DAMUANNA – NANASAHEB RASANE

[Guest guest]

Damodar alias Damuanna Savlaram Rasane was one of the devotees of

Shri Sai Baba from the very beginning.

 

His family was very pious. Mahipatibuva Tahrabadkar – a writer of

biographies of saints – was the Guru of his grandfather while

Bhanudas Maharaj was Guru of his father.

 

By nature, he was extremely polite. He began his business of selling

bangles at Ahmednagar, when he was financially very poor and soon

prospered with the business. He was broken hearted because - though he was

blessed with various contentments of life – he did not have a

son. As his first wife did not bear him a son, he married a second time.

However, it was of no avail.

 

He started feeling, that to beget a son, he must serve saintly persons and get

their blessings. To secure favour from various astral planets, he even turned to

astrologers. He was advised that, in your Putra-sthan the evil planet Ketu has

entered and therefore, the planet Guru is helpless. The result is, it is not in

his fate to have a son. In the course of consulting a countless astrologers,

Rasane himself earned excellent knowledge of astrology.

 

During this period, an acquaintance of Rasane Family Shri Govindrao

Sapkar (father-in-law of Madhavrao Deshpande of Shirdi – an ardent

devotee of Baba) suggested Rasane that he should seek advice and

blessings of Shri Sai Baba.

 

Sometime soon, in 1892, Damuanna went to Nimgaon in connection with some work.

There he heard more information about Sai Baba. As Nimgaon is only one-and-half

miles from Shirdi, Rasane went to avail Baba's Darshan.

 

Damuanna was a devotee of Shri Guru Dattatray and Shankar. He had made religious

trips to various places of pilgrimage. Therefore, on having Darshan of Baba,

Rasane became an ardent devotee of Him. He had gone with only one desire – that

of having a son. And in the first meeting, Baba said to him, " Your desire shall

be fulfilled. "

 

As Ahmednagar is near to Shirdi, Damusheth started frequently going

there. Initially, Baba did not allow him to stay at Shirdi. However,

Damuanna was incessantly thinking of Baba and seeing Him before his

eyes. He was sad that Baba is not permitting him to stay longer at

Shirdi.

 

In these circumstances, he lost his sister. He became more depressed.

During the mourning period itself, Baba called him to the upper portion of the

Masjid and lent him advice and condoled him. He instructed Rasaneto go to Appa

Kulkarni, apply Tilak of sandal and have Puran Poli. Though this is forbidden

during the mourning period, Rasane – because of his steadfast devotion to Baba –

followed Baba's words.

 

As many as 6-7 years passed, but there were no signs that Rasane's

desire for a son will be fulfilled. It was year 1898-99. Rasane's

relatives began cajoling him to either marry a third time or adopt his brother's

son. He decided to place the dilemma directly before Baba and began his journey

towards Shirdi.

 

At that time, a Mamledar, named Rale had sent a parcel of excellent

mangoes from Goa. The parcel was sent in the name of Madhavrao Deshpande with a

request to place the fruits as a gift to Baba. On opening the parcel, it

revealed beautiful, sweet and fragrant mangoes. They were about 300 in numbers.

Baba inspected all of them and selected eight. Placing them in Madhavrao's hands

and instructing him to keep them in Kolamba, He said, " Let these be for Damya " .

 

Baba was very much fond of children. Collecting them around Him, He

distributed sweets and Prasad amongst them. Taking advantage of the

playful relations between Baba and the kids, they used to sometimes

steal articles of food. Baba also ignored such pranks.

 

When the parcel of mangoes arrived, as usual, several children were

playing in the Masjid. The mangoes were distributed amongst them.

However, seeing the mangoes kept in the Kolamba, the kids began asking for the

fruits. Baba said, " Now there are no more mangoes left. " The kids pointed out

the mangoes kept in the Kolamba. Baba said, " These are for my Damya. " Kids

replied, " But, where is

Damusheth ? He is not here. " Baba said, ``Yes. That is true.

But, he is on his way to Shirdi. He is coming here. "

 

In spite of this, seeing that Baba had gone to Lendi Baug, some of the kids

stole four mangoes from the Kolamba.

 

Baba returned from Lendi Baug and Damuanna had arrived in Masjid to

perform his Pooja !

 

On seeing that only four mangoes out of eight are left in the Kolamba, Baba

remarked, " People have their eyes on these mangoes. But, these are not theirs.

They belong to Damuanna. One should eat these mangoes and die. "

 

Damuanna heard these words and was amazed to hear " die " . Though

he was familiar with Baba's way of speaking, he felt hurt and his

eyes welled with tears at the inauspicious word.

 

Mhalsapati consoled him and said, ``Look at these words as a

blessing. He is not talking of death of mortal body, but of evils such as

Avidya, Maya, Ahankar. Damusheth, your wellbeing is in following His

instructions.''

 

As per Baba's directions, Damuanna ate one mango. In a clam tone,

Baba told him, ``Take rest of the mangoes for your wife. With

Allah's blessings, you will bear eight children. "

 

After performing Pooja, Damusheth started on his return journey, but

turned back and enquired, " To whom shall I give these – to the

elder wife or younger wife ? " Baba replied " Younger one. "

 

Damusheth was totally devastated thinking that his fate has no children for him.

However, a new hope rekindled in his heart hearing Baba's words.

 

After Damuanna's wife partook the Prasad, she gave birth to eight

children – four sons and four daughters. However, during the course

of time, four kids soon passed away. Baba had foretold the order in

which the kids will be born and in reality, it turned out to be true.

Not only this, Baba had also said that, " You will have two sons

first.''

 

Accordingly, the first son was born in year 1900 – on 6th December,

on the auspicious day of Datta Jayanti. Due to Baba's blessings all

the four sons were able bodied, intelligent, good businessmen, as well as good

family men. The sons were born in a rich family and their wealth increased

many-folds in later years. Baba's words thus came out to be true.

 

Damuanna believed that the flag of his family fluttered (through the

births of his sons) due to Baba's blessings. Therefore, on the

suggestion of Gopalrao Gund, Damuanna began the practice of hoisting a flag on

the top of the Masjid. He also contributed sizable finance for the tiling of the

Masjid flooring.

 

After hoisting of the flag, Damuanna donated food amongst the poor and needy.

This event took place in the second year of the Urus.

 

Damuanna had prepared Naivedya and invited Baba for the meal. He knew

that it was Baba's practice not to go for meals outside the Masjid.

Therefore, Damuanna requested, " Baba, please send Balaji Patil

Nevaskar to have meal at my place. " As Balaji belonged to lower

caste, Baba said, " You will make him sit at a far off place and shoo

him away. " But, ultimately, after lot of persuasion, Baba gave his

permission.

 

Damusheth served various preparations in a Thali and first offered it

before Baba's picture. Then, he placed a Thali for Balaji next to

his own Thali and greeted Baba saying loudly " Baba, Yaa (come). "

Suddenly, a huge black colored dog – covered with mud and filth

– arrived there. Damusheth was going to drive him away, but he

remembered Baba's words about " shooing away " . He was now

certain that Baba was trying to take his test by sending the dog.

Damuanna first served food to the dog and only thereafter, others had

their meals.

 

contd.)

 

– Translated from original Marathi into English by Sudhir

(Source : Saileela Magazine)