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Not a fairy tale

Kandukur, December 2001

I

come from a large extended family that never had enough money to

meet its needs. I nished my Bachelor of Science degree thanks to thenancial support of my brothers, but there was no money for advanced

studies. Our families went their separate ways in 1995 and the little property

was shared out between us. All I received were my degree certicates and

my books. There was no money for me.

Needing to work to support myself, I went to Hyderabad. The only position

I could nd, after much difculty, was as a chemist in a laboratory. I had

to accept it though I knew that this would aggravate my health problems.

I had suffered from asthma since my childhood and had taken thousands

of pills and injections just to be able to breathe normally. The constant

exposure to chemicals in the lab was disastrous for my weak body. The

company doctor told me that I had better leave the job if I valued my life, so

I resigned. I went back to Kandukur feeling truly miserable.

From my college days I knew a maths lecturer, Sai Prasad. I would go tohis house from time to time and have a chat with him. He always spoke with

great love about Sri Sai Baba and Sri Babuji, but I just brushed it all aside.

I didnt believe in gods or gurus. I thought of myself as a scientist and

was convinced that the world ran according to scientic laws. We argued

amicably for years.

Unable to bear seeing me suffer so badly from asthma, Sai Prasad sent

me to Nellore to consult a homoeopathic doctor who was also a devotee

of Sri Babuji. He started to treat me but always insisted that the real cure

would come not through pills but by Sri Babujis grace. I still did not want to

hear these fairy tales about gurus and just took the prescription for a year.

The asthma subsided whenever I took the pills but it would come back as

soon as I stopped.

Over the years some of what Sai Prasad and the doctor said about Gurujimust have seeped in, despite my resistance. When Guruji came to Tirumala

in 1997, I very much wanted to meet him and asked for permission to do so.

In darshan I begged Guruji to free me from asthma and he kindly listened

to my tales of woe. After Gurujisdarshan, to my amazement and wonder,

the asthma simply vanished. Even now, I can still hardly believe that I can

lead a normal life eating, drinking and doing whatever I like without thethreat of an asthma attack lurking around the corner.

Since Gurujisdarshanmy life has changed dramatically. I never knew the

meaning of happiness before. With my poor health and limited resources,

my life had been suffering and misery. Guruji changed my whole life. My

outlook, my disposition, and my emotions, everything has been transformed

by his bounteous grace.

And as if this were not enough, he gave me even more. I applied for a job

with the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation but I was afraid

that I would fail the medical exam because of my high blood pressure.

After I wrote to Guruji for help, I was declared t and was hired as a bus

conductor! I am happy, healthy and have a good job. I will forever thank

Baba and Guruji for their blessings.

Hema Sunder Kavarthapu, born in 1973, is a government employee who lives in Kandukur, AndhraPradesh