Thana, 13th September, 1936
It was in the same year that my mother-in-law was anxious to get Baba's blessing, to obtain progeny for me. A few children were born before that but they died when quite young. So at her request, Madhav Rao Deshpande took my wife to Baba and wanted Baba to give her a coconut as a gift and throw it into her Padar (Mundani or end of her cloth). Then Baba's eyes brimmed with tears as he gave the coconut to my wife; and he bade me sit at his feet and massage his legs. As I was doing so, he made passes with his hand over my back. I felt very grateful for his kindness and I referred to the mad man's attempt to murder me and to Baba's photo being with me at the time as the explanation for my narrow escape. Baba merely remarked, "Allah Malik Hai. God is the Lord, i.e., He orders all things." Then Baba and I embraced each other.
Baba showed me once again how considerate he was towards all his devotees and how strongly he was against one devotee teasing or interfering with another. One day Baba said "My stomach is aching." Mavusi, the strong lady that I have already mentioned, brought a red hot brick and placed it on Baba's abdomen, i.e., above his Kupni, and retained it in that position for about ten minutes. I felt very much for Baba, as I was shampooing his feet at that time, and thought her service an instance of "cruel kindness". Then she removed the brick and began pressing Baba's sides with her hands with great violence. I could not endure the sight, and I told her to be gentle as Baba would suffer. Baba at once ordered me to get away. I did.
That night, about 8 PM, I went to the Masjid and asked Baba to give me some anugraha. "What Japa shall I make?" I asked. Baba replied, "Go to Devpur (a village 20 miles off Kopergaon) and begin worshipping the stones there which your ancestors worshipped." Later on, I returned to Dahanu and asked my father what Baba's words might import. Then my father gave me an account of our ancestral worship of images at Devpur.
Baba Prayag, my ancestor, had no issue till he was 60 years old. He learnt that issue was often obtained by others by the grace of a saint then living, named Baba Bhagavat (who was a disciple of Eknath Maharaj) and that B.Bhagavat could be seen at Triambak on those rare occasions when he would go to see the Nivritti Nath Shrine there. B.P. went there and obtained his grace and blessings for issue with a coconut. Thereafter, i.e., at the age of 61, B.P. got a son, whom he named Krishna Rao. Baba Bhagawat took that child, when it was but one year old to Devpur and gave it a handwritten copy of Jnaneswari. (This identical copy is now produced. Note: Just as it is produced, some music is heard passing in the street). Whenever this copy is taken out some auspicious signs are always found attending. From that time forward, every member of our family in his generation takes Upadesh from a member of that Guru's line. This fact it is that made Sai Baba give me the above answer. (At that time I did not know all these facts. But my father to whom I communicated the answer of Baba narrated these facts to me).