Saturday, Apr 20 2024  

THE POWER OF PRAYER - 30 JULY 2012

When we think of prayer the first thought is of a mantram or japam.

While that cannot be excluded from the definition, prayer is actually a heartfelt communication with God. God can reply to our prayers in many ways. And when we speak to God we are truly applying what Baba says to us in each and every discourse: you and I are one.

Numerous stories from Mythology such as Prahlad and Dhruva tell us of the power of Prayer but maybe it will be easier to relate to some incidents in recent times, what better than those with Bhagawan. This is best illustrated by the experience of one devotee who had an experience of inner-hearing on Akhand Bhajan day in Prasanthi Nilayam This happened on November 9, 2008, mid-morning time. Swami had gone out of the ashram in the car and there were many possible routes for Him to enter His residence. Walking with his baby daughter, the devotee was yearning for a darshan of Swami together with his new-born as looking after his little one had not allowed him many opportunities to see Bhagavan Baba.

But how to catch a glimpse of Swami? He could return via the back gate and move around the ashram; or come through the school children's entrance; or go straight into the Mandir from the road. At that point of wondering and yearning, he clearly heard the words within "Go to the Shirdi Baba Temple." This lay near the main road and he felt it was a sign to go to the road there after having darshan of the Shirdi Sai statue. He quickly made the ten minute journey from the north buildings lawn, trusting that this was a sure sign from His Lord - or maybe His ministering angels!

Arriving at the shrine of Shirdi Baba he made a prayer and then straight away made his way to the road which lay an hundred metres away. Just at that very moment Swami came by. He did not even have to wait a minute! He was overjoyed with Bhagavan's precious darshan, while holding his three weeks old daughter! This is just one instance of inner guidance by the Lord. There are, of course, many thousands of such prayers which are simultaneously fulfilled, all over the world every day. These touch our hearts, heal our bodies and connect us within to the Omnipresent One.

All we have to do is to fill our hearts with love and keep a prayer always on our lips; His voice will resound within louder than anything else in this world. We can then truly become His angels and our lives will revolve in harmony.

Prayer is a communication addressed to God whose permanent residence is of course the Heart, as Baba often reminds us. Thus the Heart readily understands the language of the Heart - no surprise in that at all. In other words, the Heart is easily able to comprehend when prayer works, and also how.

The following episode narrated by Ravi Mariwala is relevant. Ravi is a graduate of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning completed his MBA and volunteered to serve in the Super Speciality Hospital. Ravi Mariwala was in charge of the Heart-Lung machine, the vital instrument in cardiac surgery. A patient being operated for a congenital defect was unable to recover heart function sufficiently, to come off the heart-lung machine and generate adequate systemic pressure. Ravi said - We tried everything but nothing seemed to work. Everyone was beginning to despair. We discussed the matter, rested the heart again, and added some more drugs. We only failed once more. We were absolutely helpless. It occurred to me that we had tried everything but prayer. As I had been in the theatre for five hours already, I was briefly relieved by a colleague. I came into the corridor outside the theatre and stood silently for a minute, trying to recollect Sai's face in my mind's eye. I said a silent prayer for the patient's recovery.

Immediately thereafter, I returned to the theatre. The situation had changed completely. The blood pressure had improved, and the heart had recovered! Strangely, no one knew how or why; I did not say anything to anyone.

The incident passed. The patient's recovery was smooth. On the Sunday that followed, Swami came to Ravi, created vibhuti, put it into my hands and lovingly said, "This is for the prayer that you said for that patient." He then proceeded to describe the incident to others. Here was Swami rewarding Ravi for the miracle cure that He in His Mercy had effected!" Need one say more to emphasise on the theme before us.

JAI SAI RAM

Bro Arjun Sai Krishnan
Group 4