|| chapter thirteen ||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter thirteen ||

|| some more sai leelas ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||
|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||
|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant tells us some more Sai Leelas, experiences of Bhimaji Patil, Bala Shimpe, Bapusaheb Booty, Kaka Mahajani and other matters.

THE POWER OF MAYA:

Whenever Baba spoke, He never wasted words. His sayings were always short, crisp and full of meaning. They were always well directed and fully balanced. His words were never meant to hurt anyone, even by intonation. His voice and the selection of words had always the love and affection of a caring mother towards her child. Except for His devotees, He never cared for anything.

In fact, He had no attachments with this materialistic world. He was fully contented. Still, He used to say, “Maya teases Me. I may forget Myself, but I cannot forget Her. She is always after me, even though I am a fakir, even though I do not have a house or a wife. When even God Brahma and others could not escape her clutches, what about an ordinary fakir like Me? Only those who seek refuge in God by continuous bhagavannama smarana can escape from Her grip.” The power of Maya is, indeed, inscrutable. To escape from the clutches of Maya, ordinary mortals like us have only one way out - to submit completely to Baba. Sri Krishna had told Uddhava that saints are dear to Him and they are His own images.

For the welfare of His devotees, Baba further says, “Only those who are fortunate and whose sins have been washed away by good deeds can take to My worship. If you keep saying ‘Sai, Sai’ with complete belief I will take you over the seven seas. You will be certainly benefited. I do not need any eight fold yogas or sixteen fold poojas to please Me. I reside where there is love and devotion.” What Baba did to those who submitted to Him completely, is illustrated in the following stories.

BHIMAJI PATIL’S STORY:

This is the story of a person whose misdeeds in the previous life cast a long shadow in his present life. However much a person may try to avoid the effects of such misdeeds, Maya does not release her stranglehold so easily. A deeper understanding of this story will help us get over the eternal cycle of birth and death.

Bhimaji Patil was a resident of Narayanagaon in Junnar Taluqa of Poona District. He was a happy man and used to take good care of whoever visited him. Slowly and steadily, the effects of the good deeds he had done earlier waned off, and the effects of the misdeeds overtook him. Initially he became slightly unwell. He tried all kinds of medicines, none of which cured him. The disease ultimately settled down in his lungs as tuberculosis. In the year 1909 AD there was no treatment for that disease. When he realized that there was no hope for him, as a last resort, he prayed, “Narayana, help me!” It is a fact that we remember Him only in adversity. And God inspired him to write a letter to Nanasaheb Chandorkar. He wrote in his letter that he was suffering from tuberculosis and all the treatments he tried were useless. He also wrote that he had lost all hopes and would like to meet Nanasaheb before he breathed his last. Seeing this letter, Nanasaheb was deeply moved and replied that Patil should immediately meet Baba at Shirdi as He alone can save him. With a great deal of hope, Bhimaji Patil was taken to Shirdi. Not satisfied with the letter alone, Nanasaheb also went to Shirdi. Patil was carried to the masjid and placed in front of Baba. Shyama was also present there.

After seeing Patil, Baba told him that the disease was the effect of misdeeds in the previous life and that He did not want to interfere. Hearing these words, Patil was completely heartbroken and began to cry. He pleaded mercy from Baba and told Him that he had come to Him as the last resort. If Baba did not help him, then death alone was the option for him. Kind hearted and always at the behest of His devotees, Baba said, “Don’t worry, My child. The moment you entered the masjid, your sufferings have come to an end. The Fakir here is kind and will cure the disease. He will protect all with love and kindness.” Before he entered Baba’s presence, Bhimaji Patil used to vomit blood every five minutes. From the moment Baba uttered the above words, Patil was on the way of improvement, and he did not vomit at all. The very sight of Baba gave him a new energy and he was able to stand up and move on his own. Baba asked him to stay at Bhimabai’s house. It was not a convenient and healthy house. The floor was not properly laid, it was an uneven earthen floor and damp. Patil spread a gunny bag on the floor and slept in that house. He had decided to follow Baba’s words as if they were commands. While he was staying there, Baba cured Bhimaji Patil’s disease with two dreams.

In the first dream, Patil saw himself as a boy. His class teacher was flogging him for not reciting ‘Sawai-poetry’ lesson. The lesson ran something like this:

“She, to whom, stepping into any other house (except her own) is like stepping on a snake’s head;
The words from whose mouth are as hard to obtain, as wealth from a miser’s hands;
To whom, her husband’s company is the highest happiness, though there be no wealth in the house;
And, who acts calmly, with her husband’s approval;
Only she is the true ‘sati’ amongst men.”

