Total Faith Total Protection - Great Miracles of Sai Baba to Durgabai 3 of 3
Continuing with stories of Durgabai and her son, days passed by and Raghu attained age of five. Durgabai decided to perform his thread ceremony. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, Kakasaheb Dixit, Raobahadur Dhumal, Dada Saheb Khaparde and many other able devotees collected Rs. 75/- by their personal contribution and gave them to Durgabai. Four days were remaining for thread ceremony. There was burglary in Durgabai's house. Four thieves stole sway all the money from the house. When Durgabai came to know that nothing was left in her house, she was completely dejected. Whole day she cried and so her eyes got puffed by crying. She did not perform her evening worship too. Next day at about 9.00 am, Saibaba came near her house on His round to Lendibaug. No sooner did she see Baba coming than she ran to Him, fell at His feet and start crying loudly.
Baba gently placed His hand on Durgabai's head and said, "Durge, what is there to cry in this matter? Is there any scarcity of money in our court? I am here to give thousands of rupees. I will give you carts and carts of money. Let this money be gone, it was not ours". These words pacified Durgabai to a large extent.
After a few days, Durgabai was massaging Baba's back in Dwarakamai. She was concerned about her son's education. Baba said, "There is no master to teach Raghu here. Who will teach him? Allah Malik is his Master". Baba arranged for Raghu's education in Amravati in supervision of Dada Saheb Khaparde.
Once Baba asked Durgabai, "O Durge! Do you go to Vithoba (Khandoba) Temple? Durgabai replied, "Yes I go there sometimes". Baba said, "Upasani Maharaj has become very weak. Durge, you serve Him in Khandoba temple in the same way like you are doing to Me here. It will be equivalent to serving Me".
At that time Upasani Maharaj was in deep meditation. If anybody went near Him, Upasani Maharaj abused them. Not minding these consequences Durgabai headed towards the Khandoba Temple. Upasani Maharaj did not accept any food from anybody. If anybody boldly took this action, he would get beatings and abuses. But was Durgabai to pay attention on all these? For her Baba's words were order and law.
On July 27, 1914, Upasani Maharaj left Shirdi and no one knew where He went. Still as per her custom, Durgabai used to go to Khandoba temple and placed food dish under the banyan tree in the name of Upasani Maharaj. In the year 1916, Durgabai came to know that Upasani Maharaj resided in Sakori. So after offering Naivedya to Saibaba in Shird, Durgabai used to go to Sakori walking to offer Him Naivedya.
Once Doulu Sheth of Rahata had organized Satsang of Upasani Maharaj in Rahata. So Durgabai used to go to Rahata with Naivedya for Upasani Maharaj from Shirdi. As big thorn went into her foot enroute Rahata. Every effort to take thorn out failed. Still it did not interrupt Durgabai's seva. After Upasani Maharaj accepted her Naivedya, she would partake her food.
As days passed by the swelling and pain of the wound increased. She was finding difficult to walk normally. One day Upasani Maharaj noticed Durgabai's wounded leg. He showed artificial angriness and said, "Why are you suffering since so many days without telling anybody? If you say someone, there can be a solution for your suffering." Upasani Maharaj called for a pair of tongs and held Durgabai's leg. Another person took out the big thorn which went deep into Durgabai's foot.
After Baba's Mahasamadhi, Durgabai made Sakori as per permanent stay for serving Upasani Maharaj. After many years of her selfless service, Durgabai breathed her last in Solapur Sai Dham.
