Mr. Gopal Narayan Ambadekar of
Poona was a devotee of Baba. He served for ten years in the Abkari
department, from where he had to retire. He tried to get some other
job, but he did not succeed. He was overtaken by other calamities
and his condition grew from bad to worse. He passed 7 years in this
condition, visiting Shirdi every year and placing his grievance
before Baba. In 1916 his plight became worst and be decided to
commit suicide in Shirdi. So he came there with his wife and stayed
for two months. One night while sitting in a bullock cart he
resolved to end his life by throwing himself into a well close by.
He proposed to do one way but Baba wished to do something else. A
few paces from this place, there was a hotel and its proprietor Mr.
Sagun, a devotee of Baba, came out and accosted him thus, "Did you
ever read this Akkalkotkar Maharaja's life?" Ambadekar took that
book from Sagun and began to read it. Casually, or we may say
providentially he came across a story which was to this effect. -
During the life time of Akkalkotkar Maharaj a certain devotee
suffered very much from an incurable disease and when he could
endure the agony and pain no longer, be became desperate and to end
his miseries threw himself one night into a well. Immediately the
Maharaj came there and took him out with his own hands and advised
him thus, "You must enjoy the fruit - good or bad - of your past
actions; if the enjoyment be incomplete, suicide won't help you. You
have to take another birth and suffer again; so instead of killing
yourself, why not suffer for some time and finish up your store of
the fruit of your past deeds and be done with it once and for all?"
Reading this appropriate and
timely story, Ambadekar was much surprised, and moved. Had he not
got Baba's hint through the story, he would have been no more.
Seeing Baba's all-pervasiveness and benevolence, his faith in Him
was confirmed, and he became a staunch devotee. His father was a
devotee of Akkalkotkar Maharaj and Sai Baba wanted him to walk into
his father's footsteps and continue his devotion to Him. He then got
Sai Baba's blessings and his prospects began to improve. He studied
astrology and gained proficiency in it and thereby improved his lot.
He was able to earn sufficient money and passed his after-life in
ease and comfort.
