WONDEROUS SAINT SRI SAIBABA-PART 28

BY PUJYA SRI NARASIMHASWAMY JI

SPIRITUAL GAINS AND WORLDLY HELP
IS IT OBJECTIONABLE?

Some who learnt of Baba's miraculous help to his devotees have been oppressed by doubts and objections. What trivial work is done by the saint! If he be a great saint, could he or should he attend to such trifles, or to any worldly work at all? If not exactly infra dignitatem, does it not prove that he is not a Jnani in Sat Chit-Ananda, i.e., perpetual absorption in Supreme Bliss of God or the Atman? Can an Atmanishtha or Jivan Mukta afford to fritter away his moments in concern for worldly gains and losses, comforts and discomforts, even though they are not his but others. Have not saints themselves decried the working of miracles, and is not such working prima facie proof of the absence of Jnana or Realisation?
A close examination of these objection is not possible hare. But a single circumstance that constitute a complete reply may now be mentioned. Is not a fact that Sri Krishna, Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, Sri Sankaracharya, Lord Gauranga and a host of other 'Great Ones" have rendered temporal help, even in small matters, to many even by miracles. Are these to be labelled Ajnanis?

Not His , But God's :
What applies to them applies to Baba. The reader will find the truth declared often by Baba that what are called 'his' actions are really 'His'. Baba repeatedly stated that he did nothing, that God did everything, that God is the Master (Allah Malik), and that he, Baba. performed no miracles and indeed did not do anything unless permitted or made to do it. Ample proof will be found even in these pages of his complete self-surrender, his merger in or identification with God. Meanwhile the reader is requested, in the words of Baba, to have faith and patience (Nishtha and Saburi), to wait and watch. He will soon find that the apparently trivial is at times an important link in momentous affairs, that Baba's 'worldly' works In unworldly, that his efforts and care are consistent with-nay the expressions of his supreme love and bliss.
Baba's care for children began even before they were born. The devotees that successfully prayed to Baba for securing matches for their daughters and progeny have urged their prayers on all occasions, great and small. Pregnancy is sometimes the occasion of great anxiety and Baba has not failed to help his devotees in such critical.moments. Here is a typical instance.

Presence Unnecessary:
The daughter-in-law of Nana Saheb Nimonkar( an Hony. Magistrate of Nimon), was on the family way and in September-October, 1916, her accouchement was expected Mr & Mrs. N. Nimonkar started for Poona to help in the accouchement and called en route at Shirdi. When they wanted leave to go to Poona, Baba refused. He told N. N. on the other hand that the latter should stay by Baba's side, bury him and then leave Shirdi. Asked about the accouchement, Baba replied, "Why are you anxious? God will help". That meant of course that Baba undertook the safe delivery of the child and that Nimonkars stayed on.
At Poona, no preparations for helping the lady were made and when the pains began, she was taken about 10 p.m. to a hospital and there within an hour, in the total absence of help when even the attendant nurse was absent, a male child was born in good health. At about that time, Baba told Nana Saheb Nimonkar at Shirdi, "There was woman. She was taken to a place. There she was delivered safe of a male child". Here again as promised, God did help through Baba of course.