||chapter forty-seven||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter forty-seven ||

|| baba’s reminiscences ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant describes the story of Veerabhadrappa and Chennabasappa and other matters.

SADGURU SAI:

Hey Jnanavatar Sri Sai! Beyond the reach of trigunas, how magnificent and beautiful is Your form! Hey Antaryami! We are ever grateful to your form. By a mere glance at Your form, all our karmaphalas of the previous lives will be destroyed and the doors of permanent happiness will be wide open! But, Oh our beloved Sai! This can happen only if You direct Your natural benign look over us. By Your look alone, all our bondages are broken loose and happiness accrues to us. By taking bath in river Ganga, all our sins will be washed away, but, Ganga Mayi will also be eagerly awaiting the coming of great saints with the hope that they would come and purify her with the touch of their holy feet. And Sai is the crown jewel among the saints.

SERPENT AND THE FROG:

Once, Baba was sitting in the masjid amidst devotees. Thinking of some recent events, Baba started telling the following story. Let us hear the story in Baba’s words.

“One day around 8.00 in the morning, after finishing My morning nourishment, I went for a stroll. Walking along, I reached the banks of a small river. As I was tired, I sat there and rested awhile. After some time, I washed My hands and feet and then took bath. Only then, My fatigue vanished and I was feeling refreshed. A track for carts and a small foot path for walkers passed from there. Both sides of this road were covered by dense and huge trees. Cool breeze was flowing gently. While I was filling up the chillum, I heard the wailing sound of a frog. When I was about to ignite the chillum, a passerby saw Me. He came near and sat beside Me. He bowed to Me and then started insisting that I should go to his house, have food and rest. He ignited the chillum and extended it to Me. The wailing sound of the frog was heard once again. The frog was no where in sight and the stranger was curious to know its significance. I told him that the frog was in trouble and was experiencing the karmaphala of its previous life. I also told him that it had to undergo the karmaphala and there was no use of wailing. He took one puff from the chillum and said, “Let me go and see what the matter is.” When he wanted to go in search of the frog, I told him that the frog was wailing as a huge serpent had held it in its mouth. Both were very wicked in the previous life and are reaping the benefits of their past life now. He went in search of the frog and saw that a huge serpent had indeed held it in its mouth.

He came back and informed Me that in about 10 or 12 minutes, the serpent would swallow the frog. I said, “No. This can never happen. I am its protector and present here. How dare the serpent swallow the frog? Come and see how I will protect it.” After having a second puff, we both went to the place where the serpent and the frog were there. The stranger was scared that the serpent may attack us and tried to prevent Me going further. Ignoring him, I went near the two and said, “Arey Veerabhadrappa! Has not your enmity ended even after you have become a snake and Chennabassappa has become a frog? At least now shrug off your hatred. This is very shameful. Discard your jealousy and leave in peace.” Hearing this, the serpent let off the frog and slid into the river. The frog also jumped into the nearby bushes.

The stranger was very much surprised and several questions arose in his mind. He did not understand why the serpent let off the frog after listening to Me and who were Veerabhadrappa and Chennabassappa. What was the reason for their rivalry? I took him back to the same tree where we had sat earlier and made him sit. It was the same river bank and cool breeze was flowing slowly. I started telling him.

‘About 4 to 5 miles from My residence, there was a holy temple of Mahadev. The temple was old and dilapidated and the local residents had started a charity collection for the renovation of the temple. After enough money was collected, arrangements for daily pooja were made initially and then plans with estimates were prepared for the reconstruction of the building. A rich local man was made treasurer and entrusted with the responsibility of looking after the entire project. The treasurer had to keep an account of the progress, expenses and was expected to be honest in all his dealings. The man selected was a great miser. He spent minimum amount for the repairs of the building because of which the renovation was also of a very poor quality. The man showed that the entire collected amount was spent, usurped enough funds and did not spend anything from his own purse. He was a glib talker and some how or other convinced the residents that everything was alright. The temple, however, remained more or less as it was before. The residents were worried. They again went to the rich man and said, “Seth saheb, without your efforts, this work can never be completed. Please make fresh plans for the temple. We will collect some more money.” The seth took the collected money, but remained without doing anything. The temple, even after the second charity collections, remained more or less as it was before.

After some days, his wife had a vision. Lord Shankara appeared in her dream and said, “Get up and build the Kalash on the temple. Whatever money you spend for this purpose, I will give you hundred times that amount.” The wife was a simple lady. Next morning she told her husband about the vision. The seth was scared that this would involve more money and expenses, so he laughed and told his wife, “It is only a dream. Does anyone believe in dreams? If it was true, Lord Mahadev would have appeared before me and told me the same. Was I far away from you? This dream does not augur well for us. It is meant only to disrupt the relationship between the husband and wife. So be completely at peace. After all, where is the necessity of such money to God, which has been collected against the wishes of the giver? God always hungers after love and will gladly accept even a small copper coin offered with love and devotion.”

Lord Shankara again appeared in her dream and said, “Don’t listen to your husband’s idle talk. Don’t think of the collected money and don’t insist on him to renovate the temple. I am indeed thirsty of your love and devotion. Whatever you want to spend, do it from your own money.” The lady decided to talk to her husband and use the ornaments her father had given her for this noble purpose. The husband became restless and this time decided to cheat the God also. He bought the complete set of his wife’s ornaments for an undervalued price of Rs.1, 000/- and in lieu of the amount gave part of a barren land for the temple as endowment or security. The wife agreed to this without any complaint. The land which the seth had given was not his own. It belonged to a poor lady ‘Dubaki’ who had mortgaged it to the seth for Rs.200/-. That lady could not repay the amount and get her mortgage released. The seth thus cheated his wife, Dubaki and even God. As the land was full of boulders, even at the best of times, nothing could be cultivated there. Thus the transaction ended. The land was given to the pujari of the temple who was happy with getting it as endowment.

After some time a miracle took place. There was torrential rain with lightening and thunderstorms. A bolt of lightening fell on the Seth’s house. Both the husband and wife died instantly. Dubaki also died. Subsequently, the seth was born to a brahmin couple in Mathura. The baby was named ‘Veerabhadrappa’. The wife was born as a daughter to the pujari of the temple and was named ‘Gauri’. Dubaki took birth as a baby boy in the Gurav family of the servant of the temple and was named ‘Chennabasappa’. The pujari was a friend of Mine. He often came to Me for discussions and shared chillum with Me. His daughter was also a devotee of Mine. The girl was growing up fast and the parents were worried about finding a suitable groom for her. I told them that they need not worry as the groom will come to their doorstep asking for the bride. Few days later a boy of their sect by name Veerabhadrappa came begging to their house. With My approval Gauri’s marriage was fixed with Veerabhadrappa. Earlier, he was also My devotee, but subsequently he became very ungrateful. His lust for money did not subside in his new birth also.

As he was married, he asked Me to suggest a livelihood for him. Then another miracle happened. Suddenly the prices of commodities began to rise. Because of Gauri’s fortune, the prices of the lands also shot up. The entire land she inherited from her father was sold for Rs. 1, 00,000/- which was nearly 100 times the value of her ornaments in her earlier life. It was decided that Rs. 50,000/- would be paid in cash immediately and the remaining in 25 instalments of Rs.2, 000/- each. Though the transaction was agreeable to all, division of the funds raised problems. The husband wanted a greater share. Then they came to Me for advice. I told them that the land belonged to the God and was given to the pujari as endowment. The real owner of the land is Gauri and not even a pice could be spent against her wishes. I also told them that the husband had no right over the funds. Veerabhadrappa was angry with Me and commented that I wanted to embezzle the money by being soft to Gauri. I closed My ears, took God’s name and remained silent. The husband beat Gauri severely.

One afternoon, Gauri came to Me and said, “Please don’t get offended by their words. I am after all your daughter. Please have a benign look on me.” When she said this and surrendered to Me, I promised her that even if I had to cross the seven seas, I would protect her all the times. That night she had a vision. Lord Shankara appeared in her dream and said, “All the money is yours. Don’t give anything to anyone. With Chennabasappa’s advice, spend some money for the temple. If you want to spend for some other purpose, go to masjid and seek Baba’s advice.” Gauri told Me about her vision. I advised her to keep the principal amount with her and give a part of the interest amount to Chennabasappa. I also told her that Veerabhadrappa does not have any share in this. When we were talking these things, both Veerabhadrappa and Chennabasappa came there quarrelling with each other. I tried to pacify both of them and explained them about Gauri’s vision.

Veerabhadrappa was mad with anger and threatened that he would slice Chennabasappa to pieces. Chennabasappa was timid. He caught hold of My feet and begged for protection. Then I got him released from his enemy. Some time later, both of them died. Veerabhadrappa was reborn as the serpent and Chennabasappa was born as the frog. Hearing Chennabasappa’s wailing for help, and remembering My earlier assurance; I came here and kept up My word by saving him from the serpent. In times of his distress, God always speeds to the rescue of His devotees. By sending Me here, God has saved Chennabasappa. All these are God’s Leelas.’”

MORAL:

The moral of the story is that ‘As you sow, so you reap till the harvest is exhausted.’ Until all the balance of payments and dealings with others are satisfactorily completed, there is no possibility of redemption. Lust for money pulls a man down to the lowest level and destroys him ultimately.

With this, the forty seventh chapter, called as Baba’s Reminiscences, is complete. In the next chapter, Hemad Pant describes stories of Shevade and Sapatnekar and other matters.

|| Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu | Shubham Bhavatu ||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

||chapter forty-six||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter forty-six ||

|| the story of the goats ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant describes Baba’s Gaya trip, story of the goats and other matters.

