The nine forms of devotion

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wanted to see him. In 1914, on his way to Phandaripur, he came to Shirdi along

with Rege. Those were the days of the First World War. These two were

travelling by train from Gwalior to Manmad. When the train reached Mhow where

there were a large number of troops, all the passengers in the train were asked

to alight so as to enable the transport of the troops. Avasthe and Rege also had

to get off the train. They prayed to Baba to help them. In the meantime the

Military Commander came and after inspecting their carriage told them that this

was too small to accommodate the troops and told them that they need not get

down. The whole night Avasthe sang devotional songs and prayed to Baba. They

reached Shirdi the next day morning. When they went to the mosque to see Baba,

he asked Rege who the unstable devil with him was. He said, "They tried to

disembark my children from the train. But I told the captain that you are my

chldren and let them come to me. But this Avasthe was by my side the

whole night, calling ‘Baba!Baba!"From the above incidents we learn that Baba

always protects the devotees who fully believe in him. Previously Avasthe had a

yogini as his Guru. He thought that now if he started worshipping and serving

Baba, he might be considered as unfaithful to the yogini who was his Guru. But

Rege told him that his Guru was also integrated in Sai Baba who is considered

to be the incarnation of God and Guru for the entire world ( Jagatguru). Hence,

if he worshipped Sai Baba it amounts to worshipping his Guru yogini. But Avasthe

desired to have some proof of this. For the afternoon arathi, he took a rice

ball kept in a small vessel covered with a cloth. He thought within himself

that if Baba personally asked and took the rice ball, then he would definitely

belief that his Guru yogini was also in Baba. He started climbing the steps of

Dwarakamai when the rice-ball fell down accidentally. What he had wanted to

keep as a secret, became public. When he was

picking up the rice ball from the floor, Baba called him and asked him to give

it to him and said that he in turn would send it to the person for whom it was

intended. Avasthe felt very happy. His Guru yogini had attained Samadhi long

back. He decided to have Baba as his Guru. Even afterwards Avasthe used to come

to Shirdi and consult Baba whenever he wanted advise in worldly matters;

spiritually also he advanced much by seeking Sai’s advise.May the Merciful Sri

Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our families and remove our problems

and anxieties by giving us all - strength , goodluck, success and happiness with

peace of mind.Sai bhakt,Deepa Hdebu7366

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