Sai Satcharitra
Sai Satchritra - Chapter XXIX
Stories of (1) Madrasi Bhajani Mela - (2) Tendulkars (Father and son) - (3) Dr. Captain
Hate - (4) Waman Narvekar.
This Chapter described other interesting and wonderful stories of Sai Baba.
(1) Madrasi Bhajani Mela
It was in the year 1916 that a Madrasi Bhajani Mela (Party of the Ramadasi Panth)
started on a Pilgrimage to the holy city of Banaras. The Party consisted of a man, his
wife, daughter and sister-in-law. Unfortunately their names are not mentioned. On their
way, the party heard that there lived at Shirdi in Kopergaon Taluka, Ahmednagar District,
a great sage named Sai Baba, who was calm and composed, and who was very liberal
and who distributed money every day to His Bhaktas and to skilful persons, who went
and showed their skill there. A lot of money in the form of Dakshina was collected daily
by Sai Baba and out of this amount, He gave daily one rupee to a three year old girl
Amani, the daughter of a Bhakta Kondaji and Rs. 2 to 5 to some, Rs. 6 to Jamali, the
mother of Amani and Rs. 10 to 20 and even Rs. 50 to other Bhaktas as He pleased. On
hearing all this the party came to Shirdi and stayed there. The Mela did very good
bhajan and sang very good songs, but inwardly they craved for money. Three of the
party were full of avarice, but the chief lady or mistress was of a very different nature.
She had a regard and love for Baba. Once it so happened, that when the noon-day Arati
was going on, Baba was much pleased with her faith and devotion, and was pleased to
give her darshan of her Ishtam (Beloved Deity). To her Baba appeared as Sitanath
(Rama) while to all the others the usual Sainath. On seeing her beloved Deity, she was
very much moved. Tears began to flow from her eyes and she clapped her hands in joy.
The people began to wonder at her joyful mood; but were not able to guess its cause.
Late in the afternoon she disclosed everything to her husband. She told him how she
saw Shri Rama in Sai Baba. He thought that she was very simple and devout, and her
seeing Rama might be a hallucination of her mind.
He poohpoohed her, saying that it was not possible, that she alone should see Rama
while they all saw Sai Baba. She did not resent this remark, as she was fortunate
enough to get Ramadarshan now and then, when her mind was calm and composed
and free from avarice.
Wonderful Vision
Things were going on like this, when the husband got a wonderful vision in his dream
one night as follows :- He was in a big city, the police there had arrested him, tied his
hands with a rope, and put him up in a cage (lock-up). As the police were tightening the
grip, he saw Sai Baba standing quiet outside, near the cage. On seeing Baba so near,
he said in a plaintive tone - "Hearing Your fame I came to Your Feet and why should a
calamity befall me when You are standing here in person?" Baba said - "You must suffer
the consequences of your action" He said - "I have not done anything in this life which
would bring such a misfortune on me." Baba said - "If not in this life, you must have
committed some sin in your past life." He replied, "I do not know anything of my past life,
but assuming that I did commit some sin then, why should it not be burnt and destroyed
in Your presence, as dry grass before fire? "Baba - "Have you got such faith?" He -
"Yes." Baba then asked him to close his eyes. No sooner did he shut them than he
heard a thumping sound of something falling down, and opening his eyes, he saw that
he was free and the police had fallen down, bleeding. Being much frightened he began
to look at Baba who said - "Now you are well caught, officers will now come and arrest
you." Then he begged - "There is no other saviour except You, save me anyhow." Then
Baba again asked him to close his eyes. He did so and when he opened them, he saw
that he was free, out of the cage and that Baba was by his side. He then fell at Baba's
Feet. Baba then asked him - "Is there any difference between this namaskar and your
previous ones? Think well and reply." He said "There is a lot of difference; my former
namaskaras were offered with the object of getting money from You, but the present
namaskar is one offered to You as God; besides, formerly I thought resentfully that you,
being a Mahomendan, were spoiling us, the Hindus". Baba "Do you not believe in your
mind in Mahomendan Gods?" He said "No". Then Baba said - "Have you not got a Panja
(Emblem of Hand) in your house and do you not worship the same in Tabut, i.e.
