"Shree Samarth Maharaj Helped me as a Brother."

(Smt Nirmalatai is the daughter of Shree Baba Maharaj, the Sadguru of Shree Maharaj)

In the year 1955 during the time of the Festival (the tenth day of the first fortnight of Ashwin-the month of October or November) a middle aged gentleman came to our house in Wardha, by the morning train. He presented himself as Shri Vithal Ganesh Joshi, the disciple of Shree Baba Maharaj. He stated that he was not present in Pune, at the last moment when Shree Baba Maharaj took Mahasamadhi (the last conscious communion with God). Only at once he had decided to deliver service to Shree Baba Maharaj in the private pilot at 937/D, Chatushringee Road, Shivaji Nagar, Pune-16, owned by Shree Baba Maharaj.

And so my husband Shri Nilkanth Khare (Shri Bhau) decided to talk over the matter in particular after the luncheon and afternoon rest. Later it was hashed out in detail and decided that Shree Maharaj will take the plot, 937/D (where the final rites of Shree Baba Maharaj was carried away and the smoothie was located) on rental basis. Out of the thousands of disciples of Shree Baba Maharaj, my husband found Shree Maharaj the most trustworthy disciple.

I strongly feel that the worship and carrying out of several religious rites are being taken away at the temple shrine of Shree Baba Maharaj by the divine grace of Shree Swami Samarth. In the month of May 1956, myself and my husband (Shri Bhau) came to Pune and after taking into account all aspects the plot 937/D was handed over to Shri Vithalrao Ganesh Joshi on rental basis.

We belong to a middle class family. Since my hubby was the firstborn, he had to shoulder all the duties. This included the training of younger brothers, the marriage of the sister and welfare of the mother and other members of the household. It was a difficult job while taking charge of all the responsibilities of the entire household. We could shoulder all these responsibilities only by the blessings of Shree Baba Maharaj and the well wishes, moral support and cooperation of this older brother like Shri Vithalrao Joshi (Shree Maharaj). Because of the total support of Shree Maharaj, our family prosperity was restored once more. In the spiritual domain, we were celebrating the everyday worship of Lord Shankar and other religious rites and also hospitality.

For any trouble I used to consult Shree Maharaj, who practiced to impart the answer for my troubles. He always practiced to say ‘Nirmalatai (Sister Nirmala) as long as I am awake, you need not worry for anything’. He looked after me as my elder brother and even today, for any problems if I remember him (invoke him) my work gets done successfully and I get peace of brain. Shree Maharaj never allowed me to feel the lack of a real brother in my spirit. Very often, Shree Maharaj used to grow furious with my husband (Shri Bhau) but very soon he would say ‘What does our advocate says’ and inquire about Shri Bhau, with appreciation.

Our present domestic circumstances are excellent. In my spiritual routine life on a daily base, I do God worship, prayers and continuous remembrances of my Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj and meditation. As per the advice of Shree Maharaj, I invoke (repeat) ‘Om Nama Shivay’(prayer to Lord Shiva) daily. That aids in working out all my troubles. I find scores of peace of brain. It pushes out all the vicious thoughts. By reading daily the art (waving of a lamp before a deity while simultaneously singing a song about the deity) as well as the biography of Shree Baba Maharaj written by Shree Maharaj gives me a lot of happiness.

Shree Maharaj has always respected me as his sister. He always used to give me medical advice as well as the answer to the problems of our children along with their wellbeing. Even after taking the wrath of a number of devotees, he did not indicate any disrespect to me. He always practiced to sound out with admiration " I have found only one sister. She should receive the Bhaubeej from me". (Bhaubeej – the 2nd day of Kartik (November month) when the brothers meet the sisters with presents) whenever I travel to the temple-shrine of Shree Baba Maharaj in Pune, he (Shree Maharaj) always used to give me saree and blouse piece and he saw to it that I never come back home empty-handed. Shree Maharaj was always low. Despite taking in such large properties, he never demonstrated his greatness amongst the public.

He (Shree Maharaj) always used to say "whatever I have belong to Shree Baba Maharaj, I am just his servant". He survived his entire life for posting out the full treatment and spreading of the greatness and fame of Shree Baba Maharaj in this universe. He represented the ideal of Guru Seva (worship and service to the preceptor) in this universe.

Every bit I could not provide my service to Shree Baba Maharaj (who was my own father) likewise I was extremely unlucky in rendering service to Shree Maharaj also. Whenever I applied to travel to Pune, Shree Maharaj always took a great deal of pain to give the best of the treatment. Only when I moved to Pune, to catch him in the final days of his illness, I could simply capture the mess of his lifeless body. I found a stern sensation of disgrace as I dropped the only chance to render little service to Shree Maharaj.