The flogging was causing Bhimaji severe, unbearable pain.

In the second dream, the pain was even more severe and intense as some one was rolling a very heavy stone up and down over his chest. As he endured such severe and intense pain in the two dreams, Bhimaji Patil was cured of his tuberculosis. With tears of joy overflowing down his face, he laid his forehead on Baba’s feet. He had not imagined that the aftermath of so much beating and suffering could be so blissful. He went home happily and used to come to Shirdi, gratefully remembering what Baba did for him. Baba also did not expect anything in return from His devotees, except gratitude, unflinching faith and devotion. People in our country perform Sri Satyanarayana Vratam once in a fortnight or a month. It was Bhimaji Patil who first started a new vratam called as Sri Sai Satya Vratam. He regularly performed this vratam in his village on every Thursday and he used to read the three chapters of Bhakta Leelamrit written by Dasganu Maharaj which contained Sai Baba’s stories.

BALA GANPAT SHIMPI’S STORY:

Another staunch devotee of Baba, Bala Ganpat Shimpi once fell ill. It started with ordinary fever. Then it took a turn for worst and became a very malignant form of malaria. Shimpi tried various medicines from allopathy, homeopathy, ayurveda etc. There was no benefit from any and the fever did not subside at all. Then leaving everything aside, he went to Dwarakamai, and fell at the feet of Baba. This time Baba’s treatment was different. He told Shimpi, “Mix rice (cooked) and curd and feed a black dog in front of the Lakshmi Temple”. Bala Shimpi did not know how to implement this. When he went home, he found cooked rice and curd readily available. He mixed the two and took the curd rice to the Lakshmi Temple. The moment he went there, a black dog came to him, wagging its tail. Bala Shimpi fed the curd rice to the dog. After eating the curd rice completely, the black dog gave a grateful look to Shimpi and left.

The moment the black dog completed eating curd rice, Bala Shimpi’s fever started receding. Very shortly he was normal once again. Baba’s treatment varied with each devotee and was never orthodox.

BAPUSAHEB BOOTY’S STORY:

Once Bapusaheb Booty was suffering from dysentery and vomiting. The purging and vomiting were so frequent that Booty became very weak. He could neither get up nor walk. Because of this, he could not even go for Baba’s darshan. One day, Baba sent for him. Baba saw that Booty had become very weak. So, He made him sit in front of Him and told very strongly, “Take care! No more purging from now on.” Then Baba raised His index finger and pointing at Bapusaheb Booty said, “Vomiting also should stop”. The power of Baba’s words was so much that both the diseases simply vanished, leaving Bapusaheb Booty completely healthy. There was not even a trace of Booty having suffered those diseases.

On another occasion, Bapusaheb Booty became a victim of cholera and suffered from acute thirst. His doctor Dr. Pillai gave him almost all the medicines he had in his almirah, but nothing happened and Booty continued to suffer. So, one day he went to Baba, fell at His feet and prayed that Baba should do something to stop his suffering. Baba, this time, gave a totally different prescription. He asked Booty to finely powder few almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and mix them thoroughly. This mixture was to be added to boiling milk. Sugar was to be added for taste. Booty was asked to drink this milk shake. The moment he took a glassful of this milk shake, his long standing thirst and cholera both just disappeared. When Dr. Pillai came to know about it, he was shocked as the above dispensation was fatal for cholera. It was only the power of Baba which treated the patients and not the prescriptions He gave. Had any other doctor given the same prescriptions, the patients would have long ceased to exist. Great saints and sages who possess great powers are very miserly in using their powers. But Baba was so compassionate and kind towards His devotees that He just did not care for anything. To Him His devotees came first. To such an affectionate and considerate sadguru, let us submit ourselves completely and prostrate at the feet of Baba.

ALANDI SWAMI’S STORY:

Once, a swami from Alandi came to Shirdi for Baba’s darshan. He was suffering from severe earache. Before coming to Shirdi, he underwent an operation also. Still, there was no relief. Because of the earache, he could not sleep. When he went for Baba’s darshan, Shyama was also there. He requested Baba to do something so that the pain in the ear of the swami would subside, and he could be normal again. Baba told Shyama, “Allah will cure all diseases.” The moment Baba uttered these words, swami felt an improvement. Later on the swami went to Poona and wrote a letter to Shirdi that the pain in his ear had come down, but the swelling was still there. Then he went to Bombay to get the swelling operated upon. When the surgeon saw the ear, he said that surgery was not at all required and that the swelling would also reduce very shortly. Baba’s words were so effective and powerful.

