Nana Saheb Chandorkar Part 1

నానాచందోర్కర్1

Nana Saheb’s full name is Narayana Govinda Chandorkar. Nana has utmost faith in Sai and his devotion to Sai is unparallel. He has a special place among Sai devotees. Baba sent messages through Appa kulkarni (3 times) asking Nana to visit him. Baba also mentions that their relationship is for 4 past lives. Nana is so special that a Guru calls him to remind him to renew the relationship so that Nana can advance in spiritual path. How many devotees would get such a call from Guru. Baba is so loving, caring and eternal. Even we establish a relationship with him; he will take us to the goal. Nana really enjoyed spreading the word of Baba and he was one of the first devotees to propagate Baba’s miracles.

Birth, Family and Job details:

 Nana was born on January, 14^th, 1860 on a Makara Sankranthi Day. He was born in kalyan and his ancestors were very pious and spiritual. They kept an open house; and visitors to Kalyan expected to be and were actually welcomed, and fed by them as guests. His father was a retired Government officer, and had built a decent storied building there, the Chandorkar Wada, which became the family mansion for so many generations. His father retired as a Deputy Collector. So Nana also followed his father’s foot steps and became a Deputy Collector. He achieved this task at a very young age.

He was brilliant in his studies and career. He did his bachelor’s with a special emphasis on Sankara Bhasya (commentary) on Bhagavadgita. He was well versed in the scriptures. In 1878, he got married to Bayajaa Bai who was from a rich Zamindar family. Baba used to call her Nani. She was very pious and followed Nana in every aspect of life with complete support. They had 2 daughters (Minatai & Dwarakamai) and 2 sons (Vasudev & Mahadev).

Nana learned Bhagavadgita well and he always tried to apply this in his daily life. He read so many special books. He was very conscientious in his efforts and wanted to help everyone as much as possible. He was very humble in his actions. He gained so much respect in his department in Bombay circles. Every one wanted to associate with Nana. In spite of all these great qualities, and powerful position in the community, he felt some deficit. That was the need for a Guru. This deficit was not fulfilled until he met Baba. He wanted Guru in his life to advance in the spiritual path.

Baba calling him- His first meeting: 

Sai attracted so many devotees to Shirdi and he created an urge in them to meet him. Nana reportedly had a relationship with Baba for previous 4 lives. So it is obvious that there is an intense relationship (Runanu bandha). This is the reason why Baba sent messages to Nana to restore that relationship.

In 1892, Appa kulkarni was supposed to go and meet Nana in Kopergaon for some government related transactions. Nana came as higher officer. Appa came to take permission from Baba to leave Shirdi. Then Baba told him to invite Nana to Shirdi. When Appa told Nana about this, Nana felt “Why this fakir is calling me and what does he want from me”. He declined to go. Appa Kulkarni had to go again and Baba ordered again to ask Nana to come to Shirdi. This time Appa was hesitant to ask his boss. Nana did not pay attention this time also. Then third time the same thing repeated. This time

Appa Kulkarni

Appa was afraid to ask Nana as he declined twice before. But this time reaction was different. At last, Nana agreed to see Baba at Shirdi, came up and inquired why he was sent for. Baba said, “We have so many rich people and people of higher authority than you Nana, did I send messages for any body else? Because we have a relationship for past 4 lives, I asked you to come and renew that relationship. When ever you can visit me come and visit. Now you can return”. Nana then realized what he said about Sai. Even though he did not have complete faith in his words, but he felt some kind of special bliss in his presence. This is how Nana enjoyed his first meeting with Baba.

Ordinary people like us are blocked by ignorance. So we can not see what Guru can see. We may not be able to identify our Guru but if we have Runanu bandha (relationship), he will meet us. This is what happened in Nana’s case also. In our quest for Guru, we may take wrong path. We can worship Guru like we worship God. We worship God even though, we have never seen him. In a similar way, we can worship Guru, so that there is that relationship.

Faith in Sai:

After his first meeting with Baba, Nana liked the meeting but did not have faith in him. If we do not have complete faith in Guru, we are not going to advance in spiritual path. Once, Nana was called by collector to talk about the plague which was rampant at that time. They wanted people to take a vaccine, but people were afraid to do so. Then he asked Nana and other employees of state to take the vaccine, so that people will be convinced. Nana had his own doubts. So he goes to Baba to ask him about this. As soon as he prostrates to Baba, Sai says, “Nana take the vaccine, you won’t get any fever and there is no danger of death”. Nana was shocked and realizes Baba’s power. He knew every thing and this was the beginning of a great relation ship between them. Then he believes the other words that Baba spoke about their relationship.

Bhagavadgita says, “Shraddhaavan labhate jnanam” which means “The man of faith obtains knowledge and wisdom”.

Nana’s personality is such, he does not believe any thing blindly but once he did no second thoughts.

Saving Nana on Harischandra Hill:

Nana was an orthodox Hindu, and, visited lot of temples. Harischandra Hill, forty miles away from Shirdi, was a noted hill with a Devi's shrine at the top. But the long stretch of barren rock between that temple and the bottom of the hill was one vast treeless, wild, rocky waste, where there was no water to drink or any shelter to hide in. Over that hill, Nana was climbing on a hot, summer day, and, after he had gone some distance, the heat of the sun and the toil of the journey told upon him. He felt very thirsty and asked the friend by his side for water.

