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The Skies at His Command How Baba cleareds the
cloudy skies over Bangalore with one wave of His hand
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Sri Indulal Shah, formerly the Chairman of the International
Sathya Sai Organization, recounts his first Darshan of Bhagawan
in his book “Sixteen Spiritual Summers”:
In the summer of 1965, which, to me, was the first of my sixteen
spiritual summers, I was in Bangalore once to visit a friend.
During an informal conversation one morning, my host asked me
whether I would like to see Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who was to
address a meeting at Malleswaram, in the heart of Bangalore
city, the same evening.
I had heard about Sri Sathya Sai Baba and also read about Him in
some Bombay newspapers, but had never seen Him before. I had,
till then, no particular urge to read either His biography or
discourses. My immediate response to the question from my host,
therefore, was somewhat casual and uncertain.
However, on second thoughts, I felt that I should attend the
meeting and so, later in the day, accompanied by my wife, Sarla,
I went to Malleswaram where a mammoth gathering was listening to
Baba with rapt attention. We sat in a remote corner of the big
maidan (ground). I was swayed by a nameless feeling, a strange
inquisitiveness or curiosity, as though I was adventuring into
the unknown.
Then suddenly, the sky became rather dark with thick clouds fast
gathering overhead. The large crowd became visibly restless, as
people feared an impending rain. We ourselves were in a quandary
and my host hastened to take us back to his car.
Just then, we saw Sri Sathya Sai raising His hand and saying
something aloud to the crowd in the local South Indian language
which, however, I could not grasp.
My friend said that He was asking the crowd to sit down and that
He was assuring them that it would not rain. As He said this, we
saw that the rain clouds started disappearing and the gathering
darkness was giving way to bright sunshine. I remained
spell-bound!
I could not believe that anyone could disperse moisture-laden
heavy clouds by a mere wave of the hand. And yet, our eyes were
a witness to this strange phenomenon, the likes of which I had
read about only in Puranic (Hindu legends) stories.
The clouds are sent away in Mumbai
While the previous incident happened in Bangalore, Sri Indulal
Shah was a fortunate witness to a similar and equally astounding
event, but this time it in Mumbai (then Bombay) and the year,
1967.
This time, it was in Dharmakshetra in Bombay. The month was
July, the monsoon time in Bombay, and Baba was paying a visit to
Maharashtra State. The Bombay Samithi had arranged a public
meeting of devotees in honour of Baba at Dharmakshetra.
I remember that it was a Sunday evening. In Bombay, in the month
of July, a heavy downpour can be expected any time. That being a
Sunday, a large crowd was expected to attend, regardless of the
possibility of rain. The Samithi had taken all precautions to
provide shelter to the devotees from showers. The large pandal
at Dharmakshetra was packed with people to the full. The meeting
was to commence at 6 p.m.
But at about 5.15 p.m., the sky was overcast and we feared that
the rains would lash down any time. We were anxious to save the
devotees from getting drenched in heavy rains. Some of the
office-bearers felt that we should request Bhagavan Baba to
start the meeting a little early, say at 5.30 p.m. I felt that
Baba might not accede to this as there was 'Rahu Kal'
(inauspicious time) upto 6 p.m., but my colleagues insisted that
there was nothing like 'Rahu Kal' for Bhagawan.
Accordingly, I went up to Bhagavan and prayed: "Baba, could we
start the meeting a little early?"
"Why?" asked Baba in a tone, which, by itself, was an
answer to the question. But we did not understand this then, as
our mind was also clouded like the overcast sky that evening.
I pleaded: 'Bhagavan, it is likely to rain, the meeting may be
disrupted, the devotees may suffer'.
In answer to this Baba smiled and that benign smile remains
imprinted in my mind even to this day - as bewitching as the
smile that we see in the picture of Lord Krishna.
He then held my hand and took me to the nearby window where I
saw that a drizzle had already started. Those who have seen
Dharmakshetra know that Baba lives in a lotus-shaped mandir on
top of a hillock and that the windows from His room open out
westward. So, we could see through them the entire crowd
gathered below and the dark expanse of the cloudy sky above.
Standing near the window, Baba said: 'Yes, yes, it will rain,
and it will rain very heavily'.
This statement put me out completely. I could see from the
window, devotees holding open umbrellas in an effort to protect
themselves from the impending showers. I was searching for words
to pray to Baba.
Meanwhile, Bhagawan raised His hand through the window and, in a
moment, we saw the drizzle stopped and clouds dispersed in the
sky!
In that moment of anxiety, the full import of what Baba had done
did not strike me. Baba said that the meeting should commence as
scheduled and I rushed out to convey Baba's decision to my
colleagues outside.
The meeting started at 6 p.m. and, by then, the sky had
brightened enough to dispel all our fears about the rains. It
was during the meeting that I realised what a great blunder I
had made in praying to Baba to commence the proceedings a little
early. During those few minutes, I had forgotten that Baba is
God and that He had absolute command over 'Prakriti' (nature).
When the meeting concluded and my colleagues were saying happily
that the meeting went off very well, I shed some tears of joy
and rushed to see Baba and fell at His Lotus Feet.
Baba, then, smiled and said: 'You forgot'.
When the heart is full, words are few. I had no words to convey
my gratitude. I was in an ecstatic thrill. That was an
unforgettable moment and I cherish the thought that it was
Bhagawan Himself who reminded me that I had forgotten that He is
God!
This incident is a conclusive proof that Baba is Omnipotent,
that He can control nature and that He is an Avatar, God come in
human form to bless all mankind.
Reference: “Sixteen
Spiritual Summers” by Sri Indulal Shah. Page: 1-2 and 16-18.
Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust,
Prasanthi Nilayam in 1980.
Source:
http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/Pages/Devotees_Experiences/Power_The_Skies.htm
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