RAMACHANDRA ATMARAM TARKHAD (PART 4)

 

 RAMACHANDRA ATMARAM TARKHAD (PART 4)

This Ganesh Murti in our house was once put to an acid test by my grandmother. My grandfather who was well known in the textile industry got an assignment from Maharaja of Baroda to set up a textile mill in his state. They therefore shifted to Baroda and were given accommodation in a bungalow on the banks of a river. On one rainy season it rained heavily overnight and by the time it was morning their bungalow was under water. This was a new experience for them. My grandmother was scared as the water level was rising hour after hour. The steps to the bungalow were submerged in water except the last step. My grandmother then brought a flat copper vessel and placed it on the last step. Then she lifted the "Vighnaharta" from the Silver Shrine and placed it in the copper vessel and declared that if the Murti submerges in the water then she would proceed to perform the immersion ceremony of Lord Ganesh in the same waters. Of course her solemn intentions were that Lord should save them from that dangerous situation. I think only the staunch devotees can dare to venture into such dare devil acts and possibly God likes them. The water level rose further and touched the copper vessel and stopped rising any further. After 3 to 4 hours later the water level receded and they were all happy. Their "Vighnaharta" had come to their rescue, as they desired. In that year they performed the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations for five days instead of one and half days.

I will proceed further to narrate one more incident about this Ganesh Murti. This incidence would throw some light on the title of this chapter. On one Hartalika day (incidentally dear readers my grandmother passed away on Hartalika day) while removing the old paint the part of the right hand of the Murti got dislocated from the elbow onwards. My father was very scared because as per Hindu religion one cannot worship damaged Murti. However by now it had become integral part of the family and they would be reluctant to part with it. They decided to go through the celebrations and then seek advice from Sai Baba. Thus they proceeded to Shirdi. Dear readers is it not an unfair act on their part? They had never involved Baba so far in their business of Lord Ganesh and now in times of distress they wanted his help. On that occasion when they were in Dwarkamai Baba was unusually silent with them. They had realized their mistake and were feeling guilty about not involving Baba from the beginning. They were internally seeking his pardon for it. They waited patiently. Then as the crowd in the Dwarkamai receded Baba called them near. He addressed "Oh mother in the event our son undergoes a fractured hand we do not throw him out of our house. On the contrary we feed him and nourish him well so that he reaches the manhood." No sooner they heard this; they instantly fell at his feet and profusely thanked him. Dear readers I do not find suitable words to describe Baba’s wisdom. He was really an "Antarjnyani" in the true sense of the term so that he could read what is going on in your mind.

Great were those Baba's Leelas and great were these mother and son. This is how Baba saved the Ganesh Murti, which continues to be with the Tarkhad family for seeking their worship till date.

Frightful Sight of Goddess Mari Aai:

Dear Sai devotee readers, we are passing through the 21st Century and hence I have a humble request to make to all of you to believe in this experience of Jyotindra which I will be narrating to you shortly. Those who have read Shri Sai Satcharitra would know that once there was an epidemic of Cholera in Shirdi. Village people believed that you have to pray to Goddess 'Mari Aai' when such an epidemic is widespread, in order to keep the deaths under control. Off course in those days the medical aids were not forthcoming and advanced like today and epidemics were a common phenomenon in Indian villages. Also the communication system was not that developed and as a result of which when my father reached Shirdi he was not aware that there was Cholera epidemic in Shirdi. Of course he had by then developed great faith in Baba and he knew that Baba would take care of him and as such if it is too dangerous to stay then Baba would instantly direct him to return to Mumbai. He therefore was unafraid and performed his rituals as usual. In the next two to three days he experienced that the death toll was on the increase and Cholera was increasing into menacing proportion in the villages around Shirdi. He was internally frightened. One evening, as per his ritual, he lighted the Petromax lamps and placed them in Dwarkamai. No sooner had he climbed the steps where Baba used to normally sit in front of the Dhuni than Baba got angry with him. He started abusing him. This was a new experience for Jyotindra. Baba's anger was reaching high peak. In rage he told my father that he will cut him into seven pieces and bury him in the Masjid. Jyotindra was scared. He fell at Baba's feet and started pleading to be pardoned, because he thought he might have inadvertently made some mistake, which aroused anger in Baba. Then in the same mood Baba ordered him to sit there and press his legs. My father instantly obeyed his orders and was seated at his feet pressing his legs. He noticed that Baba was still murmuring something and continued to be in the angry mood he was in. After a little while Jyotindra started perspiring because he was seeing in front of him the Goddess Kali in a menacing posture and blood soaked tongue. On seeing this sight my father lost his senses completely. Automatically he held on to Baba's legs with all his might and strength in his body. He was trying to convey to Baba to save him from this, but the fright was so deep that words could not come out. He became speechless. His face was only turning in two directions from Baba to Kali and vice-versa. He was seeing Baba uttering something but was unable to hear and comprehend. In no time he became unconscious. When he woke up he realized that Baba was shaking him and asking him to wake up. He regained his consciousness and was drenched in sweat. Baba was telling him that "Hey Bhau I told you to press my legs but you were holding them so tight that your nails were hurting me." My father was very thirsty and he asked for some water. Baba gave him some water from the earthen pot (Kolamba) which used to be there in Dwarkamai. My father drank the water and he reached the NTP (Normal Temperature and Pressure) condition. He instantly told Baba not to show him such dreadful sights because he did not have the strength to withstand them. He told him that for the next four days he may not be able to gulp food and he would have to rethink whether he should come to Shirdi or not. Then Baba asked him "Hey Bhau please tell me what exactly did you see?" Then my father narrated the whole incident which was still fresh in his memory. He asked Baba "You were murmuring something with that dreadful person but I could not hear anything as I fell unconscious." Baba replied "Hey Bhau that dreadful person you are referring to was none other than Aai.'' She was asking for your soul and I was declining. She was refusing to go away, and then I told her you may take five more people but I will not part with my Bhau. Finally she gave up and left Dwarkamai." Baba went on to say "Bhau please remember I did not bring you to Shirdi to die, and when you are at my feet nobody can snatch you away from me." For my father, it was like he had taken rebirth. He fell at Baba's feet and once again pleaded not to show such dreadful sights as it was beyond his ability to withstand. Whenever my father used to narrate this incident he used to say that the very remembrance of that sight gave him a sleepless night.

