LATE TATYASAHEB NOOLKAR -- A GREAT AND BLESSED SAI-DEVOTEE

[Guest guest]

After this, Tatyasaheb had a wonderful divine vision. Being forced to lie

down in bed in Sathe Wada, Tatyasaheb could not go to Masjid for Baba's

darshan and Baba also, except His walk along the fixed route towards Lendi

Baug twice a day, did not normally visit anybody's residence in Shirdi. This

route was along the rear door of the Wada and at the time of Baba's rounds

even body used to go our of this door and take His darshan. Because

Tatyasaheb could not even get up from the bed, he had no darshan of Baba's

feet for many days. As mentioned above, Tatyasaheb had no other thought in

his mind except that of Baba. Hence his mind was greatly agitated and

distressed over lack of darshan of Baba's concrete (sagun) form. Ultimately

one day he told his elder son (Dr. Wamanrao) to go and tell Baba

accordingly. Wamanrao went to the Masjid and conveyed Tatyasaheb's request

to Baba. When Wamanrao told Baba thai Tatyasaheb desired to have His

darshan, Baba replied, "O.K. He will have darshan. Allah Bhala Karega."

When Wamanrao went to the Masjid, there was nobody else there except one or

two small boys. Whenever boys used to gather in the Masjid, Baba used to

play with them with great delight. Baba would crack jokes with them, pinch

them and even kiss them with love. At that time Baba was in the same playful

mood and Laxman Mama's (village astrologer and maternal uncle of Shama - see

Shri Sai Satcharita, Ch. XLI1I) son Bappaji was also there. On the

village-road one hawker selling cloth was passing through. Some villagers

called him and sitting on a verandah they started looking at the various

pieces of cloth. Bappaji went there and seeing the cloth pieces, he wished

to have a brocade square piece of cloth for lying round his head. So Bappaji

picked up one red coloured brocade piece and coming to Baba said, "Baba, may

I take this?" Baba replied, "Yes, take it." So Bappaji unfolded the cloth

and tied it round his head and bowed down at Baba's feet.

Baba then fondly pinched and pulled Bappaji’s cheeks and Bappaji removed the

cloth from his head, placed it on Baba's head and started laughing. Baba

also allowed it to remain on His head for some lime and pompously looking

all round gave a smile. Then He removed it and placed it on Bappaji's head.

Bappaji again placed it on Baba's head and Baba again returned it on

Bappaji's head. After this was over, Wamanrao returned to the Wada. As

usual, Tatyasaheb asked him as to what happened, in the Masjid and what all

Baba said. Since,, the above happening was not important enough for

narrating, Wamanrao replied, "Nothing special", and-told Talyasahcb that his

request had been conveyed to Baba.

But Talyasaheb was not satisfied. He again and again probingly questioned

Wamanrao and ultimately asked him to narrate exactly all that happened from

beginning to end in the Masjid. So Wamanrao narrated the above incident and

Bappaji's brocade cloth. While listening to the narration, tears of

affection started flowing from Tatyasaheb's eyes and he became absolutely

motionless. On inquiring the reason, he said. "Go and tell Baba that I had

His darshan." When asked to explain, he told us that lying down in Wada he

actually saw Baba doing the same leela (sport) in front of his eyes. He saw

a boy placing a big red 'Jasvandi' flower on Baba's head and Baba placing

the same back on that boy's head. Baba pinched and pulled that boy's checks

fondly. Then the boy again placed die flower on Baba's head and Baba again

returned it on the boy's head. Thus a long craving desire of Tatyasaheb was

fulfilled and he became overpowered with excessive emotion.

 

to be contd...

 

by Late Lt.Col Nimbalkar

Pune

(Source Shri Sai Leela May June 1991)