A Miraculous Cure:Heart Surgery Cancelled Sathya Saibaba, the Master of miracles cancels an ardent devotee’s heart surgery. An old lady from Madras once had a sharp pain in her chest. Her husband rushed to their family doctor, who in turn referred them to a heart surgeon. The lady was put to a through test. To the shock of her husband and her, the doctor revealed that there appeared three blockages in her heart. The doctor also suggested that an immediate heart operation has to be done. The lady however refused to undergo the operation without the consent of the Lord of her heart, Sri Sathya Sai Baba. She also ignored the medicines prescribed for the pain. The Lord is the only succor for a lost heart. That night, the lady had a wonderous dream where Sathya Saibaba took a piece of paper, drew a heart and crossed it. The lady woke up with tears of ecstasy, “Baba I know not the significance of the dream, but I am aware that my heart problem has been taken care of!” A miraculous cure just came about naturally!Can there be a dearth of miracles by Sathya Sai Baba in the devotees’ lives? The next day, the elderly couple visited the doctor again and the lady went through the same tests, a second time. To the utter astonishment of everyone, the results simply did not show any trait of a heart ailment. The blocks were absent and hence the heart surgery was ruled out! The husband related to the doctor, the wonderful dream that his wife had the previous night. He however wanted to make sure about the medicines that she had to take for her heart condition to be stable. When the prescription was produced, the doctor just crossed it exactly the way Satya Sai Baba had done in the dream! Surging gratitude from the heart flowed down as tears on the cheeks of the devotee! A miraculous cure just came about naturally! Can there be a dearth of miracles by Sathya Sai Baba in the devotees’ lives?

Display of Destiny – On His Palm They Saw A certain person was a captain during the Second World War, but since he died of a commonplace disease in a civil hospital, his widow did not get much by way of pension. So she had to earn some money teaching music, in order to keep her three children – two daughters and a son – in elementary ease. The son passed his B.Sc. examination with a first class from the Madras University, while still in his teens. The army authorities gave him a job in their cantonment office at Bangalore. His mother, who was overwhelmed with joy, sent him to offer homage to the family deity, Venkatachalapthi, in the temple on the Thirumalai Hills in Andhra Pradesh, so that he could join duty at Bangalore with divine blessings. However, what did happen was that the boy got drowned in the holy tank of the temple. His body was in police custody for two days as it was unidentified. The anxious mother was confronted by the photograph of her son’s corpse which appeared in the daily papers. But, Baba appeared to her in a dream and directed her to come to Puttaparthi. There she was taken by a mysterious stranger to the Presence. Bhagavan called her and her children for the precious interview. “Don’t weep,” He said, “for your son who led a disciplined life and was full of devotion, has now merged with God. When he has found the lotus feet of Bliss, you should not indulge in grief.” But she could not be consoled. Then Baba said, “I know your heart is broken since you could not have even a last glimpse of his body. See, it is here.” Saying this, He spread His palm in front of her, and she could clearly see the events of that fateful pilgrimage appear upon it: The son slipped on the steps of the tank, and a few people jumped in to save him. It was too late. Even first-aid could not revive him. A lotus-like bunch of flames rose from his body and proceeded towards the innermost shrine where the idol of Venkatachalapathi is installed, disappearing in a blaze of glory at the Lord’s feet. Then she saw the idol come alive and change into a charming image of Baba Himself. After some time Baba spoke to her, “Mother, the one you loved as your son was a staunch devotee of the Lord during his previous life. He was engaged in Tapas for twelve years on the steps of this very holy temple tank. His deepest desire was to attain Jala Samadhi (Water-mergence) in those sacred waters. To fulfil that desire he took birth again and, as your guru, has led you to Me. Remain in Puttaparthi, ever singing the glory of Venkatachalapathi, who has accepted your son into His fold.”

Oh! I am a Chowkidar (watchman) On another occasion group captain Bose, driving with his wife and father-in-law from Ambala to Gauhati in a high powered car with low clearance was unable to move on the slushy road near Hariharganj. The entire area was dangerously flooded by serpentine heavy rains; the road was a lake. The back wheels of the car sank completely into the mud, while up front, one wheel was stuck in a ditch! At that late hour of 11.30 p.m. no help was available, nor would it have been of much avail since all efforts to free her only succeeded in making her sink deeper. The occupants were able to procure shelter in a nearby school, and slept on bare benches at night. Mrs. Bose felt that Baba had spared them a long and hazardous journey, driving through the night, but her husband was determined to reach Gauhati where he had to preside over a Court Martial. “Duty is God. Work is Worship,” he quoted Baba. When dawn broke, no passing car or truck would agree to help, nor would the small crowd of amused villagers lift a finger! Their enjoyment of the pitiable spectacle only fanned the flames of despair. Unfortunately Mr. Bose had a little bit of ego left in him; he decided to rely on horse power rather than Sai Power! Ropes were procured, but the car would not move; the engine was restarted, but she only sank further into the slush. Eventually, an exhausted Bose flopped to the ground, saying, “The Lotus Feet of Baba is our only refuge.” Almost immediately a gentle looking man with a strong physique came towards them. No one seemed to recognize him, nor could they guess his whereabouts. Handing his umbrella to Mrs. Bose, he became master of the situation. Bose was asked to get into the car and take the wheel – a sweet fragrance flooded the interior, but before the engine could be switched on, or the gaping crowd could offer assistance, Mrs. Bose saw the man ‘put his right hand under the bumper, and with one lift, he placed the car forward upon hard ground, all wheels safe out of the awful mire.’ Then all the occupants were requested to get into the car! Puzzled, they tried to thank him and to ask who, and what he was, “Oh, I am a Chowkidar (watchman),” he said, and walked away. Disengaging itself from the now vociferous crowd, the car moved away, and soon caught up with the man, walking briskly down the road. Bose begged the man to accept something but he refused. Then He spoke one sentence, “Why did you not call for me last night itself?” The Lotus Feet had indeed come to them!

