Extracts from Shri. H. S. Dixit's Diary - 5
BABA'S OPERATING ON MINDS:
Doctor Mehta, a Parsi gentleman, was visiting Shirdi from 1920; but he had not seen Baba in flesh. Yet he had various experiences of Baba at various times and so he had faith in Shri Baba. Two years later he came to Shirdi and at that time there was a suit against him in the Bombay High Court. So he told me (H.S.D.) that a suit was filed by a gentleman in whose favor, for some reason or other, the Doctor (Mehta) had executed a promissory note for Rs. 3,000 without receiving any consideration and handed over the promissory note to that gentleman. The latter filed a suit. So Doctor Mehta asked me to appear for him in that case. As I had given up practice, I told him that my friend Maniklal would look in to it and gave him a letter to Maniklal. He went with the case record to Maniklal. The latter asked him about the facts, and then asked him what evidence he had to support his case. Dr. Mehta said, "Evidence? I have nothing. When the promissory note was written, the plaintiff and I were the only two persons present". Then
Maniklal thought that the defense was hopeless, and suggested to him (doctor) that he should settle the claim with the plaintiff.
The doctor requested, "You please try to put up a defense and fight and see. Thereupon Baba's mercy is there and what He wills will happen". On account of the doctor's insistence Maniklal prepared a written statement and filed it in the court. Before the case came up for hearing, he had twice or thrice written to the doctor to come and see him, but the doctor did not come. Finally the case came up for hearing on a Monday. The previous Saturday, that is 2 days before the hearing; Maniklal sent his Karkun to the doctor and invited him to come over to his office. But the Karkun found that the doctor had left home on account of ill-health and was staying in a Parsi sanatorium. So the doctor could not come. Maniklal advised the doctor again to compromise the case. But no compromise was arrived at.
Maniklal told the doctor that if he did not compromise, the claim would be decreed fully with all the costs against the defendant. But the doctor replied, "I do not know how to compromise. I have not to pay a pie. Whatever happens, my honor will be saved. That I am sure of. A few days back, Sai Baba came to me in a dream and said, 'I shall save your honor and not allow it to be lost'. Baba's words never prove false. So please try to put up a fight in the Court". Thereupon Maniklal prepared a brief. Till 8 p.m., he worked in the office that night. The next day (Sunday) he had asked the doctor to come. The next day, the doctor was to go to his house, but a friend went to the doctor and said. "I have settled his claim. You must agree to my settlement. Unless and until you agree, I will not go away from here. The settlement is as follows: You pay the plaintiff in all Rs. 800/- and if you cannot pay that in a lump sum, pay Rs. 50 a month. Each party has to bear his own costs. To this effect a consent decree must be passed by a petition signed by both parties,"
On account of the compulsion of that friend, the doctor agreed to the compromise and accordingly the next day the Court passed a consent decree. As the installment amounts were small, the doctor was able to pay them. Thus the words of Baba "I will not all allow your honor to be lost" were found to be perfectly true.
Shri S. M. Garje, 80 Shivaji Nagar, Pune-411005
