60. SAIS MAKE THE DUMB – SPEAK
When Prajapati (originally called Rudra) meditated, the Almighty
appeared before him in the form of Pranava (AUM - the primal sound or Vibrating
Word or creative vibration that externalises all creation). The Lord ideated
from Pranava the Vedas_ the 'Rig Veda' out of its letter "A", 'Yajur
Veda' from the letter "U", 'Sama Veda' from the letter "M"
and ' Atharva Veda' from the 'Ardhamatra'.
In the Vedas there is a verse as follows:-
'Prajapati vai Idam agra asit,Tasya vak dvititya asit, Vag vai
paramam Brahma. (In the beginning was Prajapati, the Brahman with whom was the
word, and the word was verily the Supreme Brahman). The same is echoed in the
Gospel of St. John in the New Testament' "In the beginning was the word and
the word was with God and the word was God". (John 1: 1-Bible).
Sound, originally emanated from Brahman (The Absolute, The Supreme
Being). By permutations and combinations of the rudimentary sound, alphabets,
words, sentences and speech came to exist. Shabda (sound) is discernible in
eight different 'aspects' (Sabda Brahman, Charachar Mayi, Jyotir Mayi ,Vang
Mayi,Nityanand Mayi ,Paratpara Mayi, Maya Mayi and Shri Mayi). Vang Mayi is the
aspect of speech. The capacity to speak therefore can be deduced to originate
from Brahman. The Brahman incarnate, therefore, should have the attribute to
confer this aspect, on the mute on whom He desires to shower His Grace. We
narrate here two incidents, which not only clearly bring out, the bestowing of
this Great Gift (of speech) on the dumb but also once again confirm the 'Oneness'
of the two Sais(They being the incarnations of the same Divine Principle, that
is Brahman). Shri T.S. Anantha Murthy of Bangalore in his book "Life and
Teachings of Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi" writes, "Mani Iyer of Kumbakaonam
has a daughter known as Rajalakshmi. This girl was formerly so dumb that she
could not utter any words other than 'amma' and 'appa', even though she was a
healthy child of eight or nine years. Mani Iyer took her to Shirdi on 29-3-1942
and both of them sat down in the 'Samadhi-Mandir' of Sai Baba. Fortunately for
them, when they were sitting there, Das Ganu Maharaj, who was a lifelong
devotee of Sai Baba entered the mandir for darshan. RaJalakshmi's story was
narrated to him. Das Ganu Maharaj asked the girl to utter three words namely
SAI BABA BOLO. She at once uttered the words Sai and Baba. She could not utter
Bolo. That was the beginning of her talking power. She and her father stayed at
Shirdi for a few days more and she gradually acquired the power of uttering
many other words, which she had never uttered before. Her dumbness was gone.
Mani Iyer brought her back to Kumbakaonam and she was duly admitted to a
school. She is now attending classes and learning her lessons and talking like
any other girls of her age". The 'News Chronicle' of Ludhiana (Birthday
issue 1973) carries an article in which the under mentioned has been narrated,
"Smt. Shanti Sharma, M.A.,B.Ed., of Jullundur, was suddenly struck dumb by
a dreadful dream in December 19 72 In March 1973, she had the good fortune of
having Bhagavan's darshans and also listening to His discourse at Mogha.
After morning Discourse was over, Smt. Shanti Sharma along with her sister, went to a nearby field to take meals which they had brought with themselves. She had hardly eaten half of a chapati and rest was in her hands, when a boy in tattered clothes (aged about 10 years) appeared before her. He demanded something to eat to fill His belly. An idea flashed across her mind that why the Boy had sought chapati from her, while so many other people were also taking meals. Without second thought, she handed half-eaten chapati to this Boy, wearing a shirt and a trouser. She fixed her eyes over Him and gazed at His movements. The Boy had hardly moved then 10/12 yards, when He suddenly 'Melted in the air' from the scene. It puzzled Smt. Sharma. With His disappearance, Smt. Sharma's muteness was restored. She started talking fluently as if nothing had ever happened to her. She realised that it was none except Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Since then she has seen Bhagavan for 3/4 times in dreams and now she is His firm devotee.