Hard Nuts to Crack

As compared with the previous three yugas (ages), the people of the current Kaliyuga (literally, the age of wickedness) are more difficult to impress. They have strayed too far from the divine path; even children are not easy to convince.

In an age of much skepticism, to see countless people, including many intellectuals, devoted to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is miraculous. They come from all areas of the world. It is impressive that despite their diverse religious origins and positions in life, they have responded to the call of the Avatar.

An old Hindi couplet expresses this well:

Kahe ke eent kahe ka rora
bhanumati ne kumbha joda

It means “Bhanumati, used a brick from somewhere and a pebble from somewhere else to erect a pillar.”

Sathya Sai Baba has united all humanity into a spiritual family. This, in large measure, is the result of recognition of His divinity. No other Avatar had been widely acknowledged as such during His lifetime.

Lord Rama’s [the Avatar of Dwapara Yuga] divinity was known only to the saptarishis [the seven immortal sages recognized in the Hindu scriptures]. Rama’s mission to rid the world of a tyrant [Ravana] required Him to keep His divinity under wraps. Likewise, Lord Krishna’s [the Avatar of Treta Yuga] divinity was known only to a few members of His immediate family and a handful of devotees. He had to wage many wars throughout His lifetime, and it was centuries before His divinity became widely acknowledged.

Unlike the other Avatars, Sathya Sai Baba has come armed only with the lamp of love and the sword of truth. With these He has touched millions of people and drawn them to Himself. Countless books detailing experiences of devotees worldwide have been published.

These anecdotes show how Baba has responded not only to prayers of people in agony, but even the so-called atheists.  His timely help comes unasked.

In these self-centered, materialistic times, people are wont to be skeptical about lending a hand to the needy. Yet so many devotees come to Prasanthi Nilayam [Baba’s residence in southern India] just for the privilege of serving as volunteers at Baba’s ashram.

They all have a story to tell, and I am no exception. Swami had plans for me long before I heard of Him, but I wasn’t an easy job.

As the only child of highly educated parents, I was a hard nut to crack. After completing my medical training in India, I was selected by the Nigerian embassy for the post of a gynecologist. I was to work with the assistant professor in a medical college in Nigeria. It was there that a dramatic incident opened my eyes to Swami’s divinity.

I had recently been pronounced a rarity as the Nigerians generally preferred their own doctors over foreigners. About 11 a.m. one morning, a lady came into the hospital with a ruptured uterus. The baby had died inside the womb, and so I had to immediately operate on her.

Her blood pressure was low even when she arrived, but after the surgery it dropped further to 80/60. All our efforts to bring it up were in vain. Although the staff worked until midnight, she had not come out of anesthesia, nor was there any change in her low blood pressure. Little did I know Swami would use this event to bring me into His fold.

I had recently started to attend a get-together every Thursday evening with a group of other Indians living in Nigeria. Every family brought a dish, and so I joined the gathering to enjoy the company and the delicious food. During one such gathering, one of the men who had just returned from Prasanthi Nilayam had brought with him some vibhuti [sacred ash], which he distributed among the guests while mentioning that it came from Sathya Sai Baba.

As the condition of my patient seemed hopeless, it struck me that I should give her Baba’s vibhuti as a last resort. It was after midnight when I took the vibuthi and made my way to the hospital. My mother came along to stand guard at the door so I could administer Baba’s “medicine” in privacy as the hospital staff would not appreciate this remedy.

Mentally, I told Baba that I was referring the case to Him. I felt that if the patient was meant to die, she would have done so already. Thus entrusting her in Baba’s hands, I went home and slept soundly.

Well, the miracle did happen. Despite 13 hours of post-operative shock, the patient recovered completely. This miraculous cure worked as a visiting card from Baba, the Divine healer. I went to see Him on my return to India. This doctor, who came to investigate, was conquered and remained to serve at the Divine lotus feet.

During my 30 years of service to Him, I have personally witnessed countless miracles. Appropriately an old Indian saying goes, “Naam na pucho sant ka, dekho us ke kaam,” meaning: “Do not ask the name of the saint, see his works.”  A saint feels the agony of the whole world. Tulsidas [a great poet and saint] has said, “Sant hridaya navneet smaana” and “Sare jahan ka dero mere jigar me hai,” meaning: “A saint’s heart is soft like butter,” and “The whole world resides in my heart.”

How much softer then is the heart of Swami who is God Himself? The numerous service projects that he has undertaken show His ceaseless efforts to relieve human suffering. What the government with all its finances, material resources, and manpower could not accomplish, Swami has.

The Super Specialty Hospital [in Puttaparthi] was completed in just five and half months; mammoth water projects are now quenching the thirst of millions; and the Sri Sathya Sai universities are shaping the characters of the future leaders of the country and the world.

An invocation from the Bhagavad Gita [scriptures] says, “He makes the dumb speak; and the lame climb mountains by the grace of Lord Krishna; to Him I bow.”  Today we see all this work done by Sai Krishna Himself.

How blessed we are to take birth as humans at the same time as when God walks on the earth.

Shankacharya [a Hindu saint] has said that three things are great privileges—human birth, access to a guru, and the desire for liberation.

A couplet from the Guru Granth Sahib [the holy book of Sikhs] reads:

Guru Govind dono khare, kake lagun paon
balihari guru apne, Govind diyo bataye

This means: “Guru and Govind [God] both are standing, whose feet do I touch first?  My guru is greater as he told me about Govind.”

Let us ponder over our rare fortune that we have been blessed with human birth, and God Himself has come as our guru. Our desire for liberation has to be cultivated instead of pursuing the world and its sensual pleasures. We are all aware of the familiar proverb, “Make hay when the sun shines.”  Baba—God, guru, and the great Sun—is shining now. Should we not make haste and join this mission?

~Dr. Prabha, Sathya Sai General Hospital