|
Balaram Mankar became dejected after the death of his wife, handing over the household responsibility to his son, he came to Shirdi and remained there with Baba. His devotion was appreciated by Baba. Once Sai Baba gave him Rs.12 and asked him to go to Machindragarh and stay there, meditating thrice a day. After experiencing the natural beauty, pure drinking water and healthy air, Mankar felt happy and meditated regularly as directed by Baba. One day Baba gave him darshan while he was in conscious state. He asked Baba why he was sent to that place. Baba replied, "While at Shirdi so many thoughts were in your mind and hence to make your mind stable, I sent you here. You imagined me as a person made of five elements and three and half cubits in length. You also thought that I am always at Shirdi. Now say whether the Baba you see here and the Baba you saw at Shirdi are the same or not. I have sent you here only to prove this."
After sometime, Mankar started for Bandra and wanted to travel from Poona to Dadar by train. When he went to purchase the ticket he found the booking office crowded with people buying tickets. He could not get a ticket. Then a villager with a blanket over him approached Mankar and enquired where he wanted to go. When Mankar told him it was Dadar, the villager gave him a ticket to Dadar saying that he had cancelled his visit due to some other work. Mankar lowered his head to look at the ticket and by the time he lifted his head the villager was not to be seen. He waited for him till the departure time of the train but could not find him. He went home and again came to Shirdi and remained with Baba till his last days. He was very lucky to have died in Shirdi.
(Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra, Chapter 31 by Shri.Hemadpanth. Picture Courtesy: Shri.Jignesh C.Rajput, Surat) |
