mama dube (i.e., Kashinath Dube), Shopkeeper, Brahmin, Poona, age 70 (whose statement is also reported in Sai L. Masik, Vol. V., parts 2 and 3. p. 607) says:

I was at first quite indifferent to sadhus, saints etc... One day about 1909, a lady took a loan of Rs.10 from me at Kopergoan where I was and she promised to return it after she came back from Aurangabad and she also told me that a great and powerful saint, Sai Baba, lived at Shirdi. That was the first time I heard of Him and I vowed or thought that if the Rs. 10 loan were returned (of which I was not sure), it should be devoted to Sri Sai Baba. I went to Aurangabad and unexpectedly the loan was returned. Later on, I went to Shirdi and saw Sai Baba but did not mention my vow to Him. He asked me for dakshina 3 or 4 times on the first day of my visit, first 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, BA., Engineer, Seth's House (near Peru's gate) Sadasivpet, Poona, (Sai L. Masik-Vol 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 momentous of my visits was in 1912. My employment was that of Senior Government Auditor of Municipal and Local 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, I had some official troubles or foreboding of troubles especially with a particular higher officer, who was waiting 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. The question was, if I should face that danger and by passing the test qualify myself for higher appointments or simply remain safe on my pay of Rs.120 and refuse to go up for the test.

At this juncture, having learnt of Sai Baba's omniscient kindness and vast powers of control, I determined to make Him my sole guide and providence to help me in deciding aright on this matter of great importance. I left Bombay for Shirdi (which is outside my jurisdiction) informing no one and taking no leave from my department to enable me to be away from work. I hoped also to return quickly in which case, no leave would be necessary. I went straight to Shirdi. It always gives me (and other devotees also) great relief to be in the presence of Baba. Care leaves one as soon as He is in that presence and happiness Jills his soul. Next morning, at 7 A.M (i.e., the usual time to go to Baba to take leave), I was being put off. I could not start as Baba had given me no leave. He knew full well that I had gone there in an irregular way without the sanction of my superior and unknown even to my family. If there were consequences to be faced. Sai had to face them. But Shama i.e., Madhavrao Deshpande knew my difficulties and interceded on my behalf, telling Baba: "He has stayed several days. Give him leave to go." Baba gruffly answered him that I had gone to see Baba and not to see Madhav Rao. Turning to me also, He asked whether I had gone there to see Him (Baba) or to see Madhav Rao. Baba gave me the assurance that all would go well with me regarding my official problem as in other matters. In fact He detained me at Shirdi when the test was going on at Bombay. The die was thus cast and Baba settled it as the best for me that I should not go up for the test examination.

On the night of my fifth day's stay, I had a dream. I saw therein that I was back at home, that my young daughter was welcoming me, asking me where I had been all these days. I woke up and felt assured that Baba was going to give me leave. At once I prepared for departure. I dressed myself up and despite my friend's protest that there was no guarantee that Baba would give me leave even that day, I went to the gate of the mosque. Baba was in a towering passion fuming and fretting with a stone in His hand and was moving up and down at the mosque. He saw me standing at the gate. In ten minutes time, He calmed down and took His seat on the gadi that was the place where He should be approached and I went and prostrated. Of His own accord, He said "Take Udhi and go away." That was the way leave was granted for departure. "But," I asked Baba, "Where am I to go? Please tell me that"— as I wanted definite oral solution by Him of my problem- whether I should go to Bombay direct, which would mean attending the test or whether I should go to Dhulia which would mean refusing boldly to attend the test. Baba's answer was "Go home. Your children are anxiously waiting for you." That confirmed my dream and settled my course. I went to Dhulia and only later on to Bombay.

When I went to Bombay, in the usual course, some trouble might have arisen on account of my unauthorised absence. But, strangely enough, everything went on smoothly. My clerks, who would have to go with me on my tours, wondered where I had gone away. My family fancied I was at Bombay all the time. Anyhow by Baba's grace, my absence was not officially noticed and did not lead to any official trouble. On the way from Shirdi to Bombay on this occasion, as usual, I had to go naturally via Manmad. The Deputy Collector of the Division was camping there at Manmad and he had sent me a letter asking me to halt en route at Manmad and I intended to meet the D.C. But when I started and thought of Manmad stay, Baba said "Pshetu, Give that up. He is not there. There is no hurry." At that time, I did not understand what Baba meant. But, when I got down at Manmad, I learnt that the D.C. had got a wire which made him suddenly break up his camp there and hurry away elsewhere. So Baba was right, as He always is. During these six days of my Shirdi stay. Baba was impressing my heart with spiritual experience, I felt that He was all in all for me and that I needed nothing more for my mundane or spiritual welfare. That was decidedly critical and precious period of my life.

I had, however, my usual inclination to rely on my Vedantic and religious studies. I had also not taken to Sai with the great earnestness which so many devotees evince. I was still very much in the world. In 1914, I had a confirmatory experience of what I had received at the hands of Sai in 1912. Another great saint gave me impressive hints of the value of Sai as a guide and of the experience He (Sai Baba) had imparted to me. A lady had asked me to go to Govind Bua at Sonegir, more especially as it lay on my way home i.e., to Dhulia. But, I had engaged a tonga to take me-direct to Dhulia and fixed up a programme not providing for an intermediate halt. But, as fate would have it, the cart in which I and my cook travelled, broke down, the iron tire came off clean and at least three hours would be needed to mend the wheel and continue the journey. The place where it broke down was Sonegir. My cook went, bathed and took darshan of the Bua and without any bidding from me asked him if I (his master) could come up for darshan. "Yes", was the answer, "let him come after a bath." So I bathed and went to him with cocoanut and a rupee. Then, he said "Hallo, you rogue, you have had a precious thing given to you. You tasted it for a while, and yet, you run hither and thither after worthless things." That, of course, was a reference to Sai Baba's gift to me in 1912 during those six days. I understood it in that way. He further said "In any case, you have come to our own house" and thus identified himself with Sai Baba. Thereafter, he asked me to provide biksha. "Prepare sira and purl for me." That meant, I found, that I had to pay for that day's prasad or food at the Mutt. I did so. The Bua sat up for the meal at my request. We had a lota cup and filled it with water and placed it near Bua's seat. The Bua dipped his finger into the cup of water extracted from it miraculously a thin puri and ate it saying "Here also we prepare puri." The puri He brought out of the cup water was thin and nice. That prepared for the biksha was thick and rough. How puri could be extracted from a cup of water was the wonder. It impressed us with His wonderful power. Such a mighty man assured me of the value of the experience I got from Sai Baba in 1912.

