i.e., Ganpatrao Dattatreya Sahasra-buddhe, Brahmin, Kirtankar, aged about 78, residing generally at Nanded. (Nizam's State)
Poona, June 1936.
Baba was not explicit about what he did mostly. Here is an instance.
One Valambi Master was Ry. Station Master at Kopergaon. He has no faith in Baba. He told me and other devotees. "Baba is a mad man. Why do you all lionise him?" I, however, persuaded V.M. to go with me to see Baba at Shirdi. When we saw Baba, he was washing pots and placing them on the floor, mouth down and bottom upside. V.M. asked Baba, "What is all this?" Baba said "Every pot coming to me comes with mouth downwards", i.e., not to receive what could be put into them but in an unreceptive fashion like pots with their mouths downwards.
There was at about 1898 or 1899 a notorious dacoit named Kana Bhil who was robbing British and Native States, in parts of Ahmednagar and Bid districts. For three years the police were on his track, but could not catch him. I was only a havildar (Co) at the time. But I and three others were put on special detective duty and directed to watch and report his movements. K.Bhil was so cunning and desperate and his C.I.D was so perfect that he spotted the three men and killed them one after another. I had done little work and my Inspector reported that I was useless and I had to put forward strenuous efforts. All that time I was passing for a Ramadasi and doing Kirtans in the Ram Temple at Loni Varni, the headman (Patil) of which was a friend and receiving visits from K.Bhil. K.Bhil found out all about me, my name, number (727) station, etc., and came one day to shoot me. I went and bowed to Sri Ram and prayed for life. The dacoit left the place with a warning to me that I was watched. I was really watched by his men and I could not leave the place. Again I got information from the village boys as to the programme and movements of K.Bhil and communicated it to the police. The police came and put a cordon round the hill in which K.Bhil was hiding but he escaped after a severe battle with guns etc. in which a number of police were shot down. I got a certificate of heart disease and escaped further detective duty. Then Rale, Mamlatdar, tried the villagers of Loni Varni for harbouring a dacoit. I gave evidence in favour of the Patil that he helped me with information and he was acquitted.
Absent from my jurisdiction without leave, I visited a holy place and returned upto Godavari and there I prayed and vowed to Baba holding Godavari water in my hands that if he would save me I would give up service. Then I discovered a gang in H.S. there with some booty and I got an excuse for my visit. The situation was saved miraculously. Still the ambition to become a Fouzdar was dominating me. I appeared for an examination and passed it to qualify myself. Baba told me that I was not going to get the fouzdari post. I was posted to some place and I had to cross Shirdi on my way - but I did not wish to call on Baba as he would not approve of my continuance in service. So I was simply marching straight (and without turning into the village in the interior of which was the Mosque) on the main road touching Shirdi. Then as fate or Sai Baba would have it, he came to the main road near the Lendi just as I came there and so I got down from my horse and fell at his feet. He then asked me to go over to the Masjid. At the Masjid, he asked me, "Ganu! who took the vow taking a palmful of Godavari water in hand?" I answered, "What harm is there? I am really going to resign". Baba said, "Wait. You will not listen to me while things are thus (i.e., smooth running)".
Then I got into another scrape without any fault of mine. A convict's fine - Rs.32 - was realised and sent up to my station, to be credited to Govt. That was received by my Assistant in my absence and he quietly pocketed it. Later, the man not being released, a complaint was made and inquiry followed. I was suspended. Punishment seemed imminent. I vowed that I would leave service if I escaped and then left service in 1903.
I had composed in 1898 a poem on Sivaji, which became a matter of enquiry. My defence was that I was an impromptu poet and this was my impromptu. I was not punished. Baba repeatedly told me when telling me to retire, "Go and settle at Nanded".