Sai Baba's Grace on Nanavali's Itching Story

The Beginning of Nanavali and Kulkarni's Story

On the holy land of Shirdi, where Sai Baba offered divine knowledge and solace to His devotees, an incident unfolded that revealed His boundless compassion and miraculous power. This is the story of a devotee named Nanavali and a malevolent person named Kulkarni, who devised a wicked plot to teach Nanavali a lesson. Kulkarni, harboring envy towards Nanavali, thought of humiliating him in such a way that he would never be able to face Sai again. Driven by this wicked thought, Kulkarni resorted to a medicine that caused extreme itching. He artfully mixed this medicine into sweets, a tactic that would directly attack Nanavali's trust and innocence.

The Conspiracy of the Itching Medicine

Kulkarni found Nanavali and offered him sweets with affection, in which he had secretly mixed the itching medicine. Nanavali, a simple and naive devotee, could not perceive Kulkarni's deceit. With great faith, he consumed the sweets, believing them to be prasad from Dwarkanath (Lord Krishna). Kulkarni did this with the intention of causing Nanavali such distress that he would hesitate to even approach Sai Baba. He thought that as soon as the medicine took effect, people would mock Nanavali's condition, and he would not dare to present his suffering at Sai's feet. This was a conspiracy that directly challenged the devotee's faith and his devotion to God.

Nanavali's Severe Itching and Pain

As soon as Nanavali ate the sweets given by Kulkarni, within moments the medicine began to show its terrible effect. He developed unbearable itching all over his body. This itching was so intense that he could not control himself. His entire body became covered in red welts, and writhing in pain, he ran here and there. People were surprised to see him, and some even began to mock him, just as Kulkarni had intended. Nanavali's suffering was so great that he became unable to live his normal life. He could not perform any task, only tormented by itching and burning. This terrible affliction had completely broken him.

The Insistence to Reach Sai Baba

Wracked by his unbearable pain, Nanavali saw only one solace – Sai Baba Himself. He believed that only Sai Baba could end his terrible suffering. He wanted to have darshan of Sai at any cost, so he could narrate his woes and receive His blessings. He headed directly for Sai Baba's samadhi temple, where Baba was seated on His seat. People tried to stop him, as his condition made them advise him against going near Sai. They did not want him to defile Sai's holy seat. But Nanavali was so distressed by the pain that he paid no heed to anyone. He became insistent on sitting on Sai Baba's seat, believing that only there could he find peace.

The Compassionate Sai Bestowing His Seat

When Sai Baba saw Nanavali's condition and heard his insistence, His devotee-loving heart was moved. He gave no thought to Kulkarni's conspiracy or Nanavali's pitiable state. For Him, His devotee came first. Without any hesitation, without any reservation, He handed over His seat to Nanavali. This was a direct proof of Sai Baba's boundless compassion and His love for His devotee. While on one hand Kulkarni wanted to humiliate Nanavali, on the other hand Sai Baba gave him the greatest honor. He stood up Himself and made Nanavali sit on His seat, demonstrating the extent to which God can go for a devotee.

The Itching Subsided Upon Sitting on the Seat

As soon as Nanavali sat on Sai Baba's seat, a wonderful miracle occurred. The terrible itching that had tormented him just moments before completely subsided in an instant. It was as if a magic wand had been waved. The sensation of pain vanished, and the red rashes on his body also began to disappear. This was direct evidence of Sai's divine grace. Nanavali himself was astonished by this transformation. He touched his body and felt no itching. This was Sai's power that foiled Kulkarni's wicked conspiracy and not only freed His devotee from physical suffering but also gave him a priceless experience.

Everyone's Astonishment and Sai's Glory

All the people present were astonished to witness this unbelievable sight. Those who, moments before, were mocking Nanavali, now became witnesses to Sai Baba's divine power and compassion. They understood that Sai Baba was no ordinary person, but a manifestation of God himself, who had descended on Earth to alleviate the suffering of his devotees. Kulkarni's conspiracy had completely failed, and he must have felt ashamed of his actions. This incident further strengthened Sai Baba's image as 'Bhaktavatsal' (one who loves his devotees). It was a miracle that not only changed Nanavali's life but also deepened the faith and devotion of everyone present towards Sai Baba.

Continuous Flow of Sai's Grace in Shirdi

Even today, the nectar of Sai Baba's grace continues to rain down incessantly on the holy land of Shirdi. His compassion is not limited to one devotee or one time; rather, it is available to everyone who calls out to him with a true heart. Sai Baba's life teaches us that every prayer made with true faith and 'saburi' (patience) is surely answered. He ignites the lamp of hope in his devotees' lives and fills their bowls with happiness and prosperity. Every particle of Shirdi is filled with the sweet vibrations of his divine presence, as if he is still holding every devotee's hand, giving them the strength of courage and faith. No matter how much time changes, or how many ages pass, Sai's benevolence will always show the way to his devotees.

The Importance of Faith and Patience

From Sai Baba's life and his divine plays, we learn the deep significance of faith and patience. In Nanavali's story, while on one hand there was Kulkarni's deceit, on the other hand there was Nanavali's unwavering faith in Sai. Even though Nanavali suffered due to Kulkarni's conspiracy, he did not abandon his devotion. When he reached Sai Baba, his intense desire to sit at Sai's feet and his trust in him were more profound than the intensity of his suffering. Sai Baba saw this very faith and patience and rewarded him. This teaches us that no matter how many difficulties arise in life, if we maintain our trust at Sai's feet, he himself will pave our way. He becomes a light on our life's path, showing us the right direction.

Sai Baba's Love for Devotees

Sai Baba's love for his devotees was unparalleled. He was beyond all distinctions of caste, religion, or any kind of discrimination. For him, every devotee was equal, and he felt the suffering of all equally. The incident with Nanavali is a vivid example of how he transcended his usual limitations to protect a devotee. Surrendering his own seat demonstrates that God can go to any extent for his devotees. He was not just a chosen deity, but a parent, a friend, a guru – everything. His divine plays assure us that when we call out to him with a true heart, he does not leave our call unheard. He surely appears in some form to aid us.

Conclusion: The Message of Sai's Compassion

Ultimately, this story of Nanavali and Kulkarni gives us the message of Sai Baba's boundless compassion and love for devotees. It teaches us that deceit and malice always end badly, while devotion, faith, and service surely bring rewards. Sai Baba not only relieved Nanavali's physical suffering but also taught him that no power is greater than God's grace. His divine plays remind us that we should always keep our minds pure and have unwavering faith in God. Shirdi's Sai Baba remains a center of hope for his devotees even today, and the ocean of his grace never dries up. Whoever bows his head at his feet with faith and patience ('shraddha and saburi') certainly becomes a recipient of his divine grace.