Grace of Sri Sai Baba By: Jyoti Mohanty It was the outset of the year 2009 and I had decided to visit Shirdi. I planned to go alone so that I could spend more time inside the Samadhi Mandir and the surroundings, at my own will. My journey started on the 2nd of April 2009 by Lokamanya Express from Cuttack city of Odisha state. When I boarded the train, the compartment was filled with Muslims among whom there were three old men. After checking my seat number, I sat by the window and the old men seem to welcome me by their pleasant smiles which I overlooked. For a long time I sat silently looking outside the window and sparingly observing the old folks. After about two hours of journey the old man by my side addressed me, “oh my son would you like to share the food that we have got with us?” I refused his offering and said that I shall have biscuits and banana which I had got with me. After a little while, a big gang of Muslims gathered near my seat to hear the sayings of a Maulabi, who was sitting beside me. This made me very uncomfortable. I started looking out of the window to distract my attention. Meanwhile due to these negative thoughts about my fellow travelers, I realised that I had gone far beyond my purpose of journey. I recovered quickly by the vision of a huge rock on the distant mountain that reminded me of my Sai Baba. Instantly I felt guilty of such attitude towards the people. After the crowd that had gathered near my seat disbursed, the Maulabis started having their food and so did I. It was then that I observed the Maulabis. The white headed Maulabis had clean white beard and were clad with white trouser and shirt which gave a priest like appearance and reminded of my Baba. One Maulabi by my side looked to me and said “son where are you going?” In short I replied “Shirdi”. He seemed to accept it with great reverence and murmured, “it’s a great place and Baba is so generous.” The communion of mind started at this point. I regretted thinking negatively about them. Time and again I apologized to Baba but still it left a pug mark in my heart. As the train advanced towards Shirdi our closeness deepened. The Maulabi said that the youngsters in their group were going to Bombay for training on performing sacred rites and maintaining a disciplined life. Gradually we discussed our present and the past, Hinduism and Islam and so on. During our discussion on religion, the Maulabi chanted Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit so well that a proficient Brahmin would not be able to. Step by step he chanted Gita so articulately and explained its implication in Quran. His analysis of Gita and Quran was so simple and pleasant that it required no effort to occupy a space in my heart. Our discussions took a break only at the time of Namaz, launch, etc. and ended at night. During the night, when I closed my eyes, I saw white Kafni clad Sai Baba in the form of Maulabi. The thought of repentance disrupted my sleep all through the night. At dawn when I opened my eyes, all of them were sitting in meditative Namaz. I climbed down the upper berth, finished my routine works and sat with the Maulabis. Amidst several advises the Maulabi taught me “Teen Farz” in the morning, cleaning of throat, cleaning of nasal canal, and parts of the body. When my destination approached he asked for my address and assured me of visiting my place someday. Paying proper respect to the Maulabis I got down at Nasik station. My mind was now only thinking of reaching Shirdi at the earliest. I ran with the baggage towards the foot over bridge which was far away. At a distance a young boy called me in my mother tongue and said “why should you run so far for the bridge, give me your bag and let us cross over the line to the platform No. 1. I agreed and followed his advice, but at the other end police caught hold of us and dumped us in a hall where already more than fifty persons were sitting like prisoners of war. I sat in a congested corner very quietly. With the arrival of each train police would dump ten more people into the room. Observing the surroundings and behavior of the police, I got into a depression. I closed my eyes and meditated upon my sole saviour Sri Sai Baba. After a while I realized that the punishment has been imposed by My Sai Baba. Thereupon I closed and started meditating upon Baba. When tear drops rolled down my eyes, my mobile phone rang with a Sri Ganesh Mantra. The inspector sitting in the office immediately called for me, offered me a seat and asked me of the offence. He then asked the constable to provide me with a glass of water and tea. Sitting silently in the office I murmured to Baba, “is this punishment not enough for the guilt committed? Oh my merciful Baba please release me early so that I can attain my goal of having your darshan today especially being a Thursday.” Sai Baba always gives instant attention to the call made from the core of your heart. At about 1.00 pm, we were all released with monetary penalties by a mobile court. Determined to take food after darshan of Baba, I reached Shirdi, booked a room, took bath and then being in queue for darshan I rehearsed silently to speak so much to Baba. But when physically I came in front of Baba, I had no mind, no thought, the difference between the subject and the object was lost, and there was only a silent communion. Baba engulfed my whole of space and I regained consciousness when someone at the back asked me to touch Baba’s symbolic golden feet. I was fortunate enough to place my hand on Baba’s feet and had to move out through the back door. Standing near the Gurusthan under the Neem tree I felt at heart that the darshan of Baba would not have been so satisfactory, pleasant and ecstatic without the punishment imposed upon me by my Baba. It is therefore certain from my experience and several instances from Sai Satcharita that Baba not only blesses but also punishes for guilt committed. Bow to Sai Baba.
Posted on: Sat, 03 May 2014 12:12:19 +0000
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