BABA’S MEETING WITH SRI M.B. REGE – Sai's Ankita Child! Part 2

BABA’S MEETING WITH SRI M.B. REGE – Sai's Ankita Child! Part 2

LETTERS OF SRI M.B. REGE

SRI GURUDEV

M.B. Rege, B.A., LL.,B.,
Advocate
28, South Tukoganj,
Indore, M.P.,
Tel: 7235
24th August 1968

Dear Brother Sridhar,

I received your letter of the 9th instant on the 15th; that was probably delayed because of dislocation in the traffic. Your letter of 22nd came into hand this morning. I regret the delay in replying to your first letter. You had asked me to reply early, time and health permitting. I had enough time and more to spare but incessant rain and chilly weather gave me an attack of influenza and I had to be in bed for over a week; even after that I ran a slight temp. I am better now, but cannot sit for a long time. Therefore I am dictatingthis letter from my bed.

Let me first say that if you got the impression that I personally witnessed the miracle of Baba going up a plank to sleep, it is incorrect. As far as I recollect, I told you that my Revered brother Shri Dasganu Maharaj had told me about it. There was no question ofpeeping through because Baba slept in the open Masjid and Shri Dasganu told me that he had stood in the open space in front of the Masjid to find how Baba went up; and that he saw Baba either on the floor or on the plank. I told you that Shri Dasganu would not invent a story and that I believed him as though I had been with him myself.

When my Revered brother Narasimha Swami showed me his collection of `Devotees Experiences' I told him that a large percentage of what people had said was reflection of their own minds and his reaction was characteristic of a missionary. He said "I know; but unless some miracles or things out of the ordinary were mentioned, the mere man would not be attracted to Baba. Swamiji's love and faith and the Master's grace made it possible for so many persons being attracted to get the blessings of the Master.

I shall now give brief replies to your questions.

1) The colour of Baba I would put as wheat colour but there were some brilliance which cannot be described. At times there would be bright aura round his face.

2) His height was approximately 5'10"

3) His daily routine was that in the morning just after sunrise he would wash his face and hands sitting in what I may call the Verandah. Then he would be in his seat smoking a tobacco chilam, and people would come for his Darshan. About an hour later, He would go to the Lendi. The route was through the village and Radhakrishna Ayee would sweep the road backwards so as not to step on the swept portion. The Lendi was then a sort of deep canal. Some people accompanied and awaited his return from the canal. He would be there for about an hour. On his return he would wash his feet and then go out for Bhiksha. During my visit I would accompany him. As far as I know, He went to Lendi only once in a day.

4) I never saw him taking non-vegetarian food. Until 1911 to 1912 when people prepared several dishes of food and sent the same as Naivedhya (kanniku), He used to take only the things he got as Bhiksha. Even when he got the Naivedhya he did not abandon hisBhiksha. I cannot vouch for the correctness of the statement in the Sat-charitra. He did not take anything by way of breakfast or dinner at night so far as I am aware. His meal was only the afternoon lunch, after Arati, which was conducted in the same manner as is done now at Shirdi.

I never saw Him suggesting medicine for his devotees. I have only heard that he cured a blind person by putting a little chilly powder in the eyes and once or twice prescribed the powder of some roots. He usually gave udhi which almost always put on the forehead of the devotees.

It is difficult to give the correct age of Baba, but it is said that He was about 18 years when he came to Shirdi in about 1872 and on that estimate He would be a little over 60 at his Maha Samadhi but he looked older – about 80.

My information about the criminal case in which Baba gave evidence is that a person from Shirdi committed theft of gold ornaments. He was put up for trial and his defense was that Baba had given him the ornaments. A summon was issued to Baba and later a warrant was also ordered. On a petition by some devotees and others, the magistrateagreed to His examination on commission. Baba said people called him Sai, His father was Allah, and his residence everywhere and asked about the ornaments, it is said that He replied, "Who else gives things". The magistrate accepted his statement as of a person who was one with God but held that the accused was guilty and sentenced him to imprisonment. When the people told Baba about the sentence, He said, "Who gave the sentence, He who gave the ornaments also gave the sentence".

Shri Radhakrishna Ayee once told me that she was three years senior to me. I met her in 1910, when I was 22. She came from Ahmednagar to Shirdi according to her statement in 1907. She did not cook food for Baba until about 1911 when devotees celebrated some occasion like Guru Poornima when her room was used for her and the devotees cookingfood. Otherwise as far as I know she did not cook even for herself because she used to get her food out of Baba's Bhiksha. After 1912 a part of the Bhiksha was sent to her and for me when I was there since I was also asked not to take food elsewhere.

To my knowledge she did not go in front of Baba nor sing bhajan in front of him. Whenever I visited Shirdi she and I with occasionally one or two others used to wash the floor of the Masjid when Baba went to the Lendi and just, two months before she passed away in 1917, she came out after washing the Masjid, put her head on the open verandahwhere Baba used to wash himself in mornings and apparently went into a trance. Baba returned from the Lendi and patting her on the back said, "Ramkrishni, why are you worry when I am there". She started and ran away to her house. That was the only occasion when I saw Baba saying anything to her personally but on a number of occasions I found Baba having a sort of telepathic communication with her.

Radhakrishna Ayee gave birth to a child and I was informed that the child died immediately after and so did she.

Before Maha Samadhi, people gathered on Ramnavami day and the Guru Poornima, when there was mass worship and offerings to Baba of clothes and sweets etc., the sweets were distributed and the clothes normally returned to the devotees. Baba did not worship any idol and his worship that I saw was that done by a siddha.

The Ratha was presented by me and Shri Avasthi but people did not know this. It was brought over in the night and put up there. Shri Dasganu came for Darshan in the morning and Baba in his usual way said to him, "See what people do, look that turbat (Tazia), is this devotion?" Dasganu blamed Baba for allowing these things to be doneand started violently swearing at such devotees. After 10 minutes Baba started smiling and said, "Ganu, are you blind and have you lost your head? It is not a turbat. It is my Ratha, and I shall move in it the world over." Physically He never used it.

I saw Baba in a violent temper sometimes. I was told that in the past he used even strike people with his satka. When He was in a temper, few people dared to go near him but he cooled down and was his own loving self in no time.

I cannot say that I saw him engaged in dhyana or prayers but the shastras says and I believe a Siddha is in eternal dhyana and that every moment of his life is spent in the service of God.

I trust I have made myself clear. If there is any further explanation wanted, I shall be very happy as I am in duty bound to furnish it to you.

I have been invited for the Maha Samadhi celebrations to Madras, Coimbatore and other places. It is difficult for me to say in my present condition of health whether I would be able to undertake the journey. If I get well enough during the month that intervenes Ishall come to Madras and have the pleasure of meeting you there.

With love and kind regards.

Ever yours,
At the feet of the Master
(Sd.) M. B. REGE

(Courtesy: Sai Sudha, Golden Jubilee Issue – June 1990, All India Sai Samaj (Regd), Chennai-600004, India)