Baba Story: How Baba Cured My Son

== BABA STORY: HOW BABA CURED MY SON ==

Note: This short story is related with one very senior Proutist - Shrii Shashi Ranjanji, a longtime devotee of Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji Baba, and a key member of parliament with a high post who was a founding member of PBI (Proutist Block of India).

Namaskar,
My grown son Karttik was terribly sick for years; he was suffering from a very bad case of arthritis. It was quite worrisome and devastating to us all. Every joint of his body was extremely painful. Karttik was not even ambulatory - he did not have use of his legs and could not walk. Verily, there were bandages on every joint of His body. He could not do anything - he was bed-ridden.

This was the very bad state of affairs of my dear son, Karttik.

After trying all kinds of treatment, we admitted him to PMCH (Patna Medical College Hospital) where top medical doctors and professors were treating him. He was there for a long time - several months - but there was no sign of any progress. No medicine was helping. Karttik's health was not improving; he was not getting any benefit.

Various family members and many margii friends were saying that, "You are visiting Baba often - why not raise this matter." They were telling me again and again, "Why not ask Baba. He will give you the solution. With His wish alone it can be cured."

However, in my mind I was thinking, "No, I will not ask anything from all-knowing and omniscient Baba. He knows everything so why should I tell Him about such mundane happenings."

Those days I was seeing Baba regularly and I never once raised the matter of Karttik's disease. Months passed in this way.

One day when I was with Baba, then He inquired, "How is Karttik's health?"

I replied that he has been admitted to PMCH where he was receiving treatment. Then I remained quiet.

Baba then graciously instructed me to take Karttik to Vardhaman, and Baba gave me the name and street address of one doctor, Dr. Shailendr(a).

I came out from His room and planned to take Karttik to that doctor at the earliest. But I was so busy; time passed in planning only.

After some time, Baba again asked about Karttik's health. I felt ashamed and said, "I have yet to take him to the doctor."

I made the necessary arrangements and prepared to leave. My family members were thinking that the doctor Baba recommended must be a reputed specialist. I held a similar expectation.

I embarked on the journey to Vardhaman with Karttik. After traveling the long distance we reached Vardhaman. Immediately I began to inquire on the street if anyone knew of Dr. Shailendr(a). I was thinking that he was a famous doctor and that everyone must know of him. To my great surprise, nobody knew anything about this doctor.

So, I just got directions to the street address which Baba had given. When I reached that locale, I again inquired on the street if anyone knew Dr. Shailendr(a). Even more remarkable, not even the local people had heard of him. This was even more surprising to me.

Finally, after much trouble, Karttik and I reached to the very address which Baba had given. It was a very dirty and filthy neighborhood that lacked even basic sanitation and hygiene. I was thinking, "What kind of place is this - what kind of doctor would live here." This was quite suprising for me.

I knocked on the door.

A person opened the door and stood before me. He was shabbily dressed and smelled of alcohol.

I asked, "I am looking for Dr. Shailendra?"

He replied, "I am Dr. Shailendra."

I had high expectations that I would be meeting up with a great doctor so I was concerned by this man's presence who called himself a doctor. I wondered how such a person could help my son.

The doctor was of poor presentation and smelled of alcohol. Plus I came to know that he was just a general MBBS doctor who had a very small practice. Again the query came in my mind, "How could he help us." Then the idea immediately flashed in my mind that Baba is taking care and it is His liila.

The doctor asked me why I had come to see him. I told him the history of Karttik's illness and how he had been treated in Patna Medical College Hospital.

After heearing the entire history, the doctor was very forthcoming. He said, "I cannot treat your son - I am not a specialist in arthritis."

Keeping Baba's direction clearly in mind and taking His Divine name, I said, "Please doctor, you must treat my son. This boy will live under your care and do as you tell. What you prescribe will be accepted. I am fully ready to pay your bill."

The doctor replied, "I do not have any place for your son to stay as my patient."

I assured him that a fancy room was not necessary; we were ready to accept any room, even an unclean one. All I wanted was for him to be my son's doctor. I had given up all hope and was just surrendering to Baba's will.

After much pleading, I was able to convince the doctor to treat my son.

It was an unusual situation. The doctor had a very simple office and he hardly had any patients. Plus he did not know much about arthritis; yet here he was treating my son - a case in which even the top medical specialists in Patna Medical College Hospital could not solve.

Under this doctor, the treatment began. Amazingly, after just the second day, the condition of my son improved noticeably. Not only that, each day thereafter his health was better and better - quickly. By the 8th or 9th day, Karttik was walking around the neighborhood. His joints were fine and he was pain-free. After merely ten days of treatment, my son had completely regained his health - 100%. This was absolutely astonishing to see - doctor was also surprised. He had given these same medicines to other patients previously and they were not effective. Yet in this case they were working wonders.

