Shri Sai Satcharitra · Chapter 30

TL;DRChapter 30 continues the "sparrow" thread of Chapter 28: two more devotees are drawn to Shirdi by visions whose timing converges with Baba's own arrangements.

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Editor’s note

Chapter 30 continues the "sparrow" thread of Chapter 28: two more devotees are drawn to Shirdi by visions whose timing converges with Baba's own arrangements. Kakaji Vaidya, priest of the goddess Sapta-Shringi at Vani (Nasik District), is told twice by the goddess in dream to "go to Baba." Misled the first time into making a ten-day pilgrimage to Tryambakeshwar, he is corrected on the second dream: "I mean by Baba — Shri Sai Samarth of Shirdi." At the same hour Baba is sending Shama to Vani to fulfil thirty-year-old vows of Shama's late mother to the same Sapta-Shringi (a son-dedication for childhood recovery, and silver-breasts for ringworm cure). Shama arrives at Kakaji's door precisely when Kakaji is anxious to find a way to Shirdi. The two travel together; Kakaji's restlessness disappears at Baba's mere darshan. Hemadpant's gloss: "the mere darshana itself was so conducive to happiness." Two shorter episodes follow: Khushalchand of Rahata sees Baba in his post-meal nap-dream asking him to come; in the same hour Baba sends Kakasaheb Dixit by tanga to fetch him — Dixit meets Khushalchand's son already departing with the message. Ramalal, a Punjabi Brahmin of Bombay, dreams of a Mahant who turns out to match a Sai Baba picture in a shop window the same afternoon. He moves to Shirdi and stays until his death. For modern readers Chapter 30 is the canonical Satcharitra source for the principle "the Saint and the Anant (God) are one and the same" and for the convergence-of-arrangements that recurs as Baba's signature in calling devotees.

Chapter XXX — Drawn to Shirdi: Kakaji Vaidya of Vani; Shama's Vows; Khushalchand; Punjabi Ramalal

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/sai30.html

Sections

Preliminary — Sai as Refuge

Hemadpant opens with the doctrine that Sai was first Nirgun (formless) but, on account of devotees' bhakti, took form. To give liberation is the mission of all saints — for Sai, the chief of them, that mission is inevitable. He fulfils the desires of his devotees; though all others may leave us, Sai will not. Hemadpant adds the personal note: Sai took all the responsibility of the Satcharitra; the author felt no burden, no anxiety.

Kakaji Vaidya — First Dream

Kakaji Vaidya was priest of the goddess Sapta-Shringi at Vani (Nasik District). Overwhelmed by calamities, he lost peace of mind. One evening he prayed in the temple from the bottom of his heart. That night the goddess appeared in dream:

"You go to Baba and then your mind will become calm and composed."

Before he could ask which Baba, he awoke. He concluded the goddess must mean Tryambakeshwar (Lord Shiva). He went to Tryambak (Nasik District), stayed ten days, performed early-morning bath, Rudra chant, Abhishekam — and was as restless as before.

Kakaji Vaidya — Second Dream

He returned to Vani and invoked the goddess again. She appeared again in dream:

"Why did you go to Tryambakeshwar in vain? I mean by Baba — Shri Sai Samarth of Shirdi."

He now wished to go but did not know how. Hemadpant's gloss: "Unless the Saint wills it, who is able to go and see him? Even the leaf of the tree won't move without his bidding."

Shama's Two Vows

Meanwhile in Shirdi, Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) was being prepared to make the same journey for entirely separate reasons. Shama had been severely ill as a child; his mother vowed to Sapta-Shringi at Vani to dedicate him at the goddess's feet if he recovered. Years later, the mother herself suffered ringworms on her breasts; she vowed silver-breasts to the goddess if cured. Both vows remained unfulfilled. On her death-bed she called Shama, drew his attention to them, took his promise to fulfil them, and breathed her last.

Shama forgot. Thirty years passed. A famous astrologer came to Shirdi for a month; his predictions for Shriman Booty and others came true. Shama's younger brother Bapaji consulted him. He was told that their mother's vows were unfulfilled and the goddess was displeased.

Shama was reminded. He had a pair of silver breasts made by a goldsmith, came to the masjid, prostrated, placed them before Baba, and asked Baba to accept them and free him from the vows — Baba being his Sapta-Shringi. Baba insisted Shama go in person to Vani.

Convergence at Kakaji's House

Shama left for Vani with Baba's permission and udi. He searched for the priest of Sapta-Shringi — and came to Kakaji's house at the very moment Kakaji was anxious to find a way to Shirdi.

Kakaji asked who he was. When Shama said he had come from Shirdi, Kakaji embraced him. They spoke of Sai-Leelas; Shama completed his vows at the temple; the two travelled together to Shirdi.

