By : Bhanumathy
Baba said, “however distant my people may be, I draw them to me just as we pull a bird to us with a string tied to its foot.”
In the year 1910, Nanasaheb Chandorkar visited Neelkanth Sahasrabuddhe’s house and asked him when he was going to Shirdi. When Neelkanth said he had to collect his monthly pension, Nana said Annasaheb Dabholkar will arrange to collect his pension. He gave Rupees 10.00 for his expenses in Shirdi, gave a letter to be handed to Shama in which he asked Shama to arrange for additional funds if needed, and asked Neelkanth to leave at once.
Neelkanth boarded the train to Shirdi the very next day. On the way he asked his co-passenger on Manmad Mail if he knew Sai Baba. The young co-passenger immediately said, ‘I know that mad fakir.’ On reaching Shirdi, Neelkanth met his old school friend Tatyasahib Noolkar in Sathe Wada. Initially Noolkar did not recognize him but when he told about him and their student days, he gave a big hug and said, ‘now you are my responsibility.’
Neelkanth went to the masjid along with Noolkar for the noon aarthi and paid his obeisance by touching Sri Sai Baba’s feet. Over the next 3 days Baba repeatedly told him to serve Noolkar. He believed some great souls graced this earth but was doubtful about Sai Baba and jested about it. Eventually Noolkar asked him to stop talking about Baba like that as it hurt him immensely. One day Neelkanth said he could not understand Baba’s words of asking him to serve Noolkar and asked Baba to explain him without hidden meaning.
A few days later during one of his discourses Baba said, “our experiences are not indirect. Those who feel so can go and those who don’t should experience and go.” Neelkanth wanted to experience Baba’s words and Baba allowed him to stay in Shirdi.
Noolkar who was in good health suddenly became very ill and died. Neelkanth took care of him and nursed him. Noolkar tearfully said “Baba brought you for this purpose only so I may not suffer.”
Baba gave Neelkanth many experiences in Shirdi. Once when he was in Shirdi, Das Ganu Maharaj’s wife Baya was in Shirdi and was very sick. Baba pointed at Neelkanth and told him, ‘Tai is your daughter-in-law. So, take care of her.’ Tai’s mental condition was not stable, and hence she was brought to Shirdi. Taking care of Baya was a herculean task. She was completely demented and on several occasions was unaware of the state of her body. She had developed severe skin disorder on both of her hands. Neelkanth arranged to send her with another lady to attend nature’s call every night. He used to give her a bath every day and had her do 108 parikramas to the deity in Sathe Wada. With this kind of tender care, Baya recovered completely. But no one immediately understood why Baba told Neelkanth that Tai was his daughter- in-law. Then they all realized that it was because Das Ganu and Neelkanth had the same surname, Sahasrabhudde and Neelkanth was much older than Das Ganu Maharaj.
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