In the year 1953,1 had a pleasant encounter one day with
a friend of mine. I requested him to subscribe for a spiritual
magazine, Saileela being published every month from Chirala
(a place in Prakasam District of Andhra Pradesh). He
disparagingly remarked: " Is Shirdi Sai Baba also a God? Are
the present Gods not enough? I responded furiously by saying
"Yes - Sai is God - Present Gods are not enough".
The words of my friend hurted my ego. I felt that my
friend belittled My Sai Baba. My friend's strange behavior
compelled me to introspect. After a while I said to myself:
"Why should I be angry with him? I suddenly remembered
the episode of the Bandra boy (Master T)."
Once Sai Baba asked the Bandra boy (Master T) to go
to Bapu Saheb Jog to fetch Dhakshina. (A small amount
of donation as offering to God, Guru or Brahmine etc).
When the boy arrived at Sathewada, Jog and some other
devotees were having discourse on, Dhruva Charitram-
(A book on Dhruva's devotion to Lord Vishnu) and they
indulged in certain critical comments about Saints thus:
"Sadhus (Saints) may sometimes imbibe some powers by
the grace of God; yet they cannot be considered as Gods
or God's incarnations."
Listening to these words, the boy returned to Baba in
a fit of anguish and questioned him: "Baba! Why have you
sent me there? They say that you are not God at all". Baba
replied, "That is the truth; I am a poor fakir (mendicant).
God is great! None can equal Him".
In the meanwhile some devotees arrived and informed
the gathering how Baba had saved their child falling down
from the top of a building. Baba countered: "What else
can I do? Can I be indifferent to my child falling down
except to protect him with my four arms". The Bandra boy,
listening to this, suddenly jumped up and questioned: "Baba,
you have just told that you are not God! Then how could
you have four arms?" Baba did not answer but smiled at
him in affirmation.
This incident flashed to my mind. I felt that it was Baba
who ordained me to approach my friend and it was he who
made my friend to raise certain queries, and thus subjected
me to a test.
To be contd....
(Source : http://www.saileelas.org/book/agod.htm
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