Stories of (1) Kakasaheb Dixit (2) Shri Tembye Swami (3)Balaram
Dhurandhar.
Chapter 50 of the original Satcharita has been
incorporated in Chapter 39, as it dealt with the same subject matter. Now,
Chapter 51 of the Satcharita has been treated here as Chapter 50. This Chapter
gives the stories of (1) Kakasaheb Dixit (2) Shri Tembye Swami (3) Balaram
Dhurandhar.
Preliminary
Victory be unto Sai Who is the main-stay of the Bhaktas, Who is
our Sadguru, Who expounds the meaning of the Gita and Who gives us all powers.
Oh Sai, look favourably on us and bless us all.
The sandal-wood trees, grow on the Malaya mountains and ward off
heat. The clouds, pour their rain-water and thereby, cool and refresh all the
people. The flowers, blossom in the spring and, enable us to worship God,
therewith. So the stories of Sai Baba come forth, in order to give solace and
comfort to the readers. Both, those, who tell; and those who hear the stories
of Baba, are blessed and holy, as also the mouths of the former and the ears of
the latter.
It is well-established fact, that though we try hundreds of means
or sadhanas, we do not attain the spiritual goal of life, unless a Sadguru
blesses us with his grace. Hear the following story in illustration of this
statement
Kakasaheb Dixit (1864-1926)
Mr. Hari Sitaram alias Kakasaheb Dixit was born in 1864 A.D., in a
Vadnagara Nagar - Brahmin-family, at Khandwa(C.P). His primary education was
done at Khandwa, Hinganghat, and secondary education at Nagpur. He came to
Bombay for higher eduaction and studied first in the Wilson College and then in
the Elphinstone College. After graduation in 1883 A.D., he passed his LL.B. and
solicitor's examination; and then served in the firm of the Govt. Solicitors,
Messrs Little and Co., and then, after sometime started a solicitors' firm of
his own.
Before 1909 A.D., Sai Baba's name was not familiar to Kakasaheb,
but after that he soon becomes His great devotees. While he was staying at
Lonavla, he happened to see his old friend. Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar. Both
spent some time, in talking about many things. Kakasaheb described to him, how
when he was boarding a train in London, he met with an accident, in which his
foot slipped and was injured. Hundreds of remedies gave him no relief.
Nanasaheb then told him that if he wished to get rid of the pain and lameness
of his leg, he should go to his Sadguru-Sai Baba. He also gave him all the
particulars of Sai Baba and mentioned to him Sai Baba's dictum "I draw to
Me My man fram far off, or even across the seven seas, like a sparrow with a
string fastened to its feet." He also made it clear to him that if he be
not Baba's man, he would not be attracted to Him and given a darshan. Kakasaheb
was pleased to hear all this, and said to Nanasaheb that he would go to Baba,
see Him and pray to Him to cure not so much his lame leg, but bring round his
lame, fickle mind and give him eternal Bliss.
Some time after, Kakasaheb went to Ahmednagar; and stayed with
sirdar Kakasaheb Mirikar in connection with securing votes for a seat, in the
Bombay Legislative Council. Mr. Balasaheb Mirikar, son of Kakasaheb Mirikar,
who was a Mamalatdar of Kopergaon, also came at that time to Ahmendnagar in
connection with a Horse-Exhibition there. After the election business was over,
Kakasaheb Dixit wanted to go to Shirdi and both the Mirikars, father and son
were also thinking in their house about a fit and proper person, as a guide,
with whom he should be sent there. There Sai Baba was arranging things for his reception.
Shama got a telegram from his father-in-law at Ahemdnagar, stating that his
wife was seriously ill, and that he should come to see her with his wife. Shama
with Baba's permission went there, and saw his mother-in-law and found her
improving and better. Nanasaheb Panshe and Appasaheb Gadre happened to see
Shama, on their way to the Exhibition Dixit there and take him to Shirdi along
with him. Kakasaheb Dixit and the Mirikars were also informed of Shama's
arrival. In the evening Shama came to Mirikars, who introduced him to
Kakasaheb. They arranged that Shama should leave for Kopergaon with Kakasaheb
by the 10 O'Clock night train. After this was settled, a curious thing
happened. Balasaheb Mirikar threw aside the veil or covering on Baba's big portrait
and showed the same to Kakasaheb. He was surprised to see that He, Whom he was
going to meet at Shirdi, was already there in the form of His portrait to greet
him, at this juncture. He was much moved and made his prostration before the
portarit. This portrait belonged to Megha. The glass over it was broken and it
was sent to Mirikars for repairs. The necessary repairs had been already made;
and it was decided to return the portarit with Kakasaheb and Shama.
Before ten O'Clock, they went to the station and booked their
passage; but when the train arrived, they found that the second class was
overcrowded; and then there was no room for them. Fortunately, the guard of the
train turned out to be an acquaintance of Kakasaheb; and he put them up in the
first class. Thus they travelled comfortably and alighted at Kopergaon. Their
joy knew no bounds when they saw there Nanasaheb Chandorkar, who was also bound
for Shirdi. Kakasaheb and Nanasaheb embraced each other, and then after bathing
in the sacred Godavari river they started for Shirdi. After coming there and
getting Baba's darshan, Kakasaheb's mind was melted, his eyes were full of
tears and he was overflowing with joy. Baba said to him, that he also was
waiting for him; and had sent Shama ahead to receive him.
