Once, Swami called a brother-sister duo for an interview. They had lost their parents in a plane crash. Swami said that even if one person on that plane had chanted Gayatri Mantra three times, everyone would have been saved.

Baba proved this fact through a real life experience. I came across this miracle of Baba when I was a student. A catholic priest was working at a church in New Jersey. As he was traveling by plane, intense turbulence hit the plane and everyone on board started panicking.

This priest was on the plane and he remained calm and started reciting some prayers from the Bible. As we know Baba embodies all deities so in response to this priest’s prayers, Baba manifested on the plane. He gave the priest His blessings and a packet of vibhuti with His picture.

The priest had no idea who this Indian-looking Divine Being was but he was very happy that the turbulence stopped and everyone was saved.

As soon as he returned to New Jersey, he wanted to find out who this person was so he enlarged the picture Baba gave and placed it in his church.

That day, an Indian woman visited the church. She was excited to see Baba’s picture there and asked the priest how he got it. When the priest narrated the story, she had tears in her eyes and told the priest about Sai Baba.

The priest was overjoyed and visited Baba’s temple here in New York to thank Baba. He even became interested in Sai Satcharita. Such is our Baba. He loves everyone and rushes to help as soon as we call Him sincerely.

Once, during puja, the door opened and one lady walked in. She saw Baba and was so excited and said, “So I got it right.” As I didn’t understand I asked her to explain. She said that during early hours of morning Baba came in a vision and asked her to come to Om Sai Mandir. As she did not know computers very well, Baba have her detailed directions to come here. She had never heard about the Mandir until Baba Himself told her. That was the reason she was so happy and said she got it right.

There are many such stories of devotees coming to the Mandir in strange ways. On another occasion, a lady from Trinidad saw Baba in a vision and she was asked to come and offer specific types of lemons at the Mandir. Another person was driving near the cemetery on Hollis Court Blvd. and he felt a strong pull to come here. Many more … will share slowly. omsaimandir.org

A Hispanic mother-daughter duo visit Om Sai Mandir every week. They never miss a single week, no matter how the weather may be. With immense faith in Baba, they come and pay their respects at the mandir and are always curious to learn about Baba and implement His teachings. Their humility and devotion are admirable.

Last week, the mother was diagnosed with Glaucoma of the eye. Although it is not a life-threatening condition, it can cause pain and annoyance to the patient and since the mother is in her seventies, it would have been one more condition to manage.

After she was diagnosed she came to Om Sai Mandir and prayed to Baba from the bottom of her heart. In her simple, child-like prayer, she asked Baba to look at her eyes and she, in turn, looked at Baba’s. It was very simple. No complicated rituals were performed. A simple heartfelt prayer was offered to Baba.

A strange miracle happened with that small interaction. She visited her doctor yesterday and the surprised doctor told her that “she was all clear!” No Glaucoma, no eye problem … nothing. She is all clean.

Baba can cure any disease, He can perform what no one can. What is impossible for the creator who made this human form? Nothing! God can do what no one else can.

Sometimes, years of penance does not move the Lord even slightly, but the slightest selfless gesture moves Him, the ocean of bliss, into tears. At Om Sai Mandir, we have experienced numerous leelas of Baba and His constant presence and guidance. We are sharing a wonderful experience that left us completely in awe of Baba’s magnificent powers and His boundless love for all of us.

About five years back, Om Sai Mandir received a call from a South Indian school dedicated to blind, orphan children. They were visiting the US for a performance and wanted our assistance with transportation, food, accommodation, and the like. Since the group consisted of small children who had none except Sai, we decided to do our part and serve them in accordance with Baba’s teachings (“Love All, Serve All”). The volunteers at the mandir are ever-eager to render selfless service and so everyone started preparing for the kids’ arrival. We picked them from the airport and arranged for their overnight stay at the local YMCA. In the morning, our volunteers picked them up and brought them to the mandir. During the day, they were served in all possible ways. Some volunteers helped them put on their shoes, others carried their bags around, still others arranged for their food and other comforts. During their stay, we did everything in compliance with Swami’s teachings. We continued serving the children during their stay and finally helped them back to the airport.

The children were treated as we treat our own family members and we could tell they were very happy. Everyone’s eyes were filled with tears because these children were so beautiful and so talented. Their physical challenge did not deter their spirit in the least.

Little did we know (or expect) the big surprise Baba had in store for us. Seva is never rendered with the expectation of any reward or recognition (even by God) and all this was done silently without any public display.

The Thursday immediately after the event is when we discovered the impact of our small seva. That day, we heard literally hundreds of stories of Baba’s intervention, grace, and help to the devotees who come regularly to the mandir. In addition to miracles that happened at the mandir, some recovered from long-term (otherwise incurable) health issues, others told of Baba’s dreams and visions, still others had their legal problems solved … these were not isolated occurrences … every single person who came to the mandir that day — every single person — came with good news. Most talked about “obstacles” that had been nagging them for years and felt that they were miraculously resolved on that particular day.

It is very normal to witness Baba’s leelas at Om Sai Mandir, but what was significant about that day was the collective wave of leelas that every single person had to share. A wise elder then explained that Baba was indeed pleased to see the visiting children happy. These differently-abled children had none except God and since they were served, God, too, was happy and He was displaying His happiness in this manner — by providing grace to His devotees.

We have witnessed many similar incidences when Baba has expressed His happiness with acts of selfless service. His presence is also felt very strongly during group bhajans and devotional gatherings.

