Leela-143
Sai is our Saviour
I was born in a village in the Ratnagiri District and I spent my young age upto fifteen years in that village. Worship of God, visiting the temple, observance of religious festivals these were the practices that we followed there, as was being commonly done in other villages in India. Because of this religious oriented atmosphere that prevailed around me in my childhood, I was an idol worshiper in my early life; but later on as I became acquainted with the other schools of Indian philosophy, I started thinking independently and I came to the conclusion that god, the almighty, pervades everywhere and He is therefore called Omnipresent. He is therefore present not only in the idol; but He is present everywhere. In addition to the idol of God, I therefore started looking upon every object in this world us a place of abode of God.
This channel of thought did not reduce my respect for idols, but it also created
a respect in my mind for all other objects created by God.
Because of the aforesaid religious background of my mind, I had reverence
for all Gods and all great saints. I had heard about Shri Sai Baba
from some of my friends, connected with the film industry. Many of them
used to say that before starting the shooting of a new film, they must go to
Shirdi and fall at Shri Baba's feet. Though I used to listen to these talks
about Shri Sai Baba with interest, I never thought of going to Shirdi. Of course
as Shri Sai Baba used to say, perhaps the time for my visit was not ripe and
therefore Shri Sai did not attract me to His feet.
Recently it so happened that my elder brother late Prof. D. D. Parchure was
attracted by Shri Baba to Him. He took keen interest in the
Sai Leela magazine and the biography of Shri Sai Baba. He first of all
composed a small book on the life of Shri Sai Baba in Marathi for the
children. This book has become very popular among the children and the
Shirdi Sansthan has already published editions of the same in English and
Gujrati. Similar editions in other languages are qn their way. Prof. D. O.
Parchure also composed a series of eight keertans on the various incidents in
the life qn Shri Baba, in which he explained the whole philosophy of Shri Sai
Baba. These keerta.as in Marathi are also published by Shirdi Sansthan.
The present get up of the Sai Leela magazine and the idea of separating the
English version from the Marathi one are the fruits of his, ingenuity and his,
keen interest in spreading Shri Baba's teachings and philosophy. While Prof.
Parchure was working as the Editor of this magazine, he told me to contribute
some articles to Shri Sai Leela, as he knew that I used to contribute to some
Marathi magazines; but somehow this also did not materialize. Though I was
writing articles, on some other subjects, I was a bit diffident whether I would
be able to do proper justice to the philosophical subject; but apart from my
diffidence, I feel that Shri Sai Baba did not still consider me fit to be
admitted to His fold.
Time was rolling on in this fashion and I was not coming close to Shri
Sai Baba; but ultimately, though under very sad circumstances, my contact with
the Shirdi Sansthan was established. Prof. D. D. Parchure got a, sudden heart
attack on 1-6-73 and he succumbed to it. Shri Pathaksaheb, the Court Receiver
got non - plussed at the loss of a close friend like Prof Parchure.
He could not think of anyone, who would ably shoulder the responsibilities of the editorial job, of this magazine and as ill-luck would have it, the first article that I wrote in this magazine was about the sad demise of my brother Prof. Parchure! It was really an irony of fate that as per the request of my brother, instead of writing an article on some philosophical subject, I had to contribute an article on his demise; but perhaps this led Shri Pa,thaksaheb to request me to take up the editorship of this magazine. Luckily I was due to retire from service from July and I agreed to take up the job as, a sort of a pastime.
Since that time I am doing this work, I can't say that I am an able substitute
for my brother; but I feel that I have been able to keep the wagons moving for
the last three years. After joining the Shirdi Sansthan as an editor of Shri Sai
Leela, I studied the various books that have been written on the life of Shri
Sai Baba and reverence and devotion were cultivated in my mind. In the early
months of 1974. a gathering of the contributors to Shri Sai Leela was held at
Shirdi and that was my first visit to Shirdi. The stately statue of Shri Sai
Baba impressed me much and the whole atmosphere in the Samadhi Mandir made me
feel the presence of Shri Sai Baba in every nook and corner of Shirdi.
