In chapter 23, we are presented with the story of Ram Baba, a yogi who was unable to achieve the state of Samadhi even for a few minutes. When he came to Shirdi and saw Baba eating stale Bhakri with onions, he wondered, 'How can this man help me!' Reading his thoughts, Baba said, "He who can digest onions should eat them." Hearing this, Ram Baba surrenders at Baba's feet and gets his difficulties resolved. The next Leela is about Shama who is bitten by a snake and runs to Baba, who expels the venom by ordering it to get down and leave. Then, there is the story of Dikshit willing to slaughter the ailing goat when Bade Baba, a Muslim, refuses to do so. Shama goes to the Wada but does not return lest he has to slaughter it. But Dikshit, a Brahmin by caste, opposed to consuming meat and following the path of Ahimsa, is ready to follow his Guru's order.
In February 1914, when Ram Baba went to Shirdi, Baba welcomed him, saying, "Ae kutte, idhar aaja. Jo hajam kar sakta hai wahi toh kha sakta hai." Roughly translated, it means: 'You dog, come here. He alone should eat who can digest it.' This Leela is beautifully given in the Shri Sai Satcharita, chapter 23, when Chandorkar and Ram Baba came to the Masjid and found Baba eating Bhakri with onions. Ram Baba was filled with doubt. He wondered how this person eating stale Bhakri with onions could help him. Immediately, Baba read his mind and said, "Nana, only those who can digest onions should eat them." Hearing this, Ram Baba surrendered, and with a clear mind, he asked Baba about his difficulties in attaining Samadhi, and Baba answered all his doubts.
In 1910, after having enjoyed life to its fullest, Ram Baba took Sanyas. He was initiated into Sanyas at Karambas District, Bulandshahr, in Uttar Pradesh. He travelled widely, and met many saints and spent time with them. He met saints like Ramana Maharshi and Swami Shivananda. He roamed the jungles and mountains of India, carrying his staff and begging bowl. After meeting Baba, his life changed forever. It was as if he had surrendered his ego at Baba's feet. In fact, he never used the pronoun 'I'. In conversation, he would refer to himself as 'Ram'. He would address others as 'Dear Selves'. While doing Parikrama of the Narmada, he met Hansdevji Maharaj, who sent him to meet Tembe Swami at Garudeshwar. Then, he went to Mani Nageshwar. It so happened that two princesses of Saurashtra came to Nathji Maharaj to take permission to go to Shirdi. Granting them permission, Nathji asked Ram Baba to accompany them. They made their journey by car and reached Shirdi just before the noon Aarti. Ram Baba went into the Sanctum Sanctorum and met Baba. Baba looked at him very intently, their eyes and their gaze locked for some time, after which Ram Baba was never the same again. He felt bliss and ecstasy as he had received Baba's Grace.
(Reference: Sai Leela magazine, September-October 2006.)
Next is the wonderful Leela of Shama, who was bitten on his little finger by a snake and instead of going to Virobha Temple, where such patients were taken, he ran to Baba and sought refuge at His feet. However, seeing him, Baba flew into a rage. He shouted on top of His voice saying, "Do not climb up. Get out at once, get out, climb down and be gone." Shama was disappointed as he thought Baba was shouting at him. He did not realise how much Baba loved him, and was actually expelling the venom from his system by ordering it not to spread. Since it was Baba's order, the snake venom had no choice but to stop circulating and was thus expelled. Here, Baba uses no Mantras, nor does He use rice or water charged with Mantras as practised by Mantravadis.
The next two experiences are of a judicial officer, whose name is not mentioned. He states, “I have a great deal of reverence for sages and saints. One summer, I was fortunate to meet Bala Swami at Virudhachalam. He looked like a boy, though he was much older. He was a linguist, but had taken the vow of silence. When we prostrated before him, he was writing something on paper with his left hand, as his right hand was held up above his head for many years as a form of penance. We sat in his presence for about 10 minutes and then wanted to take his leave. At first, he nodded his assent. Then as we were leaving, he signalled to us to stay. He then turned to me and gave me a scroll of paper, on which Sai Baba’s name was written 108 times. He instructed me to keep the paper with me at all times, and to write Baba’s name 108 times daily.
“While parting, he distributed Udi to all of us. Then, we proceeded to worship at the Virudhachalam temple. I was not inclined to follow any of his instructions and I gave the scroll of paper to my son. After worshipping the deity at the temple, we were circumambulating Lord Shiva in the big temple. By then, it was dusk and soon got quite dark when I got stung by some noxious creature on my big toe. I used my flashlight to see what it was, but couldn’t ...
