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‘Miracles’
What you call ‘miracles’, are only manifestations of My Love, Swami has often said. “Every miracle of Baba is a gift of Grace, “ Prof. Kasturi records in Sathyam Shivam Sundaram,
“It may be a pinch of sacred ash, a piece of candy, a picture created before us; it may be a shower of ash, or the emergence of Kumkum (vermillion) or fragrant sandal or nectarine honey, on a picture, an ‘Om’ in ash on the floor, a continuous flow of scented oil or Amrith (nectar) from a Linga or locket.
It may also be a series of paper slips on which counsel or warnings are written in the language you understand, that come from His hands in the portraits you worship. It may be given to you while you are awake, asleep or dreaming - or come to you as a book or as a parcel through the post, in reply for an order that you may not have placed. It may be a vision of Himself, subtle, substantial, momentary or more lasting, but, always, it is a sign of His Love and Majesty.”
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Power Over Nature
This year has been full of natural disasters of various kinds. First there was the tsunami, after which there were the hurricanes that hit America, followed by floods in China and India, especially in Mumbai. As if this were not enough, Taiwan and Vietnam were slammed by typhoons; a little later, hundreds of people lost their lives in Guatemala in the mudslides and to cap them all, there was recently, the massive earthquake in Kashmir, killing tens of thousands and leaving millions homeless, even as winter was setting in the Himalayas.
In earlier issues we have covered some of these disasters. Again and again people ask: “Why does God punish mankind with such natural disasters?” Somehow, people forget that God does not punish but sends help. At times, He personally comes to the rescue. He did this as Krishna, when He saved the villagers of Gokul from a torrential deluge by lifting a hill on His little finger.
In the October issue, we carried the story of how, in the form of Lord Rama, Swami came to the rescue of the people of Madurantakam in South India, following an earnest prayer by Col. Lionel Price of the East India Company. Now we have for you a story of how Swami controlled the elements, to rescue the people of Puttaparthi, even as He did in His earlier incarnations.
This happened way back in the year 1971, and the incident was narrated to us by Mr. Chiranjeevi Rao, who was the caretaker of the Ashram for many years and had a ringside view of the whole incident.
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That year, there was a deluge and Chithravathi River was in full spate. The water entered the village and drove away hundreds of villagers from their huts. The Ashram being the highest point of the village, the villagers all flocked there. Swami in His mercy and compassion not only allowed them all inside giving refuge, but also arranged food distribution for the refugees.
Meanwhile, the water level was rising menacingly and threatened to enter even the premises of the Ashram. That is to say, water was almost at the Ganesha Gate. In those days, there was almost nothing between the river and the Ashram. Swami now decided on Divine intervention. He summoned Mr. Chiranjeevi Rao and along with him, walked up the flight of stairs in East Prashanti. Together they went to the terrace, and moved close to the parapet wall. Looking down from there, they saw water on the street below, the level of which was rising.
Swami then said something softly. Mr. Rao says he could not exactly hear what Swami said but it seemed as if He was speaking something. Bhagavan then raised both His hands in benediction and said: “Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” (Peace, Peace, Peace). The moment He finished, most miraculously, the water started withdrawing! It all happened very quickly.
Mr. Rao has with him a photo taken during that period which he has kindly made available to us. That photo is what you see on the left. You can see Swami amidst the villagers who had taken shelter in the Ashram. Behind is Mr. Rao. |
Instances of such nature that are recorded are many, which is only a fraction of what is happening all the time all over the world. When terrible forest fires broke out in the Chunchuma Ranch, Tecate (Mexico) where Indra Devi has her Yoga Institute, Swami in India said, “No more fires!” and the flaming conflagration retreated in a trice! Sri Indulal Shah will tell you how Swami with a gentle wave of His hand dispatched the clouds that were threatening to disrupt a public meeting in Malleswaram, Bangalore in the summer of 1965 and again in Dharmakshetra, Mumbai in 1967. Mrs. Ratanlal once narrated how Swami showed a miniature moon – same brightness and coolness as the real moon - in His palm while talking about the moon and the spots on the moon’s surface to the devotees.
Master of Matter
Anybody who has been in Swami’s vicinity would have been a witness to innumerable materializations that Swami does from the thin air everyday to confer small gifts of love and grace in the form of Vibhuti, or a ring, a chain, a watch, etc. Why does He do it? Is it to draw people? Swami once said,
“No. it is just a spontaneous expression of My love. When you wish to show affection to your son, or if you want to make someone happy, you make him a sports shirt or buy him a present, do you not? (In the same manner) Swami also wants to give you happiness with these small gifts.”
On another occasion, in an interview that He gave to a newspaper editor, many years back, He said,
“It is never for ‘pradarshan’ (or show), it is always for ‘nidarshan’ (or evidence), it is just like a play, sport - My natural behaviour. It is a sign which helps to turn into faith, devotion, inquiry and realization of their own Atma (spirit). As the intention or the will arises in the mind, the thing is made! It is ready when I want it. The moment it is willed, the thing comes to hand or happens where I will it to happen.”
He is the Master of matter and energy!
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When He created that exquisite cross for Dr. Hislop made out of the same wood on which Jesus was crucified, it was to remove the veil on some very important facets of Christ’s personality; or when He transformed a small rock into a sugar candy for the hard-nosed scientist-geologist Dr. Rao, it was to drill deep into him that there is God beyond protons and electrons in the rock; when He multiplied food just by a mere tap on the lid of the vessels on so many occasions whether on the sands of Chitravathi or at the residence of a host in Bangalore, it was to feed so many people and/or to protect the host from embarrassment. His actions or miracles are always for a purpose just like His gifts which are a sign of eternal protection and love.
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Miracle Cures
