Drawing Lots - At the Feet of Shri Sai Baba

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Drawing Lots - At the Feet of Shri Sai Baba

(Shri Sai Leela May 1984)

 

      In October 1S83 issue of Shri Sai Leela Magazine, there is an article by

Shri K. Vasudev of Bangalore in which the author has narrated how he took

Shri Sai Baba's advice, when faced with a business problem, by putting chits

on the silver feet (padukas) of Shri Sai Baba at Shirdi. Initially the

author felt that this was a silly thing to do at the noble feet of Lord Shri

Sai; but in the end he was convinced that there is nothing wrong in taking

this liberty of asking approval of one's plan of action from your father

Lord Sai.

 

      I quite agree with the author's later conviction. Actually during Baba's

life time His devotees used to approach Him for such advice and found that

it was invariably correct and profitable. For instance in chapter 25 of Shri

Saisatcharita, Damu Anna of Ahmednagar asked Sbri Sai Baba through a letter

whether to join a friend in trading in cotton and grains or not. Baba told

him not to take chance and be content with his present earnings. Damu Anna

was unhappy at Baba'.- advice, but nevertheless he listened to Baba and sure

enough his friend lost the deal and became a bankrput. Thus Damu Anna was

saved from insolvency.

 

      Normally Baba being in the know of further happenings and keenly interested

in the welfare of His devotees, told them on His own what to do and what not

to do. For instance Baba advised Rao Bahadur S. V. Sathe, who had crossed 50

years of age already, to marry second time and assured him that he will get

a son. Shri Sathe re-married and got a daughter first and also the second

time; but Shri Sathe had full faith in Baba's words and accordingly he did

get a son third time. The well-known pleader of Nasik, Shri S. B. Dhumal

asked Baba's permission by a letter to leave Nasik because of the incidence

of plague in the town, Baba did not give permission and Dhumal also -stayed

on against the pleadings of his family members Nothing happened to Dhumal or

his family members. Prof. G. G. Narke, an England returned intellectual and

son-in-law of Shrimant Butty, was jobless at Shirdi for 13 months. There

were offers to him from Calcutta and Burma for employment; but Baba refused

permission. In the end there was a vacancy in the Government Engineering

College, at Pune and although Narke had doubts about his being selected,

Baba asked him to apply and he was promptly selected. Thus listening to

Baba, Narke got a permanent and well-paid job and quite close to his

hometown. Shri R. B. Purandare of Bandra once went to Shirdi and while

leaving asked Baba's permission to go to Nasik on pilgrimage. Baba said

'yes' and told him to stay there for two days. On reaching Nasik,

Purandare's younger brother caught fever. His mother and other family

members got scared and pressed Purandare to return to Bombay immediately.

But Purandare replied that Baba had ordered him to stay for two days and he

would not move before that period. Next day his brother's fever subsided and

they returned to Bombay after two days happily.

 

 

(to be contd....)

Lt  Col. M. B. Nimbalkar (Retd)

Pune

 

Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai !!!

 

Baba Bless us all

 

 

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