Baba's Help - Will Come Without Asking

[Dipika]

Baba's Help - Will Come Without Asking

Santaram Nachne’s second wife passed away in 1929 and he was anxious to do something to secure her sadgati. So, her bones had to be taken to Godavari in Nasik and there disposed of with proper ceremonies. His father being ill, remained at home along with his three year old grad-child. Santaram Nachne set off alone from Victoria Terminus with Rs. 80 in his pocket, without anyone to help him and without knowing what to do. At the V.T. station he found a fellow passenger who took enormous trouble to enquire about everything and to give him direction about everything. That passenger noted that Nachne had no bed and so told him that the night would be chill. He even sent for a blanket and a bedsheet and gave them to Nachne.
When asked how he could get them so quickly, he said that he was a peon in the Bombay Arts School nearby, and that his name was Ganpat Shankar, and he was also going to Nasik. That Ganpat Shankar took charge of him and his money and asked him to sleep. Ganpat Shankar locked up his money in a big trunk, which he carried, and woke him up before they reached Nasik Road station. He went on making payments for the bus, priests, and etcetra. He attended to Nachne and to all his ceremonies. He accompanied to Ramkund, where the pinda had to be taken and helped him with directions as to how to keep his wife’s bones in his hand in a particular hollow where the current of the Godavari water would gradually wash it off. He accompanied him also to the chief temples at Nasik and left him saying, "We will meet again."

When Santaram Nachne returned to Andheri and went to the School of Arts and enquired, he discovered that there was no such person as Ganpat Shankar working as a peon in the Bombay Arts School. So, the whole thing was again proof of Baba’s anxious care for those who love him.

Baba once appeared in Santaram’s mother’s dreams and helped her to a decision about marriages. Santaram and his father got Sai bhakti through Das Ganu, but Santaram’s own statement of experiences has induced many people to go to Baba. Santaram Nachne has rendered valuable service to Baba in every respect. Above all, the reader would be glad to note that it is open to him to get into the same position of protected child of Baba – an Ankita and enjoy all the benefits that Santaram enjoyed.

Santaram Nachne’s love for Baba was so great that he could not endure to see that Baba had trouble of any sort. Once when he was massaging Baba’s feet, a powerful, well-built lady, Mausi by name, wanted to relieve Baba of some pains, which he had in the abdomen. So, she took hot bricks and applied them over Baba's belly and took them off after pressing. Fearing that the pressure of her own powerful hands might cause pain to Baba, Nachne felt sorely distressed and cried out, "Hallo, hallo, Save Baba. Do not be so cruel. Let go, let go." Baba got angry and asked Nachne to "Clear off" because he was interfering with the service rendered by Maushi, with equal love like Nachne’s.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

(Vasuki Mahal Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Trust, Coimbatore-641025, India)

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM



dipika duggal