KAKA MAHAJANI’S STORY:

Kaka Mahajani was one of the intimate devotees of Baba. Once, he was suffering from diarrhoea. It did not abate even after a week. He did not tell Baba, as he thought that Baba knew everything, He did not ask Baba to help him as he knew that when time came Baba Himself would treat him. He was so devoted that his only desire was that his service to Baba should not be interrupted because of his disease. So, he kept a pot of water in the masjid for use when ever required. He was participating in the daily aarathis also.

During that period Baba had permitted the relaying of the floor of the courtyard in the masjid. He had asked the work to commence after His return from Lendi garden. As was His routine He went to Lendi garden. He came back after some devotees from Kopergaon and some from Bombay came for His darshan. Patil had come from Andheri. He worshipped Baba with flowers. At that time the workers were digging the earth to level it. Kakasaheb was softly pressing Baba’s feet. Suddenly, Baba became wild with anger and started shouting. All those who were there got scared and ran away helter-skelter, leaving behind whatever they were having. Among the left outs was a bag containing roasted groundnuts.

Kaka also wanted to run away. As soon as he got up to go, Baba caught hold of him and made him sit. He took the bag of groundnuts, took out a handful of them, blew the husk and gave the clean nuts to Kaka for eating. With Kaka, Baba also ate some. In between He was shouting. This process of eating groundnuts and shouting continued for some time. After all the groundnuts were consumed, Baba told Kaka that He was thirsty and wanted some water. Kaka brought a pot of water. Baba drank some and made Kaka also drink some. After the drinking of water was over, Baba told Kaka, “Now your diarrhoea is cured. Go and supervise the flooring work.” When they saw Baba in a pleasant mood once again, all those who had ran away, came back and the flooring work continued. Kaka Mahajani was normal once again. If we assume that groundnuts are a treatment for diarrhoea, we will be making a big mistake. Groundnuts aggravate diarrhoea. What cured Kaka was Baba’s power. His immense love for His devotee was the real treatment.

DATTOPANT’S STORY:

A resident of Harda, Dattopant was suffering from stomach pain for 14 long years. No medicine, either from allopathy or homoeopathy or ayurveda could relieve him of his pain. He was totally resigned to his fate. It was during that time that he heard someone take Baba’s name. Immediately he rushed to Shirdi and fell at Baba’s feet and prayed, “Baba, I am suffering from this pain for 14 years. I can’t bear it any more. To the best of my knowledge, I have not troubled anyone. I did not ill treat my parents. I do not know what misdeeds I committed in my previous life to suffer so much pain in this life. Have mercy on me, Baba. You are my last resort.” Baba was very much moved. He gave him vibhuti prasadam and blessed him by slowly caressing his head with His hand. Baba asked him to stay in Shirdi for some days. Dattopant’s stomach pain had not only subsided, but cured also. He did not get stomach pain again any time.

Gangadhar Pant, elder brother of Kaka Mahajani, also suffered from stomach pain for several years. When he heard about Baba’s reputation, he immediately came to Shirdi and prostrated at Baba’s feet. Gangadhar Pant told Baba about his pain and prayed Baba to relieve him of his pain. Very compassionately Baba touched a particular spot on his stomach and asked him, “Does it pain here, Allah will cure you.” From that moment onwards, Gangadhar Pant did not have any stomach pain.

Nanasaheb Chandorkar also suffered from stomach pain. He was restless entire day and night. His doctors gave him injections but to no avail. Next day he went to Baba. Baba casually asked him to eat burfi - a sweet preparation of milk and sugar. Being an ardent devotee of Baba, Nanasaheb immediately took burfi and was relieved of the pain. It was not the prescription but Baba’s power of divine love that cured all the diseases.

Shyama learnt this lesson in a hard way. Once he suffered from piles and Baba treated him with decoction of sonamukhi. After two years, the pain relapsed. Knowing that Baba had prescribed decoction of sonamukhi earlier, Shyama took the same again, without consulting Baba. That immediately aggravated the disease. He went once again to Baba, and because of His love, Shyama was cured.

As Shyama learnt the bitter lesson, we should also remember that it was Baba’s power of divine love that was behind all the treatments. What He gave the patients was only superficial. Groundnuts or burfi have never been known to cure any disease. The compassion, the love, affection and the concern for the welfare of His devotees was the real medicine that cured the patients. To that divine figure, to that graceful figure we prostrate and submit ourselves completely.

With this the thirteenth chapter, called as Some More Sai Leelas, is complete. In the next chapter, Hemad Pant tells us about Ruttonji Wadia of Nanded, Saint Moulisaheb, Dakshina Meemaansa and other matters.

|| Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu || Shubham Bhavatu ||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti