MY MOTHER FALLS GRAVELY ILL

At the time when this message was given by Baba some so-called leaders of the traditional society, saw the increasing influence of the Marga damage their vested interests.

They began to loudly proclaiming the general public that a group engaged in spiritual pursuits, should have nothing to do with social or political side of life.

Their view was that spiritual practice was an individual’s private concerns and it should have nothing to do with social or political side of life. Their view was that spiritual practice was an individual’s private concern and it should have nothing to do with social life.

By such logic, they were trying to mislead the public.

Even those amongst us who were in favour of (so-called) peaceful existence were influenced by their arguments to some extent. But such evil propaganda had just the reverse results. Such anti- propaganda aroused a curiosity in the minds of people about knowing more about the Marga.

When they met experienced Margiis in this regard, they were usually influenced by our great philosophy and ideals and as a result adopted our ideology.

Whatever little indifference it brought amongst a section of Margiis, in my view Baba’s New Year message was addressed to them.

On receipt of this message, every Margii became fully alert, reassessed his field of activity and plunged with added vigour into the work of the spread of the mission. This message also silenced the opposition. Sadhakas who were well established in the lofty ideals and philosophy of he Marga, began to flow like fountains with firmness and spread, removing the pebbles of their life was not like a stagnant pool and peace does not mean the peace of a burial ground.

BABA INTRODUCES RENAISSANCE UNIVERSAL: NEW YEAR’S DMC IN BHAGALPUR 1958

In January it was know that in Trimuhan in Bhagalpur district, DMC would be held. Although I had a strong desire to attend the DMC and was anxious to have Baba’s darshan due to adverse circumstances, I could not attend the DMC. This was

my misfortune. On 26 January 1958 at Trimuhan in Bhagalpur district, Baba inaugurated the first meeting of the Renaissance Club, in the midst of the meeting of the youth there. In the meanwhile Shrii Deep Narayanji was transferred in the area of my official jurisdiction and with him I reached Jamalpur in the midst of the month of February old memories of Jamalpur. Revived. I stayed there for two days. Every day morning and evening I would have Baba’s darshan, offer Him my pranam and hear His discoursed. Is and had the good fortune to sit for hours at His feet in the field. I was not at all willing to leave Jamalpur. But Baba’s will is Supreme. I had to come back.

MY MOTHER FALLS GRAVELY ILL

It was not ordained that I should live at peace anywhere. My younger brother is a police officer and he had gone to our village in the middle of 1958 on leave. He informed me from there that my revered mother had a stroke and was unconscious for more than 24 hours.

I was very much disturbed on receiving these tidings. I thought that in the absence of any good doctor or hospital in the village, mother might not begetting good treatment and everyone at home would be in a state of great distress. I prayed for Baba’s help.

Remembering Baba I set out to perform my duties in good earnest. Every moment I would remember Baba and get due assistance and fulfilment of my requirements. His grace is unending. I immediately took a good doctor with me and took him to my village in a jeep. The doctor also felt disturbed after seeing my mother’s condition and told me that he is using the best available injections and medicines, but there was little hope of her recovery. I told the doctor that he should start the treatment in the name of God and I also sat down to pray to Baba for the health of my mother. The doctor kept awake for the whole night and treated my mother but there was no sign of relief. In the morning the doctor returned to Hajipur leaving instructions that the patient should be given full rest until she revives She should not be allowed to move from bed. I went to Mahua with the doctor where another doctor used to live. I brought him and one nurse along with me. This second doctor was also quite worried after seeing my mother’s condition, but by Baba’s grace this one had more courage than the former doctor. He advised that my mother would suffer and might expire in the absence of proper treatment and a doctor in the village. He would also not be able to come often during the day. Mahua was eight miles away. According to the doctor she would need a nurse for proper functioning of her bladder and bowels, and no nurse was available in the village. Therefore, she would have to be taken to a town. After giving his initial treatment the doctor advised that she should be taken to Hajipur. I told that my car has been taken away to Hajipur by the first doctor, and unless that vehicle returns she cannot be taken to Hajipur as there are no jeeps around which can even be borrowed for the purpose. I became quite worried, and began to pray to Baba for help. By Baba’s grace, the doctor agreed to take mother to my Hajipur residence in his jeep. As the road was of gravel, there was no alternative to a jeep. Therefore, as per instructions of the doctor the back of the jeep was prepared as a bed for her by filling the space between the two seats with cotton mattresses. Mother was then laid upon the cotton mattresses and my aunt and the nurse sat by her side and another family attendant sat on author side. Mother’s body was lifted with great care remembering Baba at every moment and placed in the jeep like a dead body. Everyone felt distressed at this sight. Now the doctor himself took the driver’s seat and drove the jeep at very slow speed to Hajipur. I sat by the doctor’s side and with one hand at the back continued to server my mother’s body and all the time I continued to use Guru Mantra and all powerful Baba’s name for restoration of the health of my mother. Thus remembering Baba all the way every moment we reached Hajipur at about eight in the night. There, we faced another problem. My house was on the upper story. So the problem was how to take Mother upstairs. At the doctor’s suggestion a stretcher was obtained from Hajipur Hospital and mother’s body was laid upon it like a corpse and all the time remembering Baba she was taken upstairs and laid on the bed there, Thereafter, the doctor who had gone to the village with me was called. He did not like the act of bringing mother to Hajipur from the village Still I requested him to begin the treatment in the name of the Almighty, I told him that god was not so unkind as to snatch away my mother from me in this condition. The doctor began his treatment and when he began to leave I requested him kindly to look upon my mother morning and evening invariably without being sent for.Now, I began to bid farewell to the doctor and nurse from Mahua with my expression of gratitude. But they refused to accept any fee. With great difficulty they were persuaded to fill their gas tank at my expense. Thus I got Baba’s assistance at every step and I spent the whole night remembering him. Thus prayers to Baba and the doctor’s treatment continued. For one week my mother lay unconscious. By Baba’s grace, she opened her eyes after one week for the first time and she looked very frightened. She felt very frightened looking at everything it was very difficult for her to look even at the fan on the ceiling. Most of the time she looked very much afraid. Baba gives us many difficult tests, and I appealed to Him, “Oh compassionate Baba let me get through this difficult test, and let my mother regain her health”. By now about eleven or twelve doctors had seen my mother separately, and it was decided to set up a Board of Competent Doctors to decide the line of treatment to follow. Thus every week these doctors began to meet as a Board. One doctor whom I had taken to the village would execute the decisions of the Board. Even after this there was no improvement in the conditions of my mother.

