Living with Baba

I toured with Baba in Europe in 1979. In Haifa, Israel, we had a three-day program, including a DMC function. It was a beautiful, memorable occasion.

Throughout His stay there, Baba showered His infinite grace on all of us. We obtained a hall inside the university campus for the DMC function. The local Margiis were not old Margiis; nevertheless, they had been trained in the proper procedures regarding the occasion. My duty was to organize and materialize the entire program. Some of the dadas were assigned various duties regarding the external arrangements of the function. Others had to tend to tickets and visa arrangements of those who came from other countries.

Realizing the local conditions in Israel, we decided to keep our pratik folded until just before Baba's arrival in the DMC hall. Baba came punctually for His discourse, and at that time the pratik was opened and hung on the wall behind Him.

Some non-Margii students walking on the campus passed by our DMC hall and saw the pratik on the wall. They also saw the swastika inside the pratik. Word spread like wild fire and more students came over to see the pratik. They were displeased to see the swastika, as it was a foreign symbol. They wanted to create trouble. The two dadas, Girijanandaji and Jagadhishvaranandaji, who were at the door, talked to the students and explained the meaning of the pratik and swastika to them. However, it was very difficult to make them understand or even to control them. I was also at the door. I tried my best not to allow them to enter and disturb the serenity of the function. Externally, I tried my best to protect the sanctity of our function, but internally, I surrendered everything to Baba.

While the commotion was going on, a man suddenly appeared from nowhere and told the students in a commanding voice, "Why are you so impatient? Let us first listen to what they want to say. They are all within our campus. If anything is wrong with them, they will not be able to leave the campus anyway. But first, we should listen to them."

All the students became calm and quiet. Dada then invited the man to take a seat. The man also helped dada to get the students away from the door of the DMC hall. When dada explained the pratik, swastika, and Ananda Marga, the students remained silent and listened intently. They appeared to be satisfied with dada's explanation and left happily. Our DMC function continued and concluded in a peaceful manner.

After the DMC discourse, we tried to find out who that helpful man was, but could not do so. He was not a university staff member and had simply vanished into thin air. We could not trace his whereabouts.

In the meantime, Baba had taken His dinner. I entered His room to present the organizational report, but my mind was not focused on the reporting. I wanted to find out the story behind that mysterious man at the DMC function. Baba must have caught my thought and said to me, "By your grace our DMC function was successful."

My eyes filled with tears at those words. I immediately understood that it was He who came in the guise of that man and solved the potentially explosive problem. Only He knows how to take care of everything and remove all obstacles and impediments. He is the Supreme Controller of everything that happens. What He wants will be done.