Filling the Emptiness

Muralidharan, Station Director of All India Radio, was with Baba during his tour of Kerala and tape recorded His speeches and Bhajans, without omitting a syllable or a note. From these tapes a newsreel programme was prepared depicting the ceremony when Baba laid the foundation stone for the Hospital for children, in my native village of Trippunittura, when the Health Minister, Wellington, presided.

He played that reel and felt happy, remembering that Baba, in his speech at the Town Hall, Ernakulam, had promised to tour Kerala again after Sivarathri. He had assured them that He would tour from Cannanore to Trivandrum and stay longer in each place. When a friend came to his office a week later, Muralidharan chanced to communicate to him the good news. Muralidharan said that if Baba would not fulfil his assurance, he would take the tape containing His promise to Puttaparthi, play it back to Baba, and 'challenge' Him.

The friend was thrilled by the confident tone of Muralidharan; he wanted to hear the assurance in Baba's own voice, and so the tape was replayed for his benefit. Wonder of wonders: those sentences were not recorded on that tape! The Telugu sentences spoken by Baba and the simultaneous Malayalam translations of the assurance spoken by me were not there! And to make the miracle complete, there was no gap either!

It was Basant Panchami, but the people concerned did not know this was so. They motored to Lakshimpur to catch a plane to Gauhati, then on to Calcutta, Madras and Bangalore - and finally by car to Baba's Feet! Their hearts were burdened by a sorrow which only He could lighten. While at the airport they received a phone message from home. It was a Minister of the Government of Nagaland that was speaking. "What have you done to the picture of Baba in our room?" "Why, nothing at all! What has happened?" "You have pasted some red thread and a tassel on to the place where His left wrist is." "What? I never did anything of the sort! Leave it as it is" "It has grown on the glass and it must have some meaning - He won't do anything without some significance, anyhow I shall..." "The thread is on the picture, not on the glass - underneath the glass - do you understand?" "Ah! I shall keep that in mind." It was his wife, who said it.

"My hands and feet are everywhere." He says in the Geeta, when He has decided to confer joy, then nothing can stop Him.

Beethoven has written in his own hand on a piece of paper preserved in the Royal College of Music, London, some seminal ideas of his; it includes the following about God. When we think about Baba, these lines strike us as singularly appropriate: "From what we are able to perceive in His works, we conclude that He is eternal, Almighty, Omniscient, and Omnipresent."

Baba wrote in a letter to a member of the Governing Body of a College, "Sai Sankalpa is Vajrasankalpa." (The Will of Sai is irresistible like the thunderbolt. It can never miss aim). It is irrevocable, inexpungeable, infallible. "There is nothing I desire for myself; I strive, I desire, I work, only for ensuring and developing the welfare of humanity."

Sri Laksh Kumar has had a brilliant academic career, having taken his Master's Degree in three subjects! He is at present the Divisional Inspector of Schools, in the North East Frontier Agency, now named Arunachal Pradesh. One day the mail brought him three books concerning Baba; "The Life of Baba," "A Lecture given by Him to the Students," and "A Collection of His Sayings." He had heard about Baba, and read an article published in the Illustrated Weekly of India, Bombay, but was not impressed by the portrait which appeared alongside. He felt the article was not worth reading. Nevertheless he kept the books among the Sanskrit volumes on his shelf.

While at college Laksh Kumar developed the habit of rising at midnight to read a favourite book until about 3 or 4 a.m., before turning in for another bout of sleep. But why of all books was he now trying to master the ancient Sanskrit grammar, the Ashtadhyayi (Eight Chapters) of Panini? "Panini is," he said, "an absorbing and fascinating writer." Feeling his works to be the most celebrated on linguistics, he would sit far into the night, in the quiet of his NEFA bungalow absorbed in this scholastic work. One night, struck by an un-negotiable corner in the grammatical maze he closed his eyes in order to concentrate. When he opened them, Baba was sitting in the chair next to him, in a red flowing garment with an enchanting smile!

"I did not feel fear or surprise, as must happen under such circumstances when a stranger suddenly appears at dead of night while you are poring silently over a book! I felt at ease and very much assured. Before I could ask Him who He was, I heard His sweet low voice speaking reassuringly, "Do not be afraid that I am with you." He repeated the statement twice, but the question still remained. "Who was He?" Before I could speak, He said, "I sent you some books."

"Now I knew it was Baba." I replied, "Yes. I have received some books - " and would have continued but He cut me short and said, "Read them!" I said "There is nothing in them; they are trash. There is nothing in them for me." But Baba persisted, and He spoke with sweet persuasiveness, as a friend, with no trace of bitterness, "Still, there will be something worthwhile! At least read them once!" He smiled a smile that I can never forger."

