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

[Guest guest]

Other experiences with Lord

"Om Shri Sainathaya Namaha."

Dear readers, as informed earlier that my father had visited Shirdi around 17

times and the span of each visit use to be anywhere from 7 days to one month.

During the stay they used to come across such interesting Leela's of Baba that

they never felt like leaving Shirdi. Of course, no sooner Baba would order them

to leave; they would depart from Shirdi. My father had good collection of these

experiences which I might not remember all. In this chapter I will try to

narrate to you some of these experiences which are other than those depicted in

Sai Satcharitra. I am sure Sai devotees of those times must have come across

many such interesting experiences and they must have passed them on to their

dear ones. I am narrating them to you to purely express my love and devotion

to Lord Sai.

Gimmicks of Nanavali

There was a eccentric devotee of SaiBaba by name Nanavali. I am taking this

liberty to term him as cranky because he use to perform very funny acts (monkey

tricks), which use to annoy people and they use to complain to Baba about his

misbehavior. Baba would then scold Nana stating that devotees would go away

from Shirdi if he continues to misbehave. My father had different kind of

admiration for Nanavali. He was suffering from hernia so much so that the grown

up portion use to touch the ground and he use to walk in that fashion only.

Sometimes he used to tie the pieces of cloth to his trousers at the back

forming a long tail and then he use to jump like a monkey. All the children of

the village use to get amused with his monkey tricks and then in that state he

used to come running to Baba to save him torn the

onslaught of the children. My father used to wonder as to how can this man in

that state of hernia run so fast. He never thought pf him to be a mad person.

Nanavali used to call my father by name Gawalya' and use to beg him for food.

Then my father used to go to the eating, house run by Sagun and request him to

feed him with sufficient food. According to my father Sai Baba and Nanavali was

like a pair of Lord Ram and his ardent devotee Lord Hanuman. Nanavali once

commanded Baba to allow him to sit on his seat. Baba responded positively to

his call and got up from his seat and allowed Nanavali to occupy the same.

Nanavali sat for a while on the seat and then got up saying, “Oh Lord only you

can occupy this seat because it suits you, my right place is near your feet

only”. You can all imagine what great guts Nanavali had to ask Baba to allow

him to

occupy his seat and also the enormous quantum of love that Baba extended to him

and vacated his 'Asan' (seat) for beloved Nanavali. Offcourse the reason why my

father use to reckon them as an equivalent pair of Lord Ram & Hanuman is

different. Once Nanavali told my father "Hey Gawalya come with me and I will

show you some fun". He then took my father to 'Chavadi' which is a little

distance from Dwarkamai. Baba was sitting there in Chavadi. In no time Nanavali

reduced his stature and made himself so small that he could fit in a 'Handi'

(glass bowls which are tied with small ropes and hung onto the ceiling of the

Chavadi) and then literally jumped up and went and sat up in one of the

'Handis'. Like a monkey he was sitting in the Handi and teasing my father. My

father was astonished to see that act. It was unbelievable. It was nothing

short of a miracle. How can Nanavali with that state of his body jump so high

and make himself small enough to sit in that Handi. It was simply

amazing and unbelievable. He then realized that Sai Baba and Nanavali are Avatar

of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman in Shirdi. He instantly prostrated in front of Baba

there and then venerated Him.

Dear Sai Devotee readers Nanavali was deep in sorrow after Baba had taken the

Samadhi and on the thirteenth day he himself renounced this world. Nanavali's

Samadhi is situated near the eastern entrance door of Lendi Baug. I always bow

before it whenever I visit Shirdi. Millions of bows to Lord Sai and his amazing

Leelas.

Disappearance of Moreshwar's Asthama

Moreshwar Pradhan was a close devotees of Sai Baba. He was a judge in Bombay

High court. He was suffering from acute Asthama. He used to be a partner of my

grandfather whenever they used to play the Bridge (a game of cards). For the

cure of his Asthama my grandfather advised him to visit Shirdi and he obliged.

On his very first visit to Shridi when he met Sai Baba he was offered to inhale

the 'Chilim' (a clay pipe which Baba used to smoke) which Baba gave him

personally. Moreshwar was rather worried but he inhaled the 'Chilim' and it was

a miracle. From that moment onwards he never got any attack of Asthama. What a

strange way of curing a person of his ailment. Moreshwar thanked my grandfather

and from then on became an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba. It was a

