R.B. Purandhare

I heard first of Sai Baba in 1909 and went to see him. I was always desirous of association with Sadhus - saintly people. I heard he was a Saint, so I felt attracted to him. He appeared in my dream and called me to Shirdi. At that time my elder daughter (then aged six months) was very ill and so my mother objected to my going. I still persisted in going to Shirdi and I took my wife, that child and my mother with me to Shirdi. I remained there (first visit) for thirteen days. On the third day of my visit, the child got alright. Baba did not permit me to go back till the thirteenth day. I did not ask him about any matter. He told my mother that for seven centuries, he (Sai Baba) was connected with me. “I will not forget him - I will always remember him even if he is away more than 2000 miles. I will not eat even a bit without him,” said Baba.

Then I started away to Nasik with his permission. We went back to Dadar where I was living. My wife got an attack of cholera and the doctor gave her up as hopeless. I gave Baba’s Udhi and Tirtha to her. I saw Baba at the side of the Datta Mandir in front of my Dadar house and he ordered me to give the Udhi and Tirtha and so I gave her the Udhi and Tirtha. Half an hour later, she had recovered sufficient warmth and the doctor felt hopeful of her recovery and she recovered. Since then I visited Baba very often and stayed long periods at Shirdi in obedience to Baba’s order. Baba would occasionally ask Mr.H.S.Dixit to write to me to go over. I have visited Baba often with Dixit.

I went with no worldly motives, though I was very poor; I was an orphan. He told me to continue my previous Upasana. I was and am fond of worshipping Vishnu and of prayers. I continued the same. He asked me several times for Rs.2 only. Once I asked him what for he asked always for Rs.2. He then said “It is not these Rupees I want. I want Nishta, i.e., concentrated faith and Saburi (patience).” I replied I had given these - faith in him and was patiently awaiting progress. He told me to keep up Nishta and to be strict truth always with you. Then I will be always with you wherever you are and at all times." I promised to try my best and wanted his help for controlling my mind. “Please get that done by me” I told him. He agreed. All this was at my very first visit. He then told me to buy my own house. I had only Rs. 35 salary. By his grace, in three years time I got the house. At once as soon as he said “Buy”. I purchased a plot and began to build and in three years, the building was finished at Bandra wherein I am still living. “Do not ask for a single pie from anyone. I will help you myself.” I was slow at first in building. He threw stones at me for my delay. Nana Saheb Chandorkar and H. S. Dixit offered to build it for me. But Baba would not permit it. I then took a loan from my office of Rs. 500 and the built it. It was a lonely building in a field. Baba said that he was sitting himself there and guarding me and my young wife. So I stayed on. I lost my wife in 1920.

He often insisted on my adherence to truth. I am now joint treasurer of Baba’s Sansthan. After Baba’s demise, he would appear to me and order me to go and stay at Shirdi and attend to duties, relating to Sansthan. I see and recognize his control over me in all details of what I have to do and am doing.

He directed me to cooperate with Kaka Saheb Dixit (i.e., H.S.Dixit) and told Kaka Saheb to cooperate with me. We two acted together as intimates.

He never talked to me of Dhyana. He never asked anybody to pray to him only. “Continue your usual prayers, be it to Shanker or to Vishnu,” he said. He used to give Darshan to the devotee in that form. e.g., S or V. or Goddess, whichever the devotee adored.

About 1913- My mother was long pressing me to go tot Pandharpur. I did not mention the matter to Baba to get the necessary permission. Baba himself broached the subject of going to Pandharpur and asked her when she was hoping to start. Then Baba gave my wife and mother Darshan of himself as Vithoba and Rukmai, at Shirdi Masjid. They were highly pleased and did not want to go to Pandharpur. He often asked her afterwards when she would go to Pandharpur. She always replied thereafter that her God was there at Shirdi which was her Pandharpur*. When my wife was ill once before her delivery, Baba appeared in a dream and applied udhi and she got up and cried, “Baba is come and applying Udhi fresh and hot from the Dhuni. My body is burning. So get up.” She got alright. Like this, Baba has appeared several times.

