DEVOTEES' EXPERIENCES OF SRI SAI BABA BY H.H. NARASIMHA SWAMIJI - PART III

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Sairam,

Devotees Experiences - W.Pradhan

An incident relating to Babu's illness as an infant ought

chronologically to be placed before this. When Babu was 3 or 4 years

old, he had serious illness. We had Madhava Bhat, a learned and pious

(and on the whole well-to-do) Telugu priest at home, who was greatly

attached to the family and carried on Mantra Japa and Pooja in our

house for our benefit. He noticed Babu's serious illness with

concern. He had first no sympathy with our worship of Baba. He

fancied that Babu's illness was due to our worshipping a Moslem Saint

viz Sai Baba but he dared not give utterance to his thought. One

night he had a dream. He saw a figure (which from the photo we had,

he recongnised to be Sai Baba) sitting on the top of the staircase,

holding a batton (Sota) in one hand. That figure (Baba) told

him "What do you mean? I am the Lord of this house". The priest kept

this dream to himself for a time (He had asked us to go and make a

vow to Datta for the child's cure but he had been told that Baba was

Datta himself).

Later Babu's condition was much worse than before. The priest noted

with concern. He ran up at once to Baba's photo and loudly prayed

thus "if the child should improve sufficiently by 4 p.m. so as to be

brought downstairs, then I will agree that you are Datta". Within a

short time of this prayer, the child's temperature was getting lower

and by 4 p.m. he wanted to be carried down for amusement and his

mother took him downstairs. Madhav Bhat was converted and felt that

Sai Baba was really Datta. And he vowed he would pay him a dakshlna

of Rs. 120 and paid it. The Pandit wanted to get a son and vowed he

would pay Rs. 108 if he got one. He got one and then paid Rs. 108 to

Baba. But at that very time, the Pandit vowed he would pay Rs. 1.008

if my (i.e., Pradhan's) ambition should be achieved. When Mr.

Deshpande referred to the gift of Rs.108 as large, Baba belittled it

and said, "He is giving me much more" evidently referring to the vow

of Rs. 1 ,008.

Baba gave some words of advice to my wife (l)e.g., "If anyone talks

ten words at us, let us reply with one word ..... if we reply at

all". (2) Do not quarrel or vie with any one not to be outdone. Early

during the 32 days of my last stay with Baba. 1918, all of us

escorted Him with umbrella and all paraphernalia to the lendi. We all

left Him there and retreated. But me alone He recalled to Himself and

put His palm over my head and said "Bhav, will you do what I ask you

to do?" I said "yes". Then he said "Pay me Rs. 100. Bring it in a bag

and deliver it to me at the Masjid quietly". In this way He made me

give Him all the sums I brought and the extra sums I borrowed. Then

He made some signs, which were not clear. They seemed to mean "Even

if the heavens tumbledown on you, do not fear. I am with you". Baba

at my first visit said that for the previous six years, He had been

smoking the chilm that I had given Him. I could not make out His

meaning.

Sri Buty's second marriage took place at Shirdi in 1916 and I was

present.

When we left Shirdi Baba said, that He would accompany us. Physically

and with a visible body He did not accompany us. But our journey was

pleasant and free from danger. That indicated that He accompanied us

with His invisible body and warded off all danger and trouble. After

Baba blessed me and passed away, I had the following benefits. I was

appointed 2nd Class Magistrate of South Salsette for 1920-1926 and am

a J.P. since 1926. I was elected for Thana as a member of the Bombay

Legislative Council and sat during 1921-1923. I was made a Rao

Bahadur in 1927.

 

To Be contd ---

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