How I was Drawn to Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi

[Guest guest]

How I was Drawn to Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi

 

Saints have no hankering for sense pleasures and are embodiments of

amiability and all other virtues. They grieve to see others in distress and

rejoice at the sight of others joy. They are even-minded and look upon none

as their enemy; free from vanity and passion, they are conquerors of greed,

selfish joy and fear. Tender of heart and compassionate to the troubled,

they cherish full devotion to Me (Shri Rama) in thought, word and deed.

Giving honour to all, they are modest themselves"-Tulasidas.

 

All the above sublime qualities can be safely and aptly applied

to Shri Sai Nath. He is a saint in the true sense of the term.

Besides, He is a Samarth Sadguru. I had the good fortune of receiving a

photograph of the Samadhi Mandir of Baba from my eldest sister Smt.

Ranganayakamma, two decades ago. She was a victim of sterility for a long

time. Fortunately she came to know of Baba through a friend in

Hyderabad and began to pray to Him for progeny. After some time she was

blessed with a son by the grace of Baba and the boy is named Sainath.

 

Even though the picture of Baba came into my hands twenty years ago, I did

not pray to Him or at least remember Him till 1979. I conveniently forgot

Him as I was plunged head-long in mundane affairs. I was groping in darkness

till the natural calamity of severe cyclone and flash floods of 1979 had

opened my eyes and brought me to my senses.

 

Ten days prior to the occurrence of the devastating cyclone and floods, two

big photos of Shri Saibaba were generously given to me by Sai devotee Shri

J. V. Subbaiah. I got both of them framed. I kept the Abhayasnatam photo of

Baba with me. The sitting posture photo was given to my sister Smt.

Varalaxmi according to her wish and choice. Both the photos were displayed

in the 2 portions of my residence in Santa pet at conspicuous places. A few

days later, the catastrophe occurred. Our Tobacco concern sustained heavy

loss as tobacco stocks and buildings were completely destroyed and damaged,

I was very much perturbed and the little faith I had in Baba was completely

shattered; but I was not aware that one must deserve before one desires.

During this crucial period, I was introduced to Acharya Bharadwaj, an Ankita

child of Baba and got some mental peace and solace by reading his beautiful

biography of Baba written in English and Telugu entitled Sai Leela Amrit

Since then Acharya has been a source of mental peace, inspiration and

confidence to me. Without any sort of hesitation and reservation, I always

think and feel that Shri Bharadwaj is an intellectual and spiritual genius

like Swami Vivekananda, an excellent conversationalist and a speaker.

 

Soon, I was frantically trying to go to Shirdi, but I could not visit that

holy place, Baba finally gave His gracious permission only in 1980. Baba's

holy Samadhi Mandir is the source of infinite joy and solace to many a

depressed and dejected person.

 

My first visit to Shirdi in 1980 needs further explanation as it involved

certain mysterious happenings. In the beginning of 1980, I had to met an

official at Guntur concerned with my trade. The gentleman was about to

proceed to Hyderabad on official work I thought of accompanying him to

Hyderabad, but was held up at Guntur. So I promised to meet him in Hyderabad

the next day. While staying in the lodge, suddenly I rang up Mr. G. S. Rao

of Ongole to accompany me to Hyderabad and the friend joined me at Guntur

the next morning. We reached Hyderabad by evening. During the journey, it

flashed upon my mind that I should visit Shirdi. When I put forth the

proposal, my friend did not evince any interest owing to his professional

inconvenience. But in my heart of hearts, I was strongly desirous of

proceeding to Shirdi. During my journey I was reading a book on Sai Baba. A

fellow passenger noticed it and asked me whether I was going to Shirdi. I

said 'Yes'. The passenger gave me a hundred rupee note and requested me to

give it to a devotee at Shirdi for poor feeding. I could not say that my

trip to Shirdi was uncertain. I simply took the money and thought it a

welcome sign of Baba's call to Shirdi. Then and there I made up my mind to

proceed to Shirdi at any cost. My friend was witnessing this strange

incident but he could not make up his mind.

 

(To be contd......)

 

 

K. C. Pandu Ranga Rao

Ongole (A. P.)

 

 

 

(The experiences of Devotees as published in Shri Sai Leela Magazine, can be

read at www.saileelas.org/magazines/SAILEELA/exp.htm)