Shirdi Diary By GS Kharpade- Day 5

December 10, 1910

In the morning after prayer I told my son never to mention anything about our going away to Sai Maharaj. He knows all and would know when to send us away. As usual we saw Sai Saheb as he was going out, and later on when we went to the Masjid, Sai Saheb was very much pleased and told the story of a former life of a young girl who was playing with him.

He said she was an artist and died and was as usual buried. Sai Saheb passed that way and spent a night near her tomb. So she accompanied him. He kept her in a Babul tree and then brought her here. He said he was Kabir before and used to spin yarn. The conversation was exceedingly pleasant. In the afternoon Mr. Shridharpant Paranjpe of Wardha accompanied by one Mr. Pandit, another Doctor, and a third gentleman came.

Mr. Patwardhan, Junior of Ahmednagar was with them. My son and he are old college friends. They all went to see Sai Saheb and we all accompanied them. Sai Saheb treated them the same way as he treats everybody and talked first of Teli, Marwadi etc. etc.. Then he talked of buildings that are being put up and added, "The world is gone mad. Every man has acquired a peculiarity of evil thinking.

I never put myself on an equality with any of them. So I never listen to what they say. Nay. I never reply.What should I reply?" He then distributed "Udi" and told us to return to Wada.

He singled out Patwardhan Junior and told him to stay behind as usual mentioning "tomorrow" as the day of departure. I and Babasaheb Sahasrabuddhe returned to Wada. It appears Paranjpe and his companions went to the lady, Radhakrishna.

Bapusaheb Jog's wife has been ill. She has benefited very much by what Sai Saheb says and he gives no medicine but apparently she lost patience today and wanted to go away.

Even Bapusaheb Jog, out of sheer helplessness agreed to let her go. Sai Saheb made repeated inquiries about her and when she was going. When, however, in the evening Bapusaheb Jog proposed to go formally to Sai saheb for asking permission, she said she felt better and did not wish to go - we wondered.

-- Excerpts From Shirdi Diary By GS Kharpade

(Text Submitted By Sudikhsa Dubey)