Nityananda
Teleporting:
Young Nityananda once visited the ancient city of Palani in the then state of Madras in South India. There is a famous Murugan temple over a hill. The priest of the temple was just returning after locking the doors of the temple following the afternoon puja. Young Nityananda accosted the priest and demanded that the temple door be reopened for him. The priest was astonished by the audacity of this young lanky youth. He was a head priest and nobody should dare to make such a request, at least not a young lad. The priest refused to oblige and was a bit nasty to Nityananda. Nityananda appeared not to be bothered by the priest's reply and just walked towards the temple.
As the priest reached the foot of the hill he heard the temple bells ringing. The sound came distinctly from his temple, which he had just locked. The priest got worried and wondered how the bells could ring from the closed temple. In the temple there was lot of gold and other precious articles. He retraced his steps back to the temple. The door was locked, yet the bells were ringing! He hurriedly opened the doors and entered the inner temple. There was nobody there and the bell had stopped ringing.
When he looked at the deity to confirm whether the gold on the statue was safe, he was shocked to find the young lanky lad in its place.
Wherever Nityananda went in Palni, money used to pour. He stood at the foot of the hill and the pilgrims visiting the temple placed money at his feet. Nityananda gathered the money and gave it to a local priest who wished to establish a kitchen (Bhojan Shala) to feed the pilgrims. Baba asked him to make the necessary arrangement to do so.
Manifesting Food:
In those days poverty was spread all over India. It was further compounded by various epidemics, droughts, floods, failure of crops etc. Food was scarse. In the villages, the scenes were pathetic. People were dying of starvation. Small children were orphaned and sick due to malnutrition. The best social service one could do was offer food to the needy. Nityananda was often found holding bhandhara (free distribution of food) in various villages.
He used to hold the distribution of free food late at night. When asked why he didn't hold bhandhara during the day, he used to say "In the day even those whose stomachs are full make good of a free lunch. At night only those who are starving will keep awake. Food thus reaches genuinely hungry people".
Nityananda used to feed hundreds of people in this way. Rice was cooked and stored in large heaps covered with sheets made from dried grass. From large vessels, curry were served hot and tasty. At times only rice-water (kanzi) with chutney or pickles were served. Knowing free food was available, the entire village used to gather.
Often Baba was seen serving with a large ladle and irrespective of the quantity of food available he used to serve each plenty. It would seem that there wasn't enough, but even after all had eaten, some food would always remain. He then used to order that the extra food be put into the river for fish and other animals to eat. The food thus reached all.
Rescuing the Murderer:
In each village Baba visited, several people came out to serve him. Some would give him money. Money used to be kept at his feet as he never took it in his hands. He used to instruct the local chief or any devotee to collect the money and make arrangements to distribute food through bhandhara. Some of the close relatives of those who donated money and offered free service to Baba felt that they're loved ones were being manipulated by Baba. These relatives did their best to prevent them from giving donations or service to Baba. Among those that donated were rich shopkeepers, rich men's sons and brothers, government officers who received handsome salaries and young boys of the village. All of them felt a strong urge to serve Baba in whatever way possible.
There was a rich man's son who used to donate money and also give his time in serving Baba to distribute food. His father was annoyed and all his efforts to discourage his son from joining Baba proved futile. As a rich man, he did the next best thing: he hired a professional killer to thrash Baba.
Once, as Baba was visiting a devotee and giving darshan to those who has assembled, he suddenly got up from the gathering. The devotees who had gathered wondered why Baba left and followed him into the garden. There they saw that Baba was held by one man and his associate with raised arm was about to pull a long knife on Baba.
The devotees soon overpowered both the goons, but the man with the knife was crying in pain. They found that his arm was seized in the raised position and he was experiencing extreme pain. His arm appeared as if frozen in the air and all efforts to pull his arm down failed. Nityananda felt sorry for the man and just touched his arm. Immediately the arm became free and the pain vanished.
In the meantime, the police came and the devotees handed the assassins over to them. The police took both the men in custody and locked them up. Nityananda insisted that the men be released as they were poor and did it for the money. The authorities did not oblige. Nityananda stood his ground and went without food and water in front of the jail. The rich man who had hired the goons heard about the incident and approached the authority for the release of the men. Since he was influential his request was granted and both the goons were freed. The rich man became an adherent devotee of Baba and began to make his own regular contribution for bhandhara in a big way.
Lighting Fire:
Baba appeared like a young boy and not like any typical saint with a long beard and an animal skin to sit upon. He was thin, lanky and though often in a trance, he never appeared to be in any particular form of meditation. He was therefore often mistaken for a vagabond and insulted or hurt. On the one hand several devotees visited him and served him with love and reverence, on the other hand, a few took it upon themselves to hurt and test him. In one village where Baba was sitting under a tree, the local boys made fun of him. Baba was in a trance and did not notice them. This further antagonized them.
They soaked several rags in kerosene and tied them around Baba's hands and lit fire to it. Baba continued his trance, unaware of the fire burning his hands. As the fire grew, suddenly the youth who had lit the fire experienced a burning sensation on his hands. He began screaming and people wondered why. He realized his folly and surrendered to Baba. Baba who was still absorbed in his Self was unaffected by the happenings around him.
As soon as the youth surrendered at Baba's feet, the burning sensation disappeared and he became comfortable again. Those gathered around realized that Baba was indeed a yogi and asked for his forgiveness.
Healing:
Baba was often found standing on a tree. People used to gather below the tree and shout, "Oh Deva! I am suffering from such and such a disease. Please cure me. Please help me Deva".
Baba remained as if unaffected by the entire crowd and their pleas. But he used to often pluck a leaf and throw it at the person requesting a holistic cure. The person who received the leaf as an answer to his prayers took it home and ate it like a medicine. He would soon be cured of his ailment. As more and more people received the benefit of Baba's cure the crowd became larger and larger. Baba used to then move from one place to another.
Anant Shenoy was bed-ridden due to an acute pain in his stomach. His grandsons approached Baba. Baba was sitting on open ground. He plucked a few blades of grass from the ground, asked them to prepare a decoction of the grass and give a spoon-full to Anant Shenoy. When it was administered as instructed by Baba, Anant soon became free of stomach ache.
The holistic healing of Baba became known all over Karnataka. Once a Konkani speaking man from Karnataka, wanted Baba to save his mother. His mother was seriously ill with a lump in her leg. Several medicines had been tried but to no avail. This man went in search of Baba and when he finally found him he expressed his concern for his mother.
Baba Nityananda responded, "This one knows and is there" but did not offer any grass or leaves as medicine. The man was disappointed and became very desperate. He somehow managed to take his mother to the spot where Baba was found sitting near the village square. But Baba was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, he returned home with his mother. When he arrived, he found Baba descending the stairs of his house. Nityananda rubbed the affected area for a few minutes and the mother soon recovered.
Sitaram Shenoy's daughter Gita, had a large very painful boil on her leg. One day she visited Ganeshpuri along with her mother Shusheela. Baba was in Vaikuntha and he saw Gita's leg with the painful boil. He told Susheela to go to the bed of the river Tansa where a particular tree was located. There Gita had to go around the tree three times and then take a leaf from the tree and tie it over the boil. She should then loudly request to the tree, "Please cure me." Shusheela took Gita to the tree on the bed of the river and did as Baba said. The very next day the boil was cured.
Gita was suffering from severe jaundice. The doctor had recommended allopathic medicine with several restrictions to her diet. During a visit to Ganeshpuri, her mother informed Baba of the child's condition. Baba asked her to give Gita medicine for worms. When the doctor was told of this, he said that as Gita didn't have worms, giving her such medicine may kill her. With faith in Baba Susheela gave Gita the medicine Baba suggested and the next day the child purged a large worm with her stools. Immediately she was free from jaundice.
Stopping the Train
Several years after his foster father, Iswar Ayar's death, Baba once again appeared in Quailandy. Some farm workers found a dark lanky youth sitting near the railway tracks. One of the men from this group fell down due to epileptic fits. His colleagues gathered around the fallen man and tried to revive him. Suddenly, a lanky youth came forward and put something in the fallen man's mouth. Immediately the man got up, hale and hearty. His colleagues were impressed and one of them recognized Baba as Raman, the boy who used to live in Quailandy.
