Drawn To Shirdi
(1) Kakaji Vaidya of Vani – (2) Punjabi Ramalal of Bombay.
In this chapter the story of two more devotees that were drawn to Shirdi, is narrated.
Preliminary
Bow to the Kind Sai Who is the Abode of Mercy and Who is affectionate towards His devotees. By His mere darshan He does away with their fear of worldly illusions (Sansaar) and destroys their calamities. He was first Nirgun (formless) but on account of the devotion of His devotees, He was obliged to take a form. To give liberation, self- realization to the devotees is the mission of the saints and for Sai, the Chief of them that mission is inevitable. Those who take refuge in His Feet, have all their sins destroyed and their progress is certain. Remembering His feet Brahmins from holy places come to Him and read scriptures and chant the Gayatri Mantra in His presence. We who are weak and without any merits do not know what devotion is, but we know this much that though all others may leave us, Sai won’t forsake us. Those whom He favors get enormous strength, discrimination between the unreal and the real and knowledge.
Sai knows fully the desire of His devotees and fulfills the same. Hence, they get what they want and are grateful. So we invoke Him and prostrate ourselves before Him. Forgetting all our faults, let Him free us from all anxieties. He who being overcome with calamities remembers and prays to Sai thus, will get his mind calmed and pacified through His grace.
This Sai, the ocean of mercy favoured him, says Hemadpant, and the result of this is the present work Sai Satcharita. Otherwise, what qualifications had he to undertake this enterprise? But as Sai took all the responsibility Hemadpant felt no burden nor any care about this. When the powerful Light of Knowledge was there to inspire his speech and pen why should he entertain any doubt or feel any anxiety? Sai got the service in the form of this book done by him; this is due to the accumulation of his merits from the past births and therefore, he thinks himself fortunate and blessed. The following story is not a mere tale but pure nectar. He who drinks it will realize Sai’s greatness and all-pervasiveness. Those who want to argue and criticize should not go in for this. What is wanted here is not discussion but unlimited love and devotion. Learned devout and faithful believers or those who consider themselves as servants of the saints, will like and appreciate these stories, others will take them to be fables. The fortunate devotees of Sai will find the Sai-leelas as the Kalpataru (wish-fulfilling tree). Drinking in or devouring this nectar of Sai-leelas will give liberation to the ignorant devotees, satisfaction to the householders and a sadhana to the aspirants. Now, we come to the story of this chapter.
Kakaji Vaidya
There lived in Vani, Nasik district, a man named Kakaji Vaidya. He was the priest of goddess Saptashringi, at the village temple. He was so overpowered by adverse circumstances and calamities that he lost peace of mind and became quite restless. Under such circumstances, one evening, he went into the temple of the goddess and prayed to her from the bottom of his heart and invoked her aid to free him from anxiety. The goddess was pleased with his devotion and appeared to him in his dream and said to him, “You go to Baba and then your mind will become calm and composed.” Kakaji was anxious to know from Her, Who this Baba was, but before he could get any explanation he was awakened. Then, he began to think as to Who might be this Baba to whom the Goddess had asked him to go. After some thinking he resolved that this Baba might be ‘Tryambakeshwar‘ (Lord Shiva). So he went to the holy place ‘Tryambak’ (Nasik district) and stayed there for ten days. During this period he bathed early in the morning, chanted the ‘Rudra’ hymns, did the ‘Abhishek’ (pouring fresh water over the Pindi) and followed other religious rites but with all this, he was as restless as before. Then he returned to his place and goddess again appeared in his dream and said, “Why didn’t you go to Samarth of Shirdi.” The question before Kakaji now was ‘How and when to go to Shirdi and how to see Baba?’
If anybody is in real earnest to see a saint, not only the saint but God also fulfills his wish. In fact the ‘Sant’ (saint) and the ‘Anant’ (God) are one and the same, there is not the least difference between them. If anybody thinks that he will go on his ow wish and see a saint, that will be a mere boast. Unless the saint wills it, no one is able to go and see him. Even the leaf of the tree won’t move without his bidding. The more anxious a devotee is for the visit to the saint, the more devout and faithful he is, the more speedily and effectively is his wish is satisified to his heart’s content.
He who invites anybody or a visit, also arranges everything for his reception, and so it happened with Kakaji.
