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Swami's whole body got covered with vibuthi and started shivering

   We wished her well from the bottom of our hearts and my husband reiterated that she should have faith in the grace of Devi. Then he left for the temple. I went to the chief conductor of exams, explained my daughter's illness and requested him to allow a bag containing some juice and water to be kept near her, in case she felt thirsty and giddy. He was very courteous and reassured me. He said he would instruct the supervisors in that room to render her all possible help. He also allowed me to sit in a room adjoining the exam hall till the exams got over, in case of any emergency. It was one forty-five and the first bell rang. To my great astonishment, the three supervisors for that room, who were ready to go in with the answer sheets, were former students of mine to whom I had taught physics. They were now working at Ruia college having taken up supervising jobs. They were surprised to see me there and after paying their regards, asked me how come I was there. After hearing about my daughter's illness, they assured me that they would help her in every way possible and told me not to worry. At two, the bell rang indicating the beginning of the exam. During the three hours of the exam, I was fervently praying to God, chanting the divine verses of Devi to invoke her blessings for my daughter. Meanwhile I had arranged for a taxi to come at ten past five to pick us up and go to Chembur. When the exam got over, Latha said that by Devi's grace, she was able to write whatever possible, taking little naps in between. As per Swami's order, we went straight to the temple. When we entered, the Lalitha sahasranama archana with kumkum had just started. As per Swami's directions, my daughter was asked to sit on a step very near to the platform where Swami was seated and I sat in the front row where a place had been reserved for me for performing the archana. At the end of archana, Swami's whole body got covered with vibuthi and started shivering. He then shook his head and sprinkled the sacred ash on Latha and blessed her. He then signalled a devotee to take Latha back home. Then we all started singing devotional songs. Once Latha left, all my thoughts were about her and home. I was really anxious for the function to end so I could rush back home. Since there was a huge crowd, I could not speak to Swami. After prostrating to him from afar, I returned home. At home, I saw Latha fast asleep and my son told me that our neighbour had made some kanji (porridge) for her. My husband came at midnight and said that Swami had assured him again that he would take care of her and not to worry about her exams and sickness. The next day morning when she woke up, to our complete surprise and exhilaration, her fever had come down to normal! None of us could believe it to and we all broke down with tears of relief and gratitude, wonderstruck at the divine grace of Swami. Though Latha was weak she could sit up and started reading for that afternoon's paper. She talked to Swami, thanked him, briefed him about her previous exam and sought his blessings for that day's paper before leaving home. I decided to stay in the college premises during the exam hours on all days as per Swami's command. On the second day also I waited in the outside room and prayed. After the exam got over, she showed me the question paper, smiling. I was amazed to see a question for 18 marks pertaining to the new drugs for treatment of typhoid which had just entered the market. Tears of joy rolled down my face as I recalled the two senior doctors discussing details of those drugs with Latha a few days back. I was spellbound at the limitless grace of Swami and his miraculous powers. I realized how true his words of assurance were. I was ashamed for harbouring the slightest doubt about his words. I hope that those of you readers who are now sharing this experience with me can begin to understand and realize Swami's infinite glory. I will always feel that my words describing his leela are inadequate and incomplete. It is truly beyond human perception.

   In the evening after the Dassera festival ended, we went to meet Swami and thanked him with tears of joy. I also pleaded with him to pardon me and apologized to him for doubting his words. He immediately replied that my husband had implicit faith in him and resting on that firm belief, he fought fatherly love and continued carrying out Swami's directions by making all necessary arrangements for the function. He never doubted Swami's power and grace and had full faith in his words. On the other hand, the rest of us were all worried and even started doubting our beliefs. Swami firmly stressed that Devi would never let down anyone who has completely surrendered to Her. It was a great lesson for all of us. If one walks one step towards God, He will take ten steps towards you. Firm belief and full faith in Swami will never let anyone down.

   After 4 months, the results were declared and to our delight, Latha had passed the exam with a first class. Our happiness knew no bounds and we immediately called Swami (who was at Banaras) and thanked him. Later, my daughter went to meet the senior doctors who had treated her. She told them about her securing 1^st class in her final MBBS exams and distributed sweets to them. They told her it was Swami who had really cured her and blessed her to get the creditable marks. He was not an ordinary mortal but a divine soul and that he is no doubt a Godman. They admitted humbly that the divine power is supreme, well beyond all advanced science and human perception. Whenever we recall this incident and the divine interaction we had with Swami, my hair stands on end and our hearts melt recalling Swami's limitless grace.

   I think that it is God's blessing that we have been fortunate to have so many divine experiences with Swami. Many of these occasions left us with no doubt that Swami knows the past, present and future of each and every devotee.

   From childhood I was highly devoted to Lord Krishna, Goddess Durga and Shirdi Sai Baba whom I used to consider as my life savior. This might well be because of the weekly bhajans we used to have at home on all Thursdays and because of my father who had really seen Baba in his lifetime used to tell us about Shirdi Baba's miracles. I had two scintillating experiences of Shirdi Baba during my first visit to United States and United Kingdom when I was twenty-three, on deputation from BARC. I am positive Shirdi Baba had come in disguise and saved me from two horrible situations. In fact those two incidents were what made me realize that God can come in any form to rescue one from any danger if one has deep and true devotion to Him. They were indeed my first divine encounters and opened my eyes to the fact that faith in God is not superstition but that which enables one to cross the ocean of life's misery. After those experiences I became deeply devoted to Baba and used to consider Him as my saviour. Every year I would make it a point to visit Shirdi and have darshan of Baba. One might wonder at the context of these details here. It is because it will enable the reader to appreciate better the following experience that I had with Swami.

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