SMT. PARVATIBAI SAPATNEKAR

[Guest guest]

Within a period of one year only, that is in 1915, my son Murlidhar was

born. When he was 8 months old we took him to Shirdi for Baba's darshan.

Later I had two more sons — Bhaskar and Dinkar. We took them also to Shirdi-

Dinkar was then only 2 or 3 months old. As soon as I placed him at Baba's

feet, He lifted him in His hands and threw him in the air with a great

force. Nothing happened to Dinkar and a devotee sitting around caught him

safely.

 

In all I had 8 sons and 1 daughter. Baba had said to me, "Take. One, two

three, four. As many as you want", and really He had thus fulfilled His

promise. As soon as my first son Murlidhar was born, my husband's faith and

devotion to Sai Baba became firm and in years to come it developed so much

that when my second son Bhaskar aged 10 years died, he collected all his

remaining sons in front of Baba's photo and said, "Baba '. Take away all

these. I shall not mind. But I shall not give up your bhakti (devotion)".

 

Dear readers, such is the most interesting and instructive story of

Sapatnekars — coming from the horse's mouth — from one of the chief actors

of the scene in Ch. 48. I have tried to render it in English language so

that the Non-Marathi readers can share my joy.

 

Sapatnekars originally hail from the village Sapatne. Later they shifted to

the Taluka town — Madhegaon. Practising law has been their family

profession. Even to this day it is being followed by the members generally.

The hero of this story late Shri Mahadev Waman Sapatnekar became a

well-known pleader at Akkalkot and acquired a reasonably good property. In

1961 some of the family members shifted to Pune.

 

While talking to Shri Dinkar Sapatnekar, I learnt that his father was

initially a devotee of Shri Dutta and used to visit Ganagapur quite often.

Once there only, having lost his wife and son, his father to end his life

had jumped into the river but Shri Dutta Himself took him out and ordered

him to go to Akkalkot. After few years, as narrated above, Shri Sai Baba

drew him towards Himself and fixed him forever in His devotion.

 

>From the above one point is clear that darshan and blessing of any saint is

not possible without one's good deeds and hard penance of past life. One

more point also has struck me. Possibly Baba wanted to show that He and Shri

Dutta are one and wanted to give a push to Shri Sapatnekar's original

spirituality by removing his un<alled for disappointment and sorrow of

family life. 'Chal hat' drama might be Baba's Leela for the same. Really is

the wonderful skill and adaptibility of Baba in drawing His devotees towards

Himself and leading them towards spiritual uplift

 

(After this interview, within a period of 11/2 months only, this noble lady

laid down her life at 4 P.M. on 30th October 1983. According to Hindu

calendar this was the same day and month' (10th day of Ashvin) when Sai Baba

took samadhi, except that it was in the second half (Vadya) of the month.

Also like Sai Baba this lady breathed her last after the 10th day had

finished at 3.51 P.M. and the 11th day (Ekadashi) had commenced. At the time

of death she was 88 years old and was conscious till last moment. Next

morning at 7 A.M. that is after 15 hours when I went to pay my obeisance to

her, the shine on her face was still there and a thought came to mind that

perhaps Baba had arranged my contact with her only 11/2 months before her

passing away so that Sai Bhaktas could hear her story from her own mouth.

How kind and thoughtful of Him.)

 

Lt. Col. M.B. Nimbalkar (Retd.)

PUNE411 001.

 

 

Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai !!!

 

Baba Bless us all

 

 

!