SADGURU SAI:

Sadguru Sai! Blessed are Your divine feet! How comforting is the remembrance of those lotus feet! Blessed is the darshan of Your divine form, which destroys the fear of this mundane world. It is because of You that all our bondages due to Karma are cut to pieces! Although we are not able to see Your Saguna form, even then if the devotees focus their attention at Your divine feet, You grant them a living experience. By an invisible attractive force, You pull the devotees, whether they are near or far off, to Your presence and embrace them like a new mother. Hey Sai! Devotees do not know where You reside, but You inspire them with such dexterity that because of it they feel that Your protective hand is always on their head and it is only because of Your Kripa-Dhrishti that they are always getting help from unknown sources. Engulfed by egoism, even people of highest level of intelligence and cleverness get sucked into the whirlpool of this Bhavasagara. But hey Sai! You, with only Your power, can pull out the helpless and dedicated devotees from this whirlpool and protect them. Being behind the screen, You are doing justice to all. Even then, You act as though You are not connected at all. Nobody could understand Your life. So, it is beneficial to us that we should surrender totally at Your divine feet, and to rid us of our sins, keep chanting only Your Nama smarana. You fulfill all the desires of Your desireless devotees and give them bliss. Reciting Your name alone is the easiest path for the devotees. By this method, the Rajas and Tamas qualities in them will decline and Satva and Dharmik qualities will enhance. Simultaneously with this, Viveka, Vairagya and Jnana will come one after the other. Then, Self-realization will dawn and they will feel oneness with the Guru, which also implies surrendering to the Guru completely. A conclusive proof of this is that then our mind will become steady and calm. The importance of this surrender, devotion and Jnana is unparalleled because along with this the attainment of tranquillity, detachment, fame, liberation etc, will naturally follow.

When Baba blesses His devotees, then He will always be near them. Wherever the devotee may go, somehow or other, Baba will always reach that place earlier than the devotee. The following story makes it clear.

BABA’S GAYA TRIP:

Sometime after Kakasaheb Dixit came to know Baba, he decided to perform the Upanayana (thread ceremony) of his eldest son, Babu at Nagpur. At about the same time, Nanasaheb Chandorkar also decided to perform the marriage of his eldest son at Gwalior. Both Kakasaheb and Nanasaheb went to Shirdi and requested Baba to attend the functions. Baba asked them to take Shyama as His representative. Both Kakasaheb and Nanasaheb were unrelenting and insisted on Baba coming personally to the two functions. Baba said, “Take Shyama. After Kashi and Prayag, I will reach earlier than Shyama.” These words show Baba’s all pervasiveness, if a proof was ever required.

Shyama went to Baba and after prostrating at His feet, sought His permission to go to Nagpur and Gwalior for the functions and then visit Kashi, Prayag and Gaya. On 25 February 1912, Shyama engaged a Tonga and went to Kopergaon. There he met Appa Kote. Appa was going somewhere else, but when he heard about Shyama’s programme, he also decided to join Shyama. Their first halt was at Nagpur. They attended the Upanayana ceremony of Kakasaheb’s son. Kakasaheb was very happy that they were able to come and participate. He presented Rs.200/- to Shyama towards their travel expenses. From there they proceeded to Gwalior to attend Nanasaheb Chandorkar’s son’s marriage. The function was performed very well and was also largely attended. After the marriage was over, Nanasaheb gave Rs.100/- to Shyama. Nanasaheb’s relative Mr Jathar also gave him Rs.100/-.

After attending these two functions, both Shyama and Appa Kote went to Kashi. They were very well received at Jathar’s beautiful Laxmi Narayana temple at Kashi. They stayed in Kashi for two months. When they went to Ayodhya, Jathar’s manager received them and treated them very well at the Ram Mandir there. Shyama and Kote stayed for 21 days in Ayodhya. Then they left for Gaya. While they were travelling in the train, they heard that plague was wide spread in Gaya. They felt slightly uneasy because of this news, but felt comforted by the thought that Baba was always with them. On arriving at Gaya, they got down from the train and stayed in a Dharmashala for the night. Early in the morning, a poojari of Gaya (Panda) came and told them that as all the other passengers have left, they should also make haste. This man usually took care of the needs of the pilgrims who came to Gaya. Quite casually Shyama asked whether there was plague in Gaya. Then the Panda said, “No. Please come to my house without any hesitation and verify the conditions yourself.” Then they both went to his house. Was that a house!! It was indeed a spacious bungalow wherein many transit pilgrims could comfortably stay. Shyama was very happy with the accommodation provided. He was greatly surprised that in the prime place of the building, a big portrait of Baba was beaming at him. On seeing this portrait, he was overwhelmed with joy. He remembered Baba’s words that He would be ahead of Shyama and tears started rolling down his cheeks. His throat choked and he began to sob.

The Panda thought that Shyama was scared of the plague and hence was crying. Sobbing, Shyama surprised him by asking him from where he secured the portrait of Baba. The Panda told him that he had some 200 to 300 agents working in Manmad and Punatambe for taking care of the comforts of pilgrims coming from those places to Gaya. He had heard from them about the fame of the saint Sai Baba who was in Shirdi. He also told them that about 12 years back he had gone to Shirdi and was fortunate to have the darshan of Sai Baba. In addition, he had also met a devotee of Baba by name Shyama. In Shyama’s, house he was attracted by this portrait and with Baba’s permission, Shyama had given it to him. Shyama recollected the event and when the Panda realised that this is the same Shyama who had given him the portrait and who is standing in front of him as a guest, his joy knew no bounds. Mutual exchange of love and affection took place and subsequently, the Panda treated Shyama like an emperor. He was a very rich man. He sat in a palki and made Shyama ride an elephant and together they went round the place. The Panda attended to all the comforts and conveniences of both of them personally. After spending some time in Gaya, both Shyama and Appa Kote returned to Shirdi.

The above story clearly illustrates how much love Baba had for His devotees and how much care He took of them. As He said, He was ahead of Shyama, and even though there was news of plague in Gaya, He ensured that both His devotees were very comfortable and were even treated like royal guests. The next story tells us that not only humans, but other beings also shared Baba’s infinite love. Baba’s love was universal.

THE STORY OF THE TWO GOATS:

Once, when Baba was returning from the Lendi Baug, a flock of goats crossed His path. Two among the flock looked at Baba desolately. Baba saw them, went to them, caressed and fondled. He bought both of them for Rs.32/- and brought them with Him. The devotees who saw this were aghast at His behaviour. Both the goats could have been bought for Rs.4/- or at the most Rs.8/-. The devotees thought that Baba was definitely duped in this bargain. Each of the devotees took Him to task, but Baba remained calm and cool. When Shyama and Tatya asked Baba why He had bought the goats, Baba said, “I have no home or wife for whom I need to save money.” Then He bought four seers of dal and fed the goats. After the goats happily consumed the food and Baba’s affection, Baba returned the goats to their earlier owner. Then Baba told the story of the goats as follows:

“Shyama and Tatya, you think that I have been duped in this bargain. Listen to their story. Both of them were human beings in their previous birth, and fortunately, were very close to Me. Both were brothers and loved each other profoundly. Gradually, with the coming of age, the love changed to dislike and then hatred. They became bitter enemies. The elder brother was lazy and the younger one was hard working and earned lot of money. Because of this, the elder one was jealous and greedy. He decided to kill his younger brother and usurp all his property. They forgot their fraternal links and began to quarrel with each other. The elder one made several attempts to kill the younger one but was not successful. Thus they became deadly enemies. One day, the elder one gave a deadly blow on the head of the younger one. The younger one felled the elder one with an axe and both fell dead on the spot. Because of their actions, they took birth as goats. As they passed Me, I recognized them at once and remembered their history. Pitying them, I wanted to feed them, give them rest and comfort. For this reason, I spent the money which appeared to you as exorbitant. As you did not like the transaction, I sent them back to their shepherd.” Baba had abundant love for even animals like the goats.

With this, the forty sixth chapter, called as The Story of the Goats, is complete. In the next chapter, Hemad Pant describes story of Veerabhadrappa and Chennabassappa and other matters.

|| Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu | Shubham Bhavatu ||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

||chapter forty-five||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter forty-five ||

|| anandrao’s vision ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant describes Kakasaheb’s doubt, Anandrao’s vision, wooden plank, Baba’s bedstead and other matters.

SADGURU SAI:

We saw how our beloved Baba transcended the three cubits of human form and acquired a form which is not bound by time or space. The Leelas which were described earlier had taken place because of the three cubits of body. After the transformation also, Leelas have been taking place in countless numbers. With devotees multiplying, Leelas also have increased several folds. Baba is always watchful and is protecting His devotees at all places and at all times. People, who were there in Shirdi a hundred years ago, were indeed very fortunate. If any of them did not achieve detachment for the sense objects, it was very unfortunate of them. What is required is hearted devotion to Baba. All our senses, body and mind should be focussed at the divine feet of Baba. It will serve no purpose, if some organs are worshipping and other organs are diverting attention. Meditation should be done with all the senses, body and mind thinking of only Baba.

The relation between a disciple and the Guru is often compared to that of a pativrata with her husband. This is inadequate as the disciple’s relationship far exceeds the other one in scope. The Guru gives the disciple what nobody else can give. Not even mother, father, brother or any other relation can help the disciple in attaining the goal of life, which only a Guru can do. The Guru teaches us to discriminate between the real and the unreal and discard the unreal. He also teaches us to renounce, control the mind and senses and aspire for liberation. When realisation dawns on us that Brahman is none other than the Guru, we begin to worship the Brahman in all the beings, human and otherwise. This is the unifying worship. When we thus worship Brahman or Guru whole heartedly, we become one with Him and attain Self-realization. Chanting the name of the Guru, and meditating Him, enables us to see Him in all beings and confers us eternal bliss.

