Shock Treatment

Baba revealed that Swami Amritananda's problem of asthma was the result of mistakes committed during his Hatha Yoga practice many years before at Tiruvennamalai.

Baba, out of His infinite love, started the treatment for the Swami.  For the first two days, He gave the Swami the vibhuti materialised by Him.  On the third day, He dropped a golden coloured powder in the Swami's mouth.  It fell down heavily on his tongue.  Next, Baba turned towards the four directions and waved His hands.  Copper coloured powder came from each of the four directions in His hand.  He smeared it over the chest and back of the Swamiji.  Another day, He materialised vibuthi again and told him to take it, if only the gasping becomes uncontrollable.  Yet another day, Baba materialised soft roots and asked the Swami to chew them.  He also produced for him midget bananas and seedless dates.

Swami Amritananda had extensively travelled all over India including the Himalayas, Sri Lanka and Malaysia but had not come across such fruits during his travels.  Baba brought out a cup and handful of herbs on one day.  He Himself squeezed the juice of the herbs in that cup and the Swami drank it.

On one of those days, Baba produced a bundle of very small leaves and with a mischievous wink in His eyes, told the Swami to eat it.  The Swami was shocked to see that the leaves were full of thorns.  He started crying and asked Baba whether Baba really wanted him to eat those thorns.  Baba, in a voice sweet like amrita, told him to return the leaves to Him.  When Baba took them in His hands, all the thorns disappeared.  Then Amritananda happily ate those leaves.

Yet another day, Baba materialised a handful of herbs from the Himalayas.  He gave half of it to the Swami to chew and eat.  The taste of the leaves of the handful was bitter.  Even though the Swami could not withstand the bitterness, he had to obey Baba's command.  When he finished eating that herbs with a lot of discomfort, Baba handed over the other half of the herbs to him to finish.  The Swami had no other option.  He could not refuse the doctor of doctors, the divine Doctor.  When he hesitatingly shoved them into this mouth, he was delighted as the leaves touched his taste buds.  They had turned so sweet!  Sweeter still was Baba enjoying the unexpected joy of Amritananda.

Baba had let the Swami suffer the disease for such a long time on Karmic considerations.  Yet His unfathomable love kept the old Swami's spirits up all the time.  He showered love and sympathy on him by administering a bewildering variety of medicines.

(From the book "Mother Sai's Miracles of Love")