Moharum festival? Also there is in your house another Mahomedan Deity by name
Kadbibi, whom you propitiate and appease on your marriage and other festivals. Is it not
so?" He admitted all this.
Then Baba said,"What more do you want?" Then a desire arose in his mind to get the
darshan of his Guru Ramdas, when Baba asked him to turn back and see. And when he
turned, lo, Ramadas was in front of him. No sooner did he begin to fall at His Feet,
Ramadas vanished. Then he inquisitively asked Baba,"You look old. Do You know Your
age?" Baba - "What! Do you say I am old! just run a race with Me and see." Saying this
Baba began to run and he too followed. Baba disappeared in the dust raised by His footsteps
while running and the man was awakened.
After awakening he began to think seriously about the dream-vision. His mental attitude
was completely changed and he realised the greatness of Baba. After this, his grabbing
and doubting tendencies disappeared and true devotion to Baba's Feet sprang in his
mind. The vision was a mere dream, but the questions and answers therein were most
significant and interesting. Next morning when all the persons assembled in the Masjid
for the Arati, Baba gave him as prasad two rupees' worth sweetmeats and also two
rupees from His pocket and blessed him. He made him stay there for a few more days
and gave him His blessing, saying,"Allah (God) will give you plenty and He will do you all
good". He did not get more money there, but he got far better things viz. Baba's blessing
which stood him in good stead all along. The party got plenty of money afterwards and
their pilgrimage was successful as they had not to suffer any trouble or inconvenience
during their journey. They all returned home safe and sound, thinking of Baba's words
and blessings and the Anand(Bliss) they experienced by His grace.
This story illustrates one of the methods, which Baba followed (and is following even
now) in some cases to improve and reform His devotees.
(2) Tendulkar family
There lived in Bandra (a suburb of Bombay) a Tendalkar family, all the members of
which were devoted to Baba. Mrs. Savitribai Tendulkar has published a Marathi book
named "Shri Sainath Bhajan Mala" containing 800 abhangas and padas describing the
Leelas of Baba. It is a book worth reading by those who are interested in Baba. The son,
Babu Tendulkar was studying hard day and night and wanted to appear for the medical
examination. He consulted some astrologers. Examining his horoscope they told him
that the stars were not favourable that year and that he should appear for the
examination next year, when he would be certainly successful. This cast a gloom over
him and made him restless. A few days afterwards his mother went to Shirdi and saw
Baba. Amongst other things she mentioned the gloomy and morose condition of her son,
who was to appear for the examination in a few days. Hearing this Baba said to her,"Tell
your son to believe in Me, to throw aside horoscopes and predictions of astrologers and
palmists and go on with his studies. Let him appear for the examination with a calm
mind, he is sure to pass this year. Ask him to trust in Me and not to get disappointed".
The mother returned home and communicated Baba's message to her son. Then he
studied hard and in due course appeared for the examination. In the written papers he
did well, but being overwhelmed by doubts he thought that he would not secure sufficient
marks for passing. So he did not care to appear for the oral examination. But the
examiner was after him. He sent word through a fellow- student, stating that he had
passed in the written examination and that he should appear for the oral. The son being
thus encouraged appeared for the oral examination and was successful in both. Thus he
got through the examination that year successfully by Baba's grace, though the stars
were against him. It is to be noted here that doubts and difficulties surround us just to
move us and confirm our faith. We are tested as it were. If we only hold on steadily to
Baba with full faith and continue our endeavours, our efforts will be ultimately crowned
with success.
