Vibhuti in the Wound
Sergeant D. S. Kadam, aged 34, was in the Ordinance Section of the Indian Army. On the 18th of October 1968, he sustained at very close range a gunshot injury on his left leg, just below the kneecap. The tibia and fibula bones were fractured and the leg was badly crushed. Two thirds of the tibia, about six inches, splintered and was thrown out. He was admitted to the Military Hospital at Ambala Cantonment [in northern India] and was operated upon eight times by skilled specialists.
Sergeant Kadam writes: “The surgeons took out 300 pellets and pieces of broken bones from the wound. Despite the best medical care, the formation of pus continued for about a year.
One morning, while another patient in the same ward was being taken to the operation theatre, he placed with me a photograph of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and a copy of the book, “Sathyam Sivam Sundaram,” for safe custody. I kept them on the little table near my bed.
While I was getting ready to eat lunch, my eyes fell on Baba’s photograph and I saw a few large dots of vibhuti (sacred ash) on it. I did not believe my eyes. I had no faith in mahatmas [great souls] and sadhus (holy men). I rubbed the vibhuti off, thinking that it was ash that had somehow fallen on it from somewhere. I turned toward my lunch plate and found that the vibhuti had reappeared in greater quantity than before. I felt that Baba must be a remarkable person to create vibhuti on His portrait like that. So, after lunch, I started reading the book about Him.
The impression this book left on my mind and heart was that Sri Sathya Sai Baba is not a mahatma or a sadhu; He is a super human power, God, come in human form. Meanwhile, I gave the photo and the book back to the owner when he came back from the operation theatre. I started meditating and praying to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai from my bed in the hospital.
The surgeon told me that he was unable to control the formation of pus in the wound. There was no remedy other than amputation to save the infection from spreading throughout the leg and body. I could not sleep that night. I lost all hope of recovery.
The very next morning, a gentleman came to me with another Sai devotee. He gave me two packets of holy vibhuti, which were given to him a year ago by Bhagavan Himself. He advised me to apply the vibhuti over the bandage.
One packet I used on the bandage. But in the night I felt an urge to pour the vibhuti from the other packet into the wound itself, without caring for the consequences. I knew I would have to suffer at the hands of the military surgeons. In the morning, when the bandage was removed, there was No trace of pus or blood or bad odor from the wound! The surgeon was surprised to see the highly improved condition of the wound—an improvement that was beyond imagination! Since then, I applied only vibhuti in the wound—the vibhuti that was given by that friend.
The surgeon told me that he was confident the wound would be healed dry very soon. But, he said, the leg would not be able to hold the weight of the body. After a week, I started walking with the help of crutches! Another week later,I could walk with the help of a walking stick!
On the auspicious day of Gurupoornima [when the preceptor is worshipped], I came to have darshan of Bhagavan at Prasanthi Nilayam. I was blessed. I touched His lotus feet. I can now dispense with the stick too!
I cannot explain in words my wonder, gratitude, and faith regarding Bhagavan’s grace.”
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, August 1970