I APPEAL TO BABA TO SAVE MY MOTHER

I wrote a letter to Baba in great sorrow and helplessness and prayed in this letter that I did want my mother to leave this world in her present state of fear and asked Him He to kindly grant her more life. There was one more factor. Both my brother and I were in service and my uncle and my father had expired any therefore it appeared that if mother did not survive the house and the property in the village would be ruined. After a long time I realized that it was mere illusion of mine. By now my younger brother and his wife had picked up its management with full responsibility. In the mean time the treatment continued. But there was not improvement in the condition of my mother. I continued to wait for blessings from Baba in the form of his reply to my letter. After writing the letter to Baba, I used to open my mail myself. But when no letter was received from Baba I felt depressed. Meanwhile one day my mother’s condition deteriorated seriously and she was in dangerous condition. The doctors advised that it would be her last night. Now there was no hope of her survival. These disappointing observations of the doctors made me still more helpless. But instead of losing faith and courage, I began to pray still more ardently to Baba to save the life of my mother. My mother was very brave and would humble the loftiest characters in her life and she could not die in this frightful condition. Now my prayer began to take the shape of insistence. That night I set on the left side of her pillow and began to pray to Baba for giving her vital energy. That night I did not take rest or leave my mother even for a moment. At about two in the morning I felt sleepy and had an impression as if the earth was being dug to bury my mother. I began to perspire and at that very moment my mother caught hold of my hand with her left hand and began to try to make me understand something. But except for indistinct sounds , she could notsay anything as her right side was paralysed from top to bottom. I woke up and for a moment lost my balance and patience. But soon remembering Baba I started giving courage to my mother. Unwittingly it came out from my mouth that the evil and inauspicious moment had passed and now there was no cause for worry. Everything would be all right soon.Somehow serving my mother and remembering Baba every moment that night passed and I called the doctor again in the morning. He again examined my mother and said that it appeared that she had to survive for a few more days. Meanwhile I was most anxiously waiting for Baba’s reply to my letter. Finally on the 29th April 1958 I received Baba’s letter. He had heard my prayers. The letter reads like this: Jamalpur, 26-4-58 “Blessed Nagina, Received your letter. This illness is not going to be cured. Do you want her to prolong in this pitiable condition? Be what may, Nature will act as per your desire. May good happen to you. Eternal well-wisher Yours Anandamurti” Salutations to Baba Who Showers all Success and Well Being Reading this letter from Baba my disturbed mind got some solace and as per Baba’s instructions. I began to pray to Mother Nature for the restoration of health to my mother. But repeated prayers of this nature also brought no improvement in her condition. By now all doctors of Hajipur had developed an aversion to seeing my mother; as they had tried all their medicines and were at a loss to think as to what more they could do. These doctors now advised that I should take my mother to Patna. This idea did not appeal to me. I had spent quite a lot on doctors so far and now I began to feel the pinch on this side also. Taking her to Patna would mean big expenses. Some of my brother Margiis read Baba’s letter to me dated 26th April 1958 and said that this letter means almost blank cheque for you on nature. I again wrote to Baba that nature was not conceding my request, therefore I requested him to adopt my desire as his and order nature to restore health to my mother. Mother Nature was not even listening to me far from favouring me with fulfillment of my desire. BABA SENDS A DOCTOR WHO CURES MY MOTHER Exactly two days after my posting this letter, one of the Inspectors working under me brought a homeopathic doctor to my office. This doctor had himself desired to see my mother, so the Inspector brought him along. The doctor was most unimpressive in his talk and behaviour. Still as he had come just for the sake of courtesy and almost unwillingly told the Inspector that you will take the doctor to my mother. I was to follow shortly. The doctor examined my mother’s condition and began to ask many questions as per homeopathic principles. As my mother could not speak, my aunt was replying most of the questions. There were some questions whose replies my aunt could not answer. Many of his questions looked to my only for the sake of creating impressions on others. I felt somewhat exasperated as to who has brought this man here. Anyway he gave a small packet of medicine to my aunt and asked her to give it to my mother. He further instructed that if there was any variation in the condition of the