Karachi

Only those two incidents, which happened in your very presence, have been narrated in my last letter. Although many others have happened in my life, these two alone have been given because you were an eye-witness and can attest to their actual occurrence. Many such incidents are so astounding that common human intelligence would scarcely believe in them. If no thoughts, for or against, arise in our mind before complying with our cherished desire for spiritual development, then that compliance plays an important part in creating in us the divine sentiment of total surrender to the Lord’s will.

I have never slackened right up to today in my deep faith — not blind but actuated by self-experience — that in obeying one’s Guru’s order with love and devotion, one’s spiritual welfare is assured. True faith (in the Guru) is that in which there is no place for doubt, upsurgence of thought, or no hesitation. That power which keeps us always and completely in tune with divine consciousness is true faith. Faith has the power to take us straight beyond the limitations of human life. It is from such total loving obedience (as given in the incidents already described) to the Guru’s command that that power of faith has arisen in me.

When in this way we obey in letter and in spirit our Guru’s command, his heart is filled with deep satisfaction and pleasure. It brings about the blissful acme of our spiritual life —a fact, according to my heart’s experience. At my perfect obedience to his command, my Guru was beside himself with joy. Its indubitable proof lies in the fact that he gave me the gift of two big baskets, one filled with sweets and the other with green and dry fruits.

We did not usually leave for town on Sundays. But one Sunday I was seized with the ardent desire to go to the vegetable market. The younger of my two sisters laughed at my idea. She added, “Oh! It must be your Saibaba’s call. Why should you otherwise think of going to the vegetable market even today?” With this comment, my family would not let me out of the house. That whole Sunday I had the consciousness of the Satguru’s presence in my heart.

The next day, after leaving all others in Bapu’s (Father’s) Manager’s Office in the Scindhia Steam navigation Company, I took the car to the vegetable market. I ahd forgotten my purse at the office, but since I always bought vegetable from the same shop, the owner trusted me and gave me everything I asked for. As soon as I came out of the market gate, I saw my Guru Maharaj standing quite near the gate. His sight drenched my heart with such a torrent of love that I could not help enclosing him in my arms and clinging fast to his body. He, too, kissed me with deep love. And he said, “O! How long did I wait for you yesterday! I had bought two big baskets to give to you. In the end, making you the beneficiary, I gave them away to charity. I am so pleased with you that today also I have brought two baskets for you to take home.” The baskets were too big for our car and I had to hire a coolie to bring them to home.” You also were staying with us then and had the joy of eating from them. For many days that prasad (God’s or Guru’s gift) lasted. And so many were there to whom it was distributed!

Soon after that event, Bapu told me, “Bring your Guru Maharaj here to our house. We shall treat him to tea and then let him go his way.” But I had absolutely no idea of his whereabouts at that time nor where he resided. It had never even occurred to me to inquire into the matter. I pointed out the difficulty. Bapu then said, “Do one thing. Go into our meditation. Let the moment arrive, when you are about to fall into a trance when all outward consciousness has receded and one single point of consciousness remains. Then, just when you are on the point of losing even that awareness of the self, make the firm resolve in your heart to know the place where your Sat-guru is. Without any other source, you yourself will then know where he is. You may then bring him here.”

By God’s grace, I had a long practice of accepting any good advice without demur. (today also, as you all know, suggestions are at once carried out by me.) I began my meditation. Concetration grew deeper and deeper and the crucial moment had nearly arrived when the body-consciousness was about to be lost entirely. God’s grace helped my heart-center to hold onto the idea of finding my Sat-guru’s place.

By the grace of my Guru Maharaj, I envisioned his form walking on the seashore, far far away from Karachi. With humility saturated with love, I requested him to come home and have tea with us. He replied, “All right. Have your wish. See I am taking tea.”

After these words, I saw him gesture, sipping tea. And then he proceeded further still. The whole scene had appeared in meditation vividly before my eyes. When I regained outer consciousness, I narrated the incident to all of you. I believe you remember that very well even now*.

I write all this to you in order that you have an idea of the wonderful potential that dhyana (concentration) can produce. All that has happened, by God’s grace, during this jiva’s sadhana is distinctly impressive and has brought about the knowledge of the climax of spirituality. Without the least constraint, I tell you all this in order to serve a definite purpose (i.e. creating faith in the Sat-guru and thus elevating the reader’s soul).

You have personally seen quite a number of such incidents happen in your life during your stay with me at Karachi. Quite possibly, your first-hand knowledge of these incidents may have provided you with the incentive to take the spiritual path. I am certain you must remember that, on your own initiative you once made a pressing request to me to lead you along the path. Others, too, have personally experienced my spiritual knowledge of very high, even the highest, caliber.

But the sanskaras imprinted upon the minds of witnesses of their Sat-guru’s exalted experiences have varying after-effects. Even in those whose heats have no real loving devotion for their Sat-gurus, sanskaras of supernatural events are embedded, but they do not create the right impact when the allotted time for their fruition arrives. In case of those who are deeply devoted to their Sat-gurus, these sanskaras, when the right time comes, produce immediate good results and also great possibilities of future progress.