Hospitals may provide the facilities for treating a patient but in the ultimate analysis, it is God who really cures. There are innumerable instances of how Swami intervenes, when the doctor feels that the situation is hopeless. Here is just one example, an episode narrated by Ravi Mariwala, which proves the point. Ravi Mariwala is one of Swami's students; a graduate of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration. The Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi came into existence just at the time he was graduating. Many boys, especially with MBA degrees, volunteered to serve in the hospital, and Ravi was one of them. Ravi Mariwala operates the Heart-Lung machine, the vital instrument in cardiac surgery. This is what he had to say:

"A patient being operated for a congenital defect was unable to recover heart function sufficiently, to come off the heart-lung machine and generate adequate systemic pressure. We tried everything but nothing seemed to work. Everyone was beginning to despair. We discussed the matter, rested the heart again, and added some more drugs. We only failed once more. We were absolutely helpless. It occurred to me that we had tried everything but prayer.

Prayer for a person not known to me? Would it work? I think that is why it did.

As I had been in the theatre for five hours already, I was briefly relieved by a colleague. I came into the corridor outside the theatre and stood silently for a minute, trying to recollect Sai's face in my mind's eye. I said a silent prayer for the patient's recovery.

Immediately thereafter, I returned to the theatre. The situation had changed completely. The blood pressure had improved, and the heart had recovered! Strangely, no one knew how or why; I did not say anything to anyone.

The incident passed. The patient's recovery was smooth. On the Sunday that followed, Swami came to me, created vibhuti, put it into my hands and lovingly said, "This is for the prayer that you said for that patient." He then proceeded to describe the incident to others. Here was Swami rewarding me for the miracle cure that He in His Mercy had effected!"