Shri sathya sai ‘Another Leela of Baba’

‘Another Leela of Baba’

That particular year (1969) I had not planned to go for Baba’s birthday as I was due to visit India a little later. All the same one evening, after meditation, looking at his picture, I found myself saying: ‘Bhagavan, take me to Puttaparthi for Your birthday.’ Two years later, I received a phone call from Chuck Wein, a young man who used to come to our Sai Baba Centre in Los Angeles. He was calling from the Warner Brothers Motion Picture Studio.

‘Mataji, can you go to India tomorrow? Warner Brothers will pay your passage if you will go to ask Sai Baba’s permission to make a documentary film on His life…’ Somehow, I wasn’t even surprised and answered very calmly, ‘Tomorrow is Sunday and all the offices are closed, but I can leave on Tuesday.’

‘Who is paying for my ticket?’ I asked the Air India manager in Los Angeles.

‘Warner Brothers,’ he replied.

I arrived just in time for the celebrations which began early in the morning when Bhagavan hoisted the Prashanthi Nilayam flag on the roof of the temple. He then declared that He was Shiva-Shakti incarnated in human form, in order to lead men towards God. He exhorted people to cleanse and purify their hearts – to make Discrimination (Viveka) their flag post, unfurl the flag of Love on in and let it flutter joyfully in the wind of Grace. He also said that He is born in each of us as Love.

‘Only that day, when love is born in you, can it be my Birthday.’

At eleven o’clock Swami went from the temple to the auditorium in procession. His mother, Easwaramma, started the ceremony by first garlanding the Sai, then anointing His head with a flower dipped into a cup of fragrant oil. She was followed by several others chosen by Baba from among His old devotees. The procession then moved, headed by the temple elephant Sai Gita.
The day before I was ready to return home, Bhagavan called me in to give His blessing. At parting he produced, with the familiar circling motion of His hand, a beautiful golden medallion of the Goddess Lakshmi.

‘I don’t want anything, Bhagavan,’ I pleaded.

‘This is not for you… for the protection of the house – no more fires.’

I did not know at that moment how badly we would need His protection a few months later when we were about to loose the ranch.

After returning from India, I went to the Warner Brothers Studio, but not a soul there had ever heard of Sai Baba let alone my trip to Him!

‘Another leela of Baba?’ wondered Dick Bock when I told him about it.

Another Leela of Baba: A Sacred Reminder of Divine Grace

Another Leela of Baba is a beautiful devotional theme that reminds us how the Divine works in simple, surprising, and loving ways. Baba’s leelas are not ordinary incidents. They are sacred plays of grace that touch the heart, remove doubts, and bring devotees closer to faith. Sometimes His help comes through a miracle, sometimes through a person, sometimes through a dream, and sometimes through a quiet feeling of peace that enters the mind at the right moment.

In the life of a devotee, there are moments when everything feels uncertain. A problem may appear too big, a prayer may seem unanswered, or the heart may become tired of waiting. During such times, Baba’s grace often works silently. Another Leela of Baba shows that the Divine does not always announce His presence loudly. Many times, He comes gently, like a hidden hand arranging events for the devotee’s good.

A family once faced a difficult situation. They were worried about a serious matter and did not know what decision to take. Every person in the house had a different opinion, and confusion was increasing day by day. Finally, they sat before Baba’s picture and prayed with complete sincerity. They did not ask for wealth, comfort, or success. They simply asked for guidance and protection. Their prayer came from a helpless but faithful heart.

The next day, something unexpected happened. A person they had not met for a long time visited them and spoke about the same issue without knowing their problem. His words gave them exactly the clarity they needed. What had seemed confusing for many days suddenly became simple. The family felt that Baba had answered their prayer through that visitor. Another Leela of Baba teaches that divine guidance may come through ordinary people, but its timing makes it extraordinary.

This is the beauty of Baba’s ways. He does not need to appear physically to help a devotee. A message may come through a book, a child, a stranger, a dream, a doctor, or even a delay that later proves to be protection. Human beings see only the outer event, but a devotee feels the inner grace behind it. Baba’s love is not limited by distance, place, or form. He reaches the heart wherever faith is present.

Another Leela of Baba also teaches patience. Many devotees want immediate answers, but Baba’s timing is always guided by wisdom. Sometimes He gives quickly, and sometimes He makes the devotee wait. Waiting is not rejection. It is often a way to build trust, strength, and surrender. A delayed blessing may protect a person from a wrong path, and an unexpected turn may lead to something better than planned.

The deeper meaning of any leela is transformation. If a miracle only creates excitement, its purpose remains incomplete. But if it makes a person more humble, grateful, truthful, and loving, then the leela has truly entered the heart. Baba’s grace is not meant to increase pride or curiosity. It is meant to awaken devotion and inspire better living. Another Leela of Baba reminds us that the greatest miracle is a changed heart.

A devotee who experiences Baba’s help should also become an instrument of help for others. If Baba gives comfort, we should comfort someone else. If He gives protection, we should protect the weak. If He gives guidance, we should guide others with kindness. Devotion should not remain only in prayer rooms. It should flow into daily life through service, patience, honesty, and compassion.

Baba’s leelas are often simple because the Divine loves simplicity. A small packet of food arriving when someone is hungry, a timely phone call during sadness, a safe escape from danger, or sudden courage before a difficult task can all become signs of grace. People may call them coincidences, but the devotee knows how deeply they answer the prayer of the heart.

Another Leela of Baba also reminds us to keep faith even when life does not move according to our wishes. Baba may not always remove every difficulty, but He gives strength to face it. He may not always give what we demand, but He gives what the soul truly needs. His love is not based on our impatience; it is based on divine wisdom.

To recognize such grace, the heart must be pure and grateful. An ungrateful mind misses blessings, while a grateful heart sees Baba’s hand everywhere. The breath we take, the food we receive, the family that supports us, the strength to continue, and the peace after prayer are all forms of divine care. When we learn to see life with devotion, every day becomes filled with small leelas.

In the end, Another Leela of Baba is not only a story of one miracle or one blessing. It is a reminder that Baba is always near, guiding, protecting, and loving His devotees in countless ways. His leelas teach faith, surrender, gratitude, and service. When the devotee remembers Him with sincerity and tries to live by His teachings, ordinary life becomes sacred, and every moment becomes touched by divine grace.