- Vigilant Swamiji - (March 1986)

[Guest guest]

— Vigilant Swamiji — (March 1986)

Six years have passed since Shri Radhakrishna Swamiji took Mahasamadhi but

He is ever present to look after His sincere devotees. A very recent and a

very strange experience I am narrating to prove Swamiji's eternal presence

even now.

 

I was at Bangalore from 22.11.1985 night to 24.11.1985 afternoon to attend

Convention of All India Sai Devotees which took place there under the joint

auspices of All India Sai Samaj, Madras, and Sri Sai Spiritual Centre,

Bangalore. It was a pleasure beyond measure to be away from worldly affairs

at least for 2 days. Prior to proceeding to Bangalore, I had visited Dr.

V.K. Bhate and his pure hearted wife Smt Chandraben Bhate. During the visit,

I had asked Smt. Bhate specifically what she desired to tell to our Swamiji.

She had then told me that I should recite Swamiji's name 108 times at the

Centre on her behalf and further she said she did not want anything more.

 

While at the centre, the proceedings engaged my attention so fully that I

simply forgot to do what Smt. Bhate had told me. Shri Mudaliarsaheb,

President of the Centre handed me a return ticket in the morning for 5.00

p.m. train on 24.11.1985 and told me that since I had to catch a train at

5.00 p.m. I would not be able to attend the post-lunch session. I narrated

the experience that Swamiji gave me on 15.4.1984 in the session for

devotees' experiences to the delegates and thereafter took my seat in the

audience. Naturally then I was bit sad at the thought of departing from the

Centre and in that mood I took leave of Swamiji's life-sized photograph that

was placed on the stage. Suddenly, the photo spoke, "Chandraben's vow!" In a

flash, I remembered that I had forgotten to recite Swamiji's name 108 times

as told by Smt. Bhate. I, therefore, started recitation and to know that 108

names are counted, I started keeping a mental note of the number as I

started reciting and for concentration kept my gaze fixed on photo. I,

however, found that simultaneous counting and recitation adversely affected

my concentration; still I continued with the recitation when suddenly

Swamiji's photo told me "stop counting I will tell you when to stop". After

a while He told me to stop and I did stop then. This reminder from Swamiji

made me keep a word I had given to a devotee.

 

The above incident not only highlighted Swamiji's continued presence but

brought home the fact that He did attend the Convention and graced it.

 

 

Shri Anil Rasal,

Bombay

 

 

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

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

 

 

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

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