First-person testimony · Part II

Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama)

Context

Shama's biography is a separate Sit With Sai page with extensive coverage: Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama). The Satcharitra describes him as "Baba's Boy." Hemadpant relied on Shama for many of his Satcharitra episodes — Shama was the natural relay for Baba's interventions across distance: the Jamner Miracle of 1904-05, Bapaji's wife's plague-cure, Mrs. Aurangabadkar's coconut-blessing, and the long sequence of Baba's interventions at Shama's mother's vows (Sapta-Shringi at Vani — see Chapter 30). Baba's affectionate idiom for him: "Is not Shama our boy?"

About the 1936 statement

Shama's own first-person 1936 statement at page 193 of Part II is one of the cornerstone testimonies of Narasimha Swami's compilation. The Satcharitra (1929) was already published when he gave it, so the statement primarily extends or corrects the Satcharitra record from the witness who was present at most of its episodes.

Verbatim excerpt from Narasimha Swami (1940s)

rst Rs.5, next Rs.2, next Rs.2, next one and did not ask me anything for two days thereafter, though I saw him all the three days of my stay there. His demand totalled Rs.10, just the amount I vowed, I would give him. II 23rd May, 1936. Ramachandra Vaman Modak, B.A., Engineer, Seth’s House (near Peru’s gate) Sadasiv pet, Poona (Sai Leela Masik, Yol III, part 9, p.399: Udhi used to drive off snakes from the house) says: I went to Sai Baba about 1909 and was impressed well enough to repeat my visits. My last visit was in 1916. The most momen tous of my visits was in 1912. My employment was that of Senior Government Auditor of Municipal and lo- 188 cal accounts of West Kandesh Division and my headquarters was nominally at Bombay. My wife and children, however, were stationed by me at Dhulia. In 1912,1 had some official troubles or foreboding of troubles especially with a particular higher officer, who was wait ing for an opportunity to sack me. They were trying to force me to appear for a departmental test, in which of course that particular officer would have an excellent opportunity to sack me and even declare me unfit to continue in service.

Source: B. V. Narasimha Swami, Devotees' Experiences of Sri Sai Baba (All India Sai Samaj, Madras, 1940s; reprint Akhanda Sainama Sapthaha Samithi, Hyderabad). PDF on Internet Archive · OCR full text. Excerpt matched on the term: Madhavrao. This is the canonical English excerpt; please consult the original PDF for context.