Bappaji Lakshman Ratna Parke

[Guest guest]

Bappaji Lakshman Ratna Parke

 

His forefathers

were experts in evaluating precious stones and diamonds for the Peshwas hence the surname Ratna

Parke. They were Brahmins and pujaris by profession.

They migrated to Shirdi and made it their home. Bappaji was born in Shirdi to Laxman and Yamuna Ratna Parke in 1886. His father was the village priest and

astrologer.

Since he knew Baba from

child hood he had free reign of the Dwarakamai. Most of his time he spent with Baba. Baba loved him deeply,

and often they would be found playing together. He started doing Baba’s seva from 1910. Bappaji went to

the Marathi school and studied up to7th standard. He was very proficient in

indigenous medicines. He would treat the villagers for minor illness. He lived

in the very same house, that is now behind the Vithal Mandir When he was about 14years, he and his friend Bayaji used to help Baba when He bathed. They would scrub

and wipe His back, ears and body.

His father was a very

orthodox Brahmin, and rigid in his ways. Once Bappaji

was extremely sick and at deaths door, his father ran to Baba for a cure. Baba

cursed and shouted violently, a little later Baba went to his home. He laid His

hand of benediction on his fore head, and he was cured. This incident further

strengthened his faith and devotion. Tatya Saheb Nulkar was seriously sick

with diabetic carbuncles and could not go for Baba’s darshan.

He yearned to see Baba. That afternoon Bappaji went

to Dwarakamai to sit and chat with Baba. A few kids

were teasing Baba at that time. Just then a hawker passed by selling cloth. Bappaji looked at the beautiful pieces and asked Baba if he

could buy one. Baba said “yes”. He bought a red brocade piece and

tied it around his head. Baba playfully pinched his cheeks, so he took the

cloth and placed it on Baba’s head Baba acted like a child and put it

back on Bappajis head. This went on for some time and

wonder of wonders Tatya Saheb

could see this beautiful scene from Sathe Wada.

As an adolescent Bappaji would go and sit against the wall of Dwarakamai. Whenever Baba had “Handi”

Annadaan waiting for prasad,

he watched Baba cook “Mitha Chawal”

[sweet rice] with His bare hands without a twinge of pain or a trace of burns.

At other times Baba would make ‘16 padari poli.’

That is to make 16

layered rotis. Almost an impossible

task. Then roast them on the Dhuni.

On

the days that Baba bathed, He would ask him to bring pots of hot and cold

water. Then mixing it to the right temperature He bathed. Bappaji

and Bayaji would take turns to scrub Baba’s

back with the bathing stone. He states that Baba wore Pitambar

after His bath, and tied His Kaupin so fast that,

they could not make out how He did it. Later He would change into His Kafni.

He says that Baba had about

Rs 500, daily. He gave Bayaji

Rs10, from which he had to purchase wood for Dhuni Maa. Ramchandra Dada got Rs 15 for sugar cane. Often Baba would say “Sab paise ke

Bhai.Apna koi nahi”[Roughly Translated]

“Every one belongs to wealth, We belong to no one”

On 19.5.1917 Lokmanya Tilak and Khaparde came for

Baba’s darshan Bappaji

was with Baba. When Baba took Maha

Samadhi on 15 10.1918. He was in Dwaraka mai Baba sent the anxious and concerned home. But a few

devotees stayed behind Bappaji was

one of them. His father Laxman Pujaris

did the Kakad Aarati the

next day [sai Satcharita # 43 ]

 

(Source Shri Sai Leela

Magazine)