Shri Sai Satcharitra · Chapter 31

TL;DRChapter 31 is the Satcharitra's "deaths at the masjid" chapter — five passings recorded with sober dignity.

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Editor’s note

Chapter 31 is the Satcharitra's "deaths at the masjid" chapter — five passings recorded with sober dignity. The Gita's teaching that the last thought of a dying man determines his future course (VIII.5-6) frames the chapter: constant practice of remembering God is what makes the final moment composed. The Madrasi sannyasi Vijayanand, dejected by Somadevaji Swami's daunting description of the 500-mile Manasa-Sarovar pilgrimage above Gangotri, receives a Madras letter that his mother is dying; Baba rebukes the sannyasi's attachment ("Fondness ill becomes an ochre garb"), prescribes three saptahas of the Bhagavata and the Ramavijaya, and tells him to "realise the end of your life." Vijayanand completes two readings in the Lendi garden, breathes his last on Bade Baba's lap on the third day. Balaram Mankar, sent by Baba with Rs. 12 to live at Macchindragad and practice meditation thrice daily, sees Baba in person on coming down from trance — and again as a langoti-clad villager who hands him a Dadar ticket and vanishes in the crowd at Poona. Tatyasaheb Noolkar, the Pandharpur sub-judge who came to Shirdi only after two providential conditions were met (Brahmin cook, Nagpur oranges), receives Baba's Pada-tirth on his deathbed; Baba's eulogy: "Tatya went ahead of us, he won't be reborn." Megha's funeral procession (1912) is followed by Baba in person, who showers flowers, weeps like an ordinary mortal, and returns to the masjid. Seven days before his own Mahasamadhi, a chained tiger driven mad by disease is brought by three Derveshis; on seeing Baba it bows, dashes its tail thrice, and falls dead — released. For modern readers Chapter 31 is the canonical Satcharitra source on Baba's gift of Sadgati (good passage at death) and on the practical meaning of dying in a saint's presence.

Chapter XXXI — Passing Away in Baba's Presence: Vijayanand; Balaram Mankar; Tatyasaheb Noolkar; Megha; the Tiger

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/sai31.html

Sections

Preliminary — The Last Thought

Hemadpant cites Bhagavad Gita VIII.5-6: "He who remembers Me in his last moments comes verily to Me; he that meditates otherwise at that time goes to what he looks for." Since we cannot be certain we will hold a particular thought at the moment of death — fear and confusion are common — constant practice is needed. All saints recommend remembering God and chanting his name continually so the mind is not puzzled when departure comes. Devotees, on their part, surrender to the saint, trusting the all-knowing master to guide them in their last moments.

Vijayanand — the Madrasi Sannyasi

A Madrasi Sannyasi named Vijayanand was on pilgrimage to Manasa-Sarovar (the lake above Gangotri). At Shirdi he met one Somadevaji Swami of Hardwar, who described the journey: 500 miles above Gangotri, plenty of snow, the dialect changing every 50 koss, suspicious Bhutanese people troubling pilgrims. Vijayanand cancelled the trip.

At the masjid Baba was enraged at his arrival:

"Drive out this useless Sannyasi, his company is of no use."

The sannyasi did not understand Baba's manner and stayed silent, watching the morning Darbar — devotees washing Baba's feet, taking the Tirth, applying sandal-paste — all without distinction of caste or creed.

After two days a letter from Madras: his mother was very ill. He went to Baba with the letter, asking permission to return. Baba's reply combined rebuke, teaching, and prescription:

"If you so loved your mother, why did you take Sannyasa? Fondness or attachment ill becomes an ochre garb. Go and sit quiet at your lodging, wait with patience for a few days… Wealth and prosperity are transient and the body is subject to decay and death. Knowing this, do your duty, leaving all attachment to the things of this world and next. He who does this and surrenders himself to the Feet of Hari (Lord) will get free from all troubles and attain bliss… Your store of past merits is considerable, so you have come here. Now attend to what I say and realise the end of your life. Being desireless, begin from tomorrow the study of Bhagwat. Do three 'saptahas' i.e. three readings during three weeks, conscientiously."

