Story of Shree Sai Baba and Shama

Sai Baba is a Siddha Purush (A siddha in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who according to Hindu belief have transcended the ahamkara (ego or I-maker), have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies composed mainly of dense Rajo-tama gunas into a different kind of bodies dominated by sattva. This is usually accomplished only by persistent meditation over many lifetimes.) , Param Saguna Brahma ( Ultimate God with body), this kind of did not existed in Madhavrao's (Shama) heart initially. But gradually the educational officer of Kopegaun village used to pay regular visits to Shri Sai Baba. Seeing this Madhavrao (Shama) began to feel that Shree Sai Baba was a SatPurusha (Saint). But when people holding high posts in government or individual organizations began to folk to Shirdi to Shri Sainath and bow at Shri Sai Baba's feet, then did Madhavrao realized that Sai Baba was a Sakhshat Avatari Purush. Since than Madhavrao became a bhakt (devotee) of Sai Baba.

Just as Arjuna used to call Shri Krishna by the name of Deva, Shama also used to call Shri Saibaba by the name of Deva. Deva word contains many attributes like attractiveness, sacredness, love, compassion, Mother's love.

Once on Ekadasi day from someone's farm, Sai Baba was sent Warm Ponk of jowar (ponk is prepared by baking fresh green grains of jowar. Dried jowar is and was used widely in western India to prepare rotlas (A type of baked bread). Sai Baba gave a handful of this ponk to Madhavrao and asked him to eat it. Madhavrao used to strictly follow Pushti Vaishnav. He followed Ekadashi Vrata (Fasting). Looking at the ponk given in his hand by Sai Baba, Madhavrao got angry and said, "Dev! don't you feel ashamed that today is Ekadashi day, and you are asking me to eat ponk? Go....... I am not going to eat it !"

Listening to this just as a father tells his beloved son with love and tenderness, Shri Sai Baba replied,Sure , do not eat, Ok !"

Read more  -   Stories of Shama – Madhavrao Deshpande 

Source taken from Gujarati book Sai Sarovar (not exact tranlation)