~LIVE EXPRIENCES OF THE TARKHAD FAMILY WITH SHRI SAI BABA OF SHIRDI ~

[Guest guest]

Other Episodes from Sai Satcharitra

"Om Shri Sainathaya Namaha."

Control over Rain God

In Sai Satcharitra there is an incident, when there was an unprecedented

rainfall in Shirdi. My father was also present over there. He was one of those

lucky ones who had seen the battle between two superpowers. He use to always

say that SaiBaba had acquired the ASTHASIDDHIS" (the eight superhuman powers)

and he used to Practice them whenever he was called upon to overcome the crisis

aced by his devotees. Of course the nature's superpower would aspect him and

respond favorably to his SOS call because SaiBaba Himself was the Incarnation

of God on this Planet Earth.

Those were the rainy days and since afternoon it was raining. As the evening

approached the rains were getting heavier. Dark clouds had gathered in the sky.

Gusty winds started blowing. There were clear signs of a thunderstorm

approaching. The skies were getting lit with flashes of lightening followed by

sounds of thunder. The storm was very active and entire Shirdi village was

getting lashed with severe rains. Water was getting accumulated everywhere and

all villagers along with their cattle started gathering in Dwarkamai as they

had never come across such a severe downpour and thunderstorm. My father could

not be an exception. He also came to Dwarkamai. He was reminded of the incident

in the Bhagwat Gita when Lord Krishna had to lift the entire Govardhan Mountain

and

give shelter to all living beings and offer them reprieve from the unprecedented

fury of the nature. That was the day in Shirdi when the natives needed someone

like "Govardhangiri" who could only rescue them from that grave situation. Of

course all were worried and waiting for Baba"s blessings to fall upon them.

There were no signs of storm clearing and soon Baba's patience was over. He got

up from his seat, picked up his "SATKA"(small baton) in his hand and came down

to the gate of Dwarkamai. He stood there in the open, a severe lightening had

flashed in the sky and Baba hit the ground with the Satka and roared loudly

saying please go away from here (JATES Kl NAI? To be precise in Marathi). The

intensity of that roar was so high in decibels that the entire place started

trembling as though a tremor had hit Shirdi. Once again a severe stroke of

lightening and Baba's hitting the ground with Satka asking for the rain God to

move away from Shirdi. This happened thrice. It was a clear

battle between the two Giants and soon the storm was coming to terms with Baba

requests of reprieve. The lightening stopped, the rains receded and the winds

slowed down. In about an hour's time everything was peaceful once again. The

skies were clear and Baba asked everyone to return to their homes. My father

resorted to his evening duty of lighting the Petromax Lamps. He was itching for

the right moment so that he could ask Baba about the battle. Then came the

moment and he asked Baba whether he is also in a position to rule over the

nature. Baba~7eplied saying "Bhau whenever my devotees are in distress I pray

to the Lord of the Universe to shower his mercy upon them. The Lord comes to my

rescue extends his help to me." Of course my father could not forget the sign'

when Baba was standing in the middle of the rains and roaring back to the Rain

God to move away from Shirdi. Baba was looking like the Lord himself in a

hostile mood.

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Command over Fire Power

Once "DHUNI", the sacred fireplace started by Baba in Dwarkamai burning

fiercely. Baba had already predicted the day of his departure from this world,

hence I think it must be the day of "VIJAYADASHMI", popularly known as Dassera.

It was evening time. Baba had stationed himself at his usual sitting place

opposite the Dhuni in Dwarkamai. My father was also present there. Every

evening he would come to Dwarkamai, sit there and observe the interesting

happenings if any and proceed with his duty of lighting the Petromax Lamps.

That day Baba suddenly got up, went near Dhuni, moved some wood pieces and

started murmuring something while pacing up and down in Dwarkamai. This was

very unusual and my father felt that something strange is likely to happen.

Here I must state that

even in those days there were many devotees of Baba who were anxious to know the

religion of Baba by birth i.e. whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim. In any case

he was in human form so he must have taken birth from a human body, in which

case whether his parents were Hindu or Muslim was the question? Of course my

father cannot be an exception to the rule.

Baba was slowly turning into an angry mood. He started abusing people who had

assembled over there. Here the fire in the Dhuni was also raging higher and

higher in the same proportion of Baba's angry mood. Entire Dwarkamai was lit up

with the light from the firewood. By now Baba was charged with rage. He removed

the cotton cloth tied to his head and threw it in the Dhuni. Suddenly the fire

flames rose higher. Baba's long hairs became free. After a little while Baba

removed his Kafani and threw the same in the Dhuni. The fire flames rose still

higher so much so that people feared that the Dwarkamai would catch fire.

Baba's anger was reaching its zenith. He stood in front of the People in that

angry mood and in a fraction of a second he removed his Langot"(loin cloth)

and threw the same in raging Dhuni. He had thus become "DIGAMBER"(nude) and he

stood in front of the

people in that form. He then shouted at them and told them to look at his body

and decide for themselves and ascertain whether he was Hindu or a Muslim. What

a way to give proof of oneself Now I am going to narrate to you what my father

had seen at that time. My father used to say that Baba had acquired a very

fiery posture. His eyeballs had turned red hot like burning coal and rays of

light were emanating- from every pore of his body and his entire body was

hidden behind that glow of spiritual ball of light. The light rays were so

powerful that my father had to close his eyes. Needless to say that he could

not make out the identity of Baba's religion. All present in Dwarkamai were

stunned, Baba's shouts were continued. The flames from Dhuni were reaching very

high and throwing enormous amount of light. Outside there was severe lightening

and thunder. Then Mr. Bhagoji Shinde, one close devotee of Baba a leper (Baba

used to allow him to press his

legs) came forward and with great courage tied the new "LANGOT"(loin-cloth)