KAKASAHEB’S STORY:

Baba had asked Kakasaheb Dixit to read daily the two works of Sant Eknath, namely: 1. Bhagavat and 2. Bhavartha Ramayana. Kakasaheb followed this practice regularly. Once, Kakasaheb was reading these books in Kaka Mahajani’s house in Chowpati, Bombay. He was reading Bhagavat that day. Shyama (Madhavarao Deshpande) was also there with him. Both Madhavarao Deshpande and Kaka Mahajani were listening very attentively to what Kakasaheb was reading. It was the eleventh skanda and second chapter. The chapter describes how the nine Nathas or Siddhas (Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Drumil, Chamas and Karabhajan) of the Rishabha family explained the principles of Bhagavat Dharma to King Janaka. King Janaka asked most important questions to all of them and everyone answered satisfactorily. Kavi explained what Bhagavat Dharma was. Hari explained the qualities of a Bhakta. Antariksha defined Maya. Prabuddha told how to overcome Maya. Pippalayana explained Parabrahma. Avirhotra told in detail what Karma was. Then Drumil told Janaka about the incarnations of God and the deeds done in each incarnation. Chamas explained in detail how a non devotee fares after death. Lastly Karabhajan told King Janaka the different ways of worshipping God in different ages. In Kali Yuga, the prescribed form of worship was the chanting of Sri Hari’s or Guru’s name and prostrating at the divine feet.

After reading the above passage, Kakasaheb was in a despondent mood. He told Madhavarao and others, “How wonderful is the discourse of the Nathas on Bhakti! The Nathas were perfect, but is it possible for ignorant people like us to attain the levels described by them? How difficult it is to practice these methods? When we can’t reach those levels of Bhakti, even after several births, how are we to get salvation? It looks like there is no hope for us!” Shyama did not like this pessimistic attitude. He questioned, “Why should we feel dejected, when we have unwavering faith in Baba? The Bhakti of Nathas may be strong and powerful, but so is our love and affection for our Guru. Has not Baba told us authoritatively that remembering and chanting Hari’s and Guru’s name confers salvation? Where is the cause for fear and anxiety? It is a pity that when, by our good luck, we have such a Guru as Baba, we should feel dejected.” Kakasaheb was not satisfied by Madhavarao’s explanation. He continued to be anxious, thinking about how to get the powerful Bhakti of the Nathas. Next morning the following miracle took place.

ANANDRAO’S VISION:

A gentleman by name Anandrao Pakhade came in search of Madhavrao. Kakasaheb’s reading of Bhagavat was going on and Anandrao went and sat next to Madhavrao. He was whispering something in low tone to Madhavrao. As this disturbed the concentration of Kakasaheb, he stopped the reading and asked Madhavrao what the matter was. Madhavrao said, “Yesterday you expressed your doubt. Here is the explanation for that. Listen to Mr Pakhade about his vision. It explains the devotion which can save the devotee and tells us that bowing to or worshipping of Guru’s feet is sufficient.” Everyone was very anxious to hear about the vision, particularly Kakasaheb. Anandrao Pakhade started telling about his vision.

“I was standing in a deep sea at a place where the water was waist deep. All of a sudden, I saw Sai Baba. He was sitting on a beautiful throne studded with diamonds. His feet were in water. This form of Baba was most satisfying and pleasing to me. The vision was so real that I never thought that it was a dream. Curiously enough, Madhavrao was also standing there. With feeling, he told me, ‘Anandrao, fall at Baba’s feet.’ I replied, ‘I also wish to do so, but His feet are in water. How can I place my head on them? I am helpless.’ Hearing this, Madhavrao told Baba, ‘Oh Deva, please take out Your feet which are in water.’ Then Baba immediately took out His feet. I caught them immediately and bowed to them. On seeing this, Baba blessed me and said, ‘Go now. You will attain your welfare. There is no cause for fear and anxiety.’ He also said, ‘Give a silk bordered dhoti to my Shyama. You will benefit.’”

In compliance with Baba’s order, Anandrao had brought the dhoti and requested Kakasaheb to give it to Madhavarao. Madhavarao refused to accept it saying that unless Baba asked him to take it, he would not accept. After some discussion, Kakasaheb decided to cast lots. Kakasaheb invariably followed the practice of casting lots in all doubtful matters and to follow the decision as shown by the picked up chit or lot. In this case, two chits were written, ‘Accept’ and ‘Reject’. Both the chits were placed at the feet of Baba’s picture and a child was asked to pick one of them. The ‘Accept’ chit was picked up. The dhoti was handed over to Madhavrao. Thus both Anandrao and Madhavrao were satisfied. Kakasaheb’s doubts were also clarified.

This story tells us to give respect to the sayings of other saints, but at the same time we must have full faith in our Guru and follow his instructions. This is because only he knows our welfare better than any other person. The following words of Baba should be etched in our hearts, “There are innumerable saints in this world. But, our Guru is the Father (real Guru). Others may say many good things, but we should never forget our Guru’s words. In short, love your Guru whole heartedly, surrender to him completely, and prostrate before Him reverentially. Then you will see that there is no Bhavasagara for you to cross, just as there is no darkness for the Sun.”

STORY OF THE WOODEN PLANK:

As we saw earlier, in Chapter 10, Baba slept on a wooden plank, four arms in length and only a span in breadth with small diyas (earthen lamps) glowing brightly at the four corners of the plank. Later on, He broke it into pieces and threw it away. Some time later, Baba was describing the importance of the plank to Kakasaheb. After hearing it, Kakasaheb said, “If You still love the wooden plank, I will again suspend one in the masjid, so that You can sleep comfortably.” Baba replied, “I don’t like to sleep above, leaving Mhalsapathi lying down on the ground.” Then Kakasaheb said, “I will provide a plank for Mhalsapathi also.” Baba said, “How can he sleep on the plank? It is not easy to sleep on the plank high above. Only he, who has many good qualities in him, can do that. He, who can sleep with his eyes wide open, can do that. When I go to sleep, I often ask Mhalsapathi to sit by My side, place his hand on My heart and watch the chanting of the Lord’s name there. If he finds Me sleepy, I told him to wake Me up. He can’t do even this. He gets drowsy and begins to nod his head. When I feel his hand becoming heavy as a stone on My heart and cry out, ‘Oh Bhagat’, he moves and opens his eyes. How can he, who can’t sit and sleep well on the ground, and whose asana (posture) is not steady; and a slave to sleep, can sleep high up on a plank?” On other occasions Baba, out of love for His devotees, used to say, “What is ours (good or bad) is with us, and what is another’s is with him.”

With this, the forty fifth chapter, called as Anandrao’s vision, is complete. In the next chapter, Hemad Pant describes Baba’s Gaya trip, story of the goats and other matters.

||Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu || Shubham Bhavatu||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

||chapters forty-three and forty-four||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapters forty-three and forty-four ||

|| the mahasamadhi (contd) ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

It is a common tradition among the Hindus that whenever someone is on the deathbed, continuous reading of Ramayana or Bhagavata or Bhagavad Gita is resorted to. This is done with a view to allow the dying person to withdraw his mind from the material world and fix his attention on God so that his subsequent journey to the other world would be smooth and easy. When King Parikshit, descendent of Pandavas, incurred the wrath of rishi Samika’s son and was cursed to die because of a snake bite within a week, the great sage Shuka narrated the Bhagavata Purana during the entire week. Listening to Bhagavata, Parikshit was able to focus his attention on the God and attain moksha. This practice is in vogue even now. Baba did not need any such supports. As people usually follow the path set by great people, and to induce them to continue this practice, Baba requested one Mr. Vaze to read Ramavijaya to Him everyday. Vaze read the entire book in one week. Baba asked him to read it day and night. This time, Vaze finished the book in three days, thus completing eleven days of parayana. Baba asked him to read again. This time also he completed reading in three days and was totally exhausted. Baba allowed him to go. Baba started withdrawing all His attention from outside and focussed on Self.

A couple of days earlier, He stopped His morning walk and also His begging rounds. He simply sat in the masjid. Always conscious, He advised the devotees not to lose their peace and calm. Kakasaheb Dixit and Bapusaheb Booty were having their daily meals with Baba at the masjid. On Tuesday, 15th October, after the arati was over, He asked them to go to their homes and have their lunch and come back. Laxmibai Shinde, Nanasaheb Nimonkar, Bayaji, Laxman Bala Shimpi and Bhagoji Shinde were in the masjid. Shyama, who followed Baba like a shadow, sat desolately on the steps.

He was dreading about what could happen any moment. Inside the masjid, after giving nine coins to Laxmibai, Baba said that He was feeling suffocated there and asked to be taken to the Dagdi (stone) Wada of Booty, where He said that He could breathe freely. While saying these, He leaned on Bayaji’s body. Bhagoji put his hand near Baba’s nose and felt that the breathing had stopped. He told the same to Nanasaheb Nimonkar, who was sitting. Nanasaheb immediately brought holy water and trickled it into Baba’s mouth. The water dribbled out. Nanasaheb could no longer contain his emotions. He gave out a deep cry of anguish, “Oh, Deva”. It appeared as though Baba heard this and seemed to open His eyes and say, “Ah” in a very low tone, but by that time, Baba had already discarded the worn out body and had become omnipresent. From a single human form, He spread Himself to millions and millions of beings, all not necessarily human.

The people of Shirdi reacted very emotionally. The news spread like wild fire, and within no time everyone knew what had happened. They left everything behind them and ran to the masjid. They did not bother whether they had left their food half eaten, or even whether they were completely dressed or not. Their only thought was that the light in their life had gone and there was total darkness. Many worried that they could not be beside their guardian angel during His last moments. Others consoled them that it would not have mattered much. Some cried out loudly, and some others who were delicate, fell down unconscious. Some others who could not control their emotions wallowed on the street. Everyone was in deep shock and grief and everyone was crying miserably with tears flowing down like a deluge.

