More Shirdi Sai Baba Stories from Sri Sai Satcharita...
Consequences of Baba's Darshan
Mr. Balaram Dhurandhar belonged to the Pathare Prabhu community, of Santa Cruz, Bombay. He was an advocate of the Bombay High Court and sometime Principal of the Government Law School, Bombay. The whole Dhurandhar family was pious and religious. Mr. Balaram served his community, and wrote and published an account of it. He then turned his attention to spiritual and religious matters. He studied carefully (Bhagavad) Gita, and its commentary Jnaneshwari and other philosophical and metaphysical works. He was a devotee of Vithoba of Pandharpur. He came in contact with Sai Baba in 1912. Six months previous, his brothers Babulji and Vamanarao came to Shirdi and took Baba's darshan. They returned home, and mentioned their sweet experiences to Balaram and other members. Then they all decided to see Sai Baba. Before they came to Shirdi, Baba declared openly "Today many of my Darbar people (Devotees) are coming." The Dhurandhar brothers were astonished to hear that remark of Baba from others as they had not given any previous intimation of their trip. All the other people prostrated themselves before Baba, and sat talking with Him. Baba said to them, "These are my Darbar people to whom I referred before" and said to the Dhurandhar brothers, "We are acquainted with each other for the last sixty generations." All the brothers were meek and modest, they stood with joined hands, staring at Baba's Feet. All the Sattwic (attribute of balance and wisdom) emotions such as tears, horripilation, choking etc. moved them and they were all happy. Then they went to their lodging, took their meals and after taking a little rest came again to the Masjid. Balaram sat near Baba, massaging His legs. Baba Who was smoking the chillim pipe advanced it towards him and beckoned him to smoke it. Balaram was not accustomed to smoking, still he accepted the pipe, smoked it with great difficulty and returned it reverentially with a bow. This was the most auspicious moment for Balaram. He was suffering from Asthma for six years. This smoke completely cured him of the disease which never troubled him again. Some six years later on a particular day, he got again an attack of Asthma. This was precisely the time when Baba took His Mahasamadhi (withdrawal from the body).
