A mother's despair

by Lalit Advani

Many times Swami has explained that the blessings of the mother is the first step in the spiritual path. The love of the mother for her children is greater than any force in the world. Pithiben epitomises this love.

           

Pithiben Chamar was a desparing mother. Pithiben was a resident of Nugar Village near the properous town of Mehasana in Gujarat. Her husband Ramabhai died a few years after their marriage. Bhavesh was their only child. Pithiben struggled to amke ends meet to bring up her son. She worked as as a constriuction labourer on daily wages in the town of Mehsana. Bhavesh used to attend the municipal school in the village.
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Bhavesh father Ramabhai expired soon after his birth leaving his wife to fend for himself. Bhavesh belongs to the Chamar community which is a part of the socially ostracized community in India. Chamars are considered untouchables in many parts of India.

The economic condition of Bhavesh’s family was extremely poor. His mother worked as a labourer on daily wages & earns 20 Rs a day. Monthly she can just earn 300-400 Rs (less than $10 a month).

When Bhavesh was 11 years ago he used to get tired very easily could not walk more than 20 yards without sitting down. His family was unable to afford a doctor. After some time his condition became worse & the family had to take him to the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. The diagnosis: A hole in the heart.

For the family it was a shock. Already she was a widow & with only one son there was no hope for getting treatment for them. Somehow they managed to get by with the medication provided to them. A few months later Bhavesh developed appendicitis & had to undergo treatment for the same. His condition became worse & now an operation for his heart was imperative.

The operation was estimated to cost 1.25 lakhs Ambalal Shankarbhai their uncle reminisces “We felt that this family will not survive”

They approached the local Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly who wrote a recommendation letter to the Government Hospital in Ahmedabad. Based on the same they were offered a subsidy from the Gujarat Chief Ministers Relief fund to the tune of 33% of the cost. The operation was estimated to cost Rs 1.25 lakhs (Around $3000). For a family who was hand to mouth, barely able to survive an expense of this was unimaginable. Pithiben was inconsolable. She beseeched GOD & she even fought with the Goddess whom the chamars worship. She used to go to a small temple near her house & pray to the Goddess for the life of her only son. She would weep & wail in front of the Goddess. The Chamar Vas (Chamar residences) in Nugar village used to be filled with her tears in front of the Divine mother.

The family had lost all hope for Bhavesh’s Recovery. Ambalal his uncle would still go & meet various government officials in the hope of getting some money or medical subsidy that would solve his problem. However no help materialized.

A Ray of Light

In the second week of February 2007 Ambalal was referred By Dr. P. D. Patel to a diagnostic heart camp being conducted in Mehasana on the 25th of February. The article also said that the operations conducted would be free. Various Centers for pre registration in the heart camp were mentioned in the article. Ambalal immediately accompanied Bhavesh & his medical records to the nearest prescreening centers for registration.

The Heart Camps

Swami has directed & guided as many times to take Narayan Seva to the people. Swami says “Do not wait for an opportunity to serve: go out & grab the opportunity which is already available”

Based on this maxim the Sri Sathya Sai Hospital, Rajkot conducts heart diagnostic camps in different districts of Gujarat. These camps spread awareness among the poor about the activities of the Hospital. The Hospital is but a reflection of the teachings of our lord.

Swami says”God has two forms Lakshmi Narayana & Daridra Narayana. Most of the people are engaged in serving Lakshmi Narayana; few people serve Daridra Narayana... Service to Daridra Naranya is the highest form of Sadhana.”

“Service to any being amounts to serving Me, for I am in all,” Bhagawan says. “The relief and joy that you give to the sick and the sorrowing reach Me, for I am in their hearts, and I am the One whom they call out to. God has no need of your service. Try to serve the godly; become the servants of the servants of the Lord. The service of man is the only means by which you can serve God.”

The heart camp is heart narayan seva. “We are going to the people rather than waiting for them to come to us” says Manoj Bhimani Trustee of the SSSH, Rajkot.” The hospital administrator’s routinely monitor patients from various districts in Gujarat. Based on the response the district with the least amount of people coming to the SSSH is selected & a date identified for the same.

The Sai Organisation consisting of the Hospital & the local seva samiti the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation swings into action. A number of pre registration centers are identified .Normally these are clinics & individual doctors spread out geographically within the district. Publicity about the event is conducted using local newspapers, radio, word of mouth, posters, and pamphlets. Local councils, health authorities & local government authorities are apprized of the camp information so that local people can take the maximum benefit. A form is to be filled up with the patient information like name, age, address, contact information. Many patients are from economically challenged backgrounds & do not have telephones at their residence. Patients are given tokens which give them an appointment on the camp day to optimize the time of the cardiac surgeons attending the camp.

On the day of the camp the location is a beehive of activity with doctors, seva dal workers, administrators, guests flying all over the place. The camp starts in front of Swami’s portrait with 3 Omkars & prayers. The Seva Dal leaders instruct their respective groups in the intricacies of service & the camp starts. Patients who have already registered are sent to the topnotch surgeons who spare their valuable time to serve at the camp.

The surgeons normally have a look at the previous medical record & refer the patient for ECG + ECHO tests. The ECG & ECHO machines are available at the camp itself. All tests, checkup, meals & other medical services are totally free to the patients. Meals are also served free of cost to the relatives of the patients who accompany them during this time. An overpowering sense of compassion & love fills the seva dal workers during this time. After medical tests are finished the patients are refereed back to the surgeons. Based on the condition of the patient the doctors then recommend them for surgery at the SSSH, Rajkot. There are also local dignitaries & such present at the function.

The Speaker of the Gujarat Assembly Shri Mangal Patel was present on the 25th February 2007 at the heart camp in Mehasana. A former teacher, he said " What you see before your eyes is not a ordinary event. The kind of activity & the scale at which you are doing the same is not possible without the grace of the Sadguru. It is his energy which allows you to serve in this way." Jayantibhai Barot the local MP from Mehasana donated 25 lacs from his MPLAD fund to the Heart Hospital. " I would donate all the money from the fund if the government permits me" said Jayantibhai.
Such is the grace of our Bhagawan.

In the words of the lord “Work done with no desire is the supreme ideal of man”

“Serve others, visualising them as kindred atmas”

“The finest reward I get during this camps is to see the face of the patient when they are allotted a date for surgery at the hospital. I see love, hope in their eyes. At this time you feel God is somewhere near us. You get the feeling you are doing Gods work” says Rajesh Krishnani a Seva Dal leader.

Pithiben’s Hope

One of the patients on 25 the February was Pithiben with her child Bhavesh. Bhavesh had been referred to the camp by Dr. P.D. Patel a Sai Devotee & prominent doctor of Mehsana. Pithiben was praying to the divine mother to have pity on her.

Unknown to her Sai mother has already heard her prayer. Bhavesh was operated upon on the SSSH, Rajkot on 14th March 2007 within 20 days of the Mehsana camp.

His family, community, neighbors who were skeptical of the operation taking place & also being free is now a delighted lot. “The Sathya Sai Hospital is our God” says Ambalal Shankarbhai Bhavesh’s uncle. His neighbor Hargovind says” We could not dream about doing this operation in 7 lives “

Over 26 people from Mehsana were operated upon within 20 days of the camp. These are heart operations with valve replacements; the hospital served those who graced its camps. Sai is the inspiration for providing the best healthcare services at no cost within a short span of time. When the SSSH, Rajkot was being built Swami had told the trustees to provide the best services & to consider every patient as Narayan Swarup (Embodiment of the Supreme God)

The SSSH Rajkot is following Swamis words to the spirit .