Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VI | Mr. Ashim Samaddar

Mr. Ashim Samaddar,
F-5, Eden Garden,
Sector -26, Pradhikarana,
Nigdi, Pune - 411 044.

Tel: 020-2765 1739,   Mobile: 94225-18788
E-mail: ashimsamaddar@sify.com

      Mr. Ashim Samaddar (49), a businessman, relates his experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in his own words.

'I first heard of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba from one of my colleagues in 2000. The same year I came to Prasanthi Nilayam and had darshan of Bhagavan. That was my first visit.

I have to go outstations on business work. Usually, I drive the car but I don't like to drive in the night. In 2003, I went to Nasik. I wanted to start at Nasik on my return trip at 3 p.m. but was delayed due to unavoidable reasons by a couple of hours. Normally, it takes about 5 hours to reach Pune. On the way, we had to negotiate a ghat road. As my car was coming down the incline at one point, the car began to wobble. Suspecting that one of the tyres might have burst, I stopped the car and inspected the tyres. All were all right. I could not understand why the car wobbled. I got into the car and started it again. It began to wobble again; this time awfully. Again I stopped the car and checked the tyres. In fact, it was pitch-dark. I could not see anything. I had to check the tyres by moving my hand around them. I lifted up the bonnet but could not find anything wrong. The steering, too, was all right. There was a sticker of Bhagavan on the wind screen. Another was on the back which I could see through the rear view mirror.

I was praying to Swami intensely 'Swami, kindly reach us home safely.' There was no question of halting anywhere as the place is wholly deserted and is also the ghat section. So I told my colleagues that we had no alternative but to continue the journey. I prayed to Swami and got into the car. I started it and began to drive slowly. Surprisingly there was no wobbling! I gradually increased the speed. Yet there was no wobbling. We began to proceed at the normal speed after half-an-hour. No wobbling. Finally we reached home safely. I thanked Bhagavan for bringing us back safely.

Next morning I gave the vehicle in the garage. I explained about our travails in full. 'I want to know why the car wobbled three times' I asked the mechanic, 'and how it set itself right. I want to make sure that it will not recur on my frequent trips on business.' That evening again I went to the garage. 'The car is completely ok' the mechanic reported, 'there is no fault at all and no wobbling any time'. I was not satisfied. I met the Manager and wanted him to get the car checked up thoroughly. I did not want to face a similar problem again. The Manager phoned me up in the evening. 'We thoroughly checked the car' he said, 'no problem anywhere'.

I thought that it was Swami's leela. Perhaps, He did not want me to drive speedily. I had to be doubly alert because of the fault. May be, Swami averted a more serious happening by causing us that much inconvenience. No knowing the Divine intentions!

In March 2000, I took my wife for a routine medical check up by our family doctor. She had earlier hypertension, which was under control. After the check up, we found that all reports were normal except the ECG. 'There is some problem as per ECG' our doctor told us, 'better get her undergo TMT'. Somehow we procrastinated. Next year the doctor detected the same fault in the ECG and advised as before. The third year also the same thing happened and the doctor admonished for my indifference.

I prayed to Bhagavan to heal her. I took her, however, to a better cardiac hospital. She underwent the TMT. Later, the Doppler Test also. Then the specialist called me. As I went inside praying to Swami not to make me hear anything alarming, the doctor asked me 'why did you bring her to me?' 'Our doctor said there is problem with her heart as indicated in the ECG' I replied, 'therefore I brought her here.' 'She is completely healthy' the doctor told me, 'take her home. No need for any medicines. No restrictions on diet at all'. He called my wife and said 'forget about your ECG. You are in good health.' We returned home thanking Swami for His grace.

On February 26, 2006, I came to Prasanthi Nilayam for seva. Whenever I come for seva, I take a vibhuti packet from the Security and use it. So I went to the Security and asked them for vibhuti. 'No vibhuti except for those who are leaving today' they curtly replied. 'I have come for seva' I told them, 'every time I come they give me'. 'You are sevadal' they said, 'you follow the rule. Don't argue' I felt deeply hurt. 'Baba! We came here for seva' I prayed to Bhagavan in my mind, 'can't we get even a packet of vibhuti?' Whenever I passed the Security during the period of my seva in Prasanthi Nilayam, I used to remember the episode and pray to Baba. One day when I was at the Ganesh gate on duty, an overseas devotee tried to go the wrong way when I stopped him. He began to argue. So there was some altercation between us. Later, he went for darshan. After darshan, he came to me. His face was still serious. He did not seem to have forgotten the morning episode. 'This vibhuti' he told me curtly 'is given by Bhagavan.' He threw a vibhuti packet in my hand and left abruptly before I could thank him.

'Bhagavan' I prayed to Swami wholly overwhelmed with gratitude for His love and compassion, 'you have sent me vibhuti packet from your own hands though the Security refused to give me one!'

-- Mr. Ashim Samaddar

   (As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 03.03.2006)