Gadge Maharaj revelations on Sai Baba
Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaj narrated one interesting episode in the life of Gadge Maharaj as recounted by Nanasaheb Rasne. Once Gadge Baba visited the house of Nanasaheb Rasne, the son of Damodar Rasne who was one of the very fortunate souls profoundly blessed by Sai Baba. Gadge Maharaj explained to Nanasaheb Rasne how his life was completely transformed to that of a saint!
Gadge Baba said to Nanasaheb Rasne,"I will tell you certain things which are not generally revealed to others. I was born in a washer man family. As I was very poor, I worked in a clothes shop in Shedgaon. Once a fakir came from Selu Manvant and asked for bhiksha. People did not offer him anything thinking that he was a moslem. When I saw the fakir, I felt a strong desire to serve him. So I went home and brought some food to give him. But, the fakir already left the place! So I started in search of him. Searched several places but found him in a ripe corn field munching a corn spike!
When he saw me, he shouted at me, "Why have you come over here?"
I answered, "I have come to give you food."
Then he said, "Will you give anything I want?"
I replied that I would give him anything in life except money because money I did not have.
Then he demanded, "Give me your life!"
I replied that it was already with him.
I asked him to take my life immediately as I lost zest in life.
Then suddenly the fakir took me closer to him and put his hands on my head blessing me. I felt galvanized at that moment and decided to quit the world! After feeding the fakir I returned home to tell my people about my decision. I told my people at home that I got a great Guru and I would follow him.
I returned to the fakir only to find him angrier. He shouted at me," Rogue! Is it not sufficient which I had given to you? You still want more?"
Then I replied that I could not live without him! Satisfied with my reply, the fakir took me to a nearby cemetery and asked me to dig a pit at the tomb of a moslem saint. When the pit was dug he asked me to pour two potful of water in to it. He sipped three handfuls of water from the pit and asked me to do the same. Suddenly I became oblivious of my state when I drank the water and went in to a yogic trance! I remained in that state for a long time! I did not notice when the fakir left the place.
So I again started on a journey searching for him for so many years. One day I came to Shirdi and entered a masjid when the curtains therein were lowered for a fakir was taking a bath! I peeped inside and he was the same fakir whom I had been searching for years .He looked at me and cried, "Bastard! You have already eaten my flesh and now you have come to eat my bones! Don't you leave me?" I answered that I would not leave him. Then suddenly he became furious and flung a brick at me. The brick hit me on my forehead and I fell down bleeding. The fakir then came to me and cleaned the wound. He circumambulated me and blessed me, "Now, you can go! You are completely transformed! "The fakir is none other than great Sadguru Sai Baba!"
So Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja made an inference with the help of this happening in the life of Gadge Baba about what Sai Baba did before His second appearance in Shirdi and He was complete Perfect Master by the time He returned with Chand Patil's marriage party to Shirdi. Sai Baba is beyond time and space indeed!
Sadguru Gadge Baba visited Shirdi in 1927 before attaining Mahasamahi and swept the streets of Shirdi chanting "Hum Jato Amche Gaona"(I am going to my abode!). He prayed at Samadhi Mandir and said to his followers, "We will not meet again!" Then he walked to the bank of Narmada and attained Maha Samadhi!