Someone in the crowd remembered Baba’s words. They said that Maharaj (Baba) had told that He would come back and this time He would come as a boy of eight year old. These were the words of a saint and nobody need doubt them. Earlier, Lord Vishnu did exactly like this. He had told Devaki in a dream that He would come to her as an eight year old boy. When Sri Krishna appeared before her, He was eight year old. Lord Krishna incarnated to lighten the burden of the mother earth. Sai Baba had incarnated for uplifting the devotees. The relationship of Baba with His devotees was not confined to this generation alone. This relationship has been going on for the last 72 generations. It looked as if the Maharaj had gone for a walk and the devotees had a firm belief that He would come back. That was the love Baba had given the people of Shirdi and that was the way they were responding to - with abundant love at the Mahasamadhi of their Maharaj.

Once they were reconciled to the fact that the Maharaj will not return to the same body, the next question arose - disposal of the body. The very thing which Baba struggled hard to remove, throughout His lifetime, reared up its ugly head now. There was a difference of opinion between the Hindus and the Muslims. The Muslims wanted to inter the body in an open space and build a tomb over it. Khushalchand and Amir Shakkar supported that view. But Ramachandra Patil, the head of Shirdi village, did not agree. He insisted, “Baba’s body should be placed only in the Wada.” People were divided on this issue and the body was kept waiting for 36 hours.

On Wednesday morning, Baba appeared in Laxman Mama Joshi’s dream and drawing him by His hand said, “Get up. Bapusaheb thinks that I am dead. So, he won’t come. Perform the pooja and the Kakad Arati.” Laxman Mama was the village astrologer and maternal uncle of Shyama. He was an orthodox Brahmin and only after worshipping Baba everyday in the morning, he used to worship other deities. For him, Baba was the God. After the vision was over, he took all the pooja material and immediately went to the masjid. In spite of strong protests from everyone there, performed the pooja and the Kakad Arati and after prostrating at the feet of Baba left that place. This raised a new hope in the hearts of the bereaved devotees. They felt that Baba had not gone anywhere, and is very much with them.

Bapusaheb Jog came at noon and performed the Noon Arati as usual and as if nothing had happened. All the devotees thought that they should respect and honour Baba’s wishes, and decided to place Baba’s body in the Wada and started digging the central portion there. On the evening of Tuesday, a sub-inspector from Rahata came. Devotees from other places also arrived in Shirdi. Amirbhai came from Bombay and Mamlatdar came from Kopergaon. They all agreed to the proposal to place the body in the Wada. Some, however, persisted with the idea of interring the body in the open space. The Mamlatdar took the opinion of all present there and found that the Wada proposal secured double the number of votes. To be on the safe side, the Mamlatdar thought of referring the matter to the Collector. Kakasaheb Dixit was prepared to meet the Collector and explain the matter. Meanwhile, by Baba’s intervention, the opinion of the people changed and everyone unanimously supported the Wada proposal.

On Wednesday evening, Baba’s body was taken in full procession with the chanting of ‘Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai’ and bhajans of Baba’s namavali. The body was then brought to the Wada. The central portion, the garbha, was already prepared. The body was interred there with all formalities and poojas. Baba occupied the place meant for Muralidhara. The Wada became a temple and Baba’s words, “After the temple is complete, I will stay there” proved true. The place Bapusaheb Booty built for Baba to stay became a shrine where millions and millions of people are visiting to find rest and peace.

Balasaheb Bhate and Upasani performed the obsequies with all formality and devotion. Professor Narke observed that even though the body was exposed for more than 36 hours, it did not become rigid and was as elastic as earlier and Baba’s kafni could be taken out without any difficulty.

BREAKING OF THE BRICK:

Baba had an old brick with Him. He loved that brick more than anything else. When He slept, He used the brick as a pillow. Baba used to say that the brick was presented to Him by His guru. Because of that, it was more valuable to Him than anything else in the world. Some days before Baba’s departure a young boy, Madhav False, was sweeping the floor, took the brick in his hand to clean the area below it. Unfortunately, it slipped from his hands and the brick broke into two pieces. This happened in Baba’s absence.

When Baba came to know of this, He was totally grief stricken. He cried, “It was My life-long companion. With it I always meditated on the Self. It is not the brick which has broken. My fate has broken to pieces. It has left Me today.” To those devotees who get the doubt as to why Baba grieved so much over an ordinary brick, Hemad Pant says that though Baba was God incarnate, He was still in human form. And as Baba Himself used to say, sometimes Maya overtook Him in spite of being alert always. Maya did not leave even Brahma. Under the spell of Maya, the God incarnate also laughs and cries like ordinary human beings.

FOUR MONTHS BEFORE:

Four months before Baba passed away, Baba asked Appa Bhil at about 8 pm, "Bring four fowls. Guests are to come". Imambhai Chotakhan, who was also present there at that time, wondered who the guests to come were. That night Imambhai stayed on behind the curtain, hanging in the mosque, and was awake. After 2 am, a huge ball of fire - over one foot in diameter - streamed into the mosque, and went up to the nimbar, in the western wall. It sat there for a while, then went up to the ceiling, split into innumerable fragments, spread throughout the mosque and lit up everything there with a blaze so powerful that it was difficult to see anything. Imambhai covered his eyes and bent his neck down. Appa Bhil, who was also with him, did the same. Then Baba went near the Dhuni, and placing one end of His short stick on His bent neck, said something in Arabic for about 10 or 15 minutes. The bright light disappeared as soon as Baba went to the Dhuni. Baba asked Appa Bhil in the morning to bring the four fowls. They were brought and cooked. Baba prepared poli at the fire in the mantap.

According to Sufi practice, certain preparations have to be made prior to death. These include – singing of special refrains about Prophet Mohammed (known as moulus) and devotional songs called as qawwalis, and feeding the poor as charity or nyas. Baba called Kasim, son of Bade Baba, gave him some of the food cooked by Him and told Kasim, "Go to Aurangabad. See Shamshuddin Mea. Give him this Rs.250. Do there moulu and qawwali and do nyas. Next, go to Bannemea Fakir. Garland him with this garland, and then tell him: ‘Navdin, nav tarik. Allah mea ne apna dhunia legaya, marji Allahaki’” (on the ninth day of ninth month, Allah would take away the fire. Such is Allah’s wish). So saying, Baba gave Kasim Rs.250 and garland of Sevanthi flowers. Kasim said he was a stranger to those parts. Then, Baba asked Imambhai to go with him.

They both took Kasim's servant Amir with them and reached Aurangabad station at 3 p.m. When they were at the station, fakir Shamsuddin came there and asked: "Who are the guests who have come from the fakir Sai?" Both Imambhai and Kasim took his darshan. Shamsuddin himself repeated Baba's direction word for word and took them to his house in the fort and fed them. Rs.250 was paid to him. He then fed large number (nyas); Shamsuddin performed both the qawwalis and moulu. They were completed by that night.

Imambhai knew Bannemea's house and they went there next morning. He was standing with one arm upraised and one arm held down. The Arabs around him told them not to approach Bannemea, as he would beat them. After waiting for nearly one hour, Imambhai picked up courage, took Baba's garland in his hand, and put it round Bannemea’s neck. Then Bannemea lowered his upraised arm. Imambhai told him the words uttered by Baba to be told to Banne. Bannemea gazed into the sky and tears rolled down from his eyes. Four months after that, Baba passed away. Imambhai and Kasim had gone to Aurangabad in the Ramzan month.

THIRTY TWO YEARS BEFORE:

Thirty two years before, in 1886 AD, Baba had crossed the border line first time. On a Margasira Poornima day, Baba suffered from a severe attack of asthma. Baba decided to go into samadhi. Mhalsapathi was with Baba at that time. Baba told him, “Protect My body for three days. If I do not return, bury My body in that open land (pointing to the space) and fix two flags as a mark.” After saying this, at about 10.00 pm Baba slept in the lap of Mhalsapathi. His breathing stopped. Then His pulse also stopped. For all external appearances it looked as if Baba had breathed His last. Next morning, people coming to masjid for Baba’s darshan were shocked to see Baba lying lifeless in the lap of Mhalsapathi. The entire village came, completely grief stricken, and felt that darkness had enveloped them. By evening of that day, they decided that after conducting an inquest, the body should be buried in the place shown by Baba. No one believed Baba’s words. But, Mhalsapathi strongly opposed all these attempts. He said that Baba had asked him to wait for three days and only then they could think of something else. For full three days, with Baba’s body in his lap, Mhalsapathi did not even move slightly. For full three days, he guarded Baba’s body better than he would have guarded his own life. In addition to being confined to the same place, Mhalsapathi had to face severe provocations from the people, from the devotees and from the civilian authorities. For any one who came with an alternate solution, his only reply was, “Wait for three days.” Time does not wait for anyone. The stipulated three days finally came to an end. Almost every one in the village was at the masjid, trying to see the greatest miracle. Then at 3.00 am on the third day, the miracle finally happened. Breathing started once again in the body, the abdomen began to move. Baba slowly opened His eyes and stretched His limbs. Baba had returned back to life and consciousness. Every one assembled in the masjid, heaved a sigh of relief and gave a loud cry of ‘Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai’.

This time a greater miracle happened. From a body of about three cubits, Baba moved into millions and millions of such bodies, some six feet, some less than that and many even much less than that. From the smallest of the small to the biggest of the big, Baba has assumed all the forms. The human body is composed of the five elements and is perishable. The human form of Baba served Him loyally for nearly eighty years and had to be discarded as it had become old. The divine light that was inside, the eternal flame of knowledge and wisdom and the beacon of kindness and mercy that was inside, found a larger expression than the mere three cubits of body. This divine light cannot fade away with the transient body. Baba’s mission is still incomplete. To fulfill the mission, Baba has assumed the infinite form. He has only discarded the frail human body. Like God Dattatreya, or Sri Narasimha Saraswati of Ganagapur, Baba is always alive.

