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Sri Sathya Sai Baba Avatar

  Shirdi Sai and Sathya Sai are One and the Same
By Arjan D. Bharwani

44. IDENITITY IN LIVING PROOF!

Dr. A. Ranga Rao, was a general practitioner at Bhimavaram. He aspired to become an Ophthal­mic Surgeon (Eye Specialist). This was, however, a distant dream, till one day, in response to an emergency call, he rushed to the compound of Shirdi Sai Temple, where the patient was. The latter happened to be a close devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba and in fact was the person who had built that temple.

After treating and assuring the patient, Dr. Rao prayed silently to the Deity there, to bless him with more opportunities to treat His devotees. The turning point in his career came soon there­after, when by providential shower of Grace, he went to U.S.A. and returned a highly qualified Ophthalmic Surgeon. His prayer to the Shirdi Sai idol began to be answered fully by a chain of devotees, sent to him by Parthi Baba

One day a lady by the name of Somamma came to Dr. Rao’s clinic. She had cataract which was further complicated with 'iritis' and rheuma­tism, thus unfit for surgery. The lady then empha­tically impressed upon the doctor that she had been assuredly directed to him by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who had said, "At Bhimavaram, there is an eye surgeon, who is My devotee, since many years. Go to him and tell him that I      want him to operate on you. He will do it and you will have your sight restored". Somamma also told hi m that Sathya Sai was the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba

Though amazed at this, yet his profound faith in Shirdi Sai led him to instinctively believe the words. He therefore unhesitatingly undertook the operation and the patient recovered unevent­fully. The seed of yearning was thus sown in this fortunate doctor

He felt all the more convinced because Baba had told this patient that Dr. Rao had been his devotee for many years. As if directed by Divinity, the lady presented him with a small picture of Sathya Sai. Circumstances so destined that Dr. Rao shifted his practice to Madras. The latent yearning for darshan of this 'Live Deity', grew stronger as days rolled by. At last' The day dawned. The doctor suddenly learnt that Bhagavan was visiting Madras. He hastened! to 3, Surya Rao Road, where Bhagavan was staying at that time. However, the large volume of the multitude dampened his spirits, for the chance of a personal contact seemed naught. As he stood there, a stranger approached hi m and said, "Are you not Dr. Ranga Rao? Baba wants you to come in, with your family". On con­fronting his Sadguru, Rao fell prostrate in obeisance. Bhagavan blessed and lovingly embraced him. Baba then said to him, "I have been with you and you have been with Me for ages. I t is I that who brought you to Madras. I am with you always. You do not have to worry any more. I sent Somamma for operation by you. You have not seen Me:, but, I have been with you." The doctor marvelled at the Divine dispensation.

There-in-after, the life and practice of this great soul became flooded with Divine Grace and perfused with innumerable Leelas of Baba Shri Doopati Thirumalachar, the author of Telugu 'Satyam, Sivam, Sundaram', developed cataract, and lost his vision. Baba directed him to Dr. Rao. As the operation progressed the patient was heard saying, "Swami! Baba ' You have come in the saffron dress' I see your face, your fingers are moving. You are doing the operation Yourself!" The doctor too clearly discerned and felt as if hands other than his, not only did the operation but also sutured and bandaged the eyes What a marvellous Miracle!-once again the 'bhakta­-Samrakshaka ( the protector of the devotees)' had come as a Saviour, to salvage the vision of a true devotee. The only heart-rending regret of the surgeon was that he did not have the darshans that he pined for, though the patient was blessed with a clear vision of Baba.

The bestower of Gifts on His devotees, can never be found wanting. The yearning of the devoted soul of Ranga Rao was soon fulfilled, when Sathya Sai not only kept on directing His devotees to the eye surgeon for treatment but also blessed him with darshans.

In the case of Chaganlal of Royapuram, Baba not only directed the operation but also timed it at 10.30 A.M. The patient was indeed a museum of ailments. He had diabetes, hyperten­sion, heart disease, abdominal tumor and hernia! As such he was totally unfit to be operated upon and the elimination of the cataract could only have been done at the grave peril of patient's life and the reputation of the surgeon. Dr. Rao was tense, apprehensive and severely nervous In anguish, he sincerely prayed for Baba's help. Suddenly he felt Baba holding his hand beckoning him to go up with Him to the operation theatre. The doctor saw the Ochre Robe Figure ascending stepwise and followed Him. As the preparations for the operation began, the patient's condition worsened and the fear of fatality loomed large. All present began a congregational chant of "Sai R am, Sai R am'" the sight of sights was beheld by the surgeon and his team, when they saw the surgeon's white apron become saffron. The surgeon clearly felt that the fingers were no longer his own. Sai, the Surgeon of surgeons, had manifested in him, through him and was per­forming the operation. In a few seconds, the operation was over, the finishing touches were given by the Master's Hand and He left, the surgeon's gown was white again. Exactly at that time, Baba informed the devotees around Him at Prasanthi Nilayam, "Chaganlal's operation is over". In this very special incident, Bhagavan has presented Himself in the attire of a person which is an entity not only exterior to the body but far distant from the central core (the Atma). Simultaneously, and Ä at the functional level, He was manifest in the inner most interior of the instrument, chosen by Him. Herein lies the Beauty and Depth - a paradox_only achievable by Divine Majesty and Might. Blessed Ranga Rao, the fortunate being, through which this Leela was being enacted, remained throughout a separate spectator, viewing the marvel through his mental eye. Such a phenomenon is unpreced­ented in any mythology so far.

The indulgence in such lengthy account of Dr. Rao's episode has been done with the sole purpose to impress upon the f act, that here is yet another clear, shining example of a Shirdi devotee, not only receiving the benevolence of Parthi Sai but also being picked up as a splendid instrument to demonstrate the identity. There are a host of others, like C. Ramachandran of Kirkee and Shri K.E. Kulkarni of Poona, the well known devotees of Shirdi Baba, who continued to receive a full measure of patronage, benedic­tion and blessings from Sathya Sai.


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