SAI LEELA
This is my most humble attempt to put forth my miraculous experiences ever since I have become Sai devotee, say about four years back. Before I go-ahead, let me write that I have started this article without any pre-planning and believe it or not, after returning home from five days' stay at Shirdi last week, today I sat on my typewriter after doing my usual pooja and praying fervently to 'Shree Sai baba' to inspire me to write 'Sai Leela'. I am not a writer by any chance nor have I ever attempted writing before in .my life and it is only 'Saibaba's Leela, that I have managed to complete this first introductory paragraph.
Till 1978, I was not aware of Baba's supernatural powers and only after I had resigned from my job in a private concern, I realised my grave mistake and in utter frustration I sought refuge in Sai. Since then, I had to undergo tremendous upheavals and overcome several obstructions which came in my way to ultimately secure a good job. But here I must mention that, it was only Sainath who saw me through all my worst days, which, lasted for nearly two to three years. Then, I was staying in a working ladies' hostel where as soon as the hostel management came to know that a particular resident was jobless, immediate notice was issued to her to vacate the hostel as there would be a long waiting list of new girls trying to seek admission. Out of this fear of losing accommodation (I being parentless and homeless) which was the only shelter and protection during my unemployment, I used to set out during usual office hours after having lunch, to spend time in far distant temples praying to God to employ me in some office and then return only in the evenings. If I remember those days now, I am most grateful and thankful to Sairam that it was only He who protected me all the time, because all my friends were working girls and there was no chance for me to confide in anyone to ask for their company lest I had to lose my seat in the hostel. Besides, all my relatives were in Bombay and I did not wish to bother them with my problems and burden them unnecessarily. In later days, as this feeling of guilt of cheating the hostel management became unbearable, by Saibaba's guidance I finally confided in one of my social worker friends, who was very much moved to hear as to how I spent my day only to keep myself away from the hostel. After that, she used to take me along with her during her visits to slums and homes of her office workers, which helped me to pass away a few hours of the day and also learn a lot from life. In addition to my physical and mental deterioration, my financial condition also was going from bad to worse and when the time came for my bank balance to become nil, I prayed sincerely to Baba to come to my rescue. And one day, while I was scanning through the classified advertisements of daily newspaper, my eyes fell on a small advertisement which offered attractive income in cash with little effort and within a short period of time. This scheme was sponsored by ,a Pune office itself and that too in the name of 'Saibaba'. Well, immediately I wrote to them and started with this scheme as soon as I received a beautiful sticker of Baba accompanied by a prescribed form for which I had to collect only three members and Rs, 2'- form each member. The main reason for mentioning this scheme here is that, on days when I used to have only a few paise left in my purse, my hostel warden would hand over the money received by M. O. of this scheme when I returned in the evening, thereby driving off my worry for the next day's expenses. Besides this, Baba had also guided me to approach the right persons for advice, financial help, applications for service etc. and this guidance had never failed-me. Now, it is only by His grace that I am in a better position in all respects so much so that I not only have a good service but have also purchased a new typewriter for which I had no difficulty in getting a loan from Bank.
Last year, my wrist watch had stopped dead in August and inspite of my trying frantically. I could pot start it, so I kept it in my cupboard. In November, when my transistor cells too were completely consumed, I did not have any source of knowing the correct time which made me very desperate as I am in the habit of doing my daily routine by the movement of the watch. So on one Thursday, I wore my watch and went to Swargate Saibaba temple and prayed to Sai Baba sincerely to repair my watch by His ways since I could not afford to give it to a watchmaker for repairing. And what wonders ! The next day in the evening my watch started working automatically and till this moment it is working accurately. I really did not have any words to express my gratitude towards Him, Who answered ay prayers in this manner.
At the beginning of this year, my younger sister, (who got married in another caste and had arranged everything by herself) had left her one month old baby boy, handicapped husband and orthodox in-laws house all of a sudden in sheer frustration. When I got this news, I was in a complete dazed condition as to how and where to search for her. because she was at a very far off place like Dehradun and neither she had informed us in writing about her reasons for leaving her house nor we knew her whereabouts. One can just imagine my state of mind and the mental torture I had to undergo at that time as I was constantly receiving trunk calls and telegrams from the other end, I being the elder sister. When everything was beyond my capacity, reach and imagination, finally I just left it to our great saviour - Saikrishna, who answered my cries and one fine morning I got the news that she had reached Pune safely and was staying with one of our closest acquaintances after she had travelled alone to Rishikesh and Shirdi in search of solace. Oh ! What a relief it was to see her safe and sound although she had become very thin. It was only Sai who had protected her and brought her in one piece to us. Later, by His inspiration and guidance, I was successful in reaching her back to her in-laws' place as well returning alone safely to Pune inspite of heavy rush in the trains. Here I would like to specifically mention that on the eve of my sister's marriage in February 1981, a burning lamp was toppled by a mouse due to which the bound edge of Sai Satchaiita got burnt which clearly indicated as a bad omen but inspite of that she being a staunch Sai devotee (in fact, I consider her as my Guru to show me the path of Sai Seva) she went ahead with this marriage and when she came down to Pune with her husband, we had gone to Shirdi to take Saibaba's Ashirwad and somehow or the other she could not join us in the Abhishek which we performed there the very next day of our reaching. I presume that Saibaba did not approve of her hasty step inspite of His warning.
If I sit to write in detail all my experiences of Sai Krupa, I shall never be able to conclude this article because in my day to day life at home, office, during long and short journeys, I feel the presence of my Sai who is showing His Leela even though He has left His earthly body and that reminds me of His third saying "I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body". This translation I had got just in time for my article during my latest visit to Shirdi where a leaflet was being distributed by "A devotee from Hyderabad A. P. '. Well, is it not Sai Leela ? Truly, Sai Leela is unfathomable.
Miss Neelain B. Sanglijkar
Pune - 411006
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