Baba also prescribed the Ramavijaya (which pleases the God of death). The next morning Vijayanand bathed and began the readings in a secluded part of the Lendi garden. After two readings he was much exhausted. He returned to the Wada, stayed in his lodging two days, and on the third breathed his last on Bade Baba's lap. Baba asked the body to be preserved for a day for a good reason; the police came, made enquiries, and the body was buried with due rites.

Balaram Mankar — Macchindragad

Balaram Mankar was a householder devotee. When his wife died, he was dejected, entrusted his household to his son, and came to Shirdi to live with Baba.

Baba gave him Rs. 12 and asked him to go and live at Macchindragad (Satara District), practising meditation thrice a day. Mankar at first did not want to leave Baba; Baba convinced him this was the best course. He went.

The Gad had lovely scenery, pure water, healthy air. Mankar practised assiduously. After some days he received a revelation — not in trance but on coming down to ordinary consciousness from trance, Baba appeared to him in person. Mankar asked why he had been sent there:

"In Shirdi many thoughts and ideas began to rise in your mind and I sent you here to rest your unsteady mind. You thought that I was in Shirdi with a body composed of the five elements and three and a half cubits in length, and not outside of it. Now you see and determine for yourself whether the person you see here now is the same you saw at Shirdi. It is for this reason that I sent you here."

After the period, Mankar left for Bandra. He went to the Poona booking office to get a Dadar ticket — the crowd was so dense he could not. A villager in langoti and kambali turned up: "Where are you going?" — "Dadar." — "Please take this Dadar ticket of mine; I have some urgent business here, I have cancelled my Dadar trip." Mankar gladly took it, reached for money — and the rustic vanished in the crowd. Mankar searched in vain until the train left.

This was Mankar's second Baba-vision in unexpected form. He returned eventually to Shirdi and remained at Baba's feet until his own death in Baba's presence.

Tatyasaheb Noolkar

Hemadpant gives only the bare mention; a summary from the Sai Leela magazine is included.

Tatyasaheb was Sub-Judge at Pandharpur in 1909 when Nanasaheb Chandorkar was Mamlatdar there. The two often spoke. Tatyasaheb did not believe in saints; Nanasaheb loved them and often described Baba's Leelas. Tatyasaheb finally agreed to come to Shirdi on two conditions: a Brahmin cook, and good Nagpur oranges for offering.

Both conditions were providentially fulfilled. A Brahmin came to Nanasaheb for service and was sent to Tatyasaheb. A parcel of 100 beautiful oranges arrived at Tatyasaheb's address — the sender unknown. Tatyasaheb had no excuse left.

At first Baba was enraged with him. By and by Tatyasaheb received such experiences that he was convinced Baba was God incarnate. He stayed at Shirdi until his death. As his end approached, sacred literature was read aloud to him; at the last hour Baba's Pada-tirth was brought and given for drinking. Baba on hearing of his death said:

"Oh, Tatya went ahead of us, he won't be reborn."

Megha (1912)

Megha's full story is in Chapter 28. At his death the villagers followed the funeral procession; Baba accompanied them, showering flowers on Megha's body. After the obsequies, tears flowed from Baba's eyes. Like an ordinary mortal, Baba was overcome with grief, covered the body with flowers, cried like a near relation, and returned to the masjid.

The Tiger — Seven Days Before Mahasamadhi

Seven days before Baba's own Mahasamadhi, a country-cart stopped in front of the masjid. A tiger was on the cart, fastened with iron chains, its fierce face turned to the rear, suffering some malady. Its three keepers — Derveshis who toured the country exhibiting it for subsistence — had tried every remedy in vain.

They went in, told Baba, and at his consent led the tiger out. The animal was fierce and disease-ridden; people watched with fear. As the tiger approached the masjid steps, it was taken aback by Baba's lustre and hung its head. The two looked at each other. The tiger stepped up, looked at Baba with affection, moved the tuft of its tail and dashed it thrice against the ground, and fell down senseless.

The Derveshis were at first dejected, then recognised the gift: a diseased animal nearing its end had met its release at the feet of Baba. Hemadpant: "When any creatures bow down their heads at saints' feet and meet death, they are saved."

