Hari
Sitaram Dixit was born in 1864 in Khandva,
Madhya Pradesh. His primary education took
place in Khandva and Hingan Ghat. He received his LLB degree at the age of 19. He
earned lot of fame and money. He built a bungalow of his own in
Lonawala. He took some prominent cases in his life which includes the case
of Freedom fighter Sri Bala Gangadhar Tilak, case of Times of India and Poona
Vaibhav etc. He became prominent both in the eyes of British and in Indian
national congress. He was elected for Bombay counsel in 1901. In 1904, he
was elected the Secretary of Indian National Congress. He had so many high
cadre positions that people cannot imagine even getting there. His life took a
turn when all of this has been going smoothly. In 1906 Dixit injured
his foot while boarding a train in London. He tried different remedies but
developed a limp. If he walks for a while he used to get pain in his leg. This
changes his life in travel and his psyche was also affected. Even though this
was a handicap from the outside but this became a blessing for Dixit. He
started thinking about his life and started analyzing priorities in his life.
He was around 45 years of age at that time. He met Gurus like Datta Maharaj at
that time. He started realizing that there is no happiness in worldly objects
and wanted to understand the meaning of life.
Dixit's first Meeting with Baba:
Once he goes on vacation to rest in his
Bungalow in 1909. Nana Saheb Chandorkar happened to meet him for the first time
after they got separated as classmates. Nana took government job and Dixit
remained in his private practice as an attorney. They caught up with lots of
issues about their past friendship. Then Dixit spoke to him about his accident
in England, how it changed his life. Then Nana suggested that he needs to go to
Baba so that his lameness could be cured. Then Dixit said, “Nana this
physical lameness is not bothering me but I want help with lameness in my mind.
I need to meet my Guru, and I am longing for salvation. I did so much worship,
sang bhajans (devotional singing) but my mind is still not at ease. I am trying
to redirect my mind without much success. Someone needs to cure lameness in my
mind”.
Kakasaheb once came to Ahmednagar to
canvass for votes for him, and was meeting friends for that purpose. There he
met Kakasaheb Mirikar with whom he had close family relations. Lot of people
gathered there for an exhibition of horses at that time. Balasaheb Mirikar, the Mamlatdar of
Kopergaon, was also
present at Ahmednagar during that time. Once the work for
the elections was over, Dixit was only worried about how he would go to Shirdi.
He respectfully requested Mirikar. Balasaheb Mirikar was the son of
Kakasaheb Mirikar. They discussed among themselves as to who should go with
Dixit. Knowing the strong desire of the devotee, see how Samartha yearned with
compassion! While Dixit was driven by these thoughts and was seated, worrying
about this, Madhavrao himself came to Nagar. Everyone was surprised.
Syama had to come to Nagar as he got the news
about his mother-in-law being gravely ill. When Madhavrao visited his
in-laws, he found that his mother-in-law was better. So he rested a little.
Knowing Syama was there, Mirikar requested Syama to take Dixit to Shirdi. Both
of them decided to take the 10 o’clock train, the same night. After this plan
was decided, see what an unusual thing happened next. Balasaheb removed
the curtain over Baba’s portrait This was a photograph of Baba which was
worshipped by Megha, a true and great devotee of Baba, with the conviction that
Baba was the holy, three-eyed Shankar, incarnate. Because the glass was broken,
it was sent to Nagar with Balasaheb for repairs. That was how it initially left
Shirdi. This picture, having been repaired, was in Mirikar’s drawing room,
covered with cloth, as if it was waiting for Dixit. Balasaheb was to return it
after the conclusion of the horse-show. But there was yet some more time for
that. Therefore, he entrusted it to Madhavrao. Removing the cloth, he uncovered
it. He gave it in Madhavrao’s keeping; and said: “Go up to Shirdi happily, in
Baba’s company.”
Kakasaheb was filled with joy when he
saw Baba's photograph. After prostrating before it with reverence, his eyes
were riveted by watching Sai. He was greatly delighted that he, for whose
‘darshan’ he was longing, his portrait embodying his form, could be seen
by him, on the way itself. They both left for the station after
dinner, that same night. They paid the second-class fare and bought the
tickets. Right at the stroke of ten, the sound of the train could be heard.
They also saw that the second-class compartments were crammed with passengers.
They felt disappointed and thought about going next day. The guard of the train
happened to recognize Dixit and helped them get the first class
tickets. Madhavrao narrated the nectar-like stories. Dixit
overflowed with joy. Thus that journey was completed very joyfully. Time passed
very quickly. The train reached Kopergaon. They alighted in a very happy
mood. At the same time, they unexpectedly saw Nanasaheb Chandorkar at the
station. Dixit was full of happiness that they had met each other. Nana too had
come for Baba’s ‘darshan’ and was proceeding to Shirdi. All the three of
them were amazed at this coincidence. Then, the three of them hired a tonga and
had a bath in the Godavari, on the way, and reached holy Shirdi.
