Kashiram Shimpi

Since the time Sai Baba came to stay in the Masjid, Kashiram Shimpi supplied Him provisions, tobacco and chillum. He also provided fire-wood for the Dhuni (Holy Fire).

      When Baba first came to Shirdi, He used to wear kafani, cap and dhoti - all of saffron colour.  On some occasions, Baba wore white kafani and tied dhoti around His head. Kashiram stitched a green kafani and green cap for Baba and He started using them. After some days, Baba started wearing white kafani and tying white dhoti around His head. He maintained this attire till the end.

      It was Kashiram’s practice to give money to Baba whenever it was needed. At a later stage, he started placing his entire income before Baba. He used to affectionately insist that Baba should give back whatever money He wished. However, Baba used to keep only a paisa or two and return the rest. Kashiram was very much hurt, when Baba either did not take any money or took very less.

     A person may feel proud that he has the ability to give. Such a feeling is harmful for the spiritual advancement. Hence, Baba either refused to keep any money or took very meagre amount. Later on, Kashiram was in financial difficulties. At that time, Baba started continuously demanding money from him. Due to this insistence, Kashiram lost his feeling of false pride and his monetary situation started improving. In this manner, his false pride disappeared.

     Kashiram placed his body, soul and money in devotion of Baba.

     Kashiram’s business was trading in cloth. He used to go to different villages and set up his shop. While returning from the bazaar of village Naur, some looters from Bhill community stopped him on the way. Kashiram was riding a horse. The dacoits took away all his belongings. Kashiram did not oppose them in any manner. However, he was not parting with a small packet, that he was carrying. The dacoits felt that it must be containing some valuables ! In reality, the small packet contained powdered sugar. (Shri Janakidas - a devout person, residing at Shirdi, in those days - had said that “One must feed sugar to the ants”. Since that time, Kashiram always carried sugar powder in a packet.) The packet was more dear to his life for Kashiram; as it was carried on advice of a pious person. He decided, “Come what may, I will not allow this packet to fall in the hands of the dacoits.”

     Suddenly, Kashiram noticed a sword, which had fallen out of the hands of one of the dacoits and  was lying nearby. In a fraction of a second, he picked it up and killed two of the dacoits. Seeing this, the third dacoit came from behind and gave a blow of his axe on Kashiram’s head. Kashiram lost his consciousness and fell down. The dacoits took him to be a dead person and escaped from the scene.

     While Kashiram was fighting the dacoits, at the same time in Shirdi Baba was creating a havoc. He was expressing His anger through abuses and shouting. The disciples, who were nearby at that time, immediately realized that Baba is acting in this manner in an effort to save some dear devotee of His. And, in fact, the dacoits were many in number and were also loaded with lots of weapons. However, Baba saved Kashiram from the clutches of death.

     After some time, Kashiram regained his senses. He refused to go to a hospital. Instead, he insisted that he should be taken to Shirdi.

     As directed by Baba, Madhavrao Deshpande gave him medicines and Kashiram one again regained his health.

      The Government honored Kashiram’s bravery  by giving him a sword.

    After a few years, on Chaitra Shuddha Ekadashi in Shake 1830 (English year 1908), Kashiram passed away.

    Thus along with Mhalsapati and Appa Jagale, Kashiram also expired on the day of Ekadashi.

Waman Tatya

     On some days, Baba used to stay at Village Rahata. This is at a distance of 3 kilometers from Shirdi. While returning from the place, Baba brought plants of different flowers such as Jaai, Jui and Zendu. Baba had nurtured a beautiful garden on the barren plot of land behind the wall of the Masjid. In those days, Vaman Tatya (a potter) used to supply two pots everyday. Baba used to tell him to give the pots without baking them. In these pots, everyday Baba carried water from a nearby well. He watered the plants with His own hands.

    In the evening, Baba placed the pots at the roots of Nimb tree. As soon as the pots were rested, they immediately broke into pieces. For three years, this routine continued. Waman Tatya supplied the pots during those three years.

     Sathe wada has been built at the same place. 

Devidas

      A devout person by the name Devidas came to Shirdi when he was 10-11 years old. His eyes were very sharp, bright and appealing. His built was proportionate. This loin cloth wearing boy, put his camp in the Maruti temple.

    Appa Bhilla, Mhalsapati and other believers frequently went to Devidas. Kashiram and others supplied him household provisions.  As is well-known, Baba came to Shirdi along with a marriage procession. Twelve years prior to that, Devidas came and stayed at Shirdi. (Baba first came to Shirdi, stayed for three years and then disappeared. After about three years, He again came to Shirdi along with Chandbhai’s marriage party. It may be assumed that during His first stay, He must have met Devidas.)

     Devidas was Mahagnyani (very knowledgeable). Tatya Patil, Kashiram and others had accepted him as their Guru.

     After Baba started staying in the dilapidated Masjid, He started spending time in the company of Devidas. Sometimes He started having meetings with Devidas in Chavadi and sometimes in the Maruti temple, where Devidas stayed.

 Janakidas

     After the arrival of Devidas in Shirdi, another pious person by the name Janakidas came and stayed in Shirdi for sometime.