News of the return of Nityananda soon spread all over the village and villagers gathered around Baba, who preferred to stay close to either railway stations or railway tracks. There was a regular crowd around Baba everyday. This was not liked by railway staff as it was interfering with their work. Mr. Narayanan Nair was chief of the railway staff and was a very strict man. People used to call him Tiger Narayanan. When he was told of the crowd gathering around Baba, he became very furious.
He went to Baba and abused him with foul language and ordered him to clear the tracks. Baba did not take any notice of Tiger Nair and appeared to be in a trance. Baba continued to stay around the tracks and crowds continued to visit him to get their problems solved.
One day Madras Mail was passing along the same track that Baba was sitting on. Tiger Nair noticed it and was sadistically waiting for Baba to be crushed under its wheels.
The train kept coming towards Baba at full speed but Baba was in deep meditation. There was no way the train could be stopped. As the train reached Baba it suddenly stopped just a few feet away from Baba without the engine driver applying the brakes. He was shocked and climbed down to see Baba sitting calmly and smiling at him.
Tiger Nair approached him and demanded to know why he had stopped. The driver had no answer. Although the engine was in perfect working condition, the train refused to budge even an inch. It was then that Tiger Nair realized that Baba was indeed a divine personality and prostrated at his feet.
Tiger Nair who had a very strong personality, became a staunch devotee of Baba and built a small ashram for Baba at Kotmangalam.Baba Nityananda was very fond of traveling by trains.
In the early days Baba was often found around railway stations and several railway officers, guards and drivers knew him. Baba often took free rides on several lines on Southern railway in the engine car. This personal rapport with various railway personnel came over due to several episodes that happened during Baba's travel in trains. Once, a ticket inspector found that Baba had no valid ticket. He forcibly removed Baba from the train. But it was found that the train just did not get started.
The guard, the driver and the engineers from the station looked at the various possible faults that can occur, but everything was found to be in order. When they just could not solve it and were about to report to the major railway junction for help, the train driver noticed Baba. He went to Baba and enquired why he was sitting there. The ticket checker told the driver that he had thrown Baba out of the train as he was without a ticket.
The driver immediately understood the cause of the engine failure. He begged Baba to board the train. Baba removed from his loin cloth several tickets and offered them to the ticket inspector. All tickets were found to be valid tickets.
When Baba boarded the engine car at the invitation of the driver the train started at the first attempt. Baba's acquaintance and fame with railway personnel grew to such an extent that whenever their train passed Kanhangad ashram they used to hoot their train whistles as an acknowledgement and salute to Baba Nityananda.
Manifesting Money:
In early 1920, Baba settled for some time at Kanhangad. He used to initially stay in a small cave, which was embedded within the wall of the fort. This fort was built by Ikkari Raja. This fort is very close to the present Kanhangad Ashram.
Baba used to stay also in the cave of the present ashram. The present caves were built by Baba in those days. To build this cave it was necessary to build a road and clear the jungles around the hill. When the local authorities came to know about the massive activity taking place at such a remote place from the Kanhangad village, they came to investigate.
When Baba was asked why this activity was being carried out, Baba told them that there would soon be a guest house built for visiting government officials. It was the British Raj and the officials were convinced that such possibilities can happen. In fact, years later, the area within the fort walls was allotted for a police station and guest house. Later, Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, visited this place and gave his public speech on the grounds in this area. After the clearing was done and the road leading to the hill was ready, Baba began constructing the caves. There was no architect or structural engineer appointed for the job.
Baba was all rolled into one. He was the architect, structural engineer and also the site supervisor of the massive work.Using a local workforce, Baba carved forty caves in all, out of solid rock-hill. Baba gave six entrances to the maze of the caves. Since three entrances were facing east and three facing west, there was enough light in the caves throughout the day. It was therefore often called East-West Caves. Each worker was paid for their work. From where the money came nobody could know.
