SRI SAI IS OUR ANTARY AMI (April 1987) - D.L. KantaRao

[Guest guest]

SRI SAI IS OUR ANTARY AMI (April 1987)

I completed parayana of sacred Gurucharithra on Gurupoornima i.e., on 21-7-1986

commencing on 17-7-1986. My sons Sai Niranjan and Manohar too completed Shri

Satcharithra parayana on the same day. We three did parayana strictly observing

'Upavasa' throughout the period, except taking little 'phalahara' in the evening

after pooja. At first, we thought of going to Shirdi on 3-8-1986 and later on I

decided to start on 4-8-1986 on 'Chaturdasi' before new moon day which is

considered as the most inauspicious specially for travel by many people. But, I

was quite confident that by Baba's grace all would be well, as our minds were

centered in Baba and Baba alone.

We reached Guntakal junction by 2.30 p.m. A train bound for Bombay was ready on

the platform. We immediately got into a compartment expecting that the train

would start soon and thus hoping to reach Daund junction by 3 a.m. on 5.8.'86.

The compartment was fully packed and there was not enough space even to stand.

At once we got down expecting to go by the next train at 3.30 p.m. We took tea

and were awaiting the departure of the halting train and the arrival of the

Navajeevan Express. But Lo! the train at the station did not move at all though

it was 4.00 p.m. I enquired with the Railway porter who informed that Navajeevan

was expected soon. We decided to travel by that train in the hope of securing

comfortable seating at least.

It was 4.30 p.m. The position remained the same. We again stepped into a

compartment of the train already there for Bombay with the same discomfort of

the crowd; we again got down expecting to board the next train. It was 4.50

p.m. There was no trace of Navajeevan. The standing train did not move and our

anxiety grew worse. With determination to travel by the waiting train alone, we

once again stepped into the same compartment and sat down on the floor near the

doors as all available space had already been occupied. Immediately a man

stepped in and took his seat by our side. He, of his own accord, informed that

we had done better in concluding to travel by the same train as no other trains

would come from Madras side for Bombay due to derailment of a goods wagon

between Madras and Guntakal and the train which we boarded had arrived from

Bombay about four hours earlier at Guntakal and the same was being sent back to

Bombay instead of to Madras on account of the aforesaid accident ahead. He also

emphasized that if we failed to travel by that train, we would have to wait for

more than 24 hours at Guntakal itself for any other train bound for Bombay. Had

not this stranger come suddenly and informed about the facts, we would have got

down again for the third time also. Does this not remind us the scene wherein

Shri Hemadipant was informed by a Muslim at Dadar to go to Boribander to catch

another train for Shirdi as Manmad Express would not stop at Dadar. Had this

miracle not taken place then, Shri Hemadipant would not have reached Shirdi in

time as programmed and many a suspicion would have arisen in his mind about Sai

Baba's greatness, as it were. Sai Leelas are known to Himself alone and He would

guide His devotees on the right path readily at all costs. With least

difficulty, we reached Shirdi in time by about 7 p.m. on 5-8-'86 and the boys

Manohar and Dinakar attended evening arati too.

The Reception Officer at Shirdi was very kind enough to allot us a room in

Bhakthinivas on my request and permitted us to stay till 8-8-1986 (Friday). On

7-8-'86 at Dwarakanagar a young man was introduced by Shri Shivanesan swamy. He

told us about his pilgrimage to holy places. He asked me to deliver Baba's Udhi,

which he would be giving to me on the morning of 8-8-‘86 for a particular

gentleman at Nandyal, who in turn would deliver the same to a teacher there. I

accepted his request. He again, of his own accord, stated that the gentleman at

Nandyal to whom Udhi had to be delivered in the first instance was a man of more

worldly attachments than of Sai devotion, though he styled himself as an ardent

Sai devotee. He left me for his prayers.

I immediately thought that this young devotee should not hand over Udhi for

delivery at Nandyal, and thus avoid contacting him, as in my opinion, also, the

so-called Sai devotee was ill-famed. Again in the same evening the young devotee

met me in sacred Samadhi Mandir, and informed me that he would be ready by 5

a.m. in Dwarakamayi on 8-8-'86 when he would hand over Udhi along with a

garland. At once I prayed to Baba that the young devotee should not hand over

Udhi and garland on 8-8-'86 morning for delivery to the gentleman at Nandyal.

At about 4.15 a.m. on 8-8-‘86, I went to Dwarakamayi for offering prayers and

obtaining Baba's permission to leave Shirdi. But the doors were not open. I sat

on the steps awaiting the arrival of the priest. The young devotee was also

present. He came to me and talked on some matter and never touched the subject

of giving Udhi and garland to me of which he had been repeatedly telling me the

previous day. Later the doors were opened and myself placing my head at the

Lotus feet of Sri Sai prayed to grant me permission to leave Shirdi for home by

6 a.m. bus, when a rose flower fell on my head in token of Baba's permission to

go home. My joy knew no bounds and I was filled with mental bliss as a result

of this. We came to bus stand at Shirdi and got into a bus at 5.45 a.m. Baba is

our Antaryami and He would make things occur as per the wishes of his trusted

devotees. I assured my son Sai Niranjan that we would definitely catch the

connecting train at Daund by 1.30 p.m. When we reached Daund, it was announced

that the train supposed to start at 1.30 p.m. had been cancelled and any other

train from Bombay towards Madras was not expected due to the fall of boulders

on Railway track near Pune. I was disappointed, but some thing was striking me

that the train would definitely come.

At 3.30 p.m. it was again announced that the same 1.30 p.m. train was arriving

at Daund by 3.45 p.m. and thus it relieved us of the acute anxiety. If no train

from Bombay came on that day as earlier announced, I would not have been in a

position to reach Nandyal on 9-8-1986 for fulfilling my promise to my friends

at my village to go to a Lawyer on 10-8-‘86 morning in connection with a case

involving an amount of nearly 4 lakhs. My prayers to Baba to have the train

come to Daund at least by evening were fruitful. We boarded the train and

secured comfortable seats too, quite contrary to our anticipation and

information, we reached home safely by 3 p.m. on 9-8-‘86. But for Sri Sai's

grace I would not have returned home on 9-8-‘86 evening and thus my promise to

my friends to meet the lawyer on 10-8-‘86 morning could not have been kept up.

Their trust in me to take them to the lawyer, was thus accomplished.

O! Sai brothers and Sai sisters, Sri Sai is here with us even now, to guide us,

satisfy us and to make things take place as per our wishes, provided we

completely surrender to Him with devotion, Nishta and Saburi. Sri Sai is our

Antaryami and thoughts of us would materialize as Baba hears us being within

us.

D.L. KantaRao

Kurnool Dist., (A. P.)