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260 SPIRIT AND THE MIND
a few close students, he had gone to his devotees in the large auditorium without giving me a glance. Seated in a large silver juela (swing), surrounded by pillows and flowers, he would swing to the celestial sounds of India’s foremost musicians—a vision fit for angels and gods.
But too late for me to see. The auditorium was packed to its twenty thousand capacity and I was some distance away, alone in a quiet and darkening night. Only from afar could I hear the happy sounds of celebration.
Standing on the edge of the veranda, looking out over the carefully groomed grounds and into the dark night, all I could see was my alone- ness. No more last gentle moment in his presence before departing.
Memories of the past few days lightened my spirits. Along with about 200,000 others, my wife, twin daughters and I had witnessed a multi-dimensional unfolding of grandeur rarely seen in a lifetime. Besides the large events involving the vast crowds, there were also touching and cherished personal moments with Baba as when he first made contact with my innocent young 13-year-old daughters. Having waited patiently for days, sitting in the sun with the large throng, hoping for just a glimpse or a smile, how thrilling when he finally approached. While passing, Sai Baba unexpectedly turned to them, charging them with delight when he materialized rock candy and threw it gently in their laps.
Then the time when we sat with him as a family, discussing the education of our daughters and the work we were to do in the future. Suddenly he turned to me, eyes a twinkle, and reached for my ring which he had materialized four years earlier. Holding it out for my family to see, he asked softly, “Do you want gold?” Surprised and hesitatingly, I answered, “Not necessarily, Swami—just your love.” “No, no, gold,” he replied, and with that held the silver ring to his lips. With three slow deliberate breaths, in a miraculous and dazzling instant, it was transformed into a bright glittering gold ring with his picture on the surface.1 It was an entirely new ring. To my surprise he did not return it to my left finger where the other had been, but instead to my right, where it was a perfect fit. Later I found it too large for my left ring finger. For some unknown reason he made the ring specifically for the right.
Yes, I had many marvelous memories—as when he gave three


































































































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