Often Baba directed the foreman of the village to a particular spot beyond some tree where he would find the right amount of the wage bill. At times each worker would make a line in the evening and walk by Baba. Baba used to open and close his fist on the palm of each worker, leaving the exact amount on their palm.Looking at the volume of the job, several local people felt jealous and complained to the local authority that Baba had found some treasure in the area and was liberally distributing it without intimating and handing it over to the government.
An officer visited the site and finding Baba supervising the activity, demanded to know from where he raised the finance. There was a large lake infested with crocodiles beyond the cave hill. Baba jumped into the water and popped up with his hands full of money. Baba told the officer to join him, as there was a large amount stacked under water. The officer was so shocked that he walked away never to bother Baba again.
When the work of digging was in full swing, the District Collector of District South Canara, Mangalore, Mr. Gawn, visited the site. He had received a report from the local administration body that the illegal construction and destruction of the forest was being carried out by one Nityananda.
As chance would have it, he had visited Kanahangad on some other matter when this report was again placed before him. He and his full retinue mounted horses and confronted Baba, who was working along with other laborers. Baba showed him the site and the activity being undertaken by him. He then called him inside the cave under construction.
When Major Gawn came out of the cave he was a changed man. He ordered all his men to vacate the site and gave orders that no one should interfere with the activities of Baba and all should give complete cooperation.
As Major Gawn was leaving, to his surprise he found that the road leading to the caves had been names in his honour. When Major Gawn reached his office he found a promotion letter on his desk. He was transferred to Madras District on a prestigious post. On top of this hill is the shrine erected by Janananda Swamiji in memory of Bhagavan.
Blind getting sight:
A man living in Mumbai heard about Baba and visited Ganeshpuri. When he entered Kailas ashram, he found a long queue of devotees waiting for Baba's darshan. He, too, stood in line and as it was his first visit, he was curious to observe what was happening. He saw that when each person's turn came to present himself to Baba, they would say something to Baba or offer some gift that they had brought along and then prostrate before Baba. Baba was found sitting on his chair with his eyes half-closed and was usually quiet. Occasionally Baba would nod and acknowledge a devotee or speak a few words, which only the two could hear.
When this man's turn came to present himself to Baba, he was surprised to see that Baba moved forward in the chair and said to him, "Bring your brother here." He did not understand the reason for Baba requesting his brother, who had been blind from birth.
He took his brother to Ganeshpuri the following week and presented himself along with his brother to Baba. Baba instructed that the brother should stay behind and the man could return to Mumbai. After a few days, when the man came to take his brother back, he found that he could now see clearly.
There is another incident where a blind person got his eyesight. As usual, Baba was standing on a tree top and devotees gathered below the tree to collect the leaves thrown down by Baba. The healing power of the leaves was widely known and the crowd increased day-by-day. These leaves were gathered and treasured for their medicinal properties. A partially blind person stood in the crowd hearing the miraculous power of Baba. But the crowd was so huge that he could not get close to the tree on which Baba stood. Soon the crowd disappeared and only he was left.
As Baba came down the tree he approached Baba and told him why he was there. He was slowly going blind and because of his poor eye sight he was no longer in a position to hold his job. Since he was the only member of his family earning an income, it was becoming very difficult to manage his family. Baba took a handful of leaves and rubbed them over his eyes without uttering a word. The man left after taking Baba's blessings. Nothing happened to his eyesight and he continued to have limited eyesight that night. The next morning when he woke up, he found that his eyesight had been restored.
Mukti for soul:
One day a family came to Ganeshpuri with a small child in their arms. The child was very seriously ill and the parents appeared worried. On enquiry it was learnt that the child was suffering from pneumonia and had not opened his eyes for the last three days. They were directed to have darshan of Baba.
When they were in front of Baba, the mother held the child towards Baba and began to weep. The father explained the case and prayed to Baba that he should save the child. Baba, who was silent for a while, suddenly passed his hands over the child, from his head to his feet. The child opened his eyes as the palm passed over his face and by the time Baba's palms reached his feet, the child closed his eyes once again. Baba then told them to perform the last rites as the child was dead. Both parents were dejected and in deep sorrow.
