SHRI SAI

Sri Raghuvir B Purandhare was a staunch devotee of BABA since 1909. Whenever he went to Shirdi, BABA demanded of him Rs.2.00. He asked Baba, why he was asking for only Rs.2.00 every time. The reply was, “it is not these two metallic coins that I want. What I want is Nishta and Saburi from you.” That is faith and patience. One of the Arathi songs sung at Shirdi is “Shirdi is my Pandaripur and Sai BABA is my Vittoba.”

One day at Shirdi, his mother and his wife after taking darshan of Baba, wanted to leave for Pandaripur, to have darshan of Vittoba. While taking leave of Him what they saw in place of Sai BABA, were Vittoba and Rukumai of Pandaripur. His mother and wife were overwhelmed with emotion, and said that there was no need to go to Pandaripur, when Sai BABA Himself was Vittoba and Rukkumai.

In 1920, Purandhare’s wife was ill with influenza, which was raging as an epidemic. She used to attend the Ramanavami urs at Shirdi, since many years. As Ramanavami approached she felt sorry that she would not be able to attend that year. BABA that night appeared to her in her dream and told her “Don’t worry I will take you to the Urs”. She was better next morning and told her husband about her dream. The illness continued and she died on Ramanavami day, chanting “BABA, BABA” to the last.