Only some rare blessed ones get a chance to come across a genuine saint, and I feel a similar emotion, having known Sri Sadhubaba all my life. In the following paragraphs, I humbly give an account of my association with Sadhubaba, who I have never seen, but whose presence I always felt. I came to know about Sadubaba through his ardent devotee, Sri Swami Ji(Pranabnath Mukherjee), who resided in Varanasi and had close connections with my maternal grandparents, especially my maternal grandmother(nani).
It was the summer of 1969. I was visiting my maternal grandparents in Varanasi during my summer vacations. I accompanied nani and my mother to Swamiji’s home in the Shivala locality of old Varanasi. It was a palatial house, and upon entering one of the many rooms in the front part of the house, I saw Swamiji. He was sitting on a cot, resting his body against a pillow. He was very fair and had a grey beard. Following others, I touched his feet and seated myself on a chair in front of him.
I wasn’t very interested at first in what they talked about. Nani was conversing with Swamiji, and often was the name of Sadhubaba uttered. Swami Ji would look at Sadhubaba’s photo, again and again, that was hung on the wall next to his bed. My nani introduced me to Swamiji and asked him if I shall pass my tenth board exams with good grades. Again looking at Sadhubaba’s photo, Swamiji pronounced that I would do well. Nani seemed skeptical and asked again if I would secure a first division, and he answered in the affirmative. We were led into the Kali Mandir in another part of the house. The deity was magnificent. We had darshan and left.
I appeared for my board exams in 1970. My school, Carmel Convent School, was reputed to be one of the best girl’s schools in Uttar Pradesh, and most students secured a first division in board exams. I was surprised when the results were declared. Only three of the 1970 batch passed in the first division, and I was one among them!!
I moved from Lucknow to Varanasi in 1976 to be with my husband, who worked there. We regularly attended Sadhubaba Janmotsav held every year at SwamiJi’s house in Shivala, where many devotees from Kolkata who had seen Sadhubaba spoke about his divine persona and his many miracles. My faith in Sadhubaba grew with time. We moved back to Lucknow in 1980 but always made it a point to travel to Varanasi and attend the yearly function. Everyone knew that it was first held on Sadhubaba’s actual birthday(the fifth day of Holi) when he was visiting Varanasi. Sadhubaba had asked Swamiji to do it every year and declared that he would personally take care of anyone who regularly attended this function every year. By his blessings and Swamiji’s grace, this function is still held every year in Varanasi on December 29th.
My life took an unexpected turn when I turned forty-five. I went into severe depression and found it difficult to perform my duties in the office and at home. It felt like I was losing my mind and that life had lost all meaning, and there was no need to continue living. One afternoon I was alone at home when I frantically called upon Sadhubaba for help, and I saw him appear in front of me and ordered me to go and obtain darshan of Goddess Kali. I rushed to the Kali temple and vaguely remember being jostled around as I approached the altar. I stood before the deity for a long time, oblivious to the massive crowd that thronged about, pushing me from all sides. It was very surreal. I wasn’t entirely in my senses. I was, as if driven by a divine hand, being led to do what I was ordered. It took me two years to restore my life to normalcy, but by Sadhubaba’s grace, I took a turn for the better that day.
At times one may not even come to know about Sadhubaba’s protecting hands, saving us from unfortunate circumstances, or his guidance making us avoid pitfalls in life, but some incidents cannot be written off as coincidence. Sadhubaba’s timely intervention can be felt as clearly as daylight, leaving us with no doubt that he watches over us at all times. I vividly recall one such incident when we were living in Thane, and I being the chief cashier of the Thane branch of UCO Bank, used to hold the keys to the branch’s cash room. One particular day, due to communal tension, all buses and autos suspended their services. It was paramount for me to reach the office on time because I had the keys to the branch’s cash room. Realizing there was no way to reach the office, I prayed to Sadhubaba. A few minutes later, an auto rickshaw that was headed the other way took a U-turn and stopped right in front of me. Many other persons waiting there lunged at it, but he shooed away everyone and beckoned me to sit. I quickly sat in it and reached the office on time. Not that I ever doubted his words, but that day, Sadhubaba’s proclamation of being with his devotees at all times was proven to me beyond all doubt.
These are a few of the several divine experiences of Sadhubaba in my life. Only by good karmas of many, many births can one take one’s birth in a family which is under the watchful eyes of a saint like Sadhubaba, who is really God in human form. I conclude by paying my homage at the feet of Sri Sadhubaba and Sri Sadhumaa. Jai Sri Sadhubaba!!!.
