i.e., Ganpatrao Dattatreya Sahasra-buddhe, Brahmin, Kirtankar, aged about 78, residing generally at Nanded. (Nizam's State)
Poona, June 1936.
An Orthodox Moslem brought a 'Sera', i.e., an ornamental arrangement of flowers, to decorate the niche in the Mosque and wanted Baba's permission. Baba said, "Take it and put it on Hanuman". The Moslem replied that he was a Mohammedan and could not decorate a Hindu idol. Baba fulminated some foul abuse (in which Hanuman was depicted as superior Allah) and the Sera was taken away.
Baba's respect for Hanuman or Maruthi :- There was a small image of this God in a corner of the upper platform of the Chavadi. Baba was in the lower platform and when showers began to drive into it, some one told Baba that he should go up into the upper platform. Baba refused to do so saying, "How can we be seated on the same level as God?" Fakir Baba alias Bade Baba brought up a recent convert from Hinduism to Islam to the Mosque. Baba slapped that convert and taunted him with the remark, "You have changed your father".
Even towards Hindu Gods as to Allah, he would use uncomplimentary expressions in some moods. People occasionally asked him for permission to go to Pandharpur and he would reply, "Go" but would add some abuse. On the other hand, when Arati was sung of Jnanadev or Tukaram, he would sit up and fold his palms in reverence.
Baba's treatment of Advaitism is not easy to make out. He never expressly dealt with it. He would say, "I am God", "God is in all", etc. He was really Advaita personified. He was sitting up still whatever went on. Thirtytwo dancing girls would come and play before him daily; he would never care to look at them. He never cared for anything. He was detached and in his Ananda state. Once a devotee asked him, "What is God (Brahman) like?" Baba did not reply to him but sent some one to Bagchand Marwadi for 100 rupees. That man did not give it but sent his Namaskar to Baba. He sent the man to another person with the same negative result. Baba then sent for Nana Saheb Chandorkar and asked him for 100 rupees. Nana Saheb Chandorkar sent a chit to the said Bagchand Marwadi and the latter sent 100 rupees at once. Baba merely remarked, "All is like this in the world". The questioner asked me later on privately why Baba gave no answer. I explained that the demands for dakshina and the response thereto were the reply to the questioner. When others asked for money, it was not forthcoming. But when Nana Saheb Chandorkar wanted it, it came at once. Similarly the man who merely wants to know Brahman does not get it. It is he who is qualified to know it that gets it. The lesson is "Deserve before you desire (Brahman)".
As for miracles, I have hardly seen any of Baba. I saw him about 1898 sleeping on a plank suspended about 7 or 8 feet above the ground. The wonder was how he got into or out of it, without a ladder. How he could swing himself up or down, none saw... The supporting threads were weak and lamps were loosely placed on it. They would fall down if one swings into it. When I went to see him as he lay on it, he got angry and drove me off. Baba was occasionally doing something strange between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m at the mosque with a cloth screen in front of him and when he was alone. He would take out of a pouch 10 or 15 old coins. They were of various values and descriptions i.e., 0-0-3, 0-0-6, 0-1-0, 0-2-0, 0-4-0, 0-8-0, 1-0-0. He would rub his finger-tips constantly yet gently against their surface (whether with or without mantra, I cannot say). Their surfaces had all become worn out and smooth. He would say, as he rubbed his finger against the coins, 'This is Nana's, this is Bapu's, this is Kaka's, etc." If any one approached, he would gather the coins, put them back in the pouch and hid them.
Baba spoke thousands of "goshties". I will narrate a few. Once he said, "I was at Punthamba. There was a struggle there between two parties. I wondered why they fought. I found near them a potful of coins. That was the bone of contention between them. Then I quietly moved up and carried it away. They found that their wealth was gone and began to mourn and lament. I was saying to myself, "Who am I? What is this wealth? Whose is it? What confusion and struggle for this? The pot is mine and I am the pot's".
Baba once spoke thus: "My mother was greatly rejoicing that she had got a son (i.e., me). I was for my part wondering at her conduct. When did she beget me? Was I begotten at all? Have I not been already in existence? Why is she rejoicing over this?"
Once at Shirdi, somebody had prepared "Sira" (i.e., sweetened semolina pudding). Baba asked me if I had been given 'Sira'. I then said that I was not on good terms with B... and that I had not been given 'Sira'. Baba then gave me instructions. "Who gives what to whom? What is this Sira? Who eats it? Do not say of anyone that he is inimical. Who is whose enemy? Do not entertain any ill feelings towards anyone. All are one and the same". That idea is brought out at the end of Ch.II of my commentary on Amirtanubhava.
A religious person of Satara once offered to teach me Vedanta but I said that I could rely on Sai Baba's help in that matter. Then that person jeered at Baba and said that as a Moslem he knew nothing and could teach nothing of Vedanta. I did not waver in my faith and so I went to Sai Baba and told him that I wished to write a commentary on the well known Vedantic work, Amritanubhava. Baba placed his hand on my head, blessed me and gave me permission to write. I found that the numerous goshties I had heard from Baba furnished me with fresh analogies and similies to embellish my commentary with and avoid a repetition of the stock similies. I have composed numerous Kirtans and Stotras and written other works. A list of them is given in Ch.63 of Bhakti Saramrita P. 333 including Manache Sloka Jalada Dhus.
Baba occasionally sang Musalmani songs that I could not understand.