DwarkaMai - Sai Baba Forum
Main Section => Your Experience with Sai Baba => Topic started by: SS91 on March 08, 2005, 09:49:34 AM
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Experience
I give an incident during my first visit to Shiridi.
It was in February 1977, when I was posted in Trivandrum that I had
the opportunity to visit Shiridi.
I was deputed for a training programme in Pune.
Two youngsters from our colony had advised me that I should go to
Shiridi during my stay in Pune for six weeks.
I replied that I would go "if possible", as though not to offend
them who were good friends.
During the first week of training another officer who had come from
Chennai told me that he wanted to go to Shiridi and was wondering
how to go about it.
Later on I felt that it was like the incident in Chapter 30 of the
Satcharitha, "Kakaji Vaidya of Vani".
We made enquiries in the bus stand about the timings of buses from
Pune to Shiridi and found that there was s bus on Saturday at 03.00
pm which suited us.
We had a wonderful Darshan in the evening and attended Shej Arti
also.
We could get a locker in the hall in Bhakta Niwas and slept well.
Early in the morning we had our bath and stood in the queue for the
Kakkad Arti.
When the Arti was over and the Punya Snaan was about to start,
one of the priests called both of us to the platform to our utter
surprise!
Our joy knew no bounds when we were allowed to give Bath to Baba as
well as the tombstone ! what impressed us more was the gentle care
that the priests there take, to see that the water was slightly warm
and which would not hurt the person having bath.
In one bucket I distinctly remember how a small quantity of coconut
oil shampoo, which used to be a very popular brand those days,
was mixed and was used for His bath ! Afterwards we dried Him up
with the best of towels and got down from the platform.
We had no letter of introduction or no acquaintance in Shiridi
(of course other than Baba).
What we were impressed about was that whole matter was done with
meticulous care and not as a formality.
How we were selected for the special honour,
we are still unaware of .
Thereafter I started reading the Satcharitha everyday.
Needless to say I got many of my doubts regarding religious life
were cleared, particularly the incident mentioned in
Cahpter 9 "Baba fed sumptuously, how?" Now I read one chapter of
the Satcharitha everyday and try to remember each event mentioned in
each chapter, whenever I am disturbed mentally and I get peace
immediately.
K. SIVARAMAN
Coimbatore-641002.
"Why do you grieve for nothing? The appeasement of the dog's hunger
is the same as Mine. The dog has a soul, the creatures may be
different, but the hunger of all is the same, though some speak and
others are dumb. Know :certain that, he who feeds the hungry really
serves Me with food. Regard this as axiomatic truth".
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.