By: Dr. G.R. Vijayakumar
Sai Baba had decided to groom Upasani Maharaj as his successor. He had put Upasani on an internship of four years at Khandoba temple.
Sai Baba had decided to groom Upasani Maharaj as his successor. He had put Upasani on an internship of four years at Khandoba temple. Sai Baba had decided to drag him out of all worldly ties of temptations and its process was under way! Later he found food also repulsive – nauseous as excreta and had to stop taking it. Though spiritually advanced, his body became weak and fragile! He also developed insanity, abusing visitors to Khandoba temple and throwing stones at them. Adding fuel to fire, Nanavalli and his group of mischievous children were harassing Upasani! Thus humiliation, suffering, starvation, death of dear wife and all calamities of degradation one after the other increased the faculty of forbearance in him and his gender consciousness totally disappeared.
In these 46 months Upasani developed clairvoyance! He was able to know the mind and movements of Sai Baba from his own place! He could read the past, present and future of anyone! Cobra and other poisonous reptiles moved around without harming him. He had lost body consciousness!
Once an astrologer from Narsobawadi visited Shirdi. Sai Baba did not permit him to examine him. Somehow after two days of waiting, the astrologer could meet Upasani. He could see an accomplished saint!
Then Guru Poornima festival arrived. Baba told his devotees to worship Upasani first and later come to the mosque. The period of four years Baba had prescribed was still not fully over. But his experiments to make him a perfect saint came to their conclusion. Without speaking, without looking at him, without keeping him in his constant company, Sai Baba had prepared his disciple! On this day of Guru Poornima (1915) he had a sudden whim of offering him the position of a full-fledged spiritual Master! So, Baba commanded some of his devotees to worship Upasani first before they performed his own ‘pooja’! Those who had realized Upasani’s high state of spiritual achievement rushed to him. Despite his protests they worshipped him as they would worship Baba! It was all new for the man in rags. He did not want this honor at all! He was furious! But obeyed Baba’s orders!
It was three years ten months that Upasani had come to Shirdi! Only two months were left for Baba’s mandatory four year internship for Upasani! He now had tremendous respect for Baba! He honestly believed that he was like dust under his Guru’s feet! He could not bear the idea of being worshipped as ‘Guru’. So, to stop this worship forthwith the only remedy was to leave Shirdi – he thought. He knew Baba would not permit it. So, he decided to leave without asking him. He secretly left Shirdi with the cooperation of Dr.Pillai and his brother! Clothes on his body were already torn or stolen by village urchins. The only thing that was left was his piece of sack cloth. Before leaving Shirdi he prostrated thrice on the sacred land in front of Khandoba Mandir where Sai Baba had graced with his lotus feet long ago! Though he came in rags, now he left with a treasure of spiritual wealth!
Sai Baba felt sorry that his disciple did not complete the four years of internship to become his disciple! So, he declared that ‘there is no heir or disciple to him, and he will continue to look after the welfare of his devotees. When he casts off his mortal coil, the bones in his tomb will be ever vigilant and take care of his devotees!
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