Vijay Vohra
During my childhood I used to watch keenly my mother doing a lot of rituals for worshipping God. She also observed many fasts on different days of the month and often suffered with severe headache in the evening after doing hardwork the whole day and eating nothing. I used to think that why God needs us to observe fasts and do formalities or rituals to remember Him. I asked this question to my mother many times but never got any satisfactory answer. So I made up my mind that when I will grow up I will ask this question directly from God Himself. No doubt it was a childish wish to ask God but I never knew then that in reality it had to happen in future. With all these questions in mind I grew up and spent a good part of my life without any answer. During all these years I myself started observing different fasts (though out of fear) then stopped keeping fasts one by one to start again after some months. It was because I could neither convince my mind nor got any answer from any other source.
Then dawned the sacred day two decades back when I did see God face to face. My beloved Lord Sri Satya Sai Baba provided me all the answers and removed all my doubts very slowly, silently but steadily. Swami made me realize that for the advancement in spiritual journey God does not need us to perform any rituals or keep fasts. But by keeping fast once a week we can learn to control our mind which can help us to make our will power stronger. With strong will our mind is able to concentrate better. And when we can concentrate at will, we can meditate on our chosen deity. Then from health point of view too it is good to skip your food once a week. As far as rituals are concerned in initial stage we must observe a few rituals for worshipping God because they can help us to concentrate upon our beloved Lord’s form. Rituals can also form a habit in us to spend some time with our Lord. Then Namsmarna and service to humanity are the sure means to achieve spiritual growth. So with my beloved all knowing Swami my life became very peaceful and meaningful. Now I no longer have to imagine what God looks like or question the ifs and whys of life?
But then 24thApril 2011 started with a strong and a big blow for me and for all my devotee brothers and sisters because Swami took Mahasmadhi that day. Now three years have passed when we lost Him physically forever. Honestly it has been a very difficult journey since our beloved Lord returned to His formless state. But He has consoled all of us very silently with deep love and blessings by showing His presence everywhere we wanted or rather where needed.
Whenever I stumble or slip He never allows me to fall as I always manage to see His out stretched hand waiting to help me. Now Swami has made me realize that He is indeed literally with me even when He is physically no more. This concrete experience of the presence of a loving being is an experience which is continuing right through everyday rather every moment of life, and it is a most miraculous gift from Sai Baba to me.
Another miracle of Baba for me is that He is enabling me to write articles on His teachings. I do not think I can even write a few sentences on my own. He is himself guiding my thoughts, my words, bringing His sayings in my memory where needed, the whole article to be written and even topic is being suggested by Him. He has totally changed my way of life, my thoughts and my feelings and expectations from others. Each and every devotee who got a chance to be in His physical presence has a unique experience.
My most amazing realization is that Beloved Swami has cared deeply for all of us in different ways depending on our individual level of consciousness and our specific spiritual needs. But in all His devotees He has lovingly ignited and enhanced spiritual growth. This thought leaves me awestruck, what an incredible Master we all have! We are truly blessed and fortunate that we had the Supreme Parabrahman incarnated amidst us for our redemption with a beautiful divine form and sweet name as Sri Satya Sai Baba. We all devotees have experienced His unconditional love. He has shown us that love is royal road to attain constant integrated awareness.
Closeness to Him was more than lightening more than fire and heat yet cool, soothing and beyond expressions. In His presence in Prashanti Nilayam, the world appeared to recede with all its bindings, troubles, family problems, illness etc. There things appeared to lose their significance and effect before His all compassing love and Divine Aura. The entire questions one wished and prepared himself to ask the Lord, all the worldly reasons that has brought you to His “Holy feet” apparently evaporated, into thin air and one was caught firmly in His Divine Energy and held firmly in His Divine Love. You really ceased to exist as a body, with eyes, arms, legs, face, voice; there was only one entity, you enclosed with Him. There was no reason or cause any more, there was no movement, one used to get completely lost and drowned in the Holy waters of His gushing love. His eyes that look right through you X-ray all that is you-your present, past and future. It was only when Baba moved away from you, you awoke like awakening from a beautiful dream and your body moved again. The fullness of love in these few moments of in expressible bliss, filled your whole being and over flew into hot tears from your eyes. So overwhelming was His love. It took minutes before the “Holy Anesthesia wore off and you came back again.
Baba’s unfathomable eyes would melt hearts by a mere glance. His flowing appearance at Darshan would silence every heart and uplift every being to sublime levels of consciousness, His touch would dissolve all fears and remove all obstacles in the path of spiritual advancement. His words would console weeping hearts and give solace to the distressed. His ever serving hands would remove hunger thirst and disease from the poor and needy. All these Baba did for 85 years. Not once did Baba ever think what He would get in return. He always proclaimed that He expected nothing from His devotees except their love and devotion.
Let us imbibe the teachings of Bhagwan Baba in our life so that we all enjoy and experience bliss and fulfillment in our life while thanking the Lord for gracing our lives. Swami kindly strengthen our Bhakti and faith from the unsteady infancy to maturity and strength.
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