The gathering made me a confirmed devotee of Shri Sai Baba and I came
into contact at that time with many other sincere devotees of Shri Baba. I also
had the occasion to listen to the favours showered on the devotees by Shri Sai
Baba from time to time.
Some people, who had the experience of Shri Sai's favours, now started
asking me whether 1 had at any time to request Shri Baba to relieve
me from the clutches of any calamity and my reply used be, 'Shri Sai Baba
is always showering His favours on me and He does not allow calamities to befall
on me, so that I, may be required to call for His help to get me out of the
difficulties; but because of this extra favour Shri Sai Baba thought that I
might get puffed up and my devotion may be loosened a little. Hence recently He
showed to me His Leela and putting me in apparent difficult situation, He then
showered upon me His divine favour, which I intend to narrate here.
Some time before, I have joined a Co-operative Housing Society. I paid some two
instalments towards the cost of my block and the third had
become due. I got a letter from the Secretary of the society, in the last
week of September, 1976 informing me to pay the next instalment of Rs. 7,000/-
by the 1st of October 1976. As I knew the secretary very well, I went to him for
requesting him to give me some more time. As somepeople, from whom I was to
receive some money, had promisedme to repay my money latest by the 5th of
October 1976, I passed on a cheque for Rs. 7.000/- to the secretary, but I dated
it as 15th October 1976, bearing in my mind the promises from my friends
regarding the repayment of money. Day after day was passing by, but the promises
regarding repayment were not materializing as expected. Some money did come; but
I could hardly collect five thousand rupees upto the morning of the 14th October
1976. On the morning of that day, I prayed to Shri Sai Baba and told Him that my
prestige was at stake. "I have tried my best to collect the money from my
friends as per their promises; but they have not been able to keep up their
promises.
So it is upto you to save me in whatever way you want to'.
After the prayer was over, though I was sure that Shri Sai's divine
favour would bring me safe out of this strange situation, still I had decided to
wait upto the last moment, that is the evening of 14th October 1976 and if I
would not be able to collect enough money by that time, would meet the secretary
the next morning that is on 15th October 1976, on which day the cheque was due,
and request him not to deposit the cheque for sometime more so that I would
arrange for the balance amount by that time, but lo! Shri Sai Baba's words
cannot become untrue.
His assurance that He would come to the help of His devotees whenever needed,
can't go in vain and He showered on me His divine favour on the evening of 14th
October, 1976. By about eight o'clock in the night, the secretary himself came
to my house! I wondered why he came to me; but he came to request me for a fresh
cheque as the previous one, given by me, was defaced! The secretary further
explained that he had kept a few cheques, received from the members, in his
bush-shirt; but his wife gave the same for washing without checking the
contents of the pocket. When this was noticed; the cheques were taken
out; but as they were soaked in water; some of them, which were written in ink,
got soiled, while those written with ball pen have remained intact! When the
secretary came with the request for a fresh cheque, I explained to him my
difficulty and told him that I would give him a fresh cheque but of a later
date; but he had to pay some bill by the next day and he said that it would do
if I would give him a cheque only for Ks. 5000/- on that day and pay the balance
of Rs. 2,000/- after some fifteen days.
It is really a wonder how the secretary needed only the amount which I
could collect! This is Shri Sai Baba's divine favour. Formerly writing of
cheques was not allowed with a ball-pen. Recently cheques written with ball-pens
are accepted; but I have continued my old practice of writing cheques in ink.
Shri Sai Baba therefore first prompted me to write the cheque in ink and then
arranged to get it soiled along with others. The secretary is very often
receiving cheques and he said that he is usually very particular to keep them
safe; but only that day he kept the cheques in his bush-shirt and they were
dipped in water along with the other clothes.
After the secretary left, I prayed to Shri Sai Baba for having saved my face in
so marvellous a way and requested Him from the bottom of my heart to continue to
shower His devine favours on me in this same fashion. As explained above my
devotion to Shri Sai Baba is of a very short duration; but His heart is so
generous that He showers favour on His devotees unsparingly like the Sun and
Moon who throw their light without any reservation and with equal splendour on
the rich man's sky scraper and on the poor man's humble hut. May Shri Sai also
shower His divine favourson all His devotees!
S. D. Parchure M..A. Ph. D.
Bombay – 400016