In chapter 14, the main story is of an affluent land owner, Ruttonji Shapurji Wadia. It is beautifully described. Shethji had all the comforts that wealth could provide. However, though he appeared to be contented and happy, he was very disheartened and sad, as he did not have a son. He pined to have a son. Instead, he had 12 daughters. Day and night, he thought how wretched his life was without a son. It was Das Ganu, who advised him to seek refuge at Baba's feet and assured him that he would be blessed with a son. Shethji thus went to Shirdi and beseeched Baba to bless him. Baba then asked him to give Him Dakshina of Rs. 5, which he had intended to give. Then Baba told him that He had already received Rs. 3.14, and blessed him. Then Shethji returned home. And thus it came to pass that Shethji did have a string of sons.
The rest of the chapter is about Dakshina Mimansa. Why is it so important for Hindus to have a son? And also, why did Baba bless many a devotee with a male offspring? Mhalsapati stayed with Baba the entire day and night. On one occasion, early in life, about 1896, Baba said, "Arre Bhagat, listen to my Fakiri words, which are always true. You are coming and sleeping here, and not with your wife. But, you have only daughters, and daughters are like tamarind fruit, but a son is like a mango fruit. You go home and you will get a son." In spite of Baba's pressure, he declined to go home and did not want his family, or Samsar, to increase. But his friend, Kashiram Shimpi, compelled him and took him home and left him there. Thereafter, he took his bed in his house. He started it on Janmashtami of 1896, and on the next Janmashtami (1897), a son was born to him.
Baba had equality of vision, so why did he say that female offsprings are like tamarind? In the Hindu Dharma, it is very important to have a son, the reason being that it is only the son who can perform the Antimeshti of his parents, which is one of the 16 Samskaras. After the son's Upanyanam, or thread ceremony, he does Sandhyavandan daily and venerates all the family deities. Upon the death of his parents, it is he who lights the funeral pyre and immerses their ashes in the Ganga, so that they go to heaven. He also performs their Shradh every year with love and respect. And Baba was rather strict about performing Shradh, and also about setting aside food for our ancestors at every meal. Whenever there is a ceremony or celebration in the house, the son performs Nandi Shradh and invites the deceased to participate in it. Thus, the good Samskars of the son make his ancestors very happy.
Reason number two: it is the male child that carries forth the family name and lineage. The girl marries into another family and her Gotra changes, and she takes her husband's Gotra. As she is often referred to as Paraya Dhan, she is the Lakshmi, who now belongs to another family, but the son usually stays with his parents. Thus, he is a source of income for his parents in their old age. A dutiful son not only looks after his own family, but also looks after his parents both emotionally and financially. If by chance, his sister is not married, he is responsible to get her married to a suitable groom. In most Hindu families, the eldest son gets married only after the sisters are married. Even if the daughter is married into an affluent family and the son is not well off, the parents will not accept any help from their daughter as they have performed Kanyadaan to her. All this would be ideal in that time and age. However, things have changed a lot during the present time.
Now, I will narrate some Leelas of how Baba blessed the devotees with a son.
Leela number 1: "I had to tear this abdomen to give you a son."
Chotubhaiya and Narayan Govind Shinde were childhood friends. In 1903, they made a pilgrimage to Gangapur. They took a dip in the Sangam. Chotubhaiya suggested to Shinde that he should bow before the Padukas of Lord Datta that if he has a son within a year, he would bring him to Gangapur and lay the child at the Lord's feet. He said so because Shinde had seven daughters and no male child. Shinde agreed and took the vow.
That very year, he was blessed with a healthy son, but he did not fulfill his vow. Chotubhaiya repeatedly reminded him about the fulfillment of the vow, but Shinde made various excuses. One day, Chotubhaiya wrung his hands and said, "Arre Shinde, God has a way of extracting a vow sooner or later. It is wise to fulfill it before this happens. So you better take your son and go at once to Gangapur."
In 1911, Chotubhaiya decided to go to Shirdi along with his family. He told his friend to accompany him, but Shinde declined. He was extremely restless the entire day, so he finally decided to accompany them as they were just about to leave. Both friends reached Shirdi the next day, and in the evening, had Baba's Darshan. The following day, they attended the noon Aarti. Baba looked directly at Shinde, His eyes blazing...