Though some may feel that it is not possible for them to see Baba’s form now, many others have felt Baba’s presence through the generations. By closing the eyes and concentrating the mind, one can still see the benign face of Baba. Devotees are recounting innumerable ways in which Baba has come to their rescue whenever they called Him in distress. To other devotees to whom the form is important, they can go to Shirdi and visit the Samadhi Mandir. The Mandir is built with stones and Baba’s Samadhi is built with white marble stones. A railing is built in marble around the Samadhi and is full of ornamental decorations. Just behind the Samadhi is the marvellous, life like statue of Baba made of Italian marble. It shows Baba majestically seated on a throne. The sculptor, Balaji Vasant Talim was only an instrument like Hemad Pant. The statue, installed on 7 October 1954, appears as if Baba, for the sake of His beloved devotees, had transposed Himself from a transient human body to an immortal form in the marble stone. Every devotee who sees the idol will feel that Baba is alive and sitting. Every devotee is filled with the satisfaction of Baba’s Darshana. In Dwarakamai, we will also find the life like beautiful portrait which adorned the Mandir, before the idol was installed. Painted by Shamrao Jaykar, a famous artiste and a well known devotee of Baba, this portrait even today gives the same satisfaction that we would have got by seeing Baba in the human form. Being less fortunate than the people who lived a hundred years ago in Shirdi, we have to seek contentment from whatever means are available to us today. To those without faith, he is invisible. To the faithful devotees, He appears wherever they are. In the chavadi, His presence is invisible; in Dwarakamai, it is in the form of Brahman; in the Samadhi Mandir, in a state of samadhi, while everywhere else, it is the bliss of His presence.

BAPUSAHEB JOG’S STORY:

Sakharam Hari, also known as Bapusaheb Jog, was the uncle of the famous Warkari Vishnubuva Jog of Poona. Bapusaheb did not have any children. He was working as a supervisor in the PWD. In 1909 AD, he sought retirement and with his wife settled down in Shirdi. Both the husband and wife loved Baba very dearly and spent all their time in worshipping and serving Baba. After Megha passed away, Bapusaheb performed the daily Arati in the masjid and at Chavadi till Baba’s Mahasamadhi. Baba had asked him to read and explain Jnaneshwari and Eknathi Bhagavat to audience in Sathe Wada. One day, Bapusaheb asked Baba, “I have served You for so many years. Why my mind is still restless? Has my contact with Saints not improved me? Please bless me.” Baba replied, “Shortly your karmaphala will be neutralized. Conquer lust and sense of taste. Get rid of all impediments. Serve God whole heartedly and accept sanyas. When you renounce all attachments, I will consider you as blessed.” Baba’s words came true shortly. His wife predeceased him and he had no other attachments. He was free to accept sanyas and before his death, he realised the goal of his life.

BABA’S SAYINGS:

“He, who loves Me most, sees Me always. To him, who tells no stories other than mine; to him, who ceaselessly meditates Me and always chants My name; the whole world is desolate to him without Me. I feel indebted to him, who surrenders himself completely to Me and remembers Me always. I shall repay his debt by giving him salvation. To him, who thinks and hungers after Me, who does not eat anything without first offering it to Me, I am always dependent. He, who thus comes to Me, becomes one with Me, just as a river gets to the sea and becomes one with it. With no trace of pride or egoism, you should surrender yourself to Me, seated in your heart.”

Baba expounded several times who this Me is. “You need not go far in search of Me. Other than your physical form and name, there exists in you, as well as in all beings, a sense of Being or Consciousness of Existence. That is Myself. Know this and see Me, inside yourself, as well as in all beings. If you practice this, you will realise all pervasiveness, and thus attain oneness with Me.”

Hemad Pant makes a bow to the readers and requests them humbly and lovingly that they should love and respect all Gods, Saints and devotees. Has not Baba often said, “He who carps and cavils at others, pierces Me in the heart and injures Me. He that suffers and endures pleases Me most.” Baba pervades all beings and creatures, and besets them on all sides. He likes nothing but love to all beings. Baba always spoke of such words, imbibing which any man can become immortal. Hemad Pant, therefore, concludes - those who sing affectionately Baba’s fame and those who hear the same with devotion, both become one with our beloved Baba. Let us once again prostrate at the divine feet of our beloved Baba and say, “Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!!!!”

With this, the forty third and forty fourth chapters, called as The Mahasamadhi (Contd), are complete. In the next chapter, Hemad Pant describes Kakasaheb’s doubt, Anandrao’s vision, wooden plank, Baba’s bedstead and other matters.

||Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu ||Shubham Bhavatu||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

||chapter forty-two||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter forty-two ||

|| the mahasamadhi ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

SADGURU SAI:

Hemad Pant begins this chapter with a reference to Dr. Pandit’s worshipping of Baba in his own way. Pandit was a friend of Tatyasaheb Noolkar and once he came to Shirdi. He had darshan of Baba and when his turn came, took the sandal paste from Dadabhat and applied it on Baba’s forehead, drawing a tripundra - three horizontal lines as per Shaiva tradition. Till then Baba had never allowed anyone to touch his forehead. Even Mhalsapathi did not dare touch Baba above His throat. He used to apply sandal paste to Baba’s throat. To the surprise of all, when Pandit applied the tripundra, Baba patiently allowed him to do it. Then Baba explained, “His guru is a Brahmin. I am of the muslim caste (mi jaticha mussalman-in Marathi), but he thought of me as his own guru and was performing ritual worship to the guru (guru pooja). He did not even entertain the thought that he himself was a pure Brahmin and that I was an unclean yavana”. The argument as to whether Baba was a Hindu or a Muslim was very much prevalent at that time even though Baba allowed each devotee to worship Him in his own way.

SEEMOLLANGHAN:

On the Vijayadashami day of the year 1916 AD, people in Shirdi were celebrating ‘Seemollanghan’ or ‘Shilangan’. On the ‘Seemollanghan’ day the people cross the border (seema) of their village, spend the day in the other village and return back to their homes in the evening. On that day, when they were returning, they had an unexpected experience. As they crossed the masjid on their way home, they saw Baba standing stark naked, eyes red hot and shouting, “You fellows, have a look now and decide finally whether I am a Muslim or a Hindu.” All those who saw Him thus, were totally shocked and were scared to go anywhere near Him.

In those days, there were many devotees of Baba who were anxious to know the religion of Baba by birth i.e. whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim. In any case, he was in human form so he must have taken birth from a human body, in which case whether his parents were Hindu or Muslim was the question. This was uppermost in the minds of the devotees assembled in Dwarakamai that evening.

Being an antaryami, Baba knew what was passing in their minds, and was slowly turning into an angry mood. He started abusing people who had assembled over there. The fire in the Dhuni was also raging higher and higher in the same proportion as Baba's angry mood. Entire Dwarakamai was lit up with the light from the firewood. By now Baba was charged with rage. He removed the cotton cloth tied to his head and threw it in the Dhuni. Suddenly the fire flames rose higher. Baba's long hairs became free. After a little while Baba removed his Kafani and threw the same in the Dhuni. The fire flames rose still higher, so much so that people feared that the Dwarakamai would catch fire. Baba's anger was reaching its zenith. He stood in front of the people in that angry mood and in a fraction of a second, he removed his langoti (loin cloth) and threw the same in raging Dhuni. He had thus become naked and stood in front of the people in that form. He then shouted at them and told them to look at his body and decide for themselves and ascertain whether he was Hindu or a Muslim. What a way to give proof of oneself! Baba had acquired a very fiery posture. His eyeballs had turned red hot like burning coal and rays of light were emanating from every pore of his body and his entire body was hidden behind that glow of spiritual ball of light. The light rays were so powerful that people had to close their eyes. In that electrifying moment, people totally forgot about the identity of Baba's religion. All present in Dwarakamai were stunned as Baba's shouts continued. The flames from Dhuni were reaching very high and throwing enormous amount of light. There was severe lightening and thunder outside. People were trembling with fear, when Bhagoji Shinde, came forward and with great courage tied the new langoti (loin-cloth) around his waist and said, “Deva, what is this? Today is the Seemollanghan day”. Baba jerked His satka and angrily said, “This is My Seemollanghan day.” Then Baba cooled down to normalcy. He lifted his satka and came close to the Dhuni. He started hitting the flames with the satka and was saying "Ugi...Ugi”, (calm down, calm down – in Marathi). With each stroke of satka the flames lowered in height and soon everything was back to normal. Then people got the courage to make Baba wear a new Kafani and his hairs were tied with a new piece of cloth.

When Bhagoji Shinde tied the langoti to Baba’s waist, it was already 9.00pm and people were worried whether the Chavadi Procession that day would take place or not. By 11.0 pm Baba was dressed as usual and the Chavadi Procession took place with all its grandeur. In the din and noise of the procession and celebrations, people forgot Baba’s words. He had given indication to his devotees that this will be the day on which He would cross the border of life and death and would bid bodily good bye to this world. Baba had selected Vijayadashami day with a purpose. Later, in the year 1918 on the Vijayadashmi day Baba took Samadhi.

