A Miracle — Baba came to meet me
Chapter 3:
I had hoped to start sharing my stories sequentially, but I worry that amidst the many Leelas I experience, I might forget some. Therefore, I’ve decided to write whenever I can — whether it’s about today’s events or something from the past.
Yesterday morning, June 29, 2024, a lazy Saturday greeted us, a welcome break from our daily grind. But I suggested to my husband that we make the weekend memorable with an outing. Naturally, we were drawn to visit our dear Baba at the Devenahallli Shirdi Sai Baba Temple. The plan was simple: meet Baba, spend some time in his presence, and then enjoy lunch at a dhaba nearby. Our son suggested NH7 Refuel, where we’ve enjoyed the food and vibes before.
We set off around 1 PM after I finished my pooja at home. En route, my husband played my current favorite song, — Tu Hai To.., which always brings a divine feeling when we’re headed to meet Baba. Upon reaching the temple, my mother-in-law accompanied us this time. The temple grounds were serene, the weather was beautiful — neither too hot nor too cold. Following the orderly path set for devotees, we approached Baba’s life-sized marble idol, strikingly reminiscent of Shirdi’s Baba.
One by one, we reverently bowed at his feet. I noticed some pink flowers near his paduka and asked the panditji if I could take one. In the silence that enveloped the temple, he quietly nodded in approval. As I picked up a flower, my gaze fell upon a stunning large red blossom at Baba’s feet. I silently wished someone fortunate would receive it. To my surprise and joy, as my husband bowed before Baba, the panditji picked up the red flower and handed it to him. I hadn’t noticed this gesture, but when my husband showed me the flower, my heart overflowed with gratitude towards Baba.
We placed the flower carefully in my bag and sat in front of Baba for a while in the hall. Eventually, we proceeded to pay respects to the other deities in the temple premises.
Next, we arrived at Dwarkamai, where the dhuni perpetually burns, filling the entire campus with its fragrance. We offered pieces of firewood to the Dhuni, and I approached the Baba idol seated in a Vishnu pose within Dwarkamai. It suddenly struck me — a few days ago, I had dreamt of visiting Shirdi with my husband. The queue was short, and we reached Baba swiftly. Standing calmly in front of Baba in Shirdi, there was no rush, no one hurried us. However, Baba’s idol appeared different, resembling the picture of him in the Vishnu pose within Dwarkamai. I vividly recalled touching Baba’s face with both my hands in that dream.
Today, in Dwarkamai of this temple, I realised my dream had come true. I knelt down before the idol, first touching his feet with my head, then gently caressing both his cheeks with my hands, just as in my dream. I picked a pinkish-red flower from his feet and brought it back with me. I am overwhelmed with happiness that all of this unfolded today.
The divine play continued beyond the temple as we made our way to NH7, a dhaba-style restaurant as planned. As we were about to enter, a young man selling dholaks approached us, playing them to attract my son’s attention. My husband called out from a distance, ‘We already have one, we’re not looking to buy.’ I hadn’t intended to purchase one either, but the man, visibly tired from the sun, appealed to us for help. He explained that he hadn’t made any sales that day and was hungry himself.
His plea reminded me of Baba’s words from Sai Satcharitra — never turn away someone seeking food during mealtime, as you never know in whose form I may come. Both my husband and I try to follow Baba’s teachings. We offered to give me money for food instead of the dholak, since we already had one at home and no space for more. The man, unwilling to take money without providing something in return, suggested that we buy him food directly. I felt a deep sense of fulfillment in being able to offer him a meal, especially since Baba had been subtly urging me to donate food through messages on social media.
I invited him inside the restaurant with us, where we could fulfil Baba’s teachings by feeding someone in need. The man hesitated but eventually joined us inside the restaurant. I immediately asked the waiter what we could serve quickly, explaining that we wished to provide him with a meal. The waiter suggested Roti and Sabji could be served promptly. Agreeing, we invited the man to sit at a table. Initially, he preferred a takeaway, but the waiters insisted he dine in.
As he conversed with them, he expressed his desire for chicken biriyani. I gladly approved, pleased that he could have what he wanted. He thanked me and mentioned he had left his dholaks outside. I encouraged him to retrieve them and assured him he could eat comfortably inside. Quickly securing his instruments, he returned to sit at the table we had chosen for him. Meanwhile, my family and I sat nearby in the restaurant. Everything seemed orchestrated by Baba’s divine plan. Remembering Baba’s teaching to serve the guest before oneself, we placed our order, silently hoping his biriyani would arrive first. Baba’s grace was evident when, within moments, the delectable biriyani was served to him, well before our own meal.
I offered him juice or any other accompaniment, but he insisted he was content with the biriyani. Double-checking with the waiter confirmed it was indeed chicken biriyani. We all ate joyfully, my heart filled with a profound sense of happiness from being able to serve him. He finished his meal quickly, giving a thumbs-up to my husband to show his appreciation. After washing up and expressing his gratitude once more, he departed.
As we settled our bill, my husband shared an intriguing revelation: the biriyani cost Rs 360, which correlates to the number 9 — Baba’s number. I felt certain then; it was Baba who had dined with us, as He often reminds us, ‘wherever the number 9 appears, remember that I am there.’
As we exited the restaurant, the man was waiting outside and expressed his gratitude once more. He insisted we take a dhol as a token of appreciation, but I politely declined, suggesting he offer it to someone else in need. We were filled with joy that this divine play had unfolded before us.
To strengthen our faith even further, when I returned home and relaxed on my bed, I opened Instagram. As I often do, I posed a question to Baba on a website where I could ask Him questions, and today the number was 360. The response I received emphasized the importance of donating food for wishes to manifest, and indeed, we had been able to provide food to someone in need that very day.
Additionally, Baba’s message came to me through Instagram, confirming that He had blessed me with His Darshan today! The attached pictures here will provide the proof. Om Sai Ram Baba!
#ShirdiSai #Baba #divine #manifestations #Godcomes #OmSaiRam #ShirdiSaiBaba
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