BABA'S EYE OF VIGILANT SUPERVISION
Baba's "eye of vigilant supervision is ever on those who love him". Baba's watch over Mahlsa saved him from shipwreck in his food problems. At times, for long periods the starvation of the devotee and his family came perilously near the danger point. Then Baba suddenly made the devotee relax his vow.
On one occasion, H. S. Dixit was somehow made aware of the danger. He wished to send up a ten rupee note to Mahlsapathy. To make sure that it should not be rejected, he enclosed it in an envelope and took it to Baba and without any other words asked Baba "Shall I send this?" Baba said, " Yes". He sent it, and it was accepted. Baba had his Antarjnan of the gift and had told Mahlsa's wife some hours earlier: "Tell your husband, Baba is coming to the house and he should not reject Baba". So when the envelope with the 10 rupee note came, Mahlsapathy was sure that Baba's message referred to the envelope and he accepted it.
The snake infested Shirdi was full of danger to its inhabitants. One evening as Mahlsapathy was leaving Baba's Mosque, Baba told him that he was likely to meet two thieves (snakes) on the way, and accordingly Mahlsapathy found one at his doorsteps and the other at the neighbouring house. One day Baba told him "When you return, came with a lamp, for you will find a thief at the gate." accordingly, Mahlsapathy came with a lamp in his hand, and found a snake at the gate, and cried out `snake, snake'. The neighbours gathered and killed it.
Baba once warned him in general words, "Don't put your back against earth". Not remembering this advice, and in his usual slovenly way, Mahlsapathy, having consumed too much of Burfi got giddy, sat on the floor, and losing his consciousness, glided down. He then was with his bare back on the floor. He was dreaming or delirious and talking in his dream, keeping his legs stretched on the bare earth all the time. When he returned to consciousness and got awake, he found he could not bend his leg. His daughters had to massage his knees and legs, and thereafter he was able to walk up to Baba. When he arrivedthere, Baba told him, "Did I not tell you not to put your back against earth?"
On one occasion, Baba gave him warning that something wrong would happen at Khandoba's, and that, however, he need not be afraid as Baba would do the needful. Then very soon, his wife and daughter fellill and soon after, the other members of his family also fell ill. This was after 1908, after which date the number of Shirdi visitors increased including many doctors. Meanwhile Baba told Mahlsapathy, `Let the sick people keep to bed', and walking round his Mosque with a short stick in hand. Baba was waving his short stick and using threatening words: - "Come, whatever may be your power, let us see! I shall show you what I can do with my chota stick, if you come out and face me." This was Baba's treatment of the disease. However, amongst the numerous visitors, there were doctors who gave medicines to Mahlsapathy to be given to his family. Mahlsapathy consulted Baba regarding the medicines, but Baba dissuaded him from administering the medicines to the sick at home. In the result, all got well without medicine. Baba's way of fighting disease is not the modern way of medicine, but it was unmistakably effective.
Baba's watching was often of great benefit to Mahlsapathy on other domestic matters also. Once Mahlsapathy's wife had gone to her mother's house at a distance village. When she was there, shedeveloped a painful tumour near her neck, but she did not communicate that to her husband. But Baba's watching eye of supervision, which rests on all those relying on him with loving trust, noted the fact.He told Mahlsapathy at Shirdi: "Your wife has a tumour in the throat. None can cure it except myself, and I shall cure it." Mahlsapthy know nothing about his wife's health simply said, "Yes, Baba". Later hereceived a letter mentioning the painful tumour, and adding that it had been cured.
Baba's "eye of vigilant supervision is ever on those who love him". Baba's watch over Mahlsa saved him from shipwreck in his food problems. At times, for long periods the starvation of the devotee and his family came perilously near the danger point. Then Baba suddenly made the devotee relax his vow.
