Sri Udhav Rao Maharaj by M.Rama Rao

April 12, 2008

Sri Udhav

Rao Maharaj

Sai brother Ashok

Bhombore is a staunch devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba. He

has made a number of trips to Shirdi at least at an average of 4 trips in a

year since 1981. During his last five year trips he tried his level best to

meet Sri Udhava Rao Maharaj

who is a blessed soul and who had Sai Baba’s Grace when Baba was alive

but Bhombore could not meet Maharaj.

By Baba's Grace he met him on 29-10-1991. The following is the version of the meeting

between him and Sri Udhav Rao Maharaj.

Sometimes Shri

Baba used to address " SHAMA'' as School Master. This School Master who was

born at Nimon and had hardly any basic education

except he had studied upto Marathi 5th Standard, was

ultimately transformed into a great scholar, Gyani, Abhigyani and very well respected man. Shri

Baba even taught him and forced him to chant' 'VISHNU SAHASRA NAMA'. In the

later stages Shri Madhav

Rao Deshpande (Shama)

attained such great enlightenment that he was able to chant Vishnu Sahasranama and tell the meaning and effect of this great stotram to several Sai Devotees who were associated with Shri Sainath before and after Mahasamadhi. Sai Satcharitra is

filled with Shama's stories. Likewise Upasane Maharaj; when he came to

Shirdi he was unwell and was expecting his death. He asked Madhav

Rao to request Baba to help him. On hearing this Baba replied: " that this

place (Shirdi) is for saving and not killing. "

We were taken to Sri Udhava

Rao's house by his nephew. Shri

Madhav Rao (Shama) had

three sons and Shri Udhava

Rao is the youngest of the three sons. He continues to stay in his ancestral

house where his father used to stay and which is very close to Dwarkamai and Samadhi Mandir.

Although his house is very old but we were very much impressed with the upkeep

of the house which is very tidy, clean and seems to be completely renovated to

a middle class family standard.

Shri Udhava Rao who is

about 86 years old and has good eyesight greeted us as soon as his elder

brother’s son took us inside his house. He lives with his wife who is

also quite old but active lady. During our half an hour discussion in Marathi

that is his mother tongue he said that he had no issue and he was about 12

years when Shri Sai Baba attained Mahasamadhi

in 1918.

Shri Udhava Rao showed us

photos of his parents hung on wall. His father Shri Madhava Rao Deshpande lived upto the age of 105 years and so his mother Smt. Saraswati Bai. He was very proud to tell us about his beloved

father's close association with Shri Sai Nath Maharaj. He also showed us

an old photo of Shri Baba hung on the wall in his

house that was taken by a photographer from Poona who had the opportunity to take Baba's photo

just before he attained Nirvana.

We discussed mainly about Shri Baba as to how he used to look at since he was Parabrahma Swarup and Avtar of this Kaliyug; His

behavior with devotees and the languages He used to speak with them. The Lord

was said to be talking in Marathi with Shri Madhav Rao, Shri Hemadpant and Sri Gopal Rao Buti; in English with Shri Kaka Saheb Dikshit and other eminent

educated devotees including a few Englishmen etc; In Sanskrit with Shri Nanasaheb Chandorkar; in Urdu with Bade Babe Roshan

Ali, Abdul and several other Muslim devotees and sometimes in Telugu with South

Indian devotees.

Shri Sai Baba's looks were very illuminous

and eyes so bright and shining with Divya Shakti, that nobody could gaze at. If one would look at him

for few minutes he would hug his head with tears in his eyes. His face was

yellowish golden color and He was tall about 6 ft in height. His arms were very

long and reached below His knee. One could see Shri

Sai Nath Maharaj

distributing Udi Prasad from a distance of about 3ft

because of His long arms.

Baba loved Udhava

Rao and other children and used to distribute all the Prasad, Naivedhya, Almonds, Dry fruits etc, which he used to get

particularly from Bombay, amongst all the children generously.