Kakasaheb then passed many happy years in Baba's company. He buit
a Wada in Shirdi which he made as his, more or less, permanent home. The
experiences he got from Baba are so manifold, that it is not possible to relate
them all here. The readers are advised to read a special (Kakasaheb Dixit) No.
of 'Shri Sai Leela' magazine, Vol 12, No. 6-9. we close this account with the
mention of one fact only. Baba had comforted hi by saying that in the end
"He will take him in air coach (Viman)", (i.e., secure him a happy
death). This came out true. On the 5th of July 1926 A.D., he was travelling in
the train with Hemadpant and talking about Sai Baba. He seemed deeply engrossed
in Sai Baba. All of a sudden he threw his neck on Hemadpant's shoulder, and
breathed his last with no trace of pain and uneasiness.
Shri Tembye Swami
We come to the next story, which shows how Saints love aech other
with fraternal affection. Once Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati, known as Shri
Tembye Swami encamped, at Rajamahendri (Andhra Country), on the banks of
Godavari. He was a devout, orthodox, Jnani and Yogi Bhakta of the God
Dattatreya. One, Mr. Pundalikrao, pleader of Nanded (Nizam State) went to see
him, with some friends. While they were talking with him, the names of Shirdi
and Sai Baba were casually mentioned. Hearing Baba's name, the Swami bowed with
his hands; and taking a coconut gave it to Pundalikrao, and said to him,
"Offer this to my brother Sai, with my pranam and request Him not to
forget me, but ever love me." He also added that the Swamis do not
generally bow to others, but in this case an exception had to be made. Mr.
Pundalikrao consented to take the fruit and his message to Baba. The Swami was
right in calling Baba a brother, for as he maintained an Agnihotra (Sacred fire)
day and night, in his orthodox fashion; Baba too kept His Agnihotra, i.e.,
Dhuni ever burning in the Masjid.
After one month Pundalikrao and others left for Shirdi with the
coconut, and reached Manmad, and as they felt thirsty they went to a rivulet
for drinking water. As water should not be drunk on an empty stomach, they took
out some refreshments, i.e., Chivda (flattened rice mixed with spice). The
Chivda tasted pungent and in order to soften it, some one suggested and broke
the coconut and mixed its scrapings with it. Thusthey made the Chivda mare
tasty and palatable. Unfortunately the fruit broken, turned out to be the same,
that was entrusted to Pundalikrao. As they neared Shirdi, Pundalikrao
remembered the trust, i.e., the coconut and was very sorry to learn that it was
broken and utilized. Fearing and trembling, he came to Shirdi and saw Baba.
Baba had already received a wireless message, regarding the coconut, from the
Tembye Swami, ad Himself asked Pundalikrao first to give the things sent by His
brother. He held fast Baba's Feet, confessed his guilt and negligence, repented
and asked for Baba's pardon. He offered to give another fruit as a substitute,
but Baba refused to accept it saying that the worth of that coconut was by far,
many times more, than an ordinary one and that it could not be replaced by
another one. Baba also added- "Now you need not worry yourself any more
about the matter. It was on account of my wish that the coconut was entrusted
to you, and ultimately broken on the way; why should you take the
responsibility of the actions on you? Do not entertain the sense of doership in
doing good, as well as for bad deeds; be entirely prideless and egoless in all
things and thus your spiritual progress will be rapid." What a beautiful spiritual
instruction Baba gave!
Balaram Dhurandhar (1878-1925)
Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar belonged to the Pathare Prabhu community,
of Santacruz, Bombay. He was an advocate of the Bombay High Court and sometime
Principal of the Governament Law School, Bombay. The whole Dhurandhar family
was pious and religious. Mr. Balaram served his community, and wrote and
published an account of it. He then turned his attention to spiritual and
religious matters. He studied carefully Gita, and its commentary Jnaneshwari;
and other philosiphical and other metaphysical works. He was a devotee of
Vithoba of Pandharpur. he came in contact with Sai Baba in 1912 A.D.. Six
months previous, his brothers Babulji and Vamanrao came to Shirdi and took
Baba's darshan. They returned home, and mentioned their sweet experiences to
Balaram and other members. Then they all decided to see Sai Baba. Before they
came to Shirdi, Baba declared openly that - "To-day many of my Darbar
people are coming." The Dhurandhar brothers were astonished to hear this remark
of Baba, from others; as they had not given any previous intimation of their
trip. All the other people prostrated themselves before Baba, and sat talking
to Him. Baba said to them- "These are my Darbar people to whom I referred
before" and said to the Dhurandhar brothers- "We are acquainted with
each other for the last sixty generations." All the brothers were meek and
modest, they stood with joined hands, staring at Baba's Feet. All the Sattwic
emotions such as tears, horripilation, choking, etc., moved them and they were
all happy. Then they went to their lodging, took their meals and after taking a
little rest again came to the Masjid. Balaram sat near Baba, messaging His
Legs. Baba Who was smoking a chillam advanced it towards him and beckoned him
to smoke it. Balaram was not accustomed to smoking, still he accepted the pipe,
smoked it with great difficulty; and returned it reverentially with a bow. This
was the most auspicious moment for Balaram. He was suffering from Asthma for
six years. This smoke completely cured him of the disease, which never troubled
him again. Some six years later, on a particular day, he again got an attack of
Asthma. This was precisely the time when Baba took his Mahasamadhi.
The day of this visit was a Thursday; and the Dhurandhar brothers
had the good fortune of witnessing the Chavadi, Balaram saw the lusture of
pandurang on Baba's face and next morning at the Kakad-Arti time, the same
phenomenon - the same lusture of his Beloved Deity- Pandurang was visible again
on Baba's face.
Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar wrote, in Marathi, the life of the
Maharashtra Saint Tukaram, but did not survive to see its publication. It was
published, later on, by his brothers in 1928. In a short note on Balaram's life
given in the beginning of the book, the above account of Balaram's visit has
been fully corroborated therein (Vide page 6 of the book).
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
