‘My devotee may be thousands of miles away ……….'

(Experience of a 20 year old girl, 1986.) I was floating on cloud nine. My dreams had come true. Here I was, on my way to the U.S. for my studies. I had admission to the course of my choice; at the University, I had dreamed of going to! Baba had made it happen. There was, of course, the pain of being separated from my darling parents, of going away from all that was familiar, loved and known. Here I was on the brink of exploring a whole new world ….a whole new way of life. 

A few days later, I began to realize how badly I was missing everything and everyone I had left behind – my mother and father, my indulgent grand parents, my friends, my home, my room, my bed…every little thing there! The loneliness which every student has to fight and learn to get over, hit me. 

The evening was cloudy, dark and gloomy. There was a chill wind blowing, and it did little to cheer me up. I was walking down an empty street, which felt lonelier still as it did not take me home to Mom and Dad. There was no one with me, just no one! 

Just then, I remembered Sai Baba's assurance: Wherever you may be, thousand of miles away, which I had read as a child, came back to me. I prayed to my Baba,'Sai, where are you? You promised, Baba, you can be anywhere, anytime, with the one who loves you." 

I took my handkerchief to my eyes, to wipe my tears….and I felt something rustle against my skin – not like fabric at all. It was something the wind had brought. I took it away from my eyes and looked. I could not believe what I saw – it was Baba's photograph! Here in an alien land on the other side of the earth? It was real….real, not my imagination….as years later, it is still with me, framed in gold, at my bedside!

(From: 'SAI FOR EACH, FOR ALL, FOREVER' by Shaila Hattiangadi and published by Quest Publications, Mumbai -400 001)

Devotees Section

SC AGARWAL

It is suggested that in your regular title "Answer to know your Sai Satcharitha...."; If chapter No./ Page no. after the each answer is given, it will be easy for readers to co-relate.

Naga Sai Temple in Coimbatore – A Sai Incident

Captain Devaraj who was serving in the World war, received miraculous help from Sri Sai Baba.  The grateful Captain donated a plot of land, which he owned on the Ooty road, Coimbatore, for the construction of Sai Mandir. One evening in January 1943, bhajans were going on in the Sai Mandir. Suddenly a cobra appeared and moved towards the picture of Sai Baba (idol of Sri Sai Baba has not been installed then).  The cobra lay before the photo and appeared to be listening to the bhajans.  It did not appear to be frightened of the congregation of people, nor the devotees appeared to be frightened of the cobra, which lay near them.  After the arathi and bhajan, the devotees left locking the temple.  The next morning, the cobra was still there, near Baba's picture. 

The devotees now began to realize that the cobra was no other than Sai Baba.  They chanted verses and sang praises of Baba, showered flowers and rose petals on the picture of Sai Baba and on the snake.  The cobra quietly, accepted the adoration and did not move from the place.   A professional photographer was called and he has taken the photo of the cobra with heap of flowers on it.  The next day afternoon the cobra left the temple of its own accord.  The temple is now called Naga Sai Mandir Coimbatore.