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Chapter
XIII
More Sai
Leelas - Diseases Cured - (1) bhimaji Patil - (2) Bala
Shimpi - (3) Bapusaheb Booty - (4) Alandi Swami - (5) Kaka
Mahajani - (6) Dastopant of Harda.
The
Inscrutable Power of Maya
Baba's
words were always short, pithy, deep, full of meaning,
efficient and well-balanced. He was ever content and never
cared for anything. He said, "Though I have become a
Fakir, have no house or wife, and though leaving off all
cares, I have stayed at one place, the inevitable Maya
teases Me often. Though I forgot Myself I cannot forget
Her. She always envelops Me.This Maya (illusive power) of
the Lord (Shri Hari) teases God Brahma and others; then
what to speak of a poor Fakir like Me? Those who take
refuge in the Lord wil be freed from Her clutches with his
grace".
In such
terms Baba spoke about the power of Maya. Lord Shri
Krishna has said to Uddhava in the Bhagwat that the Saints
are His living forms; and see what Baba had said for the
welfare of His devotees: "Those who are fortunate and
whose demerits have vanished; take to My worship. If you
always say 'Sai, Sai' I shall take you over the seven
seas; believe in these words, and you will be certainly
benefited. I do not need any paraphernalia of worship -
either eight-fold or sixteen-fold. I rest there where
there is full devotion". Now read what Sai, the
friend of those, who surrendered themselves to Him, did
for their welfare.
Bhimaji
Patil
One
Bhimaji Patil of Narayanagaon, Taluka Junnar, Dist. Poona,
suffered in the year 1909 A.D. from a severe and chronic
chest-disease which ultimately developed into
Tuberculosis. He tried all sorts of pathos (remedies), but
to no effect. Losing all hopes, he ultimately prayed to
God - "Oh Lord Narayana, help me now". It is a
well known fact that, when our circumstances are well off,
we do not remember God, but when calamities and
adversities overtake us, we are reminded of Him, So
Bhimaji now turned to God. It occurred to him that he
should consult Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, a great devotee
of Baba, in this respect. So he wrote to him a letter,
giving all details of his malady, and asking for his
opinion. In reply, Mr. Nanasaheb wrote to him that there
was only one remedy left, and that was to have recourse to
Baba's Feet. Relying on Mr. Nanasaheb's advice, he made
preparations for going to Shirdi. He was brought to Shirdi
and taken to the Masjid, and placed before Baba. Mr.
Nanasaheb and Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) were then
present. Baba pointed out that the disease was due to the
previous evil karma, and was not at first disposed to
interfere. But the patient cried out in despair that he
was helpless, and sought refuge in Him, as He was his last
hope, and prayed for mercy. Then Baba's heart melted an He
said, "Stay, cast off your anxiety, your sufferings
have come to an end. However, oppressed and troubled one
may be as soon as he steps into the Masjid, he is on the
pathway to happiness. The Fakir here is very kind and He
will cure the disease, and protect all with love and
kindness." The patient vomitted blood every five
minutes, but there wa no vomiting in the presence of Baba.
From the time, Baba uttered the words of hope and mercy,
the malady took a favourable turn. Baba asked him to stay
in Bhimabai's house, which was not a convenient and
healthy place, but Baba's order had to be obeyed. While he
was staying there, Baba cured him by two dreams. In the
first dream, he saw himself as a boy suffering the severe
pain of a flogging, which he received for not reciting his
'Swami-poetry' lesson before his class-master. In the
second dream, some one caused him intense pain, and
torture, by rolling a stone up and down over his chest.
With the pain thus suffered in dream, his cure was
complete, and he went home. He then often came to Shirdi,
gratefully remembering what Baba did for him, and
prostrated before Him. Baba also did not expect anything
from devotees, but grateful remembrance, unchanging faith
and devotion. People in the Maharashtra, always celebrate
Satya-Narayana Puja in their homes every fortnight or
month. But it was this Bhimaji Patil, who started a new
Sai Satya-vrata Puja, instead of Satya-Narayana-vrata Puja,
in his house, when he returned to his village.
Bala
Ganpat Shimpi
Another
devotee of Baba by name Bala Ganapat Shimpi, suffered much
from a malignant type of Malaria. he tried all sorts of
medicines and decoctions, but in vain. The fever did not
abate a jot and so he ran to Shirdi and fell on Baba's
Feet. Baba gave him a strage recipe, in this case as
follows:- "Give a black dog some morsels of rice
mixed with curds in front of the Laxmi temple". Bala
Shimpi did not know, how to execute this recipe; but no
sonner he went home, then he found rice and curds. After
mixing them together, he brought the mixture near the
Laxmi temple, when he found the a black dog waving its
tail. He placed the curds and rice before the dog. The dog
ate it and, strange to say, Bala got rid of his Malaria.
