EXPERIENCE 1 > P K DAS
AN EVENT TO REMEMBER
INTRODUCTION TO SWAMIJI’S MIRACLES
School admissions are a nightmare in Kolkata due to limited Institutions of repute. My younger daughter Rhea was scheduled to appear for an oral Interview in January 1997 in a particular School of good standing.
2 days before the Interview date she contracted chicken pox with rashes on her face and body. A few friends and relatives suggested to us to apply some lotion and touch up the marks on her face to mask the eruptions. But our Doctor advised us to go to the School on the Appointment date and request the Principal to re-schedule the Interview after a few weeks in view of Rhea’s indisposition. He very rightly assessed that the child would not be in proper physical or mental state to appear for an oral submission.
We turned up in the morning and met the Lady Principal and narrated the course of events with the expectation of a considerate and positive outcome. Instead we were in for a shock as she behaved in the most impolite manner in front of other parents and brushed us away by rudely expressing her inability to assist us in any manner. She did not wish to engage in any sort of conversation with us or entertain our pleas. Instead she suggested that we should try our luck next year.
The entire family was depressed and my wife was literally inconsolable and she called up her mother in Kuwait. She confirmed that her Swamiji had confirmed that Rhea would be gaining admission in that very School and this news was very surprising to her also. We did not understand her reference to Swamiji since we had never heard of him in our conversations with my in-laws in Kuwait. Image of a saffron clad person floated in our minds. We were even wondering if Kuwait permitted priests to visit and perform Pujas in their Country. She explained about Swamiji’s Divine Grace and promised to call us back after speaking with him once again on this subject during the course of the day.
All speculations were put to rest as she rang back around noon to convey that Swamiji has told us to set aside our worries and reconfirmed that Rhea would join this very School. Soon after this a phone call we made to the School Office just before their official closing time evoked a negative response and further dampened our hopes.
MIRACULOULY there was a call from the School Office at 6 in the evening setting a fresh date for Rhea’s Interview exactly after 3 weeks considering the quarantine period for chicken pox. The moment of realization had arrived > Swami is always there for us but we were awakened to this fact by this Event. The saga of his Grace and Divinity along with his countless miracles continues till today and will extend into the future impacting our lives at the most opportune moments.
Needless to say my Rhea joined that very School and well > the attitude and behaviour of the Principal had completely changed during the course of the Interview. She was extremely dignified and gentle in contrast to her earlier disposition.
I met Swamiji in person in august 1997 but we as a family experienced his presence much earlier. This is our Swamiji > always our protector and guide.
EXPERIENCE 2 > P K DAS
UNBELIVABLE MIRACLE
I was on a flight from Dubai to Durban via transit in Johannesburg. Immigration formalities have to be completed at Johannesburg and the luggage collected from the International Section after which you have to check in for the local sector from the adjacent Terminal. There is a sufficient gap of around 2 hours to board the transit flight.
My flight from Dubai was delayed and landed at Johannesburg 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the local flight to Durban. I was given to understand during my earlier visits to South Africa that South African Airlines do not have a policy of rescheduling local flights due to delays in arrival of international flights though a number of passengers avail of local connectivity from the various Airports in their country.
I made a dash to the Immigration Counter which was teeming with a large number of passengers who were waiting in queues to clear the Immigration formalities. My request to a few of the waiting passengers to give me priority due to the urgency to take the connecting flight evoked a negative response and derision. It took 2 hours before I could collect my luggage after completing the Immigration formalities.
I was considering the prospect of changing my ticket for the next available Durban flight because I was sure my scheduled flight had departed. Moreover there was no way I could inform my Office colleague at Durban who was to receive me about this change in the absence of any mobile phone. I was only praying to Swami throughout to bail me out of this situation.
Our omnipresent Swamiji as always answered my prayers and to my utter disbelief and surprise the same Durban flight was delayed by 4 hours. Passengers and Airport Officials were heard discussing that such a delay for a 45 minute local flight was unusual and literally unprecedented.
It was not sheer luck but the magic of our beloved Swamiji which made the impossible miraculously possible.