The following incident happened in 1955. Residential quarters for devotees were coming up around Swami's residence in Prashanti Nilayam. Shankar, an eleven-year old boy was actively participating in the construction activity. A truck loaded with bricks arrived and the boy was helping in unloading them. After the truck was emptied, he stood at its rear shaking dust off his body and clothes. He did not notice that the driver started the engine and the vehicle was moving backwards. The driver, unfortunately, did not see Shankar and drove the truck very fast.
To his utter shock, the boy suddenly found himself pushed violently by the huge vehicle. Petrified with fear and shock, he lost all bodily control and just collapsed where he stood. The inexorable did come to pass, the heavy tyre of the enormous vehicle crushed his tender leg. The only thing Shankar could do in that awful moment before he became unconscious was to give out a loud cry, "Swami!" People nearby ran to his rescue, pulled him aside and wrapped a towel around the crushed limb. Totally confused, they did not know what to do next. They could only raise their heads and look towards Swami's residence. To their surprise, they saw Swami standing in the balcony and looking directly in their direction. Before they opened their mouths to tell Him what had happened, Swami told them to take the boy to the hospital adjoining his residence. They did as directed. Afterwards, Shankar's brother ran to Swami. He loudly wailed, "Swami, my younger brother has lost his leg." Swami consoled him, "Do not worry. Nothing has happened to his leg." As He uttered the sweet words, He pulled back the sleeve of His shirt and showed His open palm. On the palm could be distinctly seen the marks of the truck's heavy tyre. Swami told the distraught young man that He had inserted His own palm between the truck's tyre and the little boy's leg so that the huge weight of the truck would not bear heavily upon the leg. When doctors found that not a single bone of Shankar's leg was damaged, they were astonished and also very much relieved. Due to Swami's divine Will and immense mercy, the boy recovered soon. OUR LIFE IS HIS MESSAGE Sai Ram __._,_.___
