Adorations to Mother Tarkhad

By: Ramaswamy Seshadri

Mother Tarabai Sadasiv Tarkhad was the wife of Sadasiv Tarkhad, brother of Ramachandra Atmaram Tarkhad who was the Secretary of Khatau Mills, Bombay. R.A.Tarkhad once visited Shirdi and told Mother Tarabai about the greatness of Sai Baba. At that time her daughter, Nalini Tarkhad who was 15 months old was seriously ill and she took a vow that if Baba heals her she would visit Shirdi with the child for Baba’sdarshan. Immediately, the child got cured miraculously and then she visited Shirdi. The child grew happily and later became a famous film star, Ms, Nalini Jaywant.

Ramachandra Atmaram was a follower of Prarthana Samaj and did not believe in idol worship. Tarkhads did not like the orthodox religious scruples and were against Idol-worship and visiting saints and sages. But due to the efforts of his wife, Tarabai, Sadasiv Tarkhad became a staunch devotee of Baba. Once Tarabai visited Shirdi and at that time Shirdi was a small village without any basic facilities. She would have trampled a cobra on the way but Baba saved her.

Once when she was in Shirdi, she had a severe eye infection with unbearable pain. Then she went to the masjid and sat before Baba. Baba looked at her and then the pain from the infection was relieved instantly. Once she was sitting near Baba in the masjid, when a leper came to the masjid with his advanced disease. The leper was stinking and he had little strength left in him. With much difficulty, he very slowly climbed the three steps of the masjid, came to Baba, and placed his head on Baba’s feet. He took much time for Baba’s darshan and all the while she was feeling the foul stench from him intensely and hoped that he would clear off quickly. Then he walked down slowly with a small parcel wrapped up in a dirty cloth. She felt immediate relief and thanked God within herself as the leper went down. Sai Baba at once looked at her and she immediately understood that Baba had already read her thoughts. As
the leper was moving further, Baba immediately sent someone from the masjid to fetch the leper back. The same leper again had come and again the slow process of his climbing up the masjid steps continued while emitting the foul stench all the time and when the leper bowed to Baba, Baba picked up that parcel, enquiring about it and opened it. It contained some pedas (sweets). Baba took up a piece and gave it to Mother. This also emphasized the supreme principle that in the presence of Baba, no danger would touch anybody.

              Sadasiv’s Factory Once Tarabai went to Shirdi with her husband, Sadasiv, and had their servant accompany them. Their servant had severe backache which got relieved with a glance from Baba.

In 1915. Tarabai was having severe neuralgic headaches and tried all types of treatments but they were of no use. Baba asked her to bathe in Godavari and she was miraculously healed. Tarabai’s husband, Sadasiv was working as Manager in a textile mill in Pune for some time and then lost his job. He came to Shirdi to seek Baba’s blessings in getting a job and stayed there for some days. One day Baba told Sadasiv that Tatya Patil and others were going to Ahmednagar to see the cinema and asked Sadasiv to accompany them and see the cinema in Ahmednagar and then go to Poona and home. Hearing this from the mouth of Baba, he was perplexed and he followed Baba’s advice. In Pune, he came across his ex-employer who was frantically searching for him to be reemployed as there was a labor problem. Sadashiv got back his job.

Sri. Narasimha Swamiji has referred to her as ‘Mrs.Manager.’ In the interview, she also said that Baba used to sit in the early mornings near the Dhuni and wave hands and fingers, making some gestures which, of course, conveyed no meaning to outsiders, but conveyed, some directions to Panchbhutas (five elements) for the welfare of the public in general and of the devotees in particular. And at the end, Baba used to say, “Haq” which means God Almighty. Whenever Baba wanted to bestow ecstasy on his devotees, he would dart out drishtipath (shots of divine Grace-look) to them making them ecstatic for a longer time.

Even after Baba’s Mahasamadhi, Baba was helping the devotees. Once in 1927, Tarabai was on a pilgrimage and she had a missed abortion. She had timely medical help. He is a great saint