Sai Baba the Master by E.Bharadwaja

[Guest guest]

Afterwards, when Balakrishna returned to the mosque, Baba stared at him

and said in Hindusthani, “Lo, there was a tree. Two persons went up the

tree. One came down. The other went up!” Balakrishna was amazed on hearing

Baba utter precisely the same words as were used by the sadhu at Tapovan

years earlier. Then he noted that Baba did resemble the Tapovan sadhu

though their dress was different. The master met his devotee far ahead of

the devotee seeing him and gave him a clue to identify him when he, the

devotee, meets him again at Shirdi.

 

Shevade was confident of passing the law examination in spite of his

inadequate study as he had the blessing of Sai Baba. His friend Sapatnekar

laughed at his superistitious sentiments. In due course Sapatnekar himself

settled at Akkalkot as a lawyer. Ten years after, in 1913, he lost his

only son and was much depressed. Piligrimages to Pandharpur and Gangapur

did not give him any solace. One day he remembered Shevade’s reference to

Sai Baba and went to Shirdi along with his brother Panditrao and was much

pleased on seeing Baba. When he placed a coconut before Baba and bowed to

him, Baba brusquely said, “Get Out!” Sapatnekar was mortified and sat at a

distance. Later he sought a fellow-devotee’s help to pacify Baba and gain

access to him. The devotee Bala Shimpi, in one of Baba’s lighter moods,

took a picture of Baba with him and, showing it to Baba, asked him whose

portrait it was. Baba pointed to Sapatnekar and said that the picture was

that of his (i.e., Sapatnekar’s) lover, and laughed supportively and all

the devotees shared the joke. Bala Shimpe beckoned to Sapatnekar to

approach Baba. When Sapatnekar bowed before Baba, the latter again

brusquely said, “Get Out!”. Both the visitor and Bala Shimpe were

disappointed.

 

(To be contd....)

 

Source http://www.saibharadwaja.org)