I had not many opportunities of seeing Sai baba. In 1916 was my last visit to him. Then, with my wife who also had great devotion to him, I went to Baba and returned the same day. In 1919,I retired. Sai Baba is not dead. He is still as ever. It is in a strange invisible ethereal manner, I feel His guidance, direction and control in my affairs. I have felt it on many occasions. For instance, in 1919,I retired on a pension of Rs. 81-8-0. But retiring was good for me. As soon as I retired, I joined a friend in working certain mills and from 1919 up to 1930, I had a monthly income of about Rs.250. This was Sai's provision for me.

I have always had indifferent health and literally my eyes have given me great trouble. I have lost one eye and I am slowly developing cataract in the other. But Sai Baba, whom I am worshipping every Thursday and remembering constantly has been looking after my interests here and hereafter. I fed no anxiety for my temporal or spiritual future. Both are in Baba's hands; and I am safe. Here is another instance of Baba's kind care for me and mine. In 1916,I was laid up with fever, cough etc. at Nasik. An old friend of mine in the medical service undertook my treatment and had prescribed chloral hydrate for my cough or bronchitis, as he diagnosed it to be. My wife had, however, a fear that my case was not so simple, prayed to Sai Baba and sent for Col. Buckley. As soon as the Colonel came and examined me, and looked at the bottle of chloral hydrate, he took the previous doctor (who was his subordinate) to task for his poor diagnosis and declared the case to be one of pneumonia- double pneumonia, and then threw away the chloral hydrate as harmful, before it was administered to me. Then, under his treatment and by Baba's grace, I pulled through. It was really by Baba's grace that my wife was inspired to send for an able doctor and that the wrong prescription and treatment were changed at the very nick of time— just when the wrong and harmful drug was about to be administered to me.

III

26th May. 1936.

gopal bhaskar datak, B.A, LL.B., Brahmin, Pleader, (Station Road), Thana says:

I am now a Sai bhakta. In 1917, when I was at Ahmadnagar, I had opportunities to see Sai Baba. But I was deterred by the accounts I had heard of Him. He demanded and took much money as dakshina. The water in which He bathed was taken and given as tirtha for devotees to drink. These repelled me. I contrasted them with the conduct of Narayan Maharaj for whom I had regard. The latter, when I and other gave Him each a rupee returned the rupee, adding to it some sugar candy as prasad. Later, after reading Upasani Baba's life and listening to his lectures, I saw him at Bombay and went to Sakori. His Lilamrita which I read in 1931, gave me a good impression of Sri Sai Baba and after my visit to Sakori. I went to Shirdi. There, the gleaming eyes of Sai in the portrait, the dhuni and the mosque impressed me greatly and I said to myself 'Here is a Master’. Next, I read Sai Lila Masik and especially Anna Dabholkar's book, as It appeared In that Masik with the "Anubhavas" i.e., experiences. I was convinced that Sai Baba was my destined guru. I have stuck to Him ever since.

Some experiences that I got confirmed me in my faith. A lady in the house who was suffering from internal pains for a long time and had vainly tried some medicines, was listening to me as I read Dabholkar's book aloud. There was the incident of Sai Baba intervening to save a frog that was caught by a snake, in what I read. She had heard it half dozing. She prayed In that half dozing state to Sri Sai Baba thus:- "O Sai Baba, You have pity and help for humble suffering creatures like a frog, have You no mercy for me— a human being?" She then heard the voice that seemed to emanate from a peg on the wall, - "Will you give me Rs. 5 dakshina for the Dasserah?" And she answered that she would, in case she got cured. At once, she woke up from her dozing condition and narrating the above, wanted Rs. 5 to be sent up as her contribution for Sai Baba's Dasserah celebration. That was done at once. She improved and her agony abated by evening. This was in 1931 or 1932.

Some time later in 1932,I used to get Sai Baba in my dreams wherein He would play with me as He would play with little children. In one of the dreams, Sai Baba was requested by Upasani Baba to help me and he agreed. Still later, I was in a great fix. I had lost or mislaid the letter of a wandering client, whose presence was urgently required by the court. I tried to learn his whereabouts by inquiries — In vain. At last, in despair, I prayed to Sai Baba. The next day. I chanced to place my hand on the rack in my office room and I found the missing letter and that enabled me to secure the party's presence in proper time. Two or three years ago, I was given a commission to examine some witness on interrogatories sent by a distant court. The interrogatories and other papers were one day missed by me. I searched in various places for them and was much dejected at my failure. I expected then I would have the mortification to inform the Court of my negligence and ask for fresh copies of the interrogatories, etc. A Varkari (one constantly going on pilgrimage to Pandharpur Vittal) had come to my house then; and having served him with zeal for some days, I told him of my worried state. "It will be found" he said. There was always my daily service to Sai Baba also. The day after the Varkari left, I discovered the missing papers amidst the papers of a totally unconnected case.

I was formerly ignoring Shrodha and other ceremonies, being carried away by the social reform ideas that these were meaningless superstitions. I had no faith in them. But my faith in them revived as I revere Sai Baba and as one Mr. Nana Nachane, (a Prabhu) clerk in the Presidency Magistrate's Court. Kurla, Bombay and devout Sai Bhakta gave me the following account of his experiencing the kind mercy of Sri Sai.

