My Transfer and Baba’s Protection
Table of Contents
I was informed that Ajit Singh had been transferred to Palanpur.
I found that his replacment would be Shri Virendra Kumar Asthana who I knew.
But I heard that I was to be transferred elsewhere.
I wanted to stay at Bhagalpur. So I went to Baba to put this request him.
No, now you are not needed at Bhagalpur. So you will have to leave there.
I insist to to stay at Bhagalpur because:
- I didn’t want to go further away from Him
- My transfer at this juncture would be bad for my career image
This is not your choice. You will have to go where I consider proper for you
Baba assured me that my departure from Bhagalpur would be viewed respectfully by my colleagues.
Ultimately this is how it turned out. I received my orders of transfer to Begusarai in June 1954, the same month that Shri Asthanaji assumed his posting as Ajit Singh’s successor.
Begusarai was nearer to Jamalpur than Bhagalpur but because of the necessity of crossing the Ganges and changing trains, it took slightly longer to reach Jamalpur. Even so I was happy that I was nearer Baba.
I was given an official farewell with full recognition. Begusarai was also within the jurisdiction of Asthanaji. Thus Baba granted me both my desires and I was overjoyed.
I was feeling very happy as I had been granted blessings in accordance with my heart’s desire and the blessing had actualised itself in reality.
Why should I then not feel overwhelmed with joy? These happy vibrations created an unprecedented faith in sadhana and increasing devotion to Baba. My faith in Baba became firmer. His liila is wonderful and mysterious.
Since June 1954, when I shifted to Begusarai, I used to make it a point to go every month for Baba’s darshan during the holidays. Generally when I reached there, Baba would not take any one else with Him for the evening walks and I therefore had the good fortune to be alone with Him for nearly three hours. Today people crave for such proximity with Baba.
Once day during the rainy season when I started from Begusarai, the sky was clear and there was no sign of rain, but by the time I reached Baba’s residence, the sky had become overcast with dark clouds. It was thundering and lightning illuminated the sky again and again.
The doors of Baba’s residence were still closed when I arrived and I was standing on the veranda in the expectation of them opening. As yet it has not started raining but looking at the sky, I was already regretting that I had forgotten to bring myumbrella. Meanwhile, the doors opened and I did pranam to Baba, as He emerged from the house with an umbrella.
Shubhamastu (“be blessed”). Have you brought an umbrella? One umbrella would not be able to protect both of us. Let us sit on the veranda to talk.
Baba Himself sat on a chair and I sat on a wooden bench lying in front.
After a little while Baba said:
Nagina let us go for a walk.
Baba I have no umbrella and I also have no change of clothes with me. If I get drenched, I will be in trouble as I will be staying overnight with Bindeshwariji and leaving in the morning
Still, despite the rain, Baba again said:
Let us go for a walk.
I followed Baba quietly. Baba walked at the same speed and the same distance as on other days. He also sat for the usual amount of time after the walk at the tiger’s grave.
During the walk Baba explained:
The day I do not walk, I don’t take my dinner. Therefore my mother likes me to go for a walk everyday, even if it is stormy or rainy. If I had not come today, I would not have taken my dinner and my mother would have been unhappy at my going to bed without eating. Hence, I have to go for a walk whatever the weather.
As long as I was with Baba, I was absorbed in His enlightening talk. As Baba walked and sat on the grave, the sky turned more and more black. Simultaneously, lightening and thunder were also becoming more frequent. It appeared as if someone was holding the rain and the clouds were bursting with thunder to show their determination to rain. Baba was sitting peacefully on the grave, as if nothing happened while all the time I was apprehensive that if it rained, I should be completely drenched and would be quite unfit to travel with these clothes tomorrow.
At about nine, Baba looked at the sky and said:
Nagina, Let us go. Now it may rain any moment.
Thus saying Baba started to walk back home. On the way Baba enquired where I was going to stay. I reminded Him that I was staying with Bindeshwariji.
Baba stopped for a moment on the main road in front of His gate and told me.
Double up from here Nagina, and rush. Now the rain can no longer be held back.
I ran and reached Bindeshwariji’s hoouse. As I reached the house and came indoors, it started raining heavily.
Big drops were falling and I saw from the porch that Baba was holding the umbrella in one hand and holding up His dhoti to the ankles with the other hand while walking in that heavy rain. How kind Baba is. He did not allow even a drop of rain to fall on me and He Himself was walking in the pouring rain with an umbrella in His hand.
Now I understood how Baba protects His spiritual sons. He sees the difficulties Himself and protects His devotees. I was fortunate to experience it in my own case. Praise be to Baba and His Greatness!