Baba and Vasudevanand

Aum Sairam

Vasudevanand, a contemporary of Sri Sai Baba, was a staunch fire worshipper and a rigid observer of religious practices. He had also perfect command over several mantras. Sri Sai Baba, too, was a fire worshipper. Hence these two saints regarded each other as brothers.

When vasudevanand was at Rajmahendry, Pundalikrao, a lawyer from Nanded and friends came for his darshan. Pundalikrao was a Sri Sai Bhakta. So in the course of conversation, Baba's name came up. Hearing it, Vasudevanand was overwhelmed with a feeling of reverence and folding his hands, enquired, when are you going to Shirdi? Right from here, I am going to Sri Sai Baba, said Pundalikrao.

Vasudevanand picked up a coconut, held it near his heart and, handing it over to Pundalikrao, said, and then, please give this to my brother. Soon Pundalikrao and his friends started for Shirdi. They took with them flowers, coconuts etc. to offer to Sri Sai Baba, and a few eatables for themselves. On their journey, they ate some chiwada, which tasted very not. To appease the heat, one of them suggested that coconut be mixed with it. So a fruit was broken and, mixing it with chiwada, they ate it with pleasure. Then it struck them that the coconut they broke was the same which Vasudevanand had given for Sri Sai Baba. They all felt very sorry. What could they tell Sri Sai Baba? No hatched up account would do, for Sri Sai Baba would already know everything. So Pundalikrao went and sat with his head hung down. Sri Sai Baba slyly asked, Pundalikrao, where is the present from my brother? Pundalikrao confessed everything and said he would go and bring another coconut. No other coconut would do, Sri Sai Baba intervened. That coconut cannot be replaced by a thousand others; for it was not a mere coconut; it was the very heart of my dear brother. Remember, how my brother had given it to you?

Pundalikrao recollected that Vasudevanand had held the coconut near his
heart and said, give this to my brother. He had put his very heart in
the coconut before making it over to Pundalikrao. Highly developed
souls like Vasudevanand and Sri Sai Baba can communicate with each
other by means of their psychic powers. That is how Vasudevanand had
informed Sai Baba about the coconut he was sending. Sri Sai Baba too
had immediately received that message. This is called telepathy.

Allah Malik