M.G. Pradhan

I had heard of Sai Baba. I had lost my 7 years old son Dattatreya and was greatly upset. I was thinking that I should go and see Sai baba. One day, I had a dream in which I saw five sadhus seated. I asked one of them “Which of these is Sai Baba?” And he pointed to one as Sai Baba. Then I proceeded to (Sai Baba) Shirdi taking with me Sitaphal (custard apple), Ramphal etc., of my own garden at Janjira, and presented them to Baba, took darshan and sat before him. The figure I had seen in my dream as Sai Baba was the very figure that I saw at Shirdi. Baba began to fall foul of me and abuse me saying “Why does the fool go on lamenting the loss of a son? It is merely going to the earth. The body must go to the earth. Why go on lamenting for that?” Again he said “Scatter your Ramphal far and wide.” That (I learnt) meant, scatter knowledge, of course after obtaining it.

Then baba began to describe to someone present my house and my garden and state the exact number and locality of my Sitaphal and Ramphal trees etc., with the accuracy and certainty of neighbour, who had actually seen it often. He told others of me that I had lost my son fifteen days previously and was vainly lamenting over it. He was going on removing my poignant grief and fortifying my faith in him, by abundant proof that he knew everything about me and about every one that came to him. I stayed there for four days. During those days, many came to him and he told them facts about them which they mentioned to me and others, as remarkable proof of Baba’s knowing everything.

This was the real starting of my faith which has proved a valuable asset for my spiritual and temporal life. Though I did not visit Shirdi again till 1935, I had got such intense faith that whenever I was in trouble, I beheld his person in dreams and he gave me help. For the last two years, I have not had such visions or contracts. My faith had first got a stay by the sudden and unexpected obtaining by me of leave, funds etc., for my first trip to Shirdi. I noticed that during the 4 days I stayed at Shirdi. Baba was full of Udasinatha. He rarely spoke. Mostly he remained absorbed in himself, and looked as immobile as one drunk or insane. One grand instance of Baba’s help to me (long after he left the body) may be now given. In 1932, my young son was attacked with severe fever. After 3 or 4 days of such fever the pulse appeared to have failed. Our medical man Mr.J., M.B.,B.S was brought down to see the boy. He said that the pulse had ceased and the child was dead. He began to console my wife. I was quite ruffled and unwilling to accept his view. I took up some Udhi of Baba and applied it to the child’s face and had placed Baba’s photo before the boy and I was intently praying to Baba. The medical man said I was superstitious. I declared that Baba was God and would save the boy. About three fourths of an hour passed. Then the boy regained consciousness and actually got up and later began to play.