Shri Sai Satcharitra · Chapter 12

TL;DRChapter 12 collects five "Sai Leelas" — episodes in which Baba's foreknowledge or transforming appearance changes the course of a devotee's life.

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Editor’s note

Chapter 12 collects five "Sai Leelas" — episodes in which Baba's foreknowledge or transforming appearance changes the course of a devotee's life. Kaka Mahajani and Bhausaheb Dhumal each receive timing instructions whose meaning becomes clear only afterward (the manager's illness in Bombay; the magistrate's abdominal pain at Niphad). Mrs. Nimonkar receives permission overriding her husband's order. The orthodox Agnihotri Moolay Shastri sees his own late guru Gholap Swami in Baba's seat. A Mamlatdar's doctor-friend sees Rama where Baba sat. Hemadpant's compositional point: the Sadguru meets each devotee on the terms of that devotee's own bhakti. For modern readers Chapter 12 is the canonical source for Baba's vision-transformations and the principle that the saint takes the form most loved by the seer.

Chapter XII — Sai Leelas: Kaka Mahajani, Dhumal Pleader, Mrs. Nimonkar, Moolay Shastri, A Doctor

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra, trans. Gunaji
Marathi original: Sai Satcharita (archive.org scan) · Devotee testimonies: Narasimha Swami 1936 (Internet Archive) · Full bibliography: /sources.html

URL: https://www.saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai12.html

Sections

Kaka Mahajani Sent Home in Time

Kaka Mahajani once came to Shirdi from Bombay, intending to stay a week for the Gokul-Ashtami festival. As soon as he took darshana, Baba asked when he was returning home. Kaka, surprised, said he would go when Baba ordered. Baba said: "Go tomorrow." Kaka obeyed. When he reached his Bombay office, his employer was anxiously waiting — the manager had suddenly fallen ill, and a letter sent to Shirdi had been re-directed to Bombay.

Bhausaheb Dhumal Held Back

The pleader Bhausaheb Dhumal was passing through Shirdi on his way to a case at Niphad. He came for Baba's darshana and intended to proceed at once. Baba did not permit him to go and kept him in Shirdi a week or more. In the meantime the Niphad magistrate developed severe abdominal pain; the case was adjourned. Eventually it was tried by four different magistrates over some months. Dhumal won the case and his client was acquitted.

Mrs. Nimonkar

Mr. and Mrs. Nanasaheb Nimonkar (he Watandar of Nomon and Honorary Magistrate) lived at Shirdi and spent most of their time at the masjid with Baba. Their son fell ill at Belapur; Mrs. Nimonkar wished to go and stay a few days; her husband insisted she return the next day. She came to Baba in great difficulty. Baba said: "Go, go quickly, be calm and unperturbed. Stay comfortably at Belapur for four days. See all your relatives and then return to Shirdi." Her husband's order was overruled by Baba's.

Moolay Shastri of Nasik — and Gholap Swami

Moolay Shastri, an orthodox Agnihotri Brahmin of Nasik, well-versed in the six Shastras, astrology, and palmistry, came to Shirdi to see Bapusaheb Booty. He went with others to the masjid. As a palmist, he wanted to examine Baba's hand. Baba ignored the request and gave him four plantains. They returned to the wada; Moolay Shastri bathed and began his Agnihotra rites.

Baba, leaving for Lendi, said: "Take some Geru (red miry substance used to dye cloth saffron) — we shall today don saffron-coloured cloth." No one understood.

At the noon Arati Baba said: "Get some Dakshina from the new (Nasik) Brahmin." Booty went and asked. Moolay Shastri thought to himself: "I am a pure Agnihotri Brahmin, why should I pay Dakshina? Baba may be a great Saint. I am not His dependent." But unable to refuse a millionaire's request on behalf of a great saint, he came reluctantly to the masjid, stood at a distance, and threw flowers at Baba from his folded hands. All of a sudden he saw not Baba on the seat but his own late guru, Gholap Swami. Speechless, he pinched himself, found he was awake, fell flat at his guru's feet. When he got up and opened his eyes, Baba was on the seat again asking for Dakshina. Now Moolay Shastri understood Baba's remark about saffron-coloured cloth — and gave the Dakshina with tears.