RAMACHANDRA PATIL’S STORY:

Some time after the above incident, the head of the Shirdi village, Ramachandra Patil became seriously ill. He suffered very much. In spite of taking all the varieties of medicines, there was no improvement and he was gradually sinking. He knew that his end was near, but did not know how long he had to endure the suffering. Then, one midnight, Baba appeared to him and stood near his pillow. Patil mustered all his physical strength and fell at the feet of Baba and begged, “Deva, I have lost all hopes of life. Please tell me, definitely, when it will end.” Merciful as ever, Baba said, “Don’t worry. Your hundi (death warrant) is withdrawn. You will recover. But, I am worried about Tatya. He will pass away on the Vijayadashami day of Shaka 1840 (year 1918 AD). Don’t tell this to anyone. He will be terribly frightened if knows.” Ramachandra Patil recovered soon enough. Baba’s words were eating away his mental peace as he was very fond of Tatya. It was a truth which he could neither tell anyone nor live with it. Under some compelling circumstances, he told it only to Bala Shimpi. Now, two persons were counting the days with fear and suspense - Ramachandra Patil and Bala Shimpi.

Time does not wait for anybody. Ramachandra Patil had resumed his normal activities, the month of Bhadrapada of Shaka 1840 (1918 AD) had passed and the subsequent month was on its way. True to Baba’s words, Tatya fell sick and was bed ridden. Because of his illness, and as he was too weak to get up and walk, he could not go to masjid to have darshan of Baba. Curiously, Baba also fell sick at the same time. He was down with fever. Tatya had always trusted Baba implicitly. For him, Baba was not just God but his everything. Tatya’s illness took a turn for the worse. He could not move even on the bed. He had to lie down in one position only. However, not a single moment went without his remembering Baba. Simultaneously, in the masjid, Baba’s health was also deteriorating.

One day Baba sent word to Tatya to come to the mosque and have his meal there, but as Tatya could not summon enough strength to even rise from his bed, some devotees helped him to go to the mosque where Baba fed him with semolina pudding with his own hands despite his ill health. Tatya could only swallow a couple of mouthfuls with great difficulty. Baba told him, "Tatya, I had arranged for two swings (carriages) for both of us initially. But I have changed my mind. I will go alone. Now you may go home." Tatya understood the import of Baba’s words and started sobbing. He said, "Baba, why do you not send me first?" Baba replied, "I am a fakir, there is no one to cry for me when I go away. But all your people will grieve if you go." Tatya heard the tone of finality in Baba’s words and his sorrow intensified and he started weeping piteously. He said, "Baba, if I go, it is only my relatives who will grieve. But if you go, you will make many people of this world orphans. If you live on, many people will attain salvation by your mere darshan. What of me? My life is a burden to me and to my relatives too." Baba would not listen to any further talk in this vein from Tatya. He scolded him lovingly, "Alright, no more talk from you. Go home." He put udi on Tatya’s forehead and sent him home, watching him with a heavy heart until he was out of sight.

Vijayadashami day finally dawned. In the Muslim month of Muharram, it was the ninth day and that night was the ‘night of slaughter’. Most of Baba’s devotees were with Tatya near his bedside. His pulse had almost stopped beating. The day was 15 October 1918, Tuesday, and the time was nearing 2.00pm. The tenth day of the lunar month was already over when the clock struck 12.30 in the afternoon. The eleventh day had begun. Almost miraculously, Tatya’s health started improving. The pulse was beating faster and acquiring the normal rate. People heaved a sigh of relief that Tatya had crossed the perilous moment and was on the way to recovery.

Within an hour, people got the news that their beloved Sai Baba had breathed His last at 2.30pm. Entire Shirdi, and all the devotees, world wide, were plunged in deep sorrow. Many thought that Baba had exchanged His life for Tatya’s.

Dasganu Maharaj was away in Pandharpur at that time. The next morning, on 16th, Baba appeared in his dream and said, “The masjid has collapsed. All the oilmen and grocers of Shirdi teased Me very much, so I am leaving the place. I have come to inform you. Please go there quickly and cover Me with ‘Bhakkal’ flowers.” Almost at the same time, he got letters from Shirdi mentioning about the sad event. Dasganu left for Shirdi immediately. He started singing Bhajans and kirtans throughout the day near Baba’s samadhi. He weaved a beautiful garland of flowers studded with Sri Hari’s names and placed it on the samadhi. He also performed anna daanam in the name of Baba.

LAXMIBAI’S STORY:

Baba’s illness started with a slight attack of fever on 28 September 1918. Though the fever subsided, Baba gave up taking food and became weaker day by day. He suffered like this for 17 days. On the 17th day was the fateful Vijayadashami day. Dasara or Vijayadashami day is considered by all Hindus to be the most auspicious day, and it was only appropriate that Baba selected this day for His ‘Seemollanghan’. Till the last moment, He was very conscious though His body was suffering. At the last moment, He sat up erect and the very few who were around, thought that the danger had passed. He put His hand in the pocket of His kafni, removed five coins of one rupee and gave it to Laxmibai. He again put His hand in the pocket and removed another four coins of one rupee and gave them to her. In all He gave her nine coins of one rupee.

Laxmibai was a good and well to do woman. She was not poor. It was because of pure love for Baba that she was working in the masjid day and night. Baba never allowed anyone other than Mhalsapathi, Tatya and Laxmibai to remain in the masjid during night time. Once, it happened that Laxmibai came in the evening and prostrated at the feet of Baba. Baba told her, “Laxmi, I am very hungry.” She said, “Deva, wait a minute. I will get you bhakri (roti prepared with jawar flour)” and immediately left for her home. She came back within no time and gave the rotis to Baba. Baba took those rotis and fed them to the dog which was resting there. Laxmibai felt hurt. She said, “What is this Deva, I took so much trouble to prepare the rotis fast and you are feeding the dog, without even taking a small bite? Unnecessarily You troubled me.” Baba replied, “Why do you complain? Appeasement of the dog’s hunger is same as appeasing My hunger. Like Me, the dog also has a soul. Creatures may be different, but hunger of all is same. Know that he, who feeds the hungry, really serves Me. Regard this as an axiomatic truth.” Though this is an ordinary incident, Baba explained a great spiritual truth and showed its practical application. From then onwards, Laxmibai started bringing milk and roti everyday to Baba with great devotion and love. Baba ate a part of this and sent the remaining to Radhakrishna Mai, who considered it as prasadam and ate it.

Baba never forgot any service rendered to Him. As He said frequently, if He took one rupee, He had to repay ten rupees. When He was leaving His body, He gave nine coins of one rupee to Laxmibai. The figure nine could mean Nava Vidha Bhakti as explained in Chapter 21. It could also mean the Dakshina offered during Seemollanghan. As Laxmibai was not in need of any money, it could also mean the nine characteristics of a good disciple as mentioned in the Skanda11, Chapter 10 and Sloka 6 of the Bhagavatam:

amāny amatsaro disco nirmamo dṛḍha-sauhṛdaḥ
asatvaro 'rtha-jijñāsur anasūyur amogha-vāk

The servant or disciple of the spiritual master should be free from false prestige, never considering himself to be the doer. He should be active and never lazy and should give up all sense of proprietorship over the objects of the senses, including his wife, children, home and society. He should be endowed with feelings of loving friendship toward the spiritual master and should never become deviated or bewildered. The servant or disciple should always desire advancement in spiritual understanding should not envy anyone and should always avoid useless conversation.

Here also, the first couplet lists 5 characteristics and the second mentions the remaining 4. Sri Krishna told Uddhava the various ways in which the disciple should behave with his guru. He also tells the five ways first and then the four. The 5 and 4 has many layers of significance. Baba indicated all these when He gave the coins to Laxmibai. This was her prized possession.

Baba also took other precautions. As He did not want His love for the devotees to entangle Him in the last moment, He told all of them to go away. He asked Kakasaheb Dixit, Bapusaheb Booty and others who were with Him, to go to Wada and come back after their lunch. Knowing Baba’s condition, they did not want to leave Him. As it was Baba Himself who had asked them to go, they could not ignore His orders also. Very reluctantly, they went to Wada and sat for taking food. Before they could finish the meals, news came of Baba’s Mahasamadhi. They ran to the masjid. There they saw their beloved Baba resting peacefully on Bayaji’s (Appa Kote) lap. He did not fall to the ground, nor did He lie on His bed. He sat quietly on His seat and breathed His last while giving charity with His own hand.

Eleventh Century Sufi poet Bedil had such a profound understanding of those who mystically attain God in the Sufi tradition that he wrote:

These men do never die,
They become the Praised Ones.
They bestow mercy on the world with myriad hands.
They help the helpless.
They aid the depressed.
They leave not those that follow them
When the time of danger comes.
They are men only in name.
In reality they are God Himself.
These solitary ones are marvelous.

Saints come to this earth with a definite mission to accomplish. Having accomplished, they go back to their heavenly abode as silently as they had come. Sai Baba had come to Shirdi without any fanfare. He had come as a total stranger. When He left this world, not many were there with Him. He was always alone, taking on the unbearable responsibility of anyone who called Him for help. For all that He did to everyone, He did not ask anything from anyone except love, affection and a few kind words. Whether in human form or beyond it, He has been giving everything His devotees asked Him. To this great soul, to this most kind and merciful god let us shed a drop of tear of pure love and affection. That is the only way we can express our gratitude to Him.

With this, the forty second chapter, called as The Mahasamadhi, is complete. In the next two chapters, Hemad Pant continues the story of Baba’s Mahasamadhi and other matters.

||Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu ||Shubham Bhavatu||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

||chapter forty-one||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter forty - one ||

|| the story of a picture ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant tells us about Story of a picture, Stealing the Rags, Reading of Jnaneshwari and other matters.

