Before
joining the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning by the grace of our
Lord, I got a few chances to experience minute drops of His divine leela [play]. Here, I wish to share with you one
such drop that had a profound impact on me.
The
event took place this year, when Swami was in Madras [Chennai]. Swami went
straight to a young boy and asked him, “How many brothers do you
have?” The boy said, “Swami, I do not have any
brothers; I am the only son.”
Immediately,
Swami pointed to the boys who were there and asked the boy, “Are they not your brothers?” Swami went and asked
another boy the same question and the reply Swami got was the same.
The
innate imitativeness in me made me think that if Swami comes and asks me I
should say that all are my brothers. The next day the Lord came near me. His
nearness made me completely forget myself, and I was inches above the ground.
The omniscient Lord in His sweet voice asked, “Where is your brother
studying?” “He is studying in Swami’s college,” I said. Then
Swami asked, “How many brothers do you have?” Quick
came the reply, “One, Swami.” With a
mischievous smile Swami asked, “Are the people who are
standing here not your brothers?” Completely flabbergasted, I
had nothing to say except nod my head.
To prick my imitative bubble a little more, Swami went a few steps, then turned back and asked, “How many friends do you have?” My foolish mind equated at lightning speed if all are to be my brothers why not all be my friends and I blurted out, “Swami, all are my friends.”
The Lord looked directly into my eyes inquiringly and asked, “What! All are your friends?” Before I could answer Swami continued, “What do your so-called friends do when you are in trouble? They will be with you until they see money in your pockets. The moment they come to know that you are penniless, they will quietly vanish like the frogs going away from a dried up pond. But Sai is not like that. Whatever may be the trouble, Sai will not forsake you. He is always for you, with you, and in you. Your one and only friend must be Sai.”
Overwhelmed
completely, I could do nothing, but watch the Lord move slowly away from
me.
Let us ponder for a while. What a revelation! Arjuna had Krishna as his one and only friend. The Lord Himself asks us to keep Him as our one and only friend. But how pathetic are we, who out of ignorance, add on to the unending list of friends, leaving the Lord all alone without any friends.~
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