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

(At Vijayanand's arrival) "Drive out this useless Sannyasi, his company is of no use."
(To Vijayanand, the death-bed prescription) "If you so loved your mother, why did you take Sannyasa? Fondness or attachment ill becomes an ochre garb… Now attend to what I say and realise the end of your life. Being desireless, begin from tomorrow the study of Bhagwat. Do three saptahas during three weeks, conscientiously."
(To Balaram Mankar at Macchindragad, in person-vision) "In Shirdi many thoughts and ideas began to rise in your mind and I sent you here to rest your unsteady mind. You thought that I was in Shirdi with a body composed of the five elements and three and a half cubits in length, and not outside of it. Now you see and determine for yourself whether the person you see here now is the same you saw at Shirdi."
(On hearing of Noolkar's death) "Oh, Tatya went ahead of us, he won't be reborn."

Frequently asked about this chapter

What is the central teaching of Chapter 31?

The Gita's principle (VIII.5-6) that the last thought at the moment of death determines the future course, combined with the practical insight that one cannot will a particular thought at the last moment unless constant practice has already lodged it. The chapter records five passages in Baba's presence as illustrations: each devotee dies in the form of remembrance most appropriate to their life.

Who was Vijayanand and how did he die?

A Madrasi Sannyasi pilgrim to Manasa-Sarovar who cancelled the trip after Somadevaji Swami's daunting description of the 500-mile route above Gangotri. At the masjid Baba initially refused him; days later, learning his mother in Madras was dying, the sannyasi asked permission to leave. Baba refused, calling attachment unfit for an ochre garb, and prescribed three weekly readings of the Bhagavata and Ramavijaya as preparation. Vijayanand completed two readings in the Lendi garden, returned exhausted to the Wada, and on the third day died on Bade Baba's lap.

Why did Baba send Balaram Mankar to Macchindragad?

Mankar, a widower householder, had come to live with Baba at Shirdi but his mind remained restless. Baba gave him Rs. 12 and the instruction to live at Macchindragad (Satara District) with thrice-daily meditation. After some days Mankar saw Baba in person at the Gad — not in trance but on coming back from trance to ordinary consciousness. Baba's teaching: "You thought I was in Shirdi with a body of five elements and three-and-a-half cubits, and not outside of it." A second Baba-vision came as a langoti-clad villager who handed Mankar a Dadar ticket at Poona station and vanished in the crowd.

How did Tatyasaheb Noolkar come to Shirdi?

As Sub-Judge at Pandharpur in 1909 he met Mamlatdar Nanasaheb Chandorkar and refused to believe in saints. Pressed by Nanasaheb's Sai-Leelas, he set two conditions for any visit to Shirdi: a Brahmin cook, and good Nagpur oranges to offer. Both were providentially provided. He came, was at first received with anger by Baba, eventually grew convinced of Baba's divinity, and stayed until his death. At his last hour Baba's Pada-tirth was given him to drink. Baba's eulogy: "Tatya went ahead of us, he won't be reborn."

What is the "tiger" episode at the end of Chapter 31?

Seven days before Baba's own Mahasamadhi (1918), three Derveshis brought a chained, diseased, fierce tiger to the masjid on a country-cart for healing. As the tiger approached Baba on the steps it hung its head, looked at Baba with affection, dashed its tail thrice against the ground, and fell dead. Hemadpant's gloss: "When any creatures bow down their heads at saints' feet and meet death, they are saved; and unless they have got a good store of merit on their account, how could they get such a happy end?"

Did Sai Baba show grief over devotees' deaths?

Chapter 31 records that at Megha's funeral procession in 1912, Baba walked with the villagers, showered flowers on the body, and "like an ordinary mortal, Baba showed Himself overcome with grief and sorrow… crying like a near relation." Hemadpant offers this not as theatrical performance but as the saint's full inhabitation of the human-emotional response to a devotee's passing.

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra by Govind Raghunath Dabholkar (Hemadpant), 1929. English adaptation by N. V. Gunaji. Original chapter text: saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai31.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. 30 — Drawn to Shirdi: Kakaji Vaidya; Shama's Vows; Khushalchand; Ramalal

Ch. 32 — In Quest of Guru and God; the Vanjari; Fasting Disapproved; Baba's Sircar