I shall draw out my devotees from the jaws of Death

Shri Sai Baba as Samartha Sadguru

Samartha Sadgurus like Samartha Ramadas and Sai Baba are men in name only.

But, they are supermen in saguna form. In reality, they are Gods themselves (Parabramha).

It is very difficult to define or describe the nature of incarnations.

Shri Sai Baba is one of these incarnations. Who can gauge or measure His (Baba’s) Leelas?

Even thousand tongued ‘Adishesha’ cannot describe Him fully.

Then how can we, who are weak and ignorant, describe His wonderful life and ineffable nature?

He alone knows His greatness. Really, His greatness is unfathomable;

but, by His revelations to His bhakthas (out of love) they come to know a little of Him just like a drop in the ocean.

As Hemadpant alias Shri Annasaheb Dabholkar says in “Sai Satcharita”, it is accumulation of merits in our past births that,

we Sai devotees, are able to come under His hold (care). Shri Sai Baba Himself says (in Sai Satcharita), unless there is some “rinanubandha” (prenatal connection) no body contacts each other.

He himself told school mastar Shama alias Madhavrao Deshpande that He and Shama were connected with each other for 72 generations and Dhurandhar brothers for 60 generations.

Chapters 36 and 50 respectively Sai Satcharita Further He declared “I draw such devotees to my feet (Shirdi) just like a sparrow with a thread tied to its feet, even they (the devotees) may be living thousands of miles away from Shirdi”.

So, it is clearly understood that “Runanubandha” is the main factor for becoming His devotees.

Being a mortal, I do not know since how many births I have been connected with Him.

But, in this birth, He has taken me under His care as a child (ankita) for the past 40 years.

Today, I am living and writing this article because of His grace.

Otherwise I would have been buried ten fathoms deep long ago.

As Baba said in Chapter III for Satcharita, “I shall draw out my devotees from the jaws of Death”.

How many times He has saved me actually from death and also from serious troubles (official onslaughts) while in service in railway Hubli workshops for 36 years.

Even now, He forestalls His devotee’s calamities by giving prior (timely) warning to them His debts will be never repaid by us in this, as well as in many future births.

I would like to narrate here only three instances (out of so many) how ‘Baba’ has saved me which is only possible for “Samarthas” like Shri Sai Baba.

I was in charge of the foundry shop stores, Hubli in April 52 and I had to take half-a-day casual leave on 14th April ‘52.

As preplanned my assistant passed out some valuable materials, to a thief, who was caught outside Railway Workshops by the Railway Police.

My assistant involved me in the police case. I was taken to the police station from my house for interrogation.

The Police Inspector wouldn’t believe me though I pleaded with him that the theft took place in my absence.

He said, you being in charge should have handed over the materials to your assistant and gone on leave, duly obtaining his signature (acknowledgement) in the registers (Tally sheets).

Is it humanly possible to hand over thousands of items in half-a-day? I kept, quiet knowing that no argument however reasonable it may be, will satisfy the police as they were after money.

I was put up in “lock up” and the police Sub-Inspector gave orders to the Police Constable to whip me.

I was not in good health at that time, having high fever, and headache, I thought I would collapse on that day.

At least let me remember my kind mother, Shri Baba and cried out aloud, “OH, Sainath” when the police raised his bands to whip me and swooned.

After four hours, I was made to regain my consciousness. I opened my eyes and looked around with fear.

I was made to sit in a comfortable chair and the Sub-Inspector, Shri Kulkarni, was looking at me kindly and said

“When you uttered Baba’s name, I immediately caught hold of the constable’s hand and prevented him from beating you.

I am also a devotee of “Shirdi Sai Baba” and saw Baba in you.

It is needless to say that I was released from the police station with great honor and the real culprit was duly punished.

In January 1960, I had to go to Madras with my family on urgent private affairs.

We boarded the night train at Hubli and we alighted at Guntakal the next morning to catch Dadar Express bound for Madras. The train, when arrived at Guntakal was overcrowded.

Somehow, I put my family in ‘ladies compartment’ and I was traveling standing on the foot board precariously in gent’s compartment.

When the train was approaching a bridge near Gooty station, I got exhausted and I got giddiness as I had no sleep in the previous night train and there was no time to have “breakfast” at Guntakal.

I thought I would die falling in the bridge as my hands were paining too much and I could hold the bandies no longer.

I immediately remembered “Bhagwan Sai” with tears. What a wonderful power Baba is.

He immediately responded by giving enough strength and courage to hold the handle firmly.

At Gooty station many passengers got down and I got a comfortable seat in the compartment and I traveled to Madras, chanting Baba’s name and meditating on Him throughout the journey.

Once, I do cot remember the exact date and day, I had to cross a platform in the workshop while on duty, where Railway materials are unloaded for repairs from the Railway material van and new (repaired) materials are loaded for distribution to various outstation sheds.

The railway Khalasis doing this job (loading & unloading) used to put- up a danger board on the platform to prevent workers crossing the platform and throw heavy materials on the platform from inside the van.

But, on that day the danger board was not put up when I crossed the platform to reach the latrine (which was by the side of the platform) to attend the call of nature urgently.

The Khalasis from inside the material van threw a big iron rod (side rod of an engine) on the platform. Being a heavy material, normally and naturally it should have come straight and hit me direct on the body resulting in my death.

But, wonder of wonders, all praise to our Samartha Sadguru Shri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj.

The rod took a turn (like a rocket) from the usual path, flew over and dropped far away from me I was wonderstruck and bowed to “Sai Deva” mentally.

To conclude for the present, I am not a great bhaktha but only an ordinary mortal (sinner) still unable to control the six inner enemies and ego.

As sinners are not to be rejected, Shri Baba, as kind mother, treating all equally has taken me under His benign care.

For me, it is still miles to go to reach the destination. But I am sure remembering Sai always in our mind and meditating on His lotus feet, and surrendering completely to Him, our vicious nature will be changed in course of time.

It may be a long process i- e. we have to take several births.

Even then there is no fear, as our Sai is following us in birth after birth and will make us merge in Him in the final birth.

Lord Krishna also says in “Bhagwadgeeta” even “Jnanis” realise Him as God in them as well as in all beings (both animate and inanimate) after taking several births. That is to say:

They see “Parabrahma” everywhere, and become one with it, in their last birth. My humble prostration to Shri Sai Baba, Who is the refuge of all His devotees.

R. Radhakrishna Rao Hubli (Karnataka) (Source Shri Sai Leela March 1983)

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