Sai’s Mercy And Miracles Keeping Our Future In Mind – Sai Devotee Sreenivas

Sai Brother Sreenivas Ji from USA says: My Name is Sreenivas, live in Houston, TX and working as software professional. Also I could not write in my experience and bit hesitant to ask this. But I would be interested to make a donation for any improvement/additions of this site if needed. Hetal Ji, I would like to thank You. Deep down from my heart for providing such a wonderful platform for all Sai devotees, where we gain faith and happiness and it gives a great peace of mind for us when we are in deep troubles and seek answers from our Sai. It’s my firm conviction that you are the chosen one by our Sainath for this service. The reason I say this is because I used to visit several other sites on internet, to read some article on our beloved Sainath, alternative to Sai Satcharitra, but I didn’t re-visit them somehow for unknown reasons. Once I visited this blog, it’s a whole different path. After reading great experiences here, it gives me a whole new perspective of mind and strengthens my faith. Thanks Hetal ji & all the team members, for this great contribution and service.

Now coming to my experiences, there are so many incidents; some I remember close to my heart and some which I don’t recollect too often. But Sai always shows miracles in day to day life. Why sometimes I call my Sai – a miraculous God, who shows miracles the moment we seek. Off all the experiences that I enjoyed in the last 9 years of Sai’s mercy on me, I want to share this experience which I like very much. As whenever I think of it, it’s as fresh in my memory in front of my eyes, as it happened the day few years back.

I am very sorry for posting a long draft, but I could not resist myself writing all the details that occurred in my mind. Please feel free to edit anywhere if needed. Baba I am really sorry for delaying to post this experience though it promised to do it long back. Please forgive Baba. Om Sai Ram. When I was in New York, Long Island area, where I just got my first contract job in USA after my MS, I was left with limited money to manage things in addition to my credit card debt accumulated during studies. Life was going great with whatever money I have though it was not huge.

One fine day, A desire arose in my mind to visit Sai temple on Thursday, but the difficult part was that I didn’t had a car to do so. The only alternative was to take bus/train. Then I decided to search in google and found a local transportation website, which would give me list of buses/trains to catch in order to reach my final destination (Sai Temple, Baldwin, NY). It was around 5PM in the evening, I got ready with the all details like bus no’s to catch, route details (Which consists of catching two buses and connection in between and then a bit of walk to reach Sai Temple).

Now I was waiting at the bus stop near my home and then after few minutes, my bus came. I was able to get into the first bus (in the route), This is the first time I got into a bus in NY, with route duration 20-25 min. I was little scared after seeing lot of kallu population and some different set of people (who are considered to be little dangerous in here). I was sitting quiet on window seat watching outside so that I could avoid the eye contact with those people. Unfortunately the view outside was also not so great with old buildings and stuff. I was the only one in the seat and praying Sai and hoping that no one (Some Kallu etc) to sit beside me.

Finally I reached a bus depot, where I need to catch my next bus. It was around 5:40 PM, I got down in the bus depot and was bit more scared because this time I am seeing more kallu people in the area and the place didn’t seem so good to stay for more time. Now I was standing on a corner, waiting for my bus to come and praying Sai so that I can quickly get into the bus and get out of this area ASAP. For whatever reasons, the bus didn’t come on time and I had to wait more time than I thought. It didn’t seem to be a good idea to stay there for more time and thought of taking a taxi and go to temple rather than risking out my safety there.

With that thought I tried to come out of the bus depot and catch a taxi, But to make me more scared, there was not much lights and it was dark around there and the people roaming around also didn’t look good. I thought it was not safe to go in that direction, so I came back to the depot and praying Sai waiting for the bus and in-fact complaining/cursing Sai that why He created this difficult situation for me though I sincerely desired to see Sai temple.

At last, my second bus came (Which I was waiting eagerly for). I quickly got into bus and felt so much relieved and then in a few minutes it started moving and now it’s the time to identify my stop and was eagerly watching all the bus stop signs etc. Finally I got down and was ready to walk to the temple. Then lo to my surprise/dismay, I got down in a wrong stop and it was already 6:30-7 PM and to add a pinch of salt, it was dark around, making me confused about what I saw in google maps.

I thought to give a call to my friend and ask him to direct me over the phone to get me to the temple by walk. After quickly explaining him about the intersections/roads in that place, he told me that I got down 1 stop before my destination and I had to just walk for 15-20 minutes to get there. Now I started walking with a great relief thinking that at least in another 20 minutes I will be there in the temple and on that way I had to check the details of the temple in few shops to find out the exact temple location as it was the first time I was going to this temple. For that reason, I went into a floral shop to ask them the details about Sai temple, unfortunately they didn’t know. So I came out of the shop and started walking with frustration and feeling that everything wasn’t going well and I shouldn’t have ventured this trip.

