A Spiritual Rebirth By R. Radhakrishnan

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A Spiritual Rebirth

By R. Radhakrishnan

 

A Secret Letter

A family in dire straits wrote to some wealthy relatives in America. A

package arrived shortly afterward, and when it was anxiously opened,

they found that it contained only a few things of little value. Enraged,

they put it in the attic, thinking that perhaps their rich relatives had

wanted to make fun of their trouble. Shortly before Easter the entire

house was cleaned and the collected trash was to be burned, when the

inside envelope of the package was ripped open their youngest son

discovered a secret compartment containing a letter with 20,000 dollars.

 

A letter from God is found in all the sufferings. He sends us, and it

contains many precious and comforting things, were we only to look

instead of getting disgusted.

 

This world has its root above and branches below, says the Bhagavad-Gita

(XVI: 1) " I am from above; you are of this world " . (II: 69). These

passages suggest that the perception of the truth is derived from the

nature in us which is above the earthly. Spiritual power from beyond the

dimensions of space and time breaks in. Man is the point of interaction

between time and eternity.

On the 30th April 1985 I was staying with my daughter Brinda's residence

at Perambur, Madras. In the afternoon, I intended to go to All India Sai

Samaj to have darshan of Lord Sainath and Sri Narasimha Swamiji, which

is at Mylapore, i.e., about 6 km. from my daughter's residence.

 

As I was waiting for the bus, I felt severe pain in the abdomen. I did

not want to proceed to Mylapore, I returned home with grief: 'Oh

merciful Baba, why did you prevent me from having your darshan. What sin

have I committed? " As Tuesdays and Thursdays are very auspicious and

many impossible things become possible on these two days, I felt my

deprivation of having Baba's darshan on that day.

 

On coming home, I applied a little Sai-udhi over my abdomen and rested

for two hours. I felt a little relieved but still I was grieving over my

inability to go over to the Sai Samaj. As Mahabharatha puts it there is

no external judge, who punishes us: our inner self is the judge.

 

I was also musing what Buddha has said in Anguttara Nikaya (III : 99 :

1) : : " If anyone says that a man must reap according to his deeds, in

that case there is no religious life nor is any opportunity afforded for

the entire extinction of suffering, But if any one says that the reward

man reaps accords with his deeds, in that case there is religious life

and opportunity is afforded for entire extinction of suffering " .

 

At that moment Lord Sainath brought forth an experience for me as an

ancient Sanskrit verse says that the assertion of the realty of God is

indirect knowledge. The experience of the reality of God is direct

knowledge.

 

Around 6 - 30 p.m. my son-in-law, Shri K. Ananthapadmanabhan came home

from his duty (he is employed in Madras Electric Gird). He straight went

to the bathroom and vomited profusely. The vomits included blood and

immediately he fell down unconscious.

 

On hearing the frantic cries of my daughter, I rushed inside. Both of us

slowly shifted him to a bed, uttering 'SAIRAM' 'SAIRAM'. Then we applied

Sai-Udhi all over the body and made him swallow a pinch. He regained

consciousness soon.

 

Spiritual apprehension insists on a participation of the knowing subject

in the spiritual reality, a touching and tasting of the object of

knowledge. We see, feel and taste the truth. We could feel Sai's

presence. As Jesus put in the First Commandment: The Lord is our God,

the Lord is one; and shall love the Lord your God with all your soul,

and with all your strength (Mark 12 : 29-30)

This brought forth the purpose for which Lord Sainath prevented me from

going to Mylapore. Sainath's ways are mysterious and inscrutable.

Whatever He does, He does it to serve His devotees.

 

On learning this, a doctor Sai-bandhu wrote to me: " Among all my

patients, there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was

not that of finding a religious outlook, on life. It is safe to say that

every one of them fell ill because he had lost that which the religion

has given its followers and none of them has really been healed who did

not regain his religious outlook " .

 

My son-in-law soon became normal. We all bowed to the lotus feet of Lord

Sainath for giving him a rebirth. Let us always remember Him and

Surrender everything to Him, so that there will be no 'Jeeva Bodham'

(Body consciousness, ego etc.,) but Sai Bodham full of

Sai-consciousness. In other words, we will all be one with SAI BABA.

 

Pondering Over

A builder has to plan to the tiniest detail.

I realize that God, the Master-Builder of my life, has planned it-all of

it - to the tiniest detail.

Do I live and think and plan as if I realized that my life is planned by

the best and wisest planner in the world?

 

What a wonderful thought! I am not insignificant! I am important enough

to have God attend to me - every minute. What an inspiring and

supporting thought!

 

My life can be a mess or a masterpiece. It will surely be a mess if I

consider myself a master of it. It will surely be a masterpiece if I

labour with it as the Master-Designer of it intended.

 

Let me not be discouraged or deceived - the fashioning of my life is in

the power of my own hands. I can do nothing better than place it in the

Almighty Hands to mould and fashion my life as God Almighty wishes. That

is success; that is successful living; that is planning my career wisely

- as the All-wise God has beautifully planned it from all eternity.

" Am I doing the work God intended for me to do? Nobody else but I can do

it. "

(Source Sai Padananda Magazine Special)