Chapter XXVIII

The Construction of the Wada

Butty Wada
Sreeman Butty, with the help of Shama, Kaka Saheb Dixit and others, had procured the material required for the construction of the Wada, and engaged the required workers. They decided to commence the work on 30 December 1913,with the laying of the foundation stone. Baba also agreed to this. The construction started. Shama was supervising. The underground structure, the outside structure and digging of the well were completed. Baba also saw the construction work daily on his way to Lendi Bagh and back to the mosque. Sometimes, Baba would indicate some alterations and give some suggestions. Slowly the workers also developed devotion and faith in Baba. They saluted Baba every day before the commencement of work and also at closing time. The building material and the implements were taken care of by Bapu Saheb Jog. With Baba’s blessings, the building rose quickly . The workers worked as if it was a holy yagna.

Butty was in a hurry to install Sri Krishna’s idol in the big hall. When he sought permission of Baba to order for the idol, Baba declined to give the permission,stating that when the Wada was completed, he would himself come and reside there and all of them would embrace each other and play there and be happy. On another occasion, Baba sat cross-legged on the ‘base’constructed for installing Sri Krishna’s idol. Butty once again asked Baba’s permission to get the idol prepared - Baba asked whether he was not Sri Krishna. He told Butty to wait patiently for some time, saying that the idol could be installed afterwards. Nobody could understand the inner meaning of Baba’s words. The temple was coming up gradually. Baba made all arrangements personally and if he wanted to tell his devotees about anything, he told them in their dreams.

Khushal Chand of Rahata
One evening Baba asked Kaka Dixit to go to Rahata and fetch Khushal Chand, he had not seen since a long time. When Dixit went to Rahata in a tonga to fetch Khushal Chand, he found him already getting ready to come to Shirdi. Kushal Chand told Dixit that Baba had appeared in his dream in the afternoon and asked him to come to Shirdi and therefore he was getting ready. So,both of them started for Shirdi in the tonga brought by Dixit. Khushal Chand was overwhelmed with joy at the way Baba showed his love for him.

Punjabi Ramlal of Bombay
One day Baba appeared in the dream of Ramlal as a saint and asked him to come to him. But Ramlal did not know who this saint was and where to find him. When he was walking along a street in the evening, he saw the photo of Baba in a shop and was attracted to it like a magnet. He found out that the saint who had appeared in his dream and the person in the photo were one and the same. He went to Shirdi and remained there till his death.

Vijayanand
Vijayanand was a sanyasi from Madras. On his way to Mansarovar he stopped at Shirdi and stayed for few days. He ascertained the details about the journey to Mansarovar from Somadeva Swamy who also was at Shirdi. Learning that the pilgrimage would be full of difficulties, he went to Baba and prostrated before him. Baba got angry and told the devotees who were there that they should not befriend this useless sanyasiand that he may be driven out.

Having commenced the pilgrimage, to leave it half way finding it difficult was not the quality of an enlightened person. Once having started work, it should be finished at any cost, facing the difficulties bravely. This is the quality of the courageous. This applies also in spiritual matters. This is the reason why Baba addressed him as a sanyasi. Even though Baba was angry with him, Vijayanand’s love for Baba remained the same. He sat in a corner of the mosque and observed the various activities that took place there.

At the darbar (audience session) held in the morning were a large number of devotees. They were worshipping Baba in several ways. Some did abhishek to his feet. Some collected the abhishek water that dripped from the toe of his leg and drank it. Some touched his feet with their hands and put the hands on their eyes. Some collected in small vessels the water with which his feet were washed, and took them home. Some applied sandalpaste to Baba’s neck and hands. Some others sprayed scent on his dress. Some garlanded him while others showered flowers at his feet. In the middle some were giving camphor arathi . Now and then Baba adjusted his headgear. He fondled the heads of some devotees and blessed them. He gave a handful of pedas (sweets) to the children who came to bow before him. He kept some children on his lap and fed them the sweets personally. Vijayanand, on seeing these things which were taking place, without any feeling of caste, religion, nationality and sex, felt like not leaving Shirdi and stayed on for some time.

At the darbar (audience session) held in the morning were a large number of devotees. They were worshipping Baba in several ways. Some did abhishek to his feet. Some collected the abhishek water that dripped from the toe of his leg and drank it. Some touched his feet with their hands and put the hands on their eyes. Some collected in small vessels the water with which his feet were washed, and took them home. Some applied sandalpaste to Baba’s neck and hands. Some others sprayed scent on his dress. Some garlanded him while others showered flowers at his feet. In the middle some were giving camphor arathi . Now and then Baba adjusted his headgear. He fondled the heads of some devotees and blessed them. He gave a handful of pedas (sweets) to the children who came to bow before him. He kept some children on his lap and fed them the sweets personally. Vijayanand, on seeing these things which were taking place, without any feeling of caste, religion, nationality and sex, felt like not leaving Shirdi and stayed on for some time.

