DIVINE GRACE - NO MORE OFFICIAL TROUBLES

[Guest guest]

DIVINE GRACE – OFFICIAL TROUBLES VANISHED

23rd May 1936

Ramachandra Vaman Modak, B.A., Engineer, Seths’ House (near Peru’s gate) Sadasiv

pet, Poona (Sai Leela Masik, Vol III, part 9, p.399: Udhi used to drive off

snakes from the house) says:

I went to Sai Baba about 1909 and was impressed well enough to repeat my visits.

My last visit was in 1916. The most momentous of my visits was in 1912. My

employment was that of Senior Government Auditor of Municipal and local

accounts of West Kandesh Division and my head quarters was nominally at Bombay.

My wife and children, however, were stationed by me at Dhulia. In 1912, I had

some official troubles or foreboding of troubles especially with a particular

higher officer, who was waiting for an opportunity to sack me. They were trying

to force me to appear for a departmental test, in which of course that

particular officer would have an excellent opportunity to sack me and even

declare me unfit to continue in service. The question was, if I should face

danger and by passing the test qualify myself for higher appointment or simply

remain safe on my pay of Rs. 120 and refuse to go up for the test. At this

juncture, having learnt of Sai Baba’s omniscient kindness and

vast powers of control I determined to make him my sole guide and Providence to

help me in deciding aright on this matter of great importance. I left Bombay

for Shirdi (which is outside my jurisdiction) informing no one and taking no

leave from my department to enable me to be away from work. I hoped also to

return quickly in which case no leave would be necessary. I went straight to

Shirdi. It always gives me (and other devotees also) great relief to be in the

presence of Baba. Care leaves one as soon as he is in that presence and

happiness filled his soul.

Next morning, at 7 a.m. (i.e. the usual time to go to Baba to take leave), I was

being put off. I could not start as Baba had given me no leave. He knew full

well that I had gone there in an irregular way without the sanction of my

superior and unknown even to my family. If there were consequences to be faced,

Sai had to face them. But Shama i.e., Madhavrao Despande knew my difficulties

and interceded on my behalf, telling Baba: " He has stayed several days. Give

him leave to go." Baba gruffly answered him that I had gone to see Baba and not

to see Madhavrao. Turning to me also, he asked whether I had gone there to see

him (Baba) or to see Madhavrao. Baba gave me assurance that all would go well

with me regarding my official problem as in other matters. In fact he detained

me at Shirdi when the test was going on at Bombay. The die was thus cast and

Baba settled it as the best for me that I would not go up for the test

examination.

On the night of my fifth day’s stay, I had a dream. I saw therein that I was

back at home, that my young daughter was welcoming me, asking me where I had

been all these days. I woke up and felt assured that Baba was going to give me

leave. At once I prepared for departure. I dressed myself up and despite my

friend’s protest that there was no guarantee that Baba would give me leave even

that day. I went to the gate of the mosque. Baba was in a towering passion

fuming and fretting with a stone in his hand and was moving up and down at the

mosque. He saw me standing at the gate. In ten minutes times, he calmed down

and took his seat on the gadi. That was the place where he should be approached

and I went and prostrated. Of his own accord, he said, "Take Udhi and go away."

That was the way leave was granted for departure. "But, " I asked Baba, "Where

am I to go? Please tell me that" as I wanted definite oral solution by him of

my problem – whether I should go to Bombay

direct, which would mean refusing boldly to attend the test. Baba’s answer was

"Go home. Your children are anxiously waiting for you." That confirmed my dream

and settled my course. I went to Dhulia and only later on to Bombay.

When I went to Bombay, in the usual course, some trouble might have arisen on

account of my unauthorised absence. But, strangely enough, everything went on

smoothly. My clerks, who would have to go with me on my tours, wondered where I

had gone away. My family fancied I was at Bombay all the time. Anyhow by Baba’s

grace, my absence was not officially noticed and did not lead to any official

trouble. On the way from Shirdi to Bombay on this occasion, as usual, I had to

go naturally via Manmad. The Deputy Collector of the Division was camping there

at Manmad and he had sent me a letter asking me to halt enroute at Manmad and I

intended to meet the Deputy collector. But when I started and thought of

stopping at Manmad Baba said, "Pshew, Give that up. He is not there. There is

no hurry." At that time, I did not understand what Baba meant. But, when I got

down at Manmad I learnt that the Deputy Collector had got wire from which made

him suddenly break up his camp there

and hurry away elsewhere. So Baba was right, as he always is. During these six

days of my Shirdi stay, Baba was impressing my heart with spiritual experience.

I felt that he was all in for me and that I needed nothing more for my mundane

or spiritual welfare. That was decided critical and precious period of my life.

(Written by HH pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji in Devotees Experiences)