Justice M.B. Rege In Tune With Sai Baba

By: Dubagunta Sankaraiah

Justice M.B. Rege was a Judge of the Indore High Court. Rege was a very religious person and devotee of Goddess Durga in Goa (his family deity) from his infancy. He strictly performed the Sandhya and chanted the Gayatri.

Justice M.B. Rege had some visions in 1910 at the age of 21 years and in one vision he felt that he was moving in some strange way. It was like levitation in the air. In the vision, he was carried to a village where he found someone there and asked him what village that was. He said it was Shirdi and then he asked that person, “Is there any person named ‘Sai Baba’ here?” “Yes,” he answered, “come and see.” Then in the vision, Rege was taken to a masjid and there he saw Sai Baba who was seated with legs outstretched and then Rege went and reverently placed his head on Baba’s feet. Then Baba got up and said, “Do you take my darshan? I am your debtor, I must take your darshan,” and Baba placed his head on Rege’s feet. Then they parted. All this happened in the vision. This had happened in 1910. These visions impressed Rege greatly.

Rege went to Shirdi and when Rege went to Sai Baba in the masjid, there were many other people with Baba. He went and prostrated, placing his head on Baba’s feet. Baba then said, “What! Do you worship a man?” At once Rege retreated some distance and sat in the masjid. It was true that his scholastic pursuits made him not worship any human being which Baba knew. When he was slightly away, Baba gently beckoned to him to come near. Thus, encouraged he went and placed his head on Baba’s feet. Baba at once hugged him, asked him to sit nearby and Baba also said to him, “You are my child. When others, i.e., strangers are in the company, we keep the children off.” Then Rege felt extremely happy.

Whenever he visited Shirdi, he was always staying in the residence of Radhakrishnamai.

Rege was of the view that he progressed in his spiritual pursuits by Baba’s instructions and guidance through Radhakrishnamai. For achieving spiritual progress, Rege and Radhakrishnamai thought that Namajapa only was the best method and they decided that they should use only Saibaba’s name in the Japa.

Rege intently meditated on Baba and had Baba’s vision during meditation. He was not in the habit of studying even Gita until that time and did not pay much attention to any spiritual study in his earlier days. Baba said to Rege, “You are alright. Do not read books but keep me in your heart. ……” Rege was therefore concentrating always on Baba with intense devotion and love.

During the Guru Poornima time in 1912, he went to Shirdi and observed that each devotee at Manmad was having a basket full of flower garlands meant for Baba and he immediately thought that he had forgotten carrying a garland to Shirdi. He then went to Shirdi and in the masjid, he found that Baba was fully covered with several garlands. Baba was under a heavy weight of flower garlands and Rege felt sorry for having not brought any garland. When these thoughts were flowing in his mind internally, Baba lifted a bundle of the garlands with his hand and said to Rege, “All these are yours.” Rege was surprised at Baba’s kindness and all-pervasiveness.

Again, he visited Shirdi in the same year, 1912 and he took with him Rupees 100.00. When he visited Baba, Baba asked him Rupees 40.00 as Dakshina which he readily gave. After some time, Baba again asked him another Rupees 40.00 which was also given with equal readiness. Once again, Baba asked him for the balance of Rupees 20.00 as Dakshina which was also given without any hesitation. He was very happy for having given the entire amount he had without any pie left with him. Then Baba again sent word for him and when he came to the masjid, Baba again asked Rege for Dakshina. At this stage, he said that he had no money to offer to Baba. Then Baba asked him to go to some other persons and get money from them. Shama then said that Rege did not understand Baba correctly and asked, “Does Baba care a rap for your rupees?” Shama also said, “No, what he wants is your mind and heart, your time and soul to be devoted to him. That is his meaning.” Rege went back and told Baba what Shama had said. Then Baba smiled and said, “Go to Dixit and ask him to give money.” He then went to Dixit and told him what Baba had advised him. Dixit then replied that Baba’s direction to him had to be understood in the circumstances as a lesson meant for Rege. Dixit told Rege that he should not feel the absence of money or the begging for money as an embarrassment or anything else as a humiliation and that Rege should not treat himself as above the level of begging. Rege again went back to the masjid and informed Baba what all Dixit said. Baba again smiled and then asked him to go to Nanasaheb Chandorkar and ask him for a loan. But Nanasaheb, instead of giving money, showed his worldly wisdom of keeping a reserve elsewhere. The lesson that was taught to all of them was that it was wrong on the part of anybody to think that anyone could supply all that Baba might ask for. Thus, Baba made Rege understand how different people interpreted Baba’s demand for Dakshina. The real purpose of Baba’s demand of Dakshina was not what Shama, Dixit, or Nana felt it was, but the purpose was only to teach lessons of humility. Baba cared nothing for money nor presents. What he wanted was unswerving and wholehearted love towards Baba. Baba knew Rege’s views but wanted Rege to understand the views of others in this regard.

Rege’s father-in-law was also a devotee of Baba. In 1914 Rege’s sister-in-law was to be married and an invitation was sent to Baba. Baba also sent a reply, saying that he would attend. As the marriage ceremony was going on, the postman delivered a letter from Baba along with a packet of Udi. The Udi was meant to be applied to the foreheads of the bride and bridegroom. Just about the same time, a fakir came and asked Rege’s father-in-law for a Dakshina. As he was busy with the function he did not pay attention to the strange visitor. Later it occurred to him that the fakir might be Baba himself. After knowing, Rege said that if indeed the visitor was Baba himself, he should confirm it by appearing again. The very next day, the same fakir again appeared and asked for Dakshina which Rege gave happily. Such were the experiences Baba gave Rege.

Rege’s view of Sai Baba was – “I look upon Sri Sai Baba as the Creator, Preserver, and the Destroyer. I did so before his Mahasamadhi in 1918 and I do so now. To me, he is not gone. To me, he had no limitations. I thought of him as a spiritual image in which the finite and the infinite blended very perfectly, and yet allowing the finite to appear before us at times. Rege’s devotion towards Sai was blemishless and he was in a state of total surrender. Rege passed away in 1968.