My mother's experiences of SAI

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees,

I am sharing my mother's experience of

Sai Baba and HIS wonderful kindness here, on the

insistence of a few friends.The only purpose to make

it known to so many devotees is to increase their

faith and devotion.

 

 

Here it is in her own words.

"

 

Om Sai,Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai.

Pranam to all Sai Bandhus.

 

All of us who have heard about SAI, who have read

about HIM, who think about HIM are all very

fortunate.Actually we are twice lucky, first being

blessed to take on a human birth, second for having

heard about our "SAI". When our time comes, HE will

draw us to HIM, each of us, in a unique way, as

assured by HIM.

>From then onwards, our life does take on a different

meaning, our line of thought slowly changes.

 

This is to narrate a humble beginning of my being

inititated into "SAINESS", if I may be permitted to

coin this sacred word.SAINESS permeates the whole

universe, each and every thing, animate and

inanimate.It is everything and there is nothing beyond

it.

 

 

It was during the month of May 1997 when one of

my bank colleagues gifted me with Sri Sai Satcharitra

and gently persuaded me to read it.Little did I

realise what it meant and how my life would change

because at that precise moment my thoughts were I may

not have time for reading it. However with SAI's grace

I started the book.It took me more than a month to

complete it.My thoughts revolved around Shirdi and I

was desperate to rush to Shirdi. I kept on planning

whenever there was a holiday or a weekend but only

when HE invites we are permitted to enter Shirdi. We (

3 ladies) bought our tickets, made arrangements for

our stay and reached Shirdi on 20.7.97.

 

We were really wonderstruck at the crowds

as we were told that it was Guru Purnima today.The

significance of the day dawned on me only much later.

There were huge queues, much jostling etc. I had my

first darshan of BABA in the Samadhi Mandir who was

sitting right royally. I felt that Baba didnt have a

second for Himself.He had to cater to everyone who

came for HIS darshan. I told him "You have more than

enough people to take care of. I will not ask for

anything today".

 

Second day, we went for darshan in the

morning and immediately left for Nasik and

Triambak.Then I simply told him that I havent seen

Akshintas (akshatas) in the puja ceremony and that I

dont have akshintas to take home with me.

 

Third day, we reached the temple around 7

a.m and I did what I forgot to do on the first day as

I had planned. I took the sacred soil or sand of

Shirdi and put it on my head.Im sure Baba would have

treaded upon this when He was in the flesh.

 

Then we reached the queue in the Samadhi

Mandir and were standing on the left side. Suddenly,

my friend and myself broke from the queue in the main

hall and went towards the semi circular window in

which many articles used by Sai were displayed. We

were curiously gazing at them. After some time, my

friend rejoined the queue and was calling me back. But

I just stood there looking at the articles and I had

a very peculiar sensation that something would fall on

me.So I told myself" Ok! Let anything fall! But I'm

not moving." Suddenly a very peculiar sound emanated

from above and something did fall on my head. My first

thought was maybe there are cracks or so in the roof

and it might be some sand.Then I just gathered the

small pieces which fell on me and on the floor around

me and saw to my utter astonishment that they were

akshintas(akshatas), anointed rice in various shades

of yellow,red,orange. With tears flowing down, I

shouted to my friend in the queue to come and see.

Seeing me crying, she asked what happened.Then I

showed her and she was also stunned. She helped me

gather them and we collected them in my kerchief.

Meanwhile some of the people in the queue had also

gathered and collected the sacred rice. This is the

answer to my prayers to SAI that HE must respond to me

one way or the other during my visit to Shirdi.I am

blessed for HE has responded.

 

This goes to prove once again that

'Jaya mani jaisa bhava taya taisa anubhava' "

 

 

To be continued next week.