How Baba Helps His Devotees

April 21, 2008

As usual, the twelfth annual gathering of Poets and Writers of Shri Sai

Leela Magazine was held at Shirdi on 2nd and 3rd February 1986. I also

attended the Conference with my brother for the first time, though I was

not familiar with the place and its surroundings- Shri Sai Baba did not

call me to attend the Annual meet held on 27th and 28th January, 1985,

though qualified to participate, as I received Shri Sai Leela Magazine

late in the month of January 1985. The moment I saw the Performa in the

November issue of Shri Sai Leela, received by me on 16-1 2-85, Shri Sai

Baba inspired me to send the proforma duly filled in on 17-12-85 itself.

Unmindful of my professional work as Public Notary and family

attachments, I got ready to start for Shirdi, getting two tickets with

berth reserved at Ongole Railway station from Ongole to Manmad on

21-12-85, far in advance. Subsequently, I was informed by Railway

authorities at Ongole that our onward journey from Secunderabad to

Manmad was also confirmed on 14-1-86. Myself and my brother Sri Cali

Narayana started at Ongole on the night of 30-1-1986, which happened to

be Thursday, and reached Secunderabad on 31 -1-86 at 9-30 a.m. We had a

com-fortable journey from Ongole to Secunderabad, since we were allotted

lower berths in the 3-tier sleeper coach. We started at 6-30 p.m. from

Secunderabad to Manmad. In Ajantha Express also, I got lower berth,

while my brother was allotted middle berth in the sleeper coach. We

reached Manmad safe by about 9 A.M. and Shirdi at about 11-30 A.M. The

Conference was to be held on 2nd and 3rd Feb. 1986. After reaching

Shirdi, I met the Superintendent immediately, who was kind enough to

allot a room in Bhakta Nivas and gave us a plastic bucket, tumbler,

badge, lock and key, tickets for meals and tea for two days. We did not

feel any difficulty in securing accommodation, as Shirdi Samsthan

autho-rities made elaborate and excellent arrangements for our

comfort-able stay at Shirdi for two days.

My brother, Sri Cali Narayana did not attend the Conference throughout,

as he had left Shirdi on 2nd evening by bus, as he could not get

reservation at Shirdi Out-Agency Booking Office on 2-2-86. Later, he

told me at Ongole that he did not have a comfortable bus journey from

Shirdi to Secunderabad.

But I stuck to my guns and never wanted to leave Shirdi at any cost,

unless Baba permitted me to do so. Being a novice in Sai service and as

a new participant, I attended all the four Sessions held on the two days

and heard the speeches with rapt attention. Especially the speeches by

Shri P.R. Behre, the chief guest and Sri V.B. Kher, Chairman, Shri Sai

Leela Publications and Library Sub-Committee and President of the

Conference were inspiring and instructive which were felt highly

beneficial to the devotees. Sri P.R. Behre spoke in Marathi eloquently

which was full of devotion and in the end, he applied to one and all to

treat Shirdi as a Holy place and not a Tourist centre. Dr. Smt. Indira

Kher, the learned Editor of Shri Sai Leela Magazine gave a resume of the

Marathi speech in English. She impressed the audience as an erudite

scholar both in English and Marathi. The learned Chairman of Shri Sai

Leela Publications addressed the gathering both in English and Marathi

and his speech was received by the contributors present with wide

applause.

During my stay at Shirdi, I visited Chavadi, Dwaraka Mayi Masjid, Lendi

Baug and Martanda Maharaj, son of late Bhagat Mhalsapati. Since I was

not fully accustomed to the style of food served in Sai Prasad Bhojana

Griha at Shirdi, I felt a little bit nervous. Immediately the omniscient

and merciful Sai Baba came to my rescue by arranging food at the

residence of Shri D.L. Kantha Rao Garu, a senior devotee from Andhra

Pradesh, participating in the Conference. To my surprise, this devotee

is found to belong to my Gothra (Bharadwaja). Really, I took him as

Sai-sent and felt greatly honored to be the guest of such a sincere and

staunch Sai devotee I was really surprised to see the entire family of

Shri D.L. Kantha Rao Garu, Sai-minded and Sai-devoted. I enjoyed Sai-Sat

Sang during the period of my stay at Shirdi with his family.

On 4-2-86, I performed abhisekham and Satyanarayana Pooja, which were my

long cherished desires. I entered in the apartments set apart for

devotees at 4 a.m. and remained there till 7 A.M. to receive tickets for

Abhisekham and Satyanarayana Pooja. Here also, Sai showered his Grace on

me, since I could get tickets easily and early and I could complete

Abhisekam by 7-30 A.M. and Satyanarayana Pooja at 10-30 A.M. During my

stay in the compartment, Sai-brother, Sri D.L. Kantha Rao rendered a lot

of service to me by providing me with tea and a plate containing Pooja

articles, as my brother who accompanied me from Ongole, had already left

the place. Really I do not find words to express my deep sense of

gratitude to this Sai devotee and I prostrate at the lotus feet of Shri

Sai Baba, who rendered timely help to me at every stage, through His

devotee, Sri D.L, Kantha Rao.

Sri Sai Baba also blessed me and His devotees coming from far off places

and out of States, by directing the Central Railway authorities, Bombay

to open a Railway Booking Out-Agency at Shirdi, attached to Manmad

Railway station, as regular visitors and devotees from far of places can

purchase tickets with berths at Shirdi itself and reach their

destinations safe. I purchased a ticket with berth at Shirdi booking

office on 3-2-86 which was the only ticket left in that day's quota of

4. Here also I got the lower berth by Baba's grace and reached my place

safe on 7-2-86, having spent two days at Hyderabad on personal work.

Thus, it can be seen that Shri Sai Baba draws His devotees to Him - let

them be miles away from Him like a sparrow with a thread tied to its

feet. The only requisites to obtain His Grace are faith and patience

coupled with unflinching devotion and unwavering mind on the part of the

devotees. Baba assured his devotees 'If you look up to me, I will look

after you'. This assurance resembles the one given by Lord Krishna in

Gita.

We must surrender at the lotus feet of Shri Sai Baba-heart and soul and

Sri Sai Ram extends his helping hand to us and relieves us from all our

sufferings and sorrows, confronting us in our day-to-day life and in our

mundane existence as was proclaimed by Bhagavan Rama

Be ever in Shirdi Sai Be thus in Sai joy.

Wealth gives worry, Sai gives safety.

Y.C. Subba Rao, Vidya Bhaskara

Advocate & Covt. Notary

ONGOLE 523 002 A.P.