Shri Sai Baba's Divine Grace Narrated by: Shri Madhavdas,

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Shri Sai Baba's Divine Grace

Narrated by: Shri Madhavdas, Bangalore

Written by: Dr. S. D. Parchure

Shri Madhavdas met me at Shirdi in January 1977, when I had been there for

the third gathering of the contributors to Shri Sai Leela. On coming to know

that I was the executive Editor of Shri Sai Leela, Shri Madhavdas said that

he is what he is today because of the divine grace of Shri Sai Baba. He

further said that he had been reading with interest the experiences of the

devotees, that are being published in Shri Sai Leela, and that he would also

like to send his experiences for publication. On informing Shri Madhavdas

that he was welcome to send them, he said that he would not be able to pen

his experiences due to his little education. He added that he would be able

to narrate his experiences and that he would be thankful if I would do the

job of composing an article from the experiences that would be narrated by

him. I jotted down the points and promised Shri Madhavdas that I would write

the article as early as possible. However, due to other jobs in hand, this

work somehow could not be accomplished.

 

For the inauguration of the life-size marble statue of Shri Sai Baba in the

month of May 1978, I happened to go to Bangalore and it was expected that I

would meet Shri Madhavdas at the Sai Spiritual Centre, Bangalore during the

function. As expected, I met Shri Madhavdas at Bangalore and with regrets I

had to say that I was not able to keep my promise of publishing his

experiences. I, however, promised him to do the needful very soon and hence

I am narrating the experiences of Shri Madhavdas in his own words.

- S. D. Parchure.

 

I was born in Pakistan at Karachi. I was leading a happy and peaceful life

there; but in 1947, Bharat got independence and anti-Hindu riots broke out

on large scale in Karachi, In order to save the life of myself and my

family, I had to run away from Karachi and I thus came to Bangalore at the

end of August 1947. While coming to India, I had brought some money with me.

So I decided to start money lending business. I was a novice to India and

hence slowly and slowly I started losing money. Though I did the

money-lending business from 1947 to 1958, I lost all my money during this

period. Though I had with me a bundle of promissory notes, passed by the

people, still they refused to honor them and I was completely non-pulsed to

know the way to recover my money. Legal action to recover the money seemed

to be out of question, due to heavy legal cost. So ultimately I gave up the

hope of getting back my money and thought of finding some other business for

my livelihood.

 

When I was so much in a dejected mood, my friend from Bombay advised me to

go to Shirdi in order to end my woes. I therefore went to Shirdi and prayed

to Shri Baba in right earnest. I had thought that I was brought to this

condition due to my past sins. I therefore sincerely requested Shri Baba to

pardon me for my sins and to show me the new light to start a fresh page of

my life. After prayer, I slept and had a dream that same night. I saw Shri

Sai Baba with white clothes and snow white beard. Shri Baba had also worn a

white cloth on his head. In the dream, Shri Baba consoled me and said, " My

son, all your way hereafter is very clear. There is nothing to worry. I will

take care of you in future. You will not feel any want hereafter " . The dream

was over. However, on awakening I found that my mind was quite at ease.

 

I stayed at Shirdi for three days; but the dream did not repeat. I came back

to Bangalore with full confidence that prosperous days were going to dawn

very soon. Immediately I started searching for a job. After a period of

about two months, I god a job on a monthly salary of Rs. 200/-. I continued

my job for eight years and my salary rose to Rs. 315/- per month when I left

the job.

 

 

At this stage my sons had grown up and were taking education. My eldest son,

Mohanlal, who was studying in the eighth standard, left the school and

started serving in a shop known as 'Novelty Stores'. This was a shop of

ready-made garments, in which my son was working as a salesman on a salary

of Rs. 60/- per month. The owner of the shop was a Sindhi gentleman. While

my son was working in the shop, he often used to say in his mind, " 'some day

I will also open my own shop for conducting this same business " . Whenever my

son used to speak to me about his plan to open a shop of his own, I doubted

about the success of his plan, due to my financial position; but when Shri

Baba wills, what is not possible?

