Dattatreya Damodar Rasane

DDrasane

alias Nana Sahib Rasane (or Daulatshah), Son of Damodar (or Anna) Savalram Rasane, Kasar, aged 40, Ravivarpet, Poona, May, 1936

I : I will give this biksha and then inform my father.

Baba: How can you do it without consulting your father?

I : I am master of my life. My father has other sons and he will not object. You gave the children and there can be no objection to my being given to you.

Then Sai Baba took my body up in his palm and put me into his breast pocket. I was filled with bliss at the thought that he was so kind to me as to put me near his heart.

When I woke up I found myself happy and my mind at once attained indifference, Udasinata or Vairagya. Things did not attract me and hold my mind as they did formerly.

Two or three months later, i.e., in 1928 (Phalgun Vadya) a son was born to me at Pandharpur. Fifteen months later, when I and my father went to Shirdi, he prayed to Baba that I should have one more son. In 1931, I got another son and that child was named Saidas. On the second day of its birth, it had high fever. Baba's udhi and tirtha were given to it and cloth relics of Baba were enclosed in a Tayath and tied to it. It recovered and got alright. When it completed its first year, it was taken to Shirdi; abhishek was done, clothes presented to Samadhi and brahmins were fed.

In 1931 I was placed in charge of the bangle business. I insisted that it should be named after Baba. It is called (after getting Baba's permission by casting lots before his picture) Sri Samartha Sainath & Co. It is conducted on lines of probity and God conscience.

Any Udhi and Tirtha that I give in Sai Baba's name cure and bless the person that receives these.

On 1-9-1932 I was on pilgrimage at Muttra and had an attack of cholera. Death appeared imminent. My father asked me what were my last wishes. I said I merely wanted to be taken to Shirdi, to be burnt there if I die as Sai Baba was my Krishna. But with Baba's photo placed over my head (Udbatti being burnt before it) and with the frequent application of Baba's udhi and Tirtha at Muttra, I was somehow pulling on. At midnight, my sister-in-law Subadrabai who was there had an avesam. That is, the spirit of Miradatar, a saint of Unava (in Gujarat near Sidpur), spoke through her mouth. Miradatar was a renowned Mohammedan Wali (i.e., Saint) and spoke thus (through her), "You are calling on Sai. He is old and cannot easily move. He is my uncle (Kaka). On his behalf and as he sent me, I have come. Have no fears. You will have his blessing. You will see him in spirit tomorrow. Prepare a cup of coffee and give it to the patient". Coffee was prepared and I took it with a little of Baba's Udhi in it. Thereafter fever ceased and I had no more motions. The cure was so sudden as to surprise the doctor whom I went to see the next day. "Yesterday, this man was at point of death and how does he get so quickly cured as to come here today?" was his question. I replied that Sai is a doctor of doctors and that His sacred udhi saved me.

When I was young, say seven years old, I went to Shirdi and was massaging Baba's foot. At that time Baba began the distribution of sweets with His own hand to the children present. Naturally my attention turned to the sweets and I grew slack in massaging. My mother was at my side and she beat me saying, "You are thinking of sweets and neglect the service of Baba" "You, old woman" cried Baba, "Why do you beat the boy?" My mother requested him to give me a good desire to perform service to Baba. Baba answered, "The boy will serve me well. God will endow him with pure desires. Do not fear, Do not beat him". When I was twelve years, I went with an elder cousin to Shirdi. We had 100 rupees with us. Baba asked for dakshina, 10 rupees once, 15 rupees another time etc. Only 25 rupees were left with my cousin in his pocket and we at once wrote home to Ahmednagar for more money to give Baba and for our return journey. That evening Baba asked my cousin for 25 rupees and he replied that our money had been exhausted and that we required money for our return journey. Baba's retort was quick. "Why talk all this humbug? You have got 25 rupees in a corner of your pocket. The M.O. you have written for will come here tomorrow. Do not fear." My cousin paid up the 25 rupees at once. Baba used to say "Who gives me one, to him I give two. Who gives two, to him I give five. Who gives me five, I give him ten". There was besides the obvious meaning of God's or Baba's returning one's gift manifold and esoteric meaning in these words.

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