Satsang MEETING WITH SRI M.B. REGE

Sri Dasganu was a great devotee; and we find in his 'Kirtanas',
references to the love of Gopies; but he probably thought that what
was proper for Lord Sri Krishna was not so for a fakir. Being confined
to the residence and company of the mother, I was a persona
non-grata and was far from Dasganu Maharaj until after the Master's
Mahasamadhi. He then came to Indore and stayed with me. Then
with tears in his eyes he said,'Baba saheb, you were very fortunate
in living with a devotee of the highest order in Madhura Bhakti. I do
kirtans of Mirabai, Janabai, Kanhopatra, and gopis, and tears flow
from my eyes but I could not appreciate the Madhura Bhakti of
Radhakrishna Ayee in real life', and referring to mother's sad end,
he said there were instance in the Puranas of birth without sexual
relations.

In 1911, I thought of practicing Yoga. I invoked my Master and wanted
no other Guru. Relying on the story of Ekalavya who got Shastra and
Astra Vidya from a mud image of Dronacharya, I began Asana and
Pranayama, sitting before the picture of my Master. I could control my
breath and stop five or six beats of my heart in about a year's time.
Once in 1912, talking of Yoga and control and functions of the body,
the mother told me that she had succeeded by Rajayoga in stopping
her monthly periods!

Mother Radhakrishna was of ordinary build, about 5 feet high, but had
an iron will and the strength of a giant. She used to fetch water from a
well about a furlong away in large pots, which she picked alone with
her hands, when a strong man would need the help of another for the
purpose. She once gave me a blow on my chest and said, "You are a
'samsari'. Is this hollow", she then asserted that she was much
stronger than me. I replied that I was only a child. She then suggested
a trial of strength, and insisted on it in spite of me. The road leading to
Rahata used to be deserted in the afternoon and she said we should
run with the other on the back. I told her to get on my back and I
would run first. I ran about two furlongs and the mother said she was
satisfied and I may stop. She then made me get on her back and ran
much more than two furlongs, and asked whether she was not stronger,
and when I said it was doubtless so, she asked me to get off her back.
I said I was happy on the back of my mother and would not leave it. She
threatened to throw me off and I replied that the world would stare if a
fond mother did so. Eventually I got a promise from her that she would
carry me on Her back on the spiritual path. It appears to me that this
was pre-ordained by the Master, as, when we return to mother's
residence, I was called by Baba and asked what we were doing. When
I told him about our race and mother's promise, the Master said 'She
will take you on her back and so will I'. But then he directed me to give
up the practice of Yoga. 'Do Bhakti', He said, 'nothing is more
necessary. Only let your Heart, Head, and hand be in tune'. (He
pointed to the head, heart, and hand, said, 'let these be one')

(to be contd...)
BHARANIDHARAN
(SRIDHAR)
Chennai-600 017.
(Courtesy: Sai Sudha, Golden Jubilee Issue - June 1990, All India
Sai Samaj (Regd), Chennai-600004, India)