Dear Sai devotee readers after going through this episode I am sure many of you may have some doubts and would like to seek some clarification but as said in the beginning please believe it. Shirdi Sai Baba was nothing but Lord Incarnation and therefore he possessed those supernatural powers which, when required he utilized to save a devotee. I am sure there must be ample number of people who must have undergone such life saving experiences. Baba used to declare that it was his ardent duty to protect his devotee from evil effect. “He told my father "Bhau after my bodily departure from Shirdi, people will come like ants to Shirdi, and please remember I do not utter lies while speaking from this Dwarkamai"

Dear readers in this 21st century we all are seeing and experiencing what has transpired in Shirdi and I am sure this will go on till the end of this world.

Meeting with Lord Vithoba of Pandharpur:

As informed earlier, the Tarkhad family started worshiping Sai Baba on daily basis and on Thursday evening they used to perform the Aarti collectively at their residence. My grandmother was completely at peace of mind and she was very happy that her headache had disappeared forever. She was now getting attracted more towards spiritualism. She started reading spiritual books regularly. Once she expressed her desire to my father of going on a pilgrimage to Holy Pandharpur and to take Darshan of Lord Vithoba. She went on to inform him that, the holy books suggest that before one parts with this world, one should visit Pandharpur. My father advised her to check with Baba and seek his clearance.

Accordingly, during their next visit to Shirdi, she asked Baba to permit her to go to Pandharpur. Baba told her" Oh Mother for us Shirdi is everything and there is no need” She was rather disappointed. She told Baba that Pilgrims visit Pandharpur, as they firmly believe that Lord Vithoba is stationed there and once you have his Darshan then your path to attain Moksha (salvation) is clear. She expressed to him that she has developed very strong urge to visit and perform his Pooja at least once in her lifetime. Baba knowing her desire to be genuine then declared "Oh Mother do not worry you will visit Pandharpur and fulfill your desire." On returning home they informed Babasaheb Tarkhad about that and after proper planning my father and my Grandmother proceeded to Pandharpur. Readers will appreciate a point that as Mecca is to Muslims; Bethlehem to Catholics; so is Pandharpur to Maharashtrians.

On reaching there, my father made all the necessary arrangements. After taking bath and breakfast when the morning rush hours were over they walked up to the Vithoba Mandir along with Pooja material. On entering the sanctum sanctorum they sought the permission to perform Pooja from the priest of the Mandir. My grandmother proceeded in her own way and almost completed the Pooja. Now was the time to adorn the Vithoba Murti with the garland and there was a dilemma. My grandma would want to garland with her own hands but the priest would not allow doing so, as no one is permitted to climb the platform where the Murti is situated. My grandma told my father that her Pooja would remain incomplete if she were unable to garland the Murti with her own hands. My father advised her to pray to Baba and seek his help as he had granted her permission to visit Pandharpur. She closed her eyes and raised both the hands holding the garland, and requested Lord Vithoba to accept her Pooja. Then a miracle happened. Lo and Behold! The Murti of Lord Vithoba slid down the platform. My father instantly shook my grandmother bodily. He told her to open her eyes and see for herself that the Lord had responded to her prayers and now she could adorn him with her garland. She instantly placed the garland on Vithoba's neck and the Lord was back to its original place. Both mother and son prostrated in front of Lord Vithoba.