Very recently, Mr. Nachane's wife died, leaving him her little child to take care of. The loving husband wished to be assured of her getting sadgatt and therefore, resolved to go to Nasik and perform all the required ceremonies on the bank of the Godavari. But, being unaccustomed to these, he hardly knew what steps should be taken and whether he would have sufficient funds to cover all the expenses. With such fears, he started, taking 80 rupees with him. In the train he suffered other troubles and a fellow passenger gave him great help. That passenger, learning of his fears, told him that he would see to every ceremony being properly performed within the funds in hand. This kind friend accompanied Mr. Nachane to all places and directed the ceremonies and controlled the expenditure - displaying a knowledge very wonderful for one, who belonged to a Sudra (Mahratta caste) and was merely a peon in some Bombay institution (the address and particulars of which he gave) as the friend described himself. After a great deal of self-sacrifice, that friend, without gaining a single pie or advantage, accompanied Nachane for several days and parted company with him promising to meet him again within a fortnight. But he did not. So, Mr.Nachane went to the place described by that friend and found there was no such peon in the institution mentioned by him. Mr. Nachane was convinced that the kind and very wise 'peon' was only a form taken by Sai Baba to help him in his distress. I felt sure that as the all-wise Sai Baba helped this devotee to perform the funeral ceremonies successfully. Such ceremonies must have a real use and must be worth performing. I am now performing them ever since I heard Mr. Nachane's account.

26th May, 1936.

kasinath kanderao garde, B.A.. LL.B., 65, Retired sub-Judge of Nagpur, Congress Nagar, Nagpur. says:

Our family guru is a Ramachandra Tikotkar. My own personal guru is Ramanand Bidkar Maharaj. He was deep in wisdom and possessed marvellous powers and knowledge. After giving me upadesh, he told me that I should go round seeing a number of great souls, i.e. saints, that he had seen in the tours, and he gave me a list of them. He told me that all these saints would feel they are of one family and they would recognise me as connected with their stock and accord me a hearty welcome. That would confirm me, he said, in the belief of the truth and value of his instruction to me.

One of these saints that I was ordered to visit was Sai Baba of Shirdl. My guru Bidkar Maharaj in 1898 told me to visit Him, saying that he himself (B.M.) had seen that saint (Sai Baba) 25 years back, i.e., about 1873. I went to see Sai Baba in 1912 or 1913 during the May vacation, as I was then sub-judge at Khamgaon. As soon as I went and saw Him, without any introduction or announcement, Sai Baba welcomed me heartily saying, “Welcome Ramdas". Ramdas is not my name. But, the hearty welcome He gave me was in accordance with that my Guru Ramanand Bidkar Maharaj asked me to expect and the word 'Ramdas' I took to be reference to that guru, by whose order I went to Shirdi and also to the earlier family guru, whose name was Ramachandra. I stayed there with my college chum (of the Deccan College) Bala Bhate, who lived there, at Shirdi, a life devoted to Sai Baba. Each succeeding day, I tried to go but the journey was put off, fof 6 days as Baba said "Wait till tomorrow". Meanwhile, I had kept with me Rs. 6 or 7 for the expenses of my return Journey.

Sai Baba asked me first time a dakshlna of Rs. 2 and Rs. 1 each day for four days thereafter. On the next day thereafter, when I had got Rs.0-3-6 left in my pocket, Sai Baba said of His own knowledge, "Why keep that Rs. 0-3-6 with you? Give that up as dakshina. God will provide you with plenty". I at once gave up the 0-3-6 I had. Before I started for Shirdi, I was at Poona Reay Market and I purchased three excellent "Payarf mangoes for presentation to Sai Baba, and as soon as I saw Sai Baba, I presented them. Sai Baba then took them up, eyed them with joy and said they were nice looking and ordered them to be cut up and He distributed the pieces as prasad (taking a piece himself). Before cutting the fruit, Sai Baba, out of His own vast knowledge, said "Hanoi these fruits he (i.e., Garde) has purchased to the market for me and has brought the whole lot to me, without tasting any part of it. This is the opposite of what a Pandit did the other day. Pandit had got a whole packet of laddus intending to give them to me. But. on the way after bathing at the Godavari river, he got hungry and ate away some of the laddus and brought me the remainder. These fruits are not or sesha like that".

This narration showed us (1) that he appreciated the pure and strong bhakti that we, devotees, should have towards the guru, avoiding the slight involved in presenting Him with sesha and (2) that by his (Sai Baba's) knowledge, even of unseen events taking place far away from Shirdi, He deepens and strengthens the faith and reliance we place in Him and in our guru. My faith in my guru's teaching and my adherence to Him was deepened by all that Sai Baba said and did.

On the 8th day, I got Sri Sai's permission and left Shirdi with money lent me by Bala Saheb Bhate. Once, during those 8 days, I saw a strange sight. Hari Sitaram Dixit had returned, after conducting some big case and with a trunk full of solid silver rupees which were his fees- it may be "Rs. 1000, He placed the trunk before Sai Baba as on offering to Sai Baba. Baba dipped both His palms into the silver heap and gave away palmful after palmful of rupees from the trunk to fakirs and others, who were gathering there in crowds waiting for such windfalls. The entire money was in a few minutes thus gifted away. H.S.Dixit felt in no way disconcerted at the disappearance of his had earned cash.

A few words on Balesaheb Bhate may next be mentioned. At college, he was a free thinker, a free smoker, a veritable charvaka whose creed may be thus summed up, "Eat, drink and be merry today, for tomorrow we die”. I used to remark jocularly at his inveterate smoking being myself free of the tobacco habit. He became mamlatdar and was a very efficient officer much liked by his collector. He was mamaltadar of Kopergoan for about 5 years (1904-1909). All that time he was scoffing at his educated friends (who met him on their way to Shirdi) having any respect for Sai, whom Bhate described as 'as a mad man'. The friends asked him just to see Sai Baba once and then form his judgement. In 1909, Bhate camped at Shirdi and saw Sai Baba day after day. On the fifth day Sai Baba covered him with a gerue garment. From that day, Bhate was a changed man. He did not care for earnings or work. From that day up to his death, he only wished to be at Shirdi, to do seva to Sai Baba, to live and die in His presence. Sai Baba made his friend Dixit draw up an application for leave for one year and with Sai Baba's help, Bhate's signature was got to it. The Collector gave him one year's time to see if he would return to his old self. But. at the end of the year, he still continued to be "mad after his guru' and was granted compassionate pension of about 30 rupees as one afflicted with religious melancholia.

