SADGATI (November 1983) - by R. Radhakrishnan

[Guest guest]

SADGATI (November 1983)

May saints have been giving sadgati to men, but Baba’s greatness is unique.

Even a cruel animal like a tiger came to Baba’s feet for being saved, vide

Chapter XXXI(31) Sai Satcharita (English) page 172.

 

If we surrender to our Guru Deva, Shri Sai Baba, completely with tan, man,

and dhan, then there is no fear from death. He guides and helps His

devotees in their last moments and enables them to attain His lotus feet.

It is needless to point out that there will be no rebirth once we merge in

Him.

 

I have gone through the biographies of so many Sai devotees, whom Baba has

blessed with a happy end. Readers are requested to read Chapters XXXI and

L-Sai Satcharita (English).

 

Now I wish to narrate about my own parents. My father died (attained

Sadgati) on 8th September, 1972, Friday at about 3.40 p.m. at the ripe age

of 82. From 15th year he was a “Bhajankar” and used to make a trip to

Pandharpur every year from Madras alongwith other Panduranga devotees. He

was transferred to Hubli in1925 on promotion from Perambur workshops (Ex.

MSM). He was getting a very good pay in the Railways. He was very liberal

and used to spend all his pay for “Satsangh”. Daily not less than half a

dozen devotees used to be fed at our hose. Many Sadhus used to visit our

house. He was a classmate of H.H. Sankaracharya (senior) of Kanchi

Kamakoti Peetham at Villupuram and had great regard for this Swamiji. He

always used to take me and my brother alongwith him to pay obeisance to

Kanchi Sadguru. My father had close association with Swami Sivananda of

Rishikesh, H.H. Narasimhaswami and Radhakrishnaswamiji and had the darshan

of Ramana Maharshi and Siddharudha Swami of Hubli. From 1944 onwards my

parents become staunch devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba and used to visit Shirdi

every year. He had no love for money and lived a simple life. He retired

from Railway service in May 1944 and got his provident Fund. My parents

went and settled at Valavanoor, our native place (100 miles away from

Madras). But within three to four years, he spent all the money received

from the Railway office on pilgrimages and giving to the poor and needy.

He had to sell our lands and house for the celebration of the marriages of

my two sisters. He was a gigantic personality (6ft high and his hands were

touching his thigh). Many of our close (rich) relatives deserted us

because my father was not keeping anything for himself or our family. He

fell down in the bath room on 4-9-72 and he was uttering “Sairam” in his

lips till he attained Baba’s lotus feet on 8-9-72. He got his leg fractured

due to fall and he was having severe pain. We brought the doctor

immediately to attend to him. But my father said, “I have to suffer for my

Prarabhda Karma for a few days. Don’t worry. Sainath will give me enough

strength to bear the pain. All of you sit here, by turn, do Bhajan, read

Satcharita, always chant Sai’s name”. When he left his mortal coil on

8-9-72, it rained profusely, which was unexpected and there was Bhajan and

Arati (automatically) by ladies in the opposite house viz. Handicraft

centre it being a Friday.

My father’s name is Shri Ranganatha Iyer and my mother’s name is Rukmini

Ammal. My mother was also very pious and co-operated with her husband (my

father) in all walks of life. Father used to bring 5 to 6 people at a time

and my mother used to feed them ungrudgingly. She was also a staunch

devotee of Shri Sai Baba and visited Shirdi every year upto 1980. Her last

wish was that I being the eldest son, should be by her side at her last

moments and light her pyre. How our Gurudeva, Shri Sai has fulfilled the

same is narrated as follows :-

 

My mother was with me hale and hearty in her 84th year from 6th December

1981 to 26 October, 82. She expressed her desire in September 82 that she

wanted to see all her relatives at Madras. I sent her along with my second

son Shankar on 26-10-82, duly reserving berths and she had a comfortable

journey to Madras. On 28-10-82, I received a telegram from my

brother-in-law stating that my mother-in-law aged 92 years fell down and was

serious and that she wanted to see her daughter i.e. my wife. I did

“Mahasamadhi Pooja” on 28-10-82 in Shri K.R. Gopinath’s house along with

other Sai devotees and left Hubli on 29-10-82 and reached my mother-in-law’s

place viz. Adambakkam, Madras at about 10 p.m. on 30-10-82 and saw my

mother-in-law and gave her Baba’s Udi. Doctors said that there was no

danger to her life except some fracture in the leg which was being attended

to.

 

I casually went to see my mother, who was staying with my youngest brother

at Villivakkam, Madras on 31-10-82 which 20 kms from my mother-in-law’s

place. As soon as I saw my mother, she began to weep and said, “From

yesterday, I am having terrible back pain and I could not bear it. I am

praying to Baba to immediately send you here”. I applied Baba’s Udi on her

back and she felt relieved. But she told me not to leave the place. Duly

obeying her orders, I was with her reading Bhagavadgeeta. Sai Satcharita

etc. On 3-11-82, she became very weak and told me in a low voice to do Sai

Bhajan which I did. At 11.15 a.m. she passed away uttering Baba’s name,

which others could not hear. She showed to me five fingers and made

gestures which I could not understand. After three days I asked my

sister-in-law, “Mother showed five fingers at her last moments, whether she

understood it.” She paused a little and then said, “Yes, Yes. She asked

me to send five rupees to Shirdi 3 days back (which is her contribution

every month to Sri Sainath).” When we opened her box, there were five one

rupee coins. My brother immediately remitted the same to Shirdi. Further,

Madras city was lashed by rains for 3 to 4 days from 1st November. It was

a problem how to take the dead body to the burial ground, which is 2 kms

from the house, in the heavy rains. Sai Baba solved the problem. He

stopped the rain from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on that day and thus enabled us to

perform the last rites of my mother. Further early morning at about 4 p.m.

on 3-11-82, I had a dream in which I saw a “Viman” (aeroplane) well

decorated with flowers and there were two celestials (Deva Dasis) on both

the sides of the Viman and they received my mother. I told all my people

about this, which is the prior indication by Baba that my mother would pass

off peacefully on that day and attain His Lotus feet.

 

I hope the readers will excuse me for this lengthy article. But I have

narrated only a few points to show that sincere devotees of our Baba or of

any other God or Guru need not fear death.

R. Radhakrishnan

Hubli – 580 020.

 

 

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

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