25. Living presence in the photo, continuation of Vasudevan’s story
After a sharp deterioration and instead of healing, Vasudevan became very offended by Sathya Sai Baba. The more he prayed, the more his health deteriorated. He concluded that Sathya Sai Baba was most likely a swindler, and perhaps even a practitioner of magic. The inner world of the young man was filled with doubts and fears.
The complexity of this situation was compounded by the fact that he learned about two cases which occurred about the same time. Two other people also prayed in front of the photo of Sathya Sai Baba and received a fairly quick recovery from their illnesses. Vasudevan could not understand why he was being pursued by serious setbacks.
Finally, getting very angry with Sathya Sai Baba, he literally ran into his mother-in-law’s house and went into the room where the large photograph of Sathya Sai Baba hung. Vasudevan started talking to the photo as if Sathya Sai Baba was present right in front of him.
He directly stated, looking into the eyes of Sathya Sai Baba, who was depicted in the photograph, that he was a swindler and engaged in magic. After that, Vasudevan stated that if Sathya Sai Baba is indeed a divine teacher, then he must immediately prove it.
At that moment, several relatives were present in the house, all of them devotees of Sathya Sai Baba, and upon hearing such words from the lips of Vasudevan, they froze in horror. Before the young man had time to angrily utter his words, he suddenly felt a strong flow of energy pass through him like an electric discharge.
Vasudevan understood that it was a mystical experience because there was no source of electricity nearby. At that moment he felt, with horror, as if he was losing control of his arms and legs. After that, he fell to the floor. The relatives immediately called the doctors, who made the terrifying diagnosis of partial paralysis. Almost at the same moment, when the doctors left the house, sacred ash began to materialize on the large portrait of Sathya Sai Baba.
Relatives understood that everything happening had a deep meaning. It was obvious that Sathya Sai Baba, who is the embodiment of divine love and compassion, could not «punish» the foolish young man. These strange events were intended to give Vasudevan a deep lesson and lead to spiritual realizations.
The relatives felt that all of this was actually the blessing of Sathya Sai Baba. The feeling of the invisible blessing presence of God was also confirmed by the fact that the sacred ash began to appear from his photograph.
Vasudevan did not know what to do next. His state of health was extremely tenuous. Thankfully, the paralysis was only partial and with difficulty he could still move around in a wheelchair.
The fact the paralysis occurred instantly after the young man stood in front of the portrait of Sathya Sai Baba and challenged him speaks of Sathya Sai Baba’s colossal superpowers. At that time, Vasudevan could hardly understand what was happening to him and what the deep meaning of these strange events were.
It was so improbable that at times it seemed to him everything happening was a strange dream. Most importantly, Vasudevan began to understand that photographs of Sathya Sai Baba are not ordinary images, but the living presence of the Avatar.