Shirdi Sai Baba Stories,Leelas and Teachings.: Mhalsapathy -Sai Baba's intimate devotee -Part 3.

Dear all,
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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Whenever Baba’s favourite devotees suffered from some ailments, Baba used to take the illness upon Him-self and gave relief to His devotees. Shri Martand (son of Mhalsapati) has narrated a beautiful experience in this connection. He says.....

“A forty year old story. My mother had gone to her brother’s place at village Nandur Shingote. As per his usual practice, my father was sitting near Baba. All of a sudden, Baba said to him, ‘Are, My devotee is suffering a lot from a boil. See, there is a boil on My hip also. But, now it will be cured.’ My father actually saw that Baba had a boil on His hip and He was suffering from the pains. He was, therefore, worried. But, Baba Himself said, ‘Don’t worry. It will be alright in two-three days.’ All this was ambiguous talk. My father did not realize that it was in fact related to him-self. After two-three days, the boil on Baba’s hip burst open.

Two-three days later, my father received a letter from village Nandur Shingote. It was written that my mother had a boil at exactly the same place and had suffered a lot from it. But, as soon as Baba prayed in Shirdi, she was relieved of the pain and now, even the boil had burst open.

It dawned upon us that when Baba said that He has a boil on His hip, from exactly that time my mother’s sufferings had gone down. And, the day on which her boil burst open, same thing happened at Shirdi also. Once my father realized the connection, he became very sad for the sufferings taken upon Himself by Baba. My father said to me, ‘Are Martand, did you see ? To give relief to your mother, Baba took the agony of her boil upon Himself. Because of us, He had to suffer a lot.’

Baba saved Mhalsapathi and his family. One night when Mhalsapathi was going home to take his meal, Baba cautioned him. "Bhagat, on your way, you will encounter two tall thieves. Be careful." Mhalsapathi found two snakes, one in front and one by the side of his house. Similarly on another occasion Baba cautioned him, "Bring a lantern with you. On the way you will encounter a thief." When Mhalsapathi came with the lantern, he found a snake near the mosque and he cried out, "Snake!Snake!" On hearing his cries,the villagers came running and killed the snake.

Sometime in the year 1908, all the family members of Mhalsapathi fell sick. A doctor who had come to worship Baba, gave them medicines. But Baba told him that these medicines were of no use and that he would cure them of their illness. So saying, Baba took his sataka made rounds around Dwarakamai saying at the top of his voice, "Come - I shall see how powerful you are !" Soon all the family members of Mhalsapathi recovered from their illness. Baba’s action might have been against the diseases in the house of Mhalsapathi.

Once Mhalsapathi’s wife went to her parents’ house. There she had an attack of throat infection due to which suffered a lot. At Shirdi, Baba told Mhalsapathi, "Your wife is suffering a lot from throat infection . Except me none can save her." Then Mhalsapathi told Baba "It is true. Except you who else in this world can save us?" Mhalsapathi had complete faith in Baba, showing it in his words and actions. Because of this Baba cured the ailment of Mhalsapathi’s wife.

Baba knew events of past, present, as well as future and accordingly, He used to guide His devotees. Once, He said to Mhalsapati, “Bhagat, at village Asnagaon (Taluka Kopargaon) don’t go to Rambhau Londhe and Dorhale’s daughter. You will be insulted there.” However, due to some unavoidable reasons, Mhalsapati was required to go to both the homes. And, as predicted by Baba, he was insulted there.

On some other occasion, Mhalsapathi wanted to go to the village Ardhangonu. But Baba did not permit him to go,as there would be clashes and disputes there. But Mhalsapathi went. As Baba had predicted there were quarrels among the village children which led to the elders entering the fray and splitting the groups into two and fighting with sticks. But Mhalsapathi escaped without any injury and returned safely.

Once, on the occasion of the death anniversary of Mhalsapati’s father, several people had sat down to have meals. Suddenly, a dog suffering from scabbies came at the place and stood in front of them. As per his usual practice, Mhalsapati asked his wife to throw a piece of bread in front of the dog. However, as the bread was not given, the dog remained at its place.

Finally, Mhalsapati smacked the dog and it ran away. In the evening, while he was preparing Baba’s bed, Baba said to him, “Ka re Bhagat, in the town, there is a dog suffering from diseases like Me. But, people hit it.”

Similarly, on one more occasion, a dog went to Mhalsapati. It was looking very ugly. Saliva was dripping from its mouth. Mhalsapati gave struck it and shrieking, it ran away. Later on, when Mhalsapati went to take Baba’s Darshan, Baba said, “With a great hope we went to Bhagat. But, we received blows only.”

The above incident took place in the morning. After two hours, in Dixit wada, people were busy with the meals. Suddenly, a dog appeared and stood on the steps. After it was driven away, it went to the neighbors staying opposite. It got beaten there and ran away yelping loudly. After hearing the noise, everyone remembered, what Baba had said on the very morning. They felt that a piece of bread would have served the purpose and the dog also would not have received a beating.

There is a story of, how Shri Vithoba took the appearance of a dog and went to Namdeo with a piece of bread in its mouth. Namdeo came with a pot of ghee and said, “Don’t eat the bread dry, have some ghee along with it.”

Coincidentally, exactly this story was narrated by Das Ganu Maharaj in his kirtan on the same day evening. Further coincidence is, on the same day evening, Madhavrao Adkar was reading ‘Bhakti Leelamrut’ in the Maruti Mandir. There also the same story appeared.

Everyone was amazed by this method adopted by Baba.

Baba always kept Mhalsapati away from any greed for money. In spite of his poor financial condition, Mhalsapati on his own never accepted any money given to him by any one.

Hansraj was a well-known businessman from Dadar. In 1917, he was suffering from asthama and stayed in Shirdi with his wife for two-three months. Knowing the poor financial condition of Mhalsapati, he offered him Rs. 10. Mhalsapati declined to accept it. Hansraj, thereafter, handed over the sum to Kaka Saheb Dixit and suggested that Dixit should hand it over to Mhalsapati in the presence of Baba.

Accordingly, while Mhalsapati was carrying on the Pooja of Baba, Dixit started offering the amount to him. But, Mhalsapati did not accept it. Then, Dixit told Baba, “Baba, please ask Mhalsapati to accept the amount or You take and hand it over to him.” To this Baba said, “For the time being, let it remain with you only.”

After some time, Mhalsapati completed the Pooja and went away. Then, Baba asked Kaka Saheb, “How many rupees are there ?” He answered, “Ten”. Baba asked him to keep them on His mattress and asked Nana Saheb Nimonkar to distribute the amount amongst other people. Thus, out of that amount, nothing went to Mhalsapati. Hemadpant has written about Mhalsapati that he was not a devotee of money; but he had great hunger for Paramartha (divine truth). He had placed his body and soul at the Feet of Sai Baba. He was affectionate and self-less.To be continued...

Posted so far :

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

Mhalsapathy-Sai Baba's intimate devotee.-Part 2.

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