Devotees Experiences -Part 1

Achuta Ramaiah, Hyderabad, India
 

I really want to share a physical experience of Baba in real life. I had gone to Shirdi last year after my US trip visiting my daughter Asha. We three I, my wife Ramani and my sister in law Kalpakam went to Shirdi from Hyderabad in an overnight bus. My wife was not that well, more so with the tiresome trip. We went to the mandir and found a big serpentine queue waiting. My wife was not well so I decided to use my Ex serviceman's privilege, but soon I realized I did not have my Identity card. Still taking cue from Baba I approached the authorities but they insisted some document to prove my identity. Luckily, 

I showed my British Library card wherein my rank was and mentioned. The gentleman seeing my wife's condition agreed to help me out. He authorized my entry! We quickly saw Baba without any further effort. As we neared the Samadhi our eyes were full of tears and we stood for a long time. The Pujari on duty gave me a wonderful rose from his garland and blessed us.

We later proceeded to Dwarkamai and due to the rush; we could not see all the relevant Baba's items there. We had a good lunch and strolled near the bazaar when I suddenly discovered the loss of my spectacles and my black leather pouch. I was greatly perturbed. Seeing our plight an old man in a white dhoti shouted at me to go and look for the same in Dwarkamai. My wife and sister in law forced me further. I went to Dwarkamai reluctantly and as the public was pushing me, I nearly fell near the chakkis (Grinding Stone), which Baba used for grinding flour. As I got up and dusted myself, I saw that a leather case was kept intact in a small enclosure above the grinding chakkis. I quickly retrieved them and saw that it was my leather case with spectacles put neatly inside. The spectacles were very costly and had been presented to me so lovingly by my son in law.

I am sure my daughter would not have spoken to me gain if she were told about the loss. It was indeed a lucky find! I breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to thank the old man. The old man was not there at all and I did not see him again!! Then to my surprise, I bought Baba's photograph and suddenly realized the close resemblance. I felt a sudden thrill because I had been asking Baba to reveal himself several times and he did so! So truly Baba blessed me that day and even now I can feel the thrill. Jai Baba

Courtesy - Sai Vichaar

Shri Sai Bawani

Shri Sai Bawani
|| Shri sai nathaye namo namah ||
|| Avdoot chintan shri gurudev dutta ||

Jai ishwar jai sai dyal, tu hi jagat ka palan har
Datta digambar prabhu avtar, tere bus me sab sansar
Bhrama yukt shankar avtar, sharnagat ka pranadhar
Darshan dedo prabhu mere, meeta do chorasi ere
Kafni tere ek saya, jholi kande latkaya
Neem taley tum prakat hue, fakeer bankae tum aaye
Kalyug me avtar liya, patit pavan tum ne keya
Shirdi gaon me vas keya, longo ke mann lubha liya
Chilam thi shobha haato ki, bansi jaise mohan ki
Daya bhari thi aakho me, amrit dhara baanto me
Dhannya dwarka woh mai, sama gaye jaha sai
Jal jata hai paap waha, baba ki hai dhuni jaha
Bhula bhatka me aanjan, de mujhko apna vardan
Karunasindhu prabhu mere, lakhoan baitaih dar pai tere
Agnehotri shastri ko, chamatkar tum ne dikhlaya
Jevandan shama paya, jehar saap ka utraya
Pralahe kaal ko rok liya, bhagto ka bhaye door kiya
Mahamari benam kiya, shirdipuri ko bacha liya
Pranam tumko mere ish, charano mai tere mera sheesh
Mann ki asha poori karo, bhavsagar se pakar karo
Bhakt bhimaji tha bimar, kar baitha tha soa upchar
Dhanaya sai ki pavitra udi, mita gayi uski shay vyadhi
Dhikhlaya tune vitthal roop, kakaji ko swayam swaroop
Damu ko santan diya, mann uska santusht kiya
Kripanidhi ab kripa karo, deen dyaloo daya karo
Tan mann dhan arpan karo, de do sadgati prabhu muzhko
Medha tumko na jana tha, muslim tumko mana tha
Swayam tum ban kai shivshankar, bana diya uska kinkar
Roshnai ki chirango se, tailay ke badlay pani se
Jisne dekha ankho haal, hall uska huaa behaal
Chand bhai tha uljhan me, ghode ke karan mann me
Sai ne ki aisi kirpa, ghoda phir se vehai pa saka
Shradha saburi mann me rakho, sai - sai nam rato
Poori hogi mann ki aas, kar lo sai ka nij dhyan
Jan ke khatra tatya ka, daan di apni ayoo ka
Reen bayejaka chuka diya, tum ne sai kamal kiya
Pashupakshi per teri lagan, pyar me tum thai unke magan
Sab per teri reham nazar, lete sab ki khud hi
khabar Sharan me tere jo aaya, tumne usko apnaya
Diye hai tumne gyara vachan, bhagto ke prati lekar aan
Kan- kan me tumho bhagwan, teri leela shakti mahan
Kaise karu tere gungan, budhee heen me hu nadan
Deen dayalu tum ho data, hum sab ke tum ko trata
Kripa karo ab sai mere, charno me le lo ab tere
Subha sham sai ka dhyan, sai leela ke gungan
Dereen bhagti se jo gayega, param pad ko veh payega
Har din subha aur sham ko, gaaye sai bhawni ko
Sai deinge uska saat, lekar aapne haat me haat
Anubhav tripti ke yeh bol, shabad bade hai yeh anmol
Yakeen jisne maan liya, jevan usne safal kiya
Sai shakti virat swaroop,mann mohak sai ka roop
Goar se dekho tum bhai, bolo jai sad guru sai !!


