Baba’s Feet

“I shall certainly come to your house.”

“Mention the exact date, Swami! Why is it that You do not give the date? You simply promise to come, some time or another. For more than a year, we have been living on hope. We cannot bear this any longer. Everybody in Mangalore is earnest. They are asking me when exactly You will bless the town.”

“I shall be there in January, no, not in Mangalore, but in your house. Don’t worry about the town.”

“January means?”

“This coming January, about the middle of January.”

“Give me definite word, Baba, please.”

“Here. Placing My hand on yours, I give you My word. Believe it, Dikshit.”

M. S. Dikshit was very happy. He had the unique fortune of sitting at the feet of Shirdi Sai Baba as the nephew of the famous Kaka Saheb Dikshit, and now, in the evening of his life, he had secured the tenderness and loving grace of Sri Sathya Sai Baba to foster his spiritual progress and to look after him like the Divine mother. He returned from Prasanthi Nilayam and waited for the middle of January to come quickly along.

It came at last, and was about to pass when finally one noon his wife opened the door of the shrine room and found on the floor seven footsteps of Baba, marked out in soft sweet-scented vibhuti [holy ash]—beautiful little footmarks, unmistakably those of the Lord she had planted in her heart. Left, right, they led along the floor, to the shrine where there were two, side by side!

So Baba had come! Her joy brought others in and when they applied the precious vibhuti to their foreheads, the footmarks faded except one, the third, of the left foot, the footmark of shakti [power]. She prayed that it should at least be visible when Dikshit arrived from office, for word had been sent to him of Baba’s grace.

And lo, it became clearer and clearer, the vibhuti grew; yes, grew, accumulated, and the footmark could be seen by hundreds and thousands for days! It remains even to this day, as thick as three quarters of an inch, symbolizing how, when His feet are enshrined in the heart, Baba showers the mercy of His presence.

Source: Sanathana Sarathi, May 1964