Look at the depth of Baba's love sending books, pursuing the process of transformation of the recipient by going Himself, and despite his callous cynicism urging him not lose the chance of saving himself.

In a recorded interview with Dr. M.V.N. Murthy, Ph.D., Kumar continues, "Then I felt it was wrong on my part to damn them as trash, before the very person who had sent them, without a proper reading. I said, "I shall read them," and getting up, went into the inner room to fetch them. When I returned, He was gone. I always try to keep my promises, so though this promise was made to a strange visitor who came to me in strange circumstances, I felt it my duty to read the books, I was, till then, interested only in philosophy, Eastern and Western, and not in ritual or in the lives of religious leaders as such; but I found those books explaining all the great truths of the Upanishads and other philosophical tenets of East and West in a very simple, sublime manner. Whereas I found in other philosophical books mere words, Baba's books and utterances touched me because they sprang from an eternal experience of the soul and encouraged me to reach those heights myself.

"Ten days later when I was up against another passage in Panini, at about the same hour of night, and had closed my eyes to concentrate, Baba came again! He sat in the same chair quite close to me. "I know you have read those books," He declared. I said, echoing Him: "Yes, I have read the books." "I am quite sure you have liked them, I knew you would like them." He said in a voice of assurance. "If you read them, you will surely like them." He repeated.

"His voice was full of love and benediction. I must confess that I have never heard such a sweet voice. Then Baba said, "Now why do you not translate them?" I said, "That would be very difficult." Baba repeated the statement, "Yes, it will be difficult, but I am sure you will do it." So, I rose and went into the inner room to fetch the books and some paper. Again, He had left by the time I returned. Translate, I did not ask Him, into which language - Hindi or Adi? I was sure He must have meant Adi, the language of the tribal area. So I started to work, without intermission.

"Two weeks later while struggling for a proper word in Adi for an abstract idea found in the book, Adi being not a language to suit the exposition of abstract ideas - and while absorbed in weighing one term against a few others, Baba came again. This was around midnight. It was the same blissful voice which I loved to hear. He spoke to me from the chair beside mine. "You have started translating them?"

"I raised my head and saw Him in His full glory I replied, "I cannot do it; I am not satisfied; it is very difficult." But Baba said, "You can do it very well. Why should you shirk? Anything that is worth doing will of course be difficult. You can do it, you have done it." Then - He disappeared.

I was much encouraged by this; I finished the translation, and I decided that I should read it to some Adi speaking friends and villagers, in order to find out whether it was worthwhile. Meanwhile I found that Baba's three visits and His Darsana and Sambhashana had transformed me. My attitude towards my work and my subordinates changed. Formerly I used to get angry and punished people. Now I appreciate the difficulties of other people and try to help and sympathise with them. I have become meek; the 'i' in me does not assert as much as it used to do. So I can now declare that while I translate the books of Baba, Baba succeeded in bringing out the best in me."

Grammar is as much Baba's province as any other discipline. You can reach God, the perfect Grammarian through Grammar. As Laksh Kumar pointed out, his study of Panini's works and the translations were both blessed by Baba who became his Guru. Kumar was gently guided through all the eight stages that make up the study of Panini by Baba whenever he called upon Him; all the complicated passages were expounded. "I can explain any Sutra from any section of the book in all the eight forms, and so can my three children ranging in age from thirteen to seven!" Says Laksh Kumar, now!

Baba is love and it is His Love that prompts Him to select instruments, so that they may feel a sense of participation in the fulfilments of His Mission.

Mr. Tidemann from Norway was told, "You need not look for a Guru any more; from now on I will guide you." A disciple of Indra Devi spoke to Baba about the "waves of ecstasy" he experienced during meditation at Prasanthi Nilayam. Baba told him they were "sample experiences" granted by Him, to make him proceed with confidence. Baba imparts courage, confidence, counsel and consolation to all who yearn.

"Be careful what you ask of Me for I grant what you seek!" Why stand under the heavenly Kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling tree) and ask for the gift of a paltry petty article? He knows what is good for us. Therefore, He of His own accord gives whatever we need or desire. So it is best for us not to try to interfere with His plan of our destiny.

Mr. Bhatia had three daughters; Baba said, "You will have a son soon," and so it came to pass, although the pregnancy dragged on well beyond the normal range of nine months leading to considerable anxiety on the part of the doctors and the anxious father. Baba had declared that the child would be born on the day He arrived in Bombay - leaving everyone more confused than ever! But during the 13th month, a son was born, and Bhatia hurried to the home of the Hon'ble P.K. Sawant, where he was told that he had gone to receive Baba at the Limits of Greater Bombay!

His will always prevails. Recently a sapphire ring was given to Arnold Schulman, the author of the book "Sai Baba". He was reluctant to accept it as he thought that such a valuable ring might cause trouble with the Customs at San Francisco; Baba said, "I shall look to it," The official proclaimed it as "worthless" upon examination. Yet appraisers later valued it at 125 dollars!

