From Death’s Cold Hold
Whatever science sets its seal upon is believed as truth and the rest is discarded as false by the educated, that is the situation today. When a man of science cannot explain or accept any happening as possible, it is dismissed as either superstition or as impossible. But in medical science (with which I am at present concerned) there is even today a large region that has remained inexplicable. Why some diseases are caused, how they have to be treated, by what means can they be prevented—these are yet not placed beyond conjecture by scientists spending millions of dollars and years of research. Therefore, one is compelled to admit that there is a higher power, all-knowing, all-accomplishing, all merciful, without change and free from blemish, a power that is beyond human understanding: That Higher Power is God. It is beyond the capacity of science to explain It.
If this is branded superstition, he who brands it so is ignorant of facts, is unaware of the experience. “An ant cannot bite except under direction of Shiva”, it is said. All movements and happenings in the Universe are prompted by that Almighty Force. The span of human life is no exception. For, have we not read in the Puranas of people who got a new lease of life through grace? It was my good fortune to witness through the grace of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba the emergence of a patient from the cold hold of death.
Last March, from the 9th of the month, during the Shivaratri festival I was privileged to serve in the Sri Sathya Sai Hospital under the direction of Baba. The day after Shivaratri, on the 10th, a “serious case” was brought and admitted into the hospital. His name is, C. Chaganlal, Proprietor, Damodar Envelope Factory, Madras, a devotee of Baba. He was suffering since some years from cirrhosis of the liver. His age is 58. He is also afflicted with diabetes. He had fallen unconscious on the 10th and was brought in a stretcher to the hospital.
On examination, I found that another complication had intervened on the cirrhosis of the liver from which he was suffering. He had developed hepatic coma, a condition which is fatal in almost all such cases. In hepatic coma, the liver, the kidneys, and other organs do not work effectively. So Chaganlal had contracted urine secretion, also. His pulse was beating dangerously fast. He was a long-standing sufferer from high blood pressure. His respiration indicated that he might collapse any moment. He was unconscious in deep coma. The only “treatment” we could give was the administration of two liters of intravenous glucose.
When Bhagavan was informed that the patient was in a very critical condition, He smiled and said, “You treat him as best you can; nothing will happen to the patient.”
The best we could do at the time and place was the IV Glucose and we did it. But we knew that it was not the treatment at all. The only other treatment we knew of was to sit beside the bed and watch him, praying to Sathya Sai Bhagavan to save him. We found that his condition was becoming worse and worse. Still, Bhagavan’s words, His assurance that `nothing will happen to the patient’ gave us some courage and confidence. We administered him just one specific: the Vibhuti (sacred ash) that He created by the wave of His hand and gave us to be given to Him.
At about 2 a.m. on the 11th, I noticed some improvement: the respiration rate improved and became less fast. The patient slowly opened his eyes before sunrise; it appeared that he was slowly recovering from coma. He passed urine. He started swallowing a little of the water that was given. At 8 a.m. on the 12th, respiration became normal, and we heard the patient repeat unto himself in low tones, “Sai Ram, Sai Ram.” At about noon, he started becoming aware of the need to pass urine. By evening, he began recognizing those around him. Very soon, his talk, too, became normal.
On the morning of the 13th, he sat on the chair placed in the verandah of the ward. That evening, he came down the Hospital Hill and was able to stand with the group of devotees waiting for a chance to have the darshan of Bhagavan. Chaganlal was born again. He had a new lease of life awarded to him.
Chaganlal’s case is a miracle in medical science. Even when the latest drugs that are not easily procurable are administered, it is seldom that a patient comes out alive from hepatic coma. So the recovery of Chaganlal, so dramatic, so sudden, and so complete is certainly due to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s grace, represented by the Vibhuti He created and gave.
To question the veracity of His leelas [Divine play] and to try to explain the miracles He works serve but to expose our ignorance. As Baba advises us, let us understand ourselves first. Then we can reach one step nearer to Him. If we perform our duties, if we rid ourselves of lust, anger, greed, attachment, conceit, and hate and if we surrender to the Lord completely, thinking only of Him always at all places under all conditions and circumstances, we secure forever the guardian grace of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
~Kommareddi Bhaskara Rao, M. B. B. S., Eluru
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, May 1967
