Prof. G.G. Narke

Experiences with saints and progress in one’s spiritual affairs cannot be revealed. According to the (hackneyed) saying of Kabir, Jinnepaya unnechhupaya: ‘What one has got, he keeps secret’. This has been the strict injunction of my teacher Sri Sai Baba. The mouth instinctively closes when I try to mention my experiences. I can and may give some superficial account of occurrences and things concerning Sai Baba. These are well known and no rule of secrecy is violated thereby. But they are chaff and hardly worth any trouble to write or talk about. Yet as you are keen after any bit of information I shall mention some of such facts. Of course, the deepest experience one has is incapable of utterance, apart from any question or rules of secrecy.

In the first place, you see I have placed Sai Baba amongst the house hold Gods we worship daily at home. Sai Baba is God - not an ordinary Satpurusha. The divine gleam in Sai’s eyes denotes that He is the Satpurusha. His powers and actions were wonderful. I will give a chronological account of my spiritual leanings and how I came into contact with Sai Baba.

My early surroundings promoted faith in Sai Baba My father-in-law, Mr.Buty, my wife and my mother were all great devotees of Sai Baba and worshipped him as God. I used to read Jnaneswari and other works which deal with greatness of Satpurushas.

In 1907-9 I was at Calcutta and was trained in Geological survey and (as a scholar from C.P.) I had got my M.A. In 1905. I was sent in 1909 as State Scholar of Govt. of India to Manchester where I stayed till 1912 and got my M.Sc in Geology and Mining. I came back in August 1912. My wife, mother and my father in-law were often at Shirdi and they wrote to me to go over to Shirdi to pay my respects to Sai Baba. I wrote back to say that I would go, if Baba wanted me. My father-in-law then asked Baba and wrote to me that Baba wanted me. So I went to Shirdi in April 1913. Baba was very kind to my relations. He would jump up (occasionally) and play a jig, as it were, before my mother, showing how happy he was to see my mother. Mr.Madhava Rao Deshpande went with me and introduced me for the first time to Sai Baba. Baba replied “You introduce him to me! I have known him for thirty generations (pedi) .” What wonderful knowledge of the past was this!

The first impression I got of Sai Baba was from his eyes. They pierced me through and through. And his image as seated at the Chavadi has left an indelible impression on my heart. As for the inner experiences they gradually grew upon me. First, I fell in with the current and did my Seva (i.e., service) to Baba and attended the Aratis, etc. At an Arati, in my early visit Sai Baba was in a towering passion. He fumed, cursed and threatened for no visible cause. I doubted if he was a mad man. That was a passing thought. The Arati was completed in the usual way. In the afternoon (of that day), I went and massaged his feet and legs. Then he stroked my head and said “I am not mad”. Lo! He is seeing my heart. Nothing is concealed from Him. He is my "Antaryami - the inner soul of my soul." I thought, Thenceforward, numerous instances occurred in my own experience of his Antaryamitwa. When he talked, he spoke as one seated in my heart, knowing all its thoughts, all its wishes, etc. This is God within. I had no hesitation in deciding that he was God. I tested him at times. Each test produced the same conviction that he was all knowing, all seeing and able to mould all things to his will. A few instances out of hundreds may be cited here which showed that nothing was beyond Him or concealed from Him, in the past, present and future.

In 1913, Baba told me that my father in law would build a

Dagdiwada, (i.e. a stone edifice) at Shirdi and that I would be in charge of it. It was only in 1915-16 that my father in-law began to build it (i.e., the building in which Baba’s tomb is erected) and it was after 1918-19, I was one of the Trustees in charge of that tomb.

My mother was anxious about my employment. I was ever tossing from place to place and often had periods of unemployment. I was trained in England as a Geologist, Mining Engineer; and here in India I was on the look out for prospecting jobs advertised in the press and took up one job after another finishing each in a short time. My first stay at Shirdi was only for three or four days and I then went back to Balaghat and Burma. After three months my work under B.O.C ceased, and I went back to Nagpur and thence to Shirdi and stayed four months there with my wife and went back to Nagpur. Again as I got a letter from Madhava Rao that Baba wanted me. I went to Shirdi alone and stayed thirteen months. I was without employment and I did not care. Sometimes, I had stray fancies that a fakir’s life was good for me.

It was a day in 1914. Baba had got ready a number of Kupnis (somewhat like gowns or togas which are worn by fakirs) and presented a number of people with them. I was watching the distribution from a distance and hoped that one might be conferred on me to be kept with me and worn on special occasions, e.g., Bhajans in honour of Sai Baba. Baba stopped distribution even many Kupnis still remained with him. He beckoned to me a little later and placing his hand kindly on my head stroked it and said “Do not blame me for not giving you a kupni. That Fakir (meaning evidently God) has not permitted me to give you one.”

