Baba helped Chandrabai’s husband and taken his soul to Sri Ram

Baba helped Chandrabai's husband and taken his soul to Sri Ram

 

Baba's grace was shown again at the time of her husband's demise. Two months before that event, Baba was preparing her mind to face that calamity. He appeared in a dream and told her, "Have no fears. I will take away Sri Ram".(her husband's name was Ramachandra). She told, "Baba, take me away first". Then Baba replied that there was much work for her to do and that she should nerve herself to survive her husband and do the duty allotted to her. She communicated this dream to her husband. He made light of it, saying it was only a dream. That was about two months before the close of Chaturmasya. Sometime later, he developed serious kidney trouble and high cough supervened. The end was perceptibly drawing near. Then he told her that he felt his end was near but that he wished earnestly that he should die after Chaturmasya was over. But at or immediately after he was saying this, symptoms of the close of life were being manifested. His limbs got rigid and he passed into unconsciousness. She prayed to Baba to spare him at least for the remaining days of the Chaturmasya. The next day, he regained consciousness and limbs lost their rigidity. Her husband was more cheerful. Then the 7 days or so of Chaturmasya lapsed, Kartik Poornima (1934) came and also pratipada. That day at midnight, he took tea and then told Chandrabai to go on with arati (of Baba) and to utter Vishnu Sahasranama loudly. She did as directed by him. This was going on till morning when the doctor came. They were talking hopefully. But she knew that he would pass away by noon or in the afternoon. She gave him Ganges water to drink. He drank and a little later he was chanting "Sri Ram, Sri Ram". A chokra came and called him "Baba". He got up saying, "Oh" and as he said "Sri Ram, Sri Ram", he passed away. She was by his side praying to Baba and Sri Krishna that he may be taken to the divine feet. He thus passed away with full smaran of God and Baba. She saw the grace of Baba in securing for him such a good end.

After he passed away, she had to look after her son and the building she was living and etc. Some relations were giving her endless trouble and threatened suit etc. So, she had to get Rs. 14,000 to pay it to them to secure her house, etc. from further troubles. Then some evil-minded persons thrust into this house lime fruit charmed, i.e., filled with black magic, so as to do harm to them and to prevent anyone becoming out tenant in this house. Sai Baba appeared to her in a dream and told her of this. She then sent some one to go to Goa to her family deity Devi and there they secured her intervention to break the black magic and spell of her enemies.

Because of her long association with Shri Sai Baba, Smt. Chandrabai intended to commemorate the memory of Shri Sai Baba in Vile Parle; but somehow the plan for the same could not materialize till 1958. On the Ramanavami day in that year, the statue of Shri Sai Baba was installed by the holy hands of Pandit Padmanabhshastri Palaye in the compound of the bunglow of Smt. Chandrabai. Only on the previous night Smt Chandrabai and her daughter-in-law, Mrs Mangalabai had a dream about the installation of Shri Sai Baba's statue. This incident brought over a complete change in the life and thoughts of Mrs. Mangalabai. She turned overnight from Prarthanasamagist to a staunch devotee of Shri Sai Baba. Smt. Chandrabai appeared to have fulfilled her last wish of installing the statue and closed her chapter of life only about eight months thereafter in the month of November 1958.

One Pujari is appointed to worship and perform the Aarti in the temple. The festivals, that are being celebrated at Shirdi from time to time, are all being celebrated in this mandir all the year round. Smt. Banutai Dukhande, a friend of Smt. Chandrabai, used to perform keertans at this temple for many years. Like Dasganu, this activity also helped a lot in spreading devotion to Shri Sai Baba in the masses.

The Daughter-in-law of Mrs.Mangala Bai Borker, Mrs.Ujjwala Borker is now taking care of this house temple. Sai devotees staying in the suburbs should take advantage of this Sai Mandir, which is so near to them.

The Location details of Late Smt.Chandrabai Borker's house mandir is mentioned below for the benefit of Sai Devotees: Address: Shri sai Baba Mandir, c/0 Shree Ram Sai Niwas, Tilak Mandir Road, Near Post office, Vile Parle East, Mumbai – 400057, Maharashtra, India. Contact person Smt. Ujjwala Borker

 

(Source: Devotees Experiences of Saibaba by Poojya Sri.B.V.Narasimha Swamiji)