sai_pranam

SRI SATHYA SAI HRUDAYA NIVASI
(Indweller of Hearts)
CHAPTER - 6
SAI SHOWS THE SPIRITUAL PATH

In the first place I wish to reproduce hereunder, the words of my dedication for this Book in the form a memoriam

Sri Shankara Mani, also popularly known as V.S. Mani is no more with us now, having attained His Lotus Feet recently. I happened to be born as his youngest brother.

He was with me all along in our journey towards the Sai Path. A very modern young man, holding very high Executive positions, gradually glided into the spiritual pursuit. Needless to say, it was Sai who took him into His merciful fold and then placed him under the care of a Powerful yogi, Dhyani Maharaj Madhusudan Dasji, who initiated both of us into Sidha Yoga (Kundalini Yoga) through Shakthi Path Deeksha. Our Guruji also helped us to instill in us deeper faith in the Divine incarnation of Bhagavan Sri Sai Baba.

Like me, my beloved brother was also the recipient of Sai Grace many times. I had identified myself with him in some of the narrations.

With Sai's grace, I dedicate this effort of mine, to the memory of my brother late Shankara Mani (V.S.Mani).

V.Srinivasan

In the introductory remarks on the dedication of this book, I had referred to my eldest brother late Sri V.S.Mani. Both of us were employed for a while in a same firm in Bombay. This offered us lot of opportunities to discuss many matters, during our spare time. After the entry of Sai into our life, the name of Bhagavan Sri Sai Baba became a permanent topic. With our limited, nay, small minds we ventured to rationalize critically, the mystic miracles of Baba, as was being widely known to the world. When I recall these stupidities, I feel how grievously we had erred trying to fathom the depth of the limitless, which was nothing but an exercise in futility. Yet those were the initial days of our advent into Sai era.

Even before we came to know of Baba, a friend of my brother had given a small photograph of Bhagavan Baba and spoke much about the powers of Baba. My brother accepted it very casually. He put it inside a book, and never thought about it for many months.

Long after that he happened to visit New Delhi and stay there for about a couple of months in connection with office work. During this period he was steadily loosing the hearing faculty and had very difficult time when discussing anything with somebody. This hampered his normal activities. Through a very influential friend, he was taken to a specialist doctor, where he was put into lot of tests. The diagnosis was that he had a problem of jammed windpipe near his neck area and it was medically impossible for surgical correction. He was further advised to accept the situation and get used to the set back. Only "God can help you", said the doctor.

While coming out of the Hospital area, the good friend told him, "Why not pray to your new found God, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and request Him to cure you?" My brother had no other option and replied that that is exactly what he intended to do. Once in the parking area, they were opening the doors of the car and were about to get inside. At that time, a gentleman introducing himself as an assistant of the Specialist Doctor, informed that the Doctor had forgotten to tell you something and that the had to come to tell some remedial measures which my brother could try. "Take as much air as possible into your lungs and hold it there. Close your both ears and nose tightly with your hands and try to flush in the air through the inner part of the system and this pressure generated inside may open up the jammed wind pipe. Please try."

Back in the hotel, while putting the books on a table, the photograph of Baba, kept inside many days back fell down on the carpeted floor. My brother picked it up and thought for a while. The doctor's casual advice while taking leave and also the unexpected visit of a gentleman in the parking area, all came in a flash in his mind. "Why not then sincerely pray to Sri Sai Baba and pray for His blessings" thought my brother. He picked up the photo from the floor, placed it reverently on the table, and went for a quick bath. With wet clothes, he prayed to Swami and requested Him to cure him of the deafness. At this moment, he again recalled the advice given by a gentleman in the parking area, and undertook the exercise as suggested by him. During his third attempt to build up pressure inside his lungs and windpipe area, he could feel a sudden opening and was frightened by the big sounds echoing in his ears. He could hear again and that too, to such an extent that it caused pain in his eardrums. He could not even bear the sound of the fan rotating on the ceiling and the sound of the cars moving around outside. On that day, he had to plug his ears with a piece of cotton. He lived a normal life from thereon for a further period of over 30 years with clear hearing faculty.

The return of my brother from Delhi after the miraculous cure, coincided with the Divine visit of Bhagavan Baba to Bombay. With this first experience of His Grace in our family, we went to Worli for Darshan with increased faith and devotion. From this period onwards, our life style completely changed. We discarded the stylish way of life and without any pomp and show. We learned to live a simple and spiritual way of living. We got introduced to many Sai devotees and we were only happy to avoid the old company of fashionable. It was our endeavor to adopt spirituality in our day-to-day activities. We started reading many Sai literature ad took keen interest in following His teachings in right earnestness. Perhaps this single pointed devotion and our desire for spirituality moved Lord Sai to set a path for us. It seems that He willed that he should place us for further care with an enlightened personality. Things started moving in the right directions.

There were couple of known devotees with whom we happened to discuss spiritual matters. We were always having matters to be clarified, which prompted us to seek guidance from the devotees who seemed to be more spiritualized persons. These persons informed us that they are practicing yoga having been initiated by a Sidha Yogi, Dhyani Maharaj Madhusudhan Dasji. My brother started attending meditation sessions in their house, though Guruji was not physically available there. We were told that Guruji stayed in His Ashram in a remote village called "Bandhwad", in Banaskantha District of Gujarat State. It is so remote that it used to take at least a week for a letter to reach there by post. He used to visit Bombay once in a while.

Dhyani Maharaj Madhusudhan Dasji was a Sidha yogi and he initiates only those who are spiritually ripe and receptive to yogic marg. The method of this yoga is awakening of Kundalini by Shakthi Path, whereby transmitting His yogic powers to the disciple. The yoga is known as Sidha Yoga or Laya Yoga.

We attended the Dyan Center and joined the group meditation. On the first day itself, we experienced the awakening of Kundalini, losing body consciousness. My brother told me that during the period of meditation he could see many saints appearing one by one and blessing him. To have such experiences on the first day itself is very remarkable and that too without Guruji in presence and before formal initiation by His Shakthi path Deeksha. He had various curious thought in his mind. "Who is this Guruji, and why these are all happening to me? Does He know me and do I deserve for such a Grace of a Yogi?". Next couple of days we were in blissful mood and more and more eager to practice Meditation.

We also longed to have Darshan of this Guruji. The Dyan center was at the residence of Dr. Pathak in the locality of Prarthana Samaj in Bombay. On the third day when we went as usual for meditation, Dr. Pathak informed us that he had received a letter from Guruji, and that there was a message in it for us also. Guruji had mentioned that he was happy to know that we are attending meditation regularly and we are having many experiences during meditations. "Let them not have much curiosity how these are all happening to us or whether they deserve it at all. They should only know that these experiences are due to the Grace of their new found Ishta Devatha".

I understood later on that Grace of Sai works even without our being aware of it. When once He accepts you and takes you into His fold, He then chooses the path best suitable for you. He Himself guides you and in case of necessity, places you under the care of an able guide. Within a very short period we could find complete change in our attitude towards our life and willingly and thankfully accepted the spiritual path as shown by Sai.

This was only the beginning of a long journey on the path. There were innumerable instances of His Grace during the next 3 decades. The following chapters will illustrate His mercy, His love, and His all-pervading Divinity that enveloped my life.

Sai Ram.