Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 12

Chapter – 12

Sai Leelas - Experience of: (1) Kaka Mahajani - (2) Dhumal Pleader - (3) Mrs.Nimonkar (4) Moolay Shastri - (5) A Doctor

Now let us see in this chapter how devotees were received and treated by Baba.

Saints’ Mission

We have seen previously, that the purpose or object of a divine incarnation is to protect the good and destroy the wicked, but the mission of the saints is quite different. To them, the good and the wicked are alike. First, they feel for the evil doers and set them on the right path. They are like the Agasti to the bhava sagar (the ocean of worldly existence) or like the sun to the darkness of ignorance. The Lord (God) dwells in the saints. In fact, they are not different from Him. Our Sai is one of these who incarnated for the welfare of the devotees. Supreme in knowledge and surrounded with divine luster, He loved all beings equally. He was unattached. Foes and friends, kings and paupers, were the same to him. For the sake of His devotees, He was ever alert to help them, but the devotees could never approach Him unless He meant to receive them. If their turn did not come, Baba would not acknowledge them, and His leelas could not reach their ears. How, then, could they think of seeing Him? Some men desired to see Baba, but they did not get an opportunity to take His darshan until His mahasamadhi. There are many such individuals whose desire for Baba’s darshan was not thus satisfied. If, however, these persons, believing in Him, would listen to His leelas, their quest for Baba’s darshan would be, to a great extent, satisfied by hearing His leelas. If some people went to Shirdi by sheer luck and took Baba’s darshan, were they able to stay there longer? No! Nobody could go there of his own accord, and nobody could stay there longer if he so wished. They could stay there only so long as Baba permitted them to stay, and had to leave when asked to do so by Baba, so everything depended on Baba’s will.

Kaka Mahajani

Once Kaka Mahajani went from Bombay to Shirdi. He wanted to stay there for one week and enjoy the Gokul Ashtami festival. As soon as he took Baba’s darshan, Baba asked him, “When are you returning home?” He was rather surprised at this question, but he had to give an answer so he said he would go home when Baba ordered him to do so. Then Baba said, “Go tomorrow.” Baba’s word was law and had to be obeyed. Kaka Mahajani, therefore, left Shirdi immediately. When he arrived at his office in Bombay, he found that his employer was anxiously waiting for him. His munim had suddenly fallen ill, hence, Kaka’s presence was absolutely necessary.

Bhausaheb Dhumal

Once Bhausaheb Dhumal, a pleader, was going to Niphad for a case. On the way, he stopped at Shirdi, took Baba’s darshan and then wanted to proceed immediately to Niphad. Sai Baba, however, did not permit him to do so. He made him stay in Shirdi for a week or more. Meanwhile, the magistrate at Niphad was suffering intensely from pain in his abdomen and the case was adjourned. Mr. Dhumal was then allowed to go and attend to his case. The case went on for several months and was tried by four magistrates. Ultimately, Mr. Dhumal won the case and his client was acquitted.

Mrs. Nimonkar

Mr. Nanasaheb Nimonkar, Watandar of Nimon and Honorary Magistrate, was staying at Shirdi with his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Nimonkar were spending most of their time in the masjid with Baba and were serving Him. It so happened that their son fell ill at Belapur and the mother decided, with Baba’s consent, to go to Belapur, see her son and other relatives for a few days, and then returns to Shirdi, but Mr. Nimonkar asked her to return the next day. The lady was in a fix and did not know what to do, but her God Sai came to her aid. While leaving Shirdi, she went to see Baba, who was standing in front of Sathe’s wada with Mr. Nanasaheb Nimonkar and some others. She prostrated at His feet and asked His permission to go. Baba said to her, “Go quickly. Stay calm and be unperturbed. Remain in Belapur comfortably for four days, see all your relatives, and then return to Shirdi.” How opportune were Baba’s words! Nanasaheb Nimonkar’s proposal was overruled by Baba’s decree.

Moolay Shastri of Nasik

An orthodox Agnihotri Brahmin of Nasik named Moolay Shastri, who had studied the six shastras and was well versed in astrology and palmistry, once came to Shirdi to see Mr. Bapusaheb Booty, the famous millionaire of Nagpur. After seeing him, Shastri and others went to see Baba in the masjid. Baba bought various fruits and other things from vendors with His own money and distributed them to the people present in the masjid. Baba used to press the mango on all sides so skillfully that one could suck it and get all the pulp in his mouth at once and then merely throw away the pit and the skin forthwith.