When in great difficulty, I always cried before his picture at home and he would then appear before me at once and comfort me. Nana SC told me of Baba’s sending a man with Udhi to help his daughter in her delivery in ill health at jamner; that a tongawalla and horses not sent by him fetched the messenger and disappeared. That messenger is a Ramgir Gosavi still alive at Shirdi. Baba used to call him Babugir. Nana’s two sons, Babu and Bapu, are at Kalyan in Chandorkar wada, Kalyan." A daughter of his is living at Poona. Nana was proud of his Sanskrit knowledge. Sai Baba asked him to explain tadviddha pranipatena etc., and he did. Baba corrected him and explained it better. This is mentioned in (Satcharitra)2ch. on that matter: Ch.31,32, &33. of “Bhakta Lilamrit” by D.G. and I Ch. in “Santa Katamrit” by D.G: deal with Sai Baba and “Bhavartha Deepika” by Dabholkar.

Sri Sai never talked in my presence about Adwaita, etc. He said always “Allah will protect,” "God protects us all the poor, etc." Garibko Alla balid hai, Alla accha karega, He never said in my presence that He (Sai) is in all. But he often identified himself with God.

He said Jo koye yemasajidme aave, jiska masajidahe payi laga uska bedha par hai: Whoever steps into the Masjid, reached his goal. Jaisi jiski niyath, vaiyasi uska barkat: If you act in a good way good really will follow.

I do not remember his talking of Pranayama, Kundalini, etc., and I never cared for these. N.S.Chandorkar said Baba knew Sanskrit. Baba took up Bhagavata etc., and pointed out passages to people as specially suitable for them. This supports N.S.C.

Baba’s Foreknowledge of His Own Death ¶

Two years before 1918 Dusserah, i.e., Dusserah of 1916, Baba burnt all his kupny, langote and kerchief which he took off saying “This is my Simollangan” People make Shami worship and present Shami leaves to each other and cross their frontier, as though they were having a successful raid on that day. When people asked him why he burnt out his clothes on this special holiday, he said "This is my Simolanghan" i.e., crossing the border. Two hours later, he wore new cloths, Kupni, langotee and headkerchief just as all people wear new clothes on that day. He remained two hours naked after burning the clothes he wore and was fierce. People forced him to wear these new clothes then, which were always ready by the dozen.

Baba told Ramachandra Dada Patel (who was ill then) that Tatya Patel the head of his family ‘would go away on this day, after two years’. Two years after that, Tatya was seriously ill. Baba also was ill for a week before Dusserah; Baba gave up the body and Tatya recovered. So people say that Baba gave up his own life to saveTatya’s i.e., in exchange of Tatya’s. Such examples we find in the lives of other saints. Even now Baba is saving life. Here is an instance.

In 1932 - I was hopelessly ill of Sciatica and Rheumatism. I then saw Yama’s dutas near me. But Sai Baba came up, sat on my bed, took my hand on his knee and prevented Yamadutas touching me or my bed. I was saved.

I was very passionate, i.e., hot tempered. He told me often “If anybody comes and abuses you or punishes you, do not quarrel with him. If you cannot endure it, speak a simple word or two or else go away from the place. But do not battle with him and behave like that. Isaka vada bahi (barobari) karana nai. I feel sick and disgusted when you quarrel with others.” He said this to me and to others also several times.

Twelve or fifteen days before Sai Baba’s death, he drove away myself and Dixit to Bombay. He told us, “I will go further and you follow me.” He gave us permission to go, at the Masjid saying, "My Turbat (Tomb) will speak; My name also will speak, My mutti, i.e., clay will give you replies" and told us to clear away. We went away in a bullock cart. He had no disease at the time and we did not expect his death then. He had spoken these words previously and we did not understand their import or importance. Baba never talked in my presence of the goal of life or about Mukti, or Swarga or Paradise. He said once “I will take my Kaka in vimana.”

In 1926 on an Ekadasi in perfect peace and talking of Baba, Kaka Dixit suddenly expired. Baba has often said to me and to others. "He who is mine, even if he dies 1000 miles off, I will drag him to myself just as we draw a sparrow with a thread" and to many people he said “I will not allow my man to get away from me”. I saw some devotees dying at Shirdi on Ekadasi. They must have got Swarg thus. Baba did not, to my knowledge describe Kylash, Vykuntha, Swarga or Moksha.

In 1914-16 or so, Baba was asked by a lady “When will I get a good birth?” Changal divas kevaha ye illu?

Baba: Dusara janm changal ye iil: “In your next birth” Next day, she jumped into a well to end her life but was saved. He occasionally foretold the future. I never asked about my own future. "Taking in Vimana" means Sadgati.

Baba advised one Sagun Meru Naik to put some ghee on the rice and place the rice with ghee in the Dhuni (fire) as an offering and then bring the rest to him. This was in his (Sai Baba’s) lifetime. Ever since then, S.M.N is doing this. Baba ate that food. That food was brought from his own house. Previous to that, his Naivedya had no ghee. The Naivedya is still continued by that man. (I have not seen Baba eating animal food). He told Fakirs to utter Fatya when Moslems made offerings.

