Surrender

In September 2008, a devastating flood ravaged 2,500 villages in the coastal state of Odisha. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba announced that He would build 1,000 houses to rehabilitate the distressed and marooned families. By November 2009, 1,400 houses were built and distributed. The project was resumed in June 2012 after Baba’s Mahasamadhi and on July 5th, 2013, a group of people visited Bhubaneshwar to hand over 300 more houses.

On that night, the State President of the Sathya Sai Organization suggested that I should witness the arrival of the chariot celebrating the Prema Plabana Yatra (the journey of the flood of love). The golden chariot carrying a huge image of Bhagavan was traveling through the hamlets and villages in this state. While waiting for the procession to arrive, I was awestruck by the sincere reverence and the innocent devotion of the rural folk. Following is an extract from a story published in the Heart to Heart Journal about the complete surrender of a youth to our beloved Lord.

Mitu’s devoted mother

As I passed by one humble hut, seeing the lady of the house expectantly awaiting the Lord’s arrival, I asked her on an impulse, “Ma (mother), how do you feel this evening?”

“We are blessed… I am so happy,” she said shyly, half-concealing her smile with her sari.

“Since when do you know Baba? Have you been to Prasanthi Nilayam, Ma?” The fact that I could speak Odiya, her native tongue, gave her more comfort.

She looked into my eyes with gentleness, and feeling reassured she said, “We have known Baba for a long time. He is our Lord. We exist because of Him; He is the One who looks after us. He is our everything…” she went on.

“How has He taken care of you?” I wanted to unravel this passionate love for the Divine.

“My son is alive because of Him; he almost died two years ago!”

“What had happened to him?” My concern was spontaneous.

“His kidneys failed, he became unconscious. Oh, Baba has saved him so many times. He continues to safeguard him and our entire family. Baba has given my son a new life…” As she began talking about Swami, a pleasant smile and assuring peace dawned on her face.

“How old is your son? Is he here now?” I was keen to know more.

“He has been busy making arrangements for the arrival of the chariot in our village; he loves to do Baba’s work.” She sent for him and welcomed me to her home.

I entered the dark hut that had little light coming from a solitary bulb. The 14-feet mud walls merged into the thatched roof of dry grass, supported by bamboo stilts. The floor was red and hard, plastered with mud. The only furniture in that 3×7 feet enclosure was an old, creaky wooden bench.

“Please be seated here; Mitu, my son, will come shortly. Would you like a drink?” Her house was tiny but her heart was large.

“Tea, coffee, or a cool drink?” They were eager to extend their hospitality.

“I am just happy to be here. I do not need anything,” I couldn’t help stressing  the word ‘anything’ as I did not want to inconvenience them. “Please give me plain water while I wait for Mitu. I just want to hear about Baba,” I said to appease their repeated requests.

Enthusiastic Mitu

Soon the young muscular Mitu came home and his mother introduced me to him. I made him sit next to me and asked him about his work. He explained that since that morning he was busy placing sacred coconut and lamp at each house in the village,  in addition to other responsibilities at the Sai temple.

“Since when have you been associated with the Sai Organization?” I asked.

“Right from my childhood, I was attracted to the Divine. I used to spend all my free time serving in the temples, be it decorating the idols or doing the dishes. If there was any work to be done, regardless of whether it was a shrine of Lord Shiva or Lord Jagannath, I was always up for it.”

“But what motivated you to do all this? Was it to fulfill a desire or just to work for the Lord?” I asked.

“To be frank, I have never asked God for anything. I always did it with my heart and I liked doing it.” Mitu was really at a loss of words to articulate his love for the Lord.

“Okay, but how did you get involved with the Sai Organization?”

“One day, a friend asked me to attend Sai bhajans [devotional hymns] with him. Very reluctantly, I went with him to the Balipatna Sai Samiti (Puri district). But once I was there, I fell in love with the ambience, bhajans, and the final aarati [waving the flame]. I was deeply touched by their discipline, order, and sincere devotion. That was the beginning. I started attending the activities of the Sai Organization regularly. All this happened 13 years ago.” I asked him to continue with his story.

