Baba as a Rescuer By R. Radhakrishnan

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Baba as a Rescuer

By R. Radhakrishnan

Real love is desire less and motiveless. One with pure love thinks: " I

love him for no reason at all. I suffer because of that love, yet I

still love. If I feel well, or don't feel well, if He looks at me, or if

He doesn't look at me If He is kind or if He is cruel, I can never think

anything but good of Him.

- Sri Ramakrishna

 

" Rinanubandha " is the main factor for becoming Sai Baba's devotees.

Being a mortal, I do not know since how many births I have been

connected with Him. But, in this birth, He has taken me under His care

as a child. I was in charge of the foundry shop stores, Hubli and I had

to take half a day casual leave on 14th April '52. As planned, my

assistant passed out some valuable materials to a thief, who was caught

outside railway workshops by the railway Police. My assistant involved

me in the police case. I was taken to the police station from my house

for interrogation. The Police Inspector wouldn't believe me though I

pleaded that the theft took place in my absence. He said, you being in

charge should have handed over the materials to your assistant and gone

on leave, duly obtaining his acknowledgement in the Tally sheets. Is it

humanly possible to hand over thousands of items in half-a-day? I kept

quite knowing that no argument will satisfy the police as they were

after money. I was put in a " lock-up " and the Police Sub-Inspector gave

orders to the Constable to whip me. I was not in good health. I thought

I would collapse on that day. At least let me remember Sai Baba and

cried out aloud, " Oh, Sainath " when the police raised his hands to whip

me and swooned. After four hours, I regained my consciousness. I opened

my eyes and looked around with fear. I was made to sit in a comfortable

chair and the Sub-Inspector, Shri Kulkarni, was looking at me kindly and

said " When you uttered Baba's name, I immediately caught hold of the

constable's hand and prevented him from beating you. I am also a devotee

of " Shirdi Sai Baba " and saw Baba in you. It is needless to say that I

was released from the police station with great honor and the real

culprit was duly punished.

 

In January 1960, I had to go to Madras with my family. We boarded the

night train at Hubli and we alighted at Guntakal the next morning to

catch Dadar Express bound for Madras. The train, when arrived at

Guntakal was overcrowded. Somehow, I put my family in a 'ladies

compartment' and I was traveling standing on the foot-board. When the

train was approaching a bridge near Gooty station, I got exhausted and

got giddiness and I had no sleep in the previous night and there was no

time to have " breakfast " at Guntakal. I thought I would die as my hands

were paining and I could hold the handles no longer, I immediately

remembered " Bhagwan Sai " with tears. What a wonderful power Baba is. He

immediately responded by giving enough strength and courage to hold the

handle firmly. At Gooty station many passengers got down and I got a

comfortable seat in the compartment and I traveled to Madras, chanting

Baba's name and meditating on Him throughout the journey.

 

Once, I do not remember the exact date and day, I had to cross a

platform in the workshop while on duty, where materials are unloaded for

repairs. The railway Khalasis used to put up a danger board on the

platform to prevent workers crossing the platform and throw heavy

materials on the platform from inside the van. But, on that day the

danger board was not put up when I crossed the platform to reach the

latrine (which was by the side of the platform). The Khalasis inside the

material van threw a big iron rod on the platform. Being a heavy

material, normally it should have come straight and hit me direct

resulting in my death. But, wonder of wonders, the rod took a turn (like

a rocket) from the usual path, flew over and dropped far away from me I

was wonderstruck and bowed to " Sai Deva " mentally.

 

To conclude, I am not a great bhaktha but only an ordinary mortal still

unable to control the six inner enemies and ego. As sinners are not to

be rejected, Sai Baba, as kind mother, treating equally has taken me

under His benign care.

(Source Shri Sai Padananda July 2001)