SRI RAO BAHADUR MORESWAR W. PRADHAN
M. W. Pradhan was President of the Sansthan for some time and his contact with Sai Baba was the result of N. G. Chandorkar's influence. In May 1910, Pradhan's brothers were chatting with Chandorkar, andhis brother Rama Rao asked, `Akkalkote Maharaj was a great saint, and he is dead. Is there anyone nowadays of this type?' Then Chandorkar revealed to him that there was, and that was Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Till then Shirdi had never been heard of by others, and they learnt that is was the Kopergaon taluk of Ahmednagar district on the Dhond-Manmad line, 11 miles from Kopergaon station. Chandorkar then gave such a vivid and glowing account of Baba's power, kindness, greatness and his personality that every one hearing it was anxious to start immediately to get darshan of Baba. So, a group of about 14 people went the very next day to Shirdi, but M.W. Pradhan was not in the party. The party returned and brought with them a copy of Baba's picture and Das Ganu's Bhakta Lilamrita, describing Baba's life andmiracles. M W Pradhan took them to his wife and there read the book. Then all his doubts about Baba vanished and he became a firm believer that Baba was a true saint. His wife's faith was even greater. They were anxious to depart for Shirdi. A fortnight after the return of the first party, that is in may 1910, Pradhan went to Shirdi. Chandorkar's two sons, namely Bapu and Babu, were his companions. Hewanted to present Baba with gold sovereigns and carried them as well as some currency notes. When he arrived at Shirdi, Baba was standing on the road near the Lendi as though he was waiting for the party. Atonce Pradhan and others got down and he prostrated to Sai Maharaj. There he met Rao Bahadur Sathe and Mr. Noolkar, First Class Sub Judge, and then went to the mosque where he wished to garland Babaand gave him all the presents. There, he felt that Sai Baba was really a great saint, and that his having come was really fulfilling his mission in life. This rising faith was lucky, because Baba put his faith to the test at once. Baba asked for dakshina. Originally Pradhan had intended to give Rs. 20, but he gave Baba a gold sovereign instead. Baba took it, turned it this side and that side, and said `What is this?' Mr. Noolkar who was there said, `Baba, this is a guinea (a former British coin)'. Baba said, `What is its worth?'Mr. Noolkar replied, `Rs. 15'. Baba returned the coin to Pradhan saying, `I do not want this. Keep it with you, but give me Rs. 15'. Pradhan was glad to have a coin touched by Baba and returned to him and gave Baba Rs. 15, then Baba, professing to count the rupees said, `I find only Rs.10 here. Give me Rs. 5 more'. This was a test because having Rs. 15 in hand, he said that he had only Rs. 10 and was testing a lawyer, who would generally be combative and discuss questions of accounts. But Pradhan rose to the occasion and gave him Rs. 5 more. Then Pradhan remembered that he had intended to give Rs. 20, and Baba took that Rs. 20 under cover of wrong calculation. Baba did not ask for more. So, Baba's vairagya and indifference to money was clear, and Baba's testing of bhaktas also was clear. Baba gave him other means also for strengthen his faith, that is, instances of his antarjnana and help by miraculous means. On the next occasion, when he visited Baba, he beckened to him addressing his as Bhav and said merely, `It will be all right in 2 or 4 days'. Then Baba gave him udhi and Pradhan returned from the Mosque. Pradhan remained for there for 8 days on this occasion. And during that time he arranged for a special dinner or bhiksha to Sai Baba, and asked Baba, `what the dished were to be and who the invitees were to be'. Baba said, `Pooran poli Obbattu' was to be part of the dinner. Babu, nephew of Dada Kelkar, was to be one of the invitees. `I also will come' – `Mehe Yeyin'. So, at the meal the next day every one was served, and a place was set apart for Baba, and dished were also kept there. A crow lifted a pooran poli off the plate, and carried it away. They said, Baba is the crow and had taken the favourite pooran poli.
That evening, Baba gave one remarkable hint of his antatjnana and kindness to Pradhan. Baba touched his limbs on one side and said, `On this side of my body there is excruciating pain. It will be alright in two or four days'. But Baba seemed to be healthy, and what he meant by his words was not then clear. But it became clear after Pradhan reached Bombay.
During this stay, on a Thursday, Pradhan saw Baba preparing food in a hundi pot to feed large numbers, samaradhana. He drove away every one from the Masjid at that time, and was alone with his hundi. Pradhan, Bapu and Babu, went in. Baba received them well and evidently excluded all others to give these a private interview. Baba appeared to be singing something first, but Pradhan discovered that the words were
Kayare Apla kai Manave,
Sri Ram, jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram.
