DIVINE GRACE - INDICATING MAHLSAPATHY'S END

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DIVINE GRACE – INDICATING MAHLSAPATHY'S END

 

Baba's company, Seva, example and help kept Mahlsapathy very high up

in his spiritual level. He bore great love to Baba. When Baba passed

away in 1918, he, on account of his attachment, declined all food and

fasted for 13 days. Probably to prevent a shock, Baba had given him

hints of his (Baba's) impending final departure.

 

It was Mahlsapathy's custom to spend all his time with Baba except

when he went for his meal etc., Later Baba would send some one or

other to fetch him from his house. Then he would light up chilm

(i.e., smoking pipe), do odd jobs for Baba, and prepare Baba's bed,

which was a very peculiar arrangement. Baba always kept his on an old

brick (which is believed to be the brick given to him by Venkusa with

a torn cloth). Madhav Fasle, a servant of Baba used to hand over the

brick to Mahlsapathy every night and along with it, a tattered cloth

(believed to be Venkusa's gift) to be placed over it and other cloths

to be spread on the ground as bed for Baba. Mahlsapathy would first

place the brick and then the tattered cloth, and then spread other

cloths.

 

Ten or twelve days before 1918 Dassara, Madhav False, in handing over

the brick, allowed it to slip down on the ground, and it broke into

two. Then the broken pieces were placed as pillows for Baba. Baba

asked `Who broke the brick?" Mahlsapathy mentioned that Madhav False

broke the brick. Baba got very angry with Madhav and placed his hands

on his own head and felt extremely sad. Baba said, `Sopat Tutali'

i.e., the companion is broken. Next day, Kaka (H S Dixit) came and

said there was no need to deplore the breaking, as he would join the

pieces with silver joints. Baba said, "Even if you join them with

gold, what is the use? This is brick is my Sobatya (companion)

(evidently from his Selu days) and its breakage betokens evil."

 

>From that time onwards Baba was dis-spirited. At least Mahlsapathy

thought so. Baba, even before this, had given Mahlsapathy a hint. He

told him once when he (Mahlsapathy) was preparing to light a lamp and

fill up Baba's pipe, "Arre Bhagat, in a few days from this, I will be

going somewhere. After that, you come at night for 2 or 4 years."

This was not understood by Mahlsapathy. But Baba's spirit passed

beyond our ken into AVYAKTA on 15th October 1918, and Mahlsapathy was

able to do his nightly usual puja to Baba only for 2 or 4 years, for

he passed away on 11-9-1922.

 

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

(Shri Vasuki Mahal Shirdi Sai Baba Trust, Coimbatore, India)