Containers of Vibhuti given with the assurance that they will refill as quickly as they are emptied, refill themselves with alacrity! A Divine Leela - usually called a miracle is supposed to point out that all that we see is nothing else but an object-portion of Consciousness (Atma). It is not an exhibition but is always fraught with a profound significance calculated to bear witness to the advent of the Divinity in the human frame of Baba. It arouses awe and reverence, deepens loyalty, serves as an eye-opener, removing the fog of pride. The so-called sophisticated civilisation has polluted the mind of man completely, helped him to cultivate a lust for power and possessions, deluding him in the belief that happiness lies in their attainment, and thereby leading him to moral and physical degradation.

He has come to disinfect and correct, instilling faith and fearlessness among the wise and the discriminating, so that He may have sappers and miners for His campaign against evil. As Murphet writes, "They build our faith, and help us to work with new zeal towards the production of a divine edition of themselves. And this is accomplished, not only through the great inspiration of the living examples before us, but also through the silent transforming ray that emanates from the Divine One."

One Leela, for example, has all the value for the person privileged to witness, like the Viswarupadarsana (witnessing Krishna as All) vouchsafed by Lord Krishna in the battlefield to Arjuna. One day at Prasanthi Nilayam, while walking with Dr. Y.J. Rao, M.Sc., Ph.D., a Professor of Geology, Baba picked up a piece of broken granite, the size of a fist, and turning to the doctor asked him what it contained. Happy that he could reel off his pet technical jargon, he gave the right petrological answers. But, Baba persisted and wanted that he should go deeper into its composition. He was prepared for that question too, and he spoke of atoms, chemical formulae, electrons, protons, mesons and the rest of the scientific abracadabra. Baba stopped him. He said, "No, deeper still!" Rao was at the end of the technical tether! So Baba took the rock from the hands of the geologist and blew on it. It became a beautiful idol of Lord Krishna playing the flute. The colour was slightly bluish; the structure had undergone slight modifications, to suit the curves of stance. "See! God is in the rock! You geologists have to be conscious of that; nothing exists without God, apart from God."

Every Leela of Baba is a lesson in spiritual discipline and science. He chides and the chiding strikes a hidden spring of awareness and adoration.

There was a person who worshipped Baba at home reciting the 108 Names, and on Thursdays the 1008 Names, at the end of the rite, he fell flat on the ground in front of the picture, imagining that he was clasping with both hands the Lotus Feet of Baba standing before him. There was a gap between his palms, where he imagined the Feet to be! Tears would well up in his eyes while he enjoyed the thrill of that fancy. Later when he came to Prasanthi Nilayam, Baba granted him a private interview. "Just look at My Feet as I stand before you! Take note of the width of space I require to place both feet comfortably on the ground. Your palms do not open wide enough; so I have to keep my feet cramped between them every time you want me. Keep them a bit wider!"

There is no prayer that He does not hear, no sign that is not recorded in His heart, no tear that He dismisses as unworthy of attention. He is the nearest kinsman, the closest friend, the wisest guide, the fondest mother, the very breath of our being.

He is present in this very moment on all the roads, behind every fast moving vehicle, or often with it, ready with His warning and loving Hand to avert calamity. "Driving from Colchester to London on the afternoon of the 22nd September, my son asked me to lower his seat as he wished to recline. This I did, and a truck stopped still in front of the car almost suddenly, and we ran into it. The steering wheel was completely bent, and the car extensively damaged in the front! Neither my son nor I received a scratch. Baba had asked him to recline! We had the sacred Vibhuti with us, and were reciting the Lord's name. We bow down to our beloved Lord who intervened," writes Shri V. Krishnamurthi.

Professor G.B. Pillai gives an account of some interest of his journey from Trivandrum to Madras, with his son. The family had known about Baba since 1961, and had become ardent devotees. While proceeding towards Madurai on 23rd December, 1969, a tremendous downpour of rain mercilessly lashed the train. Alarming reports of the Pamban Bridge having been washed away reached up, so the train was halted at Madurai for three hours, but eventually it was decided that it should proceed. By then it was 9-30 p.m. and the Pillais, together with Dr. C.K. Gopi who was in the same compartment, decided to retire for the night.

Suddenly the lights went out, and there was a loud explosion. The coach itself started to tumble into an abyss, while the debris of the compartment fell upon the unfortunate occupants. Professor Pillai was dropped into the roaring river waters below, pinned down by the debris - he felt himself gradually suffocating. "Where was my son? I thought of my wife and daughters, and cried out, 'Baba, Baba, save me - save my child!"