M. W. Pradhan was President of the Sansthan for some time and his contact with Sai Baba was the result of N. G. Chandorkar's influence. In May 1910, Pradhan's brothers were chatting with Chandorkar, andhis brother Rama Rao asked, `Akkalkote Maharaj was a great saint, and he is dead. Is there anyone nowadays of this type?' Then Chandorkar revealed to him that there was, and that was Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Till then Shirdi had never been heard of by others, and they learnt that is was the Kopergaon taluk of Ahmednagar district on the Dhond-Manmad line, 11 miles from Kopergaon station. Chandorkar then gave such a vivid and glowing account of Baba's power, kindness, greatness and his personality that every one hearing it was anxious to start immediately to get darshan of Baba. So, a group of about 14 people went the very next day to Shirdi, but M.W. Pradhan was not in the party. The party returned and brought with them a copy of Baba's picture and Das Ganu's Bhakta Lilamrita, describing Baba's life andmiracles. M W Pradhan took them to his wife and there read the book. Then all his doubts about Baba vanished and he became a firm believer that Baba was a true saint. His wife's faith was even greater. They were anxious to depart for Shirdi. A fortnight after the return of the first party, that is in may 1910, Pradhan went to Shirdi. Chandorkar's two sons, namely Bapu and Babu, were his companions. Hewanted to present Baba with gold sovereigns and carried them as well as some currency notes. When he arrived at Shirdi, Baba was standing on the road near the Lendi as though he was waiting for the party. Atonce Pradhan and others got down and he prostrated to Sai Maharaj. There he met Rao Bahadur Sathe and Mr. Noolkar, First Class Sub Judge, and then went to the mosque where he wished to garland Babaand gave him all the presents. There, he felt that Sai Baba was really a great saint, and that his having come was really fulfilling his mission in life. This rising faith was lucky, because Baba put his faith to the test at once. Baba asked for dakshina. Originally Pradhan had intended to give Rs. 20, but he gave Baba a gold sovereign instead. Baba took it, turned it this side and that side, and said `What is this?' Mr. Noolkar who was there said, `Baba, this is a guinea (a former British coin)'. Baba said, `What is its worth?'Mr. Noolkar replied, `Rs. 15'. Baba returned the coin to Pradhan saying, `I do not want this. Keep it with you, but give me Rs. 15'. Pradhan was glad to have a coin touched by Baba and returned to him and gave Baba Rs. 15, then Baba, professing to count the rupees said, `I find only Rs.10 here. Give me Rs. 5 more'. This was a test because having Rs. 15 in hand, he said that he had only Rs. 10 and was testing a lawyer, who would generally be combative and discuss questions of accounts. But Pradhan rose to the occasion and gave him Rs. 5 more. Then Pradhan remembered that he had intended to give Rs. 20, and Baba took that Rs. 20 under cover of wrong calculation. Baba did not ask for more. So, Baba's vairagya and indifference to money was clear, and Baba's testing of bhaktas also was clear. Baba gave him other means also for strengthen his faith, that is, instances of his antarjnana and help by miraculous means. On the next occasion, when he visited Baba, he beckened to him addressing his as Bhav and said merely, `It will be all right in 2 or 4 days'. Then Baba gave him udhi and Pradhan returned from the Mosque. Pradhan remained for there for 8 days on this occasion. And during that time he arranged for a special dinner or bhiksha to Sai Baba, and asked Baba, `what the dished were to be and who the invitees were to be'. Baba said, `Pooran poli Obbattu' was to be part of the dinner. Babu, nephew of Dada Kelkar, was to be one of the invitees. `I also will come' – `Mehe Yeyin'. So, at the meal the next day every one was served, and a place was set apart for Baba, and dished were also kept there. A crow lifted a pooran poli off the plate, and carried it away. They said, Baba is the crow and had taken the favourite pooran poli.
That evening, Baba gave one remarkable hint of his antatjnana and kindness to Pradhan. Baba touched his limbs on one side and said, `On this side of my body there is excruciating pain. It will be alright in two or four days'. But Baba seemed to be healthy, and what he meant by his words was not then clear. But it became clear after Pradhan reached Bombay.
During this stay, on a Thursday, Pradhan saw Baba preparing food in a hundi pot to feed large numbers, samaradhana. He drove away every one from the Masjid at that time, and was alone with his hundi. Pradhan, Bapu and Babu, went in. Baba received them well and evidently excluded all others to give these a private interview. Baba appeared to be singing something first, but Pradhan discovered that the words were
Kayare Apla kai Manave,
Sri Ram, jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram.
that is, what we should say is,
Sri Ram, Jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram.
