WONDEROUS SAINT SRI SAIBABA-PART 22

BY PUJYA SRI NARASIMHASWAMY JI


SAI BABA'S FIRST RISE TO FAME
AS SANTANAKARAKA

Loka Bhinnaruchih, i.e., "Tastes differ" is an ancient saying which applies in the field of religion at least as much as in other fields. To some, God is too grand a Being or too much of an ideal abstraction to meddle with the humdrum of our daily life especially with such trifles as getting bride¬grooms, or children. To others, God is pre-eminently the power that blesses them in all their efforts and affair and secures for them highly prized objects like the above, proving therein His Omnipotence, Omniscience and unfathomable kindness and love. Each set receives a benefit in accordance with its own views. No writer on religion can afford to overtook the existence of either set. The vast majority, nay, almost the entire rank and file of the devotees of Sri Sai Baba that this writer has come across belong to the second class and have given him an account of their experiences of Sai's power and kindness exercised, in such cases. Hundreds, nay, thousands of other people of like view exist outside this circle, who are at present ignorant of Sri Sai Baba's vast powers and beneficence towards devotees and who will welcome a brief reference to and appraisal of such experience. In any case without such, reference, no account of Sri Sai Baba will be complete.

The First Gift :
In the early history of Baba, if any extraordinary powers of his mote than an other contributed largely to the spread of his name and influence among the cultured and; English-educated classes, it was his blessings for issue. Gopal Rao Gund, a Revenue Inspector, living with two wives- had no issue. Baba blessed him saying that Allah would give him children, and he got issue. The inspector had many friends and acquaintances among officials and other educated and influential people and to these he gave a glowing account of Sri Sai Baba's powers and kindness. Thence forward officials great and small paid reverential visits to Shirdi, several of them in the hope of being benefited by this "Samartha" (i.e., person endowed with superhuman power, to achieve practicaly everything he likes) in their domestic and other temporal concerns; and others followed their examples. It is neither possible nor necessary to catalogue those who obtained progeny or other benefits by Sai's grace. Here we may just notice a few in whose case there is any special and noteworthy feature not found in other cases.

The Grateful Official :
The Revenue Inspector, in his gratitude, brought a quantity of stones to rebuild Baba's dilapidated mosque. But evidently reserving the merit of rebuilding it to others, Baba distributed the stones among local Hindu temples for their use. G. Gund was keen on starting a grand annual fair at Shirdi on Ram Navami day in honour of Baba; and with the help of others this was started in 1895 and is still kept up.
Just about this time a bangle merchant of Ahmednagar Sri Damodar Savalraai Rasane (whom Baba used to call Damia) came to Baba. Living with two wives, he was blessed with no issue. With great faith, he approached Baba (and was prominent among the devotees by his services in connection with the Ramanavami fair). The manner in which Baba blessed him bears a striking resemblance to the blessings received by King Dasaratha after securing the help of a great rishi Rishyasringa and performing a grand Puthrakameshti sacrifice.

Four Filched Away :
Baba used to receive or even buy mangoes by dozens or even by the basket. These he would distribute freely to all. One day in 1895, he had disposed of a good quantity, and kept apart 8 mangoes. The voracious boys that clustered around him asked Baba to distribute these also. "No, they are for Damia", he said. "But Damia is not here" insisted the boy. "He is not, but he is at Kopergaon now on his way here", Baba replied (though none knew or had reason to expect Damia's coming) and declined to give the fruits away. But when Baba was out or was attending to some other matters, these "naughty children" of his filched four of these fruits. And thereafter Damia arrived Baba received him cordially saying that he had reserved mangoes for him. He presented the remaining four fruits saying "Eat these and die". Damia was shocked. Mahlsapathy, an ardent devotee of Baba, explained to Damia that it was a blessing to die at the sacred feet of a saint. Baba, however, put an end to his grim humour and thus addressed him, "Damia, do not eat these fruits yourself. But give them to your wife, i.e., the junior wife and she will bear you children. The first, a son, you should name Daulat Shah, the second, a son, Nana Shah". Damia took the fruits, and his junior wife ate them. Twelve months later, she brought forth one son, and another in a further period of eighteen months. She begot exactly eight children of whom four were filched away by the hand of Death. Four sons survived including Saheb Rasane or Daulat Shah, who was an active trustee of Sri Sai Baba's Sansthan.

An Open Guarantee :
Another striking and well-known instance is the case of Rao Bahadur H. V. Sathe, retired Deputy Collector, Poona. Mr. Sathe was left widower about 1900, with one or two daughters, but no sons. Pressed constantly to marry again, he declared that there was no great probability of his obtaining male issue, that a marriage late in life was a serious matter and that he would wed only if assured by a great saint (Sat Purusha) that a marriage would give male issue and be beneficial. In 1904 at the age of 49, he was posted to Ahmednagar District, and he visited Shirdi. Then as he was leaving Baba, the local Mamlatdar told Baba "Baba, Saheb (i.e. H. V. S.) has no son". Baba replied "If he marries, God (Allah) will give him a son". Mr. H. V. S., thus assured, married his second wife, the very next year. During the next 7 years two children were born of this marriage, but both proved to be daughters. His father-in-law, Dada Kelkar went to Baba and complained of absence of male issue, for which every member of the family was hoping and praying. Baba replied, "Wait, Allah will bless. I am praying to Allah". The next year a son was born who is now the prop of his father in his green old age.