Sai Baba Links - Express India, International youth conference at Puttaparthi

Source: http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19991111/ile11005.html

Thursday, November 11, 1999

Keeping Faith

J L Gupta

Man and Master

The morning of March 13, 1990. On the flight from Delhi to Madras. A very dear friend suggested that on my way back, I should travel via Bangalore. He wanted me to have the blessings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I had a confirmed ticket for the next morning. The change appeared cumbersome. But, destiny designs and decrees every event. Despite my initial lack of enthusiasm, I was on the night train to Bangalore. During the journey, I dreamt of Baba. In fact, twice. With the hand raised to bless. In the morning, I was at Whitefield. Expectant and optimistic.

At sharp eight, Baba emerged from the sanctum-sanctorum. Dressed in saffron kurta and lungi. A smile on the face. He waded through the rows of devotees. The young and old. Men and women. Indians and others. From all over. To the ignorant like me, Baba seemed like any other human being. He blessed everyone. Picked up a few for special blessings. About twenty. Mostly couples. This was so despite the fact that men and women were sittingseparately. By His grace, I was one of the few.

``Tum practice karta hai. Paisa kamaata hai... Maa ko nahin bacha saka... Tumhe do baar swapan diya?'' (You are practising. Earning well... You could not save your mother... Appeared twice in your dream?) These were Baba's first words to me. He knew and mentioned the problems of every one. From stomach to soul. From top to toe. Not only that. He materialised and gave a pearl necklace to a child. A ring to an old man. Vibhuti to a lady. With just a soft blow of the breath, the original shape of a ring and the stone were changed. Baba's picture appeared on the ring of a young man. Also on the pendant of his wife. And so on. Mind-boggling. But, all true.

Some were granted even an exclusive audience. It was more intimate. One could feel the touch. If permitted, even put the head at the delicate and divine feet. In a timeless moment, one could feel the worries vanish. A flow of pure energy into the system. You got up totally relaxed. With the nervessoothed. With a renewed confidence to face the vicissitudes of life. An awakening. A sense of fulfilment. A feeling of security. It was something to be only felt. Difficult to describe in words. All in all, it was an experience of a lifetime.

Expectation affects enjoyment. Yet, as the time to leave drew nearer, the expectation appeared clearer. On every face. And Baba stood at the door. A touch on the forehead. A gentle clasping of the hands. A pat on the back. All blessings. The greedy me, I stood at the end of the queue. To be in Baba's presence for as long as possible. Finally, it was my turn to leave. With the head bowed in reverence, I moved forward. Baba put the hand on my forehead and said, ``Tum ek saal aur paisa kamma lo. Phir tum... banegaa. Aur mehnat karega.'' (You make money for another year. After that, you will become... And work hard.) The words proved prophetic. The year passed. Just 365 days. Everything occurred as ordained.

No one has seen God. But then, no one has seen air. Oreven the fragrance of the flowers. Yet, these actually exist. We feel the sweet scent in the air. Similarly, we acknowledge the presence of God in everything. And everywhere. We say that He is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. The Christians see Him in Christ; the Hindus in Ram; the Sikhs in Sri Guru Nanak and the Muslims in Mohammed. So on. And these Gods are not mere figments of the human imagination. They had appeared at different times. They were seen in flesh and blood by the people in those ages.

So it is with Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He is like the Gods who have treaded upon this planet. In flesh and blood. He is not merely a man. He is the Master. He has appeared for the spiritual awakening of the people. Of the whole world.

Lucky are we to have been blessed by Him!