heritageshirdi

Baba made Shri Virendra P. Pandya a sceptic into an ascetic.

Shri Virendra P. Pandya at Vaitarana near Kalyan (Bombay) was a University Graduate and had not belief in God. All his family members were all educated and cultured and except his father and mother all his family members were non-believers of God. In May 1952, he casually visited Shirdi along with his cousin brother. Sometime after he left Shirdi his family faced a great family trouble which is purely a private one. At this time he was staying with his cousin brother at Vaitrana. His father, mother and all his family members were living in Bihar. There was no solution for their coming to solve the problem. He suddenly remembered of having brought a photo of Shri Sai Baba from Shirdi, but it was kept idle in his trunk. He took it out cleared it and kept it on his table. He lighted agarbathi before the photo and prayed to Shri Sai Baba to help him to solve the problem. Two or three days passed but the solution did not occur. On contrary worries increased very much. He became restless. He stood before the photo of S;iri Sai Baba, Oh Baba you knew that I have got no strong belief in you. If you are really God as your devotees referred to and you knew my family trouble and how much worried I was thinking over the matter. I pray to give me proper solutions to day by evening or else I will keep your photo back into the trunk once for all". In the evening he found himself claim and got the solution of the problem and immediately wrote a letter to his mother at Dharaiajoba (In Bihar) informing her of the solution and the way in which he got it. On the third day of his posting of his letter, he got a letter from his mother which she too informed, of the solution of his family and it was the same solution which had already occured to him on the same date and the very same moment. This incident brought him much close to the belief of Shri Sai Baba. He thought of devoting his whole life for ever to Shri Sai Baba doing no other work except "Bhakti". But his mother refused permission and advised him to follow "Karmayoga" life. He then stood before the photo of Shri Sai Baba and wrote on a piece of paper as follows "O-Baba you knew difinitely well in what dilemma I was. By Tuesday 5-8-1952 evening, I must get an answer from you in writing as to which way of life I should follow". He then placed that paper under the photo standing and was praying Baba. The dusk came on 5-8-1952. Till then, there was no answer. He became very much impatient. He then accidently saw a Gujarathi book called Shri Sai Baba Upasana written by Shri Bhavnagar Sai Baba Bhakta Mandali. This book was sent to him by his mother two months back. But he has not read it so far. Now, when he saw the book, he took it and opened it at random at Chapter "Bhav Sudha". As soon as he read 2 or 3 lines, he found much interested in the book and began to read it and finished reading whole of the book and got the answer to his questions and that too in writing. In that book, Baba has advised a devotee to follow "Karmayoga" life. This incident brought him more closer to the devotion of Shri Sai Baba.

Shri V, P. Pandya and his cousin brother were contractors doing the work in connection with the "Bombay Water Supply Scheme" and lived in Vaitarana a jungle place. On one Wednesday (i. e.) on 6-8-1952, he stood before the photo of Shri Sai Baba and prayed "That tomorrow is Thursday (i.e.) Baba's day and that there should come a Sadhu, Sanyasi or Fakir at his door to have "Bhiksha" within 12-30 and 1 P. M. during the time exactly when I took my meal and that he should bless me by moving his right hand from head to foot and thus bless every part of his body". After 12-15 P.M. Thursday he went to take his meals as nobody came to his door till then. At the time of taking his first morsel of food, he heard a cry of a Fakir asking for alms. His cook who never used to give anything to any beggar gave out of his own accord an one anna coin to that Father. The Fakir turned out and was on the point of leaving. He then called the Fakir back and gave him prasad which he had kept before Baba's photo. The Fakir went away. He too finished his meals. He thought of serving him with food. But he had gone away He thought that if he anyhow returned again, he should serve him with food. He asked his cook whether there was any extra food. He replied "NO" the food remaining will sufficient only for him. To his utter astonishment, the same Fakir was again coming to his door. He then immediately offered his "Prasadam" to the Fakir and gave Rs. 2/-requesting him to have food with this amount as he was then unable to serve him with food in his house. He accepted this amount without saying anything simply laughed meaning fully at him. And then to his great joy, he blessed him from head to foot by his right hand and with peacock feather as he wished. He fell at the feet of the Fakir with inexplicable joy and again offered "Pranams". The Fakir raised him up and said that He would again meet him on the next Thursday (i.e.) on 14-8-1952. He told the Fakir that this would not be possible as he could go to Shirdi in a couple of days. The Fakir told him Eventhen I will meet you" So saying the Fakir went away. He left for Shirdi and came to Shirdi on 13-8-1952. On Thursday 14-8-1952, during noon Arati time in the Samadhi Maadir, while he was looking at Shri Sai Baba's photo it suddenly occured to him what the Fakir had said and then he too felt so much surprised as the Fakir's saying had come true as he was in front of Baba performing Arati and so Shri Sai Baba too was in front of Him. That is how the Fakir did visit him on 14-8-1952. Thus Shri Sai Baba at least brought this "Faithless" into the fold of his staunch devotees even after His Mahasamadhi.

Surrender Shri Sai Completely ! Stupendous Delectation and Deliverance be there \ \