Asked for the reason of his change, Bhate told me the putting of the (Bhagawa) gerua garment on him by Sai Baba marked the crisis. 'By that he said, 'my original frame of mind was removed and in its place quite a new frame of mind was put in*. After that attending to worldly duties - especially official duties - became unthinkable. He then lived at Shirdi attending to his Nitya Karma, Upanished-reading etc, before Sai (Sai would offer remarks on that reading occasionally). His wife and family came to Shirdi and lived with him.

I have written a short account of my visit to Sai Baba. The reasons for the visit and the reception I got at His hands are published in the Maratl biography of my guru.

V

1st June, 1936.

mirathaj ganesh kuvalekar, daughter of Nanasaheb Ganesh Chandorkar, age 49 yrs. near Kasba Ganpati Temple, Poona, says:

I am the elder of N.G.C's daughters. I have two younger brothers. Bapu, the younger is aged 40. When I was 12 or 13 years of age (i.e., 1899 - 1900). I went to see Sai Baba along with others of our family and went often later, but not after 1918.

Chidambar Rao Gadgil Chitnis Introduced my father to Sai Baba when he was mamlatdar at Ghodnadi. An early incident was this. We were staying at the chavadi. Leaving my father behind, the rest of us were starting to leave Shirdi. Sai Baba came up and asked us for biksha and said "Do not go’. Our journey was stopped. We gave Baba, the wayside food ( ) we were taking for the sake of the children. Baba's eyes sparkled like jewels.

I remember one or two instances of Sai Baba's significantly stopping or delaying my father's Journey. My father was starting at the proper time to catch a train at Chitali, as he had to meet the Collector. Baba permitted one Haridas to go for that train, but stopped my father. Haridas in a hurry left without a meal. My father took his meal leisurely and half an hour later than Haridas, My father was permitted to go. He went and found that he was in time for the train as the train was arriving late that day as timings had been changed that day. My father told me about this later. This was about in 1900.

My family and myself were starting from Shirdi to attend a marriage at Nasik, Baba first did not give us leave but said "Do not go". We had not got ready cooked food for the children to eat on the way and thought that at Manmad, we might try to feed them. But the train was derailed at the station before we reached Manmad and we stopped there for three hours. Baba's stoppage evidently indicated this stoppage on the way and His final permission indicated all would be well,

My husband died of plague at Poona in 1904, when I was but 17 and there was no help for me. My mother arrived in time to see him alive. I had just then conceived. In 1905, when I was in advanced pregnancy with serious difficulty at Jamner, was the Gosavi incident and Baba's Udhl But, I knew nothing of it then, in my pain. In 1908, we were at Pandharpur. My brother Bapu Rao, as a little child of 4, went daily in the morning, placed a flower on Sai Baba's head and worshipped Him. That was the beginning of the regular worship of Baba, as others were not permitted till then to do what Bapu did. Before that there was no regular system of daily worship of Baba.

When I was 18 or 19, in about 1906, some one was taking darshan of Sai, with spectacles on and they dropped. Someone present said that the glasses should be offered to Baba as a gift. But Baba said, "I do not want glasses. My glasses are worth Rupees 40”. My father interpreted to us "glasses as self-realization and worth Rs 40 as occurred 40 years ago". Baba looked about fifty and was gray when I went first in 1900 to Shirdi. He continued more or less the same up to 1918. His death was during the influenza epidemic (1918-19) that raged throughout India.

The following facts I learnt from my father:-

1. Sai Baba had known him for 3 or 4 generations.

2. Sai Baba was constantly using the word "Narayan" in His talks thus — Narayan Teli, Narayan Dhobi.&c. N.G. Chandorkar inferred that Sai Baba must have been a Brahmin Sanyasi, as Brahmin Sanyasis must constantly be saving "Narayan'.

3. Gita was repeated by Sai Baba. Sai Baba new Sanskrit.

My father was orthodox and never drank the thirta of Sai Baba. H.S.Dixit and others took it. About 1899 or 1900. my mother's sister's husband Balasaheb Binnewale (who died 5 or 6 years back) went to see Sai Baba without any faith In Sai Baba, out of a desire to oblige my father. Balasaheb was a worshipper of Datta. When he went and saw Sai Baba, he saw Him as a figure with three heads (i.e) as Datta himself. He, at once, believed that Sai was Datta himself, and continued a devotee of Sai till his death.

VI

10th June, 1936.

vinayak daji bhave, Brahmin, aged 37, Shirol Kolhapur State, says:

I was a clerk in 1932 in the B.B.C I.Rry. Co. on Rs. 90 p.m. I was anxious to find a guru and read Guru Gita from 13-4-32 for one month. I had not found any guru or obtained a vision of Datta in that period - as I had hoped to find. Then, one Thursday sacred to the guru - I went to a Datta temple. There is an image of Datta in that temple. But, when I went there in the place of that image a Samadhi- neatty sculptured was what I saw. Next morning, I went to a friend's house and opened Anna Dabholkar's book on Sai Baba and ray eye lighted on the picture of Sai samadhi found in that book - a picture I had not seen before. That was an exact picture of the tomb I saw at the Datta temple. So, I inferred that Sai Baba was to be my guru. For a time, I took His Udhi and read some books about Him. But I soon got dissatisfied. A tomb is not a guru. I wanted a living guru to go to and to commune with. So again recognising that the devoted study or parayana of Guru Gita was the surest method of obtaining a guru, I began my parayana once again and went on with it for a week. Then I saw Narayan Maharaj of Khedgaon in my dream. Inferring that he was to be my guru, I went to Khedgaon. There, at night, I had a dream in which Narayan Maharaj appeared and told me 'I and Sai Baba are not different from each other. Why do you not go there?" I replied that there was none to direct me. I woke up. Later, I went to Shirdi and took Sai Baba as my guru. My palm was read by one sadhu and he said "Sai Baba Is your guru'. In 1933, my son had plague and he recovered by the use of Baba's Udhi alone. My sister had given away a silver cup and Rs. 100 to one Dutta Maharaj, who promised that she would have Ram darshan. She did not get any Ramasakshatkar and she feared that the Maharaj would not return the silver cup. I told her that if she vowed to make a gift of it to Sai Baba's Samsthan, in case the Maharaj returned it, Sai would make the Maharaj return it. She vowed so; the cup and Rs. 100 were returned and her vow was fulfilled by presenting it to the Samsthan. Her name is Durgabai Kakatkar. I knew of Sai Baba ever in 1916. My mother Annapoornabai Daji Bhave went to Shirdi. There when she tried to enter the mosque, Sai Baba prevented her saying it would pollute the mosque. When she returned to yeola, she received a card from Yootmal that her daughter-in-law (i.e., my brother's wife) had died on a particular date - which was the day before my mother's visit to the Shirdi mosque. She had to observe ten day's pollution from that day and was under 10 days pollution when she was at Shirdi. She did not know it then. But Baba knew it evidently.

