Shyamdas and Dwarka

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Shyamdas and Dwarka

A

group of pilgrims along with Shyamdas set out to Dwarka by steamer. Shyamdas

had the tickets for the steamer along with his money in a purse, while the

tickets for the ferry boat had been separated and kept in his pocket. That

evening, while he stood at the railing of the steamer, his purse accidentally

fell into the sea. The Officials of the steamer, when told about it, were

considerate, as he had tickets for the onward journey. But, having no money

posed a problem.

That night, Gopal

Giridhar (Shyamdas’s father) had a vivid dream. A Fakir came into his

bedroom and awakened him by shaking him. “Send money to your father at

Dwarka”, he said. Giridhar looked around but found nobody. Then he fell

asleep again. Again, the same Fakir appeared and rather angrily said, “I

told you to send money to your father. He is stranded there, while you are

sleeping.” This time he got up and went to the door to look for the

Fakir. But, the door was locked and there was no Fakir anywhere.

He

sat up and thought over the dream, then realized that his father must be in

trouble, and stranded at Dwarka. That very day, he had received some money from

an insurance company. He decided to send that money to Shyamdas. He waited

anxiously for daybreak and then sent the fifty rupees. Shyamdas was pleasantly

surprised to receive the money and completed the pilgrimage with ease. Upon

returning from Dwarka, he met Giridhar and asked him how he managed to send the

money at the opportune moment. Giridhar related the leela in vivid detail.

When

Shyamdas went to Shirdi, at Kopargaon, he had some difficulty at getting a tonga.

But, as soon as he finished his ritual of bathing at the Godavari,

doing jap and pooja at the Datta Mandir, a tonga

with two passengers stopped before the Mandir. The passengers asked him to

accompany them, as the third passenger could not make his trip to Shirdi. Upon

reaching Shirdi, the tonga

driver asked him for Re.1/- fare and not the customary Rs.5/-. He went to

Dwarkamai for ‘dhule’ darshan and found Baba sitting with Butti,

Balasaheb Bhate, Chinchanikar and other Bhaktas. Baba was sitting near the

railing and was handing Bade Baba a chillum when he saw Shyamdas. Shyama said,

“Deva, will you see, Shyamdas has come for your darshan.” Then Baba

said, “I’ve been looking after him

since a long time and will look after him hence.” Then

Baba added, “How you drowned the money in the sea?

Allah Malik gave you money. He also gave you water to drink.”

Shyamdas

was overwhelmed by Baba’s love and caring. He went and laid his head on

Baba’s feet for about 15 minutes. Then, Baba patted his head and said, “Get up Shyamdas, sit a while with Me.”

Baba’s

grace enveloped Shyamdas and continued even in the later part of life.

 

(Source Sai Leela

Magazine)