'Go on saying Rajah Ram, Rajah Ram' - Baba

[Guest guest]

Two very important things about Khaparde are not found detailed in the diary, namely the facts of Mrs. G. S. Khaparde’s previous births and previous service to Baba, and Baba’s withdrawing the plague from his son Balwant’s body to himself. The last is to be found in Shama’s statement. From December 1911 for 3 months, plague raged at Shirdi and Balwant, son of Khaparde, had an attack.

 

There was the bubo and fever, and the mother of the patient went to Baba with tears, asking whether it was to sacrifice her child that she had come to Shirdi. Baba spoke in parables assuring her that all would be well. She could not understand him and later Baba showed on his own person the bubos and told her that he had saved Balwant and that his orders were supreme Ajna Apraithata. Accordingly Balwant recovered and so also Baba.

 

This reminds one of a similar sacrifice of Baba on behalf of another devotee. Mrs. Tarabai Sadashiv Tarkhad of Poona who came to Shirdi with a longstanding eye trouble which her doctor could not diagnose or cure. She came to Shirdi and sat before Baba. Baba cast his glance at her eyes and her eyes ceased to pain or water and Baba’s eyes were watering. That was the end to her eye trouble, and she wondered how instantaneously Baba worked the cure of a disease which baffled doctors. Similarly, Noverkar with a high fever sent his son with Rs. 500 to Baba. Baba received the sum and at once his limbs began to shiver. Baba explained that he had to bear the burdens of his devotees. Noverkar was of course cured.

 

In the case of Khaparde, Baba mentioned no doubt the rinanubandha noted already in this chapter. The most interesting statement of rinanubandha was in respect of Mrs. Khaparde. One day when a number of naivedyas were placed one after another before Baba, he did not touch anyone of them.

 

When Mrs. Khaparde’s naivedya was brought, he at once put it into his mouth. Then Shama, who occasionally took liberties with Baba, asked why he was so partial to Mrs. Khaparde's naivedya and Baba gave an account of the Khaparde's love and service to him birth after birth. Baba said, ‘She was formely a cow of a banya and gave me plenty of milk.

 

Then she was born of a mali gardener and later went to a Kshatriya. The she married the banya. Then she was born a Brahmin. After a long spell of time, I am seeing her again, and the food she gives me is sweet with her love.’ Mrs. Khaparde's prema more than Mr. Khaparde's self-interested visit to Shirdi was what operated powerfully on Baba and made him take so much trouble for each member of that family. Baba did not give mantra Upadesha except in exceptional cases. Baba gave it to Mrs. G.S. Khaparde thus; ‘Go on saying Rajah Ram, Rajah Ram’.