around his waist. Then Baba cooled down to normalcy. He lifted his "SATKA" and

came close to the Dhuni. He started hitting the flames with the Satka and was

saying "Ugi...Ugi.means calm down, calm down. With each stroke of Satka the

flames lowered in height and soon everything was back to normal. Then people

got the courage to make Baba wear a new Kafani and his hairs (JATA) were tied

with new piece of cloth. Although it was very late but devotees venerated Baba

and carried put the evening Aarati as usual. Of course what impressed my father

most was that Great Godly Body of Baba emanating light and his powers of having

command over the fire. Baba-has selected Vijaya Dashami day with a purpose. He

had given indication to his devotees that this will be the day when he will bid

bodily good bye to this world. Later in the year 1918 on the Vijayadashmi day

Baba took Samadhi.

Dear Sai devotee readers after knowing this I think we all should bury the

hatchet of anxiety about Baba's religion and simply worship him with utmost

devotion and 100 percent faith, for SAI means "SAAKSHAT ISHWAR"(GOD) who has no

religion and is all pervading omnipotent and omnipresent.

Bathing of LORD SHIVA by Megha

One staunch Sai devotee who had permanently stationed himself at Shirdi was Mr.

Megha. He was a very ardent follower of Lord Shiva and Baba knew about it. Baba

had therefore gifted him the Lingam of Lord Shiva so that he could perform his

daily pooja of his Lord. Baba also loved Megha intensely, which made him to

attend his funeral procession in Shirdi. Baba joined the procession and went on

showering flowers over his dead body right up to the cemetery and also shed

tears like a normal mortal snowing his grief and love for his true devotee.

Of course Megha use to reckon Baba as his Lord Shankar and Baba had therefore

allowed him to draw the Trishul on his forehead as was desired by Megha. On one

Mahashivratri day Megha developed a fervent desire of giving a bath to Baba with

Gangajal i.e. water from river Godavari. He was therefore nagging Baba to allow

him to do so well in advance, as he knew that Baba would not permit him to do

so easily. Finally after a lot of persuasion Baba agreed to take a bath from

Megha.

On receiving the permission Megha was very happy. One day earlier Megha informed

his acquaintances and invited them to witness the ceremony. My father was one of

the invitees. Earlier night Megha left Shirdi with a Kalashi (metal vessel) for

getting Gangajal from river Godavari that is around 11 km away from Shirdi. But

for an ardent devotee like Megha, distance was no bar and he was back in Shirdi

before noon with the Gangajal. After the noon Aarati Megha requested ' Baba to

come for the bathing ceremony. Baba told him that he was only joking about

taking the Gangajal bath, as such for a Fakir like him such acts are not

permitted. Baba suggested to him to pour the sacred Gangajal over the Lingam of

Lord Shiva in the Shiva Temple in Shirdi. Then Megha told him that he is bathing

the Lingam daily and he reckons Baba

as his living Lord Shiva and Mahashivratri being the most auspicious day for all

Shivabhaktas Baba should not disappoint him. As Megha was very adamant Baba told

him that he would allow him to pour the water only on one condition. Baba

explained to him that Ganga emanates from Lord Shiva's head and hence Baba will

bend forward and then Megha should pour the water over his head only. Megha

though reluctant agreed to abide by this condition. Then Baba got up from his

seat and they proceeded to Lendi Baug. There was a special stone on which Baba

used to take bath, he sat on it, bended his head forward and signaled Megha to

proceed. Megha started pouring water over Baba's head very slowly but he was

not satisfied with that kind of bath, he decided to act as he had contemplated

in his mind all these days. He suddenly emptied the bucket with the remaining

water on all over Baba's body saying "Hara Hara Mahadev." He was very jubilant

and started dancing with Joy, as he thought he had

fulfilled his desire completely. But this did not last long. Soon he realized

that although he had poured water all over Baba's body, only his head was wet

and rest of his body including "is Kafani was as dry as ever. Megha was

astonished to notice that and he could not believe. Then Baba told him "Hey you

know Ganga flows out of Lord Shiva's head and does not touch rest of his body."

My father was watching this fun along with other invitees. He realized that

Baba wanted to impress upon Megha that his word is final and no one can dare to

disobey him. Also Baba wanted to ascertain to Megha that he is his Living Lord

Shiva. My father by then had fully understood Baba's various acts. According to

him Baba over period of time had developed typical devotees around him. Through

their mystical acts he use to impress upon people the presence of

Lord and his mighty powers which people must learn to respect through their

faithful devotion. To name some of them were Megha (Lord Shiva), Nanavali (Lord

Hanuman), and Dasganu (Lord Vithoba). In fact Dasganu Maharaj in one of his

Aarati says SHIRDI MAZHE PANDHARPUR SAIBABA RAMAVAR (My Pandharpur is Shirdi

and my Vithoba is SaiBaba). My father use to say that sometimes in jovial mood

Baba would say that "Hey Bhau I am none other than Goddess Laxmi and while

sitting in this Dwarkamai I would never utter a lie." In his entire life span

he called upon himself as messenger of God and never God himself. Of course

whatever he would utter would take place unfailingly. My father use to recall

Baba saying that "Hey Bhau, after I depart from this humanly body, you will see

that people will flock to Shirdi like Ants to sugar. Today you visit Shirdi any

day of the year you will get the proof of Baba's statement made years ago.

 

BY

VIRENDRA JYOTINDRA TARDHAD

==============================================

 

With Baba Nothing is Impossible

Baba guide us all

Sairam

Manisha

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