All I can say is that it was completely Baba's grace.

All attempts by the top medical doctors had been fruitless, yet here was this very simple doctor of modest even lowly standing, yet in a matter of days he completely restored the health of my son, who had been sick and immobile for months and months.

After that 10th day of treatment, Karttik walked to the car - we loaded it up - and he drove us both back home.

The questioned remained forever in my mind: Why did Baba send me to this doctor and how could such a doctor cure my son. I wanted to ask Baba but I did not dare. So those questions remained unanswered in my mind.

At His Feet,
Shashiranjan

REFLECTION:

HIS DIVINE LIILA

1. What Guru wishes takes manifestation. He is Liilamaya and He just plays His liila. Everything that transpires is His direct blessing. Common people feel that the doctor cured the patient. Bhaktas understand that by Baba's mere thought, Karttik was cured.

2. Baba's wish along is enough to cure anyone of any disease. In His divine liila, sometimes for show He would pick up a stick and touch the patient with a stick, and the patient would be all better. Or He would simply tell the patient to drink warm water in the morning and evening and that was sufficient to cure the person. Ultimately His wish is the real cure - nothing else.

3. On other occasions, if Baba was walking with someone who had a health issue, Baba would instruct them to eat the leaf of a plant that they had just walked by, and in that way dangerous and terminal diseases were cured. Some would debate whether the medicinal properties of the leaf cured the patient, but devotees know it is all His divine liila.

REFLECTION:

SAMSKARA THEORY

In Ananda Marga samskara theory, people suffer the reactions of their past actions.

In this particular case, it may have been that Karttik had harmed the doctor in a previous life. And now Karttik was suffering the reaction. Yet, because the doctor had a strong desire that Karttik should become well again, Karttik was cured. In that case, this has nothing to do with medicine, just it is samskara theory.

As the all-knowing Parama Purusa, Baba can create the circumstances and put people together based on their samskaras to attain the desired outcome.

For instance, if person A harmed person B in that past, then at some point person A must undergo the reaction experience that same degree of pain, plus more. Yet if in the core of their heart, person B is moved by the suffering of person A and wants to see him cured, then by that feeling of forgiveness and empathy, person A will be cured. That is Baba's teaching.

Thus in the above story with Karttik, it could easily be the case that Karttik injured or harmed Dr. Shailendra in the past - in a previous life. And now in this life Karttik was suffering the reaction. In that case, there is no medical cure - only samskara theory is operating. However, when Dr. Shailendra comes to know about Karttik's agony and disease, then Dr. Shaildendra's feeling of forgiveness and well-wishing is enough to melt that negative samskara that is plaguing Karttik. That negative samskara was strong enough to ruin Karttik's entire life, but with Dr. Shailendra's well-wishing and earnest desire to cure Karttik and relieve him of his suffering, then that negative samskara is fully exhausted. That is how samskara theory works.

The overall conclusion is that wholehearted feelings of forgiveness and empathy are enough for the requital of negative samskaras. The tricky point is to match two parties together and create the favourable circumstances.

Baba being the Parama Purusa has that capacity and that is what He did with Karttik and Dr Shailendra.

BABA'S RELATED TEACHINGS

"Atipátaka means that kind of sin, the expiation of which calls for severe austerities and physical suffering. If, for example, your mistake causes someone a great loss or ruins his future then that will also be a great sin. Normally there is no expiation for such a sin. But, if you devote yourself completely in your life-long efforts to help them by making amends, and the person forgives you from the core of their heart, then one may consider that expiation has been effected. But it does not really happen, because, can a person to whom you have caused permanent damage really forgive you from the core of their heart? In history we come across many such acts of great sin. The manner in which Ajatashatru killed his father, Bimbisara, was an act of great sin. Shashanka killed Rajyavardhana, who was his invited guest. That was also an act of great sin. The way in which Harsavardhana killed Jayashankarii, wife of Shashanka, and their minor son was also an act of great sin." (1)


"Atipátaka or sin of a serious nature requires a severe penance for expiation. For instance, if someone through omission or commission permanently injures the future of a person, that is considered Atipátaka or sin of a serious nature. To state it plainly, this sort of serious sin has no atonement. But if you dedicate yourself wholeheartedly throughout your life to make good the amount of damage done to the person, and if that person forgives you from the core of his or her heart, then that sin can be considered absolved. But actually this rarely happens, because how can a person who has been permanently damaged by you forgive you from the core or his or her heart." (2)


