Shri Sai Baba's Divine Grace

[Guest guest]

Shri Sai Baba's Divine Grace

 

My first experience of the miracle of Shri Sai was in the year 1942. I was

posted as Medical Officer of Civil Centre at Ananthapur in June, during

Second World War After taking charge of the post, leaving my wife and child

in traveler’s bungalow; I went in search of a house. Sri Hanumanthrao, a

leading Criminal Advocate of the place, whom I met, was very kind to promise

to get me a suitable house within a few days. Because I happened to be a

doctor, he was anxious to take me to his brother-in-law's house, Shri

Ramaswamy, an Advocate and an ardent devotee of Shri Saibaba. The time was 7

p. m.

 

Shri Ramaswamy was sitting in the puja room and praying to Baba with

implicit devotion. His wife and other members of the family were in the

front varandah crying loudly. After enquiry, I learnt that their daughter

Pramila a girl of 6 years had sustained severe burns all over the body upto

neck because her pavadai had caught fire when she was doing Pradakshinam to

Tulasi Brindavan where a number of mud oil lamps were lit on account of

Uttana Dwadashi (festival of Shri Krishna at Brindavan). This had happened

about ten days back. Her body was full of foul smelling pus, having lots of

maggots (young worms of flies). She was being treated at the local

Government hospital. She was unconscious for nearly six days with high

temperature and had not taken even a drop of water during the period. As her

condition deteriorated, the relatives were asked to take the girl home in a

serious condition in anticipation of an early end. That was the scene at my

entry. As soon as I entered the house, Shri Hanumanthrao introduced me as a

doctor from Madras. Shri Ramaswamy, who was praying in the puja room,

immediately came out and exclaimed, " Shri Saibaba has sent the medical aid

at the critical time. " He asked me immediately to examine the girl and treat

the case suitably. I was dumbfounded because I had not heard of any Saibaba

before and more so it appeared that the condition of the patient was beyond

any human help. However, being a doctor, I had to face the emergency. I went

back to traveler's bungalow to get my medical bag and inform my wife not to

worry about me if I return late in the night on account of this emergency.

 

The patient had 104° temperature, pulse was rapid but feeble. She was not

responding to any kind of stimuli. The pus was smelling very badly as it was

full of maggots. After protecting my nose with cloth, I cleaned the whole

body, removed manually with forceps a number of maggots (nearly 180) and

applied gauze soaked in cod liver oil over the wound. The girl did not show

any sign of life during the whole process which took nearly 3 hours. As only

sulfa drugs were available then, I got some M and B 693 tablets, powdered

them and asked the mother to give it with honey in case the girl awoke in

the night. Shri Ramaswamy applied Shri Sai's udhi on the forehead.

 

Next morning I was sure that the girl would not be alive. With great

trepidation in my heart, I went to their house to know the position. There I

saw the miracle of Shri Sai for the first time in my life. The girl was

awake, had asked for water and milk in the night, which were given. Her

general condition was very much improved. The temperature had touched normal

and pulse full. She answered my questions clearly and fluently.

 

Everyday I used to visit their house to clean and dress the wounds. At the

end of six months, the entire burnt area of her body had fully healed up,

covered with healthy skin, without any trace of a scar. Baba's grace was

primarily responsible for snatching that young girl from the jaws of death

and I was only a tool in His hands. Soon after that, I was transferred to

another centre in Madras.

 

Shri Ramaswamy told everyone that I was sent to Ananthapur by Baba to treat

and save his daughter's life. When I left Ananthapur Sri Ramaswamy invited

me and my wife to his house and gave, us a photo of Shri Saibaba and a

packet of udhi, after a sumptuous meal. He asked me to worship Baba from

that day. But my mind was still not receptive at that time to get His

blessings. Being young and full of ego, I entirely forgot about the whole

incident for nearly a decade when I was again reminded by Shri Sai.

 

I shall narrate my next experience of Baba with His blessings in the

succeeding article in Shri Sai Leela.

 

With satsanga pranams to all knowing Shri Sai's incarnation of Sathya,

Dharma, Prema and Shanthi.

P. S.

Pramila I learnt now is married and leading a very happy life with her

husband and children in Hyderabad. We were extremely happy to meet her when

she came to our house to invite us personally for her marriage some years

back.

 

Dr. A. R. Govind Rao, M.B.B.S., M.S (Vaie)

Madras

 

(Source Shri Sai Leela Magazine June 1978)

this magazine can be read at www.saileelas.org