The Ever-Vigilant SaiBaba

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The Ever-Vigilant SaiBaba

By B. Sathyanarayana

 

" One making proper use of existing circumstances does not have to await

success; success awaits such a person. If you perform each action as

worship of Sai Baba then you will not have to remember Sai Baba; Sai

Baba Himself will remember you. "

- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

 

It was during 1960-61. I was working as an Assistant Engineer, Western

Railway at Botad, about 100 miles from Ahmadabad. A mail train met with

an accident at a Railway Station - 'Bhimnath' in my jurisdiction,

resulting in the loss of lives. I had to rush to the site of accident to

restore the railway line, to attend to the transshipment of hundreds of

stranded passengers, to arrange medical aid, to face interrogation by

the local police and press reporters, and answering nerve breaking

queries of my superiors. All these happened from 7 pm and the entire

night. Though I was sure, that I was not at fault, still people around

me including some of the railway officials, were talking that I would be

suspended the following day by the Chief Engineer, coming from Bombay,

and further disciplinary action would be taken. There was none to

support me and at least to sympathize with me. I was thinking of Sai

Baba and mentally asking him: " Baba, what wrong have I done? Why this

torture " ?

 

Thus praying, I was doing my duty of arranging transshipment of stranded

passengers at dead of night from the site of accident to the relief

train which was at a distance of nearly one kilometer. At about 1 a.m.,

one old gentlemen about 6 ft. tall, well built, wearing a white long,

soiled jubba and a scarf with a knot tied round his head and carrying a

long stick and a bag hanging from his shoulder came slowly towards me.

He spoke to me in Hindi thus: " What a big accident? How to go? " I did

not respond to him, as my mind was totally pre-occupied. He passed a few

steps, almost brushing my shoulder. Then somehow I asked him to wait and

called one of assistants who was having a lantern and told him to escort

this old gentleman carefully to the other train. On hearing this, this

old man came back to me and patted my shoulders and said " Pikhir math

karo, sab teek ho jayega " (Don't worry, everything will be alright). So

saying he stared at me for a few seconds and left. Hardly few more

seconds must have passed when I shouted: " Baba, where are you " and ran

like a mad man in search of him. But I could not find him anywhere.

 

I am quite sure that he was none other than Lord Sainath and I got

solace. Next day the Chief Engineer came from Bombay and told me 'not to

worry' and handled the rest of the work. This in spite of other

officials insisting that I be suspended. Thereafter, other routine

enquiry was conducted and I was appreciated in my work. The savior is

none but all merciful Sai BABA.

 

The mouth of man is a Temple of the Lord. Alas! We desecrate it by

indulging the tongue in useless talk and speaking ill of others. " O my

soul! Sing the praises of the Lord, day and night, so that not a single

harsh or negative word leaves the lips! "

- J.P. Vaswani

 

(Source Sai Padananda Oct 1991)