SADGURU SAI:

The effects of good or bad deeds, accrued because of the karma done by this body, do not disappear with the perishing of the body. The effects persist long after the doer disappears. To escape from this, one should realise that Jiva is not the body. Once this realisation is attained, the effects of karma do not bind the Jiva as Jiva is not the doer. For this realisation to dawn, one must surrender at the divine feet of Baba. Once this is done, the Sadguru will lift us and make us go through such divine experiences which we can never even imagine. The easiest way to get the Sadguru’s blessings is by repeated parayana of Satcharitra. We should forget our egoism and bow at the feet of Baba, endowed with the divine Shadgunas - Fame, Affluence, Munificence, Knowledge, Detachment, and Tranquillity. Baba is always kind. Even if we are not devoted to Him, even if we do not worship Him, if we just call Him once, He will respond immediately.

ALI MOHAMMAD’S STORY:

We saw how Baba kept up His promise to His devotees and made them happy. To Hemad Pant, He told in the dream that He would come for lunch. At the stroke of the time for lunch, He appeared as a portrait and accepted Hemad Pant’s pooja and naivedyam. Hemad Pant was curious to know how Ali Mohammad came to know of him and how he got the photograph of Baba. Ali Mohammad had told him that he would tell the story when they next meet. That meeting occurred nine years later.

Once, when Ali Mohammad was going through the streets of Bombay, he saw the big portrait of Baba with a hawker. As he was a devotee of Baba, he liked the photograph immensely, bought it and framed it. He took the framed picture to his home in Bandra and hung it on a wall. Everyday he used to bow to the portrait. Three months before he visited Hemad Pant, he developed an abscess on his leg and suffered acute pain. The doctors suggested that surgery was necessary. He duly got operated and stayed in the house of his brother-in-law, Noor Mohammad Peerbhoy for post operative care. Ali Mohammad stayed there for three months.

During these three months, nobody took care of his house in Bandra. His home contained the photographs of famous saints like Baba Abdul Rahman, Moulanasaheb Mahomed Hussain, Baba Tajuddin, Sai Baba and few others. The way in which Ali Mohammad got the photograph of Baba Abdul Rahman was also strange. Ali Mohammad had obtained a small picture of Baba Abdul Rahman from Mahomed Hussain Thariyatopan some years ago. Hoping that it would bring good luck, he gave the picture to his brother-in-law, Noor Mohammed. The picture was lying in the drawer of Noor Mohammad’s table for eight years. One day, he saw it and then took it to a photographer, got it enlarged to life size, made several copies of it, framed them and distributed them to his relatives and friends. He gave one photograph to Ali Mohammad also. Noor Mohammed was a disciple of Baba Abdul Rahman and wanted to give one photograph to his guru in an open durbar. The moment the guru saw his own photograph in the hands of Noor Mohammad, he was wild with anger, ran to beat him and drove him away. Baba Abdul Rahman did not like image worship.

Noor Mohammad felt very sorry and dejected. In addition to losing so much money in making enlarged copies and framing them, he had lost the confidence of his guru and also incurred his wrath and displeasure. Following his guru’s belief, he took the big photograph with him to Apollo Bunder (in Bombay), hired a boat and drowned it in the sea. He asked his friends also to return the photographs, six in number, and when he got them, gave it to a fisherman to throw them in the Bandra sea. Ali Mohammad was convalescing in Noor Mohammad’s house. Ali Mohammad was told that all his suffering would come to an end if he also took the photographs of all the saints in his house and drowned them in sea. On hearing this, Ali Mohammad sent his manager to his house in Bandra and asked him to drown all the photographs in the sea.

After two months, when he returned back to his house, Ali Mohammad had a surprise waiting for him. The moment he opened the doors and entered inside, he saw the photograph of Baba looking at him. He was surprised how his manager could have missed Baba’s picture. Afraid that if Noor Mohammad saw it, he would take it and dump it in the sea, he immediately removed it and kept it in his cupboard. Ali Mohammad had a special love for Baba’s portrait. He was now in a dilemma as he could neither hang it on the wall, nor throw it away. While he was worried about what to do, Baba inspired an idea that he should meet Moulana Ismu Mujavar and follow his advice.

Next day he met the Moulana and told him the complete story about the photograph. After mature consideration, the Moulana suggested that the photograph should be given to Annasaheb Dabholkar (Hemad Pant) who would protect it well. Then both went to Hemad Pant’s house and presented him with Baba’s photograph at the most opportune time.

The above story shows how carefully Baba interlaced the lives of His devotees and brought happiness and cheer to every one of them. Such interaction is possible only for someone who knows the past, present and the future. For Baba, time and space were no constraints.

BV DEO’S STORY:

Sant Jnaneshwar, the well-known saint of Maharashtra, was not only a realised soul but a gifted poet. At a very early age (around 19 years), he wrote his masterpiece, ‘Jnaneshwari’, a commentary on the Gita in Marathi in exquisite poetry. He has explained the Gita not by recourse to rational arguments but by the profuse use of similes, metaphors and illustrations. ‘Jnaneshwari’ was one of Baba’s favourite books. He called it ‘Pothi’. Balakrishna Vishvanath Deo, (BV Deo or Balasaheb Deo as he was affectionately called) the Mamlatdar of Dahanu, wanted to read ‘Jnaneshwari’ from a long time. He was able to read completely one chapter of Bhagavad-Gita and some parts of other scriptures every day, but when he took up ‘Jnaneshwari’ for reading, some difficulties always cropped up and he was prevented from reading further. He took three months’ leave and went to Shirdi and then to Poud for taking rest. In Poud also, he was able to read other books but not ‘Jnaneshwari’. Whenever he opened the book, some evil or stray thoughts came crowding in his mind and stopped him from further reading. However hard he tried, he just could not make any progress. Finally, he decided that he would read ‘Jnaneshwari’ only when Baba created some love for it and ordered him to read it. He had visited Baba for the first time in 1910 at the insistence of Nanasaheb Chandorkar.

In 1914 AD he went with his family to Shirdi. When he met Bapusaheb Jog, on his way to the masjid for Baba’s darshan, Jog asked him whether he read ‘Jnaneshwari’ daily. Deo told his story to Jog. He told him of the innumerable attempts he made to read the book, but his inability to read. He also told that he would read the book only after Baba orders him to read. Jog advised him to take a copy of the book and present it to Baba, so that He would consecrate and give it back. Then he could start reading it. Deo told him that he did not want to do like that as Baba knew his desire and would wait till Baba ordered him to read.

Subsequently, Deo had darshan of Baba and offered Re 1/- as Dakshina to Baba. Baba asked him Rs.20/- as Dakshina which Deo gave happily. That night, he met one Balakram and asked him how he became a devotee of Baba and how he was able to secure the confidence of Baba. Balakram told him to wait till aarati next day, when he would tell him everything. As usual, Deo went for Baba’s darshan next day. Baba asked him a Dakshina of Rs.20/- which he gave willingly. It was aarati time and the masjid was overcrowded, so Deo went to a corner and sat there. Baba called him to come closer and sit with peace of mind. Deo followed his instructions.

Noon aarati was over and people had dispersed. The masjid was almost empty. Deo saw Balakram there and asked him the same questions again. When Balakram was about to answer, Baba sent Chandru, a leper devotee, to bring Deo to Him. Deo went to Baba with all submissiveness. Baba asked him what he was talking, with whom and when. Deo told him that he was talking with Balakram and heard from him about Baba’s fame. Then Baba asked for a Dakshina of Rs.25/-. Deo gave it happily. Baba took him inside and sitting near the post, charged him, “You stole My rags, without My knowledge.” Deo, who was shocked with this allegation, denied all knowledge of any rags. Baba asked him to make a search. He searched and found nothing. Baba was getting increasingly angry and shouted, “There is nobody here. You are the thief. You are grey haired and old; still you come here for stealing.” After that Baba lost his temper totally, gave all sorts of abuses and was about to beat him. Some time later, Baba cooled down and asked him to go to Wada.

Deo returned to Wada. There he met Jog and Balakram. He told them what all had transpired. They also did not understand why Baba got so angry. After some time, Baba sent for all of them. When all reached the masjid and bowed at the feet of Baba, Baba said that his words might have pained the old man (Deo) but as he had committed the theft, He could not keep quiet. He asked him for a Dakshina of Rs.12/-. Deo did not have the two coins. He had only currency notes. He collected the amount and gave it to Baba and prostrated at His feet. Then Baba told him, “Read Pothi (Jnaneshwari) daily. Sit in the Wada and read some part regularly everyday. While reading, explain what you read to all with love and devotion. When I am sitting here to give you gold embroidered Shella (shawl), why go to others to steal rags? And, after all, why should you get into the habit of stealing?”

Deo was immensely pleased with these words, as he got what he wanted. He was happy that Baba had asked him to read ‘Jnaneshwari’. He could now read his favourite book with ease. He again prostrated at the feet of Baba and requested Him to treat him as a child and help him in his reading. Deo surrendered himself totally to Baba. He then understood what Baba had meant by ‘stealing the rags’. What he had asked Balakram constituted ‘rags’. Trying to know about the fame of Baba without His knowledge, was stealing. When Baba was ready to answer any question, He did not like anyone to know about Him through some one else. Hence He had scolded and harassed. Deo realised that it was not really ‘harassing and scolding’, but a lesson taught to him. He learnt that it was useless to ask someone else about Baba, when Baba Himself is present to fulfil all his desires. Deo considered Baba’s scolding as blessings and went home satisfied and contented.

As we have seen in earlier cases, Baba always kept a watch on His devotees. Their welfare was His prime and only concern. Within one year, He went to Deo to find out about the progress made by him in ‘Jnaneshwari’. On 02 April 1914, Thursday morning, Baba appeared in Deo’s dream. He sat on the upper floor and asked him whether he understood the Pothi. Deo told Him that he did not. Baba asked, “Then, when are you going to understand?” Deo was in tears and said, “Unless You shower Your grace, reading it is a problem. Understanding is very difficult.” Then Baba said, “Read slowly. Read it before Me, in My presence.” Deo asked Him, “What shall I read?” Baba told him, “Read Adhyatma.” Deo went to bring the book, Adhyatma Ramayana, but found that he had already opened his eyes and was wide awake. The immense joy and bliss he felt after this is indescribable.

