Sai Experiences of RAO SAHEB V. P. IYER as Naratted by Mrs. Hirabai Iyer.

Aum Sai Ram.

In Shirdi, near the temple of Sri Sai Baba is the Lendi garden. There are a few Samadhis to the right side of the entrance of the garden and one of them is of Rao Saheb V. P. Iyer.

He was my husband. He breathed his last at Lakshmiwadi which is four and a half miles from Shirdi - Kopargaon Road. I was at Lucknow at that time when I got a telegram informing me about his death. I wished to see the place where he had passed away and I went there.

The children and I reached the place four days after his death. When the people of Shirdi knew that I had come to Lakshmiwadi, many came to console me and talked about my husband.
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Mr. V. P. lyer was a Sugar Technologist. He worked at various sugar factories. I had settled in Lucknow for the sake of the education of my children. When the contract for his work was over, my husband would come and stay at Lucknow till he again got a contract for a job in another sugar factory.
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For the 1943-44 sugar seasons, he did not have a job and so he was at Lucknow. He was not worried about it for he had absolute faith in Baba. He said that why should he worry, for Baba will do what is best for him.

He was happy that he had more time now to pray to Sai Baba. Before having his meals he would offer the food to his beloved Baba.

He would have all the various dishes served in the Thali, even raw onions and salad and offer the food to Baba. He would sit with eyes closed for a few minutes and then start eating. When someone told him not to offer raw onions, he replied that Baba would like it because it was a side dish for the poor.
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He had sent applications for a job and he got one in November 1944. He got a contract to work in the Lakshmiwadi Sugar Mills, at Lakshmiwadi near Kopargaon. When he saw the letter he said "Baba's grace is great and he has called me near him".

He went to Lakshmiwadi and joined duty. He was happy for, now he could go to Shirdi whenever he got time. He often went in the evenings and returned late at night.

As he stood in prayer at Baba's Samadhi he forgot everything. Many a time people there reminded him that he should go home as it was getting late. With great reluctance he would leave the Mandir and return home. His only wish seemed to be near Baba all the time.
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His desire to be with Baba was so great that he wrote in the letters to me that he wanted to stay at Shirdi and not leave the place.

When his friends there heard this they advised him against it. They told him that he cannot think of such a thing. He must work and provide for the family till the children are grown up and able to look after themselves.

His only reply was that he did not want to leave Baba and go, and that he wanted only to stay at Shirdi. In May 1945 the season was over and his work there was finished.

Mr. Iyer wrote a report and submitted it to the factory management on the 26th of May, and thought of leaving Kopargaon on the 27th of May for Lucknow.

Two of my sons had gone to Lakshmiwadi to spend a part of the summer vacation with their father. So they were there during his last days.
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On the evening of the 26th, he went to Shirdi to have the darshan of Baba. The Mandir was not as it is today. It was small. Only the Samadhi of Sai Baba was there and there was no statue.

He stood near a pillar in front of the Samadhi with his eyes closed. Sometimes tears would come from his eyes and he was not conscious of his surroundings. Some persons tried to talk to him but he did not respond.

At about 9 pm. he came out of the trance. With great reluctance he left the Mandir to return home.
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Since he was leaving Shirdi, he said good-bye to the many persons whom he knew. He felt no difference whether they were rich or poor.

All were the same to him. When he said goodbye, tears were shed on either side. He reached home at about 11 pm. and after dinner went to bed.

At about 2 am. he woke his sons and said that he was ill. The neighbor was informed and he called the doctor The doctor came and diagnosed it as cholera and gave medicine.

By morning he had become very weak. By noon he was only half conscious. He was lying quietly with eyes closed. At times he would open his eyes and look at Baba's photo which was on the opposite wall.

He was oblivious of his surroundings except for Baba At about 4.30 pm. he opened his eyes and beckoned to the person standing near him.

When that person went to him and asked him what he wanted, he made a sign that he wanted the picture of Sai Baba. It was removed from the wall and brought to him. He opened his arms and with his eyes indicated that the picture should be put on his chest. He then embraced Baba and said "Baba, Sai Baba, Baba" and smiling, breathed his last.
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When the people heard of the death of Mr. Iyer, they were shocked and grieved, for the night before he was well and now no more.

Large number of people came from Shirdi walking, not minding the distance and the time for they all loved him. He was cremated late at night.

The people of Shirdi approached the Samsthan and requested that a Samadhi be built of Mr. Iyer and they agreed. His ashes were buried and the Samadhi was built and the name and date were engraved on it.

Baba heard the prayer of his Bhakta and fulfilled the wish and kept the loving Bhakta near him forever. Baba has looked after me and my six children.

They are all educated and well placed. All are married and have children and are devotees of Sai Baba. I submit to His will and have had no fear for I have complete faith in Sai Baba.
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SHRI SAI LEELA (Official Organ of Shirdi Sansthan )

FEBRUARY 1976

Mrs. Hirabai lyer C/o Dr. S. N. lyer. 13, Palm Court, 152, M. Karve Marg, Bombay, 400020

Shirdi Saibaba: Doctered Doctor

Aum Sai Ram.

Doctor Rustomji, a Homeopath was once engaged in Homeopathic medicines in a homeopathy dispensary at Shirdi. He was due Rs. 300/- to party in Bombay. The doctor made a cheque for that amount and passed it on to his friend telling him that he would cash it when he liked. On returning home however, the doctor found much to his dismay that his pass book showed that he had not that much balance in his account. He thought what his friend would think about him if his cheque was dishonoured.
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The doctor pleaded with Sai Baba with implicit faith to get him out of this trouble. After some days a casual acquaintance called on him and asked him if he would keep a small packet for him which he would come and claim after three months. The doctor was surprised at this unusual request and asked the man what the packet contained? "It contained a sum of Rs. 300/- was the amazing reply.”

