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Chapter
L
Stories
of (1) Kakasaheb Dixit (2) Shri Tembye Swami (3)Balaram
Dhurandhar.
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).
Bow
to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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