I consider myself most fortunate for being born in a household that inherited spirituality and had a satvik (positive) environment. It is only because of the good deeds of this family that I found solace at Shri Sai Baba’s Feet, reveled in the devotion of Sai and have undertaken the work of spreading the glory of Shri Sai baba. I firmly believe from the bottom of my heart that it is Shri Sai Baba alone Who is getting this done by me. I myself became an annual subscriber of the bi-monthly published by the Sansthan, ‘Saileela (Marathi)’ in 1997. It was as if Shri Sai Baba was coming to our house once in every 2 months. The awakening write-ups and the remarkable Sai experiences pulled me more and more towards Shri Sai Baba, I became curious to know more and more about Him. As I felt the need to be associated with ‘Saileela’ forever, in the very next year I subscribed to life membership by paying Rs. 1000/- only. One experiences and feels to be with Shri Sai Baba while reading this periodical. It came to my mind that I should pass on this blissful experience and joy to my acquaintances too. I, therefore, gave them information about Saileela (Marathi) and Shri Sai leela (English– Hindi) and encouraged them to subscribe. Having made many subscribers, I get a different form of joy. Even today Shri Sai Baba gets me to do this seva and I prayed at His Feet that He make me do this forever. Baba has rewarded me immensely for this. Now I will tell you how I turned to be devoted to Baba...

My birthplace is Karajgaon in Chandurbajar taluka of Amravati district. I took a liking to saint Danaji Maharaj of this village when I was in 7th standard. He used to call me to the temple daily for darshan.

Later I completed my engineering education at Shrikshetra of saint Gajanan Maharaj in Shegaon. At that time I gained His grace too. Though the saints appear different to the common people’s eyes, how they are inter-connected to each other is well brought out by example in Shri Sai Sat Charita –

As time flows, the saints choose the place of their liking and appear in human form, to fulfil some mission. But, in reality, they are not different from one another. The place - time - person though different, a saint realises the essence of the personality of other saints. They are all united inwardly, as they are only.
                                                                                                                                                                                        (chapter 21, verses 14-15 )

That is why they put their devotees in the care of each other for their further journey. The same happened to me.

After completing my engineering education in1994, I got a job in the junior college in my own village. Till 1996 I had no inclination towards Shri Sai Samarth. I had also never gone to Shirdi. But, Shri Sai has affirmed – ‘‘Whether my people are in the country or thousands of miles away, I pull them towards me with a string tied to the legs like the offsprings of a bird.’’ In the same way Baba pulled me towards Him. In 1997 I had gone to my younger sister’s place in Dhule. When I asked her husband about Shirdi, he said that Shirdi was close by. As
there was a direct bus, I went from there itself to Shirdi. My first pilgrimage to Shirdi, a place sanctified forever by the stay of the Lord Incarnate, and the first Darshan of the Paramatma doubly blessed my very being. Every grain of that place purified by the touch of Shri Sai Baba excited me. Immersed in Sai, I returned home.

I got married in 1999. I was blessed with a daughter in 2000. Every year I was taken on a pilgrimage to Shri Sai Samarth in Shirdi. In 2002, my wife, daughter and me had the opportunity to have Darshan together. With the worship materials in hand, going in a line with a deep longing we entered the Samadhi Mandir for the Darshan of Shri Sai Samarth. While absorbing the pleasant form of Shri Sai Baba, my eyes were going through the picture of the very fortunate Sai devotees, who had been blessed to live in the very company of Shri Sai
Baba. I was envying their good fortune. Soon we reached the Samadhi. As soon as my head touched the Samadhi, my mouth spontaneously spoke out, ‘let me have a son’. I am still fascinated by this spontaneous utterance, as this thought did not cross my mind even once through the line...

And on Wednesday, May 14, 2003, on the auspicious day of Nrisinha Jayanti at 6.30 p.m. we were blessed with a son. Our joy knew no bounds. I informed the child’s grandfather this good news on telephone. Next day news came from the hospital that the child was unwell and would have to be shifted to Nagpur. I felt like sand slipping below my feet. This sudden turn of event, when everything was going good, shook me hard. I did not know what to do. At that time even my daughter was running temperature. It was a Thursday. After somehow arranging for my daughter, I rushed to the hospital in the afternoon. I was so frightened that instead of talking to the doctor myself, I asked my father-in-law to talk to him. At that time I learnt that the child’s vomit had entered his chest. I was very frightened. I rushed to get an ambulance. One ambulance was parked outside the hospital. The driver was having tea. He agreed to leave soon after having the tea. I too asked for tea. But, leave alone tea, I was not in a frame of mind to even have water. Instantly he made an informal enquiry. After I
mentioned my name and village, taking my father’s name, he enquired whether I was the son of that uncle. As soon as I answered in the affirmative, he put down his half-drunk cup of tea and rushed towards the ambulance. I was also following him. As I told him to fetch the oxygen cylinder from the dispensary, he pacified me stating not to worry about anything. I was virtually in tears. As I approached near to the ambulance, to my astonishment, I saw the word ‘Saiprasad’ behind the ambulance and inside was seated an idol of Shri Sai Baba.
I was stunned. From the dispensary we left for Nagpur...

