BABA CONFERS POWERS ON SOME OF His DEVOTEES

[Guest guest]

baba confers powers on some of His devotees

By R. Seshadri

 

Kasinath Sastri was born in a poor purohit's family in a tiny

Maharashtra town. He evinced no interest in education. Considered as a good for

nothing lad by not only his family but the other village folk also, he tried to

eke out a living later by learning Ayurveda and started dispensing medicines to

patients. Years later, he became Upasani Maharaj with yogic powers and a large

following of devotees in the country. It was Sai Baba of Shirdi who brought

about this great transformation. Even today Baba is helping his devotees through

some of his chosen 'bhaktas' by confirming on them curative and other powers. In

this context, Sai devotees should guard against pseudo saints proclaiming His

name to serve their personal interests.

 

In a brief account of an literate rustic woman, who has been blessed by Sainath

Maharaj with predictive and curative powers. Eighty

three-old Mullayamma of Mulangudi village of Thanjavur District (Tamil Nadu)

lives along with her only son, Periasami, in a hut a precarious life. Hearing

about her from friends, a pious sadhaka took me to her some months back. Baba's

portrait and meager pooja materials greet those who get into her hut. (1C,

Yanaiyadi Street, Melacauvery, Kumbakonam-612 002 Tamil Nadu).

 

After formal introduction, Mullaiammal, holding a silver paper on her

right palm, started giving details about me. She also said that I was

frequenting a Sai Shrine at my place and three deities are worshipped

there. She was able to describe the location and other details of Sri

Sai Spiritual Centre at Bangalore.

 

When I asked her about the health of my friend's wife, she immediately pointed

out her malady. When asked how she gained these powers, she and her son,

Periasami, gave the following account. Even as a five-year old she had

experienced unusual visions. When she was ten, she was blessed by Kanchi

Paramacharya, who gave her some herbs as prasad. She was able to identify lost

articles and where they could be found, by starting at the mud floor of her hut.

 

At this time, during her sleep at night, she started hearing Shirdi Sai Baba

asking her to gaze at her own palm. Though she ignored the call in the

beginning, after persistent instructions from Baba, she was thrilled to find

Baba's image on her palm. Then she surrendered to Baba, who has been responding

to her queries whenever people approach her with their problems. She claims to

have diagnosed major maladies and had also successfully prescribed remedies. She

even gives details of her astral flights by Baba's grace. She speaks Tamil only.

With all this, hers is a hand-to-mouth existence. She gratefully accepts money

being offered by her visitors to keep the pot boiling.

 

(Source Shri Sai Padananda July 1998)