The Leelas in chapter 25 are all about Damu Anna Rasne, and how he sought refuge at Baba's feet as he had no offspring, and the unique way in which Baba blesses him by giving him four mangoes. Two other Leelas mentioned in this chapter are about Damu's business speculations on cotton and grain, and how Baba prevents him from doing so, thereby saving him from severe financial losses. I shall now narrate his life story, then talk about how he resolved to bring a flag every year for Ram Navami as a token of his gratitude for Baba for blessing him with children.
The ancestors of Damodar Savalram Rasane hailed from Rashin. They were known as the Rashinkars, but later adopted the surname Rasane. Damodar Rasane received Baba's blessings for a child in the most remarkable and unexpected manner, and thereby, he became the means for spreading Baba's fame. He was a very humble man, who sold bangles and utensils to earn a living. All his transactions yielded good profits, and he soon became rich. He had everything in life, but had no children although he married twice. Astrological curiosity made him explore his horoscope, and he found that a Paapi (Ketu) was seated in the Putrastan, and there was no Guru (Jupiter) influence to overcome this. The local astrologers he consulted declared that it was impossible for him to have a child in this life. Damodar had heard of Sai Baba and went to see Him. Baba had kept about eight mangoes from a basket to be given to him. The rest of the mangoes in the basket were taken away by the local children, who wanted more. When Baba said that there were no more mangoes, the children pointed to the eight mangoes. Baba said that they were for Damya, but the children said that Damya was not around. "I know that he is on his way. He is coming," said Baba. When Baba went out, some of the children took away four mangoes, leaving behind only four mangoes. Baba gave Damodar the four mangoes, saying, "Eat and die." Damodar was perturbed by hearing the inauspicious word 'die'. Noticing his perplexity, Mhalsapati told him that it was a blessing to die at Baba's feet. All the while, Baba was enjoying this exchange. The word 'die', which He used, did not refer to physical death, but to the spiritual death, which is the same as Brahma Pramada coming upon one who gets deeper into Samsarik life with the birth and death of progeny and family. Baba said, "Damya, do not eat these mangoes yourself, but give them to your wife." Damya asked, "Which wife should I give them to?” Baba replied, “Give them to your second wife. She will have eight children. The first two will be boys. Name the first Daulatshah and the second Tanashah." Taking up his notebook immediately, Damya wrote down the two names. As stated by Baba, Damya’s wife gave birth to exactly eight children, one after another, and their sexes were in the same order given by Baba. It took 15 years for all their children to be born. Perhaps there is an astrological explanation for this. In Damya's horoscope, there was no ‘Guru Balam’ to overcome the Paapi influence. But the all-knowing and all-powerful guru of Damya was Baba, and His Balam (strength), together with His favourable glances, could overcome the adverse influence of all the planets put together.
Damya’s first son was named Daulatshah, who came to be known as Nanasaheb Rasane. Nanasaheb became the trustee of the Shri Sai Baba Sanstan, and did a lot of work for the Sanstan. He carried on Baba's propaganda by spreading the Sai faith through lectures and other means, and he was fully deserving of the name Daulatshah. Damya, deriving a blessing of this very rare sort, became the means by which Baba's fame (for bestowing progeny and other blessings) got widely publicised in Ahmednagar. This was around 1895-97. Damya, wishing to show his gratitude, undertook to pay for the expenses of a grand flag-procession ceremony that took place every Ram Navami day. Two very tall flags were nicely decorated and carried from the mosque through the streets of Shirdi on that day every year, and finally brought back to be installed at Baba's Masjid to remain there as a mark of the stay of the very compassionate saint. Not content with this service, Damya was always ready to undertake further work and expense for Baba in other matters as well, such as the reconstruction of the Masjid.
Baba saves Damya from incurring financial losses
On one occasion, Damya was advised by a cotton trader to invest Rs. 50,000 in cotton trading and earn a profit of lakhs within a short period of time. Damya wrote to Shama to ask Baba for permission to make the investment. When the letter came to Baba, Baba said, "Damya wants to catch the sky. His head is wrong. He is trying to think of lakhs. Write to him that his present position is not bad, and ask him not to think of lakhs." Damya, with great regret, had to drop the idea of cotton speculation. Finally, he thought he would directly go and meet Baba and induce Baba t...