The following day the parents presented before Baba. The mother wailed, "Oh Baba! We had come to you with great hopes. We were told you are Avatarpurusha, but how could my child die in your very presence?"
Baba rebuked them saying, "What do you understand of the law of Karma? You are blinded by ignorance. This child has chosen your womb and family for its last three births and was begging for liberation. In this fourth birth his desire for total liberation has been fulfilled ‘here'.
This is the impact of this holy land of Ganeshpuri, the land of the Siddhas. No more birth for him."
Both husband and wife fell at Baba's feet much consoled. Yes, the mother had given birth to three children before and all had died as infants. It was Baba who gave him liberation in the punyabhoomi Ganeshpuri.
A similar incident where Baba gave salvation to a woman happened at Ganeshpuri. When Baba was in Kailas ashram, every morning a woman used to come and prostrate at Baba's feet and pray loudly for her salvation. This used to happen for several days at a fixed time, with Baba keeping his silence.
One night Baba ordered one of the attendants in the ashram to buy a bag of beaten rice and unrefined sugar (pova and gudh). As soon as they were procured, Baba asked the attendants to mix the two ingredients thoroughly to make guudhpova and when it was ready, Baba asked them to make a figure of a woman at the same spot where the lady used to prostrate at Baba's feet.
Baba then asked the attendant to wake and gather all the village children and distribute the guudhpova. Baba strictly instructed that the entire quantity had to be consumed before sunrise. The next day the lady came as usual and prostrated at Baba's feet with a prayer for her salvation. This time, however, she did not rise. She died on the exact spot where Baba had handmade her figure with guudhpova the previous night. Thus Baba made annadan, an important obligation to be done for the easy liberation of souls.
The offering of food is considered the best seva that a man can do for others. If you offer someone money, the receiver can still feel that he could have got some more, if land is offered then the receiver can still feel that a piece larger than what he got would have been better. Any other free gift can keep the receiver feeling dissatisfied. If, however, a hungry man is fed to his heart's content, he immediately raises his hands and says, "Enough, I have had enough."
Annadan alone is one gift that results in complete satisfaction, purna trupti to the receiver. Hence in Hindu philosophy annadan is considered to be the most holy dan (alms) and when done ensures liberation.
The Astrologer:
A devotee visited Baba and expressed "Baba my astrologer has predicted the death of my wife. I am worried as I have two small children to take care of."
Baba looked up at him and asked "What makes him to sure that she would die?" Baba himself began to describe the wife's horoscope to the surprise of the husband.
Baba also explained the basis of the astrologer's prediction. Baba then gave him very complicated instructions to ward off the impact of the planets.
The husband followed the instructions given by Baba with total faith. The particular date predicted for her death passed, but she survived. The astrologer too was surprised with the results and asked the man how it had happened so.
The husband told him about his Guru Nityananda and the instructions that Baba had given him to ward off the evil effect of the planets. The astrologer referred to his books on Jyothish sasatra and to his surprise he found the same solution as what Baba had given to nullify the negative impact of the constellations.
Stealing with consent:
It is the custom in India that when you visit a saint or elderly person, you must carry a gift for them. The devotees visiting Baba Nityananda used to bring flowers, coconuts and fruits. Some used to offer money. The gifts were never taken by Baba in his hands. They were either placed at his feet or given to the attendants serving him.
At times the collected gifts of flowers and coconuts used to form a big heap in front of Baba. A few business men used to give large tins of biscuits and chocolates. Baba himself never took any of it.
The gifts were largely distributed among small children and coconuts and flowers were given as prasad to other devotees. At times large amounts of money used to collect at his feet.
Some devotees used to prostrate at Baba's feet and while getting up used to conveniently gather some money between their palms and take it away without asking.
All knowing Baba never uttered a single word of rebuke and kept his silence with a naughty smile on his face. The attendants used to get real bugged seeing people lifting money.
One day the attendant brought this to Baba's attention and Baba asked "How do you know he has ‘lifted' the money? Before taking it he asked for the permission from ‘here'."