On seeing this, the priest was completely astonished and flabbergasted. He jumped down from the platform and held the feet of my grandmother and father and declared that they are the Vithoba and Rakhumai and he would not allow them to go away. He pleaded pardon for his arrogant behavior. My father consoled him and told him not to have any wrong ideas about their identity. He told him that they are devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba and on getting consent from him they were visiting Pandharpur. He further told him to have strong faith in Lord Vithoba who is Jagrut (wakeful) over there and is no more a stone God. He advised him to perform his Pooja from the bottom of his heart and seek his blessings in return. He then requested the priest to give them prasad so that they could leave the Mandir. They purchased Brass Idols of Vithoba - Rakhumai and placed it in their Sandalwood Mandir to offer daily worship.

This experience was like receiving heavenly pleasure for both of them. Though they used to offer prayers to God very sincerely they never ever imagined that Lord Vithoba would greet them in that fashion. After this visit when they visited Shirdi next, Baba asked my Grandmother “mother could you meet Vithoba?" My grandmother replied "Baba this is all you’re making. I am now ready to part with this world as I consider my life is complete now." She profusely thanked him.

Dear Sai devotee readers my father used to say that God always exists in any stone Murti which you worship. I for one strongly feel that all those divine experience they encountered purely because of their solemn and good deeds of the past and undoubtedly they were under the umbrella of Grace of Sai"s blessings all along which made this possible.

Facing Death in a Cloudburst in Shirdi:

Dear Sai Devotee readers, I presume that you must have paid a visit to Shirdi at least once. There is a vast difference between the present Shirdi and the Shirdi of yesteryears when my father used to visit. During that time when you enter Shirdi from Kopergaon end there was a rivulet, which you were required to cross to enter Shirdi village. Most of the times of the year the rivulet was dried up, only during monsoon season one would find it actively flowing. Currently one would find a small bridge over it on the main road. In those days villagers use to perform their morning duties on the banks of this rivulet. As such there were lot of shrubs and the place was appropriate before the sunrise, as there was hardly any traffic on the road.

Those were the rainy days when my father was in Shirdi. He was in the habit of getting up early and after performing morning duties he would attend the Kakad Aarti. On that eventful day he got up early and proceeded to the bank of the rivulet to perform his morning duties. It was drizzling so he carried an umbrella and torch with him. During his course of morning duty he heard someone shouting from the other bank of the rivulet. Initially he ignored the shouts. He tried to locate the person but due to darkness he could not see anyone. Soon he realized that the person was shouting and asking to run away from the bank. He was shouting in Marathi and saying that" LONDHA ALARE ALA PALA." My father did not understand the meaning of LONDHA. (meaning a torrent) as such his education was in English medium and it was difficult for him to understand the colloquial Marathi. However he could sense that the person was warning everybody to run away from the place. He hurriedly finished his morning duty and stood up and lighted the torch to find out what was going around. Soon he realized that a huge column of black colored water 15 to 20 feet in height coming towards him. There was a cloudburst, which had taken place during the night at a far away place resulting into sudden floods in the rivulet. He realized that his end was near and he shouted saying "BABA MELO MALA WACHAVA". (Baba I am dying and please save me.) He closed his eyes and just stood still in that place, all the time chanting Baba's name. After some time he realized that he had not been swept away and he was still alive. He opened his eyes and what he saw was unbelievable. The column of water was divided into two parts and pushing past him without touching him. He was standing still in that gushing water. He was scared of death and the entire time chanting Baba's name (NAMASMARAN). After some time the water level receded and when it was down to knee level the water touched his body. Now he was in knee deep water. He could see around him branches of trees, shrubs; cattle etc were passing through the floodwaters. He thanked Baba then and there as he realized that only Baba could have saved him from that sure death situation. He then slowly walked back through those knee-deep waters. He came to their place of stay and took bath. Needless to mention that he had missed Kakad Aarti that morning. He informed his mother what he had undergone that morning. She advised him that as Baba had pulled him out of the jaws of death, he should immediately go and thank him for saving his life. He immediately paced up to Dwarkamai and as he was climbing the steps with Pooja material in his hand Baba talked to him in raised voice, "Hey Bhau today early morning why were you shouting for my help and are you afraid of death?" My father fell at his feet and told Baba that he knows everything and an ordinary man like him is bound to get scared with the sight of sure death in front of him. Baba then lifted him by holding him from his shoulders and said “Hey Bhau get up. I bring you to Shirdi not for dying. Please remember you will not die like this so easily, as you have to perform lot of constructive work in future."

This article and details are courtesy saiamrithadhara who has done extensive work ob BABA life