Even at the age of thirty-five, my daughter remained unmarried and had no plans to marry. She wanted to establish herself in life and become independent before marriage.
Society and relatives often raised questions to us. Yet I was never overly worried. I respected her wishes and, above all, believed that everything would happen at the right time.
Still, as a mother, I would often pray before Swami’s photograph: “Swami, when will the right time come for my daughter’s marriage?”
One day, I suggested that my daughter accompany me to the Ashram so that we could ask Swami in an interview. During a Monday darshan, I requested an interview. Swami lovingly replied, “Come on Thursday.” We returned on Thursday, but Swami had gone to attend a school function. So, we came again on Saturday.
During His discourse that day, Swami said: “Do not think too much. When the right time comes, it will happen by itself. There is no need to ask. Wait patiently.”
My daughter and I immediately felt that Swami had answered the very question in our hearts. From that day onward, we never again sought an interview regarding her marriage. We simply waited and trusted Him.
A Dream and a Divine Instruction
Sometime later, my daughter had a dream in which Swami appeared before her and said: “Worship the moon on the full moon day. Your problem will be solved.”
She asked me how the worship should be performed, and I guided her. Every month, on the full moon day, she would go to rooftop and perform the puja. Sometimes the sky would be completely covered with clouds. We would stand there praying for the clouds to clear. Slowly, the clouds would part, and the beautiful full moon would appear.
Later, my daughter had another dream. This time Swami told her: “You have one more day.” She came to me and asked, “Mother, what does this mean?” I replied, “Perhaps God’s one day is one year for us.”
Exactly one year later, something remarkable happened.
When the Right Time Came
One day, my daughter unexpectedly returned home from work accompanied by her friend, a young man. She hurried inside and told me that she had something important to say. “We are leaving,” she announced. “Where are you going?” I asked in surprise. “We are going to get married. But please don’t tell anyone yet—not even Father.”
I was stunned.
She explained that young man’s family was pressuring him to marry someone else, but he told me, “I will marry only you.” My daughter then opened her heart to me. “I always thought of him only as a friend. But today he proposed to me. I know he is a good person. Still, if you do not approve, I will not go.”
Naturally, as a mother, many practical concerns came to my mind. “Where will you live? How will you manage? How can you make such an important decision so suddenly?”
But she answered with confidence: “I know him well. I am certain that he is the right person for me.”
Young man also assured me that he would take full responsibility for her and that, with time, his family would accept their marriage.
As I listened to them, I suddenly remembered Swami’s words: “When the right time comes, it will happen by itself.”
For years, I had encouraged my daughter to consider marriage, but she had always declined. Now, she herself had decided that the time had come.
After much reflection and prayer, I finally said, “Alright.”
However, I warned young man: “If anything happens to my daughter, never underestimate what a mother can do.”
He respectfully assured me that he would care for her and that they would legally register their marriage.
When I later informed my husband, he was naturally shocked. He had hoped that our daughter would marry within our caste. But after some reflection, he too accepted her decision.
Looking back, I felt that everything had unfolded exactly as Swami had said.
From Opposition to Acceptance
The marriage was not immediately accepted by young man’s family. His mother strongly opposed it and repeatedly urged him to leave my daughter. But young man remained firm. “If I wanted to leave her,” he said, “I would never have married her.”
At one point, his mother declared that she would never allow my daughter to enter their home. I did not know how the situation would be resolved. So, I surrendered it completely to Swami and prayed: “Swami, if You wish them to remain outside the family home, that is Your will. If You wish them to be welcomed into the family, that too is Your will.“
About two months later, something unexpected happened.
My daughter called and told me that her mother-in-law had welcomed them home. Everyone wondered how the elderly grandmother, who was already in her nineties, would react because my daughter came from a different caste.
But to everyone’s surprise, the grandmother became the happiest person in the household. The moment my daughter arrived, she joyfully declared: “I want to eat food cooked by my new daughter-in-law!”
Everyone was astonished.
Her loving acceptance changed the atmosphere of the entire home. The doubts, fears, and resistance that had surrounded the marriage gradually melted away. The young woman whom some had once refused to welcome was now being embraced with affection.
This was, of course, the manifestation of Swami’s divine grace. What human minds had struggled to understand and accept, He resolved with effortless compassion and wisdom. His unseen hand transformed resistance into acceptance, uncertainty into harmony, and concern into peace.
Swami’s Protection in Family Life
After her marriage, my daughter once went to the Ashram without informing her mother-in-law, who was away from home at the time. As the hours passed, my daughter began to worry. She feared that she might return late and that her mother-in-law would be upset. While she was still at the Ashram, she suddenly had a vision of Swami standing on the veranda of her home.
Immediately, a powerful feeling arose within her: “Swami is already at home. I must go now.” She left the Ashram at once and reached home before her mother-in-law returned. Everything remained peaceful. When her mother-in-law came home, she was happy and spoke to her lovingly.
This is how Swami had gently guided her at exactly the right moment. His presence reassured her, prompted her to return home, and helped preserve harmony within the family.
Today, her husband’s entire family loves and accepts her wholeheartedly.