Sai Saga 1. Incarnation, 1926-1940 This is the Story of the Lord come in human form, incarnated at a quite little village, Puttaparthi, in 1926. Born to a quiet, pious and contented couple, Sri Pedda Venkama Raju and Mother Easwaramma, and christened Sathyanarayana Raju. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is now worshipped as ‘God Incarnate’ and adored as ‘Loving Divinity’ by millions across the globe. Signs of The DescentMysterious indications of the impending incarnation occurred in Pedda Venkama’s house. For example, there was the twang of the tambura! Since the brothers and the father were all interested in the village operas, there was a substantially big tambura and a Maddala or drum. As the birth of the Son for whom Mother Easwaramma prayed, announced itself as imminent, the house was awakened at midnight, and sometimes even later, by the tambura twanging automatically, and the maddala beating rhythmically as if an expert Hand was handling it! One Sastri, whom Pedda Venkama Raju approached for an explanation, said that it was an auspicious occurrence: it meant the presence of a Shakthi, a beneficent Power, conferring Harmony, Melody, Order, Symmetry, Spiritual Elevation and Joy. The Sun rises above the horizon! On the 23rd day of November 1926, the son was born. It was the time of sunrise; and, the villagers were chanting the names of Shiva, remembering that the day was still Karthika Somavara, a Monday of the Holy Month of Karthika, devoted to the puja and worship of Shiva. That day was made even more auspicious for Shiva worship, because the ascendant star was Ardra and on such rare occasions when the month, the day and the star coincide, special pujas are performed in the temples of the Lord. The year was Akshaya, the Never-declining, the Ever-full. The Mother had also just finished, in some hurry of course, her Sathya Narayana Puja in accordance with her vows, for, even while she was going through the final rituals, the pangs forewarned her. When Easwaramma announced the pangs, word was sent to the mother-in-law, Lakshamma, the pious lady of the house; but, it became known that she had gone to the house of the priest to perform the Puja of Sathya Narayana; the messenger discovered her there and urged her to return; but she was so confident of the Grace of Sathya Narayana, so steadfast in her devotion, so disciplined in her religious adherence, that she refused to be hustled! She sent word that she will bring with her to Easwaramma the sacred offerings after the Puja and that, on no account would she interrupt her prayers! She finished the entire ritual with full concentration, came home, gave her daughter-in-law the flowers and the sacred water Easwaramma partook of the blessings of the Lord. Next moment, the Lord was born; And the Sun rose above the horizon! Sathyanarayana Raju Indeed the village, which bears the name, Ant-hill Prosperity, gave the child an appropriate welcome! A snake was there lying in the room! The women did not notice it for long; but, when the baby, laid on a bed of clothes, was being moved up and down in a peculiar way by something underneath, they watched with bated breath and when at last they searched, they found a cobra below the bed! The snake was acting the role of Sesha to the Seshasai! The baby was charming beyond description, and, no wonder! For, it had even in the cradle all the Yogic Siddhis, which Pathanjali says come along with birth itself. Baba has declared that He knew even prior to His Birth where He would be born; He has said that he was born with all the miraculous powers, which He is later out of His own will, manifesting one by one, as and when He feels each could be so announced. It must therefore follow that the baby had a halo of splendour around its head, that its smile had an other-worldly beauty and a heavenly power to captivate the heart. The baby was named Sathyanarayana, since the relationship between the puja to that God and the realisation of her cherished desire seemed to the Mother to be very important. When the Namakaranam (Naming Ceremony) was performed and the name was whispered in the ear; it seems the baby smiled, for the suggestion to give that name must have emanated unobtrusively from Itself! How else can we explain the fact that the first requisite for spiritual advancement, now propounded by Baba, is Sathya itself? The embodiment and exponent of Truth could not give Himself a more appropriate name. Raju – “The Brahmin Child” The Divine child became the pet of the entire village of Puttaparthi and the ryots and cowherds vied with each other in fondling it and feeding it and playing with its lovely silken curls. Its charming smile attracted every one. The fragrance of the jasmine bud filled the air. Like a lighted lamp, Sathya moved about the house and laughter tinkled in the street when he lisped his sweet vocabulary of sounds. He kept away from places where pigs or sheep or cattle or fowl were killed or tortured, or where fish was trapped or caught; he avoided kitchens and vessels used for cooking flesh or fowl. When a bird was selected and talked about by someone in connection with dinner, Sathyanarayana the little boy, would run towards it and clasp it to His bosom and fondle it as if the extra love He poured on it would induce the elders to relent and spare the fowl. He was called by the neighbours, “Brahmajnani” on account of this type of aversion and this measure of Love towards creation. At such times, the boy used to run to the Karnam’s house for they were Brahmins and vegetarians, and take the food offered by Subbamma, the aged lady residing there. So distinct was his behaviour that a wag once nicknamed him “the Brahmin child”! Yes, it was a fitting description. Little did