Chapter 50 of the original Satcharita has been
incorporated in Chapter 39, as it dealt with the same
subject matter. Now, Chapter 51 of the Satcharita has
been treated here as Chapter 50. This Chapter gives the
stories of (1) Kakasaheb Dixit (2) Shri Tembye Swami (3)
Balaram Dhurandhar.
Preliminary
Victory be unto Sai Who is the main-stay of the Bhaktas,
Who is our Sadguru, Who expounds the meaning of the Gita
and Who gives us all powers. Oh Sai, look favourably on
us and bless us all.
The sandal-wood trees, grow on the Malaya mountains and
ward off heat. The clouds, pour their rain-water and
thereby, cool and refresh all the people. The flowers,
blossom in the spring and, enable us to worship God,
therewith. So the stories of Sai Baba come forth, in
order to give solace and comfort to the readers. Both,
those, who tell; and those who hear the stories of Baba,
are blessed and holy, as also the mouths of the former
and the ears of the latter.
It is well-established fact, that though we try hundreds
of means or sadhanas, we do not attain the spiritual
goal of life, unless a Sadguru blesses us with his
grace. Hear the following story in illustration of this
statement
Kakasaheb Dixit (1864-1926)
Mr. Hari Sitaram alias Kakasaheb Dixit was born in 1864
A.D., in a Vadnagara Nagar - Brahmin-family, at
Khandwa(C.P). His primary education was done at Khandwa,
Hinganghat, and secondary education at Nagpur. He came
to Bombay for higher eduaction and studied first in the
Wilson College and then in the Elphinstone College.
After graduation in 1883 A.D., he passed his LL.B. and
solicitor's examination; and then served in the firm of
the Govt. Solicitors, Messrs Little and Co., and then,
after sometime started a solicitors' firm of his own.
Before 1909 A.D., Sai Baba's name was not familiar to
Kakasaheb, but after that he soon becomes His great
devotees. While he was staying at Lonavla, he happened
to see his old friend. Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar. Both
spent some time, in talking about many things. Kakasaheb
described to him, how when he was boarding a train in
London, he met with an accident, in which his foot
slipped and was injured. Hundreds of remedies gave him
no relief. Nanasaheb then told him that if he wished to
get rid of the pain and lameness of his leg, he should
go to his Sadguru-Sai Baba. He also gave him all the
particulars of Sai Baba and mentioned to him Sai Baba's
dictum "I draw to Me My man fram far off, or even across
the seven seas, like a sparrow with a string fastened to
its feet." He also made it clear to him that if he be
not Baba's man, he would not be attracted to Him and
given a darshan. Kakasaheb was pleased to hear all this,
and said to Nanasaheb that he would go to Baba, see Him
and pray to Him to cure not so much his lame leg, but
bring round his lame, fickle mind and give him eternal
Bliss.
Some time after, Kakasaheb went to Ahmednagar; and
stayed with sirdar Kakasaheb Mirikar in connection with
securing votes for a seat, in the Bombay Legislative
Council. Mr. Balasaheb Mirikar, son of Kakasaheb Mirikar,
who was a Mamalatdar of Kopergaon, also came at that
time to Ahmendnagar in connection with a
Horse-Exhibition there. After the election business was
over, Kakasaheb Dixit wanted to go to Shirdi and both
the Mirikars, father and son were also thinking in their
house about a fit and proper person, as a guide, with
whom he should be sent there. There Sai Baba was
arranging things for his reception. Shama got a telegram
from his father-in-law at Ahemdnagar, stating that his
wife was seriously ill, and that he should come to see
her with his wife. Shama with Baba's permission went
there, and saw his mother-in-law and found her improving
and better. Nanasaheb Panshe and Appasaheb Gadre
happened to see Shama, on their way to the Exhibition
Dixit there and take him to Shirdi along with him.
Kakasaheb Dixit and the Mirikars were also informed of
Shama's arrival. In the evening Shama came to Mirikars,
who introduced him to Kakasaheb. They arranged that
Shama should leave for Kopergaon with Kakasaheb by the
10 O'Clock night train. After this was settled, a
curious thing happened. Balasaheb Mirikar threw aside
the veil or covering on Baba's big portrait and showed
the same to Kakasaheb. He was surprised to see that He,
Whom he was going to meet at Shirdi, was already there
in the form of His portrait to greet him, at this
juncture. He was much moved and made his prostration
before the portarit. This portrait belonged to Megha.
The glass over it was broken and it was sent to Mirikars
for repairs. The necessary repairs had been already
made; and it was decided to return the portarit with
Kakasaheb and Shama.
Before ten O'Clock, they went to the station and booked
their passage; but when the train arrived, they found
that the second class was overcrowded; and then there
was no room for them. Fortunately, the guard of the
train turned out to be an acquaintance of Kakasaheb; and
he put them up in the first class. Thus they travelled
comfortably and alighted at Kopergaon. Their joy knew no
bounds when they saw there Nanasaheb Chandorkar, who was
also bound for Shirdi. Kakasaheb and Nanasaheb embraced
each other, and then after bathing in the sacred
Godavari river they started for Shirdi. After coming
there and getting Baba's darshan, Kakasaheb's mind was
melted, his eyes were full of tears and he was
overflowing with joy. Baba said to him, that he also was
waiting for him; and had sent Shama ahead to receive
him.