When he was asked about Baba's dress he

told us that Baba used to put on Kafani (long-robe)

and covered the head with white cloth that He used to tie around His head. Baba

mostly grew hairs on His head. He used to ask the poojari

to draw a Swastik Mark on His head and to place five Bel leaves (Belpatras) on it

before tying His head with white cloth. He never used to wash His Kafani (white robe), which He used to wear and He used to

change the clothes once in about three months and He used to throw these used

clothes in the Dhuni (Agni Kunda) which He kept burning day and night. He used to get

new dress made by Shimpi tailor against payment.

Lastly, we discussed about Baba's different

looks because most of the photos that are available are not alike. The reason

being Baba could be seen in different looks. Shri Udhava Rao particularly mentioned Baba's Nirvirakar roopa when he was in Dwarkamai, or in Chavadi or when

he entered the Samadhi.

Shri Udhava Rao strongly

and honestly refuted that Shri Sai Nath Maharaj was Sampoorna Avatar who lived like an ordinary human being

throughout His life at Shirdi. How fortunate and blessed are these people

including Shri Udhava Rao

to be in the company of Shri Sai Baba and how they

served Him with pure heart and how they got the Blessings of Shri Sai Nath.

He made it very clear that he never

associated himself with Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, but as far as his livelihood is concerned

he has depended on Baba throughout his life. Baba is not only feeding him and

his wife but also kept him content. Most important thing is that he is able to

get all the love and peace which most of people are deprived of in this World

of today.

It is learnt that his father Shri Madhav Rao advised Sri Udhav Rao Maharaj that no reward

or remuneration should be taken from the Sansthan for

the service rendered in Baba's Samadhi Mandir.

Accordingly he has followed his father's instructions strictly in letter and

spirit.

Bow to Baba - Peace be to all

(M.

Rama Rao,

(Source Faridabad Souviner)

April 13, 2008

dear sir it was heart-warming to read about a close devotees's son but it was heart burning to note that a "staunch" devotee should comment upon sampoorna-avataar or not..can anybody(esp. a staunch devotee)know this unless the avataar Himself wills it--when He has been realised by many of His devotees as Lord Rama,Krishna,Shiva,Maruti,Vitthal etc.etc. why have such stupid doubts? pl avoid such statements and pl do excuse me to put it in such harshway thanx regards SAILove s c madanSaileelas <saileelas wrote: Sri Udhav Rao Maharaj Sai brother Ashok Bhombore is a staunch devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba. He has made a number of trips to Shirdi at least at an average of 4 trips in a year since 1981. During his last five year trips he tried his level best to meet Sri Udhava Rao Maharaj who is a blessed soul and who had Sai Baba’s Grace when Baba was alive but Bhombore could not meet Maharaj. By Baba's Grace he met

him on 29-10-1991. The following is the version of the meeting between him and Sri Udhav Rao Maharaj. Sometimes Shri Baba used to address "SHAMA'' as School Master. This School Master who was born at Nimon and had hardly any basic education except he had studied upto Marathi 5th Standard, was

ultimately transformed into a great scholar, Gyani, Abhigyani and very well respected man. Shri Baba even taught him and forced him to chant' 'VISHNU SAHASRA NAMA'. In the later stages Shri Madhav Rao Deshpande (Shama) attained such great enlightenment that he was able to chant Vishnu Sahasranama and tell the meaning and effect of this great stotram to several Sai Devotees who were associated with Shri Sainath before and after Mahasamadhi. Sai Satcharitra is filled with Shama's stories. Likewise Upasane Maharaj; when he came to Shirdi he was unwell and was

expecting his death. He asked Madhav Rao to request Baba to help him. On hearing this Baba replied: "that this place (Shirdi) is for saving and not killing." We were taken to Sri Udhava Rao's house by his nephew. Shri Madhav Rao (Shama) had three sons and Shri Udhava Rao is the youngest of the three sons. He continues to stay in his ancestral house where his father used to stay and which is very close to

