Vibhuti does it!
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
The Bible speaks about faith and greater faith. Quoting Jesus, It says, “… if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20) This faith is not the realm of the ordinary, though it is not reserved exclusively for the explicitly ecclesiastical ones. Interestingly, at times one could see absolute, unqualified faith mushrooming in unexpected quarters. Read on such a story illustrating a little lad’s unflinching faith, new-found love for Bhagawan’s Vibhuti…written by Hari Prasanna, extracted from Sanathana Sarathi.
It was summer. Some Sai devotees had assembled near the leprosy asylum for seva. The bhajans started. Students of the Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School had also gathered there. After bhajan, fruits were distributed to the inmates.
It was really a sad sight to see the patients in the asylum. I wondered what karmic law had brought on this dreaded disease to the afflicted persons. As I was thinking about these things, an elderly gentleman, leader of the Seva Samiti, came and said: “Why don’t you, being Swami’s students, come and talk to them?” I didn’t have enough courage to go in. I looked around and noted that even other friends were hesitant. We had to give in as the elders said, “Don’t worry, we won’t go into the interior. Just speak to them for some time.”
A small boy came closer. The old gentleman told him: “See, they are Baba’s students.” His eyes glowed with admiration. We boys moved back a little. Suddenly, he said: “Don’t be afraid. I won’t touch you.” We were `touched’ by this statement. Then he started speaking in Marathi. He was aged 12 and the disease was in its early stages. He said that he saw Baba in a dream and described how Baba comes out for darshan, the Prasanthi Mandir, and the college buildings. He had never seen Baba! He said Baba often came in his dreams. He said: “You are so close to Swami, please pray for my healing.” This brought tears to our eyes. We said, “Surely we will pray for you.”
Then suddenly the elderly devotee said: “If anybody has the Vibhuti given by Swami, why don’t you give it to him?” While going home for the vacation, Swami gives us Vibhuti prasadam and some of us had Vibhuti packets readily in our pockets. Immediately we gave the lad some packets.
Back at Prasanthi Nilayam after the vacation, we resumed our studies. One day I received a letter from the Samiti leader saying that the boy whom we had met at the asylum had refused to take any medicine and was only applying the Vibhuti given to him, and praying to Swami. The Hospital authorities were a bit apprehensive about this and rather displeased with the Sai devotees for interfering with the treatment they were giving to the boy.
After two weeks, the doctors examined the boy. There was no trace of leprosy. He was healed!
Posted in Sai Spiritual Showers |
