Chapter XXXIV — Greatness of Udi (continued): Doctor's Nephew; Dr. Pillay; Shama's Sister-in-Law; Irani Girl; Harda Gentleman; Bombay Lady

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/sai34.html

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The Doctor's Nephew of Malegaon

At Malegaon (Nasik District) a qualified doctor's nephew suffered from tubercular bone-abcess — incurable by the doctor and his medical-practitioner brothers, even after operation. Friends advised divine aid. The parents brought the boy to Shirdi, prostrated, placed the boy before Baba.

Baba comforted them:

"Those who resort to this Masjid shall never suffer anything in this life and to the end of time. Be now carefree. Apply Udi on the abcess and within one week he will recover. Believe in God. This is no Masjid, but Dwarawati. He who steps here will soon get health and happiness and his sufferings will come to an end."

The boy was seated before Baba; Baba moved his hands on the affected part and cast loving glances. With Udi application the boy recovered.

The doctor-uncle, hearing of the cure, wished to see Baba on his way to Bombay for business. At Malegaon and Manmad, however, people poisoned his ears against Baba; he dropped the plan and went direct to Bombay. He intended to spend the rest of his leave at Alibag.

In Bombay he heard for three successive nights a voice crying: "Still you disbelieve me?" He resolved to go to Shirdi. He was attending in Bombay an infectious-fever case that showed no signs of abatement; he made a mental test: "If the patient gets all right today, I start for Shirdi tomorrow."

At the exact moment of his resolve, the fever began to abate; the temperature became normal. He went to Shirdi, took darshan, stayed four days, received Udi and blessings. Within a fortnight he was transferred on promotion to Bijapur.

Dr. Pillay — Guinea-Worms and the Crow

Dr. Pillay was one of Baba's intimate bhaktas; Baba called him Bhau (brother) and consulted him in all matters. Pillay suffered badly from guinea-worms. The pain was excruciating. He told Kakasaheb Dixit:

"I prefer death to it. This pain, I know, is for repaying past Karma, but go to Baba and tell Him to stop the pain and transfer the working of my past Karma to ten future births of mine."

Dixit took the request. Baba was moved:

"Tell him to be fearless. Why should he suffer for ten births? In ten days he can work out the sufferings and consequences of his past Karma. While I am here to give him temporal and spiritual welfare, why should he pray for death? Bring him here on somebody's back and let us work and finish his sufferings once for all."

Pillay was carried in and seated on Baba's right side (where Fakir Baba sat). Baba gave him his bolster:

"Lie calmly here and be at ease. The true remedy is, that the result of past actions has to be suffered and got over. Our Karma is the cause of our happiness and sorrow; therefore put up with whatever comes to you. Allah (God) is the sole Dispenser and Protector, always think of Him. He will take care of you. Surrender to His feet with body, mind, wealth and speech, i.e. completely, and then see what He does."

Pillay said Nanasaheb had bandaged his leg with no relief. Baba:

"Nana is a fool. Take off that bandage or else you will die. Now a crow will come and peck you, and then you will recover."

As they spoke, Abdul — who cleaned the masjid and trimmed the lamps — turned up. While at his work his foot accidentally fell on Pillay's stretched leg. The leg was swollen; under Abdul's pressure all seven guinea-worms were squeezed out at once. Pillay bawled in pain, then alternately sang and cried.

Pillay asked when the crow would come. Baba:

"Did you not see the crow? He won't come again. Abdul was the crow. Now go and rest yourself in the Wada and you will be soon allright."

With Udi externally and internally — no other medicine — Pillay was completely cured in ten days, as Baba had predicted.

Shama's Sister-in-Law — Bubonic Plague Overnight

Shama's younger brother Bapaji lived near Sawool well. His wife was attacked by bubonic plague — high fever, two bubos in the groins. Bapaji rushed to Shama at Shirdi.

Shama, frightened, went to Baba, invoked his aid, asked permission to go to his brother's house. Baba:

"Don't go there at this late hour, send her Udi. Why care for the fever and bubos? God is our father and master; she will be alright easily. Do not go now, but go there in the morning and return immediately."