So it happened. Suddenly the waters seemed to recede, and the debris were washed away. "I could feel the ground under my feet. My head was reeling, my voice was hoarse, my clothes were washed away. I called out to my son, and he answered!"

"Baba had watched over us!" Dr. Gopi, who was also saved rendered medical aid, for sand and mud had almost choked the Professor. Later he had to fight for his life against an attack of pneumonia, but Baba's Grace helped him to recover completely.

Most letters to the author start saying; "Another miracle has happened!" "Susan, who was miraculously saved by Baba from suicide, had a son, Kevin, who survived brain surgery as a child, but was left totally blind in one eye. Each night Susan used to place a little Vibhuti in his eye. Finally when the child's eye was examined it was found that sight had returned to it - "even if he were to lose the sight in his good eye, he could see objects and get around with the vision in his blind eye." This is from a letter from Santa Barbara, on the Pacific Coast of America.

Nearly twenty years ago, arriving one morning at the Nilayam I found a group of young men from a Bangalore college praying to Baba to take them to the top of the hill on the left bank of the Chitravathi river. They hoped that once there, Baba would take from the famous tamarind tree, fruits of different species. I too joined in the appeal, but Baba was determinedly silent for a while, then said sharply, "Do I require that particular tree? Any tree can do." We were filled with hope. He would give us fruit from another tree and make that immortal! But He said, "Why do you think I want a tree? Sand is good enough." That meant He would give us something from the river bed! We were soon disillusioned! "Do I need the sands of a riverbed? Is not any sand equally good?"

Since the building work was in progress at the Nilayam, truck loads of sand had been heaped to one side. "We shall sit on this heap itself, Swami!" I said. "Do you think that the creation of something out of sand is the only miracle? Is sand so essential?" We did not know what to say - we had to be satisfied by the miracle, creation of Vibhuti by the mere wave of a hand. "Should I create something so that you can see a miracle? Is not your existence itself a miracle of Mine?" He asked. Then He rose and walked away leaving us aghast at the revelation of His being the Trinity, of His being the Incarnation of the One Universal God.

Every miracle of Baba is a gift of Grace. It may be a pinch of sacred ash, a piece of candy, a picture created before us; it may be a shower of ash, or the emergence of Kumkum or fragrant sandal or nectarine honey, on a picture, an Om in ash on the floor, a continuous flow of scented oil or Amrith from a Linga or locket. It may also be a series of paper slips on which counsel or warnings are written in the language you understand, that come from His hands in the portraits you worship. It may be given to you while you are awake, asleep or dreaming - or come to you as a book or as a parcel through the post, in reply for an order that you may not have placed. It may be a vision of Himself, subtle, substantial, momentary or more lasting, but, always, it is a sign of His Love and Majesty.

The more you want, the more He gives; the more He gives, the more you grow; the nearer you approach Him, the closer do you approximate to Him.

"Come with empty hands," Baba says. Throw away all the things that you hold in the grasp of your hand; cast away the toys with which you have been playing the game of gaining and losing, gathering and scattering. Baba delights in giving. He does not relish being adored or admired because our praise does not add anything to His Glory, and criticism cannot minus it either. He delights in filling empty hands with lasting sweetness; empty hearts with lasting, joy; empty lives with salutary substance; empty reeds with His melodious breath.

Each gift prepares us afresh to receive yet another, for nothing is given without significance - it is to facilitate us to go forward in our search for Truth. He is not rendered less by giving; our capacity for receiving is boundless too. So Manava (Man) negates and needs, hungers and receives, and thus becomes ultimately Madhava, God, Himself.

While addressing an audience of Sai devotees, Dr. Bhagavantham recently said that about a decade back good photos of Bhagawan in colour were not available. Therefore his son prayed to Baba for a picture. His son's prayers were spontaneously answered as Bhagawan materialised a Lingam and gave it. This is a pointer revealing the inner core of the Reality or the Real.

Once a few devotees were sitting with Baba at the foot of a mountain and Baba held a few pebbles in His hand and threw them towards a devotee, converting these into sugar candy. At this the devotee enquired from Baba that if He could instantly convert those stones into sugar candy, could He not transform the entire mountain in front of them into sugar candy? Baba replied, "It can be done, but why unnecessarily interfere with its nature?"

In fact, no material or movement is necessary to materialise anything for Him. His Will (Sankalpa) is supreme. On one occasion, Baba was talking on spiritual matters to a devotee, and all of a sudden the devotee found on his lap a red apple. The devotee was astonished, and Baba told him, "Didn't you say, earlier on, that you did not have any breakfast? Eat it now, for you will be having your lunch only after a couple of hours." This was accomplished with out any transformation of any material or without any wave of the hand.

"Get detached from the transitory pleasure; boldly attach yourself with the One, peerless and perennial, remaining in a serene state of Blissful Awareness," says Baba.


N. Kasturi


 

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