A GREAT AND BLESSED SAI DEVOTEE - LATE TATYASAHEB NOOLKAR 4 of 6
(SHRI SAILEELA MAY JUNE 1991)
A wonderful divine vision
Tatyasaheb's sickness was getting worse and worse, but his mental state was surprisingly calm. He had no earthly desires left and probably he did not wish to be cured also. He never appeared to be praying Sai Baba for cure. Slowly on his body there appeared altogether eleven carbuncles, which while being treated and dressed used to cause acute and unbearable pain to him. Yet he used to bear all that calmly and without any complaints. Except Sai Baba's subject, he did not like any other talk. He had to lie down at one place in the Wada and even for turning his sides, he required other's help. But there was not even slightest irritation in him usually seen in a sick person. He used to all the time, inquire as to what happened at His Masjid, what did Baba say etc, and go on repeating Sai-Nama constantly. His mother, brothers etc. were at Jalgaon and if asked whether they should be called by sending a telegram, he used to say distinctly and disinterestedly, "Do not trouble them. I do not wish to see anybody."
After this, Tatyasaheb had a wonderful divine vision. Being forced to lie down in bed in Sathe Wada, Tatyasaheb could not go to Masjid for Baba's Darshan and Baba also, except His walk along the fixed route towards Lendi Baug twice a day, did not normally visit anybody's residence in Shirdi. This route was along the rear door, of the Wada and at the time of Baba's rounds every body used to go out of this door and take His Darshan.
Because Tatyasaheb could not even get up from the bed, he had no Darshan of Baba's feet for many days. As mentioned above, Tatyasaheb had no other thought in his mind except that of Baba. Hence his mind was greatly agitated and distressed over lack of darshan of Baba's concrete (sagun) form. Ultimately one day he told his elder son (Dr. Wamanrao) to go and tell Baba accordingly. Wamanrao went to the Masjid and conveyed Tatyasaheb's request to Baba. When Wamanrao told Baba that Tatyasaheb desired to have His Darshan, Baba replied, "O.K. He will have Darshan. Allah Bhala Karega."
When Wamanrao went to the Masjid, there was nobody else there except one or two small boys. Whenever boys used to get into the Masjid, Baba used to play with them with great delight. Baba would crack jokes with them, pinch them and even kiss them with love. At that time Baba was in the same playful mood and Laxman Mama's (village astrologer and maternal uncle of Shama - see Shri Sai Satcharita, Ch. XLIII) son Bappaji was also there. On the village-road one hawker selling cloth was passing through. Some villagers called him and sitting on a verandah they started looking at the various pieces of cloth. Bappaji went there and seeing the cloth pieces, he wished to have a brocade square piece of cloth for tying round his head. So Bappaji picked up one red colored brocade piece and coming to Baba said, "Baba, may I take this?" Baba replied, "Yes, take it." So Bappaji unfolded the cloth and tied it round his head and bowed down at Baba's feet.
Baba then fondly pinched and pulled Bappaji's cheeks and Bappaji removed the cloth from his head, placed it on Baba's head and started laughing. Baba also allowed it to remain on His head for some time and pompously looking all round gave a smile. Then He removed it and placed it on Bappaji's head. Bappaji again placed it on Baba's head and Baba again returned it on Bappaji's head. After this was over, Wamanrao returned to the Wada. As usual, Tatyasaheb asked him as to what happened in the Masjid and what all Baba said. Since the above happening was not important enough for narrating, Wamanrao replied, "Nothing special" and told Tatyasaheb that his request had been conveyed to Baba.
But Tatyasaheb was not satisfied. He again and again probingly questioned Wamanrao and ultimately asked him to narrate exactly all that happened from beginning to end at the Masjid. So Wamanrao narrated the above incident about Bappaji's brocade cloth. While listening to the narration, tears of affection started flowing from Tatyasaheb's eyes and he became absolutely motionless. On inquiring the reason, he said, "Go and tell Baba that I had His Darshan." When asked to explain, he told us that lying down in Wada he actually saw Baba doing the same Leela (sport) in front of his eyes. He saw a boy placing a big red 'Jasvandi' flower on Baba's head and Baba placing the same back on that boy's head. Baba pinched and pulled that boy's cheeks fondly. Then the boy again placed the flower on Baba's head and Baba again returned it on the boy's head. Thus a long craving desire of Tatyasaheb was -fulfilled and he became overpowered with excessive emotion.