Behind the Samadhi shrine of Baba Nityananda is a small temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The statue here is almost life-size Krishna reclining on a white cow. Krishna is holding a flute to his lips and is standing on his toes. Between the two front legs of the cow, Baba had placed a small shaligram and a small clockwise conch (a very rare variety, considered to hold very powerful shakti).
A collection box was placed here where visiting devotees used to put in their donations. One evening Baba told one of the attendants to empty the box, count the money and leave only one-fourth of the total amount in the box.
The next morning the devotees found that the box was broken and the money that remained had been stolen. They went immediately to report the burglary to Baba who was laughing as if he was already aware of it.
He said, "Yesterday a poor man visited ‘here' and prayed silently that he be allowed to break into the collection box, as he urgently needed money."
Baba, out of compassion, made arrangement for him to get only that amount which would meet his immediate needs.
Winning by Love:
Baba was once invited to Mrs. Krishnabai's house in Mangalore. Looking forward to Baba's visit on the appointed day, Krishnabai got up very early and cleaned the house. She made several garlands and decorated the place as if it was a festival. She also prepared several sweet dishes and various items for lunch as she knew Baba preferred to distribute food to devotees who also came to have his darshan.
After much waiting Baba finally arrived but immediately left the house saying that he would not stay. Many devotees had gathered and it was very disappointing to all, including Krishnabai and her husband.
Since Baba was like a small boy at that time, Krishnabai's husband and his friend tried their best to prevent Baba from leaving their house. Baba, though he appeared very thin, could easily push past both of them and with great speed walked out of the house. They saw Baba walking away without looking back. The entire crowd felt very disappointed. Krishnabai, who worked very hard for over a week to see this day was in tears. In her heart she prayed to Baba not to disappoint the devotees who had gathered and pleaded to him to return.
Just as they were losing hope and the crowd began to leave, suddenly Baba appeared. He stood in front of Krishnabai and said, ‘She stopped ‘this One'".
What Baba meant was that the intense love and pleading of Krishnabai made him return. It is not physical force but pure love which binds God.
Nityananda and the Tiger:
One of the devotees visiting Ganeshpuri regularly had the following incident to tell. In early 1950, when Baba was still in Vaikuntha ashram he visited Ganeshpuri. He had not planned to stay behind, but Baba ordered him to stay overnight. This man was a devotee of Goddess Durga and was worried that he would miss his evening puja which he conducted at his home.
Although it was late in the evening several devotees were still sitting listening to Baba. Baba sat in front of them and there was an open field behind him. The cool winter breeze was blowing and it was a beautiful evening as the sun was about to set.
As the darkness crept in he noticed that there were two bright small objects just behind Baba. He instantly realized that there was a large tiger behind Baba.
The fear of the tiger and the possible harm that it could do to Baba, shocked the devotees who were there. The tiger gradually raised its body and carefully placed his front paws on Baba's shoulder from behind.
Without moving or showing any reaction, Baba lifted his hands and tweaked the ears of the tiger as if he's been expecting the tiger to come. Baba spoke as one would cajole a family cat.
Satisfied with the caressing and the attention that it got from Baba, the cat turned around and ran towards the Mandakini forest and disappeared in the darkness.
Baba laughed at the shocked devotees who witnessed a most unusual sight and said "Oh, it was just a vehicle of Mother Durga. Since this place belongs to her, the tiger had come to visit ‘this one'".
Ganeshpuri, Mother of all Pilgrimage:
Baba Nityananda often described the significance of Ganeshpuri. He used to say that God is everywhere. Just like water is everywhere but when it is at a particular place, like on a hilltop, it has great energy. So also at particular spots, the shakti can be unusually high.
This is calledsthal mahimha (power of the place). It is this power that creates miracles. A spot where many Siddhas have meditated and have stayed for long acquires their spanda shakti. Such places have such a high degree of spiritual and divine shakti that miracles just happen.
In Ganeshpuri several Siddhas have stayed in the past and several religious yags and yagnas have been performed by gods and yogis. Every grain of sand of this place is filled with divine energy. Yet, several devotees used to often come to ask for permission to go on long pilgrimages. Sometimes Baba gave them permission to proceed, but he denied a few.