On one occasion, H. S. Dixit was somehow made aware of the danger. He wished to send up a ten rupee note to Mahlsapathy. To make sure that it should not be rejected, he enclosed it in an envelope and took it to Baba and without any other words asked Baba "Shall I send this?" Baba said, " Yes". He sent it, and it was accepted. Baba had his Antarjnan of the gift and had told Mahlsa's wife some hours earlier: "Tell your husband, Baba is coming to the house and he should not reject Baba". So when the envelope with the 10 rupee note came, Mahlsapathy was sure that Baba's message referred to the envelope and he accepted it.
The snake infested Shirdi was full of danger to its inhabitants. One evening as Mahlsapathy was leaving Baba's Mosque, Baba told him that he was likely to meet two thieves (snakes) on the way, and accordingly Mahlsapathy found one at his doorsteps and the other at the neighbouring house. One day Baba told him "When you return, came with a lamp, for you will find a thief at the gate." accordingly, Mahlsapathy came with a lamp in his hand, and found a snake at the gate, and cried out `snake, snake'. The neighbours gathered and killed it.
Baba once warned him in general words, "Don't put your back against earth". Not remembering this advice, and in his usual slovenly way, Mahlsapathy, having consumed too much of Burfi got giddy, sat on the floor, and losing his consciousness, glided down. He then was with his bare back on the floor. He was dreaming or delirious and talking in his dream, keeping his legs stretched on the bare earth all the time. When he returned to consciousness and got awake, he found he could not bend his leg. His daughters had to massage his knees and legs, and thereafter he was able to walk up to Baba. When he arrivedthere, Baba told him, "Did I not tell you not to put your back against earth?"
On one occasion, Baba gave him warning that something wrong would happen at Khandoba's, and that, however, he need not be afraid as Baba would do the needful. Then very soon, his wife and daughter fellill and soon after, the other members of his family also fell ill. This was after 1908, after which date the number of Shirdi visitors increased including many doctors. Meanwhile Baba told Mahlsapathy, `Let the sick people keep to bed', and walking round his Mosque with a short stick in hand. Baba was waving his short stick and using threatening words: - "Come, whatever may be your power, let us see! I shall show you what I can do with my chota stick, if you come out and face me." This was Baba's treatment of the disease. However, amongst the numerous visitors, there were doctors who gave medicines to Mahlsapathy to be given to his family. Mahlsapathy consulted Baba regarding the medicines, but Baba dissuaded him from administering the medicines to the sick at home. In the result, all got well without medicine. Baba's way of fighting disease is not the modern way of medicine, but it was unmistakably effective.
Baba's watching was often of great benefit to Mahlsapathy on other domestic matters also. Once Mahlsapathy's wife had gone to her mother's house at a distance village. When she was there, shedeveloped a painful tumour near her neck, but she did not communicate that to her husband. But Baba's watching eye of supervision, which rests on all those relying on him with loving trust, noted the fact.He told Mahlsapathy at Shirdi: "Your wife has a tumour in the throat. None can cure it except myself, and I shall cure it." Mahlsapthy know nothing about his wife's health simply said, "Yes, Baba". Later hereceived a letter mentioning the painful tumour, and adding that it had been cured.
When Mahlsapathy often obtained leave of Baba to go for his night meal, Baba used to say, "Go, I am with you." No harm then befell Mahlsapathy. Though Baba was not physically accompanying Mahlsapathy, his invisible guardianship was evident.
Baba's watch over Mahlsapathy was also for his moral benefit. Though Mahlsapathy was generally of a pious disposition, sometimes he committed mistakes. Every night he used to feed a crippled bitch, andone day, having fed it, he said, "Go". But the creature did not stir. He took a stick and gave it a beating and then it howled with pain and ran away. That night when Mahlsapathy went to the Mosque and shampooed Baba's legs, Bapu Saheb, Dada Kelkar and others were with him. Baba said, "Arre, there is a bitch, sickly like me, in the village. Everybody is beating it." Then at once Mahlsapathy, remembering his behaviour repented his mistake. This is not trivial, as we shall see further on.
Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji
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