Baba as a Rescuer By R. Radhakrishnan

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Baba as a Rescuer

By R. Radhakrishnan

Real love is desire less and motiveless. One with pure love

thinks: " I love him for no reason at all. I suffer because of that love,

yet I still love. If I feel well, or don't feel well, if He looks at me, or if

He doesn't look at me If He is

kind or if He is cruel, I can never think anything but good of Him.

-

Sri Ramakrishna

 

“Rinanubandha " is the main

factor for becoming Sai Baba's devotees. Being a mortal, I do not know since

how many births I have been connected with Him. But, in this birth, He has

taken me under His care as a child. I was in charge of the foundry shop stores,

Hubli and I had to take half a day casual leave on 14th

April ‘52. As

planned, my assistant passed out some valuable materials to a thief, who was

caught outside railway workshops by the railway Police. My assistant involved

me in the police case. I was taken to the police station from my house for

interrogation. The Police Inspector wouldn't believe me though I pleaded that

the theft took place in my absence. He said, you being in charge should have

handed over the materials to your assistant and gone on leave, duly obtaining

his acknowledgement in the Tally sheets. Is it humanly possible to hand over

thousands of items in half-a-day? I kept quite knowing

that no argument will satisfy the police as they were after money. I was put in

a " lock-up " and the Police Sub-Inspector gave orders to the Constable

to whip me. I was not in good health. I thought I would collapse on that day.

At least let me remember Sai Baba and cried out aloud, " Oh, Sainath " when the police raised his hands to whip me

and swooned. After four hours, I regained my consciousness. I opened my eyes

and looked around with fear. I was made to sit in a comfortable chair and the

Sub-Inspector, Shri Kulkarni,

was looking at me kindly and said " When you uttered Baba's name, I

immediately caught hold of the constable's hand and prevented him from beating

you. I am also a devotee of " Shirdi Sai Baba " and saw Baba in

you. It is needless to say that I was released from the police station with

great honor and the real culprit was duly punished.

 

In January 1960, I had to go to Madras with my family. We boarded the night train at Hubli and we alighted at Guntakal

the next morning to catch Dadar Express bound for Madras. The train, when arrived at Guntakal

was overcrowded. Somehow, I put my family in a 'ladies compartment' and I was traveling

standing on the foot-board. When the train was approaching a bridge near Gooty station, I got exhausted and got giddiness and I had

no sleep in the previous night and there was no time to have

" breakfast " at Guntakal. I thought I would

die as my hands were paining and I could hold the handles no longer, I

immediately remembered " Bhagwan Sai " with

tears. What a wonderful power Baba is. He immediately responded by giving

enough strength and courage to hold the handle firmly. At Gooty

station many passengers got down and I got a comfortable seat in the

compartment and I traveled to Madras, chanting Baba's name and meditating on Him

throughout the journey.

 

Once, I do not remember the exact date and day, I had to cross a

platform in the workshop while on duty, where materials are unloaded for

repairs. The railway Khalasis used to put up a danger

board on the platform to prevent workers crossing the platform and throw heavy

materials on the platform from inside the van. But, on that day the danger

board was not put up when I crossed the platform to reach the latrine (which

was by the side of the platform). The Khalasis inside

the material van threw a big iron rod on the platform. Being a heavy material,

normally it should have come straight and hit me direct resulting in my death.

But, wonder of wonders, the rod took a turn (like a rocket) from the usual

path, flew over and dropped far away from me I was wonderstruck and bowed to

" Sai Deva " mentally.

 

To conclude, I am not a great bhaktha but only an ordinary mortal still unable to control

the six inner enemies and ego. As sinners are not to be rejected, Sai Baba, as

kind mother, treating equally has taken me under His benign care.

(Source Shri Sai Padananda July 2001)