 

After a year Mohanlal mastered the job fully well. He knew most of the

secrets of the trade and therefore he requested his boss to increase his

salary. The boss however refused to do it and as a net result of it, he left

the job! My son had not left the job aimlessly. He had in his mind a plan

ready for the future. He immediately joined a tailoring college and took

training for a year or so. He then took a sewing machine on hire and started

the tailoring business. In this business two or three persons tried to

deceive him; but he did not get discouraged. He tried hard to come up in his

life. After two years, he purchased a sewing machine and started stitching

clothes at home. He would then go round from house to house and sell those

garments.

 

Mohanlal went on doing this hawking business and collected some money. Round

about 1964, he rented a small shop for Rs. 50/- per month and started a shop

of ready-made garments with a nominal stock of only twelve garments! While

working so hard for improving his prospects, be all the time went on

worshipping Shri Sai Baba and praying to Him. He often used to say, “My

Master is with me and the time in my ring. He will look after me and my

business''. Because of this strong faith, Mohanlal earned money by the grace

of Shri Sai Baba and got married. By and by his business is prospering. He

has got three show-rooms in Bangalore and he is doing wholesale business of

ready-made garments, only for children. He is running his own factory under

the name " Lovely Dresses " .

 

My second son went to West Africa for service in 1964. He was

staying in the city of Myamba. After collecting a little money, he purchased

a new car. One day he went to Free Town for purchasing some goods on

behalf of his firm along with the driver. After finishing the work, he was

returning from Free Town to Myamba. It was dark and drizzling. Suddenly

the car got topsy-turvy and fell flown in a valley nearly two hundred feet

deep. The driver died on spot; but my son escaped without a scratch. When

he informed me about this incident I was simply stunned. My son wrote to me

that as Baba saved him from this mishap, His pooja should be performed. I

performed the Pooja according to his wish. My son returned

after two years, but to my surprise, we found him to be completely normal.

 

One more miracle of Shri Baba's grace may be mentioned here. Once my eldest

son, Mohanlal, left the key of his shop in the key hole through oversight

when he locked the shop at night; he came home as usual and slept soundly.

Next morning one of his friends phoned to him and enquired with him

about the keys of his shop. He replied in confidence that his keys were

safe with him. When however, the friend told him to check up, my son

started searching for them; but he could not find them anywhere. My son

prayed to Shri Sai Baba and phoned back to his friend that his keys were

not traceable. The friend then told him that while going back home, he

noticed the keys of his shop in the keyhole and carried them home after

locking the shop. My son hurried up to his friend's residence, collected

the keys and went and opened his shop. To his surprise nothing in the shop

was found to have been removed. Everything was intact. My son immediately

bowed down to the photo of Shri Sai Baba in his shop and thanked Him for

having protected his shop. This is how Shri Sai Baba is taking care of

myself and all my family members as per His promise given to me by Him at

Shirdi.

 

My worries are all over now. I am getting good income. My sons are all

engaged in their business of ready-made clothes. We are having three

shops in different localities in Bangalore. School uniforms are our

specialty and we are at the top in this line, in Bangalore. I own my own

house which I am extending further and further according to the needs of my

growing family. Two of my sons are now married. All my family-myself,

my wife, sons and daughters-in-law, have firm faith in Shri Sai Baba. We all

sing his aarti devotedly every Thursday. We are having photos of Shri Sai

Baba in every room of our house and all my family members bow to Him

as often as possible. I happened to meet the executive Editor of

Shri Sai Leela (English) by chance at Shirdi in January 1977 and I

told him that I am a devotee who has wonderful experiences to

narrate; but I have no pen. On my request, Dr. Parchure was good enough to

take down my experiences and I thank him for having published this for the

information of all Sai devotees, as promised by him at the time of our

recent meeting at Bangalore, when he had come to Bangalore for the

inauguration of the full-size marble statue of Shri Sai Baba at the Sai

Spiritual Centre.

Shri Madhavdas Narayand

Bangalore

 

 

Source Shri Sai Leela Magazine Sep 1978)

this magazine can be read at www.saileelas.org