59. Baba Manifested Himself like a Cartwala Tested the Faith and Helped Shri Rama-krishna Ganpat Rao Kothare of Mahim, Bombay.

11-09-2004, 06:28 AM

Shri Ramakrishna Ganpat Rao Kottare of. Mahim, Bombay and his father used to
visit Shirdi often and often during Baba's time and also after Baba's
Samadhi. In 1919 during the rainy season they proceeded to Shirdi from Mahim
and came to Kopargaom railway station. But there was heavy floods in
Godavari river at Kopargaom. No conveyance was available to cross the river.
The Station Master advised them not to go to Shirdi in these floods. On
hearing this, they simply sat by uttering Sai's name. At this time, a tall
and lean man with Alpi coat and a stick in hand came to them and told them
why are you people want to go to Shirdi? The mad man there has died. Shri
Ganpat Rao told him not to tell all these tales, I however want to go to
Shirdi Baba will help us. Then the tall man brought his cart, got them
inside the cart and driven to Shirdi. On the way, the tall man uttered
always the words Maya, Mithya, Brahma etc., as a mad man. The cart came to
Kopargaon Town. As there is floods in Godavari River it was not possible to
cross the river the tall man made them to get down near a Brahman's house
and went away without demanding any money from them. He was not turned up
till they started to cross the river by boat after 3 P. M., when the water
lessened in the river. On the other side of the river, they came to Shirdi
late in the night and stayed in' Dixit wada. They were alone in the wada.
They stayed the night there and in the morning they got the darshan of Baba
and returned to Kopargaom and gone to the Brahmin's house and enquired about
the cart tall man. The Brahmin told them that the cart man was not belonged
to Kopargaom and added that he was under the impression He belonged to you
man. All have decided that this occurrence was nothing but Baba's leela to
test their faith.
Surrender Shri Sai Completely Stupendous Delectation and Deliverance be
there ! !

( Adopted from AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI by Ramalingaswamy, Life Member of Shri
Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi at Munja Baba Sthan, Shirdi for more literature on
Sai Baba and consolidated stories of "Ambrosia in Shiridi" before
Mahasamadhi and after Mahasamadhi please visit www.saileelas.org)