The Hand Behind

A devotee once left his young child at home while attending to his work. The day passed as usual, with nothing to suggest anything unusual.

At home, the child was playing near the courtyard. In a moment of distraction, he moved toward a place that was not safe. There was no one immediately near to stop him.

Yet, just as he was about to step further, he suddenly paused—as if held back by something unseen. He turned away and returned to where he had been playing. Those at home noticed nothing at that moment.

Later, when the incident came to light, it was clear how close he had come to harm. The devotee was troubled by the thought. When he came to Sai Baba, he spoke of what had happened. Baba listened and said simply,

“Why fear when I am here?”

There was no further explanation. For the devotee, the words were enough. What had not been seen did not need to be shown.

Moral

Protection does not always appear—but it is not absent.