BABA'S EYE OF VIGILANT SUPERVISION

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BABA'S EYE OF VIGILANT SUPERVISION:

 

Baba's "eye of vigilant supervision is ever on those who love him".

Baba's watch over Mahlsa saved him from shipwreck in his food

problems. At times, for long periods the starvation of the devotee

and his family came perilously near the danger point. Then Baba

suddenly made the devotee relax his vow.

 

On one occasion, H. S. Dixit was somehow made aware of the danger. He

wished to send up a ten rupee note to Mahlsapathy. To make sure that

it should not be rejected, he enclosed it in an envelope and took it

to Baba and without any other words asked Baba "Shall I send this?"

Baba said, " Yes". He sent it, and it was accepted. Baba had his

Antarjnan of the gift and had told Mahlsa's wife some hours earlier:

"Tell your husband, Baba is coming to the house and he should not

reject Baba". So when the envelope with the 10 rupee note came,

Mahlsapathy was sure that Baba's message referred to the envelope and

he accepted it.

 

The snake infested Shirdi was full of danger to its inhabitants. One

evening as Mahlsapathy was leaving Baba's Mosque, Baba told him that

he was likely to meet two thieves (snakes) on the way, and

accordingly Mahlsapathy found one at his doorsteps and the other at

the neighbouring house. One day Baba told him "When you return, came

with a lamp, for you will find a thief at the gate." accordingly,

Mahlsapathy came with a lamp in his hand, and found a snake at the

gate, and cried out `snake, snake'. The neighbours gathered and

killed it.

 

Baba once warned him in general words, "Don't put your back against

earth". Not remembering this advice, and in his usual slovenly way,

Mahlsapathy, having consumed too much of Burfi got giddy, sat on the

floor, and losing his consciousness, glided down. He then was with

his bare back on the floor. He was dreaming or delirious and talking

in his dream, keeping his legs stretched on the bare earth all the

time. When he returned to consciousness and got awake, he found he

could not bend his leg. His daughters had to massage his knees and

legs, and thereafter he was able to walk up to Baba. When he arrived

there, Baba told him, "Did I not tell you not to put your back

against earth?"

 

On one occasion, Baba gave him warning that something wrong would

happen at Khandoba's, and that, however, he need not be afraid as

Baba would do the needful. Then very soon, his wife and daughter fell

ill and soon after, the other members of his family also fell ill.

This was after 1908, after which date the number of Shirdi visitors

increased including many doctors. Meanwhile Baba told Mahlsapathy,

`Let the sick people keep to bed', and walking round his Mosque with

a short stick in hand. Baba was waving his short stick and using

threatening words: - "Come, whatever may be your power, let us see! I

shall show you what I can do with my chota stick, if you come out and

face me." This was Baba's treatment of the disease. However, amongst

the numerous visitors, there were doctors who gave medicines to

Mahlsapathy to be given to his family. Mahlsapathy consulted Baba

regarding the medicines, but Baba dissuaded him from administering

the medicines to the sick at home. In the result, all got well

without medicine. Baba's way of fighting disease is not the modern

way of medicine, but it was unmistakably effective.

 

Baba's watching was often of great benefit to Mahlsapathy on other

domestic matters also. Once Mahlsapathy's wife had gone to her

mother's house at a distance village. When she was there, she

developed a painful tumour near her neck, but she did not communicate

that to her husband. But Baba's watching eye of supervision, which

rests on all those relying on him with loving trust, noted the fact.

He told Mahlsapathy at Shirdi: "Your wife has a tumour in the throat.

None can cure it except myself, and I shall cure it." Mahlsapthy know

nothing about his wife's health simply said, "Yes, Baba". Later he

received a letter mentioning the painful tumour, and adding that it

had been cured.

 

When Mahlsapathy often obtained leave of Baba to go for his night

meal, Baba used to say, "Go, I am with you." No harm then befell

Mahlsapathy. Though Baba was not physically accompanying Mahlsapathy,

his invisible guardianship was evident.

 

Baba's watch over Mahlsapathy was also for his moral benefit. Though

Mahlsapathy was generally of a pious disposition, sometimes he

committed mistakes. Every night he used to feed a crippled bitch, and

one day, having fed it, he said, "Go". But the creature did not stir.

He took a stick and gave it a beating and then it howled with pain

and ran away. That night when Mahlsapathy went to the Mosque and

shampooed Baba's legs, Bapu Saheb, Dada Kelkar and others were with

him. Baba said, "Arre, there is a bitch, sickly like me, in the

village. Everybody is beating it." Then at once Mahlsapathy,

remembering his behaviour repented his mistake. This is not trivial,

as we shall see further on.

 

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

(Shri Vasuki Mahal Shirdi Saibaba Trust, Coimbatore, India)