Dwarkamai and Samadhi Mandir. Although his house is very old but we were very much impressed with the upkeep of the house which is very tidy, clean and seems to be completely renovated to a middle class family standard. Shri Udhava Rao who is about 86 years old and has good eyesight greeted us as soon as his elder brother’s son took us inside his house. He lives with his wife who is also quite old but active lady. During

our half an hour discussion in Marathi that is his mother tongue he said that he had no issue and he was about 12 years when Shri Sai Baba attained Mahasamadhi in 1918. Shri Udhava Rao showed us photos of his parents hung on wall. His father Shri Madhava Rao Deshpande lived upto the age of 105 years and so his mother

Smt. Saraswati Bai. He was very proud to tell us about his beloved father's close association with Shri Sai Nath Maharaj. He also showed us an old photo of Shri Baba hung on the wall in his house that was taken by a photographer from Poona who had the opportunity to take Baba's photo just before he attained Nirvana. We discussed mainly about Shri Baba as to how he used to look at since he was Parabrahma Swarup and Avtar of this Kaliyug; His behavior with devotees and the languages He used to speak with them. The Lord was said to be talking in Marathi with Shri Madhav Rao, Shri Hemadpant and Sri Gopal Rao Buti; in English with Shri Kaka Saheb Dikshit and other eminent educated devotees including a few Englishmen etc; In Sanskrit with Shri Nanasaheb Chandorkar; in Urdu

with Bade Babe Roshan Ali, Abdul and several other Muslim devotees and sometimes in Telugu with South Indian devotees. Shri Sai Baba's looks were very illuminous and eyes so bright and shining with Divya Shakti, that nobody could gaze at. If one would look at him for few minutes he would hug his head with tears in his eyes. His face was yellowish golden color and He was tall about 6 ft in height. His arms were very

long and reached below His knee. One could see Shri Sai Nath Maharaj distributing Udi Prasad from a distance of about 3ft because of His long arms. Baba loved Udhava Rao and other children and used to distribute all the Prasad, Naivedhya, Almonds, Dry fruits etc, which he used to get particularly from Bombay, amongst all the children generously. When he was asked about Baba's dress he told us that Baba used to put on Kafani (long-robe) and covered the head with white cloth that He used to tie around His head. Baba mostly grew hairs on His head. He used to ask the poojari to draw a Swastik Mark on His head and to place five Bel leaves (Belpatras) on it before tying His head with white cloth. He never used to wash His Kafani (white robe), which He used to wear and He used to change the clothes once in about three months and He used to throw these used clothes in the Dhuni

(Agni Kunda) which He kept burning day and night. He used to get new dress made by Shimpi tailor against payment. Lastly, we discussed about Baba's different looks because most of the photos that are available are not alike. The reason being Baba could be seen in different looks. Shri Udhava Rao particularly mentioned Baba's Nirvirakar roopa when he was in Dwarkamai, or in Chavadi or

when he entered the Samadhi. Shri Udhava Rao strongly and honestly refuted that Shri Sai Nath Maharaj was Sampoorna Avatar who lived like an ordinary human being throughout His life at Shirdi. How fortunate and blessed are these people including Shri Udhava Rao to be in the company of Shri Sai

Baba and how they served Him with pure heart and how they got the Blessings of Shri Sai Nath. He made it very clear that he never associated himself with Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, but as far as his livelihood is concerned he has depended on Baba throughout his life. Baba is not only feeding him and his wife but also kept him content. Most important thing is that he is able to get all the love and peace which most of people are deprived of in this World of today. It is learnt that his father Shri Madhav Rao advised Sri Udhav Rao Maharaj that no reward or remuneration should be taken from the Sansthan for the service rendered in Baba's Samadhi Mandir. Accordingly he has followed his father's instructions strictly in letter and spirit. Bow to Baba - Peace be to all (M. Rama Rao, (Source Faridabad Souviner)