During both Sai avatars, Baba has taught us the importance of selfless service. One afternoon, Mrs. Tarkhad, a devotee of Baba saw a hungry dog and felt great mercy for him. She immediately fed him with a piece of bread. When she met Baba that day, He said:

“Mother, you have fed Me sumptuously up to my throat, My afflicted pranas (life-forces) have been satisfied. Always act like this, and this will stand you in good stead. Sitting in this Masjid I shall never, never speak untruth. Take pity on Me like this. First give bread to the hungry, and then eat yourself. Note this well.” She could not at first understand the meaning of what Baba said. So she replied, “Baba, how could I feed You? I am myself dependent on others and take my food from them on payment.” Then Baba replied, “Eating that lovely bread I am heartily contended and I am still belching. The dog which you saw before meals and to which you gave the piece of bread is one with Me, so also other creatures (cats, pigs, flies, cows, etc.) are one with Me. I am roaming in their forms. He, who sees Me in all these creatures is My beloved. So abandon the sense of duality and distinction, and serve Me, as you did today.”

God is like a child. He does not need complicated rituals and expensive gifts. What really pleases Him are heartfelt prayers and selfless service. Selfless service is the royal expressway to God!

By Mrs. Pathak

During His Shirdi and Parthi avatars, Baba cured innumerable devotees. In Parthi, whenever a cancer patient would visit Baba, He would just wave His finger and say “Cancer is cancelled!” True to Baba’s words, no matter how serious the disease, it would just vanish. Doctors would just be baffled by these miracles. Here’s one that recently happened at Om Sai Mandir.

We are sharing it in the devotee’s own words:

Baba is always with us. I have always trusted Baba and know that he is with us in our good and rough times. (I have understood that there is no such thing as bad time when Baba is with us).

This incident happened with me in February 2014.

In November 2013, I was diagnosed with a “positive biopsy report” for a cyst in my breast. I was scared and nervous. With all the negative thoughts, I was unable to stop my tears. I was worried about my husband and kids. What if something were to happen to me? Me and my husband are very much devoted to baba and regularly visit Om Sai Mandir. I have always been telling my husband (and to myself) that I am Baba’s favorite daughter.  All the tests were done and the date of the surgery (to remove the cyst) was scheduled on Feb 4^th, 2014.

My husband was very supportive and would always reassure me: “How can Baba’s favorite daughter ever have any trouble?” I would try to have a smile on my face and be normal but deep down inside my heart I was very anxious as the day of surgery was nearing.

A week before the surgery, one night, suddenly I saw Baba standing near me with His hand on my forehead. He was asking me why I was worrying so much. He said, “Just offer two coconuts at Om Sai Mandir and all will be well.” Next morning, when I woke up, I could not believe myself what I saw the previous night and shared it with my husband.

Then came the day of surgery. We both went to the hospital early morning. Before leaving for the hospital, we prayed to Baba at our little shrine at home and applied Baba’s vibhuti on my forehead (my daily routine). After reaching the hospital and completing the paperwork and remaining formalities, the nurse took me with her, asking my husband to wait outside.

I was already crying. Before I realized, I was on the stretcher in the operation theater with my breast surgeon who had diagnosed my cyst. I had seen/met him in the past (the only known face with few other nurse and anesthetist in the operation room). He tried to calm me down and explained the procedure in detail.

Just before the surgery, he tried to examine the cyst which had to be operated and removed. The doctor appeared a little surprised and shocked. He called for another surgeon and some reports. They all started looking for the cyst in my breast. I was nervous and wondering what was happening. All this time the one and only word in my heart and mind was SAIRAM, SAIRAM SAIRAM!

Within the next few minutes, the doctor came closer to me and said the following words in a very calm tone: “Mrs. … we can call this ‘one in a million case’. The cyst does not exist any longer. WE DON’T NEED TO DO ANY SURGERY! I DON’T SEE ANY CYST.”

I was speechless and didn’t know whether to cry or to be happy about it. As this was BABA AND NO ONE ELSE WHO TOOK CARE OF HIS FAVORITE DAUGHTER. We were very happy with this blessing from Baba and soon offered the two coconuts at Om Sai Mandir as per Baba’s words.

After that, I also did a six-month follow-up checkup and with Baba’s blessings, everything is normal.

There are many similar incidences that have happened to me and Baba has blessed me knowingly and unknowingly. Many times, he has blessed in strange ways. I have no words to say or thank Him enough.

Last year, one Sunday evening I was going to be alone in the house as my kids and husband had their plans. On previous Thursday at Om Sai Mandir, I just happened to tell Baba if he could come on Sunday to our home and visit this daughter as she is alone.

Sunday evening came. I was in kitchen, but at the back of my heart I was anxiously waiting for Baba. I would feel some noise or shadow but it was just a thought in my subconscious mind. Then suddenly, the doorbell rang and my heart skipped a beat. I rushed to open the door. Guess what? It was definitely BABA, I am positive.

It was my neighbor’s son with prasad (Seera and banana) in his hand. After giving me prasad, he said: “We had been to the temple and this is for you. Till now, we had never received prasad from them. It was our Baba who came to visit his favorite daughter and keep His promise of a Sunday evening visit.

Always be with us Baba. Kindly bless us to have Shraddha and Saburi—and give us the opportunity to do your seva.

In 2005, there was a severe power failure during a hot summer evening. It was late at night and, much to our dismay, ours was the only apartment that was without power. We were concerned about temperature-sensitive medicines that were in our refrigerator, but despite our best efforts the power was not restored.