The Doctor and Rama Darshan

A Mamlatdar brought his doctor friend to Shirdi. The doctor refused to bow to a "Mahomedan." The Mamlatdar said he would not be pressed to. At the masjid the doctor went ahead and saluted Baba. When others asked why he had broken his resolve, he said: he had seen his beloved Deity Rama on the seat. As soon as he said it, he saw Sai Baba again. Wonder-struck, he asked: "Is this a dream? How could He be a Mahomedan?"

He fasted three days, vowing not to visit the masjid until Baba blessed him. On the fourth day a close friend from Khandesh visited him, and they went to the masjid. Baba asked him: "Did anybody go to call you, so that you have come?" The doctor was moved. That night he was blessed by Baba in his sleep; on returning to his town he experienced the same state for a fortnight.

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

(To Kaka Mahajani) "Go tomorrow."
(To Mrs. Nimonkar) "Go, go quickly, be calm and unperturbed. Stay comfortably at Belapur for four days. See all your relatives and then return to Shirdi."
(Before the Moolay Shastri incident, on leaving for Lendi) "Take some Geru; we shall today don saffron-coloured cloth."
(At the noon Arati) "Get some Dakshina from the new (Nasik) Brahmin."
(To the doctor after his three-day fast) "Did anybody go to call you, so that you have come?"

Frequently asked about this chapter

Why did Baba tell Kaka Mahajani to go home the next day?

Kaka Mahajani came to Shirdi from Bombay intending to stay a week for Gokul-Ashtami. Baba directed him to leave the next day. When Kaka reached his Bombay office, his employer was waiting — the manager had fallen ill suddenly. A letter sent to Shirdi had been re-directed to Bombay. Baba's instruction was timed exactly to the office crisis.

What happened with Bhausaheb Dhumal and the Niphad case?

The pleader Dhumal was passing through Shirdi en route to a case at Niphad. Baba kept him in Shirdi a week or more, refusing to let him go. Meanwhile the Niphad magistrate developed severe abdominal pain; the case was adjourned. It was eventually tried by four different magistrates over months. Dhumal won the case and his client was acquitted.

What is the Moolay Shastri story?

An orthodox Agnihotri Brahmin of Nasik, well-versed in Shastras and palmistry, came to Shirdi to see Bapusaheb Booty. Baba asked Booty to bring Dakshina from "the new Nasik Brahmin." Moolay Shastri came reluctantly. When he threw flowers at Baba, he saw not Baba on the seat but his own late guru Gholap Swami in saffron-coloured cloth — explaining Baba's earlier remark about Geru. Moolay fell at his feet and gave Dakshina with tears.

Did Sai Baba appear as Rama to a doctor?

A Mamlatdar's doctor friend refused to bow to a "Mahomedan." At the masjid the doctor unexpectedly bowed — because he had seen his beloved deity Rama on the seat. When he opened his eyes, he saw Sai Baba again. He fasted three days. On the fourth day, brought to the masjid by a friend, he received Baba's blessing in his sleep that night and again in his town for a fortnight.

Why did Baba speak of "saffron-coloured cloth" before the Moolay Shastri episode?

Before leaving for Lendi that morning Baba said: "Take some Geru — we shall today don saffron-coloured cloth." No one understood the remark. Its meaning became clear when Moolay Shastri, in the noon vision, saw Baba as his own saffron-clad guru Gholap Swami. Hemadpant offers the remark as Baba's pre-announcement of his own transformation.

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra by Govind Raghunath Dabholkar (Hemadpant), 1929. English adaptation by N. V. Gunaji. Original chapter text: saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai12.html. This page is a factual summary with verbatim quotations from the source. We add no commentary attributed to Baba.

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