Sri Sathya Sai The pain of a Devotee

Om Sri Sai Ram

One of the students of Vrindavan was suffering from severe case of Asthma. He had on numerous occassions written to Baba to cure him of the ailment. When Baba did not seem to reply, he became increasingly frustrated.

He tried to ask Baba about his ailment in darshan lines but some way or the other he could not establish proper contact with Baba.

The following night he had a severe attack of asthma — he couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t breathe due to severe choking.

He looked at Baba’s photograph (every room has such photograph) and asked him: —

“Do you see how I am suffering? Do you even know how I am feeling now? No, You don’t. Because if you would have, You wouldn’t remain a silent spectator to my suffering. I will show you how it feels.” .

So saying He, with great difficulty moved himself towards Baba’s photograph and closed Baba’s nose and mouth and said–

“Do you now understand how it feels; hu (with a sense of anger in him.)?”

A few moments later he felt a little dizzy and swooned (fell unconscious).

His roommates woke him up next morning asking —

“Why did you leave your bed and sleep here near Baba’s photograph? ”

The boy got up looking at Baba’s photo but did not open his mouth expecting a thorough reprimand from his room mates in case he revealed what he had done during his asthma attack.

During evening darshan Baba, having gone through the seating of devotees, came towards students, went straight to the boy and held his hand. In a moment the students found Baba breathing hard.

Realising that Baba was taking his disease, the boy cried out —

“Baba, I wanted you to cure me, not take my disease on you? Please don’t suffer for my sake.”So saying, he tried to free himself off Baba’s grip.

BUT ONCE YOU ARE IN BABA’S HOLD, CAN ANY POWER IN THE WORLD FREE YOU FROM THAT GRIP? Baba held on for 2 minutes and then started breathing normally.

Baba looked at the boy deeply and said –

“Do you think I need your letters to know what’s happening with you? I knew about your asthma. Your karmic effect got transferred to me. 20 years of suffering for you is only 2 minutes of suffering for me.”

Then he turned to all the students and said–

“HAVE FAITH ON ME. BABA IS HAPPY YOU DID NOT GIVE UP YOUR FAITH. GIVE UP EVERYTHING TO ME. DO MY BIDDING. THE WHOLE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU. BE GOOD INSTRUMENTS OF CHANGE IN SOCIETY. I BLESS YOU ALL.”