Shirdi Sai Baba Diary by Shri G S KHAPARDE -Shirdi Sai online books

I 1911 27 December Wednesday

Shirdi

I did not sleep well last night but got up early in the morning prayed, bathed and dressed earlier than usual. The detectives here appeared to be more active than usual today. One stationed himself near Sayin Maharaj. Another followed me. To test him I went to Tipnis’ house to see his wife. The detective of Kalyan followed me there and returned with me when I returned. The chief constable of Kopargaon came with a head constable & took his seat in my room. My son Balvant happened to be there but there was no conversation between them. Later on they with-drew without doing anything, but they had a long consultation in front of Dixit’s Wada. I wonder what the whole fuss was about. Mungi was much with them. After the midday Arti, I had my breakfast about 3 P.M. & then lay down & had a good sleep. In the afternoon many people attempted to go & see Sayin Maharaj but he was not inclined to speak and dismissed them soon. So I did not go & sat reading.

We all saw him at dusk when he came out for his stroll & again at Shej-Arti. Bhishma’s Bhajan was very much prolonged today by many people singing at it. A young Mahomedan surprized me by his song. Then there was Ramayan by Dixit.

1911 28 December Thursday

Shirdi

In the morning after I prayed Dr Hate & Mr R.D.Moregankar got permission to return. So they went away & immediately after came Nanasaheb Chandorkar, C.V.Vaidya and Mr Natekar “Hamsa ”. I sat long speaking with the last & then went & saw the former two who are staying in a tent close by. Hamsa has travelled long in Himalaya, is an initiate and an accepted disciple. His conversation is therefore very edyfying. C.V.Vaidya has some trouble in one of his eyes. It is very red. Mr Chandorkar is very jolly as usual. We attended the mid-day Arti. Trimbakrao known as Maruti is very angry. He did not attend the worship today and was very sulky. Madhavarao Deshpande is better today. He was on his legs nearly the whole day. Dixit is very assiduous in attending to all guests who are very numerous. Mr Chandorkar went to Kalyan today & said he would return on Sunday next. I sat talking with Hamsa in the afternoon, nearly up to the time of going to see Sayin Maharaj as he goes out for his stroll. He did not permit any body to sit there today but dismissed every one with “Udi ”. Hamsa went to Radha Krishna & spent the evening there. She sings well & does Bhajan very excellant. We had Bhishma’s Bhajan in which many joined and then there was Dixit ’s Ramayan. The Sub-Inspector of Kalyan went away today & in going saluted me very humbly which is rather strange. Mungi is still here wandering about among people. Dada Gole has come here from Morvi. One of my clients, Ramrao is also here. He wishes me to write an appeal. There is no time for it.

1911 29 December Friday

Shirdi

I was a little late in getting up & then sat talking with Mr Natekar whom we call “Hamsa” & also Swami. I could not finish my prayer etc in time to go and see Sayin Maharaj as he went out. I saw him when he returned to Masjid. Hamsa was with me. Sayin Maharaj was in very good mood & began a story which was very very instructive but unfortunately Trimbakrao whom we call Maruti interrupted most foolishly and Sayin Maharaj changed the subject.

He said there was a young man very hungry and wanting in almost every respect. The young man after wandering about went to Sayin Saheb’s father’ house & was received very kindly & given every thing he required. The boy spent sometime there, felt fat, collected a few things, stole ornaments & making the whole into a bundle wished to return to where he had come from. He was really born in & belonged to Sayin Saheb’s fathers’ house but did not know it. The boy put the bundle into the corner of a street but was seen before he could actually start. So he had to delay. In the meantime thieves took away the ornaments from his bundle. He missed them when he was on the point of starting. So he kept at the house & collected more ornaments and actually started but people on the way arrested him on the suspicion of his having come by the things by theft. At this point the story got diverted, and ended abruptly.

On my return from the mid-day Arti I requested “Hamsa ” to take his food with me & he kindly accepted my invitation. He is a very nice simple man & after meals he told us about his travels in the Himalayas, how he crested Manasa Sarowar, how he heard an Upanishad being sung there, how he followed foot prints, how he reached a cave, saw a Mahatma, and the latter spoke of the conviction of Tilak that day at Bombay, how the Mahatma introduced him to his brother (elder fellow student) how he finally met his Guru and became “Kritastha ”. Later on we went to Sayin Baba & saw him at the Masjid. He sent me a word this afternoon that I have to stay here another two months. He confirmed the message in the afternoon & then said that his “Udi ” had great spiritual properties. He told my wife that the Governor came with a lance, that Sayin Maharaj had a tusall with him & drove him out, & that he finally conciliated the Governor. The language is highly figurative & therefore difficult to interpret. In the evening we attended the Shejarti & then had the Bhajan of Bhishma & Ramayan of Dixit.