Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group IV | Mrs. Parin D. Dotiwala

Mrs. Parin D. Dotiwala,
B-11/A, Swetal Park Row Houses,
Ahmedabad - 380 015.

Tel: 079-2663 3325

Mrs. Parin D. Dotiwala (67), a housewife, relates a few of her experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in her own words.

'One day - I do not remember the date - I was going with Ms. Sujata, the daughter of our house-owner in Bangalore for shopping. In one shop, there was a photograph. Looking at it, I asked Ms. Sujata, 'who is this monkey faced fellow?'

'Don't say that' Sujata mildly chided me, 'He is Sri Sathya Sai Baba, deemed by His followers as God incarnation'. I let it go there.

From my childhood, I was lean. After marriage, I began to put on weight. All my relatives were happy that I was becoming healthier. Suddenly, I had to go to Mumbai as my father passed away in 1977 there. My brothers are doctors there. They came to receive me at the airport.

'What happened to you?' they asked me, 'is something wrong with your health?'

'On the contrary', I replied, 'all are saying my health has improved. I have put on weight also'.

My brothers did not agree. They got me examined and diagnosed that I was suffering from thyroid deficiency. I returned to Bangalore after the obsequies were over and began to take treatment at Bangalore. There were other symptoms such as feeling of drowsiness, thick-skin, etc, besides being irritable. I had all those symptoms. Though I took treatment for considerable time, there was no use. The dose for the medicine could not be fixed correctly by any doctor though we had changed two or three doctors. As medicines were changed frequently even before those prescribed could be consumed, the treatment became expensive and vexatious. Sometimes, I used to toy with the idea of ending my life as I was not in a position to be of any help to my husband and children. All this was in 1973 and later.

As things were moving like this, we happened to run into Peethawalas who came from Africa. They are devotees of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai. One day Mrs. Peethawala took me to Brindavan to have darshan of Bhagavan. We have been devotees of Shirdi Sai. She said, 'your Shirdi Sai is now born as Parthi Sai'. I was not convinced. With the permission of my husband, Mr. D.M.Dotiwala I went with her to Brindavan. 'Look!' I told Mrs. Peethawala as we entered the Brindavan Ashram, 'I will not bow before him or do any such thing as touching his feet'.

Mrs. Peethawala smiled and said, 'we are not supposed to touch Swami's feet unless He chooses to give us padanamaskar'.

We sat in the darshan lines. A thought crossed my mind, 'if he is really the incarnation of Shirdi Sai, he will give me darshan as Shirdi Sai'. Swami entered the enclosure and was walking along the lines. When He was about ten feet from me, suddenly he became Shirdi Sai. After a few minutes of walk along darshan lines as Shirdi Sai, He turned again into Sri Sathya Sai, went and sat on His throne. I was amazed. 'Am I seeing things? Is it my imagination or hallucination?' I wondered.

Bhajan took place. After harati, Swami began to walk along the line to return to His room in Trayi. Just when He was about ten feet from me, He again turned into Shirdi Sai and walked in front of me. After going a few paces from me, He turned into Sri Sathya Sai again. When it happened a second time, I involuntarily bowed my head. I returned home in an elated mood and told my husband about my experience. My husband does not look down on anything even if he did not accept it.

In November 1980, Mrs. Peethawala was going to Prasnthi Nilayam since Bhagavan went back to Prasanthi Nilayam. 'Would you like to come with us?' she asked me. With the consent of my husband I accompanied them. On her advice, I took the file of papers relating to my illness. We arrived there in the evening. Next morning we went there for darshan. I kept my file of papers close to my chest and had a shawl wrapped around my shoulders covering it. Bhagavan looked at me and waved His hand signalling me to go into the interview room. I went there. There were some more also. After Swami spoke to them, He called me. I tried to take out the file as I went to Him.

'No need to take it out', Swami told me, 'Swami knows all'.

Then He narrated with complete details how I had commented seeing His photograph when I went for shopping in Bangalore with Sujata; how my brothers diagnosed my problem; how I went to various doctors without any relief. He even told me the names of doctors and where their clinics lay. I was stunned.

He waved His hand and materialised a locket on which there is the picture of Shirdi Sai on one side and that of Sri Sathya Sai on the other.

'Keep it', Swami told me as He handed it over to me, 'it is raksha for you. Always wear it near your heart. Don't worry. I will take care of you'.

Subsequently there has been much improvement in my condition. I am all right now.

My daughter, Ms. Nifriz married Mr. Subhash Krishna. They are at Pune. Her second son, Parvandh was born on March 20, 2003 with high bilirubin counts. On doing some tests, it was found that he had number of stones in his kidneys. He developed jaundice passing white stools and thick yellow colour urine. After trying medication, the doctors decided to do surgery. 'The boy's situation is critical', the doctor said, 'surgery has to be done unless a miracle takes place'. We went to the hospital on Friday; the doctor fixed the surgery on Monday. We were all in a state of shock that surgery had to be conducted on a babe of a couple of months old. We sent a telegram to Bhagavan explaining the case and seeking His blessings.

Next day, when we went to the hospital, the doctor got a sonograph taken again. It showed some slight improvement. Therefore, the doctor deferred the surgery for a week. After three days, one more sonograph was taken to see if the improvement was continuing. This time, the improvement was marked. Owing to Swami's grace, the child improved completely within 15 days without any surgery.

The surgeon himself was amazed at the pace of improvement. 'There is no answer or explanation for this in our medical science', he remarked, 'it is simply incredible'.

I think it was in 1973-74 that Swami called us for an interview at Prasanthi Nilayam. At the end of the interview, I asked Bhagavan, 'Swami, when will you call us for interview again?'

'In January', Swami replied.

He did not specify the year. We hope and wait for that January which would take us again to the interview room and into the immediate presence of God in person.'

-- Mrs. Parin D. Dotiwala

(As narrated to Mr. B. Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 28.06.2005)