R. B. Purandhare
A clerk’s journey from first hearing of Baba to complete dependence on his guidance.
Sai BabaDevotee experienceVolume 3
The chapter
R. B. Purandhare worked as a clerk in Bombay on a small salary while supporting his mother, wife, brother and child. He first heard of Sai Baba through Das Ganu’s kirtan. Although his family had ordinary responsibilities and little spare money, the attraction to Shirdi became impossible to ignore.
When Purandhare’s child fell ill, he decided to take the child with him to Shirdi rather than postpone the journey. The child improved there, and Purandhare’s confidence in Baba became the foundation of a relationship that continued through repeated visits, service and obedience.
During one visit Baba sent Purandhare to Nasik for a day. While he was away, illness came upon his family. Purandhare returned to Shirdi, and Baba’s conduct showed that he had not been absent from the family’s distress. Baba also told him that he had known and protected him through many births, turning Purandhare’s personal experiences into a relationship of long-standing spiritual debt.
Purandhare was quick-tempered, and Baba corrected him through practical instructions rather than abstract lectures. When Purandhare wanted to build a bungalow at Shirdi, Baba’s directions about where and how to build it also became a lesson in obedience. In these incidents Purandhare records both Baba’s protection and the discipline by which that protection changed a devotee’s character.
What this account invites us to reflect on
Purandhare’s faith grows through specific events: a sick child recovering at Shirdi, family trouble during a short absence, Baba’s knowledge of his past and Baba’s correction of his temper. The account shows devotion becoming dependable conduct.
Editorial note: This page is a concise paraphrase for web presentation and does not reproduce the complete chapter. Please consult the original PDF for the full account and wording.