Baba's Maya - Ananthula Padmaja (June 1975)

[Guest guest]

BABA'S MAYA (June 1975)

It was near midnight. Dark and gloomy. Chilly breezes of January

welcomed us when our train steamed into Kopargaon station. The

platform looked deserted. Flickering light of the oil lamps was

peeping at us from the corners of the platform. As the train halted, we

hurried to the platform with our belongings. We came here on our

second visit to saint Sai Baba's shrine. It was just before

independence and Seenu was an eleven year old boy, only the child of his

parents This visit is of special significance to Seenu's parents, who

had a great desire to have another child. During the last decade

they have been visiting numerous holy places right from

Kanyakumari to Kashmir and Bengal to Bombay. The middle aged

parents of Seenu have prostrated before many a deity and just prayed for

another child. Patiently waiting for a reply from God they have been

visiting temples wherever the bells tolled. Their fervent hope in

having another child was fulfilled when they first visited Shri Sai Baba's

shrine just an year after World War 11. But this visit bore a

disappointment for Seenu's mother, as she could not have the

'darshan' of the shrine since she was on her period The husband having

come on a short leave could not oblige the wife with an extension in

their stay. Seenu's mother, with tearful eyes and disappointed

heart returned home without 'darshan'. But this was the end of

their long awaited worry. The saint has answered their prayers and

Seenu's mother bore signs of motherhood. This visit was to give first

'darshan' to the mother and the child.

The miracle happened. All got down on the curved platform hurriedly. The

train puffed out. Seenu's grannie with his infant sister in her arms was

still in the train, Pull the chain', 'pull the chain' shouted Seenu's

father- The train gained speed and the old lady baled out of the train

without pulling the alarm chain Someone snatched the baby from her arms.

Seenu's father tried to give his helping hand and both slipped under the

train. Some bogies were still behind and all of us waited with a heavy

breath. Seenu's lean and sickly mother ran along the train and pulled out

her hefty husband in the next few seconds. Then what happened to Seenu's

grannie? Two more carriages were still to pass and every one of us thought

that she is ‘cut'. As the complete train passed we all went with utmost

anxiety to peep under the platform. 'The devil is alive', I said. The old

lady stood straight and complained of no injury. What a miracle? A double

miracle indeed!!

Seenu's mother was asked as to how she could pull out a 240 Ibs. hefty man

within seconds and with such ease although she was weak and sickly, who in

the normal course would not lift even a 10 Ib. weight with such ease.

Pat came the reply - "It is Baba's Maya".

Ananthula Padmaja

Secunderabad-500025

 

 

The experiences of Devotees as published in Shri Sai Leela Magazine, can be

read at www.saileelas.org/magazines/SAILEELA/exp.htm