Experiences of the Tarkhad Family with Shirdi SaiBaba 16 of 21 - Disappearance of Moreshwar's Asthama
Author: Virendra Jyotindra Tarkhad
Moreshwar Pradhan was a close devotee of Sai Baba. He was a judge in Bombay High court. He was suffering from acute Asthma. He used to be a partner of my grandfather whenever they used to play the Bridge (a game of cards). For the cure of his Asthma my grandfather advised him to visit Shirdi and he obliged. On his very first visit to Shridi when he met he was offered to inhale the 'Chillim' (a clay pipe which Baba used to smoke) which Baba gave him personally. Moreshwar was rather worried but he inhaled the 'Chillim' and it was a miracle. From that moment onwards he never got any attack of Asthma. What a strange way of curing a person of his ailment. Moreshwar thanked my grandfather and from then on became an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba. It was a Vijayadashmi day of the year 1918, and late afternoon suddenly Moreshwar got an attack of Asthma. The attack was severe and he had send his servant to Bandra and requested my grandfather to come to Santacruz to his residence. Moreshwar's servant told my grandfather that his master has suddenly taken ill and requested him to rush for his help. Then my grandfather along with my father left their house. Of course they carried along with them the 'Udi', which Baba had given personally to them on their last visit to Shirdi. They saw Moreshwar in utter distress. My grandfather consoled him. He put Baba's 'Udi' in a glass of water and requested Moreshwar to drink the same. Moreshwar obeyed my grandfather as he was reckoning him to be his very close friend. No sooner had he drank the water than the intensity of the attack went on reducing and in a short while he was feeling relieved. Moreshwar asked my grandfather stating that Baba had said that his Asthma has gone forever in which case how come the revival of the attack? My grandfather advised him not to worry and in the event it happens again he should consume Baba's Udi as medicine. However Moreshwar was not required to do so any more. The consumption of Udi had certainly reduced the Asthma attack but there was an altogether different kind of message behind this incident, which they all realized later on. On that very day at about 2 p.m. Sai Baba had taken Samadhi in Shirdi and while doing so he had sent in his typical way wireless messages to all his ardent devotees. Of course my grandfather and father had also received this wireless message which I will narrate to you all in a later chapter.
