'Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi -A God!' by Bapatla Hanumanth Rao Garu

May 9, 2006

CHAPTER ONE

In the year 1953,1 had a pleasant encounter one day with a friend of mine.

I requested him to for a spiritual magazine, Saileela being

published every month from Chirala (a place in Prakasam District of Andhra

Pradesh). He disparagingly remarked: " Is Shirdi Sai Baba also a God? Are

the present Gods not enough? I responded furiously by saying "Yes - Sai is

God - Present Gods are not enough".

The words of my friend hurted my ego. I felt that my friend belittled My

Sai Baba. My friend's strange behavior compelled me to introspect. After a

while I said to myself: "Why should I be angry with him? I suddenly

remembered the episode of the Bandra boy (Master T)."

Once Sai Baba asked the Bandra boy (Master T) to go to Bapu Saheb Jog to

fetch Dhakshina. (A small amount of donation as offering to God, Guru or

Brahmine etc). When the boy arrived at Sathewada, Jog and some other

devotees were having discourse on, Dhruva Charitram-(A book on Dhruva's

devotion to Lord Vishnu) and they indulged in certain critical comments

about Saints thus: "Sadhus (Saints) may sometimes imbibe some powers by the

grace of God; yet they cannot be considered as Gods or God's incarnations."

Listening to these words, the boy returned to Baba in a fit of anguish and

questioned him: "Baba! Why have you sent me there? They say that you are not

God at all". Baba replied, "That is the truth; I am a poor fakir

(mendicant). God is great! None can equal Him".

In the meanwhile some devotees arrived and informed the gathering how Baba

had saved their child falling down from the top of a building. Baba

countered: "What else can I do? Can I be indifferent to my child falling

down except to protect him with my four arms". The Bandra boy, listening to

this, suddenly jumped up and questioned: "Baba, you have just told that you

are not God! Then how could you have four arms?" Baba did not answer but

smiled at him in affirmation.

This incident flashed to my mind. I felt that it was Baba who ordained me to

approach my friend and it was he who made my friend to raise certain

queries, and thus subjected me to a test.

To be contd....

(Source : " on the web.

Recommended Posts