Udi was sent with Bapaji. Applied on the bubos and mixed with water for drinking, profuse perspiration set in, the fever abated, the patient slept. The next morning Bapaji found his wife at the hearth preparing tea — completely cured. Shama, going as instructed, was equally amazed.

After tea Shama returned and saluted Baba:

"Deva, what is this play of Yours? You first raise a storm and make us restless and then calm it down and ease us."

Baba's reply is the chapter's central teaching:

"You see, mysterious is the path of action. Though I do nothing, they hold Me responsible for the actions which take place on account of Adrista (destiny). I am only their witness. The Lord is the sole Doer and Inspirer. He is also most merciful. Neither I am God nor Lord. I am His obedient servant and remember Him often. He who casts aside his egoism, thanks Him and he who trusts Him entirely, will have his shackles removed and will obtain liberation."

The Irani Girl — Hourly Convulsions

An Irani gentleman's young daughter got fits every hour. During convulsions she lost speech, limbs shrank and contracted, she fell senseless. No remedy gave relief.

A friend recommended Baba's Udi, obtainable from Kakasaheb Dixit at Vile Parle (Bombay suburb). The gentleman got the Udi and gave it daily mixed with water. The convulsions reduced from hourly to every seven hours; after a few days she recovered completely.

The Harda Gentleman — Bladder Stone

An old gentleman of Harda (C.P.) suffered from a stone in his bladder. He was too weak for surgery and lacked the courage. The Inamdar (City Officer) of Harda, a Baba devotee, kept a stock of Udi. On friends' recommendation his son obtained Udi, mixed it with water, gave it to the old father. Within five minutes the Udi was assimilated, the stone dissolved, and was passed through urine. The old man was relieved.

The Bombay Kayastha Prabhu Lady — Painless Delivery

A woman of the Kayastha Prabhu caste in Bombay always suffered terrible pain at delivery; each pregnancy filled her with dread. Shri Rama-Maruti of Kalyan (a Baba devotee) advised her husband to take her to Shirdi for a painless delivery.

When she next became pregnant, husband and wife came to Shirdi, stayed several months, worshipped Baba, received the benefit of his company. When the hour of delivery came there was the usual obstruction. She prayed to Baba. Neighbouring women invoked his aid and gave her Udi-mixture to drink. In five minutes she delivered safely and painlessly.

The child was still-born "according to its fate"; the mother, freed from the recurring dread, thanked Baba for the safe delivery and remained grateful.

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

1. (To the Malegaon parents) "Those who resort to this Masjid shall never suffer anything in this life and to the end of time. Be now carefree. Apply Udi on the abcess and within one week he will recover. Believe in God. This is no Masjid, but Dwarawati."
2. (To the doctor-uncle, in mental voice) "Still you disbelieve me?"
3. (To Dixit, on Dr. Pillay's request for karma-transfer) "Why should he suffer for ten births? In ten days he can work out the sufferings and consequences of his past Karma."
4. (To Dr. Pillay, on karma) "The true remedy is, that the result of past actions has to be suffered and got over. Our Karma is the cause of our happiness and sorrow; therefore put up with whatever comes to you. Allah (God) is the sole Dispenser and Protector, always think of Him."
5. (To Dr. Pillay, on Nanasaheb's bandage) "Nana is a fool. Take off that bandage or else you will die. Now a crow will come and peck you, and then you will recover."
6. (Identifying Abdul as the crow) "Did you not see the crow? He won't come again. Abdul was the crow. Now go and rest yourself in the Wada and you will be soon allright."
7. (To Shama, on Bapaji's wife) "Don't go there at this late hour, send her Udi. Why care for the fever and bubos? God is our father and master; she will be alright easily. Do not go now, but go there in the morning and return immediately."
8. (To Shama, the central teaching) "Mysterious is the path of action. Though I do nothing, they hold Me responsible for the actions which take place on account of Adrista (destiny). I am only their witness. The Lord is the sole Doer and Inspirer. Neither I am God nor Lord. I am His obedient servant."