.

Vitthal N. Vaidya was an ardent devotee of Saibaba. He first visited Shirdi in the year 1911. Once he fell ill and had a severe attack of Pneumonia. The fever was relentless and very high for 21 days. Dr. Chipkar was taking care of him and had given him all kinds of cough medicines and injections but nothing seemed to work.

On the 21st evening at about 9 PM he had a life changing experience. His concerned family was with him when he cried out, “Baba had come give him Bhakri (millet bread) and Onions”. His family thought he was rambling in his delirious state as they could not see Baba. Then he got very angry and drove them away. They left the room and stood outside but they could hear everything that he said. To their astonishment, they could hear Baba talking to him. Then they heard Baba addressing two people and he asked them to leave at once. They protested saying that they had come to take him away. Baba objected and forcibly struck the floor with his Satka. Evidently, these two people had to leave as his family could not hear them any more. Then Baba told him to drink a huge goblet of cold water and left.

He called his son who was waiting outside and asked him to bring a goblet of cold water. Immediately his son brought the water and gave it to him as he had overheard the conversation. Vaidya drank all the water, and soon started perspiring. He perspired profusely and the temperature came down rapidly. His son informed the doctor who came and examined him. He was surprised that the temperature had come down by drinking the cold water. The next day the doctor gave him another injection and informed the family that he was out of danger.

The above incident shows how Baba drove away the messengers of death and saved his loved ones.

(Source: Life of Sai Baba, Volume 3 by Sri.B.V.Narasimha Swamiji)