Who that Beggar was? by A. P. Tripathi

[Guest guest]

But the father of the boy had many other attractive proposals to choose

from. There were some staggering offers. My offer compared most unfavorably

with them. Persons told me that it was a very good and prosperous family and

I will have to spend at least forty thousand to win over this groom. But my

BABA was helping me in His own way. A very pious Sai devotee, mother of the

'groom's fast friend Shri Ramesh Shukla (Advocate) joined hands with another

Sai devotee Principal B.H. Pandey and came to my rescue. Here I may mention

that then the Mishra family was not believer of SAI BABA as was the case

with Krishnamoorty's prospective inlaw's. This is how BABA tilted the scales

in favor of my daughter and me.

 

One night Shri Shrikant Mishra, Advocate was sleeping. He saw in his dream a

big photo of BABA hanging on the wall. Baba unmistakably and emphatically

told him that if he married the girl from BETUL, only then his life would be

happy and prosperous. The happy outcome was that though I had a paltry sum

to offer, be changed his mind, accepted our offer and approved of my

daughter and thus the marriage was settled. I could not give the customary

rich gifts to ray Samdhee Shri Kamalakar Mishra and nothing except a golden

ring and a wrist watch to the groom. Still they were all very pleased and

well-satisfied. At the time of 'DwarChar’ I had put Shri Sai Baba's and Shri

Sathya Sai Baba's photos sanctified with garland and agarbathi in the

'Mandap’ and they presided over the nuptial ceremony. Neither my ‘Samdhee'

Shri Kamalakar Mishra demanded anything in the form of 'dowry' nor my

son-in-law Shri Shrikant Misra pressed for any gift. I could not help

sheding big tears of joy and gratitude for I could not give them anything

worthwhile, befitting their status as Ex-Zamindar. But Shri Kamalakar

Mishra, now a 'devata’ to me wrote from Mandla that all the 'baraatees'

during the return journey expressed their satisfaction again and again and

commended my hospitable treatment. At Mandla, the ladies were also very

happy and satisfied. When I received that letter, I wept in joy and

gratitude before BABA, because really speaking, I had done but little, spent

ever so little, instead of incurring forty thousand rupees as predicted by

my well-wisher S.D.M. Shri K. S. Chauhan Saheb and his wife, I had spent in

all only Twenty five thousand rupees and still received such appreciation

from my 'devopam' Samdhee Shri Kamalakar Mishra. Indeed our BABA motivated

all this.

 

My daughter Indu Tripathi has now become Smt. Indu Mishra. When my

son-in-law Shrikant Mishra came to BETUL a second time to fetch her with him

to Mandla, he himself asked for BABA's Udi (Vibhooti) in a good quantity for

his daily use. By the grace of Shri BABA my daughter is happy in her new

environment and is also thankful to BABA and to us for giving her such an

angelic ‘Shwasur' like Shri Kamalakar Mishra. Whenever I remember Shri

Kamalakarji tears wail up in my eyes in gratitude. So merciful is our Lord

Shri SAI BABA. Immediately after marriage I rushed to Shirdi to offer my

heart-felt gratitude and thanks to Lord Sai Baba on 19th May, 1981. The date

of marriage was 13th May, '81.

 

It is noteworthy that soon after my daughter's Vidai (farewell) on 14-5-81 a

poor man is tattered and dirty clothes came direct to me while I was weeping

in sweet memory of my daughter and tears were rolling down incessantly and

He asked for only one 'ROTT (bread) to eat. I provided him with a sumptuous

meal. He took it and went away. Suddenly it struck us who he could be. But

where he came from and where he went away, none could find out. All attempts

to trace him out were in vain. WHO that beggar was? My Sai-brother Shri T,

A. Ramanathan will vouch that the mendicant was none else but my God-father

the Lord of Lords Shri Sainath and how can anyone refute it ?

 

A. P. Tripathi

Head of Hindi Department

, Betel. M.P.

 

 

Source Shri Sai Leela Magazine June 1982)