An incident that happened in Brindavan gives a closer vision of the Compassionate One in action. It was narrated by the Warden of Brindavan Hostel, Sri Narasimha Murthy in the course of a revealing talk delivered in the presence of Bhagawan on 14th October 1999 . The second day of Vedapurusha Saptaha Yagna to a huge audience in the Sai Kulwant Hall of Prashanthi Nilayam during Dasara celebrations. There was one Ramayya in Brindavan Hostel, working as a scavenger for more than twenty years. His daughter's marriage was to take place shortly. So he sought permission from Mr. Murthy to stand at a vantage position with a wedding card, a few flowers, etc., to draw Swami's attention and Divine Blessings. It was a Monday. Swami just touched the flowers and moved ahead on his usual Darshan round at about 7.30am and returned to the Ashram. Ramayya waited there only. At 9.15 Swami came straight to him - only for him - and, handing over two costly saris to Ramayya, He said: "Ask your daughter to select one of them. Don't feel hurt that I did not come and talk to you earlier. It was Rahukalam (inauspicious time 7.30 to 9 am being Monday); not good to talk about marriage..." When Prof. Murthy quietly submitted "Swami, any one sari Swami could select and give," Swami replied "You do not know the nature of women." When Mr. Murthy again said in a hushed tone that it was too costly a sari for them, Swami, in great compassion said: "It is only once in a life time these poor people can have such a sari." His compassion is unlimited. It flows to the rich and the poor alike. He treats all with equal love and concern, for all are His children for whose welfare and betterment He has come. As predicted, Kalpagiri's death sentence, in response to a mercy petition, was commuted to life imprisonment by the President of India . This benedictory gesture of Baba prompted the prisoners to write to Him opening their hearts. And prompt came the response from Lord 'Sai', the redeemer. A prisoner wrote: "We are sinners, certainly, but, our lives have become full of hope, through some stray acts of merit which we chanced to do, in some past birth. For we have rendered ourselves fit to receive Your Grace. Really, if there are any who can be declared fortunate in the world, we are the ones. We are truly proud of this. That the stream of Your Mercy has started flowing towards these mean men who have injured society and who are suffering punishment, is no ordinary event. We pray that You should grant us Your Darshan and Your Blessings. You have written to us out of the vastness of Your Mercy, that You will elevate us with Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan at Puttaparthi! The Sage Narada blessed Savitri on whose head the blow of widowhood had descended, with the statement, 'May, you have Being - with - husband status long' and she was able to win her husband back from the dominion of Death. We too have learned from Kalpagiri, whose death sentence was cancelled, that your word will come true. It knows no defeat". Daily prayers and Pooja before the portrait of Bhagawan Baba became a routine with the prisoners changing their very life style. There was only one aim: Darshan of Lord Sai to redeem themselves. And Sai's compassion knows no bounds. A step in the right direction is always responded with hundred from Him. 'Baba often warns against the sin of thought, word and deed. Our minds entertain sinful thoughts in association with common undesirable traits of lust anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy, hatred and impatience. Our tongue is prone to commit the sins of uttering falsehood, slander, backbiting and gossip. Our body is to be weaned off from committing the sins of killing, stealing, adultery, eating meat and drinking intoxicants. Baba assures us that such care taken by us in this direction will certainly ensure purity, i.e., of thought, word and deed which alone is the real thapas securing human values of Truth, Righteous conduct, Peace, Love and Non-violence. - taken from : www.sssbpt.org Sai Ram
