Shirdi Sai Baba Stories,Leelas and Teachings.: Mhalsapathy -Sai Baba's intimate devotee.-Part 2.

Dear one's,
It is heart touching to receive so many mails appreciating this work started last week .Many devotees have expressed that they were unaware of these details and they loved reading part by part along with rare photo's .I feel Baba's blessing in this and continue my same work with more zeal and Baba's blessing . This is in continuation with the last post on Mhalsapathi ji .Devotees who have missed on the last post can read by clicking on the link at the end of this post .Thanks you all for encouraging words and kind mails. Jai Sai Ram .

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Baba always protected His devotees from any hindrances in their progress towards Paramartha. While doing so, He also took their acid-test. Around 32 years, prior to His Mahasamadhi, Baba took a very strange and tough test of Mhalsapati.

On the full moon night of Margashirsh (a month as per Hindu calendar), Baba suffered from a sudden attack of asthama. To over come it, He went into a Samadhi and took His Jeev (life’s essence) to Bramhand. He told everyone around, “For three days from now, do not wake Me up. And at the end of the third day, if I do not rise, then [pointing to a corner of the Sabha Mandap (meeting hall)], dig a Samadhi there and place Me in it !”

Then, turning to Mhalsapati, He said, “Bhagat, do not neglect Me for three days.” Thereafter, His body became lifeless and He rested on Mhalsapati’s lap. His breathing and pulse stopped. After some time, everyone gave up hope about Baba. Patil – Kulkarni carried out a panchnama (legal procedure) and started making preparations for the last rites. However, Mhalsapati had not given up hope and did not move Baba’s body even an inch from his lap. He sat day and night for three days.

After three days, at three o’clock in the morning, Baba’s body started showing signs of life. The breathing began, eyes opened slowly, the stomach started moving. And, after stretching His body in different directions, Baba awoke and sat up.

This showed the real love, devotion and faith of Mhalsapati ! He was really blessed by his Guru.

Because of the love and affection, only Mhalsapati dared to physically touch Baba and applied Gandh / Tilak to His throat. No one else had the courage to do so.

Later on, Baba appeared in Mhalsapati’s dream - with Gandh and Utane applied to His forehead and both hands. Immediately, from the very next day, after completing the Pooja of all Deities, Mhalsapati started applying Gandh and Utane to Baba’s forehead and both hands.

This practice was resented by the Muslims. They complained about it to Baba. But, Baba did not heed to their request. The community then brought the Kazi (Muslim priest) from Sangamner. After seeing this, Mhalsapati got scared. That day, as usual, he completed the Pooja of Shani, Khandoba, Maruti and Ganapati and proceeded without doing the Pooja of Baba.

As he passed the Masjid, Baba objected and said, “Are, why are you passing from the going outside, without doing Sagandha ?” Mhalsapati said, “I was avoiding it; because it would make Kazi Saheb angry.” Baba replied, “Apply the sandal-wood paste – here and here.” And pointed to His forehead, throat, head and hands.

Baba’s these words gave courage to Mhalsapati and with pleasure, he performed the usual Pooja. After seeing all this, Kazi Saheb went away. From then onwards, Baba’s Sagandha Pooja was performed everyday. The honour of doing it went to Sitaram Dengale, then to Megha and onwards to Bapu Saheb Jog. (In the early days, Baba once asked Nana Saheb Chandorkar’s four-year-old son Bapu to apply Gandh to Him.)

Mhalsapati’s Pooja carried on incessantly till Baba’s Mahasamadhi. Every-day Naivedya (food offering) was sent from his house for Baba. Similarly, as directed by Baba, Mhalsapati used to also carry the Naivedya of Sathe Saheb and Bala Saheb Bhate from their houses to the Masjid.

Baba used to foretell a lot of events that were to take place in Mhalsapati’s life. He also sent His several learned devotees to Mhalsapati. It seems that in doing so, Baba wanted His these devotees to see the life being led by Mhalsapati and emulate it. Because of this, in times of difficulties, many devotees relied on Mhalsapati.

Kaka Saheb Dixit has written about Mhalsapati that “He is an authority on Adhyatma. He is without any desires for the worldly things. Through him, Maharaj’s devotees gain knowledge and pleasure. After the Mahasamadhi of Maharaj, Mhalsapati was a place of solace for many devotees.”

Due to the blessings of Baba, Mhalsapati regularly encountered divine experiences. Once, as per his annual practice, he was on the way to visit Lord Khandoba’s Fair. On the way, he stopped for a few moments at a well and realized that there is an acute shortage of water in the area. With sincerity and devotion, he remembered Baba. Immediately, a stream of water sprang near the well and the water was sufficient for the needs of Mhalsapati and his co-travellers.

Similarly, once, Mhalsapati was carrying the Palkhi of Lord Khandoba to the Fair at village Jejuri. He came to know that the epidemic of plague was currently prevalent in Jejuri. All the co-devotees panicked upon hearing the news. Mhalsapati was also uncomfortable and disappointed. He sat resting on the Palkhi. He sensed that someone has come at his back. He turned around and looked in that direction. He saw Baba there, Who immediately disappeared. Baba’s Darshan gave him lot of courage and he told everyone about the incident. All went to Jejuri, hailing Lord Khandoba and Baba.

In their stay of four days, they did not face even the smallest difficulty. Their pilgrimage tour was completed without any untoward event.

After their return to Shirdi, Baba inquired, “Are Bhagat, the Fair was good isn’t it ? I had also come there. Were you not resting your back on the Palkhi ? That was the time, I came there.”

Mhalsapati knew in advance, the day of his own demise. He also informed his family members about it. He sent a telegram to Kaka Saheb Dixit calling him to Shirdi from Mumbai. It is said that to facilitate Kaka Saheb’s arrival, Mhalsapati postponed his demise by a day. As the date of his death was known in advance, people from Shirdi and surrounding areas came and met him.

Such a pious man, left for his place at the Feet of Sai Baba on Tuesday, 12th September, 1921. His body was consigned to fire near Lendi Baug. To be continued....

Posted so far :

Mhalsapathy -Sai Baba's intimate devotee.-Part 1.

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