Madhav Rao Deshpande alias Shama
Brahmin, aged about 80

Dixit Wada, Shirdi, 9th March, 1938.

Pishya was a Rohilla. Many Rohillas came here in Baba's time. At Neemgaon there were the landholders, Baba Saheb Dengle and his younger brother Nana Saheb Dengle. Neither of them was an official. But they had much influence with officials. Nana Saheb Dengle came to Baba when I was a teacher at the school.

When Nana Saheb Nimonkar was staying at Shirdi, his son and daughter-in-law at Poona were attacked by plague. Mrs. and Mr. N. Wanted permission to go to Poona. Baba did not grant permission. Mrs. N. then wept. Baba said to her "Why do you cry? In 15 days' time your son will come here." Accordingly the son and his wife recovered and the son came to Shirdi within the period fixed by Baba.

Sai Baba enabled people to escape the clutches of death in such "gandas". Compare this with the way in which Samartha Ramdas enabled one to escape such a Ganda. At a particular time death was to seize a devotee. But Ramdas told the latter to remain by his side and be vigorously holding on to the feet of Ramdas. The appointed time came and passed away. Death had been kept at bay by Ramdas and his devotee escaped death on that occasion.

Nana Wali was 70 years old at the time of his death. He was Gurubandhu of Yeshwantrao, the departed Dev Mam-latdar of Nasik.

When our Nana Wali came, he was old. Baba encouraged him and said"Kulup lagadiya killi there paas hai. Mereko dhaga nai dhena Mai dhaga nahi dhunga". Nana Wali was a Sakshatkari Purusha, who had thorough Vairagya. He ate Pig's filth. He kept scorpions in his mouth and also frogs and rats. Once he spat the rat on Sai Baba.

He wore no sacred thread.

On the day Baba passed away Nana Wali declared, "I will clear off". He died some days thereafter.

Source: Devotees Experiences of SRI SAI BABA by B.V.NARASIMHASWAMIJI