At my mother's death, we offered the rice ball "pinda" but no crows would touch it. My sister then vowed that she would send 50 rupees to Sai Baba's tomb if crows should come and take the pinda. Then the crows came and ate the pinda.

VII

17th June, 1936.

mukunda sastrI lele, C/o Krishna Sastri, age 58, Vydik life, Konkanast Brahmin, Sanivar Peth, Poona, says:

In 1912, I was often at Shirdi with Sai Baba. I once went with Nanasaheb Chandorkar in a tonga; the horse reared. The carriage fell down. I and Nana came off without hurt. Then Baba at Shirdi did the Sanka sound and said "Nana is now about to die. But, will I let him die? 8 days later, I and Chandorkar went to Shirdi, Then Bapusaheb Jog told me that Baba cried out as above 8 days back and asked me 'Was that true?' ‘Yes', I replied and narrated the facts.

In 1914, my wife was pregnant, 8 months with child. Baba gave me two (pieces of Barfi) and said 'Go'.Then I went home and my wife had a delivery. I have three or four children now.

Sai Baba told me to recite Narayan Upanishad (Taittriya Bhaga) at the pooja of Baba at the masjid and I did so for 10 days. I taught that Upanishad to H.S.Dixit. Baba recited before me from Bagavad Gita and some more at times. He knew Sanskrit.

VIII

7th July. 1936.

cursetji shafurji pestonjamas, Parsi, aged 75 Kolaba Khusrubad, Baug, formerly in Railway Service and Yard Master, Reclamation, says:

I went to Shirdi and saw Sai Baba, and stayed there for three or four days. That was the only time I saw Him. My brother-in-law and I went there and were accommodated on the ground-floor of Dixit's Wada while mine-owners and other rich people were accommodated upstairs. As we went and sat at the mosque before Sai Baba, this thought was in our mind, though we did not express it (viz) ‘What sort of justice is here, in this darbar! Big people enjoying comforts above and poor people left downstairs to suffer inconvenience’. Then Sai Baba told some one present; ‘Take these people up', and we were given accommodation upstairs. This was at once proof of Baba's reading our hearts and of His love of equality and justice. When we left Him finally, He came out and graciously waved His hand, as sort of 'God speed' to us.

Except this, I have no experience of Sai Baba. I believe He is God.

20th July, 1936.

B. laghate esq., B.A., L.L.B., ex-Sub-Judge, Brahmin, aged 70, Shaniwarpeth, Poona, says:

I went to Sai Baba about 1913 or 1914. I was in trouble and I went to get His ashirwad (i.e) blessings to get rid of the trouble. When I approached Him, He asked for dakshina and I gave it. He said to me of His own accord 'sou; margosa and afterwards cut off that tree. I could not make head or tail of this utterance. It was evidently not the asirvad I went to Him for. I was disappointed and I never went to Him again, though at about that time, I lived with Mr. H.S.Dixit (who was a staunch devotee of Sai Baba) for three years.

20th July, 1936.

'Kusha Bhav' (alias) krishnaji kasinath joshi son of Kashinath Padmakar Joshi, Joshi Vattandr, Brahmin, aged 70, (10 miles off Ahmednagar) Mirazgaon, says:

I was given a mere elementary Vernacular School Examination education to qualify myself for a School Master's place on Rs. 5 or 7 per mensem. I got trained also for the hereditary duties of the village priest. I did not care for either. We were poor. In these circumstances, I wanted to devote myself to a life of bhakti. I found a Guru in Datta Maharaj, a truly great and Satvic soul. He took me away from time to time and trained me in yoga. Under him I learnt Asanas, Pronoyoma and the rousing of the Kundalini SaktL But, in my youthful waywardness, I was not contented with all that and asked my Guru to impart to me the mantras he knew which gave worldly powers creating spells and breaking spells, exercising devils and invoking them &c. The Guru very unwillingly imparted the mantras to me, on account of my Importunity and I went through the necessary Japa and sodhona I wore an iron bangle, repeated the mantras asprescribed for the required number of times, I succeeded in getting possession of the coveted powers. I could simply utter a mantra and order the production of sweetmeats, pedhos and and the like. And the articles I ordered would at once appear and be filling my hands. These I would show to others and distribute. The pedha etc., I could not use. I could not and should not eat or sell them but I gave them away to the admiring or wondering people about me. I could also destroy the evil spells of others. The production of pedha etc. was not by the use of evil spirits (e.g.) Yakshas, Jinns etc... This latter method is dangerous. It will extinguish one’s life. The spirits might even begin to cause physical harm to the man, who uses them. In my case, the articles required were produced purely rnantric power without the use of these evil spirits.

When I was aged about twentytwo and fully armed with these magical powers, my Guru resolved to go away from our society into the Himalayas and live there alone right up the end of his life. He started north and took me with him upto Delhi. There he wished to part company with me finally. As to what I should do, after he went away, he told me that there was one Sai Baba of Shirdi, whom he referred to as his elder brother that I should go to Him and do whatever ne directs. Saying this, the Guru went away and disappeared from me and this part of the country: and I have not seen or heard anything more of him since.

Then (i.e.) in 1908, I went to Shirdi and found Sai Baba. He would not allow me to be with him till I should throw away my iron bangle and stop the production of pedhas etc., by mantric means. As His order was strict; I broke and threw away my iron wristlets and stopped my mantric production of articles like pedha etc. To sustain myself I begged food here and there at Shirdi. I had no abode. He ordered me to sit in a corner of the mosque and go on reading Dasbodha during the day, and I did so. At night, I would sleep in any place I could find space to lie on. He gave neither me nor anyone else any upadesh mantra etc.