Vibhuti, prayers, & Divine grace

“Yes, after a year or so of my joining the Organization, my father became seriously ill. He had a long history of diabetes that led to some serious complications. Being a small-time vegetable vendor, he had no savings as he took care of a family of three children. We had no money to take him anywhere for treatment. We tried herbs and local remedies but they were of little help. His condition became so bad that the people of the village poured the sacred water into his mouth, praying for his smooth release.

“When the Sai brothers heard about it, they immediately rushed my father to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneshwar. The doctors diagnosed that he had diabetic-related maladies and tuberculosis. His treatment began, and all the expenses were taken care of by my Sai brothers.

“Every day, I prayed to Baba and also administered copious doses of vibhuti [sacred ash] to my father. He was in the hospital for 75 days and when he came home we realized that we needed at least 1,000 rupees a month for medicines and other items. The convener of our organization came to our rescue and assured us that he would take care of the monthly bills. Not only that, he even gave me a job in his rice factory. I was 20 years old then. That is how Baba took care of everyone in our family.”

“This is so heartening to hear! Indeed Swami is looking after you. Is your father fine now?” I asked eagerly.

The second tragedy

“For nine years, he did very well but toward the end of 2010, he developed a sepsis on his foot. This time my Sai brothers took him to a hospital in Puri. My father was admitted and I stayed with him and served him night and day for a month.

“In truth, I took care of my father and the other sick people in the ward. My father underwent surgery in March 2011. At 3 p.m., his surgery was done, but by 3.30 p.m. my health became serious.”

“Oh! What happened to you?” I asked him.

“I do not know; maybe it was the strain of the past 30 days. I guess lack of sleep and inadequate nutrition had taken their toll on my body. I had diarrhea, vomiting, and became extremely weak. All the Sai brothers who had come to see my father took me to another hospital in Puri. I was treated for six days. My health showed signs of improvement and the hospital discharged me. Yet again, all the expenses were borne by brothers of the Sai family.

“Unfortunately within three days of returning home my health suddenly became critical. I could not pass urine followed by severe pin in the abdomen and breathingh problems.

“Once more the Sai brothers came to my rescue. They now took me to a hospital in Pipli (25 miles from Puri) but my condition was so serious that they were advised to again move me to Bhubaneshwar. From there I was shifted to the famous Cuttack Medical College. The physicians there examined me and said, ‘the operation to save his life is too risky. One of his kidneys has collapsed and, the other one is on the verge of giving away. It is better to transfer him to a private hospital.’ So, finally, I was brought to the Shanti Hospital in Cuttack.

“We were on the road since the afternoon; it was a nightmarish ordeal. I was constantly chanting Swami’s name and reciting the Sai Gayatri. The pain was unbearable and I had become unconscious. The last words before I lost consciousness were, ‘I am departing now… please take care of my parents and siblings, and love them as you love me.’

“Shanti Hospital agreed to admit me on the condition that I would be under observation for 72 hours. If I regained consciousness, then there was hope; otherwise, the hospital would not be responsible for my death.

“My Sai brothers signed the document, and I lay there motionless for two full days. The entire village was praying for me. The youth of the village went door to door to collect funds to pay for my hospital stay.

“Nevertheless, my Sai brothers and sisters continued their special bhajans for me with greater vigor and fervor. They had a strong feeling that Baba would definitely come to my rescue. And He did! Baba came to me!”

Sai steps in to save

“Wow! Baba came to you? When? How?” I asked excitedly. “Did you see Him? How did He look?”

“As the 72 hours were about to end, that evening, I saw Baba in the ICU standing on my right side. I was crying and said to Baba, ‘I am dying… please save me Baba.’ Swami very lovingly wiped my tears and said, ‘I am there with you… nothing will happen to you, I will take care of you.’ He said this, wiped my tears and repeated, ‘I am there with you… nothing will happen to you.’ He then comforted me by gently moving His hand over my back, shoulders, head, and face. I could feel His soft energizing touch and hear His words, ‘I am there with you… I am there with you.’ This probably continued for five minutes. And then Baba quietly walked away.

