A Concrete Example of Mysterious Grace (March 1975)

December 17, 2005

This is the usual first test of faith of devotees by Baba. Anyhow we did

not pay any heed to the advocate's advice and went straight to Shirdi and

offered our Puja in the Samadhi Mandir when I placed a big picture, drawn up

in black chalk by an inspired devotee of Sri Baba working under Sri Baba's

instruction at B B. Dadar, and a silver idol (presented by Sri S P. R.

Naidu) which are being daily worshipped in our Mandir since 1943.

Then I went up the steps of Dwarkamayee in the same way as I saw in my

dream a year back and prostrated at Sri Baba's feet in the sitting position

of photo the type of which was installed in my house in 1941 Naturally I

felt a thrill in my mind and remembered Sri Baba's prophetic saying "He who

steps up "Dwarkamayee" will have no wants in his life". We visited the Holy

Neem tree under which Sri Baba used to sit and were amazed to test the

leaves of one branch as sweet and then of another branch of the same tree as

bitter.

Then we saw His daily associate, Abdulla Bhai who embraced us and blessed

us in answer to his query that we were coming from Calcutta. But this visit

besides being a profound source of inspiration of Sai faith, has struck me

with remarkably wonderful experience by noticing the synthesis of all

religions in one place and on one floor of the same Dwarkamayee! Hindus are

worshipping freely with bells and cymbals, Muslims are saying their Namaj at

the opposite wall; the Parsis are offering their prayers before the ever

burning Dhuni. This Dwarkamayee is a place of synthesis of all castes and

creeds in the same way Dakhi-neswar of Sri Ramkrishna Paramahansa. We had

good fortune to meet and dine with Sri Baba's one of the most favourite

associates, Sri Tatya Patil, who blessed us profusely.

We were accommodated as VIPs in the rooms above the Samadhi Mandir and took

our meals with the Secretary, Mr. Kharkar. At the time of our departure from

Shirdi, the Secretary, Mr. Kharker foretold me "Mr. Bose you will next visit

Shirdi with your family" as if Sri Baba spoke through him. I laughed

mentally at this apparently impracticable suggestion for the reason that it

was physically impossible for me to come again to Shirdi with family. Then

afterwards I forgot all about it.

J. N. Bose

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

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