"SAI ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE" (contd...)

Gopichand is a famous man of letters in Telugu. His
father was too well known as an athiest and he
continued to walk in the foot prints 'of his father. In
1954, he was working as Direc­tor of Publicity in the
Government of Andhra at Kurnool His wife was
admitted to the Govt. Hospital for confinement and it
was found to be a case of hard labour. Three days
passed and there was no relief, Gopichand spent
restless days and sleepless nights. On the third day,
he chanced to pass by the side of the Sai Baba
Mandir constructed on the bank of Thungabhadra. In
his deep anguish and distressed state, he addressed
Sai, "people .say you are God, you possess vast
powers and that you come to the rescue of the
distressed If this is true, then come to my aid now
and see that my wife has a safe and painless delivery.
Then I will believe in your Omnipotence". So thinking
he wended his way to the hospital.

By the time he reached the hospital he found that his
wife had an easy and safe delivery. She gave birth to
a male child. A little later, when he met his wife in
the confinement room, she told him that an old man
with a beard and angarkha and a satka came and sat
on her bed and said "My dear child, don't worry, I
have come to give you relief. You will have a painless
delivery here and now". "So saying he applied Udi on
my forehead & made me dri&k water mixed with Udi.
No sooner did I drink the water than I delivered this
child. I have no pains now. I am now safe and alright."
Gopichand asked the time when the old man came
to her. She told him of the time. Gopichand was then
convinced that Sai appeared before his wife
immediately after he threw the challenge mentally
and was con­vinced of the Omnipotence of Lord Sai.
He mentally bowed and thanked Sai for the timely
succour given to his wife. The greatful father named
that child as Sai Baba. All those who knew him felt
the shock of this tremendous transformation.
Gopichand passed away a few years back, his son,
Sai Baba is now a grown up young man.

The spiritual history of India is replete with such
conversions and transformation. No body knows when
the grace of the Lord descends on man and effects
the transformation. Without His grace, no spiritual
progress can be achieved. It is because of overflowing
grace of Sainath that we have become His devotees.
Let us, therefore, strive hard to merit his grace and
progress further on the spiritual path till the goal of
self-realisation is reached.

Let me conclude with what Hemadpant says in his
"Sai Satcharita". "Baba's speech established its
efficacy or greatness while he was living in the flesh,
but wonder of wonders, it did the same even after his
passing. Baba said, "Believe me, though I pass
away, my bones in my tomb will give you hope and
con­fidence. Not only myself but my tomb would be
speaking, mov­ing and communicating with those
who would surrender them­selves wholeheartedly
to me. Do not be anxious that I would be absent
from you. You will hear my bones speaking and
discussing your welfare. But remember me always,
believe in me heart and soul and then you will be
most benefitted".

P. V. Satyanarayan Sastry B. A.
Retired Tahsildar, GUNTUR 1 (A. P.)

(Source Shri SaiLeela May 1975
this magazine can be read at www.saileelas.org