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Sri Sathya Sai Baba Teachings

 

SRI SATHYA SAI HRUDAYA NIVASI
 (Indweller of Hearts)
By Bombai Srinivasan

Chapter 13
The dream comes true

It never tires me to recount the loving admonition of Bhagavan Baba to my wife that she should never cry again. Yes, she had no reason to cry thereafter. True to his assurance, Sai’s Grace started pouring into our life. Slowly and steadily, the income considerably increased and with it, the comforts and conveniences also increased. We moved into a spacious flat in Andheri near Dharmakshethra. WE could acquire many of the modern gadgets and fittings to make life as much easy and pleasant as possible. We had no more grumbling. We continued our spiritual path with full confidence and faith in Swami. By the Grace of Swami, we were blessed with another son. Happiness filled our lives. Not a day passed with out our thinking and thanking of Swami for all that He had been doing for us. All these days we make innumerable trips to Prashanthi Nilayam.

One day, while I was going through newspapers in the morning, my wife who brought me coffee looked somewhat concerned. In enquired what was the matter. She recalled the dream she had in the previous night in which Swami warned her of some impending troubles being the backlash of past karma and advised to be careful.  I reacted that if that happened to be the Will of Baba, we should suffer it reposing full faith in Him and praying to Him to protect us from any adverse situation.

The dream of Sai is not illusory. Swami had Himself mentioned several times that all dreams prompted by His Will, are very much real and dream is one of the methods of Swami to communicate with His devotees. Thousands of devotees have such dream experiences, which sometimes Swami Himself had confirmed later on during a chance interview. As such I could not brush aside the import of my wife’s dream.

I started observing great care and caution in my daily activities. I avoided traveling on foot boards in the electric trains even it resulted in delays in keeping up my timings to attend my office and other appointments. I was trying to be attentive whenever I visited the banks or else I used to ask someone to accompany me, so that the money would be safe. Food habits too totally changed. I tried to put a stop eating outside. Every precaution was taken to avoid oily and heavy foods. Thus, observing all possible care and caution, I continued praying to Bhagavan to shield us in the event of anything happening untoward. Nothing happened that might affect me, but this hope was short lived.

Sai’s dream advice did come true. One day, in spite of all the precautions, the inevitable happened and Sai’s words in the dream came true. We fell on bad days due to my impulsive behavior and action. How did it all happen?

I was occupying a fairly good position in a company, graduating from lower levels. With dedication and devotion to duty and good behavior, I earned a good name and gained confidence of the owner of the firm. I commanded good respect from his family members also, who were being inducted into the business administration gradually. One day, during some heated discussions with the youngest brother of the owner, I burst out that I would have to resign if I was pushed further. It was indeed a slip of the tongue. Has not Swami said, ‘Slip of a limb, you can repair; but slip of the tongue, you cannot repair’. The impulsive outburst of my tongue could not be repaired indeed. The other party challenged me to do so, if I dared. In a fit of temper I walked out of office, without thinking of the further consequences. However careful I was to heed of Swami’s caution, in a fleeting moment I lost my balance of mind and the inevitable happened. The family members of the company were firm against any amicable settlement for calling me back. Even the owner, who held me in high esteem, did not wish to do anything in the interest of his family. I was left high and dry and the slide down of the slope started for me.

Young age had passed and I was entering into the middle age stage. I could not secure any employment, for quite long. There were prayers and prayers but nothing moved. At times, hopeful positive developments seemed to be emerging but all ended as a mere mirage in a desert. All the savings vanished and we had to part with many of our valuables too. I was indeed being squeezed by the clutches of cruel fate. Did not Bhagavan caution us timely about the impending troubles? Still I rendered myself vulnerable to get sucked into the inevitable march of events.

At long last, I could sight some light at the end of the runnel. One of the disciples of my Guruji, Dhynai Maharaj Madhusdhan Dasji, had an industry manufacturing electricity measuring meters, bulk of which were sold to the various state electricity boards. They offered me an agency for the southern states. Feeling happy at the prospects, I moved and settled down at Madras with my family. Very soon I succeeded in establishing myself. I felt elated and I was ready to start business of my own with good monetary prospects. However, the hand of the fate was much longer. This development also proved to be another mirage. The Managing Director of the manufacturing unit suddenly expired. The industry itself could not be run and it ultimately collapsed. The worst days of suffering followed us to the unknown territory of Madras. 

