IT IS GOD'S GRACE

 
One interesting incident of these contacts was when they heard of a former prosperous nawab (Muslim prince) who had fallen victim to a wretched plight. Previously, he had been so rich that when he used to travel, a special saloon for him was attached to the train, and at the entranceway of his splendid home elephants were kept chained. Yet his sudden misfortune had reduced him to a pitiful state — selling bidis and matches on the street, and he had no place where he could call home.

Eruch began a search to locate this former prince in the Mud Fort locality of Hyderabad. The man was well known, but since he was without a place of residence, he could not easily be found. Eruch at last approached a shopkeeper who said, "He is here, lying sick on the veranda."

Eruch went to him. He was lying on a broken-down cot, which someone had given him. Nearby were a few match boxes and bidis piled on top of an empty wooden crate — the extent of his worldly possessions. His wife had gone to a free municipal dispensary to bring medicine.

Eruch left and at once brought Baba, Pendu and Baidul. Eruch gently told the man, "My elder brother has come to help you. He will give you a large sum as a gift of love, and we will be grateful if you accept it."

Suspicious, the man asked, "From where have you come, and why do you wish to help me? With what motive?"

"Please do not ask such things," said Eruch. "Accept the gift as God's mercy; that is all we ask."

After much persuasion, the man agreed. Baba was in a hurry to finish everything, but Eruch said, "Baba, let's wait until his wife comes. There are many people about and someone might steal the money."

Baba replied, "Yes, money is such a thing that people in his condition cannot afford to be careless with it."

Baba approached the man to wash his feet. The sick man wanted to get off the cot and stand up. Although he was told not to do so, he would not hear of it. Baba washed and placed his forehead on his feet and gave him five hundred rupees as his love gift.

Seeing the stack of notes, the man was so overcome he fainted. Seeing the man fall, the people who were watching began verbally abusing Baba and the party. They charged that because of the presence of Baba and his men, the man had become more ill and died. A ruckus was raised. As a crowd gathered around them, Baba, Pendu and Eruch lifted the man and laid him back on the cot, and Baba began fanning him.

"Inform the police immediately!" the crowd demanded. "These are dacoits! They have poisoned the poor nawab! Don't let them escape!" Eruch tried to pacify them, but to no avail.

At this point, the wife returned with the medicine. Seeing her husband unconscious, she started weeping and wailing. Loudly she shrieked, "I have been deprived of everything in this world! Only my husband was left with me, and now you have snatched him away!"

Eruch tried to calm her, "He will come around soon; he is not dead. Do not be distraught. He has been given a large sum of money. See that it is kept safe and spent on his treatment."

The man slowly opened his eyes, and tears flowed. "Why do you abuse them?" he said to his wife. "These men are the angels of God! Do you know what they've done?" The woman started offering her thanks for the timely help.

Eruch told her, "It is God's grace. Thank Him!" Baba had quickly slipped out the door so suddenly, some still thought he was in fact guilty of a crime.