74. Baba made Shri Virendra P. Pandya a sceptic into an ascetic.

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74. Baba made Shri Virendra P. Pandya a sceptic into an ascetic.

Shri Virendra P. Pandya at Vaitarana near Kalyan (Bombay) was a University

Graduate and had not belief in God. All his family members were all educated

and cultured and except his father and mother all his family members were

non-believers of God. In May 1952, he casually visited Shirdi along with his

cousin brother. Sometime after he left Shirdi his family faced a great

family trouble which is purely a private one. At this time he was staying

with his cousin brother at Vaitrana. His father, mother and all his family

members were living in Bihar. There was no solution for their coming to

solve the problem. He suddenly remembered of having brought a photo of Shri

Sai Baba from Shirdi, but it was kept idle in his trunk. He took it out

cleared it and kept it on his table. He lighted agarbathi before the photo

and prayed to Shri Sai Baba to help him to solve the problem. Two or three

days passed but the solution did not occur. On contrary worries increased

very much. He became restless. He stood before the photo of S;iri Sai Baba,

Oh Baba you knew that I have got no strong belief in you. If you are really

God as your devotees referred to and you knew my family trouble and how much

worried I was thinking over the matter. I pray to give me proper solutions

to day by evening or else I will keep your photo back into the trunk once

for all". In the evening he found himself claim and got the solution of the

problem and immediately wrote a letter to his mother at Dharaiajoba (In

Bihar) informing her of the solution and the way in which he got it. On the

third day of his posting of his letter, he got a letter from his mother

which she too informed, of the solution of his family and it was the same

solution which had already occured to him on the same date and the very same

moment. This incident brought him much close to the belief of Shri Sai Baba.

He thought of devoting his whole life for ever to Shri Sai Baba doing no

other work except "Bhakti". But his mother refused permission and advised

him to follow "Karmayoga" life. He then stood before the photo of Shri Sai

Baba and wrote on a piece of paper as follows "O-Baba you knew difinitely

well in what dilemma I was. By Tuesday 5-8-1952 evening, I must get an

answer from you in writing as to which way of life I should follow". He then

placed that paper under the photo standing and was praying Baba. The dusk

came on 5-8-1952. Till then, there was no answer. He became very much

impatient. He then accidently saw a Gujarathi book called Shri Sai Baba

Upasana written by Shri Bhavnagar Sai Baba Bhakta Mandali. This book was

sent to him by his mother two months back. But he has not read it so far.

Now, when he saw the book, he took it and opened it at random at Chapter

"Bhav Sudha". As soon as he read 2 or 3 lines, he found much interested in

the book and began to read it and finished reading whole of the book and got

the answer to his questions and that too in writing. In that book, Baba has

advised a devotee to follow "Karmayoga" life. This incident brought him more

closer to the devotion of Shri Sai Baba. Shri V, P. Pandya and

his cousin brother were contractors doing the work in connection with

the "Bombay Water Supply Scheme" and lived in Vaitarana a jungle place. On

one Wednesday (i. e.) on 6-8-1952, he stood before the photo of Shri Sai

Baba and prayed "That tomorrow is Thursday (i.e.) Baba's day and that there

should come a Sadhu, Sanyasi or Fakir at his door to have "Bhiksha" within

12-30 and 1 P. M. during the time exactly when I took my meal and that he

should bless me by moving his right hand from head to foot and thus bless

every part of his body". After 12-15 P.M. Thursday he went to take his meals

as nobody came to his door till then. At the time of taking his first morsel

of food, he heard a cry of a Fakir asking for alms. His cook who never used

to give anything to any beggar gave out of his own accord an one anna coin

to that Father. The Fakir turned out and was on the point of leaving. He

then called the Fakir back and gave him prasad which he had kept before

Baba's photo. The Fakir went away. He too finished his meals. He thought of

serving him with food. But he had gone away He thought that if he anyhow

returned again, he should serve him with food. He asked his cook whether

there was any extra food. He replied "NO" the food remaining will sufficient

only for him. To his utter astonishment, the same Fakir was again coming to

his door. He then immediately offered his "Prasadam" to the Fakir and gave

Rs. 2/-requesting him to have food with this amount as he was then unable to

serve him with food in his house. He accepted this amount without saying

anything simply laughed meaning fully at him. And then to his great joy, he

blessed him from head to foot by his right hand and with peacock feather as

he wished. He fell at the feet of the Fakir with inexplicable joy and again

offered "Pranams". The Fakir raised him up and said that He would again meet

him on the next Thursday (i.e.) on 14-8-1952. He told the Fakir that this

would not be possible as he could go to Shirdi in a couple of days. The

Fakir told him Eventhen I will meet you" So saying the Fakir went away. He

left for Shirdi and came to Shirdi on 13-8-1952. On Thursday 14-8-1952,

during noon Arati time in the Samadhi Maadir, while he was looking at Shri

Sai Baba's photo it suddenly occured to him what the Fakir had said and then

he too felt so much surprised as the Fakir's saying had come true as he was

in front of Baba performing Arati and so Shri Sai Baba too was in front of

Him. That is how the Fakir did visit him on 14-8-1952. Thus Shri Sai Baba at

least brought this "Faithless" into the fold of his staunch devotees even

after His Mahasamadhi.

Surrender Shri Sai Completely ! Stupendous Delectation and Deliverance be

there !!