With all my savings vanished, I was stranded in a place (Madras) where I was a stranger without any friends or relatives whom I could have perhaps approached for assistance. Living with a family became a hellish experience. However, I stood firm on my faith in Swami and I utilized all my time in prayers, meditation, and sathsang. I took active part in the local Sai Center activities. It was only the love showered on me by Sai Devotees of Madras that sustained me in those turbulent days. They spent considerable time with us. Many of them visited my house regularly, gave us consolation, and tried to help us within their meas. But for their love and affectionate company, I would have been a physical wreck in Madras. I was surviving by Swami’s loving concern for us manifested through innumerable experiences I had. I was passing through all the pains and sufferings in a detached manner with the full faith that Swami was protecting us and that no harm would come to us.

The deliverance came at the end of the yearlong agony. My elders in Bombay, in spite of their limitations, invited me back asking me to prepare for the homecoming. Perhaps this was also the Will of Sai. I packed off from Madras. My wife and my son were also anxious to get away from Madras, where they could not adjust themselves having lived in a totally different situation in Bombay. We bid farewell to our Sai Brothers and Sisters in Madras who all the time acted as pillars of confidence for me during those fateful days. I could catch a glimpse of the break of bright dawn after a dark night. This time there were no more mirages and things were turning positive though in small way.

I got fixed up in a very small firm. I did not mind. I accepted anything coming my way as the Mercy of Lord Sai. Miraculously, I got back my own old house at Thane from the tenant. We started our life all over again. We did not having anything left with us except a few vessels for cooking purposes. What was important to me was, that after a gap of 18 months or so, I felt secure with a house, and a job. I could manage my affairs by myself. Gradually I could work for improvements in my career and in that hope I put in my best efforts, giving my utmost to the growth the new company. It was small manufacturing unit and I played my part to bring it up. With my sincere efforts and Swami’s Grace, I could build up the new company. My new boss was very happy with my efforts and within his limits he tried to alleviate my financial problems.

After seemingly an indefinite period, there was the Divine contact. One day, Swami appeared in the dream and enquired, “How do you feel now?” And said, “ One cannot escape the fate. It is better to go through the travails at a convenient time, when you have the mental and physical strength still with you. With God’s grace one can come out of it lightly. On the other hand, if such travails were to occur at early or later stages of life, it would have proved very difficult, causing irreparable damage. Because you love God so much, Swami selects an appropriate time for you to go through the act of repentance and effects of Karma guarding you through and through. You may not be aware of it but Swami had been by your side all the way through; Otherwise you would have a different entity altogether.”

Swami continued. “You had been away from your relatives and you thought that your wee stranded in a strange place where there were none to come to your rescue. Yes, I was very much with you! And you had the best friends and well-wishers in the Sai devotees in Madras. You did experience their pure love and affection. The pure love of such devotees was in no way inferior to that of the Love of Swami. Whatever might have been the situation; you were living a life of love. You felt that you had lost everything in your life. What did you lose? The luxury items? You were used to travel outstations and stay in comfortable hotels for long duration. When the job is finished, you are leaving behind everything back in the hotel and hurry back to your own home. Do you regret for leaving the costly utilities back in the hotel? No! You had a chance to enjoy and when the period was over, you had no more attachments to those items outside. You love what you have in your own home. Likewise, in your life also you had a chance to own some items, which you had to leave behind. The most important thing is that you have comeback in one piece and you should be thankful to God. You can always rise in life and get back every thing that you feel, had been lost!”

This dream prompted by Swami left a deep impact on me. When we earn, we think it is our ability that makes it possible. If we loose, then we start cursing ourselves, curse God Himself. And if we happen to have some faith in God, then we say that God is testing us unnecessarily. Why should God test us? Has he no other work? No, God is not testing at all. We are tested by our own past actions. We are ourselves creating our destinies by our own acts. If God is doing something, it is only that He is helping us out, toning down the effects by His mercy and grace, provided we have deserved it. Swami is blessing us all without any partiality. But the blessing should converted into Divine Grace, if we are to benefit from such blessings.

Author's statement in:
http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/SaiGroup-BombaySrinivasan/message/1

Many of you may be aware that I had authored a book with the title "Sri Sathya Sai Hrudaya Nivasi (Indweller of Hearts). This book had seen the third reprint, and is being sold in Bhagavan's Bookstall at Prashanthi Nilayam. Many of you would have purchased and many would not have got chance to go to Parthi and get the book. After the third edition, this may not go to print again. As such I wish to bring the contents of this book to each and every one of you.

Starting from today I shall post one chapter every week or if possible twice a week, depending upon the response I get from you all. I would request you to kindly read it and then re-circulate it to your other friends in the Sai Family.

The text could be transferred to your hard disk, and if possible print outs taken out.

Utilize the contents, as much as you like.

With Lots of Love and regards
Bombay Srinivasan

 

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