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When I Saw Sai... Contd

By Super

I wanted to then visit Dwarakamai, the place where Sai lived. When I reached there, seeing the long queue I decided to first visit the Chavadi *(Baba used to sleep here every alternate day). After the Chavadi darshan I came to Dwarakamai and looked around in awe, for this was where Sai, walked, Sai talked, Sai healed and Sai lived. The fire he lit then, is still kept burning. It is from here that one gets the Sai prasad of 'Udhi' (miraculous ash). I sat in the centre of Dwarakamai, with eyes closed. I began reveling in his presence.

Not satisfied, I wanted more.... I wanted to see Him, I wanted to know why he had called me to Shirdi, I wanted to know that he was there for me, to protect me, to take me on a Spiritual journey. I prayed. I prayed asking Him to bless me with his presence, to appear before me just as He is, in a way that I could recognize him. My heart cried in pain for the desire to see Him and be assured that He was with me guiding me through.

After some time in meditation I left Dwarakamai. Next morning too I got a VIP pass for the morning aarti and went in to see Him. It was followed by a visit to the Chavadi and Dwarakamai many times during the day. Meditating here was a truly enriching experience. With the shlokas and the mantras in the background and the devotees singing along, it was as if I had found the missing link in my life.

Happy that my trip to Shirdi was fruitful, I went to bed that night. When I woke up the next morning, it dawned on me that my visit was not fruitful after all. I had two darshans in the VIP slot and felt what was the point in visiting Shirdi, if I could not stand in the normal queue like most others, chant the Sai nama and then get his darshan? So, I decided to stand in the queue, knowing fully well that the queue would take atleast 3 hours to clear and that I had to take the bus at 12 noon the same day. After about 3 hours I finally got the darshan and the feeling cannot be described. As I was nearing the pedestal where He sat with all glory, I saw devotees asking the priests for flowers.

The flowers and garlands blessed by Sai, where being put into a corner by the priests for the devotees to collect. Determined to get my share, I moved on to collect a garland. As I bent down, to take the garland, I noticed that there was just one garland left in the basked. I happily grabbed the garland and suddenly from nowhere an old lady bent and frail (I had not seen her in queue) reached out for the same garland. Seeing her reach out to the same garland I handed over the garland to her. Just as I placed the garland in her hand, a big nice and fresh garland came flying and fell on my shoulders. I felt His power and grace that very minute. My heart was filled with the assurance that He was with me.

Contented and filled with Sai's grace, I went to visit the Chavadi and then went into Dwarakamai. There was a huge crowd but that did not deter me. As the crowd moved on I looked around savouring the walls, which Sai would have touched. Then, just ahead of me, I saw a Fakir standing with his bag (jholi) outstretched for offerings. I took out my offering and gave it in his hand. He signaled to drop it into his bag. As I dropped the offering into his bag, I looked at him and his aged body began shaking deliriously. He lifted his hand and blessed me in exactly the same way that I have seen Baba bless people. Just then, like a flash of lightening I realized that in the last two days , I had not seen any fakir inside Dwarakamai. Only then did I remember my cries to Him and my request to see him in a form that I could recognize. That instant I turned back to look and lo behold, He was not to be seen. I knew it was Him. I had seen Him, I had seen Baba.