WONDEROUS SAINT SRI SAIBABA-PART14

BY PUJYA SRI NARASIMHASWAMY JI

SRI SAI BABA AS MATCH-MAKER DEVOTEE'S NOTICE OF 24 HOURS

Sri Sai Baba, endowed with highest Siddhis and lofty realisation, set himself to the task of towing dull souls on their spiritual roads, and issued wide charters for the protection of all their interests whether trivial or highly momentous. Marriage of daughters is classed in the latter category, especially by those who have a large quiverful of such progeny. Sai's help has endeared him to the devotees, who style him their 'Ayi' (i.e., mother) and in such cases as their 'Match-making Ayi or amma'. A few instances will suffice to show how well he deserves that epithet.
Mr. G. D. Pandit of Colaba was wandering hither and thither for two years in quest of a bridegroom. Finally he made a vow that if he should secure one in fifteen days, he would start on pilgrimage to see Baba at Shirdi. Then an eligible young gentleman of distant Hyderabad came ol his own accord to Pandit's house, took a fancy for his daughter and wedded her within fifteen davs.

Help for Helpless :
A poor orphan girl had naturally innumerable obstacles in finding a match for herself. She was then advised to make a daily pious study of Sai Satcharita - Baba's life. And she started that study. The very next day, a person arrived on the scene, took interest in her, made the necessary inquiries, and married her within a week.
These are ordinary cases. Below are given instances of the indubitable intervention of Baba's mighty hand working amidst mystery with irresistible force.
Mr. Ganash Keshav Rege, a staunch devotee of Baba, in "lather poor circumstances (though an Amin of the Holkar's State) wrote dolorous lines in the Sai Lila Magazine about the lot of those who have a superabundance of feminine issue '' , and whose conception of Paradise must be a place where there are no more daughters to dispose of. In order to get a husband for his fourth daughter, he took leave and was tossing from post to pillar and pillar to post. Sometimes he seemed to be on the verge of success, but an unkind fate was shattering his hopes at the crucial moment.

Voice of Command :
One day he sat at Anjangaon steeped in care. Suddenly he heard the words "Go to Jirapur". The words were loud and clear but not uttered by any visible or traceable person. One of the ways adopted by Baba for his beneficent activity is to send his devotee an "Asariri Vali" (a voice without a body to utter it) and create a strong conviction that the voice is Baba's. Mr. Rege felt this conviction and concluded that Baba had issued an order, evidently to settle the marriage problem. But how could a visit to Jirapur serve any useful purpose? He knew none there and had no business or influence in that locality. While he was yet wondering, he got an additional surprise, an order to rejoin duty and join at Jirapur. Here evidently was Baba's hand, giving him facilities to carry out his order. So he went and joined duty as ordered and made inquiries about the matrimonial possibilities of this new field. He then found at Soyath, a village some distance off, an eligible person Negotiations were quickly carried through and within a month of that "bodiless voice" his daughter's wedding was an accomplished fact.

Bridegroom Mentioned :
Mr. Ganesh D. Vaidya's younger daughter had to be married. After repeated unsuccessful efforts to find a son-in-law, the anxious father was feeling very much worried. One morning Baba appeared to him in a dream and saying "Why are you anxious? Kesava Dixit has a son", showed him the figure of that boy. He got up in wonder as he had never heard of any such persons as Kesava Dixit and his son. Mr. Vaidya's son however informed him that some Dixit, son of Kesava, and with the features seen in the dream was in his office though the community to which he belonged had yet to as ascertained. On further inquiry about community, fitness, willingness etc., Kesava Dixit's son was traced and married to Miss Vaidya.

Dowry Temptation :
The next case is still more striking. Mr. Gopal Ganesh Shiriyan had been an ardent devotee of Sri Sai Baba since 1911. He had vision of Baba at his own place several times and frequently obtained by prayer quick relief for his troubles. About 1924, he had entered into a "gentleman's agreement" with a friend, that his daughter should wed the latter's son after some years. But as years passed, the boy's progress in collegiate education raised his value, and bis father resiled from the agreement and was arranging a match elsewhere that would bring in a good Karini i.e., a handsome 'bridegroom price'. When this reached Mr. Shiriyan's ears he felt very much annoyed. To whom could he unburden his sorrow and complain, except to the "Ayi" ever present with him? In answer, Sri Sai gave a remarkable and definite assurance: "Do not worry yourself. I will get you that same boy as your son-in law in two years time". Sometime thereafter, the new arrangements by the boy's father fell through. As days passed, the conscience of the educated youth (evidently spurred on by Sri Sai from within) became so assertive that he Impressed on his parents the extreme impropriety of breaking one's plighted word to secure a pecuniary profit. At last, the friend confirmed the original pact and celebrated the marriage, within the limit of time fixed by Baba.

Quite Punctual :
We shall close with one more instance of Baba's "match promoting'' , after his Mahasamadhi. A sister of Mr. Moreshwar Balakrishna Chowhan had to be married. In 1923, a certain gentleman had expressed himself as satisfied with the young lady but a formal letter of acceptance had to be sent by him to complete contact. For 6 months Mr. Chowhan's mother waited and was well nigh despairing of it. One night she approached the portrait of Baba that she worshipped and said "Baba! You give experience of your miraculous powers to all. Why not give it to us? My daughter ii still a spinster and I am greatly worried over it. If you have any power, then I must get a reply approving of the match by to-morrow". This was in effect, a notice challenging Baba to prove within 24 hours that his reputation for achieving wonders for his devotees was well-founded. That night she dreamed that on the next morning at 9 a.m. as she sat by her son's side, the postman delivered a letter containing the final acceptance. In point of fact, at 9 a.m. next morning she sat by him and began to narrate the dream. The postman then peeped in and dropped a letter. That was from the long hesitating party and containing the acceptance she had so long waited for. Baba stood the assay. He is sterling gold.