|| Hari Om ||

I am Dr. Shashanksinh Hore, I am an Orthopedic Surgeon.  I might need about 4-5 Krupasindhu Magazines if I began narrating all my experiences.  I was a total agnostic till about year 2008.  I had faith in Shirdi Sai Baba though.  I used to go to Shirdi for Darshan twice a year.  Since I am an orthopedic surgeon, I managed to earn a sizeable chunk of money at a relatively younger age.  I had all the material comforts such as a Home, a Hospital and a Car as well.  Wealth and money attract many vices. I was no exception to this. I used to consume alcohol every day and was almost a chain smoker.

My wife, Dr. Meghaveera is an anesthesiologist by profession.  She was a devout follower of Bapu much before I became one. She used to write Ramnaam Book and also chanted Upasana every day.  I used to hate all those Babas and Godmen.  Needless to say, my home did not have Bapu’s picture.  I used to joke about my wife’s devotion towards Bapu and I would also make a joke of Bapu and his teachings.

I am a patient of Uncontrolled Thyrotoxicosis since the year 1995.  In the year 1999, I was diagnosed with “Extra Thyroidal Cancer.”  I took treatment at Nair Hospital after which my Thyroid gland was surgically removed.

I used to work in Akola District in a village called Aakot.  Since I was the only orthopedic doctor in the village, I used to work for a period of 16-17 hours continuously.  With my Alcohol consumption, smoking and to top it all, my relentless work for an extended period of time led to an obvious thing.  On November 25, 2005, on the day of Aniruddha Pornima, I had a massive heart attack.  I was only 38 years old then.

Since I have a very strong will power, I took my wife with me and drove to the doctor at 330 am (Brahmamuhurtam).  ECG revealed a massive heart attack!  I was given some emergency medical assistance and was later moved to a bigger hospital at Akola.  I was unconscious for almost two days.  My heart rate was almost 120 beats per minute.  I couldn’t pass urine for almost two days.  Everyone had given up hopes on me. All my friends and family had gathered at the hospital contemplating my demise.  After two days, I passed urine and then after that I became slightly more stable, they moved me to Wockhardt Hospital at Nagpur for an Angiography. Dr. Jagtaap was handling my case.  In these 2-3 days, my wife was continuously chanting Shri Kleshnivarak Stotra as well as Ghorakashtoddharn Stotra.

Angiography report revealed that the primary artery that supplies Blood to the heart was blocked 100%.  On performing the Echo cardiogram, it was revealed that “Septa” and “Apex”, two parts of my heart were damaged to the extent of 80%.  After looking at my condition, it was not possible for the doctors to perform either bypass or angioplasty on me. Therefore, my doctor decided to discharge me from the hospital by asking us not to stop medication.  He also asked us to have faith in God.  He instructed me to be vigilant about my health.

I stayed at Nagpur and took complete bed rest for almost one month.  During this time, there was a program at Suyog Mangal Karyalaya, Lakshmi Nagar.  My wife had attended that program.  On her return from the program, I am quite confident that she applied Udi on my forehead while I was fast asleep.

I am not the kind of person who would stay quiet at one place. I am quite wired that way.  Within one month, I began my work.  In my profession, in order to fix a dislocated shoulder or a bone, or for that matter to align a broken bone, one has to use great force.  While doing such work, I would begin panting.  As a result, I became less confident with passage of time.  I had to invite doctors from Akola to perform surgeries.  All those who visited would tell me,”Doctor, do as much as you can handle. Don’t exert yourself.”  I could not handle their advice even if it was given with the best of intentions.  I stopped taking accident cases that would come to me in the night.  Needless to say, since I refused cases in the night, the relatives of accident patients would become quite vocal in expressing their displeasure at my refusal.

In the year 2006, I visited Shirdi to take Sai Baba’s Darshan.  That is when I decided to relocate to another city for the sake of my profession.  No one, including my wife, supported my decision of closing down my well running consulting practice of about 12-13 years.  However, I insisted on relocating and on February 22, 2007, I relocated to Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh. My wife was utterly displeased with my decision.  In order to please her, I named my clinic “Aniruddha Krupa.”  At this stage as well, I had complete disbelief in Bapu.

In the meantime, everything that one had to do to establish a new practice, I did.  My practice began to pick up momentum in about 7-8 months.  I did not neglect my health at all during this time.  I continued my daily morning walk.  I used to walk about 5 kms in about 50 minutes.  I brought my weight to 67 kgs from 98 kgs.

One must be wondering that it’s Bapu’s divine intervention.  One must be thinking that Bapu saved him from a massive heart attack.  I would not be surprised if one thought that Bapu ought to have blessed me on my relocation and later helped me establish myself there.

There is no doubt about it!  However, I realized it much later.  Indeed it was Bapu’s divine intervention.  But, wait a minute, the real miracle took place later…

I took Sai’s Darshan in the year 2008 and then proceeded to Sangamner to attend the wedding of my friend’s daughter.  I returned to Mumbai on the evening of January 29th.  My wife asked me to go to Happy Home to purchase Ramnaam Books.  I was angry from within because I did not want to go to Happy Home.  In my fit of anger, I asked for 100 notebooks at the counter.  The person asked me the name of the Upasana center for which the notebooks were needed.  In my anger, I answered that I needed them not for any center but for myself.  Later he informed me that he did not have 100 notebooks to give me.  He said that the books were to be available within two hours. He asked me to visit with Vaibhavsinh Karnik in the mean time.

