He is present here, He is present there, He is present everywhere. Yes, He
is Omnipresent.
During September 1969, I was going from Hyderabad to Bhusawal to attend a
training camp. I alighted from the train at Manmad in the morning at 9 a. m.
As I was required to be at my camp only next morning, I took an
on-the-spot -decision to visit Shirdi. I dumped my baggage in the cloak room
and took a bus to Shirdi. The weather was dull with thick black clouds over
our heads threatening heavy showers. I prayed in myself that I should reach
the Shrine for the Mid-day 'pooja'. The bus was passing through the slushy
roads. The drizzling weather added feast to the eye. We passed through many
sugarcane fields, various fruit gardens, villages and bazaars and finally
reached the Shrine by 11-30 a. m. And He helped me in taking to His abode in
time. Yes, He answered my prayers. After a hurried bath I joined the
congregation in the temple hall. I felt at ease and immensely happy for He
afforded me His 'darshan' at the 'pooja' time After receiving the 'prasad' I
dined in the lunch home, run by the Sansthan authorities. After a hearty and
sumptuous lunch, I retired to the cottage. At 3 p. m. I took leave of BABA
and boarded the bus for Manmad at 4 p. m. It was raining at the time with
loud thunders. The main road suffered heavy damage requiring urgent repairs.
We passed through an ordeal and bone-shaking journey and finally reached to
a place some three Kilometers away from Kopargaon town.
A patch of about 500 yards road was completely washed away which made a big
ditch The scene was so bad that it was impossible for heavy vehicles to
cross the area. Even the diversion was not possible as both sides of the
affected area had many diches with water filled in The slippery black cotton
soil was not fit even for walking over to the other end. We were stranded.
It was growing dark. It looked all wilderness. Passengers were shivering due
to shock and wet atmosphere There were no signs of rescue operations. Some
passengers had taken the Lord's name and were uttering it in queer sounds. I
was chanting 'Sai nama' in myself. I had to reach Manmad to catch a train to
Bhusawal to be in time for duty next morning. That was my chief worry. But
how to overcome the present debacle?
After about 7 p. m. a jeep belonging to P. W. D. department arrived there.
It looked like a circus vehicle and of course it had to do the circus tricks
even to reach that spot. The driver approached me and asked me to get in. He
took a few more passengers and drove cautiously to the town. We arrived by
this jeep at the Kopargaon bus stand. The driver refused to accept tips when
he was offered and left with the words 'BABA WILL BLESS YOU'. This baffled
me. Who was this man? WAS HE BABA HIMSELF?
I took another bus for Manmad, which took me in time connecting an express
train bound for Bhusawal. And I reached my place of duty quite in time.
Isn't it divine? '
A. Srinivasulu
SECUNDERABAD - 500025
(Source Shri Sai Leela Magazine September 1974). Sai Leela Magazines can be
read at www.saileelas.org
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