Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group VII | Ms. Heena T. Shahdadpuri

Ms. Heena T. Shahdadpuri,
Lab Technician,
Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital,
Prasanthi Nilayam.

      Ms. Heena T. Shahdadpuri, an ardent devotee of Bhagavan, has come to stay at Prasanthi Nilayam and work in Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, inspired by Bhagavan in her dreams. She records a few of her experiences in an article published in Arogyapradayini, the Golden Jubilee publication of Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam released in August 2006.

'The ways in which Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba attracts thirsty souls to savour the nectar of His Divine Love are indescribable. My eyes were blessed to visualise Divinity in human form for the first time in 1970, when I was barely six months old. After that, for years, I did not have an opportunity to behold the physical beauty of the Lord. But I had been making frequent trips to Shirdi, as our family deity was Shirdi Sai Baba. Nevertheless Sai's love attracted me towards Him as I got married into a Sai family.

Our mother Sai knows very well how to feed Her children with spiritual food. For me, He chose the way of dreams to hold my hand and lead me on, in the journey of life. In the first dream that I was blessed with, He warned me that my father was going to face a major problem. Exactly after four months, on 27th February 1990, my father met with an accident and left his mortal coil suddenly. As I was most attached to my father, this was an unbearable shock to me. I was not able to overcome this great loss. But my merciful Lord gave me His loving assurance and said 'do not cry. I am your father.' He blessed me thus in three consecutive dreams, each time assuring me that He is my father and He loves me the way my father used to do.

April 1990, my fiancé had an appointment with one of my uncles. As Swami was then in Dharmakshetra, Bombay, we went to have Swami's darshan, instead of going to meet my uncle. I was blessed once again with Divine darshan after so many years. There, Swami patted my fiancé's shoulder and said 'very happy to see you here.' When we came back home, we learned that my uncle had met with an accident and was no more. Had my husband kept his appointment, he would have met with the same fate as my uncle. Swami pulled him with an unseen string, saved him and blessed us. After my marriage in 1990, when I first came to Puttaparthi, I realised that this Avatar has not come down to lift man up to heaven, but He has come to change earth into heaven. In 1991, Swami lovingly blessed my five months old daughter, by putting holy rice (akshintalu) on her and cutting her hair. Day after day, Swami attracted me more and more towards Himself by posting innumerable signs of His love on the path of my life.

In 1992, I offered Him a letter with a prayer 'Swami, please make me an instrument in Your hands.' The ocean of compassion responded to my prayer by accepting my letter. I was honoured to be the Education Coordinator in Ulhasnagar Samithi, Thane district, Mumbai for five consecutive years. As Swami was working through me, the outcome was very good. New Balvikas classes, Mahila vibhag, improvement in cultural programmes, bhajan singing and many more seva activities were conducted in that period. In one of my dreams, He guided me to enrol my daughter in His Primary School in the first class. Swami also blessed my son by patting him on his head on three occasions. He too is a Sai student now.

In 1993, my mother-in-law was operated in the Super Speciality Hospital. It was a complicated case of valve replacement surgery. After her surgery, Swami materialised vibhuti and sent it to her through my father-in-law. That vibhuti helped her to recover at an amazing pace.

In May 2001, my mother had a second heart attack and her condition was critical, as her kidneys had failed. Doctors had nothing to say except two words 'no hope'. We resorted to our only refuge - Bhagavan Baba. I smeared holy vibhuti on her body and, within a short time, the kidneys started working. Everybody in the family witnessed Divinity at work that day.

In April 2002, my 25-year-old brother was admitted in the Hinduja Hospital in Bombay with stomach pain. There, it was diagnosed as pancreatitis. Doctors said 'we will try, but we cannot promise anything.' All of us were grief-stricken, but light dawns for those who believe. I prayed to Swami and put vibhuti in my brother's mouth and smeared it all over his body. His condition improved. The doctors told us that he had to be in the ICU for at least 2-3 weeks or more and in the ward for much longer. They also cautioned us that his life was at risk. Swami was in Whitefield at that time and I sent Him a telegram. I prayed wholeheartedly to Him to save my brother's life. It is said that spirituality begins where science ends. Within four days, my brother came home and now he is enjoying the gift of a healthy life.

Swami envelops us in His love like a pearl in its shell. Nobody needs to remind Him of the time of sunrise and sunset, nobody needs to remind Him to change the seasons. He knows what to give, to whom to give, when to give and where to give. Each padanamaskar of Swami changed my life; each dream of Swami helped me to reach nearer the goal. Each look of Swami filled a gap within and a prayer arose from the bottom of my heart, 'Swami, please allow me to enjoy Your proximity. Call me to Parthi.' He inspired me to do the DMLT course so that I could work in the hospital and offer my services. I resigned from the post of Education Coordinator, and the members of our samithi refused to accept it. It was difficult to convince them, but the pull of the Sai magnet became stronger by the day. After my DMLT course, I came to Puttaprthi. In my dream, He instructed me to join the General Hospital.

Fortunate is this body, as it has been accepted by Swami to work in the General Hospital and been given a chance to offer service at the Lotus Feet of Sai. All my dreams are fulfilled. My thirst is quenched. Words are not enough to say 'Thank you, Swami for everything'. He has always given me the best. He is always there during the times of need. Let my soul be a humble offering at His Lotus Feet. Blessed are we to have amongst us the Divine Incarnation, who is the king of this vast creation.'

-- Ms. Heena T. Shahdadpuri

(Extracted from Arogyapradayini, the Golden Jubilee Commemorative volume of the General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam released in August 2006)