I met Vaibhavsinh for the first time on January 30, 2008.  I chatted with him for almost two hours.  We exchanged our cell phone numbers.  Later I went down to buy the books, by then Bapu had come down for Aarti.  I was standing outside engrossed in my own thoughts.  I was thinking,” Nowadays, I manage to walk 5 kms in 50 minutes. It’s time for me to begin to jog.”  Right at that moment, my eyes met with Bapu’s eyes.  He waved his hand as if to tell me to wait and sit down.  That one moment was enough to set right the rhythm of my life, I thought.

After Aarti, as I was purchasing Ramnaam Books, I got a call from Vaibhavsinh.  He said,”Doctor you should wait in Mumbai for just one more day. Tomorrow is Thursday (January 31, 2008). You would get to listen to Bapu’s discourse.  If you came to the discourse venue and met me it would be good.” Without thinking much, as to perform a motion, I reached Shriharigurugram the next day.  Vaibhavsinh managed to bring me inside the main gate and gave me flowers to offer on the lotus feet of Bapu.

In the midst of much fervor, Bapu arrived.  I was experiencing the arrival of Lord on this earth for the first time. Once again, my eyes met with Bapu’s ever loving glance.  He had that familiar light smile on his face.

Later in the night, I left for Khandwa by train.  On reaching Khandwa, soon I began to run and in the following four months or so, I began to jog for about 50 minutes.  I began to offer my respect in front of by Bapu’s picture.  I put up Bapu’s picture in my clinic.  Besides 50 minutes of Jogging, I began to lift some weights as well.  While exercising, I kept chanting Sainaam and “Om Manasamarthyadata Shree Aniruddhay Namah.”

In between this passage of time, Shri Pathakji, Shri Savdekarji and Shri Vishalji from Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh; were passing by my clinic. On reading the name of my clinic; “Aniruddha Krupa,” they came in to visit with me.

On June 26, 2008, I got a chance to visit the Home of Shri Pathakji on the pretext of submitting my wife’s completed Ramnaam Books.  That day, I managed to take Darshan of Bapu’s padukas and then from that day, I began to write Ramnaam Book.  Till date, I have completed 126 books.

Then on the day of Kartiki Ekadashi (it’s my son’s birthday), eight people from Indore, namely, Shri Ansalji, Shri Sikarwarji, Shri Lokhande, Shri Vishalji came to Khandwa from Omkareshwar after immersing Bapu’s Padukas there.  Upasana began, on that day, at my home. It continues to be conducted at my home from that day onwards.

In between, Poojya Samirdada and Vaibhavsinh had called for a meeting of all centers from Madhya Pradesh at Happy Home in Mumbai.  While the meeting was in progress, since it was time for Aarti, we were asked to go down to Gurukshetram.  I got a chance to sit in the first row, right in front of Bapu.  It was the first time; I was taking Bapu’s Darshan from such close quarters.  It was terribly hot at that time.  About 4-5 people fainted due to heat stroke.  Doctors from Happy Home clinic and some other helpers ran to them with help and shifted them to Happy Home clinic.   While this was taking place, another person fainted outside the main area. There was no one to attend to him.  The doctor in me did not allow me to sit quietly there.  I got up right there and ran towards him to help him.  Soon after, the person began to feel alright.  I was inundated with thoughts such as I had left right in front of Bapu, I wonder if Bapu was upset with me.  I was totally disturbed by that thought.  Later we again met Samirdada for the meeting.  After the meeting got over, Samirdada told me,”Doctor, you have to attend the Kolhapur medical camp every year now.”  I understood the meaning of Samirdada’s communication.

From then on, I not only make attempts to attend the Kolhapur Medical Camp but also try and attend the blood donation camp.  This is my journey which began from “Hatred towards Bapu” to “Love for Bapu.”

Today, I either jog for 50 minutes or spot cycle for almost 40 kms.  I go to the gymnasium as well.  I chant “Om Manasamarthyadata Shree Aniruddhay Namah” 108 times every day.  I always wear Tripurari Trivikram Locket.  I consider Udi as panacea.  Before entering the operation theatre for a surgery, I hold Tripurari Trivikram Locket in my hand and then invoke Bapu to be with me during surgery.  Only then I enter the Operation Theatre.

Who would believe that I jog for almost 50 minutes knowing that 1/3rd of my heart is damaged?  At this moment, I lift my clinic shutter (it is about 13 feet tall) by myself.

My wife Mrs. Megha who was not at all willing to relocate to Khandwa said to me on the day we began Upasana at Khandwa that it was Bapu’s wish that you started Upasana at Khandwa and that was why he gave you the thought of relocating to Khandwa.

The main intent behind my narration is to let others know that Bapu ensures that the most undeserving person is brought on the right track.  Then again, I would like to tell others (those who have had a heart attack like me) that “Have faith in Bapu.”  He would give you a perfectly normal life, just the way he has given it to me. 

|| Hari Om ||