G.K. Rege

I was suffering from sciatic in 1912, I was so uneasy with fever also that I could not get sleep or rest. So I went to my father-in-law Narayan Rao Parulkar at Giggaon, village near Harda. He was a great Sai Bhakta. He had udhi of Sai Baba and he applied it to my forehead. That very day, about 2 p.m I was resting on a cot and then a sanyasi with kashaya, etc. appeared before me and tapped me on my shoulders. He said: “Child, do not be afraid. You will be cured in three days”. I shouted out to my father-in-law that a sanyasi was standing before me and telling me the above. He wanted to see the sanyasi but the latter disappeared before my father-in-law turned up. He was sure that the visitor was Sai Baba. Exactly on the third day, to my astonishment, my pain disappeared and I felt I was all right. Within a week I fully recovered. My father-in-law asked me to go to Shirdi for Baba’s darshan.

But I could not go for 2 years. In 1914, I took leave for performing my third daughter’s marriage at Mandla. We sent a marriage invitation to Baba and had his reply: “I will come in person and attend the marriage”. As the marriage ceremony was in progress, the postman brought a letter from Baba with udhi in it and chit of instructions that the udhi should be applied to the married couple. On that very day, a fakir came and asked my father-in-law for once pice. But, my father-in-law neglected the opportunity, repented later, and told me that fakir might be Baba. Then I declared that if it was Baba, he should appear again. Next day, another fakir came to me and asked for one pice only and I gave it. The fakir accepted that only and declined the dinner offered to him by my father-in-law.

After the marriage was over, I went to Shirdi and stayed there for four days. Baba, as soon as he saw me, remarked: “Why so much delay?” I replied that I was a poor clerk and could not easily come. He asked me dakshina, I gave him five rupees. But, he insisted and wanted five more. I did not know his reason but I gave him the five rupees extra. Then he said. “Nothing more is due to me from you”. I discovered the reason for that demand only after my return home to Kathegaon when my wife told me that she had sent Rupees Five by money order to Baba a year ago (unknown to me) and that the money order had come back with the endorsement that it would be received in person. That is why, I see, Baba asked me, in person, five rupees more.

My youngest daughter Prema Bai, aged 4, was suffering from fever and it had taken a serious turn. She had become a mere skelton. Medicines and treatment brought no relief. My wife, who was a devotee of Sai Baba, prayed to Baba to help the girl. Baba’s voice, she heard at the prayer in the waking state, saying “I will take away all the trouble on the third day”. To our surprise, the girl died on the third day on her mother’s lap. She sent word to that effect and asked me to come home from my office at Manasa. I came up at once. I saw the girl was dead. My wife was wailing. I took up the child and then gave it a bit of Ganges water (which we always keep in our pooja) with Baba’s udhi. I poured it into the child’s mouth. The water did not flow out. So I gave some more. Then the child opened her eyes and I was sure that she was alive. After that, we gave her udhi and teertha; and in a month she fully recovered her health. She is hale and health and a matron in the Indore L.R.T (Boarding) School.

I lost my wife in 1926. My health then gave way. I had Baba’s photo before me. A voice seemed to come from it: “Do not serve any more”. On three successive days, I heard the voice. I could not discover any person who spoke it. My friend Doctor Parnekar said to me that the voice must be Baba. So I retired in 1926 on pension.

Before this, (i.e.) in 1924, I was anxious to get my 4th daughter Minabai married. But, no groom could be found. I had already taken leave. I took my wife to her brother at Anjangow (C.P). The second day after I reached, I heard a voice: “Go to Jirapur”. I returned to Indore and found my son had received an order to go to Jirapur. But, his wife being in ninth month of her pregnancy, he could not go. So his superior officers cancelled the order. After my leave expired, I learnt that I was posted to Kathegaon in Nemawar Dt. When, however, the draft went to the Revenue Minister for signature without any request from me, he cancelled that order and wrote ‘Posted to Jirapur’. So I went to Jirapur. Within a fortnight of my taking charge, I went on tour and halted at a place near Sayath where my brother was serving the Gwalior State. I visited him. There I saw with him one Balwant, who was really strong, stout and handsome. I enquired about him and found him a good match for my girl. That settled and the marriage was accomplished.