Rare Divine Grace, this devotee who placed Tulsi Leaf in Baba's Mouth before Maha Samadhi
On a Guru Poornima day, before Upasani Maharaj, who is Chandrabhai's Gurubandhu, left Shirdi for Kharagpur. Sai Baba asked her to take Pooja Dravya and Naivedya and worship Maharaj. She went and worshipped him, telling him that it was Baba's order and Maharaj did not prevent her from doing that worship. But, after that day, she never again worshipped Maharaj. Chandrabai's attitude towards him is what she should have towards a Gurubandhu. She did not hate him as so many Shirdi people did. Sai Baba has often said that we should not harbour feelings of hatred against any, nor entertain feelings of envy, rivalry or opposition or a combative disposition towards others and that if others hated us, we should simply take to Namajapa and avoid them. But, her attitude towards Upasani Maharaj has been misunderstood by him and others. Two years later, she went to Sakori to help in establishing a proper arrangement about recent changes in the Panchakanya establishment of his. But, apprehending her attitude to be hostile, he never gave her the chance of a free private talk with him and she returned.
Sai Baba's kindness towards Chandrabai was manifested even in 1918 before his expiry and even afterwards.
Some three months before Dasara of 1918, he was thoughtful of her welfare after he should leave the body. He told her, "Bai, (that is how he addressed her) you need not hereafter trouble to come and see me here. I am with you wherever you are". So kind he was and his words are ever true. She went away then. Just at the Dasara following, when she was at Panchgani, she got Mr.H.S.Dixit's message that Baba was often thinking of her and that Baba was not likely to survive even for a short time. She went to Shirdi in time to see him pass away. Her strong devotion towards Baba prompted her to go to Shirdi and she had the good fortune to be with Shri Baba during His last moments. It was Smt. Chandrabai, who placed the Tulsi leaf in Shri Baba's mouth at the time of his Maha-Samadhi. She also gave him some water at the last moments and Bayaji did the same. Baba leaned back on Bayaji and took samadhi.
After this, she visited Shirdi once in 1919, and once in 1933. But Baba, as he promised, has ever been with her and helped her wherever she remained. She had composed some verses and communicated them and her experience to the Sai Leela Magazine.
In 1921, her husband fell down from a carriage and his leg broke. She took him up and applied Udhi and paste of Biba nut Jongla (ata?) and thaqdipala. In three months' time he got alright.
In 1921, she also got a child. That was also Baba's grace. In 1918, when she was aged 48 and had not conceived at all, she naturally yearned to have a child, though lay-people and doctors alike would declare conception thereafter out of the question.
But Baba knew her desire and in 1918 one day Baba asked "Bai, What is your heart's wish?" To that she replied"Baba, you know everything. What is there for me to tell You?"
Three years thereafter, her menses stopped and after some months Dr. Purandhare diagnosed her condition as one of internal tumor and proposed to remove it by operation. She protested and said that she would bide her ten months' time and then decide. He opined that in her fifty-first year, after long continued absence of conception, there was no chance of her having any child. But Sai's grace made the impossible possible and a son was born to her on Dhana Trayodashi day (i.e.) 3 years and 2 days after Baba attained Maha Samadhi And for that delivery, which took place at Chembur, she had neither doctor, nor nurse, nor any medicine. She attended to her regular duties during the day preceding delivery and at night had an easy and safe delivery. All that time and for 9 months previous, she had numerous complications. Her legs etc. were swollen. She had carried on a fast for months taking hardly any food, but more often water and Udi. Shri Tatyaba, who was a favourite devotee of Shri Sai Baba, was considered as a brother by Smt. Chandrabai. Due to the blessings of Sri Sai Baba, Shri Tatyaba had a son and it was a strange coincidence that Smt.Chandrabai also had a son in the same year, at the age of fifty years.
(Source: Devotees Experiences of Saibaba by Poojya Sri.B.V.Narasimha Swamiji)
