Shri Sai Baba, The Guide to the Unknown (July 1986) - S.B. Hosgoudar

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SHRI SAI BABA, THE GUIDE TO THE UNKNOWN (July 1986)

 

I had an occasion to attend the Rarnanavami Festival at the house of my

friend, where a photo (of H.H. Sai Baba) was placed for the puja, a cradle

was also there. I did not know whose photograph it was but I was told that

the photo was of H.H. Sai Baba, a saint of Shirdi and stories of him were

narrated. One fine morning in November 1956, 1 decided to have the darshan

of Baba at Shirdi only and was waiting for the opportunity. My friend who

was working in Postal Department at Bombay was inviting me to come to

Bombay. I decided to go to Bombay during November 1956. I stayed at Bombay

for about 12 days. I had told my friend about my intended visit to Shirdi

and had requested him to accompany me as I did not know the route to Shirdi.

My friend told me that he would accompany me provided the leave was granted

to him. My friend did not get leave, which put me in difficult position as

to how to fulfil my desire to visit Shirdi. My friend informed me about the

route and the train by which I should leave Bombay etc. I got some courage

and decided to go alone to Shirdi.

 

The seats in the Railway compartment even in Class III are usually reserved

a week ahead and there are few seats without reservation for which there is

much rush. Since I had decided to go, I purchased ticket to Kopergaon by

Madras Mail. All the class III compartments were over crowded. However I

entered one such compartment with the assistance of a porter. I could not

stand holding my bag. This situation made me think as to how I would reach

Shirdi and have darshan of Baba. There was a problem for me about the

Marathi language, which was widely spoken there and I did not understand or

speak Marathi; I was in helpless position. Seeing my position, an old man

sitting infront of me made enquiry about the destination of my journey. As I

could speak English, Hindi and Kannada, I told him in Hindi that I was going

to Shirdi for Sai Baba's darshan. In no time, he managed to have space for

me to sit by his side. This man having beard appeared to me as a Mohamedan.

The Train left V.T. station at about 10.30 P.M. In the course of my journey

I could not see the old man, who managed to secure a place for me to sit,

even after the train left Bombay.

 

At Ahmadnagar which is popularly called Nagar, the train stopped for some

time. I got down from the train to have a cup of tea. By the same train,

some 4 persons had come from Hubli and I was recognised by them at the

platform. I came to know that they were also on way to Shirdi and I was much

relieved of difficulty about the further journey as I became their

co-traveller. We reached Shirdi by bus at about 8.30 A.M. or so. I was with

them till my return journey. Being the first visit of mine to Shirdi, I was

much impressed with the pooja that was being performed at the Samadhi Mandir

of Shri Baba. The Abhishek to the Samadhi of H.H. Sai Baba was to be done

personally as per instructions of the pujaries. As we all the five persons

who were at that time conversing in Kannada about the nice arrangements made

by the Samsthan Authorities, the pujari on duty, to the surprise of all,

began to speak in Kannada to us. This made me very happy. He also gave hints

about the places which we should visit. Accordingly we did visit all the

sacred places. The pujari was stated to be from Karnatak.

 

During the course of my journey to Shirdi and back to my place, I have come

to the following conclusion viz. (1) By the grace of H.H. Sai Baba, I was

given a place to sit in the compartment wherein only a place to stand was

hardly possible (2) that a person not knowing the language of the place was

guided properly and surprisingly by giving him the company of four persons

from region (3) that I was given proper guidance to pay visit to the sacred

places in Shirdi particularly having come in contact with Sai Baba in his

life time, without which my journey would have been incomplete, (4) that I

decided to have a photo of H.H. Sai Baba for being kept in my house and to

perform pooja every day (5) that I was fortunate to have darshan of Sai Baba

as without His grace no the person can have a chance to touch his lotus

feet.

While returning to my native place I prayed to Sai Baba to give me an

opportunity to have darshan of His again very early. The H.H. Sai Baba is a

guide to the unknown in every field of once life.

 

 

S.B. Hosgoudar

Dharwad-4

 

 

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

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