First-person testimony · Part III

Mr. B. V. Dev (B. V. Deo)

Context

B. V. Dev (= B. V. Deo) is one of the most reliable named witnesses in the entire Satcharitra. The Satcharitra cites his work repeatedly:

• Jamner Miracle documentation. Mr. Deo's article (part prose, part poetry) on the Jamner Miracle was published in Shri Sai Leela magazine Vol. 13, Nos. 11, 12, 13 — and he collected the three signed statements (Mainatai, Bapusaheb Chandorkar, Ramgirbuva) for Narasimha Swami's Devotees' Experiences Part III. See Chapter 33.
• Gita IV.34 episode. Mr. Deo's English version of the Gita-interpretation episode (Nanasaheb Chandorkar's word-by-word lesson on "pranipata, pariprashna, sevaya") is published as the statement dated 27-9-1936 on page 66 of Devotees' Experiences Part III. See Chapter 39-40.
• The Jnaneshwari-reading episode. Mr. Deo himself is the subject of Chapter 41 of the Satcharitra — "You stole away My rags without My knowledge." He had wished for years to read the Jnaneshwari; every attempt was blocked by intrusive thoughts. He resolved to wait for Baba's order. At Shirdi in February 1914 Baba paid him close pedagogical attention through a sequence of Dakshinas (Re. 1, Rs. 20, Rs. 20, Rs. 25, Rs. 12), accused him of "stealing the rags" for asking Balakram about Baba's grace instead of asking Baba directly, and finally ordered: "Go on daily reading the Pothi. Read it before Me, in My presence." On 2 April 1914, a Thursday morning, Baba came to Deo in dream-vision and added: "Read Adhyatma."
• The Satcharitra Epilogue. When Hemadpant died before revising the final Epilogue chapter, B. V. Deo composed the verse-index of contents — the original index was not found among Hemadpant's papers. See the Epilogue.
• Witness on Baba's circumcision. B. V. Deo's article "Baba Hindu Ki Yavan" in Sai Leela p. 562 preserves Nanasaheb Chandorkar's close personal observation that Baba was uncircumcised. See Chapter 7.
• Mamlatdar role. Mr. Deo was Mamlatdar of Dahanu, then Retired Mamlatdar of Thana. In 1915 he was the Mamlatdar at Bandra under whom Santaram Balwant Nachne Dahanukar served (see Santaram's statement).

About the 1936 statement

B. V. Dev's own 1936 statement at page 261 of Part III is one of the most important Satcharitra-corroboration documents in Narasimha Swami's collection.