BABA'S VAST POWER IS SEIZING YOU

[Guest guest]

BABA’S VAST POWER IS SEIZING YOU ALWAYS

The first interview between Sri Sai Baba and Kasinath is a very interesting

story of the personalities of both, and the method of operation of Sai Baba

peculiar to each case.

After staying a day, Kasinath went to take leave of Baba to go home. Baba said,

"What so soon? When are you returning?" Kasinath protested that it was not easy

for him to return. "Then" Baba said, "you had better stay. Do not go away?" The

alternatives presented to Kasinath were both bitter to him. "What either to

stay on for ever or to go and return in eight days!" and when he was thus

puzzles, Sai Baba said, "Well, go. I shall see what I can do."

This might appear a threat to those who knew Sai Baba’s powers. But as Kasinath

understood none of his powers, he simply thought permission had been given to

him to go, though rather gruffly. He then went away. He was anxious to get back

home now that his health had been restored and have a pleasant Grahasthashrama

life with his young wife (Third wife). But a strange thing happened. He went

out a few miles and stayed at a neighbouring village for a bath in the

Godavari. Then another day he started and went a short distance, and again was

stopped by something attractive.

Like this for seven days, he was within a radius of eleven miles, and on the

eight day he was at Kopergaon with the Brahmachari at the Datta temple on the

bank of river Godavari, i.e., only six miles from Shirdi. That Brahmachari told

him to go to Shirdi and be with Sai Baba. Kasinath, however, declined to accept

that proposal. As they were talking, a tonga drew up, and the inmates came out.

They were asked by the Brahmachari, "Where are you going?" They said, "To

Shirdi". Then the Brahmachari said, "Take this Kasinath with you." Kasinath

said, "No. I have been there already. Then the visitors said, "That is the best

reason. We have not been there. We want some one to be with us to guide us."

Kasinath said that he had not taken his meal and he had no carriage fare, and

that pleaded vain excuses. They said, "We have the carriage fare, and we will

give you food." So, in spite of himself, out of a mere desire to oblige these

visitors and to oblige the Brahmachari, he

got into the cart, which straightaway sped on to Shirdi. There they all alighted.

They all bowed before Baba. Baba said to Kasinath, "You have come back! How many

days is it since you left?" ‘This is eighth day’ confessed Kasinath. "What" Baba

remarked, "You said you would not come back in eight days." Then the spell over

Kasinath seemed to disappear, and he woke up and said, "What Baba, I cannot

understand this. I was eager to go home, and wonder how I did not go back home.

This must be all your doing." Baba said, "Yes, I have been with you all these

eight days dogging your heels." Then it flashed upon Kasinath that Sai Baba was

(always) wielding vast powers over people’s minds; that when he could not think

of going home, and when the Brahmachari and others were asking him to go to

Shirdi, it was all the work of Sai. So, he was under Sai’s Akarshana and

Sthambhana and that was how he could not think of his home under that spell! He

was aghast at this vast control over minds and bodies of not one but many. Then

he resigned himself to

fate as he called it. He thought ‘some vast Power is seizing me. So, I must bend

to it." Then he was staying on, hoping time and again to get leave of Baba to

get back.

(Written by: HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji in Life of Sai Baba)