My relations were asking Baba what was to become of me, seeing that I had such an unsettled course of life. My mother also saw that I went up to distant places like Calcutta and Burma for prospecting jobs and prayed to baba that I should be provided by his grace with good employment nearer home or Shirdi. Baba answered and told them “I will settle him at Poona.” I got sometimes a number of jobs at the same time and I had to choose. I went to Baba each time, relying wholly on his foresight and all seeing wisdom to guide me. I had as great a reliance on him as sucking babe on its mother. His choice was often times strange. When there was once a choice between Calcutta and (the more distant) Burma, he chose the latter. He always would say “Go to Burma and Poona” or “go to such and such a place and Poona”. Adding Poona every time he made the selection. In 1916 I had to choose between an offer from Banares of a professorship and a prospecting job at Burma. Baba told me “Go to Burma and Poona”. I always laughed within myself at the addition of Poona as I was Mining Engineer and Poona held no prospects for me. Even in 1913 Baba was seeing my present permanent appointment as professor of Geology and Chemistry in Poona which I have held since 1918. The entire future of my career was but present to him.

About 1916 I returned to Shirdi after a long spell of absence. I enquired, as soon as I arrive, who were doing what service to Baba. I was told Vaman Rao Patel, B.A.,L.L.B. was doing the service of begging food in the village on behalf of Baba and I felt a bit jealous. “If that is so why should I not be given that work”, I thought to myself, but said nothing. It was then Darshan time and I had no time to undress. I went in my full suit, boot, trousers, coat and hat to Baba’s Masjid. Baba was being asked three times permission to send VamanRao with begging bowl. Suddenly he pointed to me and said “Let this man go and beg for food with that bowl today”. I went begging at noon for Baba’s sake i.e., for food for Baba in my ordinary costume. People could not understand why I was chosen for this office. But since I had that desire, Baba as my innermost soul, my Antaryami noticed it and gave me the opportunity of serving him in that way. This honour of begging for food on his behalf at noon time was reserved by Baba for very few.

It was in 1917 that the announcement was made that a Professor of Geology for the College of Engineering at Poona was wanted. I asked Baba if I should apply for the post. He said ‘yes’ and I went to Poona to see all people concerned. It was a hard and uphill work, as the applicants for the post were many and were supported by various influential persons. After I left Shirdi, Baba inquired of the men there. “Where is Narke gone?” They told him “He has gone to Poona to try for the appointment”. “Allah will bless” was Baba’s remark. He then asked whether I had any children and was informed that several were born but none survived (they died after a very short life). “Allah will bless” was again his remark. I secured the appointment in 1918 and was made permanent in 1919; and children born to me since then are not short lived. I have four sons now. All these are evidently secured by Baba’s grace.

So much can be easily said of Sai Baba by all - mere observers from outside. But he who judged of Baba by the outside alone would be greatly mistaken in his estimate. Baba was, of course, adapting himself to the capacity of people that resorted to him for help and protection. Most of them were superficial people - seeking mostly some material gain or advantage; and to them he did not reveal his inner nature. But when anyone capable of diving deeper came to him he revealed more of himself and his powers. I was keenly observing him from the first and he noticed it and encouraged my habit of observing and judgingcomplementing me as a “Hushiar” or clever". On occasions he told me “What a ‘Dubya’ i.e., sluggard you are”- evidently referring to my failure to penetrate beneath the surface of things on those occasions. Baba was not the man to stifle legitimate inquiry. Everything he did or said was full of significance; mostly I could understand them.

To one deeply observing him; the startling fact came out into greater and greater prominence that Baba was living and operating in other worlds also, besides this world and in an invisible body. Remarks made by him openly would be treated as meaningless ranting by those who did not know him. His language also was highly cryptic full of symbology, parable, allegory and metaphor. Literal interpretations of them would be made by superficial people who would then conclude that Baba was a worldly man amongst worldly men and a very avaricious man at that. For instance, a man came to Baba and watched him for a time; and I asked him what impression he formed of Baba. His answer was “I never saw any saint talking of money all the hours of the day” and he felt disappointed. This man did not know that “paisa” - money was used by Baba to denoted punya, Apurva or merit, very often. But on a careful observation and analysis of his talks, one must conclude that his nature, powers and functions were very great and that the way in which people would benefit by His guidance and help would also be peculiar.