It was summer. Some Sai devotees had assembled near the leprosy asylum for seva. The bhajans started. Students of the Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School had also gathered there. After bhajan, fruits were distributed to the inmates.
It was
really a sad sight to see the patients in the asylum. I wondered what
karmic law had brought on this dreaded disease to the afflicted persons.
As I was thinking about these things, an elderly gentleman, leader of
the Seva Samiti, came and said: "Why don't you, being Swami's students,
come and talk to them?" I didn't have enough courage to go in. I looked
around and noted that even other friends were hesitant. We had to give
in as the elders said, "Don't worry, we won't go into the interior. Just
speak to them for some time."
A small
boy came closer. The old gentleman told him: "See, they are Baba's
students." His eyes glowed with admiration. We boys moved back a little.
Suddenly, he said: "Don't be afraid. I won't touch you." We were
`touched' by this statement. Then he started speaking in Marathi. He was
aged 12 and the disease was in its early stages. He said that he saw
Baba in a dream and described how Baba comes out for darshan, the
Prasanthi Mandir, and the college buildings. He had never seen Baba! He
said Baba often came in his dreams. He said: "You are so close to Swami,
please pray for my healing." This brought tears in our eyes. We said,
"Surely we will pray for you."
Then
suddenly the elderly devotee said: "If anybody has the Vibhuti given by
Swami, why don't you give it to him?" While going home for the vacation,
Swami gives us Vibhuti prasadam and some of us had Vibhuti packets
readily in our pockets. Immediately we gave the lad some packets.
Back at
Prasanthi Nilayam after the vacation, we resumed our studies. One day I
received a letter from the Samiti leader saying that the boy whom we had
met at the asylum had refused to take any medicine and was only
applying the Vibhuti given to him, and praying to Swami. The Hospital
authorities were a bit apprehensive about this and rather displeased
with the Sai devotees for interfering with the treatment they were
giving to the boy.
After two weeks, the doctors examined the boy. There was no trace of leprosy. He was healed!
