You can also listen to the free audiobook version of this Chapter on Youtube: Chapter 13
More Sai Leelas− Diseases Cured:
- Bhimaji Patil
- Bala Shimpi
- Bapusaheb Booty
- The Swami from Alandi
- Kaka Mahajani
- Dattopant from Harda
The Inscrutable Power of Maya
Baba’s words were always short, pithy, deep, full of meaning, efficient and well-balanced. He was always content and never cared for anything. He said, “Though I have become a Fakir, have no house or wife and have left all my worries behind, the inevitable Maya teases Me often. Though I forget Myself, I cannot forget Her. She always envelops Me; This Maya (illusive power) of the Lord (Shri Hari) teases God Brahma and others; then what can a poor Fakir like Me do? Those who take refuge in the Lord will be freed from Her clutches, with his grace”.
Lord Shri Krishna has said to Uddhava in the Bhagwat, that Saints are His living form and hear what Baba said for the welfare of His devotees: “Those who are fortunate and whose demerits have been exhausted, take to My worship. If you always say the words, “Sai, Sai”, I shall take you over the seven seas; believe in these words and you will certainly benefit. I do not need any paraphernalia of worship− either eight-fold or sixteen−fold. I am present where there is complete devotion”. Now read How Baba protected those who surrendered themselves to Him.
Bhimaji Patil
Bhimaji Patil, a resident of Narayanagaon, suffered in the year 1909 from a severe and chronic chest-disease, which ultimately developed into Tuberculosis. He tried all sorts of remedies, but to no effect. Having lost all hope, he ultimately prayed to God, “Oh Lord Narayana, please help me now”. It is a well-known fact that when our circumstances are well-off, we do not remember God. But when calamities and adversities overtake us, we are reminded of Him. So Bhimaji now turned to God. It occurred to him that he should consult Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, a great devotee of Baba. So he wrote him a letter, with all the details of his malady and asked for his opinion. In his reply, Nanasaheb wrote that there was only one remedy left and that was to have recourse to Baba’s Feet. Relying on Nanasaheb’s advice, he made preparations to go to Shirdi. He was brought to Shirdi, taken to the Masjid and placed before Baba. Nanasaheb and Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) were present in the Masjid at the time. Baba pointed out that the disease was due to the patient’s previous evil karma and that He was not disposed to interfere. But the patient cried out in despair, that he was helpless and had sought refuge in Baba as his last hope; He prayed for mercy. Then Baba’s heart melted and He said, “Cast off your anxiety; your suffering has come to an end. However oppressed and troubled one may be, as soon as he steps into the Masjid, he is on the pathway to happiness. The Fakir here is very kind and He will cure the disease and protect everyone with love and kindness.” Bhimaji usually vomited blood every five minutes, but there was no vomiting in Baba’s presence. From the time Baba said the words of hope and mercy, the malady took a favorable turn. Baba asked him to live in Bhimabai’s house, which was not a convenient and healthy place. But Baba’s orders had to be obeyed. While he was living there, Baba cured him through two dreams; In the first dream, he saw himself as a boy, suffering the severe pain of a flogging, for not reciting his poetry lesson correctly. In the second dream, someone caused him intense pain and torture by rolling a stone up and down over his chest. With the pain suffered in these dreams, his cure was complete and he went home. He then often came to Shirdi, gratefully remembering what Baba had done for him and prostrated before Baba. Baba did not expect anything from His devotees− only grateful remembrance, steady faith and devotion. People in the State of Maharashtra celebrate the Satya-Narayana Puja in their homes every month. But it was Bhimaji Patil who started a new Sai Satya-vrata Puja, instead of the Satya-Narayana-vrata Puja, when he returned to his village.
Bala Ganpat Shimpi
Another devotee of Baba’s, Bala Ganapat Shimpi, suffered a lot from a seemingly-incurable type of Malaria. He tried all sorts of medicines and concoctions, but in vain. The fever did not abate and so he ran to Shirdi and fell at Baba’s Feet. Baba gave him a strange remedy; Baba said, “Give a black dog a few morsels of rice mixed with yogurt, in front of the Laxmi temple”. Bala Shimpi did not know how to execute this recipe; But he went home and found rice and yogurt. And after mixing them together, he brought the mixture near the Laxmi temple, where oddly enough, he found a black dog wagging its tail. He then placed the mixture before the dog. The dog ate it and strange to say, Bala got rid of his Malaria.
Bapusaheb Booty
Bapusaheb Booty once suffered from dysentery and vomiting. His cupboard was full of patent drugs and medicines, but none of them had any effect. Bapusaheb became very weak, because of the purging and vomiting and therefore was not able to go to the Masjid to receive Baba’s darshan. Baba then sent for him and made him sit before Him and said, “Now take care; you should not purge any more” and waving His index-finger said, “The vomiting must also stop”. Now look at the force of Baba’s words. Both the maladies took to their heels and Booty felt well again.
On another occasion, he had an attack of Cholera and suffered from severe thirst. Dr. Pillai tried all sorts of remedies, but they gave him no relief. Then he went to Baba and consulted Him about what to drink to allay his thirst and cure the disease. Baba prescribed an infusion of almonds, walnuts and pistachio boiled in sugared milk. This would be considered a fatal aggravation of the disease by any other doctor or physician. But in implicit obedience to Baba’s orders, the infusion was administered and strange to say, the disease was cured.
The Swami from Alandi
A Swami from Alandi who wished to receive Baba’s darshana, came to Shirdi. He suffered from severe pain in his ear, which prevented him from any getting sleep. He was operated on for this, but it didn’t solve the problem. The pain was severe and he did not know what to do. While he was getting ready to leave Shirdi, he came to ask for Baba’s leave and Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) requested Baba to do something for the pain in the Swami’s ear. Baba comforted him saying, “Alla Accha Karega (God will do good things).” The Swami then returned to Poona, and after a week sent a letter to Shirdi stating that the pain in his ear had subsided, although the swelling was still there. And in order to treat the swelling, he had gone to Bombay for an operation, but the surgeon, upon examining the ear, said that no operation was necessary. Such was the wonderful effect of Baba’s words.
Kaka Mahajani
Another devotee named Kaka Mahajani once suffered from diarrhea. In order to ensure that there was no break in his service to Baba, Kaka kept a pot full of water in some corner of the Masjid and whenever there was a call, he would go out. Kaka did not inform Baba of his discomfort, as he thought that since Baba was omniscient, He would cure it on His own. The work of constructing the pavement in front of the Masjid was permitted by Baba, but when the actual work began, Baba got wild and yelled loudly. Everybody ran away and as Kaka was also doing the same, Baba caught hold of him and made him sit there. Amidst the confusion, somebody left a small bag of peanuts. Baba took a handful of peanuts, rubbed them in His hands, blew away the skins and made Kaka eat them. The cleaning of the nuts and making Kaka eat them, went on simultaneously. Baba Himself ate some of them. When the bag was finished, Baba asked him to fetch some water, as He was thirsty. Kaka brought a pitcher full of water. Then Baba drank some water and made Kaka also drink some. Baba then said, “Now your diarrhea has stopped and you may attend to the work of the pavement.” In the meanwhile, other devotees who had run away returned and started the work and Kaka, whose motions had stopped, also joined them. Are peanuts medicine for diarrhea? According to current medical opinion, peanuts might aggravate the disease and not cure it. The true medicine, as in other cases, were Baba’s words
Dattopant from Harda
A gentleman from Harda, named Dattopant, suffered from stomach-ache for fourteen years. No remedy gave him any relief. Upon hearing of Baba’s fame, he ran to Shirdi and fell at Baba’s Feet. Baba looked at him kindly and blessed him. When Baba placed His hand on Dattopant’s head and when he received Baba’s Udi with blessings, he felt relieved and there was no further trouble from the malady.
Towards the end of this Chapter, three cases are cited in the footnotes:
1. Madhavrao Deshpande (alias Shama) suffered from Piles; Baba gave him a concoction of Sonamukhi (senna pods) and this relieved him. Then after two years, the trouble again recurred and Madhavrao took the same concoction without consulting Baba. The result was that the disease was aggravated, but it was later cured by Baba’s grace.
2. Kaka Mahajani’s elder brother, Gangadharpant, suffered for many years from stomach ache. Hearing of Baba’s fame, he came to Shirdi and requested Baba to cure him. Baba touched his stomach and said, “God will cure”. From that time on, there was no stomach-pain and he was completely cured.
3. Nanasaheb Chandorkar also once suffered from intense stomach-pain and he was restless all day and night. Doctors administered injections, which produced no effect. Then he approached Baba who told him to eat Burfi (a kind of sweet) mixed with ghee. This recipe gave him complete relief.
All these stories go to show that the real medicine that cured the various diseases permanently was Baba’s grace and not regular medicine.
Bow to Shri Sai – Peace be to all