Sai Mahabhakta Late Shri.Anantrao Patankar's name is mentioned in Chapter 21 of Holy Shri Sai Satcharitra.

A gentleman from Pune named Shri.Anantrao Patankar wished to see Sai Baba. He came to Shirdi and received Baba’s darshan. His eyes were appeased and he was very pleased. He fell at Baba’s Feet and after performing proper worship said to Baba, “I have read a lot, studied the Vedas, Vedantas and Upanishads and heard all the Puranas, and yet I still have not got any peace of mind. Thus, I think that all my reading was useless; Simple, ignorant devout persons are better than me; Unless the mind becomes calm, all book-learning is of no avail. I have heard, from many people, that you easily give peace of mind to so many people by your mere glance and playful words. So I have come here; please take pity on me and bless me”. Then Baba told him a parable, which was as follows:

The Parable of Nine Balls of Stool (Nava-vidha Bhakti)

“Once, a merchant came here and right before him, his mare passed her stool (nine balls of stool). The merchant, intent on his quest, spread the end of his dhotar and gathered all the nine balls in it, and thus he got peace of mind”.

Shri.Patankar could not understand the meaning of this story, so he asked Ganesh Damodar alias Dada Kelkar, “What does Baba mean by this?” He replied, “I too do not know all that Baba says and means, but I will say what he inspires me to. The mare is God’s grace and the nine balls excreted are the nine forms of Bhakti: Shravana (Hearing), Kirtana (Praying), Smarana (Remembering), Padasevana (resorting to the feet), Archana (Worship), Namaskara (Bowing), Dasya (Service), Sakhyata (Friendship) and Atmanivedana (surrender of the self). If any of these is faithfully followed, the Lord will be pleased and will manifest Himself in the home of the devotee. All the sadhanas, like Japa (vocal worship), Tapa (penance), Yoga and studying the scriptures and expounding them, are quite useless unless they are accompanied by Bhakti (devotion). Knowledge of the Vedas or fame as a great Jnani and mere formal Bhajan (worship) are of no avail. What is wanted is Loving Devotion. Consider yourself as the merchant or seeker after the truth and be anxious and eager like him to collect or cultivate the nine types of devotion. Then you will attain stability and peace of mind.”

The next day, when Patankar went to Baba, he was asked whether he collected the “nine balls of stool”. Then he said that he, as a poor soul, should first be graced by Baba and then only could they be collected. Then Baba blessed and comforted him saying that he would attain peace of mind and serenity. After hearing this, Patankar became overjoyed and happy.

(Source: Holy Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 21)