Even after submerged in the Indrayani, the notebook was dry!

Image Copyright @shashwatsangati

This is an extraordinary story about the period before the publication of the text authored by Saint Baba Maharaj Arvikar, Sadhana Sanhita, translated from a recollection by Saint Madhav Swami.

Saint Baba Maharaj Arvikar had completed writing Sadhana Sanhita. It was written in a regular notebook, with a cardboard cover. Godbole Tai was in Alandi at the time with Saint Baba. Baba had given the Sadhana Sanhita notebook to her to be taken for proof reading and publication. 

For some reason, she still stayed there with Baba. Baba then took on a fierce form. In reality, Baba wanted to see if he had Saint Dnyaneshwar Mauli’s permission to publish Sadhana Sanhita. 

Baba suddenly started scolding Godbole Tai, “Leaving their husbands, they run behind saadhus!”

Tai started crying. She couldn’t understand why Baba was speaking so angrily with her. She had kept the Sadhana Sanhita notebook wrapped in a saree, inside her trunk or suitcase. Baba then said to Anant Swami, “Ananta, she is experiencing vairagya (disinterest in all attachments except for god). Go toss her trunk in the river.”

The Indrayani river was overflowing. Tai began pleading with Baba, “I’ll go in the morning.” But Baba wouldn’t listen to anything.

Anant Swami left with the trunk, and Tai was still crying. She was saying, “Baba, the Sadhana Sanhita notebook is in there. What will happen to it after the trunk is tossed in the water?”

Mr. Vaishampayan and Mr. Surnis were also there. Tai said to them, “Go, go and see.” So they also ran down to the Indrayani. Mr. Vaishampayan managed to grab hold of the trunk before it got caught in the river currents. The trunk was made of metal. It was completely wet. It was dripping the whole way back. 

Bringing it into the room, they quickly opened the trunk and took everything out. All of the sarees were soaked. But, the notebook kept inside one of the sarees was completely dry. Baba then said, “The Indrayani has cleaned it, so now it can be published.”

In Divyamritdhara, Saint Baba Maharaj Arvikar discusses a verse from the Dnyaneshwari, according to which, written work to flourishes with ease through the grace of the Guru (Guru-kripa). It is only through the grace (krupa) of Shri Guru that all knowledge and scriptures can be understood. Otherwise, without it, the endeavor is without fruits (nishphal) and unnecessary or futile. All knowledge comes with the grace of the Guru (Guru-kripa). As the all-knowing Sadguru establishes their existence in the disciple, all knowledge is automatically illuminated.

As Saint Tukaram Maharaj’s gatha (collection of abhangas) received Lord Vitthal’s Guru-krupa, and was purified by being submerged in the Indrayani, in the same way, Saint Baba’s Sadhana Sanhita, through the Guru-grace of Saint Dnyaneshwar Mauli, was imbued with nectar for spiritual seekers (sadhaks).