Since the oxygen pipe was not properly placed on the child’s nose, the skin near the nose turned red. Stopping the vehicle near Mojhari we enquired for a doctor; but there was no doctor available. Then we got the pipe properly placed at Tivas by a doctor. I sat in the vehicle itself. That doctor turned out to be a relative. When we went ahead 10 to 15 kms. the headlights of the vehicle shut down. The driver checked whether the wires connected to the battery were intact. I went blank. Since Shrikshetra Takarkhed was in front, I folded my hands and prayed to saint Lahanuji Maharaj…Within 5 to 10 minutes the vehicle was restored as before and we reached Nagpur at 12.30 a.m. Other relatives were already present there...

As the vehicle was turning towards the dispensary, my eyes fell on the marble idol of Shri Sai Baba inside the eatery in front. My hands folded from the ambulance itself. After climbing the stairs as I was going towards the counter, I saw a beautiful idol of Shri Sai Baba in a small temple there. Shri Sai Samarth, Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon and Tajuddin Baba of Waki were present in picture form in the paediatric unit, where the child was admitted. These saints were re-assuring ‘Fear not; we are with you’. When I went to the lab for the blood test,
there too Shri Sai Baba’s picture was giving Darshan on the tile of the wall. Mentally I prayed to Shri Sai that let the report be normal! In two hours the report was just that. After 21 days of treatment the child was discharged from the dispensary on June 4.

During this time, I went to the Shri Sai Baba temple on Wardha road, twice, and took Darshan of Shri Sai Baba. I felt His compassion. I passed on the entire burden to That Lord Sai. When I was paying obeisance with folded hands a rose flower from the head of Shri Sai Baba’s idol fell on my hands. I was experiencing such Leelas of Shri Sai Baba one after another. This is a testimony of Shri Sai Samarth revealing His omnipresence to His devotees…

Being a Blessing (Grace) of Shri Sai Baba, I named my son ‘Sai’. He is 10 years old today and is studying in the fifth standard…

In June 2006 I came to Paratwada from the village for my children’s education. I had purchased a plot for educational purpose here near a reputed school in 1999. For the convenience of commuting, I rented a house in Kandali and started staying there. During that time work on the Shri Sai temple in Shri Sai Nath colony recommenced and was completed in a short time. A very attractive marble idol of Shri Sai Baba was brought from Jaipur and consecrated in the temple as per vedic rites in 2007. In spite of not being in my mind and the financial inability, Shri Sai Baba made me purchase the plot in front of the Shri Sai Baba temple in Shri Sai Nath colony. My Sai Mother did not stop at that, He got me to build a house on that plot and time and again He gave me evidence of toiling with me till I went to stay in that house...

I had great financial problem to buy the said plot. At that time Shri Sai sent a customer to me to buy my plot, which I had purchased in 1999. He purchased the plot at the very price I quoted. When it comes to dealing in plots there always is some bargaining. But, in this deal there was nothing like that. That gentleman purchased the plot on the auspicious day of the manifestation of Shri Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon…

Our living in Shri Sai Nath colony is going on very happily under the influence of Shri Sai Baba’s teachings. I am able to participate in all the programmes of the Shri Sai Baba temple except for very rare exemptions. They include daily worship, Aarati and other programmes, Mahaprasad on Thursday night, Kakad Aarati throughout the Kartik month done through Sri Dilipbhau Tadas, Bhagwat week function and such other programmes. All this is the Grace of That Sai Mother. Therefore, as stated in Shri Sai Sat Charita –

Embracing the ocean, rivers forget their identity,
Thus devotees surrender to You, You sink all differences of the devotees...

May this devoted river ever be allowed to be merged in the Sai ocean, this is my heartfelt prayer at the Feet of the Supreme Lord. Baba too has promised –
“Even if I shed this mortal coil, yet I will come running for my devotees. I will always bear your burden,
this is My promise.”

- Santosh Devnathrao Charjan
Danajikripa, 21, Sainath colony,
Near Sai temple, Kandali,
Paratwada – 444 805, Achalpur taluka,
Amravati district, Maharashtra State.
e-mail : santoshcharjan@yahoo.com
Mobile : (0)9421823521
Translated from Marathi into English by
Vishwarath Nayar 

Source: Saileela Magazine

Prev | Home| Next