The Eternal Charioteer

Sathya Sai Baba

oi-Staff

By Super Admin

Thursday, May 26, 2011, 16:38

I have had the greatest fortune to experience Swami as the God, Antharyami (the omniscient indweller) numerous times. We are all very fortunate to be interacting with God in this living form. But, sometimes, being human, we take Him for granted. We forget that He is the one who brought us into this world and He writes our destiny. We are often foolish to question His presence and His influence on our lives.

The Loving and Eternal Charioteer

My first interaction with Him, as my parents tell me, happened when I was two months old. We went to Bombay on a trip and my father bought a brand new car there. While we were returning to Chennai with the new car, my mother, an ardent devotee of Swami, developed the longing to see Swami on the way back. My father was reluctant to drive the new car to Parthi, saying that the new car would break down on the unpaved roads to Parthi.

Eventually, after a great deal of persuasion by my mother, consented. Ironically, as we were driving on the national highways, where the roads were paved quite well, the car rattled quite a bit and broke down near Kadri, a small town in Andhra Pradesh. Even after persistent attempts to start the car, it would not move. My mother was getting anxious as dusk was approaching fast. She continually prayed to Swami to help, especially since I was a newborn baby then.

A truck stopped by the car and the driver enquired if my father needed any assistance to start the car. My father was initially reluctant to give the keys to a complete stranger, but due to the dire situation, he could not but hand him over the keys. The driver fixed the problem promptly and asked us where we were heading. My parents replied that we were going to sathya sai baba. To our joy the driver then willingly offered to drive us all the way to sathya sai baba as we were new to the area. It was a pleasant surprise and my father gladly asked him to take the driver's seat.

The truck driver seemed to be more than happy to help us: he abandoned his own truck on the roadway and drove all of us to Parthi! Interestingly enough, the car drove so smoothly even on the unpaved roads to Parthi, although the car had had difficulties driving on much better national highways earlier. My father was puzzled and was proved wrong about his fears of these bad roads.

The truck driver remained with us assisting us at Parthi during our stay for a day there. My mother kept asking him what would happen to his truck. His response was not to worry about the truck and he insisted that instead we enjoy Swami's darshan. After we saw Swami, we completely forgot about the truck driver. After the darshan, as we were preparing to continue our journey to Chennai, the truck driver insisted that he would accompany us to Chitoor, a town close to Chennai.

My parents agreed and he drove us to that town. My father thanked him and bid him goodbye, completely forgetful of his expenses to return to Kadri. My mother then chided my father, and asked him to find the driver and give him a small token of our gratitude. My father searched for him, but he was no where to be found!

During our next trip to Parthi, we were very fortunate to have an interview with Swami and as the interview was going on He revealed, "I am your Antharyami, the indweller. I myself drove you here due to your love and prayers". Not only did Swami take care of us during the entire trip, He gently proved my father's statement wrong that the new car would not run well on the Parthi roads. Sai is the Sanathana Sarathi, the Eternal Charioteer, in our lives.

The infinitely compassionate Lord can come to the rescue of His devotees anywhere and at anytime, as He is beyond the limitations of time and space. When Swami wills it, anything can happen. Can anyone ever prove Him wrong?