Suddenly, a thought arose in my mind, which was strongly conveying me to buy flowers for Sai. Though I wasn’t interested to buy, the thought was really so compelling me to buy the flowers. (One of the reason I didn’t want to buy the flowers was due to frustration of reaching the temple and the other was the cost of flower bouquets (30-40$) in those shops at least it’s an expensive one for my budget at that time). Finally I went back to that shop and bought a good flower bouquet without thinking anything and came out and started walking. During the walk, I started cursing Sai why He made me buy this flowers, when I cannot afford to pay so much for those flowers and why He pestered me though it was much against my wish ( I would give the details at the end why my Sai pressured to buy these expensive bouquet) .

After a while, at Last I reached the temple and it was like Thank God. I reached the temple. What a relief! It was like great achievement, but lot of frustration inside me. Indeed killing my desire/devotion of seeing Sai, but the moment you step into the temple, you forget all that things and will be eager to see our Sai Nath. Now after reaching the temple, I went in and was so happy to see big Sainath Murthy (As at that time lot of temples in USA used to have small Murthy and only few of them used to have big Murthy). The mind was so much in peaceful mood after seeing Sai and went on to the pedestal, bowed down and touched my Sainath’s feet.

The priest took the bouquet and kept it in a flower vase on the side just few steps down. Before giving it to the priest, I took one of the flowers and offered it at the feet of Sainath. Then I came down and sat in the front open area for a bit. Constantly I was looking at Sainath without any disturbances and having a silent conversation with my SAI (as every Sai devotee does). Then a small expression of unhappiness arose in my mind that I bought a bouquet, which was expensive and beyond my budget and it ended up in a vase on the steps, without being a great offer to my SAI and only one flower out of that bouquet got its destiny to reach Baba’s feet. But then also I didn’t reach even very near to Sai. I was bit unhappy about it and while all these thoughts are running in mind, suddenly I was shocked to see that another priest of the temple, came all of a sudden from nowhere and took the flower from Baba’s feet and kept it in Baba’s lap near the heart on the top of all garland’s. It was such a thrilling sensation and experience which I could never forget in my life and tears roll in my eyes whenever I think of it.

As we all know Baba reads devotee’s desire and always will answer your questions and prayers on the spot without delay and this was a clear example of it. After sitting there for a while, after experience Baba’s miracle, I was worried on how would I go home now. Thought of taking a cab, but it would cost me more so I was not sure what to do. Then suddenly I turned towards my Sainath and starting questioning Him “Ok now who will take me home? Why don’t You send someone to take me home as You gave me a lot of trouble in visiting You and added to that You made me buy flowers and now I have to pay for taxi which will be approx 70-80$ from temple to home”.

While all those thoughts are running in my mind, another priest came towards me and was asking details about where I came from. Is it my first time here and how I am going back and do I have a car etc? I was literally shocked at his questions and when I told him that I don’t have car and have to take taxi. He immediately told me don’t worry. Lot of devotees comes from my area and he would ask someone to drop me at my home. It was so amazing and thrilling feeling. My Sainath immediately arranged a service to drop me at home the immediate moment I questioned Him. I was extremely happy and pleased with the way this entire visit turned out. It was like treating with a great reward after lot of tests. Then finally I decided that I would go by cab as I need to reach home soon as I need to catch a flight next day morning to visit my sister in Chicago and it would get me late if I wait for someone to drop me.

By the night I reached home safely. Thanking Sai for such a nice Darshan and after a quick freshup, I went to my puja place (in my small room, which was like a small office/Den in an independent house- which I share with owners and other tenants) and lit incense sticks. I have regular habit of offering flowers, prasad and incense to my Sainath in my puja corner in that small room. So with lighting the incense stick, I ended my day happily and great amazing experience to cherish in my life.

Next day morning, I caught the flight and went to my sister’s place enjoying happily playing with my nephew and after couple of days, we got a emergency call from India with a very disappointing news, which I could never forget in my life. That My dad passed away and I was very much dishearted and shaken. Immediately I went to India the same night from my sister’s place and came back to my place after 2 months from India over the weekend. Life was bit disappointing and unhappy with that things that occurred. On Monday, I was getting ready to the office and after taking bath, I went to my puja place and was about to offer flowers and quickly realized that I cannot offer them to my Sai (as per Hindu tradition, we should not touch the puja material/gods for the 1 year after someone passes away in the family) for an year. I lost the opportunity to offer flowers to my Sai, which was part of my regular ritual, that’s where I suddenly realized the importance of that thought, which pushed me very hard to buy that bouquet of flowers and offering it to my Sainath as I would not get that opportunity for the next one year. I was very happy that my Sainath saw my future and made me act accordingly. And But immediate next moment, a small thought was also there in my mind that why He didn’t save my dad for few more years at least to see my progress/marriage and family.

In all it was such a great experience that my SaiNath answered each and every question the moment it arose in my mind and took care of me so well. Thanks Baba for really being so close to me and blessing me in those days. I keep losing that sincere/pure devotion – which gets my Sainath so close to heart and answering every question. I pray my lord to give me/every Sai devotee, an undeterred pure devotion towards Him , so that we always stick to our Sai and doesn’t get lost and crushed in this material world like corn grinded in the chakki when it is not sticking to the center of the stones as mentioned in the Sai Satcharitra.

!! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !!
!! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !! Om Sai Ram !!
!! Om Sai Ram !!

© Devotees Experiences with Shirdi Sai Baba