patient, he should be informed accordingly.My aunt administered the medicine to mother in the presence of the doctor himself. I observed the condition of the mother for one hour, but there was no change. I sent word through the inspector that there was no change in mother’s condition. He came with another medicine and administered it to my mother and himself, sat by her side to observe her condition. I also sat with him. About half an hour later there was some increase in the speed of her breath. It appeared that her ailment increased somewhat. The doctor felt happy at this and said that his medicine had started working. He said he would make her walk by the ninth day. To me his statement appeared as that of a madman. My mother was confined to bed and paralysed. Particularly the right side of her body was totally paralysed. In this context the talk of making her walk on the ninth day appeared too much to be believed. That day he did not administer any other medicine. When he left I offered him his fee, but he refused to accept it. He said he would charge only once in a day, irrespective of the number of visits. As I have already charged once, I shall charge no more today. I told him that other doctors used to come three or four times a day and therefore. He should also come at least thrice in the day. It would be unreasonable if you come thrice but charge for only one visit, buy he did not agree to my suggestion. He said that I should send information about the condition of the patient and he would send the medicine. There would be no need for his repeated visits. The doctor was a Muslim and a firm moralist. He was such a strict follower of his faith that he used to say the Muslim prayers or ‘namaz’ five times a day. I told him that the patient needs psychological treatment also apart from the medicines. A patient who was visited by doctors five times a day might feel that she is being neglected if no doctor came to see her on certain days. This argument of mine appealed to the doctor and with great difficulty, he agreed to visit twice, morning and evening, to see my mother. Even so he would charge for only a single visit. He said that he would come in the morning to see the patient and charge his fees for the same. In the evening he goes to the mosque for his prayers and on his way back he would also look in on my mother. I again requested him to see the matter from the psychological point of view that the patient who was getting an injection or pill so often during the day may feel disappointed if the frequency is reduced, therefore, you may also have to give her some blank doses. The doctor considered blank doses as basically wrong, but I persuaded him that it would only be wrong if you charge the price for the same. Baba did not reply to my second letter, but from the next day after I wrote that letter the treatment of this homeopathic doctor started. I realized that Baba had specially arranged this doctor taking pity on me. The doctor told me that he was grateful that his misunderstanding about blank doses was removed. He also said that along with the treatment he would also pray for the good health of my mother every day. In just two days there was miraculous improvement in my mother’s condition. All this happened when I wrote to Baba to convert my desire into an order for nature to cure my mother. Baba answered my prayer in the form of sending a saintly doctor for her treatment. For about five days the doctor gave her one dose every day, and thereafter he started giving only two doses in a week. Due to Baba’s grace on the fifthday we began to make mother sit up in bed with the supports of pillows. Now her voice also began to get somewhat clear. Exactly on the ninth day mother insisted that she wanted to walk. She told the doctor in her faltering tone that she wanted to walk. The doctor asked me to support her to take a few steps. We obeyed the doctor, and remembering Baba we helped mother walk. Now she did not like lying on the bed but wanted to sit for some time. We, therefore, placed a big Victoria chair in her room whereon she used to sit, Now, she was taking only one does of medicine is a week and then it was reduced to one dose in fifteen days. Thus reducing the dose gradually, the doctor came to giving only one does in a year. Within fifteen days, through Baba grace, mother began to walk without any support, and her voice also improved about fifty percent. Since she fell ill only my aunt used to feed her with her own hands. Meanwhile May arrived and the time for Vaeshakhii Purnima DMC. We began to wait for the message from Baba. This time Baba’s message read like this: “At this juncture of the junction of two civilizations, the most important thing is the virtuous life of the individual. We shall have to be alert every moment so that in the darkness of petty selfishness this human treasure is not lost. If virtue cannot be saved, civilization also cannot be saved. As a consequence the long penance of the human race will go in vain. That learning which could not be practiced in real life is only bookish knowledge and it is worthless. Anandamurti Vaishakhii Purnima, 1958C