At the masjid Kakaji fell at Baba's feet. His eyes filled with tears. His restlessness vanished at the moment of darshan. He thought:

"What a wonderful power is this! Baba spoke nothing, there was no question and answer, no benediction pronounced; the mere darshana itself was so conducive to happiness."

He stayed twelve days and returned home with Baba's leave, udi, and blessings.

Khushalchand of Rahata

Baba told Kakasaheb Dixit one afternoon to take a tanga to Rahata and fetch Khushalchand — he had not seen him for some time. Dixit went.

At Rahata Khushalchand was surprised: he had just been taking his noon nap after meals; Baba had appeared in his dream and asked him to come to Shirdi immediately. He was anxious to go but had no horse nearby; he had sent his son out to inform Baba. Khushalchand's son had just crossed the village border when Dixit's tanga arrived from the opposite direction. The two travelled back together.

Punjabi Ramalal of Bombay

Ramalal, a Punjabi Brahmin of Bombay, had a dream in which Baba appeared to him as a Mahant (saint) asking him to come to Shirdi. Ramalal did not know who the Mahant was or where to find him. The same afternoon, strolling through the streets, he saw a picture in a shop. The features matched the dream exactly. He enquired; the picture was of Sai Baba of Shirdi.

Ramalal went soon after to Shirdi — and stayed until his death.

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

(Goddess Sapta-Shringi, first dream — recorded by Hemadpant as part of Baba's leela) "You go to Baba and then your mind will become calm and composed."
(Goddess Sapta-Shringi, second dream) "Why did you go to Tryambakeshwar in vain? I mean by Baba — Shri Sai Samarth of Shirdi."
(Baba to Kakasaheb Dixit, on Khushalchand) "Go to Rahata and fetch Khushalchand to Shirdi; I have not seen him since long." (reported speech)
(Kakaji's interior recognition at darshan) "The mere darshana itself was so conducive to happiness; the restlessness of my mind disappeared by His mere darshan." — Hemadpant's framing of "the greatness of darshan."

Frequently asked about this chapter

Who was Kakaji Vaidya?

A priest of the goddess Sapta-Shringi at Vani (Nasik District) who, after losing peace of mind to calamities, was told twice by the goddess in dream to "go to Baba." The first time he misread "Baba" as Tryambakeshwar and made a fruitless ten-day pilgrimage; the second dream corrected him: "I mean by Baba — Shri Sai Samarth of Shirdi."

What were Shama's mother's two vows?

(1) When Shama was severely ill in childhood, his mother vowed to Sapta-Shringi at Vani to dedicate him at the goddess's feet if he recovered. (2) When she later suffered ringworms on her breasts, she vowed silver-breasts to the goddess if cured. Both vows remained unfulfilled at her death; she made Shama promise on her death-bed; he forgot. Thirty years later an astrologer reminded the family. Shama had silver breasts made and travelled to Vani at Baba's insistence — arriving at Kakaji's house precisely when Kakaji was looking for a way to Shirdi.

What is the "convergence" pattern in Chapter 30?

In each of the three episodes the devotee's intention and Baba's arrangement meet without coordination. Kakaji needs Shirdi; Shama arrives at his door en route to Sapta-Shringi. Khushalchand sends his son to inform Baba; Dixit's tanga arrives at the village border in the same hour. Ramalal dreams of a Mahant; the same afternoon a shop picture identifies him. Hemadpant's gloss: "He who invites anybody for a visit, also arranges everything for his reception."

What does Kakaji learn at his darshan?

That the saint's mere presence — without words, without instruction, without ritual — is sufficient. His thirty-day Tryambakeshwar pilgrimage with full Rudra chant and Abhishekam had left him as restless as before. Baba's mere darshan dissolved his restlessness instantly. The episode is one of the Satcharitra's most direct statements that the saint is the tirtha (compare Chapter 4's "Our Prayag is here, believe me").

Who was Khushalchand of Rahata?

A merchant of Rahata (south of Shirdi) whom Baba loved as he had loved Khushalchand's late uncle Chandrabhanshet Marwadi (see Chapter 8). Khushalchand received Baba at his home for meals when Baba travelled by bullock-cart or tanga. Chapter 30 records the noon-nap dream in which Baba called him to Shirdi.

Who was Punjabi Ramalal?

A Punjabi Brahmin of Bombay who saw Baba in dream as a Mahant. The same afternoon he recognised Baba in a shop-picture, identified him as Sai Baba of Shirdi, came to Shirdi soon after, and remained there until his death.

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra by Govind Raghunath Dabholkar (Hemadpant), 1929. English adaptation by N. V. Gunaji. Original chapter text: saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai30.html. This page is a factual summary with verbatim quotations from the source. We add no commentary attributed to Baba.

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Ch. 29 — Madrasi Bhajani Mela; Tendulkar Family; Captain Hate; Narvekar

Ch. 31 — Passings in Baba's Presence: Vijayanand, Mankar, Noolkar, Megha, Tiger