Satsang MEETING WITH SRI M.B. REGE

What all I read about Sri Baba, what all I saw and heard
at Shirdi, were enriched by my personal conversations with
this staunch and uncompromising Sai devotee. But certain
doubts still lingered and certain gaps remained unfilled in
my mind and I took the liberty of writing to Sri M.B. Rege
after I returned to Madras, filling them with numerous queries.
Inspite of his age, failing health, family mishaps, and domestic
preoccupations he was kind and patient enough to reply to me
in great detail, because he must have been convinced that I
am very anxious to be authentic and factual as far as possible,
in my writings.

In his letters Sri Rege opened the windows of his mind and
heart, sometimes also anticipating my unexpressed doubts.
In a later meeting between us in Madras, he mentioned that
some unseen power was compelling him to confide everything
to me --even incidents and feelings that were locked up in his
mind all these years. He was convinced that it was the Will of
his Master that they must see the light of day and get
recorded in black and white through me.

Such a conviction of his was very much in evidence while he
revealed to me certain incidents hitherto unknown in the life
of Radhakrishna Ayee who, according to Sri Rege, was the
very embodiment of 'Madhura Bakthi' of the Gopis and whom
Baba referred to as His Mother.

I am happy I have been given this opportunity by the Sai Samaj
organisers to acknowledge with gratitude the great help
rendered by Sri Rege in my humble contribution to Sai literature.
It is my great pleasure and privilege to publish two valuable
letters out of four or five written to me by Sri Rege for the benefit
and enlightenment of Sai devotees and also for serving as
authentic record for future Sai biographers and research
scholars.

BHARANIDHARAN
(SRIDHAR)
Chennai-600 017.