At once Pradhan was overcome with emotion, and he placed his hand on Baba's foot. these words were the Guru Mantra that had been given to M.V. Pradhan by his family Guru, Hari Bua, and that mantra he had long neglected. Baba was kindly reviving his interest and regard for that Guru Mantra, for his spiritual benefit, without having any express consultation or question from Pradhan. This deep love of Baba greatly impressed Pradhan. When the contents of the hundi were boiling, Baba put his entire hand into them, not using a spoon or ladle, and his hand was not scalded or swollen. Then suddenly at noon, Baba took Pradhan and the two boys to the Lendi. That was not his usual hour for visiting the Lendi, but there, after taking them, Baba was digging into the earth small hollows and giving some corn seeds into Pradhan's hands and made him sow that corn in the hollows. The seeds were then covered up with earth, Baba made Pradhan water the patches. Then the whole party returned to the Mosque. The significance of this event was that 7 or 8 years later Lendi garden was purchased for Baba's Sansthan by M.V. Pradhan for a sum of about Rs. 1500. Baba recognised that Pradhan would be useful to the Sansthan by his purchase of the Lendi garden, which has numerous holy associations with Baba, and forms an essential part of the sacred places revered by his devotees. At parting on that occasion, Babu Chandorkar placed a plate under Baba's feet, and pouring water over his feet, collected the pada tirtham to be carried home. that was unusual. Only udhi was taken till then, and pada tirtham was used only at the arti, at Shirdi, and not taken home.
But on this occasion, as Babu Chandorkar took pada tirtham home, Pradhan also took some home. On his way back, he was lucky enough to get into the first train, namely, the Punjab mail, though he did nothave the ticket for it. That was lucky, for he reached home four or five hour earlier, and on arrival learnt that his mother had an attack of paralysis, Hemiplegia. She was having excruciating pain on one side as Baba said. So, Baba was referring her pain and not his own pain, and Pradhan was lucky in going home by the earlier train with pada tirtham and Baba's udhi. The relations at home were considering whether they should inform Pradhan of his mother's illness, But Baba himself knew it and sent him back in time. The doctor, noting the high temperature of the patient and her constipation and restlessness, considered her condition critical, but if, however, the bowels moved in the course of the night, the doctor thought he situation would be more hopeful. It was 430 a.m. when Pradhan reached home. At once he gave Baba's udhi and tirtham to the mother. She became somnolent. A little later, her bowels moved, and her temperature fell. The doctor came and noted the improvement. Baba had arranged everything for the benefit of Pradhan's mother. `In two or four days it will be all right', Baba said. Actually in two daysit was all right with Pradhan's mother. Baba's antarjnana and his blessing to the mother of Pradhan had this double advantage of first benefiting the devotees in the family and next of developing faith. So, every member of Pradhan's family went to Baba and got his blessing.
Sri Ram, Jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram.
At once Pradhan was overcome with emotion, and he placed his hand on Baba's foot. these words were the Guru Mantra that had been given to M.V. Pradhan by his family Guru, Hari Bua, and that mantra he had long neglected. Baba was kindly reviving his interest and regard for that Guru Mantra, for his spiritual benefit, without having any express consultation or question from Pradhan. This deep love of Baba greatly impressed Pradhan. When the contents of the hundi were boiling, Baba put his entire hand into them, not using a spoon or ladle, and his hand was not scalded or swollen. Then suddenly at noon, Baba took Pradhan and the two boys to the Lendi. That was not his usual hour for visiting the Lendi, but there, after taking them, Baba was digging into the earth small hollows and giving some corn seeds into Pradhan's hands and made him sow that corn in the hollows. The seeds were then covered up with earth, Baba made Pradhan water the patches. Then the whole party returned to the Mosque. The significance of this event was that 7 or 8 years later Lendi garden was purchased for Baba's Sansthan by M.V. Pradhan for a sum of about Rs. 1500. Baba recognised that Pradhan would be useful to the Sansthan by his purchase of the Lendi garden, which has numerous holy associations with Baba, and forms an essential part of the sacred places revered by his devotees. At parting on that occasion, Babu Chandorkar placed a plate under Baba's feet, and pouring water over his feet, collected the pada tirtham to be carried home. that was unusual. Only udhi was taken till then, and pada tirtham was used only at the arti, at Shirdi, and not taken home.
But on this occasion, as Babu Chandorkar took pada tirtham home, Pradhan also took some home. On his way back, he was lucky enough to get into the first train, namely, the Punjab mail, though he did nothave the ticket for it. That was lucky, for he reached home four or five hour earlier, and on arrival learnt that his mother had an attack of paralysis, Hemiplegia. She was having excruciating pain on one side as Baba said. So, Baba was referring her pain and not his own pain, and Pradhan was lucky in going home by the earlier train with pada tirtham and Baba's udhi. The relations at home were considering whether they should inform Pradhan of his mother's illness, But Baba himself knew it and sent him back in time. The doctor, noting the high temperature of the patient and her constipation and restlessness, considered her condition critical, but if, however, the bowels moved in the course of the night, the doctor thought he situation would be more hopeful. It was 430 a.m. when Pradhan reached home. At once he gave Baba's udhi and tirtham to the mother. She became somnolent. A little later, her bowels moved, and her temperature fell. The doctor came and noted the improvement. Baba had arranged everything for the benefit of Pradhan's mother. `In two or four days it will be all right', Baba said. Actually in two daysit was all right with Pradhan's mother. Baba's antarjnana and his blessing to the mother of Pradhan had this double advantage of first benefiting the devotees in the family and next of developing faith. So, every member of Pradhan's family went to Baba and got his blessing.
(to be continued)
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