Plantains were peeled by Baba and the kernel was distributed to the devotees while the skins were retained by Sai Baba for Himself. Moolay Shastri, a palmist, wanted to read Baba’s palm and requested Him to extend His hand, but Baba ignored his request and gave him four plantains. They all then returned to the wada and Moolay Shastri bathed, put on sacred clothes, and started his routine duties, viz. agnihotra etc. Later, Baba, as usual, started for Lendi and said, “Take some geru (i.e. red miry substance to dye clothes in saffron color). Today we shall don saffron colored cloth. None understood what Baba meant. Then, after some time, Baba returned and preparations for the noon arati began. Bapusaheb Jog asked Moolay Shastri if he would like to accompany him for the arati, to which he replied, he would see Sai Baba in the afternoon. A short while later, Baba sat on His asan (seat), was worshiped by His devotees, and the arati commenced. Then Baba said, “Get some dakshina from the new (Nasik) Brahmin.” Booty himself went to get the dakshina. When Moolay Shastri received Baba’s message, he was sorely perplexed. He thought, “I am a pure Agnihotri Brahmin. Why should I pay dakshina? Baba may be a great saint, but I am not His dependent.” Since, however, a great saint like Sai Baba was asking for dakshina through a millionaire like Booty, he could not refuse. So, leaving his routine unfinished, he went with Booty to the masjid. Thinking himself holy and sacred and the masjid otherwise, he remained at a distance and, joining his hands, threw flowers at Baba. Then lo! All of a sudden, he no longer saw Baba on the seat, but rather, saw his late guru, Gholap Swami, there. He was wonder struck. ‘Could this be a dream?’ No, it was not, as he was wide awake, but though awake, how could his late guru Gholap be there? He was speechless for some time. He pinched himself and thought again, but could not reconcile the fact of his late guru Gholap being in the masjid Finally, leaving all doubt, he went up, fell at his guru’s feet, and then getting up, stood there with folded hands. Other people sang Baba’s arati, while Moolay Shastri chanted his guru’s name. Then, casting off all pride of caste and ideas about sacredness, he fell flat at his guru’s feet and closed his eyes. When he got up and opened his eyes, he saw Baba asking for dakshina. Seeing Baba’s blissful form and His inconceivable power, Moolay Shastri forgot himself. He was extremely pleased and his eyes were full of tears of joy. He again saluted Baba and gave the dakshina. He said his doubt was removed and that he saw his own guru. Seeing this wonderful leela of Baba, all the people, including Moolay Shastri, were quite moved and they realized the meaning of Baba’s words, “Bring geru, we shall don saffron colored garments.” Such is the wonderful leela of Sai Baba.

A Doctor

Once a mamlatdar came to Shirdi with a doctor friend of his. The doctor said his deity was Rama and that he would not bow before a Mohammedan, therefore he was unwilling to go to Shirdi. The mamlatdar replied that nobody would press him to bow, nor would he ask him to do so, so he should therefore come to Baba’s and give the pleasure of his company. Accordingly, they came to Shirdi and went to the masjid for Baba’s darshan. All were wonder struck to see the doctor going ahead and saluting Baba. They asked him how he forgot his resolve and bowed before Baba. The doctor replied he saw his beloved deity, Rama, on the seat, and so therefore, he prostrated before Him. Then, as he was saying this, he saw Sai Baba reappear on the seat. Being dismayed, he said, “Is this a dream? How could he be a Mohammedan? He is a great yogasampanna (full of yoga) avatar.” The next day the doctor made a vow and began to fast. He absented himself from the masjid, resolving not to go there until Baba blessed him. Three days passed, and on the fourth day, a close friend of his from Khandesh arrived in Shirdi and the doctor went with him to the masjid for Baba’s darshan. After the salutation, Baba asked him whether anyone had gone to call him so that he had come. Hearing this vital question, the doctor was moved. The same night he was blessed by Baba, he experienced bliss supreme in his sleep. He then left for his home town where he experienced the same state for a fortnight. Thus, his devotion to Sai Baba increased manifold.

The moral of all the stories mentioned above, especially that of Moolay Shastri, is that we should have firm faith in our guru and nowhere else. More leelas of Sai Baba will be described in the next chapter.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all