Swami Accepts Every Sincere Offering
Following my daughter’s marriage, there was a traditional ritual associated with the family deity. However, my heart and devotion remained firmly centered on Swami alone. One day, during darshan, I prepared an offering tray for Swami with great love and reverence. Normally, I would personally offer Him two flowers with my own hands. But on that day, both my hands were occupied holding the tray, and I wondered how I would make my usual floral offering to my beloved Lord.
Silently, I prayed: “Baba, how can I offer You my two flowers today?” As Swami approached, something beautiful happened. He reached into the tray Himself and picked up two flowers—one after the other.
Later, I informed Him that my daughter had been married.
To me, that simple gesture carried a profound meaning. I felt that Swami had accepted my offering and blessed this new chapter in my daughter’s life.
It reminded me of a truth that has become deeply rooted in my heart: every sincere offering ultimately reaches the Divine. For me, Swami is my family deity, my protector, my guide, and my everything.
My First Darshan
My relationship with Swami began many years earlier. More than twenty years ago, I regularly attended Sai bhajans. I deeply longed to travel to Puttaparthi for Baba’s darshan, but circumstances did not allow me to make the journey. With great yearning, I prayed for Sai Baba’s darshan.
Sometime later, someone invited me to attend a gathering in Nepal and told me: “He is Sai Baba Himself.“ Eventually, I went for darshan at the Shankhamul Ashram. Only a few people were present that day.
Then Swami entered, dressed in an orange robe. I looked at Him intently. In that very moment, an unmistakable certainty arose from deep within my heart: “This is my God.“ I needed no argument, explanation, or proof. From that day onward, my faith became unwavering. Through every challenge, joy, and turning point in my life, the memory of that first darshan remained a source of strength and reassurance.
Swami’s Strength During a Financial Crisis
Our family once faced a devastating financial setback. A business partner deceived us, and we lost almost everything we had invested in a bus business.
During that painful period, someone advised me to write a letter to Swami.
I did so. The moment I poured out my heart to Him in that letter, I experienced a deep inner peace.
Later, while going for darshan in the Ashram in Buddhanagar, I bought a flower for Swami from a vendor near the Ashram gate. It was an extremely hot summer day; the flower had wilted already. I looked at it sadly and thought: “How can I offer such a wilted flower to Swami?”
But while I sat waiting for Him, something remarkable happened. The flower regained its freshness and vitality. Before my eyes, it began to look as though it had just been picked.
Within a few days, I found myself able to accept the enormous financial loss we had suffered. A realization arose within me: “What was lost was never truly mine.”
Even my sister was deeply distressed by my situation. However, Swami gave me the inner strength to accept of the situation and move forward.
How Compassion Prevented Violence
During this same difficult period, two women came to our home looking for my husband.
It was a cold winter morning. They appeared angry and suspicious, but instead of reacting with fear or hostility, I invited them inside. I served them tea and offered them Swami’s prasad.
At first, they refused, but after I requested them several times, they accepted.
They began questioning me sharply about my husband and our business affairs. Eventually, they revealed that my husband had borrowed money from them and that they wanted it returned. I explained our circumstances and asked them to give us some time.
As the conversation continued, the hours passed. When lunchtime came, I prepared food and invited them to eat with us. Again, they initially refused, but eventually they agreed.
Slowly, their anger began to disappear.
Then they revealed something that shocked me. They told me that they had come believing my husband had deliberately deceived them. They had even arrived prepared to harm him, with men waiting outside for their signal.
I calmly replied: “If harming us will bring you peace, then you may do what you believe is right.”
They were stunned by my response. As they continued talking with me, they gradually understood that we had not intentionally cheated anyone.
Before leaving, they said: “Your family is good. We cannot harm you. Now we know the truth.”
I felt that Swami’s grace had transformed a potentially dangerous situation into one of understanding and compassion.
Later, the women advised me that I use certain unacceptable means to recover money from the former business partner. I refused.
I explained my reasons. I did not want to harm him. He was a brahmin, I cannot harm a brahmin. He had helped me during difficult times, and my father had taught me never to forget a kindness shown to me. Moreover, he was much older than I was, and I had always regarded him as an elder brother.
The women were astonished by my response.
Eventually, they recovered the money from him through other means. Later, I heard that he himself went through serious difficulties, including the loss of the bus in an accident and severe personal troubles.
This strengthened another lesson within me: we do not need to seek revenge. We can leave justice and the consequences of people’s actions in God’s hands.
Faith Through Every Circumstance
When I look back over my life, I see the same lesson appearing again and again. Whether I was facing financial loss, family challenges, social criticism, uncertainty about my daughter’s future, or situations completely beyond my control, Swami taught me: His timing is perfect. What appears impossible to us can become possible through His grace.
Today, my daughter is happily married. She is lovingly accepted by her husband’s family, blessed with a daughter of her own, and living peacefully.
Years ago, I stood before Swami wondering when the right time would come. Now, looking back, I can see that He was guiding every step.
We are not the doers. He alone is the Doer.
Our role is to have faith, remain patient, do what is right, and surrender the outcome to Him.
Faith and Patience have become the foundation of my life. Through every challenge, Swami showed me that when we surrender completely to Him, He arranges everything far better than we could ever imagine ourselves.
Swami was there all along – guiding, protecting, strengthening, and patiently leading me through every step of my life.
Om Sri Sai Ram. 🙏
xxxx,
Sewadal Member, SSSSON