Sitting alone in Lendi Bagh as per Baba’s orders, Vijayanand did Parayana twice and became very tired. On the third day be put his head on the thigh of Bade Baba and expired. Baba having known the last chapter of Vijayanand’s life did not allow him to get himself entangled in worldly matters, had detained him at Shirdi and made him read holy books and thus helped him in merging with God.

Madras Bhajan Samaj
In the year 1916, a Bhajan Samaj belonging to Ramadasi system from Madras was on its way to Kashi. On hearing about Sai Baba the members visited Shirdi on their way. The main members of the Samaj were a male, his wife, daughter and sister-in-law. They stayed for a few days at Shirdi and sang good devotional songs and did bhajan in the evenings daily. The wife was very devotional and good at heart. But the other three members were always thinking about the presents that Baba would give them. Baba was pleased with the devotion of the wife and at arathi time gave her darshan as Sri Rama, her preferred God. When she told about this to the other members of the Samaj, they told her that it was only her illusion and made fun of her.

After a few days her husband had a dream which goes as follows: when he was in a big town, the police arrested him. They tied his hands with a rope and put him in a cage . Sai Baba was standing near the cage. Then he told Sai Baba, "On hearing your name and fame we came to your feet. When you are here in person why this has happened to me?" Baba replied, "You have to suffer for your actions."Then he told Baba," If I had inadvertently committed any sins in my previous birth, please burn them like hay." Then Baba asked whether he had such confidence in him and he replied that he had full faith in him. Then Baba asked him to close his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he found the policemen lying down bleeding. He was released from the cage. Then Baba told him, "Now you will be caught by the higher officers." Then he prayed to Baba, "Except you there is none to save me, you save me somehow." Baba asked him to close his eyes once again. When he opened them, he found himself out of the cage and standing next to Baba. He fell at his feet. Then Baba asked him whether there was any difference between the namaskar he had done previously and the ‘namaskar’ he was doing now. He replied that there was a lot of difference. The earlier namaskar was done with a desire to get money from Baba. The present namaskar was done treating Baba as God and done with devotion. Baba asked him whether he had any desires. He told Baba that he had a desire to have the darshan of his Guru ‘Ramdas’. Baba asked him to turn around and see. When he did, he saw his Guru ‘Ramdas’ who became invisible after giving him darshan. He told Baba that he appeared like an old man. Then Baba said, "Am I old ? See now." And asked him to run along with him. Baba ran some distance and became invisible. With this the dream ended and he woke up from his sleep.

He thought over the dream deeply. The cage indicated the desire for money.The ‘Dharma’ would punish those who were greedy. That was shown as the police. When he developed faith in Baba,the cage opened, which meant that the greed disappeared. Even dharma cannot punish those who are not greedy. That was why the police fell down. Baba ran and merged in the universe. He ran behind Baba. This was the human soul following God.

Through this one dream Baba taught him so many matters and made him understand things properly. This is the competence of Sadguru. That morning when he bowed in salutation before Baba, he blessed him and gave him two rupees and sweets and said, "Allah will do you good",and that he would get a lot of money. As per Baba’s blessings, their pilgrimage went off well and they got a lot of money. They sang in praise of Shirdi Sai Baba at many places. Even after reaching home they propagated much about Baba.

Baba "Crossing the Border" (Seemollanghan)
It was October 1916. The day was Vijayadasami (Dushera festival). As per the tradition, all the villagers would go up to the boundary of the village in a procession, cross the boundary and come back. This was called "Seemollanghan" or crossing the border. On that day also when they returned after "Seemollanghan", Baba suddenly became angry, his eyes became red like balls of fire and his body temperature rose. He removed all the items of dress on his body including his headgear, tore them and threw them into the Dhuni. Because of this, the flames in the Dhuni rose high. Baba’s naked body was shining bright due to the reflection of the flames. His two eyes looked like two bright lamps. All the villagers gathered near Dwarakamai to witness this strange scene. Baba, turning towards them thundered, "Look at me carefully and say whether I am a Hindu or a Muslim." Everyone began shivering at his sudden outburst . None had the courage to open his mouth. There was complete silence for some moments. Then Bhagoji Shinde went to Baba and tried to tie a fresh ‘Langota’ (a loincloth) and found the body temperature so hot he could not touch it with his hand. Anyhow, he tied the ‘langota’ and asked Baba why he was doing all this on the day of ‘Seemollanghan’.Baba again thundered, "Today is my Seemollanghan." So saying, he hit the floor with his sataka with force. Bhagoji next dressed up Baba with a long shirt and made him sit. Tatya came and applied sandalpaste all over the body. Baba did not cool down till ten in the night. Finally, he calmed down and was ready for the Chavadi procession. Bhagoji touched Baba’s right hand once, while he was walking and found it soft and cold. None understood Baba’s words when he said,"Today is my seemolanghan." But he indicated that exactly two years from this day he would be crossing his life’s border. After his Samadhi on Dushera day in the year 1918, everyone understood Baba’s statement.

Inspite of reading many holy books,hearing many good lectures and moving in good company it is very difficult to put into practice, the goods things we learn. This is human weakness. Let us pray to Sai Baba for Seemollanghan of this weakness in our readers.

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