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SHRI SAI SATHCHARITHA
"Sada Nimbarvrikshasya mooladhiwasat,
Sudhasravinam tiktamapi-apriyam tam,
Tarum Kalpavrikshadhikam sadhayantam
Namameeshwaram Sadgurum Sai Natham"
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Chapter 42
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Baba's Passing Away
Previous Indication - Averting Death of Ramachandra Dada
Patil and Tatya Kote Patil - Charity to Laxmibai Shinde - Last Moment.
This chapter describes the Passing away of Baba.
Preliminary
The stories given in the previous chapter have shown
that the light of Guru's grace removes out fear of the mundane existence, opens
the path of salvation and turns our misery into happiness. If we always remember
the feet of the Sad-guru, our troubles come to an end, death loses its sting and
the misery of this mundane existence is obliterated. Therefore those who care
for their welfare should carefully listen to these stories of Sai Samarth, which
will purify their minds.
In the beginning, Hemadpant dwells on Dr.Pandit's worship and his marking
Baba's forehead with Tripundra, i.e., three horizontal lines; but as this has
been already described in chapter XI, this has been omitted here.
Previous Indication
The readers up till now heard the stories of Baba's
life. Let them now hear attentively Baba's Passing away. Baba got a slight
attack of fever on 28th September, 1918. The fever lasted for 2 or 3 days, but
afterwards Baba gave up his food and thereby He grew weaker and weaker. On the
17th day, i.e., Tuesday, the 15th October 1918, Baba left His mortal coil at
about 2-30 p.m. (Vide Professor G.G. Narke's letter, dated 5th November 1918, to
Dadasaheb Khaparde, published in "Sai Leela" magazine, Page 78, first year). Two
years before this, i.e., in 1916, Baba gave an indication of His Passing away,
but nobody understood it then. It was as follows:- On the Vijayadashmi (Dasara)
day Baba at once got into wild rage in the evening when people were returning
from 'Seemollanghan' (crossing the border or limits of the village). Taking off
His head-dress, kafni and langota etc., He tore them and threw them in the Dhuni
before Him. Fed by this offering, the fire in the Dhuni began to burn brighter
and Baba shone still brighter. He stood there stark naked and with His burning
red eyes shouted - "You fellows, now have a look and decide finally whether Iam
a Moslem or a Hindu." Everybody was trembling with fear and none dared to
approach Baba. After some time Bhagoji Shinde, the leper devotee of Baba, went
boldly near Him and succeeded in tying a langota (waist-band) round His waist
and said - "Baba, what is all this? To-day is the Seemollanghan, i.e., Dasara
Holiday." Baba striking the ground with His satka said - "This is my
Seemollanghan (crossing the border)." Baba did not cool down till 11-00 p.m. and
the people doubted whether the chavadi procession would ever take place that
night. After an hour Baba resumed His normal condition and dressing Himself as
usual attended the chavadi procession as described before. By this incident Baba
gave a suggestion that Dasara was the proper time for Him to cross the border of
life, but none understood its meaning. Baba gave also another indication as
follows:-
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all