I would like to share some of my numerous experiences with other devotees. In 2002, when I was based in Dubai, things were not working out well on both the work and financial front, and I was very depressed. On 10th May 2002 at around 10:00 pm at night, I received a call from one of my friends. On his enquiring about myself, I told him of my mental state of mind, that I was very depressed. He then advised me to read the book Sai Satcharitha by Hemandpant. He said that if one does a Sapthah (reading in 7 days) then it is supposed to be very auspicious. He told me that the English version is very difficult to get but he himself was reading it from a website. While I was noting the name of the website my wife entered the apartment and I asked her about this book since she has been a devotee of Sai Baba since childhood. She said that this book has been in our house for many years. I did not believe her and re-confirmed it with my friend. I was not a religious person and though I vaguely felt that there must be a God somewhere, I really did not have much faith in any God. I never prayed nor went to a temple. In fact, I used to wait outside the temple in my car while my wife went to pray.
I don't know what made me start a Saptah that very night and when I came to the portion, which mentions about Baba taking his Maha Samadhi on 15th October1918, I just broke down and started crying uncontrollably. I just could not understand why I had such emotions for someone whom I did not believe in or love. I mentioned this to someone at that time "that I had felt the same emotions when I read about Him passing away as if I had come to know of my own father passing away". I was extremely close to my father and loved him more than anyone else in this world. More than my God, mother, wife or children. Meanwhile, I also was introduced through my friend to a devotee of Baba in Dubai.
On 12th June, 2002 I got the news that my father had passed away peacefully. I rushed to India on the next available flight and was there at home next morning. My father's body was placed on ice in his bedroom and all items in his room had been cleared out. While I was crying I noticed that on the opposite wall was a photo of Baba. I just couldn't believe it! All other paintings and photos from the walls had been removed except Baba's. I went across the room and saw that at the bottom of the picture was stapled the reading of the "Geeta Saar". One of the lines read like this - What have you lost that you are crying? What did you bring with you that you have lost? I just stopped crying from then on. It was as if Baba had explained to me within a few seconds the meaning of life and death. It was just mind blowing. It felt as if there was an exchange - that Baba had come in place of my father, knowing that along with my financial problems I would not be able to take the additional loss of my father.
As per Baba's instructions, I started my saptah on 16 June during my father's mourning period. Since my father had passed away on 12th June the mourning period was supposed to have ended on 24th June i.e. 12 days of mourning. In between the pujari mentioned that 24th June was not an auspicious date and that we should either extend the mourning period by 2 days or reduce by 2 days. Keeping in mind the convenience of relatives who had come from out of town the family decided to reduce the mourning period by 2 days. That meant that the mourning period would now end on 22 June. My saptah, which began on 16th June, too ended on 22nd June.
For a non-believer like me all these incidents were too much for me to digest and laugh away as if they were coincidences. What logically should have been the worst period in my life turned out to be the best as I just surrendered my self to HIM. It took me over a year but I finally landed a fantastic job in Qatar. I just kept praying to Him, doing regular Saptahs and listening to his Dhuns and Bhajans.
During this period, I was completely broke but He kept sending people to help me. Dubai is a very commercial place. But I had acquaintances coming over, offering me financial help without my asking them and saying that not to worry about returning the money. I did not have a car and people would let me use their cars for interviews without any expectations. It was unbelievable. In Dubai, while I was looking for a job I did not have enough money to buy decent clothes for interviews as my clothes had become relatively old and frayed. One day I went to buy some item from a mall and there was a promotion going on. I got a coupon from my purchase, which I deposited. The next day I got a call from the mall authorities that I had won the daily draw of 500 Dhirams (US$ 137). I was delighted and went to collect the money. I bumped into the sales person who had sold me the item and he congratulated me and demanded from me "Mithai". It was like Baba demanding his Dakshina. Since no Indian sweets were available in the mall, I bought him a box of Macintosh chocolates from the supermarket in the mall. When I handed it over to him, he was delighted, thanked me and said that I was the first person to have done so. He said that I would win another prize. Since I got another coupon with the purchase of the chocolates, I deposited it. Next day I get another call from the mall that I had won 500 Dhirams (US$ 137) in their daily draw. It was just too much. I have never won a single pencil in my life before and now I get US $ 274 within 2 days.
I bought myself a full set of clothes, which helped me gain confidence for my interviews. He is really too kind! I am now based in Qatar for the past 2 years and am managing the Heavy Equipment Division of a leading company. I have never managed such products in my life and the only Heavy Equipment, which I ever saw, was on worksites while driving past. I was selected over candidates with more than 20 years relevant experience. In the first year (2004) I broke all sales records and was honored in Japan this April 2005 by one of our principals. By end September 2005, I have already completed my annual target. My net profits have shown a growth of 100% within 2 years. His leelas just never cease to amaze me. There have been so many more leelas in between which I have not mentioned. Baba is great and I can never thank Him enough.
(Contributed by Jaidev Singh, Qatar)
JAI SREE SAI RAM!