“At that instant, I opened my eyes and wanted to share it with my family and the convener. But there were tubes in my mouth and my hands were tied. So with great difficulty, I knocked on the bed rail with Baba’s ring I had on my finger. Hearing the sound, a nurse was startled and came near.

“She alerted the physician. The doctor too was shocked. He saw that I was eager to communicate something. So he called in the convener; I was desperate to share what Baba had told me but due to the tubes in my mouth, I could not speak. I somehow conveyed that I wanted to write. The nurse gave me her notepad and I wrote ‘Baba had come!’

“From then on, my organs slowly started regaining their vitality and I became almost normal in seven days. However, as both my kidneys were affected, I was advised to undergo regular dialysis. Generally, this procedure takes about 30 minutes, and I asked if I could see some devotional videos to keep the mind occupied.

“After about 10 days in the hospital, I returned home. My weight had been reduced from 69 kilos [152 lbs], to 34 kilos [75 lbs]. My biggest problem was that I had to go for dialysis to the hospital once in eight days as my kidneys were weak.’

“At the end of eight days, when I was being taken to the hospital for my first dialysis after discharge, I was extremely despondent. I started fighting with Baba, as every dialysis session would cost me 2,000 rupees. I did not want to be an eternal burden on anyone; they had done enough as it is. In my mind, I said to Baba, ‘Swami, when You know I cannot afford this every week, why did You save me? I cannot afford the dialysis; I cannot be a burden on my family.’

“On that day, when they did the initial blood and urine tests and got the results, the staff at the Shanti Hospital was amazed! My kidneys were functioning normally! The doctor did not charge me any fees as she too was a Sai devotee.”

“That is simply surreal. Yours is truly a miraculous story!” I said, taking a deep breath as the tale concluded. Or at least that is what I thought.

Surrender like that!

“Well, every day of my life is a miracle. After this, I survived two snake bites; my mother had a successful cataract surgery even though we did not have a single penny; my brother was saved from a cycle accident and now has a small job; my sister had chest pain and some dental problems that have been taken care of without going to the hospital. It is Baba alone who is looking after us.

“Since I recovered in April 2011, I have no job. The doctors advised me against working in the rice factory. So now, I spend all my time doing Sai work either in the organization here or wherever I am required.”

And then pointing to himself, he continued, “This shirt that I am wearing was not bought by me…” He stood up and pointed to the clothesline behind him and he said, “I have ten shirts but I did not buy even one of them! Swami takes care of all my needs.”

“But do you not feel that you should do something to earn your living? Are you not apprehensive about your next meal?”  I asked.

“Absolutely not. I have had so many experiences in my life. Now I know beyond doubt that Baba will take care. We chant ‘Om Sri Sai Anna Vastra Daya Namah’ (Sai, You are the One who sustains us with food and clothes). Baba will do whatever is needed for me at the right time as per His promise. (Fortunately Mitu’s brother has a job and is able to provide some support to the family)

“I have decided to dedicate this life only to His work. Nothing else is a priority apart from taking care of my parents, of course. I want to spend all my time serving them and doingHis work. He is my life and everything to me. I am happy with whatever He has given me in this birth and I want to use it by serving others. I know for sure that He will give me a better birth next time,” He said finally.

That night, I had learnt the greatest lesson of surrender from a simple person. Mitu was perennially broke, yet he had everything including peace and happiness. Often, we come across people who have everything, yet their lives are meaningless.

A molehill of material wealth with a mountain of faith is far greater and rewarding than a mountain of material wealth with a molehill of faith. Also, when you serve the Lord with all your heart, the Lord too waits to serve you with all His heart! Mitu’s life in an obscure village in underdeveloped Odisha stands as a testimony to this. God knows how many such Mitus are living in the many corners across the globe!

Of all the days I was in Odisha, how did I happen to visit only Bajpayee village? And of all the houses in that hamlet, why was I prompted to greet Mitu’s mother? Well, that is the fabulous play of the Cosmic Director. Let us submit to His omni-will and pray that we live every moment in the full realization that He is the only doer.

~Bishu Prusty (Team Radio Sai)
Source: Radio Sai Journals, Vol. 12, April 2014