Bakrid

Sunil Gavaskar visited Prashanti Nilayam for the first time in 1982.  Bhagawan blessed him with an interview on the first evening itself.  After the interview, Baba took him to the boys' hostel.  The students gathered in the Prayer Hall.  Baba asked Sunil to sit on a chair by His side.  As he sat on the chair nervously, Baba told him, "Today is Bakrid.  Speak to the boys on the importance of this festival!"

Sunil was flabbergasted since he never thought that he could speak anything in the presence of Baba and added to it that he knew nothing about Islam or Quran or Bakrid.  He pleased with Baba, "Swami, I don't know anything  about Bakrid.  How will I speak?"  Bhagawan replied, "You just go and stand in front of the microphone.  Everything will be fine!"

Sunil obeyed the command.  He talked for 10 to 12 minutes about Islam and Bakrid.  When he finished, there was thunderous applause.  As he went back to  his chair, Baba looked at him and said, "Didn't I tell you that you could speak."  Sunil just folded his palms in reverence.  Twenty years later, he expressed, "Even today, I do not know what I had spoken on that day!  I just stood in front of the microphone as per His command.  He Himself spoke through me."

(From: Sathyam Sivam Sundaram, Vol. 5)