44. IDENITITY IN LIVING PROOF!
Dr. A. Ranga Rao, was a general practitioner at Bhimavaram. He
aspired to become an Ophthalmic Surgeon (Eye Specialist). This was, however, a
distant dream, till one day, in response to an emergency call, he rushed to the
compound of Shirdi Sai Temple, where the patient was. The latter happened to be
a close devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba and in fact was the person who had built
that temple.
After treating and assuring the patient, Dr. Rao prayed silently
to the Deity there, to bless him with more opportunities to treat His devotees.
The turning point in his career came soon thereafter, when by providential
shower of Grace, he went to U.S.A. and returned a highly qualified Ophthalmic
Surgeon. His prayer to the Shirdi Sai idol began to be answered fully by a
chain of devotees, sent to him by Parthi Baba
One day a lady by the name of Somamma came to Dr. Rao’s clinic.
She had cataract which was further complicated with 'iritis' and rheumatism,
thus unfit for surgery. The lady then emphatically impressed upon the doctor
that she had been assuredly directed to him by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who
had said, "At Bhimavaram, there is an eye surgeon, who is My devotee,
since many years. Go to him and tell him that I want
him to operate on you. He will do it and you will have your sight
restored". Somamma also told hi m that Sathya Sai was the reincarnation of
Shirdi Sai Baba
Though amazed at this, yet his profound faith in Shirdi Sai led
him to instinctively believe the words. He therefore unhesitatingly undertook
the operation and the patient recovered uneventfully. The seed of yearning was
thus sown in this fortunate doctor
He felt all the more convinced because Baba had told this patient
that Dr. Rao had been his devotee for many years. As if directed by Divinity,
the lady presented him with a small picture of Sathya Sai. Circumstances so
destined that Dr. Rao shifted his practice to Madras. The latent yearning for
darshan of this 'Live Deity', grew stronger as days rolled by. At last' The day
dawned. The doctor suddenly learnt that Bhagavan was visiting Madras. He
hastened! to 3, Surya Rao Road, where Bhagavan was staying at that time.
However, the large volume of the multitude dampened his spirits, for the chance
of a personal contact seemed naught. As he stood there, a stranger approached
hi m and said, "Are you not Dr. Ranga Rao? Baba wants you to come in, with
your family". On confronting his Sadguru, Rao fell prostrate in obeisance.
Bhagavan blessed and lovingly embraced him. Baba then said to him, "I have
been with you and you have been with Me for ages. I t is I that who brought you
to Madras. I am with you always. You do not have to worry any more. I sent
Somamma for operation by you. You have not seen Me:, but, I have been with
you." The doctor marvelled at the Divine dispensation.
There-in-after, the life and practice of this great soul became
flooded with Divine Grace and perfused with innumerable Leelas of Baba Shri
Doopati Thirumalachar, the author of Telugu 'Satyam, Sivam, Sundaram',
developed cataract, and lost his vision. Baba directed him to Dr. Rao. As the
operation progressed the patient was heard saying, "Swami! Baba ' You have
come in the saffron dress' I see your face, your fingers are moving. You are
doing the operation Yourself!" The doctor too clearly discerned and felt
as if hands other than his, not only did the operation but also sutured and
bandaged the eyes What a marvellous Miracle!-once again the 'bhakta-Samrakshaka
( the protector of the devotees)' had come as a Saviour, to salvage the vision
of a true devotee. The only heart-rending regret of the surgeon was that he did
not have the darshans that he pined for, though the patient was blessed with a
clear vision of Baba.
The bestower of Gifts on His devotees, can never be found wanting.
The yearning of the devoted soul of Ranga Rao was soon fulfilled, when Sathya
Sai not only kept on directing His devotees to the eye surgeon for treatment
but also blessed him with darshans.
In the case of Chaganlal of Royapuram, Baba not only directed the
operation but also timed it at 10.30 A.M. The patient was indeed a museum of
ailments. He had diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, abdominal tumor and
hernia! As such he was totally unfit to be operated upon and the elimination of
the cataract could only have been done at the grave peril of patient's life and
the reputation of the surgeon. Dr. Rao was tense, apprehensive and severely
nervous In anguish, he sincerely prayed for Baba's help. Suddenly he felt Baba
holding his hand beckoning him to go up with Him to the operation theatre. The
doctor saw the Ochre Robe Figure ascending stepwise and followed Him. As the
preparations for the operation began, the patient's condition worsened and the
fear of fatality loomed large. All present began a congregational chant of
"Sai R am, Sai R am'" the sight of sights was beheld by the surgeon
and his team, when they saw the surgeon's white apron become saffron. The
surgeon clearly felt that the fingers were no longer his own. Sai, the Surgeon
of surgeons, had manifested in him, through him and was performing the
operation. In a few seconds, the operation was over, the finishing touches were
given by the Master's Hand and He left, the surgeon's gown was white again.
Exactly at that time, Baba informed the devotees around Him at Prasanthi
Nilayam, "Chaganlal's operation is over". In this very special
incident, Bhagavan has presented Himself in the attire of a person which is an
entity not only exterior to the body but far distant from the central core (the
Atma). Simultaneously, and Ä at the functional level, He was manifest in the
inner most interior of the instrument, chosen by Him. Herein lies the Beauty
and Depth - a paradox_only achievable by Divine Majesty and Might. Blessed Ranga
Rao, the fortunate being, through which this Leela was being enacted, remained
throughout a separate spectator, viewing the marvel through his mental eye.
Such a phenomenon is unprecedented in any mythology so far.
The indulgence in such
lengthy account of Dr. Rao's episode has been done with the sole purpose to impress
upon the f act, that here is yet another clear, shining example of a Shirdi devotee,
not only receiving the benevolence of Parthi Sai but also being picked up as a
splendid instrument to demonstrate the identity. There are a host of others,
like C. Ramachandran of Kirkee and Shri K.E. Kulkarni of Poona, the well known
devotees of Shirdi Baba, who continued to receive a full measure of patronage,
benediction and blessings from Sathya Sai.