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Shirdi Sai and Sathya Sai are One
and the Same
By Arjan D. Bharwani
29. THE SAIS - IN SERIES
On the morning of Saturday, 29th
June, 1963, to the evening of 6th July, 1963, 5ri Sathya suffered
a sudden onset of paralysis of the left half of His body. He also
had twitching of the face on the left side, with slurred speech.
He even had four heart attacks during this period. Physicians
including the Director of Medical Services of Mysore State, were
summoned in service - at a human level -of the 'Incarnate
Divinity'.
In the Divine body of Sri Sathya
Sai, the left half pertains to 'Shakti' and the right to 'Siva'.
Thus presenting a composite of 'Siva-Sakthi-Swaroopa' which is
but a small part of the 'Sampooran Avatar, that He is. (A
manifestation in totality of all that is Divine).
This incident is yet another example
of 'Bhakta-Samrakshana' - having taking upon Himself the
paralytic episode of some bhakta. On the eighth day, whilst still
in that state of disability, He was brought to the Prayer Hall for
darshans. He asked for water and with His right hand sprinkled
the same, over the left half of His body. Cured instantaneously -
He stood up and gave a discourse. Relevant excerpts from which
are: "Do not grieve! That is not Swami's illness this is an
illness which Swami has taken on, in order to save so me one.
According to My Dharma of 'Bhakta Samrakshana', I had to rescue
him. Even in the previous 'Sariram at Shirdi', I had this
responsibility". This is reminiscent of the words of Shirdi Sai,
"The sea may turn the rivers back' But I will not neglect my
devotees". Indeed a marvelous continuity of purpose which not
only establishes – par-proof-identity of the two Sais, but also
brings forth once again the great Divine commitment to protect His
devotees Baba further said, "Even in Shirdi, Dada Saheb Nandaram,
Balwanth, all were saved by these means. The eight day period had
to be observe, for another reason. The great rishi Bhardwaj
decided to perform a Yaga. The sage wanted that Shakti must bless
the Yaga (to extract to boon from Her or order to enable him, to
know an understand the Vedas). He went to Kailas, where Siva and
Sakthi were engaged in a cosmic dance.
Eight days passed this, before
Sakthi noticed Bhardwaja standing in the cold. She just cast a
smile at him and danced along as before' The sage mistook the
smile as a cynical refusal to notice him and he turned his back on
Kailas and started to descend. To his dismay, he found his left
leg, hand and eye put out of action by a stroke. Siva revived him
and cured him, sprinkling water from a kamandalu. The couple
attended the Yaga. After the Yaga was over, they were so pleased
that they conferred even more boons on the Sage. Siva said that
they would take human Form and be born in the Bharadwaja lineage
or Gothra thrice:, Siva alone as Shirdi Sai, Siva and Sakthi
together as Sathya Sai and Sakthi alone as Prema Sai. As expiation
for the neglect which Sakthi showed you at Kailas for eight days,
this Sakthi will suffer the stroke for exactly the same period
when We both take birth as Sathya Sai and on the eighth day I
shall relieve Her from all signs of the disease by sprinkling
water just as I did at Kailas to cure your illness. This had to
happen, this stroke and the cure. The assurance given in Thretha
Yuga had to be honoured. The disease had to be gone through, the
bhaktha had to be saved, the assurance to be carried out, the
Mystery had to be cleared, the Divinity had to be more clearly
announced by the manifestation of this Grand miracle".
Both the Sais have saved their
devotees from serious illness by taking themselves, their maladies.
Mumps, typhoid fever, labour pains, scalding burns, appendicitis,
migraine are but a few to mention. Is it not a testimony and a
practical demonstration of the assurance given in the Gita, "Paritranaya
Sadhunam ....Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge,(to save the righteous I
incarnate from age to age)".
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