Pleader, Brahmin, aged 63, Nasik
Nasik, 16th October, 1936 & Shirdi, 28th October, 1936
M. Deshpande : To Study for the Bar.
Baba : No. His Illayat (natural aptitude) and Vilayat (will of heaven) are not in Bilayat, but in this country. Why should he go to England?
I realised then that: 'The best laid Schemes of mice and men Do often go awry".
In 1912, I underwent an operation in J.J.Hospital under chloroform. It was a serious venture. But I saw Baba seated on a chair at my head, close to the operation table before the chloroform began to operate. He was there to look after me and I felt reassured. The operation was, in fact, safely performed and was a success. In 1915, I was offered the Public Prosecutorship at Nasik but I took two days' time to consider and wrote at once to Baba. Quickly came the reply "Your former work is good. Do not accept the new", and I declined the offer.
In 1918, a few days before Baba passed away, influenza was raging at Shirdi, at Poona and many other places. At Poona my brother's wife had a very serious attack and he wired to me about it to Nasik. So I started at once with Rs.80 in my pocket to cover expenses of the journey and to meet all contingencies. I halted en route at Shirdi to get Baba's blessings and Udhi for the patient. When I went to him, Baba took from me dakshina repeatedly and the Rs.80 or the balance thereof was cleared off my hand in no time. This was no good augury of my trip to Poona being achieved or made useful to the patient. When I craved leave to go, Baba said in his characteristic fashion (reminding one of the form of the Regal Veto The King will consider") i.e., we shall see {what to do) tomorrow. He stopped me for three days. Meanwhile, wire from Poona announced that the patient had expired. After that Baba gave me leave to go away. It was clear that Baba saw what was happening and to happen to my sister-in-law and judged it best for her to depart from the world and me to reach Poona some days after her departure. His reasons for such judgement, I could not discover. But surely he was in a position to judge and I was not. So I meekly accepted his decision as final, as usual. This was shortly before he himself passed away and he gave me on the above occasion the last opportunity of spending a few days with him while he was in the flesh. By Baba's grace, I soon recovered some part of my former financial position after it was wrecked by District Local Board Presidentship or by acceptance of other office.
I was holding the office of Revenue Member of the Dewar State from 1-9-1930 to 9-4-1932 and I was the Karbhari of the Surgana State from end of 1932 to August 1933. Each time I returned to Nasik, I resumed my practice and got on as well as I did before, without having to wait idly even for a day. Baba's kind help on the financial side was manifested in a peculiar incident while I was in the latter State. One day I was seated at my meal and the Chief of that State walked into my room. I apologized for my inability to leave the table and accord him a proper reception or even to offer him a fitting chair or seat. But he quickly walked into the next room, gazed a while at the portrait of Sai Baba that was hanging on the wall and returned to my dining room. He at once announced to me that from that time I should have an increase of Rs.50 in my salary. I had never asked for this increase. This grant of an increase in salary within a fortnight of my appointment and without any motion on my part can only be explained by his having been with Baba in my Pooja room. I had not asked for the increase. Baba evidently had, i.e., the child's welfare is the mother's care.