You Don't Have Faith in your Own Words

As the saying goes “Easier said than done” man of today tends to preach a lot with little practice. How often we boast of our so called faith only to find ourselves wanting, later… Read on a beautiful episode from the life of Ms Shiraz P. Pavri of Navsari, extracted from Sanathana Sarathi, Nov-Dec 1985.

A friend, with whom I play and study, has listened to my endless tales of miracles and power of Bhagawan Baba with jest and plentiful teasing. But she didn’t hinder me in my spiritual life. Instead, for form’s sake, she once asked me for some of Bhagawan’s Vibhuti, which cured her mother of the disease of the spine. This created faith in her mind.

It was the fourth day of our final examinations! As usual I went to my friend and asked her if she had prepared for it well. Instantly tears started pouring down her eyes. On that day she had the paper in Hindi in which she was very weak. In both the First and Second Terminal Examinations she had failed in this subject and even this time she was not at all prepared.

I gave her a Vibhuti packet from my compass box and advised her to eat a little and sprinkle the Vibhuti on the question paper and on the answer booklets, before reading the question paper. This calmed her a bit. There was still half an hour for the bell to go and so being in a class lower to me she went away under a tree with her own class mates to read.

But, I decided to follow her, in case she started crying all over again. But my supposition was wrong. She was silently reading away with a slight glint of satisfaction on her face. I left her.

After finishing my paper, I was eager to learn the story of my dear Vibhuti. My mind was caught in doubt and worry. I ran to the room where my friend was appearing for the paper. I saw her coming out of the examination hall, beaming with joy. She ran forward and pressed a kiss on my cheek. She had done very well in the paper and apart from passing she was sure to get first class marks in Hindi.

 While I was following her homewards, I told her how I had run out of my class to hear the news! Now it was her turn to speak. She started scolding me saying, “So you don’t have faith in your own words and the Vibhuti. Why did you doubt and fear?” She gave me a long lecture and opened my eyes. I thought, “I talk like a devotee—but it is she who has the faith. How wrong I was, to feel superior!”

 (From: The Prashanti Reporter)