(As published in Souvenir published by Sri Shiridi Sai Baba Samajam, Hyderabad in the year 1991)
The number of instances where Baba came to the rescue of His devotees, stranded on Railway platforms, is legion Sai Satcharitra illustrate an incident when Balaram Mankar wanted to travel by train from Poona to Dadar. At the booking office he felt helpless as he found a big crowd. Just as he gave up hope of traveling that day, a man looking like a villager came straight to him and told him that he had cancelled his Dadar trip and offered his ticket to him. Mankar was pleasantly surprised. But before he could take out the money, the man disappeared into the crowd. He rushed forth immediately and searched for him all over the place but there was no trace of the villager. It suddenly dawned on him who that villager was.
Now read these similar incidents from the
life of a saintly devotee from Hyderabad. It was in October, 1985. Sri M.
Hanumanth Rao (MHR) had to go to Poona. He had no reserved accommodation. The
general compartments were fully packed. People were hanging on the footboards
also-With Sai on his lips and hope in his soul, he was pacing up and down the
platform looking for some space anywhere. Just then a told bearded Muslim from
a reserved compartment beckoned to him to get in. He meekly got in. The old man
ordered him to sit on the floor. He obediently did. A few minutes later when
the train started leaving, the old man rose from his seat, smiled at him, and
got down the train Later when the Ticket Examiner (TE) came, he (MHR) produced
his unreserved ticket- The TE looked at the ticket and then at him Something
happened in his mind. Adorning a Smiling face, he lifted him by his arms and
put him on the empty seat vacated by the old man and later collected the berth
charges.
In Poona his relatives pressed him to stay
further when he wanted to return home for Diwali-They were all captured by his
saintly manners. But there he felt like a fish out of water as he could not
perform Sai poojas and artis as he used to do in his house- One day he silently
sneaked out of their house and came to the station. As in Mankars case, he
found a big crowd at the Poona booking window. The train had already steamed
in. A simple man he felt highly perplexed, unable to cope with the situation A
few minutes later the engine whistled and started moving. There was a quick
flurry of movement. People were running in different directions to reach their
compartments. He suddenly galvanized into action. Putting all faith in Baba, he
came on to the platform and rushing towards the moving train got in. It was a
reserved compartment. The TE angrily made wild gesticulations and demanded the
ticket He replied he could not purchase one. The TE then flew into a rage and
threatened to throw him out at the next station He ordered him to sit on the
floor near the door Without a word he (MHR) meekly obeyed him. He then opened
the Sai Satcharita and started reading it. He does not waste his time anywhere
as per his wont. In the meanwhile the TE completed his ticket checking and
coming to him (MHR) sat on the TE seat near him. Looking askance at him, he
gruffly asked what was he reading. The book was shown to him. He shuffled
through the pages and read here and there. His attitude thereafter
significantly changed. He enquired and came to know much of his (MHR) spiritual
side.
After some time
Dhond station came. TE went out. Seizing the chance, MHR also got down and ran
towards the station premises and came back with a ticket to Hyderabad. Settling
himself he took out the Likhita Japa book and started writing Sai Naam. The TE
to came back. There were some refreshments in his hand, which he offered to MHR
and forced him to partake of it. He asked what he was writing MHR replied that
it was Sai Naam. "How many times you have written so far?" he
enquired. "More than sixty lakhs. Baba willing. I will complete a crore
and more before He recalls me," MHR raplied. Then they were drown into
lengthy conversations on Baba and His
Leelas. Time flew, by After
nightfall Wadi Station came where the operational staff change duties. The TE
took MHR into his arms and embraced him- Tears walled up in his eyes as he did
so. He then took fare-well, got down and merged into the crowd. A very strict
man in the beginning threatening to throw him out, his manners changed
completely on hearing of Baba and finally become a very warm friend.
Now read this charming incident- Around
the same time MHR went with a friend to Cuddapah and stopped at his friend's
relative's house. There he saw in every house and shop only the contemporary
Sai Baba's photos. They went to several other houses known to his friend.
Wherever he went he saw only this Sai Baba's photos His eyes were thirsting for
the photos of Shirdi Sai Baba anywhere. His attempts were met with thorough
failure. This disturbed him greatly and his spirits were at low ebb. Only an
intense Sai devotee can understand his state of mind then. Feeling restless, he
desired to get out of the town quickly. Without telling his friend, he came to
the bus stand and took a bus going in the direction of the station. There on
the way, as the darkness was creeping, he heard the evening arti of Shirdi Sai
Baba! MHR stopped in his tracks and looked. It was from the nearby Shirdi Sai
Baba temple. Greatly relived, thither he ran and took the darshan of his
beloved Sai ! coming to know after arti that he was bound for Hyderabad, the
priest told him that he must hurry as the train had already arrived on the
platform MHR ran and entered the platform from the long end of It. The train as
usual was packed. Not knowing he hurriedly got into a reserved compartment Seat
No 5 was vacant and he sat on it- The neighbors protested saying that a Muslim
old man had just then occupied the seat and went out Entrusting his cloth bag
and assuring them that he would not occupy seat No. 5, he went out to purchase
the ticket There he saw heavy rush at the booking window. When he felt totally
helpless, he saw an old man with a grey beard in a worn-out sherwani leaning
with one foot closed on a pillar and smoking a beedi leisurely. He beckoned him
and introducing himself as Qudratullah asked where he was going. MHR replied.
He said he knew that and so saying he took out a ticket and gave it to him. When
MHR was fumbling for the fare from his pocket, he forbade him starting that he
better hurry as the train leaving. He said he would be with him soon. MHR ran
and caught his compartment just in time. Wearily he sat on seat No. 5, which
was still vacant, and looked into the ticket. What he saw made him sit bolt
upright. It was a reserved ticket to Hyderabad and was marked seat No 5 of the
same compartment!!! Then he looked for the old men but he was not be seen
anywhere. He felt momentarily disoriented. Then as light dawned on him he
composed himself and reassured that unseen by the naked eye Baba is always by
his side and that He would respond to any sincere devotee who loves Him
wholeheartedly, by taking any from, at any time and at any place as mentioned
in the Sai Satcharita. SAMARATH SADGURU SRI SAINATH MAHARAJ Kl JAI !
K. NAVEEN
CHANDER
HYDERABAD-500457.