     Baba had regular sittings with Janakidas. Sometimes Baba chitchatted with Janakidas and sometimes Janakidas went wherever Baba was sitting.

      Shri Dattatreya Rasane - a son of Damuanna Rasane - has narrated to Shri Narsinha Swami the experience that he had about Janakidas. He says.….

In 1920, my health had very much deteriorated because of adverse planetary positions. Every Sunday, I used to go to a Uttareshwar temple, about two miles from town Junnar, and performed Shiv-pujan. A Saint named Janakidas was staying there. As per my practice, I used to bow down before him. Once he said to me,

“You are under the blessings of a Satpurush. Why do you come to an ordinary person like me ? People like me embrace the Feet of Sai Baba.”

    After that, I went home and slept. Baba offered me Darshan in  the attire of a Fakir and said, “Give Me bhiksha. Give me the bhiksha of your body along with soul.”

 Gangageer Maharaj

Gangageer Maharaj was a very famous Vaishnav-veer (a person belonging to the sampradaya of devotees of Shri Vishnu). He used to frequently visit Shirdi.

Gangageer Maharaj saw Baba carrying water from the well in the earthen pots. Spontaneously he said,  “The residents of this village Shirdi are indeed very fortunate. Because of their good fortune, they have this Jewel in the form of Sai Baba. Eventhough today He is carrying water on His own shoulders, this young lad is not an ordinary human being. This land has great fortune and hence, this great person has appeared here.

Gangageer Maharaj belonged to village Puntambe (on the railway track between Daund and Manmad). He was a family man. He was very fond of exercising in a gymnasium. While playing wrestling, he heard the voice of a Siddha Purush..... “You must exercise your body by playing with the God.” 

The opportune moment had come. Gangageer Maharaj suddenly got the feeling of vairagya. While playing wrestling, the words fell on his ears and he left his family and embarked on the path of Paramarth.

Gangageer Maharaj established his math on an island in the midst of river Godavari near village Puntambe.

Shrimati Bhikubai Kote used to stay at Sangamner. From the year 1908, she shifted to Shirdi and spent the rest of her life at the Feet of Shri Sai Baba. While narrating her experience to Shri Narsinha Swami, she says ….

‘‘Gangageer Maharaj of village Vanjargaon had conducted a big Naam Saptah at Shirdi. Thousands of devotees were coming to Shirdi to participate. One of the groups was from Sangamner. When they returned to Sangamner, they gave me a photograph of Baba and also gave me a lot of prasad of barfi. They told me that ‘Radhakrishna Aai has called you to Shirdi.’

In this manner, I came to Shirdi.....’’

Bhikubai’s parents were from Ahmednagar. After marriage, she went to her husband’s home at Sangamner. However, soon she was widowed. Radhakrishna Aai had also become a widow at an early age. She also came to stay at Ahmednagar with her Grandfather - Babasaheb Ganesh - who was a famous lawyer. While there, Radhakrishna Aai and Bhikubai became friends.

Translated from original Marathi into English by Sudhir

SHRI  SAI SAMARTHA –

COMPASSIONATE AND PROTECTOR

     Are you confident that our Sai is this gross skeletal body of three and a half arms length and the senses ? Remove this doubt forever.

     If one is to call that body Sai, then there is no name for the One Who is free from all bodily and earthly enjoyments and pursuits. There is no form for it. Shri Sai is beyond a form.

    The body is perishable. Brahman on its own is indestructible. The body is included in the five elements; but Brahman is without beginning or end.

     Observe the Pure, Excellent Self, the Supreme Being, the Life Spirit, which animates the gross senses. Sai is the name for that.

    He transcends the senses. The senses are gross and do not know That. It is That which animates the senses and activates them with ‘Prana’.

     The name of that power is Sai. There is no place without it. All the ten directions are desolate without it. It fills the movable and the immovable.

     It is this that has taken Avatar. Earlier it was unmanifest. Taking a name and form and becoming an individuality, it became manifest. After accomplishing its mission, it merged into the unmanifest.

     After achieving the work of the Avatar, the body taken for the Avatar is abandoned and enters the abode of the Knower and the Known. Sai acted in this manner.

    When He felt like going beyond the veil, like the Swami of Gangapur, Shri Narasimhasaraswati, who said “I am going to the mountains”, he left suddenly.

    When the devotees prevented him, he pacified them by saying : “My departure is in accordance with popular practice. I am not leaving Ganga Bhuvan.

    After bathing in the Krishna early morning and doing Pooja at Bindu Kshetra, worship the ‘Padukas’ in the Math. I dwell there always”.

    Similar is the story of Sai Baba. The leaving of the body was an outward act. Shri Sai is pervading the whole creation and the hearts of all.

     Shri Sai transcends death. Never doubt it. One can experience it according to one’s devotion.

    Sai fills the movable and the immovable. Sai is within us and outside us too. Sai is in your and my heart. He stays there permanently.

    Sai Samartha is compassionate to the humble. He is the protector of the innocent devotees. He is hungry for true love and most loving towards all.

From Shri Sai Satcharita

Translated into English by Zarine

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