The town people from Bombay etc. were not coming to Him then. Only the villagers would go to Him now and then, and ask Him to remedy their trifling complaints (e.g.) stomach- ache, fever etc. He gave His Udhi to all these from his ever-buring fire (dhuni) which he maintained at the mosque. He was not asking for dakshina from all but only a few pice (e.g) 4 or 5 He would ask for and getting these, He might buy fuel for His dhuni or some such article of necessity. As for big people, I remember that Nanasahib Nimonkar was often with Him; and as for His talks, I never heard Him say anything about Maya or Brahma or Mahavakya tatwas or Viveka, and Sadhana Chathustftya, He imparted faith to those resorting to Him faith in Ishwara, by exercising His wonderful powers:

they would go on with their devotion to their Ishtadevata and finally, He would grant them Sakshatkara of that particular ishtadevata.

As for myself, I stayed three full years at a stretch with Him and then went on visiting Him during the nine years that followed. During that period of nine years, He told me to see a person with three heads. That of course, I took as a direction to go and see Datta at Gangapur. Every year I visited Gangapur twice once in Guru Poomima and next in Magha poornima. Then, once He told me to do 108 parayanas of Guru Charitra, taking three days to finish each parayana. I did this at Gangapur and stayed there 10 or 11 months for this purpose. As for my powers, He had interdicted their use. But, out of His kindness, He gave me some other power. It came about thus. One Ekadashi day. I sat by His side. Baba: What do you eat today?

I : Nothing, to-day is Ekadashi

Baba: What does Ekadashi mean?

I : It means a day for upavas

Baba : What does upavas means?

I: It is just like rojas

Baba: What is rojas?

I. We take nothing except Kandamulaa

means root and usually 'sweet potatoes' and is the food that is eaten (onions should not be taken by the orthodox) on Ekadashi day. Then Baba picked up some onions, evidently having a phonetic equivocation, and told me to eat it. Seeing Baba was persistent and not wishing to run counter to His wishes, I yielded, but added 'If you eat It, I will eat it’. Then Baba ate some onions and I ate some. Then as visitors began to arrive, Baba was enjoying some fun at my expense.

Baba : Look at this Bramniya (a contemptuous corruption of the word Brahmin), he is eating onions on Ekadashi day. I began to defend my conduct or justify it. I : Baba ate it and I ate it. Baba, at one stroke, was having humour at my expense and the manifestation of His powers and He declared that He had not eaten onions. At once, He vomitted out something. That was not onion but sweet potatoes (Ratale). Baba : See, it is not onion but sweet potato I had

eaten.

Now here was my opportunity. By His miraculous powers, He had produced sweet potatoes from His mouth. I treated it as prasad, fell upon it, seized it with my mouth and ate it up. Baba abused me, kicked me and beat me. But I did not mind at all in the least, as I was overjoyed at having got His uchchishta as prasad. I knew also that as with Akalkote Maharaj, so with Baba His beating and abuse were auspicious and beneficial. If Baba kissed a man and sent him off, as He did sometimes, that was not auspicious. But in an instant, Baba's mood was changed. His anger, real or pre-tented, gave way to warm appreciation of my unquestioning faith in Him and He lovingly placed His hand on my head and blessed me. He said that I would thenceforth have the power by barely thinking of Him and holding up my palms, to pour abundance of Udhi from my palms.

(At this stage, Kushabhav at once put his two empty palms together and held them above and in front of his face, lifted his face up and closed his eyes, for (or as though he was in) prayer and in a minute he cried. Here is ‘Udhi’ 'Hold your hand under and receive the Udhi' and he began to drop a stream of fresh Udhi from between his palms. We (i.e) .I.B.V.N.Swami and Mr. Avaste, stretched out a piece of paper and took some ounces of udhi, folded the same into packets and took the same.)

This miraculously produced Udhi could be distributed by me to those who have faith and want prasad from me, and the Udhi would remove troubles. This power was at once vested in me and did not require any japa on my part. I am since then using this power to grant Udhi prasad to those who want it. This Udhi will remove various evils and can be used. It might even cure lack of issue, But, in cases of menstrual disorder, it would be better to see the issueless lady, before deciding on the remedial measure necessary. As for the old power of producing pedhos etc., I am mostly obeying Baba's interdictory order. But occassionally. I have yeilded to the importunity of people, who ask me to produce pedhas etc.

This power of counteracting evil spells and black magic I have exercised without compunction. Within the last month Mr. Rajmachikar's grandson was getting mysterious "biba marks' (i.e marks of the marking-nut) on his body or on his clothes or bed clothes without any visible cause. That is a well-known species of black magic and there are specific mantras (that I have practised) to counteract these and other similar evil practices. I was sent for and I came and went on with these counteracting mantras and my Datta pooja, arati etc., at Rajmachikar's. That checked the black magic. On 18-7-36, Saturday, when, as usual, the magical biba marks should apeear, none appeared and the evil spell is now counteracted.

After I stayed three years with Baba. my father came up and took me. At my departure, Baba said 'Next time when you come, come two of you', A little later, I and my father went to Shirdi and paid our respects to Baba. Then He said that by his pharse 'come two’ He means that I should marry and come with a wife. Soon after my father took me from Shirdi, I had married a wife; yet still I liked to go and stay with Baba. So, I went to Him alone, and stayed with Him for a long time, though married. Then my wife came up and took me away with her. Now I have children and grandchildren.

On one of my visits, Baba told me ‘Why do you take the trouble to come up all this distance to see me? I am there’. He then have a specific description of a plot of land In my village as his residence. I went up later and after clearing the prickly part on it, I found there was a somodhfe there. I bought up that land and at that samadhi, I have my worship. There Baba gives me darshan. So I am not going to Shirdi after that - except for the Ramanavami.

The power of producing Udhi etc., which I have got is communicable by me. But the would-be recipient of the power would have to undergo a rigorous course of an austere discipline (e.g.) six montths of absolute brahmacharya( i.e.) continence.