If we surrender to Him, Baba will guide us even in the smallest matter possible. With Sadguru’s guidance and blessings, it is not at all difficult to cross this endless ocean of ‘Bhavasagara’. All the miseries and difficulties will vanish and life will be smooth and happy. By bowing at the divine feet of the Sadguru everyday, all the obstacles will disappear. Sadguru Sai can snatch us even from the jaws of certain death. The power of Sadguru Sai is inestimable. Let us all prostrate at the divine feet of our beloved Sadguru Sai Baba and pray that His blessings should always be with us and that He should protect us from going astray and guide us to our destination. Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!!!!

With this, the forty first chapter, called as The story of a picture, is complete. In the next chapter, Hemad Pant tells us about Baba’s Mahasamadhi and other matters.

||Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu ||Shubham Bhavatu||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

||chapter forty||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter forty ||

|| udyapana and other stories ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant tells us about Stories of Baba - attending Mrs Deo’s Udyapana, Hemad Pant’s house and other matters.

SADGURU SAI:

Blessed are the devotees who prostrate at the divine feet of our beloved Baba. The moment we place our head at His feet, He caresses our head lovingly with His hand and lifts us up. By placing His hand on our head, Baba transfers His powers to us, destroying the ignorance that Jiva and the world are separate. The sense of duality is removed for ever. Sai becomes one with us and we become one with Sai. It is like the sea welcoming the rivers. When rivers join the sea, the river and the sea become indistinguishable. To become one with Baba and to get the immense powers, we do not have to labour very hard. Listening to Baba’s stories is enough to make us attain the unattainable. Nothing pleases Baba more than the devotees singing songs of these stories. The God likes those who sing the praise of His devotees more than Himself. By listening to these stories and describing them to others, various sins accrued from the misdeeds of all previous lives will be washed away.

B.V. DEO’S STORY:

BV Deo was a Mamlatdar in Dahanu (Thana District). His mother was a religious lady. She had taken 25 to 30 different vows and performed all the poojas. It is a tradition that with the successful completion of a vow and the pooja, an Udyapana has to be performed. This includes feeding the Brahmins and all the other invited guests. Deo’s mother combined all the 25 to 30 Udyapanas into a single one and invited about 100 to 200 guests for the lunch. Deo, who was a staunch devotee of Baba, felt that it would be nice if Baba would also attend the lunch. He knew that Baba always stayed in Shirdi and never went anywhere except Rahata, Rui and Nimgaon in person. Still, his love for Baba was such that he desired His presence on that happy occasion. So, he wrote a letter to Bapusaheb Jog, to request Baba on his behalf to attend the ceremony. He also wrote that without Baba’s presence, the function would remain incomplete. Bapusaheb Jog duly read out the letter to Baba. Baba said, “I always think of him who remembers Me. I don’t need any conveyance like tanga, train or airplane to go from one place to another. I manifest Myself to him who calls Me lovingly. Write to him a pleasing reply that the three of us (Myself, yourself and a third) will attend the function.” Deo was immensely happy to read the letter. He knew that Baba would not come in person. Still, he thought that nothing was impossible for Baba and He may suddenly turn up in any form He likes and fulfil His promises.

A few days earlier to the Udyapana day, a sanyasi dressed like a Bengali got down from a train and went to the station master at Dahanu. He introduced himself as a volunteer working for the promotion of welfare of cows. He wanted to know if the station master could help him in collecting donations for this noble purpose. The station master felt that he was not the competent person for this and suggested that the gentleman should contact the mamlatdar of the place. By a coincidence, Deo who was also the mamlatdar, walked into the station master’s room. The station master introduced the sanyasi to Deo. Both of them discussed about the welfare of cows. Deo liked the idea very much and really wanted to help. He told the sanyasi that as Rao Saheb Narotham Shetty was collecting donations for some other purpose, it would be better to wait for a couple of months and then start the movement on cow welfare. Sanyasi agreed and told him that he would come back after some time and left.

On the day of Udyapana, the sanyasi dressed as before, came in a Tonga, got down in front of Deo’s house. The time then was about 10.0 AM in the morning. Deo was very busy organizing the Udyapana. Seeing him again within such short notice, Deo felt that he had come for the charity work, and was slightly irritated. Reading Deo’s expression on his face the sanyasi said, “Sir, I did not come for charity. I want to take food in your house today.” Deo was immensely happy as uninvited guests are treated as God. He said, “Please come. It is my good fortune that you have come today to my house. Please treat this as your own home.” The sanyasi told him that two of his friends were also with him. Deo replied, “Please tell me where they are staying. I will bring them here.” The sanyasi told him not to bother and that all the three of them would come exactly at the time of lunch. Deo told him that food would be ready to be served around noon. Exactly at noon, the trio came and joined others for the Udyapana meals. Deo served them as though he was offering naivedyam to the God. After completing the lunch, the three accepted tambulam from Deo and left. Deo waited the entire day for Baba, and at the end of the day when Baba did not turn up, he felt very unhappy.

After completion of the function, Deo wrote a letter to Bapusaheb Jog, complaining of the way in which Baba disappointed him. Jog went to Baba with the letter. Even before he could read the letter, Baba said, “He says that I promised him to come, but deceived him. Write to him that I did attend the Udyapana lunch with two others. He didn’t recognize Me. He thought that the sanyasi had come for the charity. I told him that I did not come for charity, but for lunch. I also told him that there were two more with Me. All the three of us came in time and took our lunch. Look, to keep up My promise, I would even sacrifice My life. I am never untrue to My words.”

Jog was very happy with Baba’s reply and wrote the entire conversation to Deo. As soon as he read the letter, Deo was extremely happy that Baba did visit his house and had food. He also cursed himself for not recognizing Baba in spite of all the indications provided. He was also unhappy that he wrote very uncharitable words about Baba to Jog. Whenever someone calls Baba affectionately and lovingly, He never disappoints. He would go to any extent to make them happy. To such a benign God, let us prostrate once again and invite Him to visit our houses.

HEMAD PANT’S STORY:

In Deo’s story, Deo invited Baba for lunch; Baba accepted the invitation and attended the lunch. Here is a slightly different variation. On a full moon morning in 1917 AD, when Hemad Pant was in Bandra, he had a vision. In that vision, he found himself fast asleep. Baba appeared in the dream, in the form of a well dressed sanyasi, woke him up and told him that he would come to him for meals that day. When he finally woke up, he could not find either the Sanyasi or Sai. What surprised Hemad Pant most was that he could remember every word spoken in the dream very distinctly. Another surprise for him was that, though he was with Baba for the past seven years, Baba never expressed any desire to come to his house and Hemad Pant also never expected that Baba would come for meals. Those were the Shimga days. So, he went to his wife and told her that being the Shimga day, a sanyasi guest was coming for meals and that she should prepare sufficient food items. Being curious, she asked him who the guest was and wherefrom was he coming. Not to create any misunderstanding, he told her the entire story of his dream. She doubted if Baba would leave the nice dishes at Shirdi and come to Bandra to take the ordinary food they were preparing. Hemad Pant told her that Baba may not come in person, but may attend in any other form as a guest. They would lose nothing by preparing additional food items.

All the food items were prepared with great care and were ready for serving by noon. The Holika pooja was also over and plantain leaves were spread for taking food. Rangoli was drawn around the leaves. Two rows with a central seat for the guest were arranged. All the family members - daughters, their husbands, grandsons - came and occupied their respective places. Serving of food also commenced. Still there was no trace of the guest. Naivedyam was also offered to Sri Krishna. When they were about to begin, foot steps were heard near the door and someone knocked on the door. Hemad Pant anxiously went to the door and opened it. He found that two persons, Ali Mohammad and Moulana Ismu Mujavar, were standing near the door with a packet in their hand. They saw that meals were served and that everyone was ready to begin. They immediately apologized to Hemad Pant and said, “Pardon us for disturbing you like this when you are about to begin eating. Others are also waiting. Please take your packet and open it immediately. We will tell you about it afterwards, at your convenience. Please go and have your food.” Ali Mohammad took out a packet wrapped in an old news paper and placed it on the table.

Hemad Pant opened the packet immediately and to his great surprise and wonder, found that it was a nice, big portrait of Baba. Hemad Pant was so much moved by seeing the picture that tears rolled down his eyes and without wasting any time, he prostrated at the divine feet of Baba. He thought that Baba was true to His word and came there to bless him. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked Ali Mohammad how he got that picture. Ali Mohammad was already feeling guilty for having disturbed their lunch. He said that he would tell him all the details at a later date, and that they should continue with their lunch. Hemad Pant thanked them, bade them good bye and joined other for the lunch. The picture was placed in the seat reserved for the guest. After offering naivedyam to the guest, Hemad Pant and others commenced their lunch. Everyone was extremely pleased and wondered at the miracle wherein Baba told in advance that He would come for lunch and at the correct time, appeared as a picture and accepted the pooja and naivedyam. From then on, Hemad Pant kept that photograph in his pooja room along with the photographs of other gods and goddesses. On every subsequent Holi day, he used to offer special pooja to Baba’s portrait.

Whether in dream or in reality, Baba always kept up His promise to the devotees and made them happy. To that beloved Baba, our beloved Baba, let us prostrate again.

With this, the fortieth chapter, called as Udyapana and other stories, is complete. In the next chapter, Hemad Pant tells us about Story of a picture, Stealing the Rags, Reading of Jnaneshwari and other matters.

||Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu ||Shubham Bhavatu||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti