A astonishing leela of Baba - Dev Baba alias Anant Prabhu Walavalkar

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Dev Baba alias Anant Prabhu Walavalkar:

Date Of Birth: April 13th, 1918

Date Of Samadhi: May 25th, 1994

 

Rajaram Kaka (Dev Baba's Father) hailed from Walaval,

Sindhudurga Jhilla (Region). Hence, they were called theWalavalkars. His

lineage was from the Sathkul Kudar Deshkar family. The family was very

devout and religious. In 1916, he married Krishnabai alias Sitabai who

was Dabholkar's daughter.

The couple moved to Girgaum, Bombay, where Rajaram worked in

the Accountant General's office. He was devoted to Vitthal and followed

the Warkari Sampradaya. Dev Baba was the eldest child of four brothers

and one sister. As Girgaum was a remote suburb, Rajaram and his family

moved to Dadar. As it was the first pregnancy, Sitabai came to her

parents' home in Bandra. Sitabai was ill during the pregnancy and had

'Nandavayu'. {Possibly Tetanus*).

 

Dabholkar was very concerned. So, he ran to Shirdi and told

Baba about it. Baba reassured him and said " Balantpan nirvigna hoyeel

(The delivery will be trouble-free)! " He also stated that His son would

be born to her. Assured by Baba's words, Dabholkar returned home and

prayed to Baba for help. Rajaram also prayed earnestly to Vitthal

begging Him to give him a 'Dnyaneshwar - like' son. The time for

delivery arrived and Dabholkar anxiously waited outside. When he finally

went to see his daughter, he was surprised at what he saw. The mother

had thrown the child in a corner, and would not touch or cuddle him. The

child however lay contentedly in the corner. But what surprised him

most, was, the halo of light around his head. He also had an aura of

light around him.

 

As the mother was afraid to hold her child, she also refused

to nurse him. Dabholkar however picked up the child and brought him to

Shirdi. He went straight to the Dwarkamai and laid him at Baba's feet.

Being rather anxious and distraught at his daughter's behavior, he told

Baba all that had happened in great detail. Meanwhile, Baba picked up

the baby, and laying him in His lap, patted him gently. Then, He nursed

him by placing His thumb in the child's mouth. The baby sucked and out

came milk!

(REF: CHAPTER 4, SAI SATCHARITA)

 

The beautiful leela of Baba is given where Baba tells Das

Ganu that he need not go to Prayag and have a bath in the Ganga and

Jamuna. When Das Ganu lays his head on Baba's feet, out flows the Ganga

and Jamuna from Baba's toes! Here, Baba feeds the tiny baby from His

thumb!

Dev Baba had Baba's grace around him at all times. His

primary education was in Marathi medium. Then he went to Wilson English

Medium School. However, Dev Baba rarely attended school. He spent most

of his time meditating, at the Swami Samarth Math nearby. Swami Samarth

also blessed him. As a young man, he joined the Kurla Municipal Kirde

Kendra as a teacher in physical education. He was extremely fond of his

students and was fair to each and everyone. However, the students were

from two castes and one caste felt that Dev Baba was 'rather fond and

sympathetic to the other caste'. They went and complained to the other

teachers. One of the teachers decided to give him a good thrashing.

Meanwhile, some of the teachers informed Dev Baba of the plan. Casually,

he said, " Oh, but he will not come to school tomorrow. " And so, it came

to pass that the teacher went to swim that evening, drowned and died.

When this happened, he realized that Baba had bestowed him with Siddhis.

He decided not to work for anybody, but to utilize his

services for God.

He made various pilgrimages and stayed in the Himalayas. He

learned Hata Yoga and progressed spiritually. His mother was seriously

ill and he knew that she would soon pass away, he visited her and gave

her a mantra to recite. Then he came to Shirdi and sat in the Mandir and

did parayana of the Satcharita While he was mid-way, he received a

telegram, saying that his mother had taken a turn for the worse. He

asked Baba whether he should go and visit her. Baba said, " Yes. " Now, he

was in a quandary as to how he would go that far in such a short time.

He was pondering as to why Baba had granted him permission when the time

was so short and the journey, so long.

Lo! Baba stood before him and reassured him. Baba had

brought a horse with Him to accompany him in the shookshma (invisible)

form. They both reached Dadar. He met his mother and gently reassured

her of a peaceful death and Baba Himself was there to take care of her

destination. Thus, it came to pass that she died peacefully. He returned

to Shirdi and completed the parayana. When he told people about his

mother's death, they looked at him with astonishment and did not believe

him, 'as he was seated for parayana all that time'!

In 1952, he married Kishori Bai who shared his devotion for

Baba and worked along with him. The couple moved to Ambarnath and stayed

in their ancestral home. In the first floor, a Mandir was made in 1967.

A saat-dhaatu murti (an idol of seven metals) was installed and

pratishtha performed.

 

Dev Baba had many followers and he guided them to his Ishtha

Dev Sai Baba.

After a very fruitful life, he took Samadhi on Thursday on

Vaishakh Vaidya Apara Ekadashi. He asked his relatives not to perform

any rituals or religious ceremonies.

(REF: Dev Babanche Chatrita Published on 26th may, 1996)