Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 50

Chapter – 50

Stories of: Kakasaheb Dixit - Shri Tembye Swami – Balaram Dhurandhar

Chapter 50 of the original Shri Sai Satcharita has been incorporated in Chapter 39 as it dealt with the same subject matter. Now Chapter 51 of the Satcharita has been treated here as Chapter 50. This chapter gives the stories of (1) Kakasaheb Dixit (2) Shri Tembye Swami and (3) Balaram Dhurandhar.

Preliminary

Victory be unto Sai who is the main stay of the bhaktas, who is our satguru, who expounds the meaning of the Bhagavad Gita and who showers us with grace. Oh Sai, look favorably on us and bless us all. The sandal wood trees grow on the Malaya Mountains and ward off heat. The clouds pour rain and thereby cool and refresh everyone. The flowers blossom in the spring and remind us to worship God. As such, the stories of Sai Baba come forth in order to give solace and comfort to the readers. Both those who tell, and those who hear the stories of Baba, are blessed and holy.

It is a well established fact that though we try hundreds of means or sadhanas, we do not attain the spiritual goal of life unless a satguru blesses us with His grace. The following story is an illustration of this statement.

Kakasaheb Dixit (1864 - 1926)

Mr. Hari Sitaram, alias Kakasaheb Dixit, was born in 1864 in a Vadnagara Nagar Brahmin family in Khandwa (C.P.). His primary education was in Khandwa, Hinganghat, and his secondary education was in Nagpur. He came to Bombay for higher education and studied first in Wilson College and afterward, in Elphinstone College. After graduation in 1883, he passed his L.L.B. and solicitor’s examinations. First, he served in the firm of the Government Solicitors, Messrs. Little and Col, and some time later, started a solicitors’ firm of his own. Whereas Kakasaheb Dixit later became a great devotee of Sai Baba, before 1909, Sai Baba’s name was not familiar to him. Once, while Dixit was staying at Lonavala, he happened to see his old friend, Nanasaheb Chandorkar. Both spent some time talking about various things. Kakasaheb described how, when he was boarding a train in London, he had an accident, slipped, and injured his foot. Hundreds of remedies gave him no relief. Nanasaheb then told him that if he wished to get rid of the lameness and pain in his leg, he should go to his satguru - Sai Baba. He also gave him all the particulars of Sai Baba and mentioned to him Sai Baba’s dictum, “I draw to Me My man from far off or even across the seven seas, like a sparrow with a string fastened to it’s feet.” Nanasaheb made it clear to Dixit that if he was not Baba’s man, he would not be attracted to Him and be given a darshan. Kakasaheb was pleased to hear Nanasaheb’s words and replied that he would go to see Baba and pray to Him to cure not so much his lame leg, but bring round his lame, fickle mind and give him eternal bliss.

Sometime after this conversation with Nanasaheb, Kakasaheb went to Ahmednagar and stayed with Sirdar Kakasaheb Mirikar in connection with securing votes for a seat in the Bombay Legislative Council. Mr. Balasaheb Mirikar, son of Kakasaheb Mirikar, who was mamlatdar of Kopergaon, came to Ahmednagar at that time as well, in connection with a horse exhibition being held there. After the election business was over, Kakasaheb Dixit wanted to go to Shirdi and both Mirikars, father and son, were thinking about a proper guide who could accompany Dixit.

Meanwhile, Sai Baba was arranging things for Dixit’s reception. Shama received a telegram from his father-in-law at Ahmednagar stating that his wife was seriously ill and that Shama should come with his own wife to see her. Having received Baba’s permission, Shama left for Ahmednagar. When he arrived there, he found his mother-in-law improving and feeling better. Then, Nanasaheb Panshe and Appasaheb Gadre happened to see Shama on their way to the horse exhibition in Ahmednagar and told him to go to Mirikar’s house, meet Kakasaheb Dixit, and take him to Shirdi. Kakasaheb Dixit and the Mirikars were informed of Shama’s arrival. In the evening, Shama went to the Mirikar’s home and introduced himself to Kakasaheb. Then, arrangements were made for Shama to leave for Kopergaon with Kakasaheb on the ten o’clock night train. When all the plans were settled, a curious thing happened. Balasaheb Mirikar threw aside the veil on Baba’s big portrait and showed it to Kakasaheb. He was surprised to see that Baba, whom he was going to meet in Shirdi, was already there in the form of His portrait to greet him at that juncture. He was quite moved and prostrated before the portrait, which belonged to Megha. The glass over the portrait had been broken and had been sent to the Mirikars for repairs. Thus, the necessary repairs had been completed and it was then decided to give the portrait to Kakasaheb, who could return it to Shama.

They booked their passage a little before ten p.m., but when the train arrived, they found the second class to be overcrowded, consequently there was no room for them. Fortunately, the guard on the train happened to be an acquaintance of Kakasaheb and he put them up in first class. Thus, they traveled comfortably and alighted at Kopergaon. Their joy knew no bounds when they saw Nanasaheb Chandorkar there. He, too, was bound for Shirdi. They embraced one another and then bathed in the sacred Godavari River. After bathing, they started out for Shirdi. Upon arrival in Shirdi, Kakasaheb received Baba’s darshan. When Kaka received Baba’s grace, his mind melted, his eyes filled with tears, and his entire being overflowed with joy. Baba told him that He was waiting for him and had sent Shama ahead to receive him.

