with Swami in Kodaikanal, 1999

[Guest guest]

Many times Sai Baba has said that He knows all about us, our weaknesses and

strengths, our past, present and future. His guidance is always available.

 

 

 

Swami during a visit to Kodaikanal

 

 

Many times Sai Baba has said that He knows all about us, our weaknesses and

strengths, our past, present and future. And with this all knowing knowledge He

can help us improve ourselves if we are willing to let Him. He can guide us

through difficult times, protect us, even save our lives if our karma is that

way. He can transform us and make us wiser human beings too, but it takes time

and we need to listen carefully to His every word..

 

 

 

Sai’s instructions are often subtle. He may be talking to someone else and say

something that, if we are alert, allows us to see our own situation in a new

light. In other words He uses hints rather than direct commands.

 

One morning in 1999, in Kodaikanal, Sai strolled along the line of ladies seated

in the patient area, taking letters and blessing photos but suddenly stopped in

front of an elderly lady seated near me and asked her sweetly,

 

“Are you leaving?”

 

With a puzzled look, the lady answered “Oh no Swami.”

 

He looked happy and said, “good girl, you stay.”

 

The lady next to me turned and whispered in my ear,

 

“It’s you that wants to leave, I remember you said so before darshan. I bet He

means you.” She chuckled in a knowing way.

 

She was absolutely right about my wanting to leave. I had remarked to several

people before darshan that I felt unwell and perhaps I’d better leave earlier

than planned.

 

Now what to do? I had heard Sai’s instruction to the lady and heard her puzzled

reply. Obviously she had no intention of leaving now or any time soon. Could Sai

have meant me? I really didn’t know. But His short conversation with the lady

had given me much to think about.

 

Back In the quiet of my hotel room, I sat and thought about the trip. It had

been a tough one. My husband had suffered a serious accident a few months before

and the trauma of it had left me exhausted and stressed. In fact, I had

cancelled my planned trip to India in early March due to my husband’s poor

health and my own exhaustion.

 

Then a few nights later, I had a vivid dream of Sai welcoming me in a warm way,

and offering me vibuthi. On waking I decided the dream was a ‘hint’ to go ahead

and re-book my trip. Later on that morning I did so, and left on Easter Sunday

for Whitefield.

 

Later on in Kodaikanal, I developed severe stomach problems due to the weather

and this only added to my stress. Luckily, the patient’s darshan line is on the

ramp which afforded us close darshan of Sai every day. Even so, my stomach

problems grew steadily worse and thoughts about returning home were constantly

on my mind but somehow I couldn’t bring myself to leave.

 

The weather worsened in Kodaikanal and we were often out in the rain. On the

afternoon of the 5th May, while we were lining up for afternoon bhajans, the

heavens opened and there was a torrential down-pour. The lines of ladies waiting

outside suddenly surged forward and scrambled for the hall and I found myself

swept along with them. After a lot of pushing, the gush of ladies were allowed

inside the hall. Being a patient, I was offered a chair and with a large sigh of

relief, I sat down. My clothes were drenched and clung uncomfortably to my back

and my little silk shawl was so sodden I had to threw it away. I felt

uncomfortable and again began to make plans to leave again.

 

By the time Sai came for bhajans I had ‘dried out,’ but the storm continued to

rage outside. Thunder clapped and lightening flashed and we cowed and shivered

as the rain came in through the door. Sai, of course, sensing our mood stayed a

long time blessings us all the time.

 

The storm continue unabated through the bhajan and worsened just as we were

leaving the hall. I was about to leave myself, when a stranger approached me and

said,

 

“Don’t leave without Swami’s permission.” Her face was serious, her penetrating

eyes full of concern.

 

“Do you mean the hall?” I replied, unable to analyse her meaning.

 

“Don’t leave.” She said and again she emphasised, “Stay with Swami.”

 

& #9829;

..•°°¸.•*¨`*• ´ & #9835;

 

Astonished by her knowledge of my thoughts, I stood puzzled. How could she have

possibly known of my leaving plans? I didn’t know her and only vaguely remember

seeing her in the darshan line.

 

She continued,

 

“Tomorrow is Easwaramma day and several years ago, Swami gave us saris and He

may do so again. ” She said enthusiastically. “I’m sure you would like a sari

from Swami.”

 

“Yes,” I nodded, “a sari would be a splendid gift.” Then I turned and ran out of

the hall and into the rain with her words still ringing in my ears. Had Sai

indirectly, given me another message? His way of telling me to stay – perhaps?

 

Easwaramma day dawned dull and chilly. I joined the darshan line and sat down

with the other ladies on the muddy sidewalk. Cold wind penetrated our wool

shawls and we shivered and groaned with the cold. Not only was it chilly and

damp it was also very crowded as local people had come for the festival

 

When the ashram gates opened, the seva dal seated the patients along the red

carpet. We had no idea of what Sai would do that morning but our hearts

lightened at being given such splendid seats. To add to our good fortune a pale

morning sun suddenly emerged from behind the grey clouds.

 

Sai came out around eight a.m. and walked slowly along the red carpet on the

ramp, while giving each lady a precious sari. He smiled, joked and teased us,

love just flowed from Him and warmed our hearts. After all the ladies had

received saris, He returned to stroll up and down several times while prasad was

being distributed. As He moved slowly among us there were several opportunities

to touch his feet. A heavenly morning filled with love, but one I almost missed.

 

Sai only gives instructions to help us. If we want to make the most of our time

with Him, then we need to follow his commands, not only the obvious ones but the

subtle ones too. And if we truly believe in Him, that He is a being who has

transcended individual consciousness and merged with the Supreme, then we would

be foolish to ignore His instructions, however mundane they may sound at the

time.

 

-SathyaSaiMemories