The Big Wave

[Guest guest]

The

Big Wave

 

I

positively believe that Shirdi Sai Baba has me in His care. Furthermore, He must have planned my life

long ago. “You saw me before I was

born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe”. (Psalm 130 : 16).

 

When

the January 1985 issue of ‘Shri Sai

Leela’ reached my hands I was happy to learn that the much awaited

‘Annual Gathering’ would be held on the 27th and 28th

January 1985. The situation at home was

so critical that I was doubtful whether I would be able to participate in this

annual meet.

 

My wife, Sai-mathi Subbalakshmi had just

undergone a major surgery on the Uterus.

She was on the recovery stage. In

order to assist the family of my brother-in-law at Madras, who was hospitalized due to a

stomach-disorder, my second son, Chi. Shankar had gone over there. If I too go away to Shirdi to attend the Sai

Leela meet, there was no male member to assist my wife and daughters. Even in this dilemma, I knew Sainath has a plan for my life. At that moment I did not know but I was sure

that He would take me to attend the Sai Lela meet at Shirdi. “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men fall exhausted; but they who wait for

the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like

eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

 

As

I made arrangements to go to Shirdi on the 25th afternoon by

Bangalore-Miraj-Bombay Mahalakshmi

Express, my mind was musing over the sweet and greatly musical verse of the Bhavatham (II: 2 :37), which proclaims the passage of man from

wrethchedness to blessedness as follows: “Those

who fill their ears with, and drink the nectar of, words relating to the

blessed Lord, who is realised by saints as their own

self, purify their hearts which have been made impure by sense attractions, and

reach the presence of Lotus Feet.”

 

My

three daughters were looking at me pathetically on the day of my departure to

Shirdi i.e. on the 25th January 1985.

I prayed to Sai Baba with all my heart and left home after giving

‘Udhi’ to all my family members and

assuring that our guardian, angel, Shirdi Sai Baba will look after everybody

and there was nothing to fear. I asked

them to trust in Sainath’s grace:

 

“Trust in the Lord with all Thine heart and

Lean not unto Thine

own understanding.

In all Thy ways acknowledge Him and

He shall direct Thy paths” (Prov. 3 : 5-6)

 

My

last daughter Chi.Radhika accompanies me to the

Railway Station to ‘see me off’ to Shirdi. We boarded the city bus at Vijayanagar terminus of Hubli and

when the bus was about to cross the junction at Ashoknagar

extension a gentleman riding a Scooter from the side-road dashed against the

bus in which we were traveling. Being

the peak-hour, the city bus was overcrowded.

It stopped with a jolt. The

passengers trembled with fear and some fell down.

 

With

my chanting of Sainam incessantly, I was least

perturbed and stood like a mountain by Sai grace. I prayed for the welfare of everybody.

 

If

you include in your prayers a plea to be allowed to help others, amazing things

may happen to you. They did to me The Scooterist was thrown off in the opposite direction (not

below the wheels of the bus). His

Scooter was completely damaged and the bus too was damaged a bit. Neither the Scooterist

nor the bus passengers were injured.

 

The

fundamental truth that flashed across my mind was that a Sai-devotee with his

prayers to the Lord cannot only have himself but also other brothers and

sisters who are with him. “He does

not believe who does not live according to his belief (Thomas Fuller

17320”.

 

I

was really happy that Lord Sainath saved one and

all. Jesus said :

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these

things shall be added unto you”.

(Matthew 6 : 33). That is the answer for me. It is the answer for everyone.

 

I

know that whatever happens Sainath’s

hand is in it. And even if I do not know

why, I can rest assured that He has good reason. I do not know all things that I should know

yet, but I do not know that if I keep close to Him and try to do His will, I

will keep finding answer during the rest of the days of my life. My only principle would be

: “Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul, dream deep, for

every dream precedes the goal.”

 

When

I narrated this soul-elevating experience at the Sai Leela meet on the

28th Jan. 1985, I could see several Sai-bandhus

shedding tears of gratitude to our Mother Sai.

 

Dear

Sai brothers and Sai sisters:

“Build a little fence of trust

around you today,

Fill the space with loving deeds and

therein say,

Look not through the sheltering bars

upon tomorraow,

Sainath will help thee. Bear what comes of joy and sorrow”.

 

 

R.Radhakrishnan

Hubli 580 032

(Karnataka)

(Source Shri Sai Leela July 1985)