30th August, 1936.

The name of the saint that appears at Mirazgaon is Pakir Shah. He lived 200 years ago and held the land in which his tomb now exists, as an dinom grant from the jagirdar. I now own that land. He has no disciples or descendants. He is different from Sai Baba. He occassioonally talks of Sai Baba. He talks very little. It is mostly darshan of him we get. Now, during the Chaturmasya, even dharsan is stopped. We can now hear his voice but not see him during these four months.

(Just as he entered today at 10 p.m into Narayan Rao Bhide's room, Kusa Bhav said, 'here hold’ and produced Vibhuti or Udhi and applied it to Mr. Bhide's forehead and gave bits to others.) The production of this Udhi is not the result of any mantra, but is the result merely remembering Sai Baba. The former power of producing pedha is different. The pedhas I produced are merely property fetched from eleshere. That power did not include the production at will of Udhi. Now it is production ( by thinking of Sai) of Udhi. For me it was merely transferring pedha, etc., from one place to another. This Pakir Shah does not give one any help; by his speech etc., in one's progress injnan or bhakti it is merely to inspire faith that he appears. He is to be seen and worshipped or bowed to. His statement about Sai Baba is that Sai Baba is alive. He gives no details as to what form or what condition Baba is in whether Sai Baba remains only as a spirit or has taken fresh form in some human body, etc. He says that he and Sai Baba are inter-related as persons of the same order or set.

26th July. 1936.

baiakrishna govind upasani sastri, S/O Govind Gopal Upasani Sastri, Brahmin, aged about 69, retired Professor of Sanskrit, Saniwarpeth, Poona, says:

When plague was raging at Poona, my college was closed for many long months, and then I went on pilgrimage with my mother and wife. When I went from Haridwar and Rishikesh to Tapovan, there I met a sadhu who glared at me -at least he was persistently looking at me. I bowed to him and he still looked at me, and asked me 'Are you not from Satana?' 'Yes', I answered, for Satana is my ancestral village. Then, I, in my turn inquired of him, who he was. 'Come here again tomorrow at this time - (afternoon) and I will tell you, he said. I then went to my quarters and informed my mother. She thought that this might be our (family) Mutt Founder, Sri Uddhava of Mulhare (Mayurapura). Next day, she wanted to come to the saint and she accompanied me to the appointed place at the time fixed. After 15 minutes of wandering up and down, she thought it was a wild goose chase to find a wandering saint and went away. Almost immediately after she left, that saint appeared before me and said, with a grave countenance, 'Do not act in this manner again'.

I : In what manner?

He : Only those directed to come should come. There is always difference between one individual and another alike in physical and other peculiarities. No two are exactly the same. So only the bidden person should come.

I agreed to abide by that rule.

Then as I wanted to know his identity, he informed me that I had a saligram among the Gods that I worshipped at home and he gave me an exact description of it. I said that I had that saligram. Then, he added, that he was the person who gave it to Uddhava Maharaj from whose grandson, my grandfather had got it. It has been a heirloom with us and I am still worshipping it.

Still as his identity was not clear, he thus replied to me – talking this time in Hindustani. Till then, he was talking in Marathi. He waved his hand so as to attract my attention and said ‘Lo, there was a tree. Two persons went up that tree. One came down; the other went up’. He wound up with the remark You will come to know’ and then he disappeared. He looked like a man of 50 or 60 years, rather bulky and stout and he wore onty a coupina and no other article of dress.

Many years later, say about 1910-11, (31-12-1911) I was trying to tilize my Christmas Holidays for a trip from Dhulia southward to see if any trace could be found of my younger brother Kasinath (i.e Upasani Baba). He had contacted some strange disease in the course of his efforts at Pronoyoma. He could not lie down lest breathing should stop. He had no sleep, nor good digestion. So he left home and we had no trace of his whereabouts. As I was in the train from Manmad going south, it stopped at Kopergaon for a few minutes and the local mamlatdar Mr. Bhat, a friend of mine who was on the platform made me alight and spend a pleasant day with him. He told me that Sal Baba was a saint living 6 miles off (i.e) at Shirdi and worth a visit. He sent me in his tonga to that village.

I went to the mosque and found Sai Baba at the dhuni in the mosque. He was standing close to the fire and occassionally turning round Himself. He saw me and invited me inside. I went and prostrated myself before him. Gazing at me, he told me to go to Khandoba's temple. I thought he recommended that visit to see the image of that God and I said that all Gods were there with Him, and was quite content to see Him. He repeated the words 'Go to Khandoba's. I inferred that He wanted me to get away and not to stay there. So I went to an adjoining house and there they told me (after I mentioned Baba's order) that there was one Upasani Sastri at Khandoba's. I then went to Khandoba's and found my brother there. He said that he was remaining there by Sai Baba's order and that he saw very little of Sai Baba. I then gave him or rather one Dada Kelkar on his account some Rs.4 for his food expenses and went back to the Masjid. I stayed at Shirdi for one or two days at that time.

On the first day, He asked all generally for dakshina kukshana some gave. He extended His palms towards me and asked for dakshnia kukshan. I said I had nothing and made pranams.

On the occassion, Sai Baba said to me the same words as the sadhu at Tapovan. 'Lof there was a tree. Two persons went up that tree. One came down; the other went up In Hindustani. I was at once reminded of the Tapovan saint whose person closely resembled Sai Baba's, though the dress was different. Sai Baba mentioned some autobiographical reminiscences of His own. He said He had been at the battle in which the Rani of Jhansi took part. He was then in the army.

On the second day He asked me again for dakshina. I excused myself on the ground that I had barely the railway fare for my Journey with me. Then He pointed to a silver watch I had in my pocket and asked for it as dakshina. I gave it - but not without a momentary regret and hesitation. He received it and handed it over to some fakir by His side. Then looking at me and evidently to meet my momentary regret at losing the watch, Baba said to me "You are not going to be worse off (on this account)'. I said, 'Of course, it was nothing I had given. Then I started back, and via Kopergaon I came to poona. There I went to a friend's (Mr. Natu's) house. I was talking of my Shirdi watch incident 'and inquired what it would cost to get a similar watch. Just then my friend's brother sent down his gold watch worth about Rs. 60 and wanted me to accept it as a present and I accepted it. So, I was not worse off for parting with my watch to Sai Baba.