Later, after having Sai’s ‘darshan’
Dixit’s heart melted and his eyes filled with tears. Baba said “I
too was waiting for you. Then I sent Shama to meet you, all the way to
Nagar,”. Hearing these words, every pore in Dixit’s body was filled with
joy; his throat was choked with emotion; his mind was full of
happiness. Later he built Dixit wada so that it can help
pilgrims and himself. He also did penance under the guidance of Sai
staying on the second floor of this wada. His devotion to Sai was indescribable
and Sai also promised that he will take him in "Vimana". This became
true in 1926 when he was traveling with Hemadpanth in a train. They were
talking about Sai stories and suddenly his head slipped on to Hemadpanth's
shoulder. No distress and he left his body peacefully.
Shri Tembye Swami
We come to the next story, which shows how
Saints love each other with fraternal affection. Once Shri Vasudevanand
Saraswati, known as Shri Tembye Swami encamped, at Rajamahendri (Andhra
Country), on the banks of Godavari. He was a devout, orthodox, Jnani and Yogi
Bhakta of the God Dattatreya. One, Mr. Pundalikrao, pleader of Nanded (Nizam
State) went to see him, with some friends. While they were talking with him,
the names of Shirdi and Sai Baba were casually mentioned. Hearing Baba's name,
the Swami bowed with his hands; and taking a coconut gave it to Pundalikrao,
and said to him, "Offer this to my brother Sai, with my pranam and request
Him not to forget me, but ever love me." He also added that the Swamis do
not generally bow to others, but in this case an exception had to be made. Mr.
Pundalikrao consented to take the fruit and his message to Baba. The Swami was
right in calling Baba a brother, for as he maintained an Agnihotra (Sacred
fire) day and night, in his orthodox fashion; Baba too kept His Agnihotra,
i.e., Dhuni ever burning in the Masjid.
After one month Pundalikrao and others left
for Shirdi with the coconut, and reached Manmad, and as they felt thirsty they
went to a rivulet for drinking water. As water should not be drunk on an empty
stomach, they took out flattened rice mixed with spice. They also eat the the
coconut without realizing that they have to give it to Baba. Fearing and
trembling, he came to Shirdi and saw Baba. Baba wanted the things sent by His
brother. He held fast Baba's Feet, confessed his guilt and negligence, repented
and asked for Baba's pardon. He offered to give another fruit as a substitute,
but Baba refused to accept it saying that the worth of that coconut was by far,
many times more, than an ordinary one and that it could not be replaced by
another one. Baba also added- "Now you need not worry yourself any more
about the matter. It was on account of my wish that the coconut was entrusted
to you, and ultimately broken on the way; why should you take the responsibility
of the actions on you? Do not entertain the sense of doer-ship in
doing good, as well as for bad deeds; be entirely pride less and ego less
in all things and thus your spiritual progress will be rapid." What a
beautiful spiritual instruction Baba gave!
Balaram Dhurandhar (1878-1925)
Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar was an advocate of the
Bombay High Court and Principal of the Government Law School, Bombay. The whole
Dhurandhar family was pious and religious. Mr. Balaram served his community,
and wrote and published an account of it. He then turned his attention to
spiritual and religious matters. He studied carefully Gita, and its commentary
Jnaneshwari; and other philosiphical and other metaphysical works. He was a
devotee of Vithoba of Pandharpur. He came in contact with Sai Baba in 1912
A.D.. Six months previous, his brothers Babulji and Vamanrao came to Shirdi and
took Baba's darshan. They returned home, and mentioned their sweet experiences
to Balaram and other members. Then they all decided to see Sai Baba. Before
they came to Shirdi, Baba declared openly that - "Today many of my Darbar
people are coming." The Dhurandhar brothers were astonished to hear this
remark of Baba, from others; as they had not given any previous intimation of
their trip. Baba also said that they were acquainted with each other for the
last sixty generations. They felt blessed and went to their lodging, took their
meals and after taking a little rest again came to the Masjid. Balaram sat near
Baba, massaging His Legs. Baba was smoking a chillim and advanced it towards
him and beckoned him to smoke it. Balaram was not accustomed to smoking, still
he accepted the pipe, smoked it with great difficulty; and returned it
reverentially with a bow. He was suffering from Asthma for six years and after
this he did not have much trouble with Asthma. Some six years later, on a
particular day, he again got an attack of Asthma. This was precisely the time
when Baba took his Mahasamadhi. Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar wrote, in Marathi,
the life of the Maharashtra Saint Tukaram, but did not survive to see its
publication. It was published, later on, by his brothers in 1928.
Baba blessed his devotees in different ways
and everyone experienced Sai's love. Hemadpanth gave us Saisatcharita and made us experience Sai's miracles.
Om SriSainatharpanamasthu!