Once a devotee came to him and expressed his desire to go to Bhadri and Kedar on a pilgrimage.
Baba said, "What are you going there for? What will you find there which is not here. Everything is here. Everything, everything is here alone. Ganga, Bhagirathi, Narmadha are all here. Shiva, Krishna, Gods and Goddesses are all here. Why then go anywhere else?"
This devotee insisted and went to the Himalayas. On the steps of Bhadrinath Temple, a beggar approached him and started asking for alms, singing a song. Since it is customary to give alms when on pilgrimage, he gave the beggar a coin.
After his visit to various temples, the devotee returned to Ganeshpuri for Baba's darshan. As soon as he presented to Baba, Baba began to sing the same song that the beggar sang on the steps of Badrinath Temple and tossed the exact coin that the devotee had given to the beggar.
The man was shocked when Baba further gave the details of his pilgrimage. The man realized that when the very God of gods existed at Ganeshpuri in the form of Bhagavan Nityananda, it was foolish to go to any other place in search of God.
Visit to Devotee as Sai Baba:
There was a lady who was a staunch devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba. Sai Baba had long passed away, but she used to still long for his darshan.
It was a routine for her to give alms to any ascetic who came to her doorstep in the afternoon. One day an old fakhir stood at her door. He appeared just as she had seen Sai Baba in various photographs. He wore a long kafani, tied a cloth over his head, and had a white beard.
She took him in and gave him a good lunch. The fakhir blessed her and promised to soon meet her and left. Chance took her to Ganeshpuri a few days after this incident. She had never been there nor had she seen Baba before.
When her turn came to present before Baba, Baba said "I went to your home a few days ago. You gave me a good lunch." The lady looked up and said "Swami, why did you come as Sai Baba?"
Baba replied "Would you have recognized me were ‘this one' to come in this form?"
Shaktipat in absentia:
This was from a devotee who experienced a complete transformation within him. Madhukar Khade often visited Ganeshpuri along with his father Baburao Khade. Baburao was a strict disciplinarian and adherent devotee of Baba. The respect and discipline that he followed in the presence of Baba was equally accepted by his brother devotees and his own family members.
As Baburao was also a spiritually advanced soul he instructed his brother devotees on the path ofsadhana. Since his children were small he did not think it was appropriate to teach them.
Madhukar Khade, however, used to listen to his father giving instructions to others and slowly and secretly adopted them. In one of his visits with his father, he sat in a corner and began practicing what he had learnt indirectly from his father. There were several devotees in the hall and a conversation was going on between Baba and the assembled devotees.
The young Madhukar was practicing innocently but suddenly a doubt flashed in his mind about whether what he was doing was right. There was no way he could ask his father, who would have admonished him for adopting what was not instructed to him. Helplessly he looked at Baba, who smiled at him and nodding his head gave a loud ‘humkar'.
Madhukar was surprised that Baba could read his mind and help him in his spiritual quest. Years later Madhukar Khade would help several aspirants in their sadhana.
In another instance, a devotee went to Ganeshpuri with an intention to get instructions on his meditation. When he was in the presence of Baba he did his pranayama looking at Baba. Baba immediately nodded indicating that what he was doing was right.
In his return trip, he randomly churned the pages of the Chidaksha Gitaand stopped at a page where Baba says, "A yogi is no yogi if he does not have control over his breath."
He received several such instructions as he continued to read the book which guided him in his pursuit. He was steadfast in his meditation and earnestly did it regularly with full trust in Baba. Each day he used to begin by surrendering to Baba and praying for his guidance in his sadhana.
Ever since he had seen Baba in the superconscious state of infinite bliss and peace he wanted to experience the same. One day during his meditation he got direction from Baba that Baba would give him an opportunity to experience that state.
As he was meditating, automatically a mantra arose within him and he began to experience bliss and lost all body consciousness. This is a wonderful example of how the Guru provides guidance in performing sadhana, even though he may not be physically present.
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