   "If the reactions of a sin can be quickly exhausted by atonement through a certain amount of active endeavour or sacrifice, then the sin that caused those reactions is termed Pátaka or ordinary sin. Suppose someone stole Rs 200/- from a person, but some time after they returned the amount to the owner with interest or with an amount more than the stipulated interest with an apology, then such type of ordinary sin or Pátaka can be absolved. To wound someone's sentiment by using offensive language or by doing something similar is also an ordinary sin like this. Suppose someone's sentiments are injured, but later on if he is repeatedly offered an apology, and if the offended person forgives the misdeed from the core of his heart, then it is assumed that this sin is absolved."
   "Atipátaka or sin of a serious nature requires a severe penance for expiation. For instance, if someone through omission or commission permanently injures the future of a person, that is considered Atipátaka or sin of a serious nature. To state it plainly, this sort of serious sin has no atonement. But if you dedicate yourself wholeheartedly throughout your life to make good the amount of damage done to the person, and if that person forgives you from the core of his or her heart, then that sin can be considered absolved. But actually this rarely happens, because how can a person who has been permanently damaged by you forgive you from the core or his or her heart." (3)


"1) pátaka, 2) atipátaka, and 3) mahápátaka. That [pápa] which can be nullified with slight effort, sacrifice or expiation is called pátaka in common usage. Suppose someone has stolen two hundred rupees from another person. If they return that money to the owner with interest and pay something over and above it, and at the same time ask for forgiveness, then that common pátaka is expiated. To wound someone's feelings is also this kind of pátaka. If someone hurts a person and then begs his forgiveness ' repeatedly requests forgiveness, and if that person sincerely forgives him, then it may be presumed that the pátaka has been expiated." (4)


   "How can a person cross this vast ocean of bhava, this vast ocean of reactive momenta whose waters have been rising life after life? To reap the consequences of all these sam'skáras would take a person at least twenty lifetimes. What a long time! Is this suffering necessary? The person who committed those bad deeds, those undesirable actions, was not enlightened – he or she did not understand right from wrong, but acted quite unknowingly. So is it not Parama Puruśa's duty to consider the state of ignorance that the person was in at the time? Certainly; but Prakrti never pardons anyone because of their ignorance. If a one-year old boy puts his hand into a fire, he will get burnt. Prakrti never forgives; for her there are no exceptions. She knows what reactions each action causes. But will Parama Puruśa not consider that human beings commit mistakes due to their inherent defects and imperfections? Yes, He will certainly consider that, due to their lack of wisdom and proper judgement, they were not aware that their actions would have such painful reactions. The jinániis and karmiis may not realize this, but the devotees certainly will. The devotees will not plead, “Oh Lord, please help me,” because they know that He is all-merciful and considerate."
   "Parama Puruśa is not an unfeeling judge, sitting impassively on his bench, following the codes and rules of court. No, He feels love and compassion. He knows that His devotees have a deep love for Him and thus He has a similar love for them. Love and attachment are reciprocal and interdependent: they are not one-sided. Can a person cross the ocean of sam'skáras by individual effort?..."
   "A devotee has said, “Bhavámbodhipotam sharańam vrajámah”. “I will not be able to swim across because sharks will devour me. It is an impossible task. So what shall I do? I shall board a ship and sail across that ocean. Oh Parama Puruśa, please be the ship which carries me safely to the other side.” “Bhavámbodhipotam”. Ambudhii means “sea” – the bháva samudra; potam' means “ship”. Saranam vrajámá signifies, “I shall take shelter in that ship for I have no other way.” Thus, the intelligent people, the devotees, know that Parama Puruśa is the only shelter, the only patron. There is no other path, no other alternative. Human beings would not be such helpless creatures, if they realized that Parama Puruśa is their dependable shelter and permanent guide. There is a riddle: if there is a severe fight between a cow and a horse, who will win? The answer is, if the cow is in her shed, she will win; and if the horse is in his stable, he will win. The point is that the winner is the one who has the support of his or her patron. The same is true of humans. For the devotee, the divine patron is Parama Puruśa. When a devotee fights a non-devotee who is scattering thorns on the path of devotion, the devotee will ultimately be victorious in the struggle. “Pratyam'janám'stist́hate sam'cukopántakále”. Parama Puruśa remains with every entity. He is everyone's shelter, everyone's refuge. Thus, human beings are never helpless, neither individually nor collectively. Always remember that He is with every individual." (5)

Namaskar,
In Him,
Darpa Harii


REFERENCES:
1. Shabda Cayaniká Part 4, Disc: 27
2. Prout in a Nutshell - 12, Sin, Crime and Law
3. Prout in a Nutshell - 12, Sin, Crime and Law
4. Shabda Cayaniká Part 4, Disc: 27
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, The Divine Drama