The father of this boy, Raghunathrao was serving in some foreign mercantile firm in
Bombay. As he grew old, he was not able to attend to his work properly and so he had to
take leave and rest. As he did not improve during the period of leave a further extension
of leave or retirement from service was inevitable. The Chief Manager of the firm
decided to retire him on pension as he was an old and a reliable servant. The question
regarding the amount of pension to be given was under consideration. He was getting
Rs.150/- p.m. and his pension i.e. half the amount viz. Rs. 75/- would not be enough to
meet the expenses of the family. So they were all anxious about this matter. Fifteen days
before the final settlement, Baba appeared to Mrs. Tendulkar in her dream and said, "I
wish that Rs. 100/- should be paid (settled) as pension, will this satisfy you?" She replied
"Baba, why ask me this? We fully trust in You". Though Baba said Rs.100/- still he was
given ten Rupees more i.e. Rs.110/- as a special case. Such wonderful love and care
did Baba exhibit for His Bhaktas.
(3) Captain Hate
Captain Hate, who was staying in Bikaner, was a great devotee of Baba. Once Baba
appeared to him in his dream and said "Did you forget Me?" Hate then immediately held
Baba's Feet and replied, "If a child forgets his mother, how could it be saved?" Then
Hate went into the garden and took out fresh walpapadi vegetables, and arranging
'shidha' (ghee, wheat-flour and dal etc.) and Dakshina, was about to offer all this to Baba
when he was awakened and came to know that the whole thing was a dream. Then he
decided to send all these things to Baba at Shirdi. When he came to Gwalior some days
afterwards, he sent Rs.12/- by money order to a friend, with instructions that Rs. 2
should be spent in buying shidha articles and walpapadi vegetables, and those should
be offered to Baba with Rs. 10 as Dakshina. The friend went to Shirdi and purchased the
things mentioned, but walpapadi was not available. In a short time a woman turned up
with a basket on her head, which curiously enough contained the vegetables. It was
purchased and then all the things were offered to Baba on behalf of Captain hate. Mr.
Nimonkar prepared the 'naivedya' (rice and walpapadi vegetables) next day and offered
the same to Baba. All the people were surprised to see that Baba while dining, took and
ate walpapadi, and did not touch rice and other things. Hate's joy knew no bounds when
he heard of this from his friend.
Consecrated Rupee
At another time Captain Hate wished that he should have in his house a coin of rupee
consecrated by Baba with His touch. He came across a friend who was bound for Shirdi.
With him Hate sent his rupee. The friend went to Shirdi and after the usual saluation
gave first his Dakshina which Baba pocketed. Then he gave Hate's rupee, which Baba
took in His hand and began to stare at it. He held it in front, tossed it up with His right
thumb and played with it. Then He said to the friend, "Return this to its owner with the
Prasad of Udi, tell him that I want nothing from him, ask him to live in peace and
contentment." The friend returned to Gwalior, handed over the consecrated rupee to
Hate, and told him all the h0appened at Shirdi. This time Hate was much pleased and
realised that Baba always encouraged good thoughts, and as he wished intently, Baba
fulfilled the same accordingly.
(4) Waman Narvekar
Now let the readers hear a different story. A gentleman, named Waman Narvekar loved
Baba very much. He once brought a rupee. On one said (obverse) of it were engraved
the figures of Rama, Laxman and Sita and on the other (reverse) side was engraved the
figure of Maruti, with folded hands. He offered it to Baba with a hope that He should
consecrate it with His touch and return it to him with Udi. But Baba immediately pocketed
it. Then Shama spoke to Baba, regarding Womanrao's intention and requested Him to
return it. Then Baba spoke in the presence of Wamanrao as follows :- "Why should it be
returned to him? We should keep it ourselves. If he gives Rs.25/- for it, it will be
returned." Then, for the sake of that rupee, Wamanrao collected Rs.25/- and placed
them before Baba. Then Baba said, "The value of that rupee far exceeds 25 Rupees.
Shama, take this rupee, let us have it in our store, keep this in your shrine and worship
it." No one had the courage to ask Baba why He followed this particular action. He only
knows what is best and most suitable to each and all.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all