Shirdi Saibaba - Part II
Young Sai and Dwaraka Mai in Shirdi olden days!
Sai arrives again in Shirdi with a marriage party!
We have seen that the boy 'sai' was unconcerned about the external world and most of the time, he was engrossed in his SELF. At times, he used to prescribe certain remedies to the people who seek his help for their ill health. He never charged them any thing. He was always successful in the treatment and all of them were cured by following his instructions. Otherwise, he won't talk with any. Sometimes, he will move inside the thick jungles that surround the village. There was one pious lady named "Bayaji Bai", who took keen interest in the welfare of the boy. Hence every day, she would prepare wheat rotis, vegetables etc and place it in a basket and search for the boy in those thick jungles. She may have to walk for miles before she could trace him. But he will be engrossed in meditation with closed eyes. She would force him to eat the roti and vegetables making him aware of the need. Thus she force fed the boy for many days in succession!
After staying there for sometime, the boy vanished from Shirdi. During that time, he was wandering here and there. One day he was seated under a tree. A passerby was anxiously going along the path. Sai accosted him and asked him to come near and enjoy a smoke of hukka! The passerby is a village headman known as Chandbai Patil. He has missed his favorite horse and he was making a thorough search of the entire vicinity. On his shoulder lie the horse strand. Sai enquired him the reason for his roaming through the part. He explained him, loss of his horse. Sai told him, "Go and search in the yonder grove, your horse is grazing there". The Patil immediately rushed to that place and he could find his horse grazing unconcerned! He was astonished at the power of the youth Sai. Sai asked him to enjoy the smoke but there was no fire or water. However Sai struck the ground and there some fire piece came. He put it on his hukka. Now water is needed to wet the cloth for smoking. Again he thrust his stick on the ground and there water poured and he wet the cloth. The Patil was quite astonished at the power of Sai. Hence he requested Sai to accompany him to his village "Dhup" and to enjoy his hospitality. Thus Sai accompanied him to the village and stayed with him for some days.
The Patil's brother in law was engaged with a girl from Shirdi. For performing the marriage, the Patil invited Sai alongwith him to Shirdi. Thus the youth accompanied the Patil to Shirdi. When the carts came to Shirdi, the horses were unbridled from the cart and Sai was getting down under a tree from the cart. One Pujari(worshiper of the temple) accosted the youth as "Ya Sai, welcome". From that day, the name Sai struck to the youth. From that time, he stayed in Shirdi for full sixty years and it was the year 1838. Sai used to stay in a dilapidated mosque in the night. He was keeping a fire place perpetually burning to ward off cold. The place was called "Dwaraka Mai"! Rest in Part III.