Devotees' Experiences - 11 - The Magic of Lord's Blessing - A dumb and lame child is miraculously cured

October 23, 2007

Devotees' Experiences - 11 The Magic of Lord's Blessing A dumb and lame child is miraculously cured Mr. Russi Patel, a Parsi from Mumbai, had an experience connected to his little daughter’s health that was nothing short of a miracle. Howard Murphet had the opportunity to met him personally and here is what Murphet records: At Prasanthi Nilayam in 1967 I met Mr. Russi C. Patel, a Parsi of Bombay, and his wife. From them I learned the story of their little daughter, Ketu. At the age of 2½ years Ketu could not speak, walk or even stand. She had been given various kinds of medical treatment, including modern drugs and physiotherapy. But nothing seemed

to have any effect. The source of the trouble was a mystery. Some thought it was a matter of mental retardation, others said that it was some unknown deep-seated nerve trouble. This was the state of affairs in February 1965 when Mr.Patel decided to go to Puttaparti and see Bhagawan. His wife, who was a very orthodox Parsi, was not in favour of the idea, thinking it a waste of time and money. Shivaratri festival was on when Mr. Patel arrived at the ashram and huge crowds were there. Although people urged him to seek an interview, he was diffident about doing so – especially as he felt that Baba knew all about his trouble and why he had come, without being told. Several times he wrote a note,

intending to hand it to Baba as the latter passed through the crowd near him, but each time, when he saw the little figure with the luminous face, full of the light of understanding, he decided that it was not necessary and tore the letter up. "When Baba wants me, He will call me," Patel said to his friends. But the days passed and he was not called. Streams of people were going in to see the great saint, but not Patel. Then one morning, some days after the Lingodbhavam, it was announced that there would be no more personal interviews. However, Baba came onto the balcony and gave His blessings to all visiting devotees assembled there before they went home. Mr. Patel felt the great compassion pour onto the crowd and into his own heart. Yet, in the train on the

homeward journey his faith and spirits sank to a low level. He thought of the days he had spent there and the chances of speaking to Baba he had missed. He thought of his poor little daughter still unable to stand or utter a word. He imagined his wife's reproaches about the time and money he had wasted. He arrived at the door of his home very depressed indeed. When he opened the door, the first sight that met his gaze was little Ketu, who could not even stand when he left, walking down the hallway to meet him, calling out "Daddy, Daddy!" He picked her up and embraced her; then he embraced his wife, while both of them wept with joy over the miracle that had somehow taken place. On checking the facts with his wife Mr. Patel found that Ketu had first begun to walk

and speak on the day before he arrived home – just after Sai Baba had given his blessings from the balcony to the assembled devotees. Some time afterwards Mr. Patel took his wife and daughter to see Baba when the latter was on a visit to Bombay (now Mumbai). In the midst of the many thousands that crowd around him in that metropolis, Sai Baba saw them, and in the words of Mr. Patel, "greeted the little girl as if she was an old friend returned after a long absence". He took her on His lap; materialised some Vibhuti, and put it in her mouth. Soon after that, her speech improved greatly and she began using longer words. Reference: “Sai Baba: Man of Miracles” by Mr. Howard Murphet. Page: 121-122 (Paperback edition). Published by Macmillan India

Ltd, 1972. http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/Pages/Devotees_Experiences/Miracle_The_Magic.htm