Shirdi Sai Baba Stories,Leelas and Teachings.: B.V Narsimha Swamiji-Chapter 13.

Dear one's,
In continuation with biography of Pujya Shri B.V Narsimha Swamiji ,today I am uploading new Chapter-3 (part-2) but I shall number it as chapter13 keeping the sequence of the post .This post gives the details how Narsimha swamiji after having darshan of Baba started his mission of Sai prachar.Readers who have missed earlier parts of biography can read by clicking on the links which are given below here at the end of post chapter by chapter .Jai Sai Ram

CHAP-3 PART –II
EARLY DAYS OF SAI PRACHAR

Narasimha Swamiji did not want to leave Shirdi after he gained Self-Realization. He has stated in one place

“At last I have come to my Gurudeva. I obtained my Sadguru. Words fail me to describe his greatness and the abundant spiritual power he possesses. He has given me unbound confidence and has made me perfect in everything. He is Love incarnate. He fulfills all my desires”.

Narasimha Swamiji has surprised to find how for nearly sixty years a great one had lived and blessed so many in this neglected village and a few from outside and only a few had known him and among them too how little of him they knew. Swamiji was determined to take Sai Baba out from here and make him known first in Maharashtra. He would carry Baba’s message to his home province, touring every town and hamlet and then spread the gospel everywhere in India.

Shirdi Samsthan was impressed with the piety and zeal shown by a southerner. The daily pooja started when Sai Baba was in the flesh was continued at his Samadhi. Narasimha Swamiji suggested a few modifications to make it as per the traditional method of worship. He also composed ‘Sai Ashtotharam’, in which he poured out his devotion and wisdom. This has been incorporated in the daily service going on at the Samadhi Mandir in Shirdi. Herein may be found evidence of Sai Baba’s acceptance of the devotion of Narasimha Swamiji.

Before embarking on his enterprise, Narasimha Swamiji must know more about Sai Baba. He knew enough Marathi to inquire and collect information about Sai Baba from those who were lucky enough to come into personal contact with the Master. In Shirdi itself Abdullah Baba was still living. He had swept the street, watered the Lendi Garden and filled water tubs for his Master in Dwarakamayi. There was Ganapathy Rao Dattatreya Sahasrabhudhe, a former Police Head Constable, who was delivering ‘Harikathas’ and discourses on Sai Maharaj. He was Sai Baba’s favorite and was called Das Ganu Maharaj. Das Ganu Maharaj extended his wholehearted co-operation. There was Justice Sri. M.B. Rege of Indore and many others who had met Sai Baba and were blessed by him.

By 1936, Narasimha Swamiji was sixty-two years old. He was suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis, an ailment affecting the body joints and virtually immobilizing him on all cold winter days. But Swamiji, whom Sai Baba had given his entire spiritual treasure was full of enthusiasm and vigorously took up his new project of taking Sai Baba to masses.

His first assignment in this direction is to record the experiences of those devotees who had personal contact with Sai Baba. Narasimha Swamiji went round, made enquiries and recorded their statements. These statements show how miraculously Sai Baba had helped his devotees rescuing them from dangers, granting their prayers and messages etc; He found them all interesting and wonderful. He felt how important it was to publicize Sai Baba throughout our vast country. He therefore compiled these statements for publication. These statements were long afterwards published in three parts in English and Tamil, under the title “Devotees Experiences”.

While engaged in this labour of love, Narasimha Swamiji discovered that Sai Baba was really Lord Ramachandra or Lord Krishna who had been born in the modern world for the welfare of mankind, that his power for good was as potent even after his death as it had been when he was alive, and he was worthy of worship as God incarnate. Narasimha Swamiji found in Sai Baba the ‘Trinity’ and took upon himself the mission of propagating the Sai-faith.

Narasimha Swamiji looked for a biography if any, about Sai Baba. Das Ganu Maharaj had already composed ‘Sri Sai Leelamrit’ in Marathi. Rao Bahadur M.V. Pradhan, a Solicitor of Santa Cruz, who had met Sai Baba had written a small book in English entitled ‘Glimpses of Spirituality’. An authoritative work, which had received the approval and blessing of Sai Baba, was ‘Shri Sai Satcharitra’ in verses in Marathi by Anna Sahib Dhabolkar who was nicknamed ‘Hemadpant’ by the Master.

Narasimha Swamiji added to all that he had heard and recorded as statements, by reading the literature mentioned above. His discovery of a Sadguru may be said to be complete by now. Then with Justice Sri M.B.Rege and Das Ganu Maharaj, he toured Maharashtra extensively addressing mass meetings in English and Marathi. Meanwhile, he published a series of articles on Sai Baba in the ‘Sunday Times’ of Madras.

All these activities occupied Narasimha Swamiji till the end of 1938 and in the beginning of 1939 he returned to Madras. To be continued...

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