"Do you mind if I use the money" asked the doctor promptly. The gentleman said he did not mind what the doctor did, so long as the money was returned to him when he came to claim it after 3 months. The doctor rushed to the bank and after ascertaining that his cheque had not yet been presented, he paid the amount in his account and felt relief. His honour was saved.
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3 months passed, the man who had given Rs.300/- had not turned up. After 6 months, the doctor suddenly saw the gentleman on the road side. He suddenly went out to him and after greetings were exchanged, the doctor said to him "why did you not claimed your money all these months?" But the man said that he had not given any money to the Doctor.

Thinking that he was joking tried to press the packet of notes into his hands. But the gentleman vehemently denied having visited Shirdi or even given the doctor any money at all!
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The doctor was then spell bound and became known that this was the extraordinary sport of the Divine Incarnate Shri Sai Baba !!!

Devotees Experience at Shirdi by Mrs. Padma Ramaswamy, Mumbai.

Aum Sai Ram.

This is the first time i've put a Devotees experience with Shirdi Sai Baba at Shirdi. This Article has been sent to us by Mrs. Padma Ramaswamy from Mumbai. We are happy to publish the same. I hope that Sai Devotees reading this Article be blessed by Sai's Divine Grace & that they too experience his Love & Affection. The Narration of the Devotees Experience is as below.

-- Devotees Experience--

With the Blessing of our Sadguru Sri Shirdi Sai Baba, I would like to narrate my divine experiences at Shirdi this time. It has been my cherished dream to do the Sai Satcharita Parayan at the Parayan hall in Shirdi. So this time I got a chance to visit Shirdi during May 2011 along with my younger daughter and co-sisters and we all decided to complete the parayan in 3 days. As always this time too before leaving for Shirdi, I wrote down all my deepest desires of visiting all those places where Baba had gone in the Satcharita and prayed for a safe and blissful journey. We took the Volvo bus from Mumbai on friday. We were enjoying our journey listening to Sai bhajans. The bus halted at Sinnar for around 5 mins, where I got down to stretch my legs. Just then I felt a prick in my left toe and all of a sudden I had a shooting pain extending up to my thigh. I was almost in tears. It has always been my practice to carry Udi with me wherever I go.

So I immediately applied it and also took in some with water. I also gave some Reiki healing. But the pain seemed just unbearable. Then finally we reached Shirdi around 9pm. Somebody then suggested we go to the Sansthan Hospital. The doctor there gave an injection and some medicines but the pain failed to subside. The doctor over there suggested me that i should get admitted in the hospital as as it was an unknown insect bite. I got terrified. I told him to let me go as i was very sure nothing can happen as Baba is only testing me. My relative even suggested we return back to Mumbai, but I was very sure that I wanted to do the parayan and took it as Baba's way of testing me. I was crying in pain and had a sleepless night. Next morning a local doctor told it is the bite of a particular insect called 'Vinchoo' and suggested that such insect bites would be best cured by mantra shakti though he gave me an injection. That's when a local fellow suggested me to visit the 'Veerabhadrappa' temple in Rahata(mentioned in Chap.5.Sai Satcharita).

Then I realised that as I had written down my wish in the Satcharita, Baba wanted me visit this place where he had been. No one can comprehend his way of doing things.

The pain which refused to come down with injections and medicines came down immediately by the Grace of Baba.

Then immediately after that mantra treatment I started my Satcharita parayan and successfully finished it in 3 days. In the meantime I also had the privilege of visiting other places where Baba had been for instance-Khushalchandji's house in Rahata, Panchamukhi Ganapathi temple, Tapovan bhoomi, Upasani Maharaj's ashram at Sakori and finally Sai Dham at Kopergaon. There we also met Chauhan Baba. The moment Chauhan Baba looked at me he told that I have been in a lot of pain since I came to Shirdi and that Baba was near me only all the time. Saying so he blessed us all.

I had this deepest wish of doing some Seva in the Sansthan so when I enquired about it in the Sansthan they said no such thing took place there. I was a little upset over it but dint lose heart. Meanwhile on the last day I decided to go for Kakad aarati and got up early and was about too leave when I suddenly started feeling very uneasy and started throwing up. But I made up my mind to go for the aarati. I went to the temple at 3'o clock but somehow there too I felt very uneasy and came out and rushed to my hotel where I started throwing up again. And then I just left it to Baba and took some rest.

Around 7am I still had the urge to atleast go for the Mukhdarshan. I went there and then suddenly the sansthan workers asked if I could do some seva by sorting out the currency notes. My joy knew no bounds and I immediately agreed. After about half an hour's time they told me to take Bab's darshan and leave. I was so happy. He fulfilled this desire of mine too. As said in the aarati 'Jaya mani jaisa bhaav taya taisa anubhava.'

In the last 5 years since Baba has entered into my life,I have realised that though Baba gives us all that we want, he at the same time keeps testing us to see whether we have imbibed into us his two divine coins of 'Shraddha' and 'Saburi'.

I am really thankful to Baba for giving me a very new and divine experience this time. He arranged everything from our travel to stay.

I would like to mention here about a local auto driver Ganesh who knew all those places very well. His contact number is +91 98228 81977.

Thank you Baba. Love you. Om Sai Ram.
Best Regards,
Padma Ramaswamy

Courtesy:
Article: Mrs. Padma Ramaswamy, Mumbai
Edit: Raghav N.