Kakasaheb decided to stay with Baba in Shirdi and passed many happy years in His company. He built a wada in Shirdi which he made his more or less permanent home. The experiences he had with Baba are so manifold; it is not possible to relate them all here. The readers are advised to read Vol 12, No. 6 - 9 from ‘Shri Sai Leela’ magazine regarding Kakasaheb Dixit’s experiences. Thus, we close this account with the mention of one fact only. Baba had comforted Kakasaheb by telling him that in the end, “He will take him in a balloon,” (i.e. secure for him a happy death). Baba’s words proved true, for on July 5, 1926, Kakasaheb was traveling in a train with Hemadpant and talking about Sai Baba. All of a sudden, he threw his neck on Hemadpant’s shoulder and breathed his last with no trace of pain or uneasiness.

Shri Tembye Swami

The following story shows how saints love each other with fraternal affection. Once, Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati, known as Shri Tembye Swami encamped at Rajamahendri (Andra County) on the banks of the Godavari. He was a devout, orthodox jnani and bhakti yogi of God Dattatreya. Mr. Pundlikrao, a pleader of Nanded (Nizam State), went to see him with some friends. While they were talking with him, the names of Sai Baba and Shirdi were casually mentioned. Hearing Baba’s name, the swami bowed with his hands and, taking a cocoanut, gave it to Pundalikrao saying, “Offer this to my brother, Sai, with my pranam and request Him not to forget me, but ever love me.” He also added that swamis do not generally bow to others, but in this case, an exception had to be made. Mr. Pundalikrao consented to take the fruit and message to Baba. The swami was right in calling Baba a brother, for as he maintained an agnihotra (sacred fire) day and night in his orthodox fashion, Baba, too, kept His agnihotra (dhuni) ever burning in the masjid.

After a month had passed, Pundalikrao and the others left for Shirdi with the special cocoanut. They came to Manmad, felt thirsty, and went to a rivulet to get drinking water. As water should not be drunk on an empty stomach, they took out some refreshments, i.e. chivda (flattened rice mixed with spice). The chivda tasted very pungent, and in order to soften it, someone suggested and broke a cocoanut and mixed the scraping with the chivda. Thus, they made the chivda tastier and palatable. Unfortunately, the fruit broken and eaten turned out to be the same one entrusted to Pundalikrao by the swami. As they neared Shirdi, Pundalikrao remembered the swami’s gift, i.e. the cocoanut, and became quite upset when he realized it was the very same cocoanut which they had broken and utilized for the chivda. Filled with fear and trembling, Pundalikrao arrived in Shirdi and saw Baba. Baba had already received a wireless message regarding the cocoanut from Tembye Swami, so He immediately asked Pundalikrao to give Him the gift sent by His brother. Pundalikrao grasped Baba’s feet, confessed his guilt and negligence, repented, and asked for Baba’s pardon. He offered to give Baba another fruit as a substitute, but Baba refused his offer saying that the worth of that cocoanut was by far many times more valuable than an ordinary one and that it could not be replaced by another. But then Baba added, “Now you need not worry yourself any more about the matter. It was on account of My wish that the cocoanut was entrusted to you and ultimately broken on the way. Why should you take the doership of these actions on yourself? Do not entertain the sense of doership in doing good or bad deeds. Be entirely without pride and without ego in all things and your spiritual progress will be rapid.” Thus, what an exceptional and profound spiritual instruction Baba gave.

Balaram Dhurandhar (1878-1925)

Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar belonged to the Pathare Prabhu community of Santa Cruz, Bombay. He was an advocate of the Bombay High Court and part-time Principal of the Government Law School, Bombay. The whole Dhurandhar family was pious and religious. Mr. Balaram served his community and wrote and published an account of it. He then turned his attention to spiritual and religious matters. He carefully studied the Bhagavad Gita and its commentary, Jnaneshwari, and other philosophical and metaphysical works. He was a devotee of Vithoba of Phandharpur. He came in contact with Sai Baba in 1912. Six months previously, his two brothers, Babulji and Vamanarao, had gone to Shirdi and received Baba’s darshan. They returned home and had mentioned their sweet experiences to Balaram and other family members. Then, everyone decided to go and see Sai Baba.

Before the Dhurandhar brothers went to Shirdi, Baba openly declared, “Today, many of my Darbar people are coming.” The Dhurandhar brothers were astonished to hear that remark from others, as they had not given any previous intimation of their trip. While all the other devotees prostrated themselves before Baba and sat talking with Him, Baba said, “These are my Darbar people to whom I referred before.” He then said to the Dhurandhar brothers, “We are acquainted with each other for the last sixty generations.” All the brothers were meek and modest. They stood with joined hands, staring at Baba’s feet. They experienced all the sattwic emotions, and were quite happy. Then, they went to their lodging, took their meals, and after resting a bit, went to the masjid. Balaram sat near Baba and massaged His legs. Baba, who was smoking the chillim, offered it to Balaram. Balaram was not accustomed to smoking, but he reverently accepted the pipe, smoked it with great difficulty, and returned it with a bow. This was a most auspicious moment for Balaram. He had suffered from asthma for the past six years and this smoke completely cured him of his illness. The disease did not trouble him again until six years later, when he suffered an asthmatic attack at precisely the same time Baba entered mahasamadhi. The day the Dhurandhar brothers visited Shirdi was a Thursday, thus, the brothers had the good fortune of witnessing the Chavadi procession that night. At the arati function in the Chavadi, Balaram saw the luster of Pandurang on Baba’s face and the next morning at the kakad arati, the same phenomenon - the luster of his beloved deity Pandurang - again manifested on Baba’s face.

Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar wrote in Marathi an account of the life of the Maharashtra saint, Tukaram, but he did not survive to see its publication. It was published later on by his brothers in 1928. In a short note on Balaram’s life given in the beginning of the book, the above account of Balaram’s visit has been fully corroborated therein (vide page 6 of the book).

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all