Baba's Care

Baba has declared that he is inside every creature and every object to control all voluntary and involuntary movements. Therefore his declaration, `I am not at Shirdi' while he was there, should be interpreted as referring to his Antaryami nature. He was not confined to the 3 ½ cubits height of body. We cannot get over the idea that we are the body. But he was ever free from such narrow ideas and attachments. One important difference between Sai Baba and several other saints Mrs. Tarabai Sadasiva Tarkhad had seen, is mentioned by her. Some other saints used to get into the Samadi or trance condition, and then they would forget their body. They would utterthings in the trance state revealing supranormal knowledge or power. but in the case of Sai Baba, he never had to go into trance to achieve anything or reach any higher position. Every moment he was exercising a double consciousness, namely, the Ego called Sai Baba and the Antaryami of all, superseding all egos and resting in the Paramatma. He was at the same time exercising and manifesting the powers and features of both states of consciousness. Some other saints with much trouble would read other man's minds' for a time, and then lapse into their original condition. But with Sai Baba, his knowledge of other people's minds was not a matter of effort. He was in the All-knowing state always. Baba was not without worldly wisdom. he would higgle with cloth sellers and beat down the price of a yard of cloth from 8 annas to 5 annas. People would then suppose what a greedy man Sai Baba was. But when it came to payment, he might payRs.40 instead of Rs.15 for the cloth he took, and then people would think that he was a mad man. But he had his own reasons first for the higgling and next for the liberal payment.

His power and nature, being fully understood by her and other similar devotees, made her regard Shirdi as a veritable paradise, a real Bhooloka Vaikuntam. She says, `Directly as we went there, we felt safe, that nothing could harm us. when I went sat in his presence, I always forgot my pain-nay, the body itself, with all it's mundane concerns and anxieties. Hours would pass, and I would be in blissful unconsciousness of their passing. That was a unique experience shared, I believe, by all his real devotees. He was All-in All and the All for us. We could never think of his having limitations. Now that he has passed away, I feel what a terrible loss it is, as I can know longer pass hours together in blissful unconsciousness time and affairs at his feet. We feel wehave lost our soul; our bodies alone are left to us now.'

The lady qualifies her statement next by saying `Baba has not all together vanished, he is still living now and gives ample proof of his powers and protecting care in many matters off and on, though the impressions about these, because of his body being invisible, are not so great as those that the devotees enjoyed when they sat in his presence at Shirdi.' She gives instance of Baba's miraculous protection and help, even when he was not physically present – beforeand even long after his Mahasamadhi in 1918.

One instance is this. it was probably in 1915, that she had for over one month a splitting neuralgic headache. A number of remedies were tried, all to no purpose. She felt she must die, and that would be the relief she thought. Anyhow, she thought, `Why not go and die at Shirdi at Baba's Feet? That would be a privilege.' With that view she started off with her husband and came to Kopergaon from Panchgani where they were staying for the summer. At Kopergoan, they have tocross the Godavari river. Then it struck her, `Anyway death is to come upon me soon. So, why not have the Punya, merit, of a Godavary bath before death?' So she boldly took a bath in the Godavari – in that cold water. Ordinarily that would intensify the headache and accelerate death. But on this occasion, when she came out of the water, the neuralgic headache ceased and thereafter ceased for ever. This is surely Baba's miracle.

The other instance she cites was in 1927, nine years after Baba's Mahasamadhi. With the rest of the family, she set off to Shirdi. She was in the family way, but anyhow she boldly went for the pilgrimage. After her arrival at Shirdi, the foetus die in the womb. Her own features were turning blue and her blood was getting poison. There was neither midwife nor doctor there. Though some medicines from Ahmednagar were brought, they proved of no avail. Then Mr. SadasivaTarkhad went to Sakori and asked Upasani for help. Upasani's reply was `you have got the best doctor and best nurse over there at Shirdi; why do you come to me?' What happened further she did not personally know, because she became unconscious. Her husband says that in her unconscious condition, she went on speaking and giving directions as to what should be done and the directions she gave were followed in addition to the application of udhi and thirtha of Baba. Then the foetus was expelled along with other matter. For weeks she remains unconscious and at last recovered full consciousness and health. This is nothing but Baba's kind care for his child.

Baba's care and health were also extended to her husband. For sometime, he was the manager of a mill. Then his services were terminated, and he had to remain for a considerable time without any job. He went to Shirdi in the hope that Baba would help him to get a job. But soon after he reached Shirdi, Baba instead of providing him with a job, told him, `Tatya Patil and others are going to attend a cinema at Ahmednagar. You better go with them and thence go home toPune.' He felt mortified that, without getting a job, he was asked to attend amusements. Anyhow Baba's order had to be obeyed. He went and attended the cinema and after leaving Nagar, he went to Pune. But what a surprise `Baba, he thought, had sent him to Pune simply for nothing. But on the other hand at Pune at the mill, a labour strike had broken out. The authorities concerned were anxious to recall him as he was a very capable manager of labour, and they had wired for him to Bombay and other places. Meanwhile Baba knowing of the wire and the situation, had sent him just in time to get his job. So, Baba, appearing to be doing harm, really was conferring a blessing by his seemingly unkind orders.