Shama’s Vows
When Kakaji was thinking about his intended visit to Shirdi, a guest came to him at his place to take him to Shirdi. He was no other than Shama, a very close and intimate devotee of Baba. How he came to Vani at this juncture, we shall just see. Shama was severely ill when he was very young and his mother had taken a vow to her family Goddess, Saptashringi at Vani that, if her son got well she would bring and dedicate him at Her feet. Then, after some years the mother herself suffered much from ring-worms on her breasts. At that time she again took another vow to her Deity that, if she got all right she would offer Her two silver breasts. These two vows remained unfulfilled. At her death-bed she called her son Shama and drew his attention to the vows, and after taking a promise from him that, he would fulfill them, she breathed her last. After some time Shama forgot about these vows, and thus 30 years elapsed. About this time a famous astrologer had come to Shirdi and stayed there for a month. His predictions in the case of Shriman Buti and others came true and everybody was satisfied. Shama’s younger brother Bapaji, consulted him and was told about his mother’s vows which his elder brother had promised to fulfill at her death-bed and not yet fulfilled; hence the Goddess was displeased with them and that was bringing troubles on them. Bapaji told this to his brother Shama, who was then reminded of the unfulfilled vows.
On thinking that any further delay would be dangerous he called a goldsmith and got a pair of silver breast prepared. Then, he went to the Masjid prostrated himself before Baba and placing before Him the two silver breasts, requested Him to accept them and free him from the vows as to him He was his Saptashringi Goddess. Then, Baba insisted upon him to go himself to the temple of Saptashringi and offer them at the feet of the Goddess. Thus, after taking Baba’s permission and Udi he left for Vani, and while searching for the priest reached Kakaji’s house. Kakaji was then very anxious to visit Baba and Shama went there to see him at that very time. What a wonderful coincidence was this! Kakaji asked him who he was and whence did he come, and on learning that, he came from Shirdi, he at once embraced him. So overwhelmed was he with love! Then they talked about Sai-leelas and after finishing the rites of Shama’s vows they both started for Shirdi. On reaching the place Kakaji went to the Masjid and fell at Baba’s feet. His eyes were soon full with tears and his mind attained calmness. According to the vision of the Goddess no sooner did he see Baba, then his mind lost all its restlessness and became calm and composed. Kakaji began to think in his mind, “What a wonderful power is this! Baba spoke nothing, there was no question and answer, no benediction pronounced; the mere darshan itself was so conducive to happiness, the restlessness of my mind disappeared by His mere darshan, consciousness of joy came upon me — this is what is called ‘the greatness of darshan’.” His vision was fixed on Sai’s feet and he could utter no word. Hearing Baba’s Leelas, his joy knew no bounds. He surrendered himself completely to Baba, forgot his anxiety and received bliss. He lived happily there for twelve days, and after taking Baba’s permission, Udi and blessings returned home.
Khushalchand of Rahata
It is said that a dream which we get in the wee hours of the morning generally comes out true, in the waking state. This may be so, but regarding Baba’s dreams there is no restriction of time. To quote an instance : Baba told Kakasaheb Dixit one afternoon to go to Rahata and fetch Khushalchand to Shirdi, as He had not seen him since long. Kakasaheb accordingly took a tonga and went to Rahata. He met Khushalchand and gave him Baba’s message. On hearing it Khushalchand was surprised and said that, while he was taking a noon nap after meals, Baba appeared in his dream and asked him to come to Shirdi immediately, and that he was anxious to go. As he had no horse of his own nearby, he had sent his son to inform Baba. When his son was just out of the village-border, Dixit’s tonga turned up. Dixit then said that he was sent specially to bring him. Then, they both went in the tonga back to Shirdi. Khushalchand saw Baba and all were pleased. Seeing this Leela of Baba Khushalchand was much moved.
Ramlal Punjabi of Mumbai
Once a Punjabi Brahmin of Mumbai, named Ramlal, got a dream in which Baba appeared and asked him to come to Shirdi. Baba appeared to him as a Mahant (saint) but he did not know His whereabouts. He thought that he should go and see Him but, as he didn’t know His address he did not know what to do. But, He Who calls anybody to Him also makes the necessary arrangements for the same. The same happened in this case. The same afternoon when he was strolling in the street, he saw a picture of Baba in a shop. The features of the Mahant he saw earlier in the dream matched exactly with that of the picture. Then on making inquiries, he came to know that the picture was of Sai Baba of Shirdi. He went soon after this to Shirdi and stayed there till his death.
In this way Baba brought His devotees to Shirdi for darshan and satisfied their wants, material as well as spiritual.
Bow to Shri Sai – Peace be to all