The latter replied that there was none and that it was a barren rock. Nana felt the fatigue of climbing also greatly and said he could not climb. The friend asked him to climb down. But Nana was unable to do that either and quietly sat on a huge slab and exclaimed 'if Baba were here, he would surely give me water to satisfy my thirst'. The Sherishtadar (friend), who was by his side, remarked that such observations about 'ifs' were useless. He added 'Baba is not here. What is the good of thinking what would happen if he were here?' The Sherishtadar had only fleshy eyes and matter-bound brains. He could not see with the eye of faith. If he had such an eye, he could have noted the presence of Baba not only on Harischandra hill but in every other place also. Nana was in a slightly better position than the Sherishtadar. It is because of his faith in Baba that the thought occurred to him that Baba could save him even on that barren rock. But he did not feel certain that Baba was there and that water would be provided. Anyhow his thought of Baba was the tiny hairspring or switch working the magic, the turn that saved the situation.

What comes often after prayer and is supposed to be the result of prayer, is very often something fixed up by a higher power which, as part of its plan, produces the thought of prayer first. The fact is that prayer is a means of placing one in contact with higher beneficent powers and there it serves its primary purpose. Incidentally when a devout soul is deeply concentrating on God, what happens is that the soul gets so thoroughly saturated with the divine that divine power infiltrates into the Jiva and the combined power or the higher power (both are the same, despite difference in names) produces certain results. It is the man of prayer that draws down divinity. Anyhow, Chandorkar's thought and longing constituted a good prayer on account of its earnest faith and contact with Supreme Power and Mercy.

A Bhil, that is, a hill tribesman, was seen coming down the hill towards the party, that is, Nana and his friends. Nana asked him and said 'Hallo! I am thirsty; can I get some water to drink?' People wondered that this Brahmin Deputy Collector should accost a Bhil, who his considered an untouchable or a low-caste man, and ask him for water. But necessity knows no law, and the Bhil's reply was most surprising. He said, 'What! You ask for water! Under the very slab or rock on which you are seated, there is water'. So saying, he moved away and disappeared from view. Nana's subordinates and friends who were with him immediately set about lifting up the slab and they found water. Nana took that water, his thirst was gone; and he was able to march higher up and complete his pilgrimage.

When Nana came next time to Shirdi, Baba said, 'Nana, you were thirsty; I gave you water; did you drink?' Nana's eyes opened with joyous wonder. He felt that his very thought of Baba had worked as a prayer and the appearance of the Bhil and his pointing out where the water was and the appearance of the water there on a waterless rock must all have been due to Baba. How Baba managed it, Baba only knew. And to confirm Nana in his view, devotees at Shirdi mentioned to him that on the memorable day and hour when he was on the Harischandra hill, with burning thirst, Baba spoke the above words. Nana was convinced more than ever that Baba was God omnipresent, merciful and omnipotent, for he had the power to bring water under a rock and a man to show it just at the exact psychological moment. His faith was confirmed and grew stronger and stronger.

Miracle at Ganapati temple:

In Padmalaya forest, there is a Ganapati temple. It is ten miles away from the nearest Railway Station and the access to it is through ten miles of forest. Nana had made arrangements for all this, but trains have got a queer way of being late, and in this case, his trains being many hours late, all his plans were spoiled. There was no conveyance and no assistance forthcoming. Nana's arrival at the railway station was evening time, very near dusk. But he would not be thwarted. He determined to push along with his companions to the temple irrespective of the out come. In the absence of any conveyance, Nana had to dare and dared the risk and trouble of walking ten miles to reach the Ganapati temple. So he trudged on. But when he was about more than half way, it was already 9 p.m. and the pujari of the temple would usually lock it up by 9 or 10 p.m. and retire to his cottage at some distance for his night's rest. So, Nana doubted whether he would get into the temple at all. Further, having walked wearily six or seven miles, he felt the pangs of hunger. Naturally he remembered Baba. He prayed, 'Baba, I am not asking for much. I am not over greedy. I will be quite satisfied if, at the close of this journey, I can get one cup of tea to quench my hunger'. Then he and his companions trudged on.

It was nearly 11 p.m. when they reached the temple. Instead of the temple being closed (as it would usually be) the pujari was on the watch, and on seeing persons at a great distance (that is, Nana's party) coming, shouted. 'Is Nana coming?' It would be highly impertinent on the part of any priest to call a Deputy Collector by his pet name, as though he was his chum. But here there was no feeling of resentment, but one of gratification on the part of Nana and his friends when they heard the voice, 'Is Nana coming?' They approached and said, 'Yes. How do you know that Nana is coming?' Then the priest said, "I had an ethereal message from Sri Sai Baba in which he said, 'My Nana is coming weary, thirsty, and hungry. Keep for him one cup of tea'. Here is tea ready for you all." He then gave Nana his cup. This again proved that Baba's eye of supervision was not merely on hills but also in forests to look after the safety, comfort and health of his beloved devotee. Alike from danger of thirst and hunger, Baba had saved him.

Saving Nana from Tonga accident:

One day Nana and Lele Sastri were going to another village from Poona in a tonga. They had gone a few miles when suddenly the horse reared, and the carriage capsized. That was a perilous moment. Both the occupants of the carriage were corpulent elderly people who would in such an accident ordinarily suffer serious damage to life and limb. Sai Baba, however, who was watching over Nana wherever he went, at that very moment blew what is called 'Bum-Bum', (the Conch sound), keeping his hands in front of his mouth as though the hands were a conch. This is a signal of danger and distress. Sai said "Hallo, Nana is about to die! But, will I let him die?" Nana and Lele Sastri picked themselves up and found that they had suffered no injury. When they reached Shirdi, they found that Baba had made the above declaration and had saved their lives.

Thus Baba saved Nana's life, just as Baba's Guru saved Baba's life. There is a saying that the string of a flower garland borrows its scent. Similarly Lele Sastri, who was not himself a staunch bhakta of Baba, derived his safety from his company with Nana Chandorkar. Baba on this occasion proved the truth of his statement "If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands, and thus with four outstretched hands at a time, support him. I will not let him fall*.

OM SAI RAM!