Vijayadashmi day of the year 1918, and late afternoon suddenly Moreshwar got an

attack of Asthama. The attack was severe and he had send his servant to Bandra

and requested my grandfather to come to Santacruz to his residence. Moreshwar's

servant told my grandfather that his master has suddenly taken ill and requested

him to rush for his help. Then my grandfather along with my father left their

house. Offcourse they carried along with them the 'Udi', which Baba had given

personally to them on their last visit to Shirdi. They saw Moreshwar in utter

distress. My grandfather consoled him. He put Baba's 'Udi' in a glass of water

and requested Moreshwar to drink the same. Moreshwar obeyed my grandfather as

he was reckoning him to be his very close friend. No sooner had he drank the

water than the intensity of the attack went on reducing and in a short while he

was feeling relieved. Moreshwar asked my grandfather stating that Baba had said

that his Asthama has gone for ever in which case

how come the revival of the attack? My grandfather advised him not to worry and

in the event it happens again he should consume Baba's Udi as medicine. However

Moreshwar was not required to do so any more. The consumption of Udi had

certainly reduced the Asthama attack but there was an altogether different kind

of message behind this incident, which they all realized later on. On that very

day at about 2 p.m. Sai Baba had taken Samadhi in Shirdi and while doing so he

had sent in his typical way wireless messages to all his ardent devotees. Of

course my grandfather and father had also received this wireless message which

I will narrate to you all in a later chapter.

Eating the Skin of Watermelon

During Baba's lifetime, some people who visited Shirdi could not get his

blessings may be they lacked faith in him or may be they did not have patience.

These people were of elite class and whenever they had visited him, looking at

his poor lifestyle they used to think how can a "Fakir" like him get rid of

their problems. Of course Baba's ways of handling issues were also very funny

and difficult to understand in the very first meeting.

It was- summer time. One woman vendor with a basket full of Watermelons came

near Dwarkamai. Baba purchased all her Watermelons. He then cut one and made

slices and started distributing them to all devotees present over there. They

all were enjoying the Watermelon. Baba had not given a slice to my father who

was also present over there. At that point of time one elite gentleman well

dressed accompanied with his two servants entered Dwarkamai. He was suffering

from severe Diabetes and on the advice of someone he was visiting Shirdi. Baba

did a funny thing he took one slice and separated the skin and the pulp and

offered the pulp to my father and the skin to the gentleman. The elite

gentleman was rather annoyed and replied

that he is not an animal like cow or a goat to eat the skin. Baba then offered

the same to my father and said "Hey Bhau you only eat this now." When my father

had a bite at it, to his surprise it was soft like a Banana and sweeter than the

pulp he had already consumed earlier. My father used to say that such sweet

Watermelon he had never tasted in his life. The elite gentleman felt insulted

and went away from there. He had probably missed his permanent cure on

diabetes. My father expired at the age of 70 years and had no trace of diabetes

till then. Dear devotees the real medicine was not in the substance but was

there in those sacred hands of Baba which use to give that Mida's Touch to that

substance which then probably was getting converted to nectar. Those devotees

who had realized these facts were immensely benefited. Of course Baba's most

important teachings were "SHRADDHA" means faith and "SABURI" means patience.

Those who practice these two Mahamantras will always be

successful in life.

Killing of Insects

During Baba's lifetime devotees visiting Shirdi used to voluntarily take part in

executing some duties such as cleaning of Dwarkamai, sweeping the road from

Dwarkamai to Lend! Baug which Baba use to walk upon daily. These duties were

not entrusted upon but devotees would perform them as though they are offering

their worship to Baba through such social deeds. The resident devotees of

Shirdi were regularly performing such duties. My father whenever in Shirdi

would undertake the job of cleaning the Petromax Lanterns and lighting them up

in the evening and hang them in assigned places all over Dwarkamai. He would

use that opportunity to seek clarification from Baba on any query he would

tumble upon. Once he declared to Baba that he would no more light up the

Petromax Lanterns because that act of him is making him to be a sinner. No

sooner the Lanterns are lit and darkness approaches, lots of insects gather

around the lamps and after hovering around for sometime they fall beneath the

lamp and die. In the event that he does not light the lamps they would not come

there and possibly would not die My father basically wanted to know why God had

created such a phenomenon and Baba's explanation on that matter. Baba laughed

at that query and said "Hey Bhau you are mad. Do you think that these insects

will not die if you do not light the lanterns? They would go to the place where

there are lamps and light and would die there. This is all Lord's creation. He

had planned their death at the time of their birth itself. In case Lamp or

light is not there then other creatures would finish them. These types of deeds

do not add to the sins of a human being. Your main intention of lighting the

lamp is to remove the darkness from Dwarkamai so that the

devotees can perform their worship with ease. You are therefore not indulging in

any act of sin. The very fact that the dying of insects hurts you in itself is

an indication that you have a kind heart. The Lord knows his duties very well

and we need not interfere with his work. He has planned our end side by side

while putting life into us. You therefore need not worry and continue to

perform the work which gives you pleasure. Lord will be kind to you (ALLA BHALA

KAREGA)". So Baba's teachings were very simple and of a convincing type. Through

this incident he administered a noble advice to my father and made him aware of

a norm created by God.

 

 

BY

VIRENDRA JYOTINDRA TARDHAD

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

 

With Baba Nothing is Impossible

Baba guide us all

Sairam

ManishaTired of

spam? Mail has the best spam protection around