"Be Happy; That is the Only Thing I Ask of You"

John Sinclair was a multi-millionaire from the State of Connecticut in the USA. At one stage of his life, he was caught in a maze of business problems that destroyed his mental peace. One night as he sat in his room, he prayed to God, “I do not now where you are and what you look like. I know only one thing, that is, that you do exist! Please help me.” He prayed most earnestly and in total surrender. From then on, he began to notice that God’s invisible hand was protecting him.

One day he felt he noticed someone walking through the inner hall in his home between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. He stared steadily. The person stood unmoving. John Sinclair did not understand who he was and what was he there for. But he could recognize that he experienced some vague sense of happiness and joy that was indescribable. In a similar manner he had the same vision on another night. He was sure that it was no dream; it was starkly real.

Sinclair went to the Spiritual Centre (adhyathmic Kendra) in New York and mentioned his recent experiences to someone there. The person said, “Just a minute, please,” went inside and returned with a small packet of vibhuti in his hand and as he gave it to Sinclair, uttered, “Sai Ram.” He also spoke at length about Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and assured him that it was Swami who had given darshan to him. Sinclair was deeply touched. He was but a mere businessman in far off America; his knowledge of anything spiritual was next to nothing; he had not read even a single book about Sri Sathya Sai Baba; yet the Lord had visited his home in person and granted darshan to an insignificant person like him! In his mind, he fell at the Lotus Feet of Swami at that moment. His heart began yearning for Bhagawan’s grace and for Bhagawan’s love. Very soon it grew and assumed unbearable intensity.

As a consequence of that unbearable yearning for Baba and also Baba’s compassion, Sinclair set off to Prashanthi Nilayam. On arrival, Swami invited him into the interview room and said, “I came twice to you!” Sinclair stared at Swami in bewilderment. Swami continued, “I have done a lot for you. I have given plenty to you. Even then you have no peace. Why don’t you do something for Swami?” When he heard Swami’s words, Sinclair was prepared to give whatever Swami asked for. He said, “Surely, Swami, most certainly.” Swami smilingly told him, “Be happy always. That is the only thing I ask of you!” Sinclair was stunned to hear what Swami desired of him – nothing but his own well-being!

Speaking in the magnificent Poorna Chandra Auditorium on the auspicious Guru Poornima day in 1993, Sinclair said, “When I was a young boy being brought up as a Christian, I used to feel miserable that I was born two thousand years after the departure of Jesus Christ. Someone has truly heard my cry of agony. Here is sitting that very God who had sent Jesus to us!”

Sinclair also recounted a couple of miraculous incidents. “A few months before my arrival n Prasanthi Nilayam, I had to make a business trip to another place. I told my wife that I would pilot my helicopter myself. She tried to dissuade me, “Your mind is very much distressed nowadays because of your business problems. Why don’t you engage a professional pilot? Sathya Sai Baba is too busy to sit with you all the time to protect you, as if He were to protect you only all the time. He has got far too many people to look after. Why do you waste Hi precious time?” I told her, “I am a qualified A-Class pilot. Why do you doubt my flying skills?” I piloted my own helicopter but as feared by my wife, the engine of the helicopter failed on the way. The hydraulic system gave way. I lost control of the craft and I knew that death was certain.

I pulled out Swami’s photo from my pocket and looked at it. The next moment I found Swami Right in the helicopter. He piloted it skillfully and landed it safely on the flank of a hill. He opened the side door, pulled me out carefully, pushed the helicopter away and disappeared. That is how Bhagawan has been saving me, time after time, drawing me closer and closer to His Lotus Feet.

I will now describe to you a more astonishing incident. That woman who is sitting in the front row here in this gathering is Marlene Sinclair. She is an expert horse rider. She acquired a fine horse and rode it and also trained it for competitions. Once she was riding fast in the riding course and tried to clear a high wall. The girl was thrown off her saddle and her head dashed against the ground. And the 1,800-pound heavy horse landed on her.

It took a full 45 minutes before the girl was admitted to the emergency ward of a hospital. I got the message on phone and rushed there. I took out the small packet of vibhuti from my pocket and as I applied it to the wounds on her face, I said, ”This is just like the Holy Water of Christianity.” I also put a little quantity in her mouth. When I went to see her on the next day, there was not a single wound on her face. Three months later she has fully recovered and resumed riding.” But the story does not end here.

"In the interview room, Swami looked at Marlene and asked, “Did I not rescue you from the paralysis?” She said, “Yes, Swami, yes. You did.” After the interview I asked Marlene, “What is it that Swami asked you, and what did you answer Him?” She then told me, “On that day of my accident, I lost an eye. When the horse landed heavily on me, I was paralysed on one side. As I lay in the rain, helpless, a person stood by my side watching me; when I was being taken by ambulance to the hospital, he was by my side in the vehicle, in the emergency ward too he was by my side all the time; he also kept vigil constantly on me throughout the night at the hospital. That person is none else but this Sai Baba! He made my eye all right; and he healed my paralysis too. Only then did he move out of the hospital.”

Even though this incident happened several years ago, I did not know about it at all until the conversation began between Baba and her in the interview room. This is an excellent instance to show that Swami is much more intimate than even one’s mother and father."

My Swami, I have full faith in you. I totally surrender myself at your feet!” concluded Sinclair.

From the book "Tapovanam" by J.V.Sastry