After a long gap, I got a chance to do parayan of Sai Satcharitra and today I will be completing it with Baba’s grace and will. The moments spent with this 
sacred book makes one feel Divine Presence of Sai Baba. Even after completing so many parayans, there is always something new which I learn each time I read it. The spiritual knowledge stored in it is so vast that we overlook many things in one time reading. Its something like Baba wants us to read it as many times as possible, so He always reserves some special teachings for next parayan. Not only this, we get to know such answers which can be called as unanswered questions settled in our minds, which we may not be even aware of. The things which strike at the time of reading Sai Satcharitra directs a practical solution to our problems. In our day to day life we are facing some or other difficulty which makes us feel morose, but Sai Satcharitra has these solutions stored if we try to go deep into it. This sacred book has fulfilled our desire to see Baba in living form as He is present in it. Now let me come to the main story of this post now. It describes how a poor man desirous of having darshan Baba gets opportunity to visit Shirdi when Baba was in flesh and what Leela did He played to call him to Shirdi.
There lived a young man named Gopal Ganesh Mahajan in Thana District near Mumbai. He worked as a helper in Khatau Mill. He used to get Rs. 15 as monthly salary. Many a times his health would deteriorate and this was the main cause of his worry.
It was Gopal Ganesh’s mother wish that if Sai Baba puts His Kripa Drishti just once on his son, then his sufferings will come to an end. But this seemed almost impossible as Gopal used to get a very nominal salary which was just sufficient to meet both the ends.
In those days, the total expense for Mumbai-Shirdi trip was about Rs. 8 – Rs. 10. There were two wadas viz. Dixit Wada and Sathe Wada for free lodging. Shri Kakasaheb Dixit arranged for food which was again provided free of cost. Moreover crop from Shri Dada Kelkar’s farm which Sai Baba had gifted him was used for making arrangements for providing food free of cost. Over and above this Dada Kelkar gave Rs. 5 from his own pocket for daily expenses for this purpose. There was even a hotel where one could get food by paying a nominal amount of 8 annas along with servings of pure ghee.
Our beloved Sai Baba used to play Leelas while sitting in Shirdi each day. Here is another one. In the year 1911, during Ramnavmi festival the problem of scarcity of water occured. With the divine powers, Baba solved the matter for the time being. To prevent the same problem occuring again, Baba entrusted the responsibility of setting up a water pump near well of Shirdi to Shri Ramchandra Tarkhad.
In the year 1913, before Ramnavmi festival, Holi holidays were going on. Ramchandra Tarkhad decided to take two helpers of the mill for the work of fitting water pump during these holidays for preparations of Ramnavmi festival well in advance. Tarabai Tarkhad (wife of Ramchandra Tarkhad and intimate devotee of Baba) decided to accompany her husband as she wished to celebrate every festival in Shirdi.
On the other hand, Ganesh Gopal thought in mind that even if I am not able to go to Shirdi, I can send flower garland and prasad for Baba through Ramchandra Tarkhad. In this way I will get blessings of Baba automatically.
In those days, to reach Kopergaon, trains from Boribandar haulted at Dadar station. Gopal Ganesh went to Dadar station with garland and prasad to give to Ramchandra Tarkhad for offering to Baba on his behalf.
Ramchandra Tarkhad said to Gopal Ganesh, “O Son, do you wish to come to Shirdi? If you desire so come and sit with us. I have this one ticket extra, you dont worry about money. I’ll send message for your mother now itself. Dont worry about anything. All will be well by Baba’s grace”. In this way Gopal Ganesh unexpectedly got a chance to visit Shirdi for which he was longing since many days. Baba pulled the wires from every direction that it left great sense of devotion in Gopal Ganesh’s heart and he remained a staunch devotee of Baba till his death. When the grace of Baba is with someone, nothing seems to be impossible.
How the trip of Shirdi faired Ramchandra Tarkhad and what deep message did Baba impart him is reserved for next post.
© Shirdi Sai Baba Life Teachings and Stories