Bapusaheb
Booty
Shriman
Bapusaheb Booty suffered, once from dysentery and
vomitting. His cupboard was full of patent drugs and
medicines, but none of them had any effect. Bapusaheb got
very weak, on account of purgings and vomittings and,
therefore, was not able to go to the Masjid for Baba's
darshana. Baba then sent for him and made him sit before
Him and said, "Now take care, you should not purge
any more" and waving His index-finger "The
vomiting must also stop". Now look at the force of
Baba's words. Both the maladies took to their heels
(disappeared) and Booty felt well.
On
another occasion he had an attack of Cholera, and suffered
from severe thirst. Dr. Pillai tried all sorts of remedies
but could give him no relief. Then he went to Baba and
consulted Him as what to drink that would allay his thirst
and cure the disease. Baba prescribed an infusion of
almonds, walnuts, pistachio (a kind of dry fruit), boiled
in sugared milk. This would be considered, as a fatal
aggravation of the disease by any other doctor or
physician, but in implicit obedience to Baba's order, the
infusion was administered and strange to say, the disease
was cured.
Alandi
Swami
A
Swami from Alandi, wishing to take Baba's darshana, came
to Shirdi. He suffered form a severe pain in his ear,
which prevented him from getting the sleep. He was
operated for this, but it served no purpose. The pain was
severe and he did not know what to do. While he was
returning, he came to take Baba's leave, when Shama (Madhavrao
Deshpande) requested Baba to do something for the pain in
the Swami's ear. Baba comforted him saying, "Alla
Accha Karega (God will do good)." The Swami then
returned to Poona, and after a week sent a letter to
Shirdi, stating that the pain in his ear had subsided
though the swelling was there, and in order to get the
swelling removed, he went to Bombay for operation, but the
surgeon on examining the ear said that no operation was
then necessary. Such was the wonderful effect of Baba's
words.
Kaka
Mahajani
Another
devotee named Kaka Mahajani suffered once from diarrhea.
In order that there should be no break in his services to
Baba, Kaka kept a tambya (pot) with water in some corner
of the Masjid and whenever there was a call, he would go
out. As Sai Baba knew everything, Kaka did not inform Him
of his disease, thinking that Baba would of His own cure
it soon. The work of constructing the pavement in front of
the Masjid was permitted by Baba, but when the actual work
was begun, Baba got wild and shouted out loudly. Everybody
ran away, and as Kaka was also doing the same, Baba caught
hold of him and made him sit there. In the confusion that
followed, somebody left the a small bag of groundnuts.
Baba took a handful of groundnuts, rubbed them in His
hands, blew away the skins, and gave the clean nuts to
Kaka and made him eat them. Scolding and cleaning the
nuts, and making Kaka eat them, went on similtaneously.
Baba Himself ate some of them. Then, when the bag was
finished, Baba asked him to fetch water as He felt
thirsty. Kaka brought a pitcher full of water. Then Baba
drank some water and made Kaka also drink it. Baba then
said, "Now your diarrhea has stopped, and you may
attend to the work of the pavement." In the meanwhile
other persons, who had run away, returned and started the
work; and Kaka, whose motions had stopped, also joined
them. Are groundnuts medicine for diarrhea? According to
current medical opinion, groundnuts would aggravate the
disease, and not cure it. The true medicine, in this as in
other cases, was Baba's word.
Dattopant
of Harda
A
gentleman from Harda by name Dattopant suffered form
stomach-ache for fourteen yeas. None of the remedies gave
him any relief. Then hearing of Baba's fame, that He cures
diseases by sight he ran to Shirdi, and fell at Baba's
Feet. Baba looked at him kindly and gave him blessings.
When Baba placed His hand on his head, and when he got
Baba's Udi with blessing, he felt relieved and there was
no further trouble about the malady.
Towards
the end ot his Chapter three cases are cited in footnotes:
1.
Madhavrao Deshpande suffered from Piles. Baba gave him
decoction of Sonamukhi (senna pods). This relieved him.
Then after two years the trouble again recurred and
Mahdavrao took the same decoction without consulting Baba.
The result was that the disease aggravated but later on it
was cured by Baba's grace.
2. Kaka
Mahajani's elder brother, Gangadharpant, suffered for many
years from stomach-pain. Hearing Baba's fame he came to
Shirdi and requested Baba to cure him. Baba touched his
belly and said, "God will cure". From that time
there was no stomach-pain and he was completely cured.
3.
Nanasaheb Chandorkar also once suffered from intense
stomach-pain; he was restless the whole day and night.
Doctors administered syringes which produced no effect.
Then he approached Baba, who told him to eat Burfi (a kind
of sweetmeat) mixed with ghee. This recipe gave him
complete relief.
All these
stories go to show, that the real medicine that cured the
various diseases permanently was Baba's word, and grace,
and not any medicines or drugs.
Bow
to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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