Aanth koti bhrammad nayak rajaderaaj
Yogiraj perbhram shri sachidanand sadguru
Sainath maharaj ke raj

Dwarakamai-Sai Leela: Dutta Nimonkar the little boy who was named thus by Baba Himself

Dutta Nimonkar the little boy who was named thus by Baba Himself

Dutta Nimonkar the little boy who was named thus by Baba Himself

Dutta Nimonkar

 

January 1919:

Nana Saheb Nimonkar Shankarrao Raghunath Deshpande also known as Nana Saheb Nimonkar. Nimon is small village 20 miles off Shirdi. Balwantrao (father of Madhava Rao Deshpande i.e., Shyama) was Nimonkars uncle
Once Balwantrao took Nana Saheb to Sai Baba saying "People believe He is a mad fakir. I doubt if He is really mad, but you had better go with me, see Him and give me your opinion." Whenever Balvant had gone to see Baba the latter kept him at a distance by taking up a brickbat and either flinging it or threatening to fling it at him. Thus He kept away people from going into the Mosque where He stayed. But when Nimonkar went to see Him, He flung no stones and they approached quite close to Him. Nimonkars heart was attracted to Sai as soon as he saw Him and on his return home he assured his uncle that Baba was a Saint and not a mad man.
Balwantrao wondered why stones were hurled when he went to Baba formerly but not on the present occasion. "That is because you doubted if He was mad, but I did not” said Nimonkar Since then, Nimonkar paid annual and later biennial or more frequent visits to Baba — as his faith was steadily increasing.
Nanasaheb was an Honorary Magistrate of Sangamner and there he met Nana Sheb Chandorkar (the Collector’s Chitnis ) who also was an admirer of Baba and both would talk together about Baba. When Nana Saheb Chandorkar started the idea of rebuilding Baba's Musjid and collected subscriptions, Nimonkar contributed his mite and what is more he supervised the building operations. Baba would not let the workmen to go on with the work— as He complained of their work and undid their work. The building was long being prevented from completing even its foundation. Baba however had great trust in Nimonkar and Nimonkar hurried on the work all night when Baba slept at the chavadi. Baba showed His faith in Nimonkar by making him his banker during the years (1916-18) that he stayed with Baba. As funds came, Baba would hand them over to Nimonkar. Even Madhav Rao mistook them for gifts. Nimonkar stood in no need of gifts. He had about 500 rupees per annum from his estate his son somanath shankar deshpande Inspector of police in PUNE was sending him all moneys he required. Besides, Nimonkar also knew the truth of Baba's often repeated statement. "Fakir's money is forced away". If one grasped at and swallowed a Fakir's money, he will in due course have to disgorge it all, to the last pie. Nimonkar desired and got from Baba gifts superior to monetary gifts temporal and spiritual welfare. So Nimonkar paid up all the deposits for Baba's expenses. Baba himself frequently called upon him for these expenses e.g.(a) Burfi would have to be purchased and distributed as present (b) firewood on a large scale also had to be bought etc.. His children called him "Kaka,", so did the villagers; and so also Baba called him "Kaka".
Nimonkars daughter-in-law was on the family way and in September-October, 1916, her accouchement was expected Mr & Mrs. N. Nimonkar started for Poona to help in the accouchement and called en route at Shirdi. When they wanted leave to go to Poona, Baba refused. He told Nimonkar. on the other hand that the latter should stay by Baba's side, bury him and then leave Shirdi. Asked about the accouchement, Baba replied, "Why are you anxious? God will help". That meant of course that Baba undertook the safe delivery of the child and that Nimonkars stayed on.
At Poona, no preparations for helping the lady were made and when the pains began, she was taken about 10 p.m. to a hospital and there within an hour, in the total absence of help when even the attendant nurse was absent, a male child was born in good health. At about that time, Baba told Nana Saheb Nimonkar at Shirdi, "There was woman. She was taken to a place. There she was delivered safe of a male child". Here again as promised, God did help through Baba of course.
Mr. Somnath Shankar Deshpande, (C.I.D. Inspector at Poona), son of Nana Saheb Nimonkar, he started to go to Nimon in December 1917, his ancestral home where his brother's wife had been recently delivered of a child (Dutta Nimonkar). En route, he called at Shirdi and paid his respect to Baba. In sending him away, Baba gave him udhi as usual, but added the significant words "Porala Jiva Love" i.e., "Save the child". Mr. Somnath taking this to refer to his own healthy three years boy travelling with him, gave him the udhi and left for Nimon. Soon after he reached that place, his brother's new born baby was found to be in extreme bad health; and all hope of its life was given up. Then it struck him that Baba's parting words referred to this child and he looked for the udhi. But it was not to be found. Then taking the baby on his own lap, he intently prayed to Baba. In 15 minutes, the child began to revive and was at last restored to health. How kind of Baba to think of a devotee's child some 30 miles away from Shirdi and to take steps to save its life.

Later when the infant named Padmakar was to have darshan of Saideva when he was two months old. Deva Himself took the child in His lap and said "here is my Dutta" hence Padmakars name was changed.

Dwarakamai-Sai Leela: Devotees Who Started Worshipping Sai First

Devotees Who Started Worshipping Sai First

Devotees Who Started Worshipping Sai First

   

1.  Shama

2.  Mahalsapathy

3.  Baijabai

4.  Shimpi

5. Kumbhar

6. Laxshmibai

7. Dasganu

8. Sankaleacha

9. Chandorkar

10.Gopalrao Butty

       

Dwarakamai-Sai Leela: Baba On Ramayan Setu

Baba On Ramayan Setu