Dabolkar had been gathering information about the lilas of Baba and, being a very able writer with great command of Mahratti verse and prose, with a good grounding in religious literature, wished to write out a complete study of Baba's lilas, thus forming a good chronicle of Baba.
This would be on the lines of Saraswati Guru Charitra, and would give peace and happiness to people afflicted with sorrows and heavily laden miseries of worldly existence. This would also give them Jnana of knowing and wisdom on temporal and spiritual matters. The lilas would be both instructive and interesting like vedas, and, if meditated upon, they would bring about laya or union with Brahman and mastery of Yoga and Yoga Ananda. So, he made up his mind that he should collect these stories and treat the publication as his own upasana of his Guru. It would be especially valuable to those who could have no chance of seeing Baba and who would therefore get an idea of Baba through his collection.
Baba's teachings and expressions were the outcome of his boundless and natural self-realization and Baba himself (so Dabolkar thought), put this idea into his mind to collect and render them as Baba's life or chronicle. Then he wanted permission for the work. So, Madhavrao Despande (known as Shama) was requested to tell Baba, and he told Baba thus "The Anna Saheb wished to write your life. Don't say that you are a poor begging fakir, and there is no necessity to write your life. But if you agree and help him, he will write or rather your feet (of grace) will accomplish this work. Without your consent and blessing, nothing can be done successfully." Baba was moved and blessed Anna Saheb Dabolkar by giving him udhi and placed his asirvada hand upon Dabolkar's head, and said, "Let him make a collection of stories and experiences, keeping notes and memos. I will help him. He is only an outward instrument. I should write myself my life, and satisfy the wishes of my devotees. He should get
rid of his ego. Place (or surrender) it at my feet. He who acts like this in life, him I will help most. What of my life's stories? I serve him in his house in all possible ways. When his ego is completely annihilated, and there is no trace left of it, I myself shall enter into him and shall myself write my life. Hearing my stories and teachings will create faith in devotees hearts, and they will easily get self-realization and bliss. But let there be no insistence on establishing one's own view, and no attempt to refute others opinions of any sort." So spoke Baba. Then Dabolkar made the promise that he would be in that mood and would surrender.
His close intimacy with Dixit, Chandorkar and other devotees enabled him to collect plenty of material. This permission was given in 1916, and when Baba passed away, Dabolkar had hardly written two or three chapters. Most of the work was written after 1918. He wrote 51 or 52 chapters and passed away in 1929. Meanwhile his chapters were published in the Sai Lila Masik, which was started under his and Dixit's supervision. Gradually people began to read his work and were highly influenced thereby. The effect of the writing was even more on the author himself than on the readers. One effect of it was to completely change his outlook.
When earlier he was introduced to Baba, Chinchinikar told Baba that Dabolkar had a big family and that Baba should bless him to get fresh employment after retirement to maintain his family. Baba said, "This cursed Government service he will get. But let him look to my service. That is most important." And as Baba stated Dabolkar got again employed, though only for a short time, but the employment in Baba's service was permanent and grew in intensity from month to month and year to year.
His thoughts were upon Baba and lilas, and the effect was that he was Sai-minded, and Sai possessed. His life and outlook were greatly altered. He felt he was under the protection of Baba and he says, "The moment I touched Sai Baba's feet, I began a new lease of life. I felt myself obliged to those who took me to Baba, and I consider them my real relatives. I cannot repay their debt, I make mental namaskar to them. A peculiarity of Sai Baba's darshan, as I find it is that by his darshan, our thoughts are changed, the force of previous actions (karma) is abated, and gradually non-attachment or dispassion towards worldly objects grows up. It is by the merit of actions in many past births that such a darshan is got. And if only you see Sai Baba, really all the world assumes the form of Sai Baba.
(Written by: HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji in Life of Sai Baba)
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