SMT. PARVATIBAI SAPATNEKAR

[Guest guest]

      She said, "When I was married, I was hardly 13 years old and my husband

(Shri Mahadev Waman Sapatnekar) a windower of 33 years age. He had lost his

first wife and also a son due to a throat-disease. My in-laws were staying

at Madhegaon but my husband lived and practised as a lawyer at Akkalkot (the

then District Headquarters). He was already disappointed in life having lost

his first wife and a son. After words when I too did not have an issue 4 — 5

years after marriage, he became very miserable and started losing interest

in life. Then (in 1913) my father-in-law (we used to address him as Baba)

asked him to go to Shri Sai Baba at Shirdi. We had heard about Shri Sai Baba

from my husband's friend and one time co-student Shri Shevde. But my husband

had no faith in Shri Sai Baba and he did not wish to go. But those days how

could a son dare disobey his father? So at last, accompanied by his younger

brother Panditrao, he went to Shirdi. On seeing Shri Sai Baba my husband

approached him to bow down but Baba suddenly shouted, "Chal hat (Get away)"

and pushed him with such a force that his pugree was thrown away. My husband

became very sad and as after 2-3 days' stay also when the same thing

continued, returned to Madhegaon in a great disappoint; and anger towards

his father for sending him to Shirdi and getting insulted.

 

      When my husband went to Shirdi, he had left me at Madhe-gaon with my

in-laws. I was very keen to go but in those days how could a wife say

anything to her husband? During nights we ladies (myself and the wife of my

husband's brother) used to sleep together. Once while fast asleep I had a

dream. Suddenly there was a very bright flash. In those days there was a

shortage of water in our village. Suddenly I realised that there was not a

drop of water in the house. So I took a pitcher and started going towards a

well nearby — known as Lakkadsha's well. I was in a great hurry. In our

times a daughter-in-law was not supposed to go out of the house alone and

hence" I wanted to come back home before Baba (my father-in-law) returned

from the court. As I went near the well, I saw standing there a fakir with a

cloth tied on his head.  He  came  near  me and  said,  "My dear girl!  why

get exhausted for nothing? I shall get your pitcher filled with pure water."

I was really scared. I suspected a bad intention on his part and when I also

saw him raising up his kafni and sitting down to pass urine in front of me,

I was doubly sure of his indecent intention and ran towards our house. He

also followed me and continued to say, "Do not run away, you will regret

later. I have come to give you something." On reaching home I closed the

door firm and fast but the fakir came to the door and continued to throw

small pebbles through the slits all the time saying, "| have come to give

you something'.' I did not know what to do and was about to shout when I

woke up suddenly. Looking around I saw my sister-in-law sleeping next to me

peacefully as usual. I asked her what was the time. She laughed and jokingly

said, "Aren't you getting sleep? Ah! quite naturally. Brother-in-law (my

husband) has gone to Shirdi. So you must be dreaming of him!"

 

(to be contd....)

Lt  Col. M. B. Nimbalkar (Retd)

Pune

 

Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai !!!

 

Baba Bless us all