Once he asked me to give him all the old copper coins I had. I gave him all I had. I don’t know what he did with them. He had old coins tied neatly in a cloth (so as not to make any jingling noise) and kept them in his side pockets. He asked me for Dakshina. I gave up everything. Once I thought I had nothing left of all my coins.Then Baba said, “you have still a two anna piece in you pocket. See.” I saw and found it and gave him that also. He used to completely exhaust the finances of many in this way. I do not know with what object he did that. Some people asked him why he wanted so much money. Baba replied “I am not asking of every one. I ask only from the man whom the Fakir (God) points out. But in exchange, I have to give that man ten times the money for my own use. I have no family etc.”. He used to give the money freely to all people, singers, tamashi, Fakirs etc. He used to bring lots of fuel for his Dhunimayi mother fire at the Dwarkamayi.

The tulasi grove (Brindavan) at the mosque was put up after 1909-1911 or 1912. We all helped in that. The Mantap (or tin shed) infront of the Masjid was put up in 1912. G.S.Khaparde explained Panchadashi, etc., in Sathe’s wada. Upasani Baba also attended there. I never attended, as I was busy with works always. Balvant Ramachandra Noolkar was a retired Sub Judge. He came, lived and died at Shirdi.

Sai Baba was seriously ill in 1915. He had Asthma. He would not eat anything then. He was breathing hard; I cried. Baba asked me “Why cry?” I said "I cannot see this state of yours. Baba said, “Don’t’ fear. In two or four days I will be alright, Allah has given me this sickness and he will make me alright, within that period. You need not cry. I remembering you the last two or three days and told Kaka to write to you to come.” Kaka did not write. Sai Baba said “Do not write, he is coming himself”. Infact, some how I went up during his illness, not knowing he was ill. He never took medicines for his illness as a rule. Even during his illness, he was supported and carried by the devotees to his begging place. There he would beg and come back and yet not eat the food. He carried on his usual routine of begging, lending, etc., even during all that illness. One day, during his illness, he climbed up the terrace of one house through a staircase, then went over to the next house terrace and over Radhakrishna’s. Then a man lifted him up and brought him down to the ground and that man was paid by Baba, 3 or 4 rupees. Baba then said. “We must not get the labour of anyone for nothing.” I saw all this. An ambulance chair was then brought for him, but he never used it. Malegaonkar Fakir Baba (called Bade Baba, Bade Mia by Sai Baba) was getting most moneys.

In 1920 when my wife was seriously ill of influenza, she felt sorry, she could not attend the Urs Ramanavami. That night Sai Baba appeared in her dream and said “Do not cry. I will take you for the Urs.” She got slightly better next morning and narrated this to me. Illness still continued and she expired on Ramanavami Crying “Baba, Baba” to the last. On the Ramanavami flag processions; 10 A.M., 12 Noon; Hindi Kirtan of Ram Janma begins after the procession ends and flags are hoisted.Then Moslems begin reading their quaran. They would take Sai Baba’s sandals and go round with it in procession. We, Hindus, would accompany it. They would accompany our flag procession, so in the Arati it is recited that Sai Baba has taken birth to obliterate the difference between Hindus and Mohammedans Yavanaswarupi etc., I saw he had a hole in his ear and when he bathed naked, he had no been circumcised, so far as I could see. Megha worshipped Sai Baba as “Shanker” standing on one leg. Sai Baba told him in a dream to draw the figure of a Trisul on the wall of Sathe’s Wada in which Megha lived. Megha did so. A lingam was added soon after and is still there, with Sai Baba’s permission and was worshipped by Megha.

Megha narrated an incident that he wanted to give Sai Baba a Gangasnan, i.e., a bath in the water of Ganges (Godavari). But Baba said, “Wet this head only. Head is the chief. Put a little water on it.” But Megha went to Godavari at Kopergoan and brought a tubful of water and poured it all over Sai Baba’s body. However only the head was wetted. Even the clothes were not wetted. I did not see this, I have heard Sai Baba sing a song once or twice. He would gladly hear people sing to him.

Occasionally, what Sai Baba talked to us, would be found when we went at once to hear Pothi, i.e., the reading of sacred works at Sathe’s wada where Bapu Jog read Eknathi Bhagavat. I had several experiences of the sort. I cannot remember details of even one instance.