Kakasaheb then passed many happy years in Baba's
company. He buit a Wada in Shirdi which he made as his,
more or less, permanent home. The experiences he got
from Baba are so manifold, that it is not possible to
relate them all here. The readers are advised to read a
special (Kakasaheb Dixit) No. of 'Shri Sai Leela'
magazine, Vol 12, No. 6-9. we close this account with
the mention of one fact only. Baba had comforted hi by
saying that in the end "He will take him in air coach (Viman)",
(i.e., secure him a happy death). This came out true. On
the 5th of July 1926 A.D., he was travelling in the
train with Hemadpant and talking about Sai Baba. He
seemed deeply engrossed in Sai Baba. All of a sudden he
threw his neck on Hemadpant's shoulder, and breathed his
last with no trace of pain and uneasiness.
Shri Tembye Swami
We come to the next story, which shows how Saints love
aech other with fraternal affection. Once Shri
Vasudevanand Saraswati, known as Shri Tembye Swami
encamped, at Rajamahendri (Andhra Country), on the banks
of Godavari. He was a devout, orthodox, Jnani and Yogi
Bhakta of the God Dattatreya. One, Mr. Pundalikrao,
pleader of Nanded (Nizam State) went to see him, with
some friends. While they were talking with him, the
names of Shirdi and Sai Baba were casually mentioned.
Hearing Baba's name, the Swami bowed with his hands; and
taking a coconut gave it to Pundalikrao, and said to
him, "Offer this to my brother Sai, with my pranam and
request Him not to forget me, but ever love me." He also
added that the Swamis do not generally bow to others,
but in this case an exception had to be made. Mr.
Pundalikrao consented to take the fruit and his message
to Baba. The Swami was right in calling Baba a brother,
for as he maintained an Agnihotra (Sacred fire) day and
night, in his orthodox fashion; Baba too kept His
Agnihotra, i.e., Dhuni ever burning in the Masjid.
After one month Pundalikrao and others left for Shirdi
with the coconut, and reached Manmad, and as they felt
thirsty they went to a rivulet for drinking water. As
water should not be drunk on an empty stomach, they took
out some refreshments, i.e., Chivda (flattened rice
mixed with spice). The Chivda tasted pungent and in
order to soften it, some one suggested and broke the
coconut and mixed its scrapings with it. Thusthey made
the Chivda mare tasty and palatable. Unfortunately the
fruit broken, turned out to be the same, that was
entrusted to Pundalikrao. As they neared Shirdi,
Pundalikrao remembered the trust, i.e., the coconut and
was very sorry to learn that it was broken and utilized.
Fearing and trembling, he came to Shirdi and saw Baba.
Baba had already received a wireless message, regarding
the coconut, from the Tembye Swami, ad Himself asked
Pundalikrao first to give the things sent by His
brother. He held fast Baba's Feet, confessed his guilt
and negligence, repented and asked for Baba's pardon. He
offered to give another fruit as a substitute, but Baba
refused to accept it saying that the worth of that
coconut was by far, many times more, than an ordinary
one and that it could not be replaced by another one.
Baba also added- "Now you need not worry yourself any
more about the matter. It was on account of my wish that
the coconut was entrusted to you, and ultimately broken
on the way; why should you take the responsibility of
the actions on you? Do not entertain the sense of
doership in doing good, as well as for bad deeds; be
entirely prideless and egoless in all things and thus
your spiritual progress will be rapid." What a beautiful
spiritual instruction Baba gave!
Balaram Dhurandhar (1878-1925)
Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar belonged to the Pathare Prabhu
community, of Santacruz, Bombay. He was an advocate of
the Bombay High Court and sometime Principal of the
Governament Law School, Bombay. The whole Dhurandhar
family was pious and religious. Mr. Balaram served his
community, and wrote and published an account of it. He
then turned his attention to spiritual and religious
matters. He studied carefully Gita, and its commentary
Jnaneshwari; and other philosiphical and other
metaphysical works. He was a devotee of Vithoba of
Pandharpur. he came in contact with Sai Baba in 1912
A.D.. Six months previous, his brothers Babulji and
Vamanrao came to Shirdi and took Baba's darshan. They
returned home, and mentioned their sweet experiences to
Balaram and other members. Then they all decided to see
Sai Baba. Before they came to Shirdi, Baba declared
openly that - "To-day many of my Darbar people are
coming." The Dhurandhar brothers were astonished to hear
this remark of Baba, from others; as they had not given
any previous intimation of their trip. All the other
people prostrated themselves before Baba, and sat
talking to Him. Baba said to them- "These are my Darbar
people to whom I referred before" and said to the
Dhurandhar brothers- "We are acquainted with each other
for the last sixty generations." All the brothers were
meek and modest, they stood with joined hands, staring
at Baba's Feet. All the Sattwic emotions such as tears,
horripilation, choking, etc., moved them and they were
all happy. Then they went to their lodging, took their
meals and after taking a little rest again came to the
Masjid. Balaram sat near Baba, messaging His Legs. Baba
Who was smoking a chillam advanced it towards him and
beckoned him to smoke it. Balaram was not accustomed to
smoking, still he accepted the pipe, smoked it with
great difficulty; and returned it reverentially with a
bow. This was the most auspicious moment for Balaram. He
was suffering from Asthma for six years. This smoke
completely cured him of the disease, which never
troubled him again. Some six years later, on a
particular day, he again got an attack of Asthma. This
was precisely the time when Baba took his Mahasamadhi.
The day of this visit was a Thursday; and the Dhurandhar
brothers had the good fortune of witnessing the Chavadi,
Balaram saw the lusture of pandurang on Baba's face and
next morning at the Kakad-Arti time, the same phenomenon
- the same lusture of his Beloved Deity- Pandurang was
visible again on Baba's face.
Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar wrote, in Marathi, the life of
the Maharashtra Saint Tukaram, but did not survive to
see its publication. It was published, later on, by his
brothers in 1928. In a short note on Balaram's life
given in the beginning of the book, the above account of
Balaram's visit has been fully corroborated therein
(Vide page 6 of the book).
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