I visited Shirdi on one or two occassions. I composed then Sanskrit poems on Sai Baba.

XII

27th July, 1936.

balakistna ramachandra khairikar, Brahmin, Vydiki life, aged 70, Khairi (3 miles off Chitale) says:

When I first heard of Sai baba, it was that he was a mad man. That was 35 years ago or thereabout. But when everybody began to talk of Him and as some of the Brahmins of Shirdi (e.g. Appa Kulkami) are connected with me, I went to see Him. I was a hereditary village officer. The Government dispensed with our services in 1916. Formerly perople used to visit Shirdi along Chitale, Jalgaon, Rampur, Nathpatlacha, Wadi, Pimpalwadi, Shirdi route. That road not being in use is not now to be found.

I saw Baba using water instead of oil for His panthis (lamps).

Deshpande Master of Danderpur was often hearing Baba talk. I know nothing of what Baba said.

Once in 1908, when I went to Baba, a coin - a pice I trod upon at the mosque. I picked it up and delivered it to Baba saying 'Keep this safe. This is your coin'. He returned it to me saying That is all right. Take this coin home. Keep in your puja, along with the images you worship. You will have prosperity'. I took it and worshipped it. For three years, (i.e) till 1911, I had prosperity. Formerly. I could not get even rice for a night meal. But after I started the worship, I save so much from my earnings as Kulkarni, that my wife could get gold bangles (i.e., wristlets). Then when I travelled and came under pollution I delivered my study book (Pothi) with the pice in it to a friend and some days later, I found the pice was lost. Since then (1911) misfortune dogs my heels. I first lost my wife in six months of losing the coin. In 1916 I lost my service. In 1917-18, I lost my mother, I am now begging for my food. I visit Shirdi on each Ramanavami.

XIII

27th August, 1936.

badave, C/O Anand Ramachandra Badave, of Nevase, Brahmin, aged 64, Estate Broker, Mothi Chowsk, Ravivar Peth, Poona, says:

About 30 years ago, my father-in-law Mr. Vabale, then Vakil of Ahmednagar, was a great devotee of Sai Baba. I was a Badava or Poojgri (of Mohiniraj) at Nevasa. I had one son. But several children were born to me before and after that had died young. My wife, child and I went at the instance of my father-in-law (who was a friend of Nana Saheb Chan-dorkar) to Shirdi. My wife said nothing and none of us said anything about our grievances or prayer. My wife mentally prayed for Sai Baba's blessings that children to be born later should not be short-lived but be healthy and long-lived. Baba placed His palm on her head and said, 'Have no anxieties'. Thereafter, I had only one daughter and three sons born to me and they are alive except one son who died at the age of 17. At that visit, Baba asked me for Dakshina. When I paid something" He wanted more. This He repeated several times till my funds were practically exhausted. I wanted to give Him one rupee more but somehow failed to give it. We returned and I told my wife about it. Some years later, I fell on bad days, my finances were very low and I was knocking from pillar to post getting little or nothing. Then my wife reminded me that I wished to pay Re. 1 to Sai Baba and had omitted to do so. At once, I sent Sai Baba Re. 1 by M.O. Since then the tide has turned. I have had good days and no financial difficulties. This was about 20 years ago. Baba was alive then. I came to Poona in 1914 and I am doing business as estate broker etc. My sons are doing good business here.

XIV

1st September, 1936.

shridhar narayan kharkar, aged 57, Kayasta Prabhu, Accountant, Secretriat. 37 Charni Road, Thana, Says :

My earliest period, that is infancy, was well stocked and fed with religious ideas and ideals by the pious prudence of my grandfather. When I was thus developing the orthodox side of my religious study and practice, Mr. Appa Kulkami, Deputy Collector, a very pious soul, showed me the picture of Sai Baba that he was devoutedly attached to. That was my first contact with Baba. Very soon after that I got from Mr. Dabholkar a picture of Baba, a number of Sai Lila Masiks and a packet of Baba's Udhi that came on a day. I was unwell; and on the second day, I got alright and started my worship of Baba which steadily grew thenceforward.

The beginning of my faith in Baba was marked by a remarkable dream or vision.

The picture I got from Mr. Dabholkar I took to my Pooja room but when I was taking it near the picture of the Akkalkot Saint that I was already worshipping, some impulse made me withdraw the new picture. 'Hallo! This is the Moslem's picture. How could it be placed next to the holy Hindu saint?' So thinking I kept it apart, a little distance from (and not in the same group with) Akkalkot Maharaj's picture.

I had a dream that night. In the morning, I first forgot all about the dream but when I began to worship I at once recalled the details of my night dream. In the dream. I saw a fakir robbed like Sai Baba coming towards the oti or veranda on which I and some one else were sitting. I got up to welcome that fakir. Perhaps I was going to make some invidious distinction. At any rate to prevent such a distinction being made, the person who was next to me told me this (Sai Baba) is not different from Akkalkot and I was directed to treat Him on the same footing as Akkalkot Maharaj. Recalling the dream, I rearranged the pictures and placed Sai Baba's picture along with Akkalkot Maharaj's and worshipped Him.

By Baba's kindness, devotion to Sai Baba has increased by leaps and bounds not only with me but also amongst all the members of my family. I read up all available books on Sai Baba and my wife and children (and God has given me my quiverful) all have taken to Baba worship and show such a great zeal that in case I fail to attend to aratl or pooja of Baba, someone else is ready to take it up.

At first, there appeared to be some exceptions to my felicity in this respect. My mother was living away from me for many years. But, by the grace of God and Baba, she came to live with me. But at first, seeing the worship I paid to Baba's Picture and my visits to Shirdi she was displeased on the ground that Baba was a Moslem. But, Baba's kindness towards me and her was most remarkable. He worked a gradual change in her feelings. As she was not for Baba, I took other members of my family with me to Shirdi but not my mother. After 2 or 3 such years, i.e. in 1933, she wished to go to Shirdi and pay her