BABA'S MIRACLES - NO GEOPOLITICAL BOUNDARIES

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BABA'S MIRACLES - NO GEOPOLITICAL BOUNDARIES

Dr. Sundar Mani Dixit, M.D.

(A case from Nepal)

Some twelve years ago or more, when I was working as a consultant physician

at the main government hospital of Nepal, the "Bir Hospital" in Kathmandu, I

had been called in to see a case admitted in emergency. The young patient

was a certain Mr Sikaria of Birgunj (a town in south Nepal) belonging to the

Marwari Community. He was stuporose, with high fever and was placed in the

intensive care unit of the hospital. After detailed examination and all

relevant tests were done, we came to the conclusion that the patient had

encephalitis probably due to the Japanese - B virus. In spite of the

treatment, over the next few days the patient steadily deteriorated and the

party, being rich, invited Dr. J.C. Patel, a renowned senior consultant of

Mumbai to see the patient, with my concurrence. By the time Dr Patel flew

into Kathmandu, the patient was very serious. Pulse was rapid, respiration

was fast, fever was high, and the patient deeply unconscious.

Over the course of my practice, I had seen innumerable such cases, and was

immune to emotions. But somehow I felt pity for this patient's family,

especially when I came to know he had small children of probably five and

six years of age (I may be wrong here because I don't remember the exact

details, but I do remember that there were probably two, around those ages).

I have a small temple of Shirdi Sai Baba in my house in Kathmandu, which is

now fifteen years old. That evening with the patient showing early signs of

respiratory failure, and nothing more to be done medically, I returned from

the hospital in a sad state of mind and went into the shrine. There I put

the problems before Baba requesting him to do something for the sake of the

children, who I was sure would be orphaned very soon. This direct request

for intervention I never do as a rule, and if I may say so I have done so on

three occasions only so far. Once for my mother and once for another patient

of mine. This was only the third of such requests to date.

That night I got no calls from the hospital, but nevertheless the patient's

condition kept preying on my mind. I was scared too of the eventualities to

phone up and find out the exact situation existing at the hospital. I got up

after a restless night and as was usual at the "Bir1'. I reached hospital at

exactly eight- thirty in the morning of that day and went apprehensively to

the I.C.U./C.C.U. ward and gently opened the door. Poking my head inside, I

asked the nurse on duty as to when my patient had died that night, for I was

sure that the patient was dead. Hardly anyone comes out from an unconscious,

gasping state. She asked me to come inside and take a look for myself. When

I entered, I was astonished to see a nearly normal person feebly smiling and

saying "Namaskar doctor saheb". This was unbelievable and what I would

consider a miracle without doubt! At Lourdes (A Christian place of

pilgrimage in Europe) the Catholics check and then declare only those cases

miraculous which have passed these very stringent tests. Well, this case of

mine would have passed any such test hands down. I feeling quite elated,

though nevertheless a bit embarrassed at what I was about to do I called one

of the responsible male members of the family and told him of all that had

happened between the previous evening and the present morning, telling him

further that it was not I but God who had saved his relative and asking him

and the family to make a trip to Shirdi, at their convenience, as a

thanksgiving. He readily agreed to do so, but what he then told me surprised

me not the least. It seems the family too had made an entreaty to Baba,

promising to come to Shridi in case of the patient's complete recovery! No

wonder the person I talked to had so readily agreed to my suggestion.

However, for several reasons, not the least of which was the "damage" my

"Scientific" reputation might undergo, if this news leaked out, I made him a

promise not to tell a soul about my conversation, with him. I don't know if

he kept his promise, but I believe he did, since no has ever talked about

this case with me till this day. He, however, probably told the immediate

family members because when the patient made a complete recovery, as a

humble tribute, he sent two large beautiful brass vases for the temple—these

vases are still in the temple today and bear silent witness to this strange

but true incident - "The case of the miraculous cure of a terminally ill

encephalitic patient".

I am putting all this in writing knowing well that a thousand scientific

reasons can be, and probably will be, given for this recovery. Some may say

the diagnosis was wrong, Some may say the recovery was natural or due to the

treatment given, for, after all, had not one of the topmost consultants from

Mumbai also advised on the case - and so on and so forth. But for me, who

had direct charge of the case, it was a miracle - or at the least something

that science, at that point of time, could not explain rationally, yet

nevertheless, something, that definitely did happen. Chance happening? Maybe

so, but then this terminology of "chance happening" may from another

perspective just as easily be called "a miracle".

I end this topic here knowing that there could be no end to arguments and

counter arguments on the authenticity of this miracle. But for Sai believes

there will be no reason to doubt knowing as they do Baba's divine ways, and

for non-believers and the doubters and the "Scientific", I will certainly

have given them, if nothing else, the joy to reason and argue to their

heart's content. Maybe after all their deliberations and debates they may

still come, via a slightly torturous path, to the same conclusion that I

did, who can say?

May peace be on all.