Destiny Appeased

Ram Ratan Verma's daughter was of marriageable age, but the planet Mars was in the seventh house of her horoscope. The astrologers predicted that if the groom were not a Mangali (particular astrological sign) boy, their married life would not last more than four years. Verma was not able to find such a groom, so her marriage remained unsettled.

One day Baba came to their house, and while Verma's daughter Shanti was making roti for Baba, he said to Verma, "Settle your daughter's marriage."

Verma said that although he had tried, he had not succeeded in his efforts. Baba sent for the girl from the kitchen and read her palm.

Shanti was happy to think that Baba would tell her something about her future, but Baba spat into her palm instead. Everyone laughed. Shanti also laughed and went off to do her work. Nobody understood it at the time, but Baba changed the influence of her horoscope, which was obstructing her marriage.

Baba suggested a boy from Jaipur and asked Verma to get Shanti married to him. Verma said that it was not possible since the boy's family had already received a marriage proposal from a girl in their local community. Baba at once said, "Their purpose will not be served. You talk."

Baba's words came true. Verma got an opportunity to initiate the topic of marriage with that family. The groom's family wanted the marriage to be performed without matching horoscopes. For his own satisfaction Verma asked for the boy's horoscope and consulted the astrologers, who told him that the boy was not Mangali and that there was the possibility of his death by drowning within four years.

The marriage was Baba's command, so plans went ahead. Still, Verma was worried in his heart. Thinking about his daughter's future, he became pensive, and his health began to suffer. When Baba arrived one day, Verma told him of his secret fears in the presence of other family members. Baba said, "It is the law of destiny, do it."

From the time Shanti arrived at her in-laws' house, she was concerned about her father's worry. She had done her best to persuade her husband not to bathe or swim in a river or lake, but she was not certain that he would comply.

One and a half years after their marriage, Shanti's husband, V.B. Singh, had just taken his exams in Lucknow when he met Baba and traveled with him to their house in Mainpuri. Baba went to bathe in the Yamuna River and took V.B. Singh and his cousin along with him. V.B. Singh did not dare to bathe in the river but had to get into the water on Baba's insitence. He thought of bathing in the shallow water, but Baba made him stand in front of him and knowingly pushed him from the back.

V.B. Singh fell into the river and was taken by the current. He did not know how to swim, so he sank in the water and was carried away for some distance. Baba followed him and rescued him. In this way Baba fulfilled the prophecy and also prevented his premature death. On returning to the house, Baba told Shanti's father, "Here is your son-in-law, now nothing will happen, even after four years."