Two Languages at the Same Time

 

George Isted was a slight wiry and energetic man, a retired administrative officer at a state art gallery in Australia.  He had his first darshan of Baba in Brindavan when he was 73.

He was sitting in the darshan line when Baba came over to the men's side.  He came straight to an old villager sitting next to him.  The man was covered with dust, very old, weary and silent.  Baba came to him, bent down very low, put His arm around the old man and patted him as if he were a child.  Baba said to him, "No, now, you are not to worry.  Everything will be alright."  Continuing to pat the old man tenderly, He said, "I will take on the full responsibility.  You go home.  You will find your son much better.  In three days he will be completely well."

Then Baba lifted His hand and vibhuti poured forth from the centre of His palm, just as if a tap had been turned on.  In fact there was so much vibhuti that it was literally smothering the old man and George.  On Baba's indication, the old man held up his cupped hands and out came more vibhuti, filling up the man's hands.  On Baba's orders to eat it, the old man did so.  He was now very emotional.  Baba patted him, uttering soothing words.  He then stood up and moved away.

By this time the old man was ecstatic and was jabbering away in a language that George did not understand.  He told the old man that he was very happy for his sake but the man could not understand George.  Then another man translated and said that the old man was saying that he had walked a long distance from his village to Brindavan and had not known about Baba.  His son was dying and someone had suggested that Baba might help.  He had walked for several days and had arrived at Brindavan that morning.  He had been sitting in that spot all day.  In the morning Baba had taken no notice of him but in the afternoon, this happened.  

There was another factor that George could not understand asked the interpreter, "Why did Baba speak to the old man in my kind of English, in my idiom, when this man doesn't speak a word of English?"  The interpreter laughed and said, "Whether you are Russian or Chinese, you would have thought that Baba was speaking your language.  Baba spoke to the man in his own  language, but you heard him in English."  George realized that no ordinary human being could do that.  It was awesome when you think about it.

(From "The Heart of Sai" by R. Lowenberg and published in the book "Mother Sai's Miracles of Love")