons after she made the last phone call to them two days before. What happened there stunned not only the princes and their mother but the entire class in which the princes studied.

At Harvard that day, an orange light appeared from nowhere and stuck to the shirt of the eldest of the two princes. As the prince got up to find out what it meant, the light chased him out of the room and followed him vigorously. Seeing something very astonishing the whole class of Harvard ran out.

The scene--The light behind the prince and the rest of the class behind the light. How far could they run? They finally fell exhausted. The light too stopped for a while. It encircled the entire lot of students and disappeared.

The following evening the princess waited for Baba to tell him all that happened. Baba came and as he came towards her asked “Did you speak to the princes? (Silence for a moment) Did they mention anything about ...an orange light?” The princess looked at Baba with eyes wide open.. and.. smiled. Baba smiled back and went into the interview room.

The princess spoke to her children again that night and later informed Baba that the entire class of Harvard wanted to come to India for Baba’s darshan. Baba said “Good .. But not now, later. I will call.” The princess was disappointed but left it to Baba’s will. When the princes will come only Baba knows. But they will come some day .. today or tomorrow. Baba’s will shall prevail.

The princess left India some time around the first week of February. She came confused and full of doubts.But left a highly contended woman. We students, still remember her as a very benign personality, full of love and compassion. Her face radiated an extraordinary brilliance, which to a great extent reflects the strict spiritual discipline and endurance she had developed in her pursuit of the Truth, which she did find in form of our Lord Sri Satya Sai

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