Infinite indeed are the divine blessings in everyone's life

 Divine Blessings unlimited

"After the new moon day, everyone is anxious to see the 'bright' moon. On the first day, it is not seen and on the second day it appears as a thin crescent. The people are asked to see the moon through the opening, between the two branches of a tree; and when they begin to see through this aperture, the distant small crescent of the moon is visible. Same way, let us see Baba. He sits with his right leg held across the left knee. The fingers of his left hand are spread on the right foot. On the toe are spread his two fingers - the index and the middle ones. By this posture, Baba seem to say 'meditate on my toe through the opening between my index and middle fingers; you will be able to see My Light" (Shri Saisatcharitra - English - Shri N.V.Gunaji - Chapter22)

To-day, with the blessings of Shirdi Sai, I was fortunate to have visited Naga Sai Mandir* in Coimbatore. The more than Eighty four year old temple had its "Ashtabandhana Maha Kumbabishekam" on 1st February 2023. Though I could participate in the 'maha yagna' performed on 28th February, I was unable to witness the 'Kumbabishekam', as I had to perform my father's ceremony along with my brothers on that day in Chennai. I was there in the temple by 12 noon and the 'karpagruham' was closed with a screen for 'alangaram' of the deity 'Naga Sai'.  When I was meditating, suddenly the  guidance in chapter 22 ( first paragraph above) passed through my mind. And within a few seconds, the screen was opened and believe it or not, my eyes got fixed on the toe, appearing between the two fingers of Sai. I felt speechless. This reminded me of two instances happened in the immediate past, where Shirdi Sai demonstrated that his blessings are there to boost my confidence all the time.

Reached Airport in time from a hopeless situation: On 31st January 2023, me and my wife (Usha) booked the Indigo flight, to go Chennai (from Coimbatore) for performing my father's 24th ceremony (He reached Sai's feet in 2000). I asked my driver to come and pick us up for the airport drop, around 9 am (two and a half hours before the scheduled departure). I got a call around 9 am that the driver is struck in the traffic near my home and tens of vehicles are on both sides of the road. I told him that enough time is available and not to worry. After fifteen minutes, he called again and said that there is no improvement. He suggested me to pick up any other travel taxi. I told him that it will be of no use, since the travel taxi had to pass through the "same traffic struck" route. I tried an autorickshaw, which is in between the traffic spot and my home. I was informed that he is also struck in the middle, as he was returning from his school trip. I called a tourist taxi nearby (but its office was also beyond the "traffic struck route"), without any hope. The owner told me that he will try but said " sir, please arrange for cancellation, the traffic appears mad".  I was trying to cancel the ticket for ten minutes, but the internet was slow to respond. Suddenly I got a call from the tourist taxi owner. "My driver will try to reach. Please wait". In another five minutes, I got a call from the driver to come down from my home (I stay in the fourth floor) to get into his cab. The problem is not yet over, I thought, as we had to go to the airport through the same route, where the traffic jam did not appear to end. But to our surprise, the driver could get clearance from the road parked vehicles on both sides, near my home, to take another route (through small lanes). On the way, he told us that he was inside the KCT college Campus (in Saravanampatti, opposite to our complex) and about to leave, when his boss informed him about my request. He could reach our home immediately, as vehicles were not parked in the small lane leading to our house complex. To cut the story short, we reached the airport in time and flew to Chennai to perform my father's ceremony. I felt the happy ending was made possible only due to the divine blessings of Shirdi Sai. How otherwise, one could explain the tourist taxi inside the college campus (not a usual experience), my call to his owner and he recognising the availability of the driver inside the college campus, all almost at the same time.

You think of a snack, same delivered with 'brand intact' along with darshan also: Six months back, Me and my family members were returning from Thirunagari temple (Thirumangai Alwar birth place), Sirgazhi to Kumbakonam, where we intended to stay that night. In the evenings, normally, I take "Marie" biscuits, so that acidity do not develop in my stomach.  It was 7.30 pm already and  we could not find any shops on the way. My wife was worried that my acidity problem should not repeat. I comforted her saying that the good darshans will act as a shield. After sometime, on the way, we saw a big Hanuman statue to our left and some family member said "why not we go inside and have a darshan of Hanuman". We went inside. We found a Sai temple inside and the night aarti was being performed at that time. We felt happy and listened to the aarti. The poojari offered prasadam after the aarti was over. The prasadam was 'marie' biscuits. I leave the subject here and request you to imagine our feelings at that time. Sai always makes you experience that he cares for you and so 'be humble and honest'.

I stop here. This is part one only and I intend to continue to share my experiences, which reinforced time and again, that the divine blessings of Shirdi Sai, indeed have secured me the life that I am in today. Please read and share with others also.

Regards

V.Viswanathan

14th February 2023.

*The temple was named Naga Sai Mandir, as during a Sai bhajan performed in 1943, Baba appeared as Cobra before the Sai Portrait in the temple. The snake accepted the flowers and milk offered by the devotees and also permitted people to take photos. One such photo is available in the temple even now. (Chapter 35 -Sai Satcharitra - Tamil Edition)